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Aria City Bar renovation?

Discussion in 'LV Strip Hotels' started by dankyone, Oct 5, 2014.

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  1. dankyone

    dankyone VIP Whale

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    Last month at Aria the former "City Bar" was closed and walled off for renovation. Does anyone know if it has reopened and what the new place is like?
     
  2. wishman35

    wishman35 VIP Whale

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    It is reopening as a bar called Alibi. It was still walled up the weekend after Labor Day. Not sure of its current status. I think it was slated for a fall completion.
     
  3. cjlangston

    cjlangston Low-Roller

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    was just there last week and endured 6 hours of jackhammering from the nearby BJ pit. Consensus was it's a mid-November opening
     
  4. 44inarow

    44inarow VIP Whale

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    Interesting, the craps pit thought late October when I was there at the beginning of September.

    I have mixed feelings about it. On the one hand, we don't need another upscale "lounge" when there's already Deuce and Gold. On the other hand, it's 24 hours so presumably won't be too upscale, and I always felt like City Bar felt duplicative of Lift Bar. If this gives the space its own identity (while hopefully still having VP and good cocktails), then I'm all for it.
     
  5. dankyone

    dankyone VIP Whale

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    I did think the place was a bit awkward before so not surprised they are redoing it. I just don't want jackhammering to disrupt my Aria stays--had enough of that at CP last year.
     
  6. Nittany1

    Nittany1 VIP Whale

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    Agree with this.
    I am concerned they take the VP out completely. Another "Lounge" seems like a waste although the other two are only open at night.
    Always thought the bar had too few seats compared to the lounge area at City Bar.
     
  7. dankyone

    dankyone VIP Whale

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    Right--the "bottle service upscale lounge" concept sounds like it might not have VP. The City Bar had full pay VP at the $5 level--but very few people were ever playing VP there for some reason.
     
  8. Kickin

    Kickin Flea

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    I'm one of those few people who loved the full pay VP in there, and I believe it was one of the few places with $5 full pay WITH double up option. I agree there were never many people playing but the bar itself always seemed pretty busy to me. Hopefully they keep the good VP, its one of my favorite places to lose.
     
  9. 44inarow

    44inarow VIP Whale

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    How "full pay" were we talking? Because I can't remember ever seeing anything better than the 9/5 JoB at Lift Bar and City Bar (at the $1 level), and although that's technically not "full pay", I don't think I've ever seen 9/6 at the $1 level on the strip, especially not at a bar with cocktails of that quality.

    Either way, Aria continues to be my favorite place to play bartop VP.
     
  10. Kickin

    Kickin Flea

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    The full pay was at $5. You're right at $1 it was one notch down, still good for bartop especially at a nice place like Aria.
     
  11. dankyone

    dankyone VIP Whale

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    Yes, the city bar absolutely had 9/6 job and 8/5 bonus at the $5 level. Very unusual for the strip, but I loved it.[
     
  12. pokerbucketlist

    pokerbucketlist Low-Roller

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    Will be at aria in a couple weeks, first time. What is a good bar for people watching and taking in the aria vibe? Maybe a fancy cocktail or two...
     
  13. 44inarow

    44inarow VIP Whale

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    Either Lift Bar or Lobby Bar are exactly what you're looking for. I tend to stick to Lift Bar because I generally like to play VP and I have good relationships with the bartenders there, but Lobby Bar is nice as well. The main differences are that Lift Bar looks out over the casino, while Lobby Bar looks out over the lobby (who would have guessed), and Lift Bar doesn't have food besides free snack mix but does allow smoking, while Lobby Bar is vice versa.
     
  14. dankyone

    dankyone VIP Whale

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    Does the lobby bar have VP? My recollection is that it does not.
     
  15. 44inarow

    44inarow VIP Whale

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    It does not, and also has more limited hours (I think it's something like 10am-2am), versus Lift Bar which is 24/7.
     
  16. PhannerNC

    PhannerNC Tourist

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    Looks like I'm in the minority here, but I'm sad to see City Bar go.

    Bartenders were always super-friendly, really good drinks, and just a fun place to hang out. Oh well....
     
  17. undathesea

    undathesea Grandissimo

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    Funny. I've hung out in City Bar all of once. I've never been to the Lift Bar. I've been to the Lobby Bar twice.

    I think I've stayed at Aria around 6 times at this point but I make it the focal point for most of my trips. I guess I should start checking these places out.
     
  18. 44inarow

    44inarow VIP Whale

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    The evening bartenders at Lift Bar are some of the best in Vegas, in my experience. I should put up pictures of some of the drinks they've made me based on requests like "something with vodka" (fresh muddled blackberries, fresh lime juice, mint leaves, and Ciroc berry vodka), "something with coffee" (espresso martini with a shot and a half of actual espresso in it), and "something that tastes like vacation" (Chambord daiquiri with fresh raspberries and lime juice), not to mention the times they've spontaneously started giving me Stoli Elit instead of regular Stoli. I've gotten better drinks there than I have at Cosmopolitan, where a bartender at Chandelier once made me what was supposed to be an aviation but reversed the proportions of gin and maraschino, which was one of the worst drinks I've ever been handed. Add to that the solid video poker, and it's one of my favorite bars on the Strip.
     
  19. Nittany1

    Nittany1 VIP Whale

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    After all my trips to Aria(over 10)I have only been to the Lobby Bar twice.
    Both times I had great cocktails and the bartenders were excellent but I can't seem to walk by City Bar and Lift Bar without stopping in.
    I think no VP at the Lobby Bar is also part of the reason.
    Lift Bar has been absolutely jammed weekend nights my last 3 trips.
     
  20. mike841

    mike841 Video Poker Unicorn

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    Sigh this sucks, I loved playing VP at city bar for precisely the reasons listed in this thread, $5 double ups and no one else usually playing :) I only ever played at lift bar once or twice but looks like that will be my home for bartop poker in a couple weeks.... not a smoker but do enjoy a good cigar so will give that a shot....now where to buy good cigars at Aria?
     
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