89 Best Bars in Las Vegas, Nevada

As urban renewal continues Downtown, the one-block stretch of Fremont east of Las Vegas Boulevard (dubbed Fremont East) remains the hottest of the hot spots, and Commonwealth arguably is the epicenter. Inside, wrought-iron railings, chandeliers, and a tin ceiling create a feeling of old-school opulence without being excessive. Drink options range from handcrafted cocktails to microbrews; there's also good live music in the evening. The atmosphere changes as evenings progress, from quiet happy hours conducive to conversation to full-on dance craziness for a younger crowd. Venture upstairs to the rooftop bar, or try to secure an invite to the private Laundry Room speakeasy. Commonwealth is closed on Monday and Tuesday.

Barmaids in tight clothes break into choreographed bar-top dances intended to make Hooters look like a church picnic at this noisy tourist trap, a reincarnation of the 2000 movie's title nightspot (which is, fittingly, in New York). If you want to gaze at galvanized aluminum siding, old license plates, and an impressive bra collection, who are we to stop you?

The builders of this club might have never anticipated the windfall headed its way in the form of Allegiant Stadium, which turns out to be within walking distance. Crazy Horse was already in the top tier of the local skin game. The name that stuck (after previous incarnations as Sin and the Penthouse Club) is an homage to the bygone Crazy Horse II, which long ruled in the industry's smaller more downscale era. This version now has a center stage in-the-round and the more typically plush trappings of the modern era, as well as a kitchen to serve up pizzas and a "Taco Tuesday" promotion. Checking the website in advance might pay off with package deals that include limo transportation and drink credits.

Both the name and the scale of this one might be familiar to those who visit topless clubs in their home towns. Déjà Vu is part of a national chain, and the single-stage club is small compared to its increasingly grandiose competitors. But this branch has been spruced up with new carpet and the like. It also stays competitive with its $30 cover (compared to $50 or more at the splashier clubs) and is arguably within walking distance of the Strip—at least from the Fashion Show mall. The place is absolutely packed on Tuesday when all drinks are $2, and Sunday brings a uniquely popular "Sunday School" promotion in which the gals wear naughty schoolgirl outfits and bottles are $99.

Call it a self-aware dive bar—the Double D sits a short walk between the Virgin Hotels Las Vegas and the Thomas & Mack Center and a long, long way from the upscale casino hotels. A sign inside says it nicely: "Shut Up and Drink." Delicious decadence prevails here 24 hours a day; no wonder it was a favorite of the late food celebrity Anthony Bourdain and anyone else adventurous enough to enjoy a bacon martini. For the boho crowd, this deliberately downscale bar awash in cleverly obscene graffiti has everything from great local bands to a truly eclectic jukebox. Our advice: go late, choke back the cigarette smoke, and try the (fabled) Ass Juice cocktail.

Hiding from your creditors? Seeking a good spot for a séance or a Spin-the-Bottle party? If so, then consider stepping—carefully—into the gorgeous gloom of this hipster hangout, which is just around the corner from The Griffin. The minimalist lounge glows from candle-filled tables and thumps with simmering house music, making the vibe mysterious and romantic. Happy hour is 4 to 7 pm every night but Sunday, with everything on the menu half-price. Locals love that deal, as well as the seasonal cocktail menus. Just beware: the front door is hard to find. It's closed Sunday and Monday.

The innovations continue in Las Vegas, and this incarnation includes full concerts from hip-hop stars like French Montana, Nelly, Future, Fat Joe, Trey Songz, and even Chris Brown. The 70,000-square-foot venue sits on top of the resort, replete with a pool with some pretty amazing views of the Strip.

Victor Drai wants your business day and night, and he nabs it with his multiuse space 11 stories up at The Cromwell. Drai's boasts a rooftop day- and nightclub with eight pools and cabanas for basking in the sun or dancing to the beats under the moon. It's huge, too, clocking in at 70,000 square feet with 7,000 square feet of digital screens, two VIP balconies, four bars, and every imaginable seating option. Go ultraswanky at one of 150 VIP tables.

Definitely not your father’s cigar bar, this sexy lounge filled with sexy people (and known to attract a few celebrities) has a custom-crafted humidor, popular and limited-edition stogies, and a drinks menu tailored to the smokes and designed to foster relaxation.

Ancient statues, tapestry-covered walls, pirated Mississippi road signs—the Foundation Room gets high marks for eclectic aesthetic appeal. Though membership is encouraged and comes with perks, this secluded subsidiary of the House of Blues is open to everyone seven nights a week, provided you're willing to wait in line. Reserve in advance for a reduced cover charge. The venue itself is a series of rooms, each with its own set of design themes and type of music that could range from Top 40 hits to house, depending on the night. A main attraction is the view of the Strip; because the club is on the 43rd floor, it provides some of the best panoramic vistas of the entire town, but the views come with a hefty cover charge.

