Some novelties never go out of style, and speakeasy bars are one of them. Although prohibition is long gone, the mystique of secret bars and speakeasies is still alive and well. Las Vegas is becoming a mecca for this niche type of bar, and there are several sprinkled on the Strip and throughout the city.
Read More: Relax Into Some More Laid-Back Leisure At The Lounges On The Strip »
What Is a Speakeasy?
The term “speakeasy” actually nods to a word used long before the prohibition era.
The illegal sale and distribution of alcohol in Australia and the UK spurred the use of the term. It was common to hear of a “speak softly shop” when discussing alcohol and where to source it, so the wrong people wouldn’t overhear that important information. Eventually the phrase shortened to “speakeasy” and the name stuck.
Stateside, speakeasies eventually used in connection to selling illicit spirits during the Prohibition era. Anyone looking to enjoy these strong spirits had to do so in secret, by way of speakeasies that were hidden from the law’s watchful eye.
To keep these very exciting—but very illegal—establishments a secret in the 1920s, they had to be created out of sight. Secret entrances were built into storefronts behind refrigerators and bookcases, and through hidden-in-plain-sight doors that only a select few knew about.
Traditional Speakeasies and Secret Bars on the Strip
Many of the speakeasies and secret bars on our list are located inside The Cosmopolitan. To get familiar with this resort, read more about The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas and its shows, lodging and luxury qualities that make it a unique Vegas Strip signature.
Ski Lodge
The geniuses at Spiegelworld have done it again. The team behind iconic shows like OPIUM and Atomic Saloon have created their own secret bar located just off Superfrico, and the vibe is decidedly chill—pun intended.
The Ski Lodge has all of the cozy touches of a traditional snowy getaway, including roaring fireplaces and pizza, everyone’s favorite comfort food. Combined with an award-winning cocktail menu, all of these arctic delights warrant several visits.
Insider’s tip: Look extra hard for the door. There are two ways to get into Ski Lodge, and one of them isn’t through Superfrico.
Dive into the essence of modern luxury and fun in Las Vegas by reserving a room at the Cosmopolitan. Here, you’ll find a mix of elegant style, top-notch dining, and an energetic atmosphere right in the heart of the Strip. With its trendy vibe and a range of fantastic amenities, the Cosmopolitan guarantees an unforgettable and classy adventure for those looking to enjoy the finest that Sin City has to offer. Ready for a taste of indulgence? Book your room now.
Barbershop Cuts and Cocktails
Real speakeasies disguised themselves behind everyday stores, and The Barbershop does exactly that. Cut through this real, functioning barbershop at The Cosmopolitan to access the libational portion of this exclusive saloon. For gentlemen, this is also the perfect opportunity to get a haircut before sipping a freshly-made cocktail.
It’s an authentic take on a prohibition-era bar, but they missed the boat by not naming it “Snips and Sips.”
Reservations are recommended for both barbers and beverages, and don’t forget to stop by for Faded Karaoke on Tuesday nights starting at 9 p.m.
Read More: Visit More Barbershops on the Strip For A Fresh Cut »
Beauty & Essex
Like The Barbershop, the entrance to Beauty & Essex is reminiscent of an old-timey speakeasy. Enter through the pawn shop to access the hidden bar behind the custodian door, and get ready to enjoy an environment that is both upscale and rustic.
The cocktail menu is enhanced by cocktails separated into ‘Sweet’ and ‘Sour’ categories alongside the classics. A strong wine list finishes off the lineup, which complements the artisan dishes created from the mind of celebrity chef Chris Santos.
Insider’s tip: Forget to accessorize? The jewelry on display in the pawn shop is available for purchase.
Ghost Donkey
In the world of spirits, mezcal is tequila’s older cousin that knows where the best parties are, and they’re both at Ghost Donkey seven days a week.
Ghost Donkey is an exclusive speakeasy at The Cosmopolitan that is dedicated to serving south-of-the-border spirits. The menu is easy to sample from, and separates tequila and mezcal into different regions. If neat spirits aren’t your thing, try one of their signature cocktails and get ready for “the real fiesta experience.”
Insider’s tip: look for the green door with the telltale donkey covered in flowers.
Here Kitty Kitty Vice Den at Resorts World
One of the newest resorts on the Strip also has one of the newest speakeasies.
The unconventional storefront offers the gateway into a bar that is “elegantly grunge” in its presentation. While the creative names on the cocktail menu are attractive in their own right, ordering a “bartender’s choice” is the choose-your-own-adventure experience that just feels right at a place like Here Kitty Kitty.
