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Inspired by the "What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas" attitude, and that it usually happens after dark, nightlife impresarios keep dipping into their vast pockets to create over-the-top experiences where party-mad Visigoths—plus, well, you and me—can live out some wild fantasies. The number of high-profile nightclubs, trendy lounges, and sizzling strip bars continues to grow, each attempting to trump the other to attract not just high rollers, but A-list celebrities and the publicity that surrounds them.
Many of the newest clubs even have gambling. Though, we ask, Why bother when you can lounge beside the pool by day and bellow at the moon by night while dancing half clad at a club until noon the following day (when it's back into the pool you go)?
In the late 1990s, once the Vegas mandarins decided that the "family experience" just wasn't happening, Sin City nightlife got truly sinful again, drawing raves from clubbers worldwide. A wave of large dance clubs, such as the Luxor's (now-defunct) Ra, opened their doors, followed by a trendy batch of cozier ultralounges—lounges with dance floors and high-tech amenities.
The game of one-upmanship has continued—recent additions that have kept the city hopping include the massive Omnia at Caesars Palace and more intimate Intrique Nightclub at Wynn Las Vegas. What's more, bawdy 1950s-era burlesque lounges are continuing their comeback with a gaggle of clubs now dedicated to the art of striptease.
Few cities on Earth match Vegas in its dedication to upping the nightlife ante. So with all these choices, no one—not even the Visigoths—has an excuse for not having fun, however you define the "f" word.
Brad Garrett, he of Everybody Loves Raymond and Single Parents fame, has returned to his stand-up roots in a classic comedy-club setting—a bar with plenty of photos of...well, Brad Garrett on the walls. He handpicks the comedians and headlines almost monthly himself: "It was either this or Jews on Ice at the Stratosphere," he likes to tell audiences. There's usually a hefty cover charge of at least $75.
Think of this 99-seat venue as a tiny Vaudeville fantasy world; on any given night, you might encounter an aerialist, a drag queen, a piano singer, a juggler, a comedian, or something entirely different (and similarly mind-boggling). There's burlesque, too. Owner Ryan Doherty bills the space as a "variety club" and the name is apt; the more you go, the more variety you're likely to see. Drinks, including craft cocktails, are strong and designed to get the audience nice and loud. Perhaps the best part of the Cheapshot experience is the value: for $25 you get 90 minutes of entertainment. Where else in Vegas can you find such a deal?
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