tl;dr: If you want to jump to our Complete List of US Speakeasies, Click here

Your favorite sisters are in their element when surrounded by fantastic opportunities for creating our own Las Vegas speakeasy tour.

Vegas is an obvious choice when posed with the question, “Where should we go for great drinking options?”. We are dutifully bringing you our Las Vegas Speakeasy recommendations in this post; we will cover Tiki Bars and other drinking spots in a separate post.

Las Vegas Speakeasy Boom

Secret bars have become more and more common in Vegas, and you would be hard pressed to hit them all in one long Vegas party weekend.  So, we have done the leg work and hit the big ones and are ready to give you the inside scoop.

A Speakeasy used to be a quiet little underground place that you could seek out and feel like you were privy to some secret underground.  Sadly, this is no longer the case. With social media and Google searches you can find them in most big cities. 

We recommend reservations for all of these places, even on weeknights, just to guarantee yourselves entry.

Las Vegas Speakeasies – Off-strip

Sister Side Note (ssn) – we choreographed this list carefully to hit these spots during the day and/or as soon as they opened. We are not up for Vegas night-life, haha. Many open at 4:00-ish and we are all about it. You can’t be day drinking if you don’t start in the daytime!.

Mas Por Favor – Chinatown

The Entrance

This could have been mentioned in our Off the Strip blog post, because it is technically located in Chinatown.  Yes, we know, it’s weird that there is a Mexican Restaurant in Chinatown. But nevertheless, here we are!

From the front entrance, Mas Por Favor is a counter taco shop with a pretty impressive menu. The food is good, plan to eat.  At the counter ask the cashier about “tonight’s delight” and they will point you to the unassuming man in the corner. 

He will escort you through a large door and down a dark hallway, past a barrel of cocaine (ok, it was probably a prop, but we didn’t ask), around a corner beyond the sombrero wearing skeleton (see, he asked about that barrel and white bricks) and through a second metal door. 

The Experience

Hispanic symbolism fantastically decorates the room in a completely stylish way.  There’s a wall of prayer candles, a large mural of Frieda Kahlo lookalike, sponge textured walls, you will definitely feel like hanging out for a while.

There are margaritas, naturally, and some crazy themed cocktails. We had the Border Patrol Shot served in a hollowed-out shotgun shell. One our neighbors at the next table had:  Disco Shit, a shot served with a cardboard square of “party favors” (in reality its powdered sugar lined out like cocaine lines), it was hysterical to watch.

Get the tacos, they’re crazy good and have some unique combinations. They also have happy hour specials if you opt for a late afternoon instead of late-night cocktail experience. 

The Laundry Room – Downtown

The Entrance

Down off of Fremont Street is The Laundry Room. Constructed from what used to be a legit Prohibition-era Las Vegas speakeasy that doubled as laundry facilities for the El Cortez Hotel, the Laundry Room was one of the first in this new revival.  You will find it inside Commonwealth Bar on the east end of Fremont. So down further than the Fremont Street Experience, but still within walking distance and by the Neon signs and Container Garden. 

The Experience

The Laundry Room is extremely private, only seating 22 people at a time, a maximum of 4 per party.  Reservations open up two weeks in advanced of your day, and they do book up fast.  Approach the host at Commonwealth and let her know of your reservation, She will escort you down a hallway to a secret panel hiding the entrance.

They feature Prohibition era décor and a fantastic menu of vintage cocktails. Or you can give the bartender a little bit of your likes and dislikes and challenge them to blend a special concoction just for you. Eclectic furniture and seating, you may just find yourself seated at a piano bench or cozied up under an antique chandelier.

You may notice that we are not sharing any pictures of The Laundry Room with you.  That is because it isn’t allowed.  The Laundry Room has strict rules you must abide by, among them is no phones in use, no loud or excitable conversations, no fighting, no PDAs, and no hitting on other patrons.

ssn – while no photos are allowed, the amazing tiktoker, VegasStarfish, has the inside look.

@vegasstarfish

The ultimate hidden speakeasy, Laundry Room Downtown Las Vegas #vegas #lasvegas #vegasstarfish #speakeasy #downtownlasvegas #fremontstreetexperience

♬ Harry Potter – The Intermezzo Orchestra

The Underground – Downtown

The Entrance

Also in downtown Las Vegas, in the basement of the Mob Museum is The Underground Bar and Distillery.

