#1628 - Shifty's Cocktail Lounge, Las Vegas - 11/26/2011

If one should honor truth in advertising, Shifty's deserves some acclaim for the name. It's a classic neighborhood dive, a mile or two from the Las Vegas strip, and caters to bikers and Raiders fans. It was recently "Squiggy's," and at least used to host goth karaoke. If you want a break from the ersatz Vegas grandiosity and blaring glitz -- or if you just want a strongly poured drink for a low price -- I can't imagine Vegas has many better options than Shifty's.

3805 W. Sahara Ave, Las Vegas, NV 89102 - (702) 871-4952
facebook - examiner - citysearch - yelp

#1627 - Herbs and Rye, Las Vegas - 11/26/2011

The space of a long-time favorite Italian restaurant, The Venetian, after a brief life as the "Slanted Clam" and others, has been reclaimed and remodeled into a classic, rat pack style Italian restaurant and pre-prohibition cocktail lounge.  I did not have dinner there, but the cocktails are top notch.

3713 W. Sahara Ave, Las Vegas, NV 89102 - (702) 982-8036 
Est. Dec 15, 2009
herbsandrye.com - facebook - lasvegasweekly - eatinglv - yelp

#1626 - Frankie's Tiki Room, Las Vegas - 11/26/2011

 Frankie's is an all-out tiki bar a short cab ride from the strip.  Upon entering you are immediately greeted by pleasing darkness and a towering tiki by Crazy Al, above a faux fire that occasionally emits smoke.  The decor is largely designed by Bamboo Ben, with works by leading tiki carvers like Bosko, LeRoy Schmaltz, Ken Pleasant and Tiki Ray.  The drinks include tiki classics in custom-made mugs, and it is open 24 hours.

 Frankie's is one of the best tiki bars in the country and should not be missed on any Vegas trip.  The one shortcoming for many of us here a half century past the mid-century era it evokes is that it quite genuinely replicates the heavy cigarette smoking of the era.

1712 W Charleston Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89102 - (702) 385-3110
frankiestikiroom.com - facebook - critiki - tikicentral - vegas.com - urbanspoon - yelp

#1625 - kokomo's Steak and Seafood, Las Vegas - 11/26/2011

3400 Las Vegas Blvd S, Las Vegas, NV 89109 - (866) 339-4566
mirage.com - lasvegas.com - bestofvegas - yelp

#1624 - House of Blues, Las Vegas - 11/26/2011

3950 Las Vegas Blvd S (at Mandalay Bay), Las Vegas, NV 89119 - (702) 632-7600
houseofblues.com - mandalaybay.com -  yelp

#1623 - Vesper Bar, Las Vegas - 11/25/2011

Of all the shows in Vegas, my favorite is sitting in the Vesper Bar in the Cosmopolitan on a Friday or Saturday night, watching the parade of humanity roll past. As in most of the bars in the Cosmopolitan, you can also do so while having some well-made cocktails.  Give the bartender a base spirit, let him concoct a special drink for you, and sit back and enjoy the show.

3708 Las Vegas Blvd. S (The Cosmopolitan), Las Vegas, NV 89109 - (702) 698-7000
cosmopolitanlasvegas.com - theminty - drinkspirits - foodgps - yelp

#1622 - The Chandelier Bar, Las Vegas - 11/25/2011

The Cosmopolitan has the best bar selection on the strip for cocktail lovers.  Of these, the most elaborate is the Chandelier Bar -- three stories of bar within a massive, ornate chandelier.

3708 Las Vegas Blvd. S (The Cosmopolitan), Las Vegas, NV 89109 - (702) 698-7000
cosmopolitanlasvegas.com - lasvegassun - lavishvegas - grapesandgrainsnyc - hollywoodlife - vegas.com - yelp

#1621 - Studio 54, Las Vegas - 11/25/2011

Studio 54 is closing February 4, 2012
3799 Las Vegas Blvd. S (MGM Grand), Paradise, NV 89109 - (702) 891-7279
mgmgrand.com - vegas.com - wikipedia - hauteliving -  yelp

#1620 - miX, Las Vegas - 11/25/2011

A highly regarded restaurant (Michelin star winner) and lounge with a nice patio and 360 degree, 64th story view.

3950 Las Vegas Blvd S, Las Vegas, NV 89119 - (702) 632-9500
mandalaybay.com - gastronomyblog - vegas.com - facebook

#1619 - Minus 5°, Las Vegas - 11/25/2011

An ice bar where most everything -- walls, furniture, decorations, cups, female torso shot dispenser -- are made of ice.

