I have always been a simple drinker I like Wine and Beer and shots every now and then. But as of late I have begun to love the art of a great mixed drink. (Right now, it is smoked Old Fashion, but it changes.) What are the best bars to just get a great mixed drink at? Atmosphere counts but the drink matters. Any ideas. I stay downtown but will travel so I would like recommendations downtown and other places. What about the Speakeasies? Thanks as always Cost is not the main concern here Is this best place for this question?
Downtown Cocktail Room. They have a nightly 'Halfy Hour' M-Sat 4-7. Everything is half off. http://www.downtowncocktailroom.com/ "An intimate cocktail room and "speak-UP" in the heart of Las Vegas, Downtown Cocktail Room and Mike Morey's Sip'n'Tip combined 3,000 square feet are equal parts loungy, upscale cocktail vibe and clandestine, low-brow New York city feels. D.C.R. became Las Vegas' original, most prominent and respected cocktail bar in 2007, and still is. With 49 seasonal menus SO FAR, and amazing hand-crafted ORIGINAL AND CLASSIC cocktails, you can feel adventurous ordering originals, or confident ordering the classics. "
Both The Dorsey and Rosina lounges at Venetian/Palazzo. Hand crafted cocktails in a great setting. Sinatra has a small but beautiful bar with talented bartenders at Encore. Parasol Up at Wynn makes a couple of variations on a typical rye Manhattan my husband really enjoys. Excellent and experienced bartenders. *edited to say these places I suggest are some of our favorites...not saying they are best among all the good suggestions here*
The Dorsey/Electra/Rosina at V/P. Outstanding bartenders, top shelf ingredients and among the 3 venues you can find anything from the classics to as modern as cocktails get. Great atmosphere in all. Bound at Cromwell. Bartenders go through a crazy approval process just to be able to make the drinks and it's probably the most cocktail-centric cocktail lounge on the strip, if that makes sense. It can sometimes take the guys 10 minutes to craft one of these things. Vibe is killed a bit by the sports book they for some ungodly reason stuck right across from it. Vesper at Cosmo. Most people would say Chandelier but the vibe is killed a bit on the upper floors there by every other person asking for the gimmicky Verbena. Vesper has equal class of cocktails, great, longstanding bartender staff and one of the best people watching perches in Vegas. Downtown, Frankie's Tiki Lounge is a hoot in general and they make better cocktails than they really have to for a divey bar.
I love this bar! They do comp simple drinks while playing 25 cent VP too. I really enjoy watching the bartenders make specialty cocktails and they've always been happy to explain what they're doing and why. I never knew that you can hold a lighter under an orange peel and squeeze it to release the flavors. It's not often I say a $17 cocktail is worth it but these are.
I was expecting to hate the place, but I really liked Alibi in Aria and my (free) cocktail was exceptionally great. It was there own creation, a seasonal thing. I would go again just to see what their newest offering is.
I'm one of the hooligans that goes to the Cromwell book to get away from the crowds for a few hours. Agree with the Bound comments, top notch barkeeps and my favorite place to sip whilst unwinding in fantastical serendipity.
I am so NOT a fancy drink guy (I drink Coors lite normally, and whiskey neat), but the chandelier bar and the raspberry lemon drop was fantastic. Hard to beat that.
Anyone have any experience with the Parlor Lounge in the Mirage? I have a two for one from MyVegas and am planning on stopping in there during my March Madness trip.
Pedantic comment: The term "Mixed drink" typically refers to drinks consisting of a single spirit and mixer (e.g. rum and Coke, vodka soda, screwdriver)... whereas what you're describing (e.g. an old fashioned) is a cocktail.
.................... ...because we’re never at a loss for pedantic comments on these types of threads?
It's solid. Very small bar, I think it's only 6 to 8 seats so it's much more of a sit at a table lounge. They have live music regularly. Cocktails are fine, nothing mind-blowing but it's a good pre-game stop if you have LOVE tix, for example.
Downtown Cocktail Room, Oak and Ivory for your whiskey drinks and Atomic Liquor are all really good places if you want a good cocktail downtown.
If I may be more pedantic, Webster's defines mixed drink as: mixed drink (n) Definition of mixed drink : an alcoholic drink made with two or more ingredients Their definition of "cocktail" is more complex, and can include libations of only a single ingredient.
I did not know that thank you. Actually thank you to everyone I am keeping notes and when I get back to Vegas I will try as many of these as possible Keep the ideas flowing
Our favorite used to be when Mike was working at the Bond Bar at Cosmo. He was a magician. He would make us all kinds of off-the-menu, experimental drinks that were usually fantastic. But since they removed Bond, I haven't seen Mike at any of the other Cosmo bars. Presumably he's moved on. That said, I find the other bartenders at the Cosmo bars to be pretty good at their cocktail game also.