You can enter through the museum after your tour, or there is a backdoor with the old-style sliding peephole.  They offer a distillery tour as one of the museum entry packages. The tour explains the history and process of bathtub gin and moonshine, it also comes with tastings.

The Experience

The Underground serves upscale bar appetizers, and prohibition-themed cocktails.  I opted for the Bathtub Fizz, because it was served in a cute little bathtub.  But they offer their own take on Bee’s Knees and the Al Capone reported favorite Southside.  Peggy opted for the Giggle Water, because how could you not have something called Giggle Water.

Captain’s Quarters inside White Whale – Downtown

The Entrance

This is formerly Mike Morey’s Sip N Tip and is located down a side alley off Fremont Street. Note that we have not been since Mike Morey’s closed but it appears that there are similarities to the entrance but there is no longer a sign above the door alerting you to its presence but there are whales stenciled onto the bricks. Then just a black door in the alley and you still ring a doorbell and be allowed in.

The Experience

Once inside the door you can go left into the White Whale or right behind the curtain to Captain’s Quarters.  It has transitioned to a nautical theme and we have heard there is no cocktail menu but the bartenders make you curated cocktails based on your likes and personality.

ssn – I absolutely loved the original and can’t wait to check out the new place! Old pics for now…

Las Vegas Speakeasies – Strip Area

Here Kitty Kitty Vice Den – Resorts World

The Entrance

Resort World is one of the newer resorts on the strip, and it’s beautiful, Hilton did a fabulous job on this resort!

Several fantastic restaurants, but we were drawn in by the so-called food court named Famous Food Street Eats.  Authentic international dishes from multiple cultures similar to Hawker stand.

But we aren’t here to talk food in this blog post. You will need to go find Famous Food Street and look for Ms. Meow’s Mamak Stall.  At the checkout counter, you will need to go to them and say “here, kitty kitty”. We find it best if you do in a bit of a whisper for effect, haha. They will guide you back through the bookcase, which is a secret door into the Here Kitty Kitty Vice Den. 

The Experience

Billed as a “hidden den of sin”, they have a well-stocked bar of world-famous Scotch, Tequila and Asian Whiskeys.  They will make you a bartender’s choice cocktail, or you can choose from a list of specialty cocktails. The cocktails are inventive and exciting, with ingredients like Cardamom bitters, pink peppercorn, or Strawberry bursting Boba. We absolutely loved the feel and vibe of this bar, and the big neon tiger on the wall.

The room is dark, the décor is Asian inspired, and it was one of Peggy’s two favorite stops (probably #3 on my list).

ssn – I loved Here Kitty Kitty – they had me at hidden den of sin. But they seriously committed to the back alley Asian theme. The bartenders were fab and the drinks…chef’s kiss.

The Barbershop Cuts & Cocktails – Cosmopolitan

The Entrance

At the Cosmopolitan, The Barbershop is set up like a speakeasy, however it is anything but a secret spot.  This maybe the best known Las Vegas speakeasy around. In fact, as you enter the Cosmopolitan from the Bellagio side, there is a big barbershop sign that lists it as having cocktails. And there is a roped area for the eventual line to get in, it is not exactly unassuming.

The Barbershop front does actually provide haircuts and shaves.  However, if you have a reservation, or it’s still early in the evening, the door bouncer will escort you to the back janitor’s closet. Here a little peephole door will slide open and deem whether you are acceptable for entry. Our hostess rang the bell for us and the inside bouncer looked us up and down. He reminded the hostess that last time I was there I was removed for dancing on the tables. I’m not saying he was wrong, but it was a cute little kitschy interaction enhancing the experience. I assured him that this time I would share the tips and he granted us entry.

The Experience

Inside is a fantastic whiskey focused menu, a huge wall with a bar that was clearly imported from someplace fantastic due to the mirror aging. The seating area was appointed with dark cushy leather chairs and a very masculine yet classy feel, they nailed the ambiance.

I think one of my favorite nods to the old style speakeasy was the bouncer guarding the inner door and the red light above the door that lit up when a new patron arrived requesting entry.

