Nowhere in the world takes drinking as seriously as Vegas does.
While you could quite easily find yourself a drink immediately after walking less than 50 steps from your hotel elevator, we invite you to hold off until you’ve reached one of these cool bars in Downtown Las Vegas.
Downtown Las Vegas, or DTLV, is home to some of the most unique watering holes in the city. In the mood for a sophisticated speakeasy? A lively rooftop bar? How about a quirky dive? No matter what your flavor is, DTLV has it all.
Yes, there are dozens of bars downtown, but here are 10 of the coolest ones in our book.
1. Carousel Bar
Even on a street lined with outdoor bars, Carousel Bar stands apart from the rest. Lit by the shimmering bulbs of the hotel’s façade, Carousel Bar offers the state’s only outdoor video poker machines, multiple HD television screens, and an outdoor cooling system.
The one-of-a-kind bar serves handmade cocktails, shareable drinks, and a premium selection of beer and wine inside a life-sized, animated Vegas-themed carousel setting just steps away from the excitement of the Fremont Street Experience.
Carousel Bar’s unique design includes carousel horses that move up and down, a ribbon of lights rotating above the bar, and life-sized Vegas-themed elements such as a deck of cards, a spinning martini glass, and a 14-foot-tall neon showgirl sign at the entrance.
The bar can seat nearly 100 guests (in booths, at the bar, and along its outer rail) so unlike Hotel Monteleone’s Carousel Bar in NOLA with way limited seating, this one’s super spacious. It’s one of the best Instagram backdrops in the city!
2. Commonwealth
First off, if you’ve never heard of Commonwealth, it’s a popular nightlife spot in DTLV known for its loud music, dance parties, and live DJs. The nights can get pretty wild here, I’ll tell ya that much!
Voted Best Downtown Nightlife Venue in Las Vegas Weekly’s Best Of Vegas 2024, Fremont East’s Commonwealth is a local institution and one of the hottest nightlife spots for people who don’t want to bother with the formalities and the hassles of the Strip.
Its rooftop parties are hard to ignore and will have you hopping in line to join in on the fun.
3. The Laundry Room
Commonwealth is cool and all, but what’s even cooler is The Laundry Room. Tucked away behind a hidden door at Commonwealth is The Laundry Room, an intimate speakeasy that will feel worlds away from the party in the front of the place.
Originally part of the historic El Cortez casino’s laundry facility, this cozy bar seats just 22 guests and operates by reservation only.
You’ll find a menu of creative cocktails with intriguing names like The Deadpan and Arsenic Meets Lace, or you can work with the bartender to craft a bespoke drink tailored to your specific tastes. If you can follow the strict house rules—no cell phones, no photography, and definitely no brawling—you’ll have a totally stellar time out with the guys here.
4. Speakeasy at The Mob Museum
The Mob Museum is a must-visit for anyone interested in the history of mobs, organized crime, and law enforcement. What most people don’t know is that The Mob Museum is so much more than a place to learn about mob history.
Inside, you’ll find a cool distillery where you can take a fun tour and taste different spirits, including their own moonshine. This moonshine is the real deal—made with 100% corn and bottled at a strong 50% ABV.
There’s also a speakeasy that feels straight out of the Prohibition era, where you can sip on amazing cocktails in a hidden, vintage bar. With all that fun housed inside just one spot, The Mob Museum is a no-brainer when it comes to a great daytime activity.
5. Stray Pirate
The folks at Stray Pirate invite you to indulge in elixirs featuring flavors plundered from the seven seas! As one of the newer immersive bar experiences in Las Vegas, Stray Pirate packs a punch when it comes to its decor and its drinks.
This tiki-inspired bar offers a unique twist on nautical-themed venues, sans traditional tikis but still brimming with character.
Featuring ample seating around the bar, spacious tables, cozy booths, plus thematic decor like “underwater” screens and pirate dog paintings, the ambiance is so fun and immersive. It’ll have you feeling like yer part of the crew in no time.
Located in Vegas’ Arts District, it’s perfect as a pit stop while exploring eclectic shops or enjoying a relaxed evening of bar hopping.
6. Velveteen Rabbit
Founded by sisters Pamela and Christina Dylag, Velveteen Rabbit is a charming craft cocktail and beer bar in Las Vegas’ Arts District. Despite having no prior bar industry experience, the Dylag sisters created this unique haven away from the typical brass bars that dominate the Vegas Strip.