You want Polynesian tiki-bar culture, Vegas-style? You want grass huts, carved wooden furniture, and cocktails such as the Green Gasser, the Thurston Howl, the Lava Letch, and the Bearded Clam? You'll get it all here, and more, 24 hours a day in this small, windowless but thoroughly charming tiki bar that is utterly committed to its theme. The tiki mugs are all original, and if you love yours (and trust us, you will), there's a "merch hut" where you can buy one to bring the spirit of aloha home with you.

Delano gives its classy lobby lounge a moniker that goes with its theme: the 32nd president. Bourbons, whiskeys, and barrel-aged drinks are specialties here, so belly up, let the soft music and tiny twinkling lights help you relax, and ask the bartender to prep you a little something, maybe from the Woodford Reserve barrel service (and yes, you can keep the barrel). What's more, since it's a lobby lounge, there's no cover.

The sleek, sophisticated Gatsby’s is known for its vintage and rare Champagnes and classic and artisanal cocktails, including one that’s served in a miniature bathtub, complete with rubber duckies. Every first Friday brings the Return of the Gatz, a 1920s-theme party with music and dancing.

Once a (seedy) casino, the Gold Spike was resuscitated as part of the late Tony Hsieh's $350-million Downtown Project. In this case, that means gambling is out and free gaming is in. Gaming, as in shuffleboard, giant versions of Connect Four, and, on the back patio, life-size Jenga and beer pong with soccer balls and garbage pails. There's also a small restaurant, multiple bars, and a tiny house that visitors can rent for parties or spend the night in. The place is still a haven for Zappos employees, but the hot spot that bills itself as an "adult playground" is open to the public and has become a popular place for locals, visitors, and hipsters to hang, too, especially during weekday happy hour.

Classic cocktails are the name of the game at this bar off the Strip and worth the cab ride. Each cocktail comes with a story and quite a show while it's being made. Crack open the menu to learn the history behind each libation from the Prohibition era. This is the place to rub elbows with bartenders from other joints, who often visit when finished with their shifts on the Strip. An appetizer menu includes shrimp cocktails and mussels, and if you stay for dinner they under-promise and over-deliver on their claim to make "pretty good steaks."

“Enter a hidden world of sin,” implore the operators of Here Kitty Kitty, a speakeasy tucked away in a “secret” spot in the Famous Foods food hall. The sin is tame by some Las Vegas standards, limited to specialty cocktails such as One Night Stand, which is Don Julio blanco tequila, lime, strawberries, serrano, and Tajin. Can’t decide? Name a spirit, and one of the talented bartenders will surprise you. There also are extensive collections of tequila and mezcal, Scotch, bourbon, and Asian whiskey.

An amazing remnant of classic Vegas that almost faded away before being reborn in the 2010s, this club-restaurant has a front lounge that offers live cocktail entertainment Wednesday through Sunday and a ballroom that features ticketed shows. The entertainment is mostly tributes, usually to one or more members of the Rat Pack but sometimes to other Vegas stars such as Tom Jones. The performers are often Legends in Concert alumni or singers who work on cruise ships. Most of the shows have a dinner or buffet option.

Gin is the specialty of the house at Juniper, which is named after one of the berries used to flavor the spirit; in fact, it has the largest selection of gin in Las Vegas. But thirsty patrons can get just about any craft cocktail they wish at this Park MGM lounge. The menu features a curated cocktail program using house-made juices and syrups alongside an expertly selected spirits menu. There's also a live DJ on many nights.

Circles are a big theme at this lounge that fronts Koi restaurant. The motif is repeated in the ceiling and in light patterns projected on the walls, plus the circular banquettes that are great for big groups and lousy for small ones. Be sure to visit during happy hour from 5 to 7 pm, Tuesday through Saturday, when mixologists oblige by offering signature drinks for reasonably discounted prices.

The late porn mogul Larry Flynt’s name is displayed prominently on this massive (70,000-square-foot) three-story den of iniquity, allowing the whole second floor to be a VIP area with sky boxes. The main floor, lined with discretely curtained lap-dance areas, has a circular main stage, a pod stage, and even two (covered) dancers on top of the main bar top. There’s an attached Hustler Hollywood store with all manner of exotic clothing and sundry sexual accessories. The high-profile location—it's right alongside Interstate 15 with its name in giant lights—may also help explain cover charges around $50 a person. Thursday through Saturday find the Kings of Hustler male revue up on the rooftop deck, where "girls night out" parties can watch male dancers in G-strings against a panorama of the Las Vegas skyline. The rooftop also hosts the Terrace Mediterranean restaurant and a revolving slate of performances such as a Motown revue.