They host celebrities on occasion, and if you are there during the week do NOT miss Karaoke.  There is a limited song list, because you perform with a live band instead of canned, recorded music.  Do not pass up this opportunity. I’m so sorry Vegas missed my rendition of “Oops, I did it Again” because I quite frankly chickened out.  Don’t be like me.

ssn – On speakeasy-style ambiance alone, this is near the top for me. It is done so well. At first it was a little snobby, but very shortly, we met the people around us, the bartenders got chatty and we had a great time. The bar features open seating, but all tables and seating sections were reservation (and bottle service or maybe a spend minimum) required.

Ghost Donkey – Cosmopolitan

The Entrance

Upstairs at the Cosmopolitan is a little more hidden, little smaller, little more festive speakeasy. 

On the second floor, in the food court, back past the nacho bar, look for an exit door with a donkey on it. 

The Experience

Push that door open and it’s a small bar, with lots of Christmas lights and loud raucous feel, or maybe it was just the convention that was in town.  But it was amazing that from the food court side you could hear nothing, you push that door and it’s all pink, funky, sparkly tequila party.

It was such a good time (we both listed this in our top two favorites)! Great tequila drinks, and an atmosphere that promotes a party atmosphere without being “clubby”.

Cabinet of Curiosities and The Lock – Horseshoe

One of Las Vegas’ newer speakeasies, and my personal favorite, The Lock.  In Horseshoe Las Vegas, follow the signs to the Cabinet of Curiosities downstairs from the casino floor.  Cabinet of Curiosities is actually gorgeous and you will be glad you found it.  Eclectic, weird curiosities decorate this bar. I loved the blue leather couch, so elegant and indulgent feeling.

At the end of the room is a big door that looks almost like a huge bank vault door. Pickup the phone and the The Locksmith will answer, if you have a reservation, or they have room, The Locksmith will come out to get you.

The Entrance

The Locksmith guides you back to a room filled with safes.  Each safe contains a numeric clue inside to the locked door.  You must arrange the clues to get the combination to the door lock.  Once the code is solved, or you beg the Locksmith for help, you crawl through the big safe door (if you are adventurous). You walk through the big inner vault door if you are a little boring (there are different codes for the two different doors), and boom, you are in. 

The Experience

You can choose from the standard specialty cocktails list that is prohibition era inspired, or you can choose adventure and fill out the personality profile and the mixologist will concoct a drink based on answers to simple questions about your mood, your flavor preference and zodiac sign.

Our mixologist nailed the cocktails. 

Then we discovered the shifty eyes on one of the portraits (with the help of another patron).  Behind that portrait lies a VIP lounge, yes, there is actually has a second hidden room inside their own hidden room.

They made the entrance one of the most fun of our adventure, and it is definitely worth it when you are in the quiet, conversational drinking mood (rather than the festive mood of a few of the other speakeasies). 

Ok, so we solved the clues, we open the safe and opt for the adventure of entering that way. You have to actually crawl through the safe to the other side. Having had a couple of cocktails, I decide to go all Chris Farley aka Tommy Boy. As I crawl into the safe I start singing “Fat Girl in a Little Safe”, just to myself and Peggy. I think I’m funny, until I hear the roar of laughter from the other side. I didn’t realize the safe opened up directly into the bar, which at the time was dead quiet and the entire room could hear me.

ssn – if you do NOTHING else with this post, watch the YouTube video of Patti entering the safe. Yes, I snorted…and I am still laughing about it.

The Vault – Bellagio

The Entrance

We expect a hidden entrance in a speakeasy and this one you will have to look for.  Online all we could find out was that it’s a brown door on the casino floor of The Bellagio. And we were off to search with just the one descriptor on the not-so-small casino floor.  We stumbled upon it relatively quickly, but it is hidden and unmarked except for a sign next to a brown door (with a gold handle) with The Vault’s logo on it. The entrance was a win for us.

ssn – Even as small children Patti had an innate sense for where the bathroom was in every public place we were in. Our parents used to joke about it. It seems that skill has served her well and has translated to hidden entrances. She seems to instinctively sniff them out with not much trouble at all. Well, except for that one time in Penang.

The Experience

We knew going in that The Vault was going to be too fancy for us, but we are here for you, to give you the full experience review.  We enter through the brown door, are greeted by a Vegas-level VIP hostess who escorts us to our bar seats (bar seats, FTW). The room itself is dark and moody, smells slightly of smokey goodness and leather.  It is black and gold, has lots of mirrors and fantastic lighting.  It is definitely upscale and classy AF.