The cocktail menu changes seasonally, featuring fresh produce and house-made ingredients. The bar also offers a range of specialty beers with a rotating selection of eight taps and bottled options.
The space boasts local art, boutique spirits, vintage furniture, and a magical pink outdoor patio with a photo booth. Seriously, it’s cuteness overload. These ladies have also curated the cutest IG photos ever — please do yourself a favor and look… soak up all the aesthetic because it’s dripping with it!
7. ReBAR
ReBAR is a bar-meets-antique store concept located in the center of Las Vegas’ growing Arts District. It’s such a fun local-fave spot to spend a casual night in Vegas!
This bar has cheap mystery beers, tons of seating, fun eclectic decor, and pretty good food for bar bites. Some nights they have live music (mostly weekends), other nights they have pub trivia (Mondays).
Plus, everything in ReBAR is for sale. You’ll find all kinds of random knick knacks here, such as tees, signs, vintage steins, and art.
8. Glitter Gulch Tiki
The creative minds behind Nacho Daddy have recently opened Glitter Gulch Tiki, a swanky tiki lounge transforming the former Nacho Daddy location on 4th Street into an immersive tropical drink haven.
Glitter Gulch Tiki joins Stray Pirate (another tiki bar in DTLV) as a themed drinking destination for tiki culture enthusiasts seeking unique cocktails and delicious scorpion bowls.
In addition to the classic tiki drinks, you can try one of their signature offerings such as the ‘What Happens in Vegas’, a creative take on a daiquiri with lychee puree and dry ice.
They also have a light food menu featuring tiki faves like coconut shrimp, lumpia, tuna poke nachos, Dole Whip desserts, and more.
9. Fat Cat
Featuring “jazz, booze, and blues”, Fat Cat is the downtown Las Vegas spot for good music and all that… jazz.
Modeled after the clubs that defined the jazz and blues scene of New Orleans and Chicago, Fat Cat fills an important void in Vegas, attracting touring acts that would rarely come to town otherwise and giving local musicians the runway to perform original material they likely wouldn’t elsewhere.
Fat Cat turns on the charm from the moment you walk in, too. Expect cozy, classy, and spacious seating — all of which will give you great views of the raised stage.
Fat Cat is located inside of Downtown Grand.
10. Atomic Liquors
Step into history at Atomic Liquors, the oldest freestanding bar in Las Vegas! Originally opened in 1952, this iconic bar got its name from patrons who would watch atomic bomb tests from the roof.
Today, it offers a relaxed, nostalgic, and divey atmosphere with a great selection of cocktails, craft beers, and a taste of vintage Vegas charm. It’s the perfect place to soak in some classic Vegas vibes.
BONUS: Más Por Favor Vegas
Más Por Favor is one of those speakeasies in Vegas that truly exemplify what a “speakeasy” really means. Many of the speakeasies on the Strip are housed behind unmarked doors that lead right into the bars with ease, but this one’s different.
You’ll need to go through a cave tunnel to find it.
After getting your fill of tacos out front (which are quite good by the way), it’s time to start hunting for the hidden parlor. The winding tunnel leads you to a secretive “hidden” room, complete with murals, archways adorned with roses, and a wall adorned with skulls for that vintage touch, perfect for photos!
Comfortable seating options invite you to soak in the atmosphere while sipping on house margaritas and craft cocktails with Mexican spirits.
While Más Por Favor is not located in Downtown Las Vegas, it’s worth the ride over to Spring Mountain (Chinatown area).
Planning Your Trip To Vegas?
Here are some of our other Vegas travel guides to help you plan an incredible trip:
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- Here Are All The Absolute Must-Do’s In Las Vegas For First Timers
- 25+ Unique And Totally FREE Things To Do In Vegas
- Top Las Vegas Magic Shows That Will Knock Your Socks Off
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- 15 Kid-Friendly Shows In Las Vegas Perfect For Families
- 5 Cheaper Alternatives To Cirque du Soleil Shows In Las Vegas
- 10 Fun Rides and Roller Coasters In Las Vegas For Thrill Seekers
- 10 Secret Bars And Speakeasies On The Las Vegas Strip (+ Where To Find Them!)
- 20 Quirky And Fun Museums You’ll Only Find In Las Vegas
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