3930 Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89119-1010 - (702) 740-5800

#1618 - Rainforest Cafe, Las Vegas - 11/25/2011

3799 Las Vegas Blvd S, Las Vegas, NV 89109 - (702) 891-8580

#1617 - Liquidity, Las Vegas - 11/24/2011

3900 S Las Vegas Blvd (at Luxor Hotel & Casino), Las Vegas, NV 89119

#1616 - Crazy Horse III, Las Vegas - 11/24/2011

3525 W Russell Rd, Las Vegas, NV 89118 - (702) 673-1700

#1615 - Octane, Las Vegas - 11/24/2011

3850 S Las Vegas Blvd (Excalibur), Las Vegas, NV 89109

vegas.com

#1614 - CatHouse, Las Vegas - 11/24/2011

3900 Las Vegas Boulevard South Las Vegas, NV 89119 - (702) 262-4228
cathouselv.com

#1613 #S966 - Harborside Bistro, Seattle - 11/23/2011

This is the old McCormick and Schmicks, sold to the Landry chain, and remodeled a bit. It is a tad swankier, and Thomas the bartender knows his stuff, but the spirits are still fairly limited for a moderately upscale restaurant and the cocktail menu has room for some more serious drinks.

1200 Westlake Avenue N, Seattle, WA 98109-3543 - (206) 270-9052
Est. Nov. 2011 - Building constructed: 1971
Previous bars at this location: Triples on Lake Union, O Lounge, McCormick & Schmick's 
harborsideseattle.com - eater - bizjournals - thestranger - yelp

#1612 #S965 - Republiq, Seattle - 11/19/2011

Update:  Republiq closed Feb 6, 2012 and filed for bankruptcy.

Not to be confused with South Lake Union's "re:public," this is most often a club of the "ultra lounge" variety. That means, of course, the cookie-cutter white couches, the pink lights, the badly made drinks, the VIP area silliness, photos in front of the logo, thumping techno, and the pat-downs at the door.

2946 1st Ave S, Seattle, WA 98121 - (206) 552-8730
Est. Oct. 17, 2009 - Building constructed: 1918 (radically remodeled)
republiqofseattle.com - facebook - yelp - voiceplaces

#1611 #S964 - Rookies Sports Bar and Grill, Seattle - 11/19/2011

A nice little sports bar with a floor made from a basketball court floor and a bar made from a bowling alley.  Rookies has a family-restaurant area and a bar area, and serve fairly standard sports bar food with very friendly service.

3820 S Ferdinand St, Ste 101, Seattle, WA 98118 - (206) 722-0301
Est. Nov 2011 - Building constructed: 1990
Previous bars at this location: None known (Verve Wine Bar once in adjacent suite)
rookiesseattle.com - facebook - rainiervalleypost - thestranger - seattleweekly - yelp

#1610 #S963 - Bogart's, Seattle - 11/19/2011

Update: Bogart's closed on Dec 27, 2013

---

Bogart's is pretty near suburban dive bar perfection. It's big, like dive bars in industrial areas should be; it serves a wide range of bar food; it has a stage for live bands; it has poker tables; it has a web site equivalent of a hand-painted sign; it has friendly patrons diverse in age, race, and gender; and to top it all off it has karaoke, but on a separate floor with a fireplace and away from the other patrons. 

If you like dive bars, Bogart's is not to be missed.

Historical Notes:  When Brad Bogart first purchased the space in 1997 (previously Adolfo's Italian Restaurant), he named it Goldies, to go along with the Goldies he owned in Wallingford (now Iron Bull).  He sold it in 2008, and re-acquired it in early 2011, changing the name to Bogart's (years ago he owned the Bogart's on 2nd Ave in Pioneer Square).   The "South End Tavern" was at this address but in a previous building by 1939 through the 40s.



3924 Airport Way S, Seattle, WA 98108-5215 - (206) 622-1119
Est. 2011 - Building constructed: 1950
Previous bars at this location: Goldie's, South End Tavern
bogartsairportway.com - facebook - seattleweekly - yelp

#1609 #S962 - Ship Canal Grill, Seattle - 11/19/2011

This place doesn't know what it wants to be. It's not just the bridge/construction theme that replaces the, well, whatever the "Kristos" theme as in its previous incarnation; it is also the hodgepodge menu, and the various attempts to pull different sorts of crowds to different parts of the space.

It's in what must be a difficult space -- with few apparent parking spaces and at an odd intersection of streets which leave drivers little time to decide before being quite down the road to another part of the city. The food and drinks are okay, but with that sort of challenge it would seem like you need a lot of people to make a special effort to seek you out, and without a really standout menu and cohesive personality, it's just difficult for me to see that happening.

3218 Eastlake Ave E, Seattle, WA 98102 - (206) 588-8885
Est. Nov 18, 2011 - Building constructed: 2008
facebook - seattlemet - thestranger - yelp