We agreed ahead of time that this is going to be a one and done for us, because it’s also known for being “expensive but worth it”, we are doubting the worth it part.  We were wrong, it was totally worth it.  And it had a welcome drink, you know we love a welcome drink!

ssn – Although The Vault was elegant and opulent, it was not stuffy. In contrast to The Office in Chicago – also very exclusive and expensive – we loved the Vault and did not feel like it “was not for us”. I speak for both of us when I say we would happily return.

Special Shoutout – The Service

David, our bartender, was incredible. Friendly and polite, with a mind-blowing level of knowledge and information about not just the spirits, but also the mixing and flavor balances.

Questions were answered similar to this: “as this is very gin forward, it is balanced with the yuzu and melon, to bring down the acidity and elevate the natural sweetness that can be found in earthy tones of the matcha. The blending of these flavors will hit the palette with a smooth, almost silky note and then blend into a river of sweet and sour as it crosses the taste buds, finishing with a slightly bitter, but mellow final hit”.

His descriptions were over the top, with an incredible synonym filled explanation so that you knew exactly what to expect.

Back to the Cocktails

But let’s talk about the cocktails.  Expensive, for sure.  But, as we were warned, completely worth it.  I had The Seductress, their amped up version of an espresso martini – it is served finished with a sesame cream that had the consistency of marshmallow fluff and a burned sugar banana that added to the smell sense as you drank it.  They make the cream by handshaking cream and sesame simply syrup – hand-shaken in a frozen martini shaker.

Peggy had the English Spy, a clarified milk punch that she loved but, whatever, I had marshmallow-y goodness.  Start with a welcome drink, add in cocktails, they also serve drinking snacks (tajin pistachios, parmesan crisps, and deep fried olives stuffed with goat cheese and chorizo) and then you finish with a good-bye bite, which ours was an espresso gelée with orange brown sugar.

ssn – don’t downplay my cocktail! I received a full ten minute dissertation comparing and contrasting two of my choices – I had to consider the difficulty level required of the bartender, the flavor profiles, the mouth feel and the viscosity! David is brilliant. As was my choice.

The Ski Lodge – Cosmopolitan

The Entrance

Next to Superfrico at the Cosmopolitan there is an unassuming door.  Plain except for a little skier on it.  No sign, no fanfare, just a simple door.  We love this, that is how a speakeasy should be, completely unadvertised.

The Experience

This was a winner, cracking into the list of our favorite speakeasies.  True dedication to the theme, it feels dark and lodge-ish, wooden, skis in the corner, a stone fireplace, absolutely just like any ski lodge bar you’ve been in.  Big picture window over the bar has a snowy scene showing.  The drinks were a good blend of alcohols, without being too weird. The staff was friendly and sported après ski style outfits.  And they offer a shotski!

This place hit all the notes and checked all the boxes.  I had the Golden Gai Goddess, with a fruity forward but a slightly bitter aftertaste, not in a bad way, in a slightly pithy way, I think it balanced out the fruity yuzu nicely and came with a slice of dragon fruit, which I will never turn down.

ssn – short and sweet, not much to add here. The Ski Lodge was perfect – and I feel like as a Coloradan I can say that. The commitment to theme was unmatched. This is comfortably in my Top 5.

Easy’s Cocktail Lounge – Aria

The Entrance

When you hear about it, it sounds perfect: a speakeasy attached to a donut shop.  Except when you get there it is decidedly just a nightclub attached to a donut shop.  A velvet entry rope, a big man named Reggie out front guarding the entrance looking like he’s going to decide if you are good enough to go in. The closest it comes to a speakeasy is an entrance down a short, short hallway with a door Reggie has to open with the code. Speakeasy ends there.

The Experience

Great bar, more like a small jazz club inside.  It’s got a great feel to it. A standing-room only bar for those without reservations, small tables, and a cool live band performing a little classic R&B with a modern twist. The band was the highlight for us.  The drinks range from high-end specialty drinks (things like smokey drinks in cigar boxes), down to their list of classic cocktails (I had a daquiri). Overall, a great place to hangout for an intimate night listening to great music in a small venue, but not exactly a speakeasy.

ssn – my drink (pictured below) was exceptionally good!! Gin, yellow Chartruse, honey, lemon, cucumber, mint! A little spendy but fantastic. Bonus points for Easy’s….they hand you a donut when you leave!