This serenely styled lounge is quite literally at the center of the action in Bellagio. It's smack-dab in the middle of the casino floor, which you can view through windows on two sides. Community-style ottomans lend themselves to conversation. At the bar, expert mixologists pour cocktails made with seasonally fresh ingredients. There's live entertainment from 9 pm to 2 am, Tuesday and Thursday, and 7 to 11 pm, Friday and Saturday. DJs spin Friday and Saturday from 11 pm until the venue closes around 3 am.

This circular bar's casual, lively atmosphere, comfy couchlike seats, sexy staff, and giant chandelier make it one of the best in town, and worth the trip to the impressive Red Rock Resort complex. What's more, the bar is steps away from Rocks Lounge, another hip spot that features live performers most nights of the week.

This cavernous joint boasts three distinctive spaces and seven bars spread across two levels. In The Main Room, stadium-style seating surrounds the dance floor, and four-story LED screens and projection walls display light and image shows customized for every performer. For a more intimate experience, check out The Boom Box, a smaller room (usually featuring something other than house music) with windows overlooking the Strip. On the top level, The Library provides a respite from the thumping downstairs with dark wood, books (actual books!), and billiard tables. A new feature on Sundays is Night Circus with, as the name implies, live circus acts. In spring and summer, the hot spot opens Marquee Dayclub, which features two pools, several bars, a gaming area, and DJs all day long.

Tucked into a grungy strip mall between a Blueberry Hill diner and Krab Kingz lies a real treat, a new(ish), dedicated jazz club, which is rare enough in Las Vegas, but even more valuable for folks who want to hear live music before the late evening: the bands start at 7 pm nightly (except Tuesday). The club caters to its performers, with a stage spanning the width of one wall and a real grand piano for musicians, who often play on nights off from their "real" jobs on the Strip. There’s one catch for early-birds: it’s not a “supper club” (though it is a sushi bar). Those who come hungry or aren’t fans of sushi might want to dine before, as the menu isn’t laden with filling entrees. A $25 minimum can be applied to both drinks and food.

Beer and pizza are in high demand at this lively sports bar on the second floor of City National Arena. The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner most days, and is particularly hopping during Vegas Golden Knights games, when locals turn out to watch on big-screen televisions and enjoy food and drink specials. The connection to the Knights here runs deep; City National serves as the team’s practice facility, and you can watch practices for free on certain days.

Head to the Silverton's frontier-themed, salt-of-the-earth casino (or its sensational, museum-like hunting-fishing Bass Pro Shops), where it's well worth stopping by for a drink and taking a long look at the gigantic, sharks 'n' all aquarium. The aquarium holds 117,000 gallons of salt water and is home to more than 4,000 fish and as many as eight mermaids at a time (yes, really). There's live music spanning a variety of genres on Friday and Saturday, with no cover.

Did you ever think you'd be wearing a winter parka in the Las Vegas desert? If not, then you've underestimated just how gimmicky these 21st-century bars can be. Don the parka provided by minus5°, pay attention to your orientation speech, buy those drink tickets, and step into the Ice Bar, where the temperature is always 5 below zero Celsius (23 Fahrenheit). This frosty clime ensures that you'll have a "cool" time here, but it also keeps the walls, bar, cocktail glasses, chairs, couches, and decorative sculpture in their frozen-solid state. Expensive fun for the sheer weirdness of it? Definitely! The drinks are tasty, too. Additional locations are at The Venetian ( 3355 Las Vegas Blvd. S) and The LINQ Promenade ( 3545 Las Vegas Blvd. S).

Cigars team up with whiskeys (including barrels and flights) and small bites at this respite in the center of the resort. Find up to 1,000 cigars housed in a climate-controlled humidor, one of the largest in the city. If you're a sports fan, take in the fan cave with its 208-inch video wall and lots of screens. You can bring your own cigars; there's a $10 cutting fee. Become a member for discounts on beverages.

This festive room with an "outdoor piazza" vibe is a worthy Italian restaurant in its own right (it has family ties to Nora's a block or so away). But what really sets it apart is the live entertainment on weekends and select weeknights. The place turns into more of a cabaret, starting after the dinner rush at 8:30 pm. The house songstress is co-owner Naomi Mauro, but likeminded jazz vocalists and trios round out the calendar.

This baroque Paris piano bar can get loud, but it's all good fun. Free music flows Thursday through Sunday from 7 pm to 2 am; tip the dueling piano players well if you really want to hear your favorite song. Creative cocktails include the Banana Split Martini and Godiva chocolate–based Midnight in Paris, and cigar lovers can enjoy a smoke in the exclusive lounge area.