A Drinker's Guide to Vegas

"The water was not fit to drink. To make it palatable, we had to add whiskey." - Sir Winston Churchill

June 4, 2008

By Leah Bailly
Bodog Nation Contributing Writer

Summer in Vegas. Blow dryer heat, your feet stick to the sidewalks. That desert air so hot and dry, you're thirsty within seconds of stepping outside. You need something cold and liquid that packs a punch. The tourists swarming the sidewalks all seem to tote enormous Slurpee-style margaritas, but after purchasing a slime green concoction of your own at the Slots-o-Fun bar, the thrill is gone. 

Dying of thirst in the city of cheap booze and bad water? Sometimes, Las Vegas seems like a giant outdoor/indoor bar, from the slot machine freebies to the primo bottle service. But all too quickly, thirsty tourists are drawn into overpriced casino bars, where $10 buys you a watery cocktail with a side of bad attitude. This Las Vegas guide to watering holes will quench any hankering for the perfectly mixed cocktail. So... what's your poison?

Best Wine Bar

Summer might not seem like the best wine season, but real Vegas locals understand the value of a crisp white wine and appetizer pairing, particularly when the first round is on the house. Sommelier Patrick Pretz at the Vox Wine Lounge has a careful and extensive list of summer wines on site and the best happy hour in town. From Rock 'n' Roll Wine Wednesdays to Two-for-One Fridays, the first round of the featured beverage is free from 5-7 p.m.! 

Find your inner wino at the Vox.

Open 24 hours a day and featuring an exquisite five-course tasting menu, the Vox Lounge is a quality, respected venue for lunch, dinner and late-night. Feeling a little undereducated on the science of vinology? This summer, Vox is offering "Saturday School" classes on wine and haute cuisine with lunch provided. And in true Vegas fashion, you are never far from a video poker terminal at the Vox Lounge on wide-screen.

Best Vodka Bar

Looking for something deeply chilled to take the edge off summer? The Red Square Bar at Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino is known as the premier vodka house on the Strip. Dripping in red velvet and Soviet propaganda art, this commie-style lounge offers an assortment of caviar and other Russian treats in a plush, sophisticated setting. 

Cool down this summer with vodka on ice.

Voted Best Bar in America by Playboy magazine, the Red Square is home to the Vodka Vault, where over 200 vodkas and infusions are chilled to 10 degrees below. They even offer mink coats for trips into the freezer. Open until 4 a.m., the best feature of this Perestroika-inspired lounge is the 25-foot ice bar, designed to keep drinks cool on hot summer nights. To your health!

Best Beer Bar

Tucked into the elegant Green Valley Ranch Casino, Quinn's Irish Pub offers Irish stouts and cream ales in a comfortable, classic setting. Never far from a Blackjack table, Quinn's is next to the poker room and offers quick and tasty pub fare for gamblers on a roll. Light and fun, the Irish band Darby O'Gill and the Little People perform every week, and on Wednesdays, Quinn's hosts beer games, including the funniest beer pong debauchery this side of the frat house.

Taste a wee bit o' Ireland at Quinn's Irish Pub.

Looking for Oktoberfest year round? The Hofbrauhaus on Paradise is a Vegas relic. Featuring beer and entertainment imported directly from Germany, prices aren't cheap at this colossal restaurant and bar. Nevertheless, the only true imitation of Munich's famous ale house, the Hofbrauhaus feels like a real German experience, complete with waitresses in lederhosen, a massive sausage menu and leather-clad girls serving Jagermeister with a whip. Particularly popular this summer, the Hofbrauhaus will broadcast Euro 2008 matches. Bottoms up!

Best Martini Bar

Frequently featured on Best of Las Vegas listings, ritzy tapas bar Firefly has been a local hot spot for fashion, feasting and the best martinis for years. Set in a luxurious lounge, the music is provided by local hipster DJs. Firefly's menu, which draws foodies from all over the world, ranges from mini fillet mignon burgers to chorizo clams, all served in small sharing portions to be eaten with your fingers.

Shaken or stirred, Sin City has martini lovers covered.

The martinis, including Stolis with blue cheese olives to fresh fruit infusions, are mixed by classy (not crass) bartenders. Also famous for its pitchers of homemade, three-day aged sangria, Firefly is a gorgeous cocktail-sipping location, complete with a patio and a 3-6 p.m. happy hour with half-off drinks. The perfect Vegas date bar! 

Best Scotch Bar

Got a thirst for the real hard stuff on the rocks? Perhaps a snifter of Oban with a fine cigar? Look no further than the unconventional Napoleon's Bar in the Paris Resort and Casino. Classically known as a piano and champagne bar (with a selection of over 100 champagnes on the menu), Napoleon's is a great place to relax and sip a single malt.

Dueling pianos and scotch can't be beat.

Their scotch list is long and wide-ranging, and the bartenders have impeccable boozy knowledge to satisfy even the strictest connoisseur. At night, dueling pianos are surprisingly crowd-pleasing, not the expected mediocre medley stuff commonly heard at casino bars. And the best feature? Every night at midnight, the bar toasts the patrons with free champagne. Vive la France!

So this summer, don't go thirsty on your trek through the Vegas streets. Step into a Strip lounge or venture into the city for a local hot spot. Don't settle for the yard-long blue lagoon booze this summer! With thousands of bars to choose from during the extended happy hours in the sweltering summer months, be sure to quench your thirst in one of Sin City's watering holes. Cheers!

TOP PHOTO: The best way to cool down in Vegas is to take off your clothes and pour yourself a nice, cold drink.