Pier 17 Yacht Club – Caesar’s Palace

The Entrance

The Pier 17 Yacht Club is the speakeasy located inside the Green Fairy Garden outside the Absinthe tent in front of Caesar’s Palace (phew, that’s a lot). The downside is that the entrance is not hidden or mysterious, there is a hostess check in at the front but it is at a bit of an “off” location inside the Green Fairy Garden (which is a cute outside bar if you just need a great outdoor patio. 

The Experience

You are escorted up a very Gilligan’s Island looking ramp with bamboo walls, into the inner bar room.  The inner bar room is pretty and upscale yacht club looking environment, but then there are doors to their outside patio which is much livelier and fun looking with Christmas lights and patio chairs.  This is primarily a pre-hangout area for those attending Absinthe.  It had a great feel but was dead while we were there as the show had just started.

A short, themed cocktail list, it was good, but nothing over the top or weird, which we appreciated. 

All in all, a cute, solid bar, not so much a speakeasy, but I’m glad we went. Perfect for your pre-show cocktails (and they offer large, premixed flasks of cocktails, which was cute) and drinks with friends. Anyplace else besides Vegas and it would have been more impressive and more highly frequently for it’s outside patio vibes.

ssn – This was super cute but definitely a pre-show only occasion. If you get the chance, see Absinthe – it is hilarious, raunchy, visually fun and also full of amazing talent!

The Count Room – The Flamingo

Unfortunately Google did not have updated hours for The Count Room so we could not make it to this one. It is located behind an office door just outside of Bugsy & Meyer’s Steakhouse, this looks really cute. Next time!

On the Record – Park MGM

At the Park MGM. Definitely not a speakeasy, no matter what your Google search tells you.  Big neon lighted sign, a velvet rope maze, and signs all over telling you this way to “On the Record Speakeasy and Club”.  We passed.

Other Speakeasy Guides

• Our Ultimate List & Ratings of US Speakeasies
• Austin
• Chicago
• Denver
• Seattle
• Kansas City
• Paris
• London

Others in our Day Drinking Series

• Dallas
• Seattle – part 2
• Savannah
• Boise
• Kansas City

So we had to dig in for this trip and find what you need to know before you go for the fantastic, slightly “extra” experience when doing Las Vegas right.

A little Disclosure

Peggy and I lived in Vegas in the 90s.  Post college, early baby years, in total we spent about 6 years living out in Summerlin.  We have knowledge of the city from a more-than-a-tourist point-of-view.  It’s been a while, but it did provide us with the comfortability of Las Vegas outside of the Strip.

Sister Side Note (ssn) – those were great years…if you could just imagine us in our 20’s. Many people who only visit the Strip wonder what it would be like to live in Vegas. It is fantastic! The outlying areas are just like any other suburb – except that your neighbor might be a stripper (true story). The restaurants are wonderful – lots of ethnic variety, it is quite beautiful with many outdoor activities, and people like to visit!

Renting a car while in Las Vegas is a good, and often cheap choice, if you are the kind of person who doesn’t just want to hole up in a casino on the Strip.  Having a car allows you to see Hoover Dam, go hiking at Red Rocks or the Valley of Fire, and see some of the beauty of the valley.  There are so many amazing local restaurants, bars, and shopping places in Las Vegas. It’s a shame so many people don’t venture outside of the big casino mega-complexes.

Our Off Strip Adventure Day

Bright and Early for Sunrise and Seven Magic Mountains

Day one is always our big GSD day. 

ssn – that’s Get Stuff Done (if you’re our mother), or Get Shit Done (if you’re most anyone else)

Seven Magic Mountains is a large-scale desert art installation. Technically on Las Vegas Blvd, but very off the Strip.  You can Uber out here, but we opted for a one day car rental to hit some spots on our list. 

Seven Magic Mountains had mixed reviews, people either love it and list it as a “can’t miss” spot for tourists or to others, it’s weird and stupid and why bother.  No one seems middle of the road about Seven Magic Mountains.

It was closed for renovating (painting) while we were there, but I still loved it.  It was fenced off and construction crews were refreshing the paint. But it was bright and colorful, and I thought it was really cool. 

It is about 15 min south, but it is a quick little side trip to get away from the casinos and bright lights.