To find it, cut through Famous Foods Street Eats food hall and head into Ms. Meow’s Mamak stall. Look for the three cats and push. Reservations for Here Kitty Kitty are definitely recommended.
1923 Prohibition Bar at Mandalay Bay
This bar is not a traditional speakeasy, but with the name Prohibition in the title—and the historically accurate year—it deserves a place on the list.
1923 Bourbon Bar lives up to its name. The barrels resting throughout the bar and the extensive whiskey selection are a nod to the star of the show: the bar’s signature bourbon vintage.
Insider’s tip: Like music with your cocktail? Be sure to check out weekly New Orleans nights and burlesque performances.
On The Record at Park MGM
On The Record would have never lasted in actual prohibition times—and that’s a good thing. Live music from the DJs in the double-decker bus make this closer to a nightclub, but the dance floor and rowdy crowd makes it a can’t-miss spot.
The real speakeasy magic rests in the Vinyl Parlor. This secret hideaway has limited seating and a rotating roster of bartenders bringing their own style to the table, while other artists tend to the turntables in the main room.
The Shag Room at Virgin Hotels
Austin Powers would love this place. The Shag Room is a bar with a nondescript entrance and an action-packed itinerary of live music and unique drinking experiences. This lounge comes complete with groovy velvet upholstery, which adds another layer of pizzazz to an already retro watering hole.
In addition to crafting cocktails, this lounge offers Upside Down Tea Time every Sunday with boozy delights that are truly shagadelic, baby.
Secret Bars and Speakeasies in Las Vegas
The Strip has its fair share of speakeasies, but the rest of Las Vegas has a sizable collection of hidden hideaways that are waiting to be discovered—if you can find them.
Datamosh
3215 S Rancho Dr #100, Las Vegas, NV 89102
(866) 636-9969
Hours vary
AREA15 is already a hodgepodge of all things weird and wacky. Why not throw a secret bar into the mix?
Datamosh is found through the doors of Omega Mart, a grocery store with no conventional products—or any regard for reality. Once you buy your ticket for AREA15, take a trip into the mart to look for the door. It’s in a pretty “cool” spot. Bring a friend and try everything on the small-but-solid drink menu.
Insiders tip: Looking for the door? Try the pharmacy.
Read More: 10 Secrets About AREA15 And Its Hidden Hallmarks »
The Laundry Room
525 E Fremont St, Las Vegas, NV 89101
(702) 291-7389
Hours: 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. daily
This tiny hideaway used to be the laundry room for El Cortez before it was transformed into a bar. Now, cut through Commonwealth downtown to enter into a vintage speakeasy complete with live music and creative cocktails. Fresh popcorn sits on the tables, and the flavors change daily, warranting repeat visits.
Reservations are required, and the dress code is business casual. No flip-flops and jeans allowed, and no photos can be taken inside.
Insider’s tip: If you plan on returning often, keep your menu. There are several types of drinks that are seen as “collector’s items” across all of the pages.
The Underground at the Mob Museum
300 Stewart Ave, Las Vegas, NV 89101
(702) 229-2734
Hours vary
LIMITED ENGAGEMENT UNTIL JUNE 29 2022 – Must-See Mob Museum Speakeasy Exhibition »
During Prohibition, bootlegging was the process of smuggling unlawful substances. The most popular drink to make in secrecy was moonshine, which The Underground is serving up to curious customers.
In the true spirit of the era, the Mob Museum has its own speakeasy in the basement, with the very appropriate title of “The Underground.” Grab your Mob Museum ticket and go downstairs to enter this mecca of mystery, complete with live jazz music.
Insider’s tip: Order an old fashioned. It may be a bit DIY—with the liquor coming out in a hollowed-out book—but it’s worth the splurge for the presentation alone. It also could be the password to get inside.
Downtown Cocktail Room
111 S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89101
(702) 880-3696
Hours: Tuesday through Thursday from 5 p.m. to 12 a.m. and Friday and Saturday from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m.
Downtown Cocktail Room is a “hidden-in-plain-sight” bar just off the downtown main drag. The bar has recently changed up its entrance, and guests now enter through a nondescript door in the alleyway around the corner.
D.C.R is reminiscent of a classic Las Vegas lounge with its red velvet walls and dark leather armchairs. It has been a Fremont staple for 15 years and with some of the best cheap drinks in Las Vegas, it’s here to stay.
