GROWN-UP SOCIAL HOURS
PUT DOWN THAT YARD-LONG MARGARITA. THE BEST NEW HAPPY HOURS HAVE SOPHISTICATION IN SPADES.
Put down that yard-long margarita. The best new happy hours have sophistication in spades.
Oversized slushies may be fun on spring break or after midnight at the clubs, but a few places on the Strip are offering more grown-up appeal in the form of seriously sophisticated social hours. “People are tired of the same old thing,” says Manny Kess of the Kess Group, a company that specializes in VIP experiences. “Vegas is experiencing record highs in nightlife and in partying, but there’s definitely a clientele that wants something more quiet and more unique.”
THE DORSEY
The space formerly known as the Bourbon Room at Venetian was an ’80s rockthemed party spot, but has been redesigned as The Dorsey, with French oak, brass, leather, marble ,and long comfortable couches. The drink menu was created by famed mixologist Sam Ross of New York’s Attaboy—you can’t go wrong with a Ginger Rogers, a creamy concoction that blends Jamaican rum with coffee liqueur and fresh ginger. Venetian turned to David Rabin, the
hospitality brain behind NYC hotspots The Skylark, Café Clover, and more, to conceptualize the new lounge. At its opening, he directed us to the library room (with its fireplace of steam “flames” you can touch). We think it’s the coziest new spot on the Strip. 866-659-9643; venetian.com
RESTAURANT GUY SAVOY French culinary master Guy Savoy’s new Caviar Room inside the lounge just within his restaurant serves its own distinct menu, including the Colors of Caviar (a small glass with caviar stacked among multiple garnishes), Kusshi oysters on the half shell and alluring Siberian Baerii caviar by the ounce. “It gives you the ability to eat at this restaurant and have amazing dishes without spending two or three hours there,” Kess points out. Wash it down with a Belvedere martini or a $29 glass of Krug Grande Cuvée. The Caviar Room is open during regular restaurant hours, 5:30–9:30 PM, Wednesday–sunday. 702-731-7286; caesars.com
MR CHOW This celebrity-friendly dining spot is not only famous for its Beijing duck, but also its roaming Champagne cart. You can now enjoy some of those bubbles at a softer price thanks to its Sunday– Thursday social hour between 5 and 7 PM. Just pull up a seat at Mr Chow’s sleek circular bar that overlooks the Garden of the Gods Pool Oasis. Kess is a big fan of the view: “Most other restaurants are confined and closed. You don’t have that beautiful landscape.” It’s the perfect spot to sip your Moet Chandon Imperial, Moet Chandon Rosé, and Krug Grande Cuvée (also available as a half-bottle). 702-7317888; caesars.com