In Las Vegas and it’s too early for breakfast?

We stumbled upon Distill by accident. One wrong turn and 45 minutes to kill before Lola opened, Distill had an open sign. And we had an alcohol need, it was Kismet.

There are several Distill bars in Las Vegas, but we had never heard of it.  It was fantastic.  Loved the atmosphere and décor.  A little section in front of the tv with couches and lounge chairs for catching a game, other spots with traditional bar tables for food.  They do traditional bar food, along with a full menu of burgers, salads, sliders and wraps.  This is definitely someplace I see hanging out at when we are visiting family or just hanging out for off-strip down days.

We did it for the ‘Gram

The cutest little brunch spot exists on the west side called Café Lola. Pink and fluffy, and perfect for a bougie girls mimosa day. 

The décor is spot on, it’s so girly, and makes you feel like you are spoiled and loved just being there. 

What to drink

Mainly a coffee café, they run a full menu of coffee drinks to choose from. Innovative and interesting flavor combinations.  They have coffee and tea lattes bolstered with superfood additives (think spirulina, turmeric, beet root), as alternative ingredients like matcha and lavender.

However, for us bougie, girly mimosa day people, they have a selection of wines and champagne-based cocktails.  I had to try the Cotton Candy Cocktail after my fantastic experience in Dallas.

And there’s food

To go with the light and fluffy décor, the menu is mainly lighter fare (no steak and eggs, or biscuits and gravy here).  They have a full display of pastries in the case, or a light menu of salads, sandwiches and toasts. 

Burrata and prosciutto with fig jam?  Salmon Toast (Barney’s Upper East Toast)? Yes, please!  That’s definitely in our wheel house. 

All fresh and light, and pretty.  Checkout their strawberry shortcake waffle for a sweet, bright treat for breakfast!

Quick stop

Are you a dive bar lover?  Just across the freeway (I-15) from the strip is one of the diviest dive bars I have ever experienced:  The Rusty Spur Saloon.  You’ll know it by the huge silver Unicorn out front, but don’t let that give you the impression that there is any redeemable quality about the Rusty Spur except for the drinks and the full-on dive bar experience.

ssn – you KNOW I wanted to climb on that unicorn. It was however, too tall…and I was too sober…

A Little History Thrown in

The Mob Museum is located just two blocks north of Fremont in Downtown Las Vegas.

I was skeptical but had heard from other people that is was actually a great museum. 

And there is a speakeasy in the basement, so clearly, we had to go.

It was actually a great little museum.  It’s not going to take up more than a couple hours of your time and covers early Vegas, and the mobs influence on the town’s growth. In the old Las Vegas courthouse, it’s three floors of information and sectioned by timeline. 

You can add on several extra experiences including the distillery tour and tasting and a crime lab experience. But to begin, take the elevator up to the top.

The Mob Museum

Start on the third floor with the origins of the mob, how they organized, how they moved in to Vegas, and background on famous mobsters we’ve seen all the movies about.

The old courtroom on the second floor runs a film about the Kefauver Hearings, about the Senate committee charged with investigating organized crime.  This was the big series of hearings around the country that exposed a national crime syndicate.

From there the second floor goes into the infiltration of Vegas, the money, the corruption, and then into my favorite part:  the mobs supposed participation in the Kennedy assassination. We had learned about that in our Dallas JFK conspiracy theory tour, so this section brought me joy in reaffirming this angle of the assassination.

First floor focuses on the men themselves, Lansky, Segal, Bulger, all the big names. 

And a Speakeasy!

However, by this time we were distracted by the fact there is a speakeasy in the basement and we were ready. We cover the speakeasy in our Speakeasy specific blog post, but loved the dark wood and leather atmosphere, the retro feel, and the creative cocktails

And a bit more Las Vegas history

The Neon Museum

North of Fremont street headed up into North Las Vegas you will find The Neon Museum.

A boneyard of old neon signs from Iconic hotels, restaurants, and bars that lived in the hey day of Vegas.  The outside garden has over 250, un-restored pieces, with a gallery and visitors center containing information about pieces and insight into the history.

A walk down memory lane for some. A glimpse into the history of gambling and drinking in this party town for others. The collection dates back to the 1930s and tells the story of the fun, excitement, and progression of Las Vegas from small town to vacation mecca. 