Insider’s tip: The happy hour here is unmatched. Some drinks are available for 50% off during select hours, making it the perfect place to pregame for cheap.
Other Speakeasies and Secret Bars in Las Vegas
Our criteria for speakeasies goes beyond the drinks. Las Vegas has plenty of literal hidden gems that serve up treats such as pizza, coffee and the next story to tell your friends.
Secret Pizza at The Cosmopolitan
The Cosmopolitan may be the undisputed champion of speakeasies on the Strip, and the mystery doesn’t stop at the bars.
Secret Pizza is a pizza joint tucked away on the third floor of The Cosmopolitan. Follow the crowd of late-night diners to score a slice, but don’t expect to sit inside. This is a true grab-and-go spot with limited seating.
Insider’s tip: For a cult favorite, order the white pizza.
Gabi Coffee
5808 Spring Mountain Rd, Las Vegas, NV 89146
(702) 331-1144
Hours: 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily
Local’s can’t get enough of Gabi Coffee. The mismatched tables and chairs are always full, even during the late evening hours. A clear glass greenhouse sits in the middle, adding a whimsical effect to the decor.
The café is tucked into the back of Vegas’s Chinatown, next to a Korean BBQ restaurant. Look for the wooden door to enter. There are no signs, and the bronze window decals can’t be seen from the street.
Insider’s tip: Sit in the back. You have to take your shoes off to ascend the wooden steps and sit down, just like a traditional Korean cafe.
Más Por Favor
3879 Spring Mountain Rd, Las Vegas, NV 89102
(702) 201-1133
Hours: open Sunday through Thursday from 3 p.m. to 2 a.m. and Friday and Saturday from 3 p.m. to 4 a.m.
Down the street from Gabi, Más Por Favor is easy enough to spot. This taqueria has mouthwatering tacos to complement the margaritas on tap. However, the real magic sits beyond the dining room, through the secret tunnel that sends guests into a bar off the side of the restaurant.
Insider’s tip: Order the Disco Shit, for a drink with a side that looks extra naughty—but is really just powdered sugar. We promise.
Velveteen Rabbit
1218 S Main St, Las Vegas, NV 89104(702) 685-9645Hours: open Sunday through Thursday from 5 p.m. to 12 a.m. and Friday and Saturday from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m.
Velveteen Rabbit gets an honorable mention as a speakeasy in Las Vegas, purely for its fame as one of the best bars in the Arts District.
Guests have described it as having a “speakeasy feel” with cool, alluring decor and the right amount of quirkiness to set it apart from the typical dive. Keep an eye out for their seasonal cocktail menus as well.
Herbs and Rye
3713 W Sahara Ave, Las Vegas, NV 89102
(702) 982-8036
Herbs and Rye is one of those restaurants that demands a reservation, otherwise the wait time can stretch over several hours. This famous Vegas cocktail bar has a legendary cocktail menu that is well-known by locals and lovers of Las Vegas alike. Look for the simple black building on Sahara Avenue to locate the restaurant.
Insider’s tip: Get a steak. The cocktails are phenomenal, but Herbs and Rye is definitely carnivore-friendly. For an even better deal, go during happy hour when the steaks are half off.
Capo’s
5675 W Sahara Ave, Las Vegas, NV 89146
(702) 364-2276
Hours: Sunday through Thursday from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Sunday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Capo’s is part speakeasy, part Italian restaurant located off Spring Mountain. As a nod to the Italian mobsters of yesteryear, this dark and mysterious restaurant is serving up some Italian classics. The meatballs are the signature dish youse gotta try, capiche?
Insider’s tip: Need to get in? Tell them that Auntie G sent you.
Capo’s is known for having some of the most delectable Italian food in Las Vegas. It’s the ultimate comfort food spot for international dining, and the feasting doesn’t stop there.
Check out more dining on the Strip to explore the restaurants, food spots and local favorites that make Las Vegas the epicenter of cultural dining.
Frequently Asked Questions About Speakeasies and Secret Bars in Las Vegas
Are there speakeasies in Las Vegas?
There are over a dozen traditional speakeasies in Las Vegas. Many exist in the resorts on the Strip and others that exist downtown and throughout Vegas Valley.
How do I find The Laundry Room?
The Laundry Room is located inside Commonwealth, one of the cocktail bars on Fremont Street in downtown Las Vegas. You will be escorted into the bar by a staff member.
How do I find Ghost Donkey?
Ghost Donkey is located through the Block 16 Urban food hall inside The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. Read more about The Cosmopolitan to learn about all of its bars and restaurants