The Neon Museum is a great way to kill a couple of hours in the afternoon.  It’s an easy self-guided walking tour through the lot. Docents are available to share fun, interesting facts about the displayed Las Vegas businesses, and also answer any questions you might have.

There is also an evening Neon Experience that lights up the boneyard, and an augmented reality experience called “Brilliant!” taking place in the North Gallery to add on to your Neon experience providing a 3D, 360 degree show that reanimates over 40 vintage signs to create an immersive visit. I was not planning on being overwhelmed by a yard full of old signs, but ended up loving the outing and absolutely recommend planning this into your Vegas vacation.

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Our Must See Las Vegas Experience

Area15

Area 15 is across the freeway from the strip and is a super popular, fully immersive entertainment experience.

There are art shows, and mind twisting Altered Reality, axe throwing, zombie encounters, a flight simulator, and more.  Separated by different rooms and buildings, it’s a series of attractions, events, bars, restaurant. Possibly the hottest currently, the much-touted Meow Wolf’s Omega Mart (a wacky, wild, supermarket style experience).

There is an Illuminarium and ice cream shop, it is family friendly but for adults, start in the afternoon at Area15 and finish with Lost Sprits.

Lost Spirits Distillery

Lost Spirits Distillery has permanently closed. But be sure to check out the other dinning and drinking experiences at Area 15.

And Speaking of Bars – We can’t resist a Tiki

The Vegas Iconic Tiki Dive Bar

Frankie’s Tiki Room.

Oh, Frankie’s.

Everyone told us not to miss Frankie’s Tiki Room. Frankie’s has a 4.6 on Google Reviews. People love Frankie’s.

And it was a dive!  A total, old-school Vegas, dark, dank, smokey, dive bar. 

But with the full on, over the top Tiki theme.

It makes me giggle again thinking about it, because the drinks were amazing, the service was fantastic, but our pictures are terrible because it was so dark. There were ashtrays on every video poker machine and it smelled like it.

You can upgrade your drink into a Tiki glass in a fabulous variety of traditional ceramic tiki mugs, or just order a boozy, fruity, tropical concoction of wonderfulness.

While we were just stunned at the dive bar-iness of Frankie’s, we did appreciate the experience and are thankful for everyone’s recommendations.

ssn – getting our Uber driver to drop us off at Frankie’s (which is off Charleston, just west of I-15) was like meeting up for some shady deal. It felt like we were being set up on an episode of CSI: Las Vegas. But hey, maybe it is a great time when it isn’t a Tuesday afternoon.

Tiki #2, The Golden Tiki

Now hear us out on this one, a tiki bar in the heart of Chinatown.  How could this be a bad thing?

Well, it’s not, it’s just simply not; in fact, it’s amazing! 

The Golden Tiki is flat out a fantastic Tiki Bar.

Where do I even start? 

The crushed velvet naked women on the beach paintings lining the tables?  The Robotic talking parrots bantering back and forth?  The water wave lighting and paper lanterns. . . or the fossilized butthole in the back hallway?

Yes, I’m serious about that butthole. . . prehistoric actually. . .  

Or the dancing Tahitian dolls above the bar, that I’m pretty sure they had to have gotten from the “It’s a Small World” ride at Disney.

I could go on and on. . .

The singer, doing a perfect rendition of Rat Pack crooner music. A bit of tropical themed songs, blended with some current, classic, and mix of all decades.  We spoke with him and he said he absolutely has the best job and can’t wait to go to work everyday. And we believe him.  He did an amazing job working the room and belting out some fun tunes.

A full dual page menu of tropical concoctions, but also some amazing items on their specialty shots, and sharable “served in a full pineapple” and lit-on-fire-style-best-of-the-business Tiki drinks.

ssn – I loved The Golden Tiki – it embodies Happy Hour on vacation. The darkness is a little startling at first but it doesn’t take long to settle into the vibe. Our drinks were fab, we tried the Demon Seaman shots (twice!) and the snacks were surprisingly tasty!

And Not to Ruin the Surprise but. . . .

You really should go to the bathroom at The Golden Tiki

And to add to the wonder:  They Have Happy Hour!!!!  Food AND Drink specials

ssn – seriously, you need to make reservations and go for Happy Hour. We were lucky to see Dino A La Carte but they have lots of entertainment and cool theme nights.

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