Frommer's Las Vegas 2004

OTHER BARS 265
thought to be long vanished from the earth, and attracting nostalgia buffs like
moths to a flame. It all adds up to a cozy, womblike place, perfect for unwinding
a bit after some time spent on the hectic Strip. The enormous, exotic
froufrou tropical drinks (including the signature bathtub-size margaritas) will
ensure that you sink into a level of comfortable stupor. 2985 Las Vegas Blvd. S.
& 702/735-7635.
Pink E’s Sick of the attitude at Club Rio? Escape directly across the street to
Pink E’s, where the theme is pink. (You were expecting maybe seafoam?) Anyway,
at least one regular described this as “the only place to go if you are over 25
and have a brain.” And like pink. Because everything at this 24-hour joint is: the
many pool tables, the Ping-Pong tables, the booths, the lighting, the lava lamp
on the bar, and even the people. In its own way, it’s as gimmick-ridden as The
Beach dance club (see below), but surely no one would put out a pink pool table
in all seriousness? Yeah, it’s a ludicrous heresy, but don’t you want to play on one?
Pink E’s offers retro diner food and a DJ on weekends. The dress code basically
translates to “no gangsta-wannabe wear.” Go, but wear all black (and no pink)
just to be ornery. 3695 W. Flamingo Rd. & 702/252-4666.
Risque Ready to put the ooh la la back in Vegas (like it needed it, but never
mind), this is Paris Las Vegas’s most recent lounge (a bar with a dance floor, in
this case), which has ’80s lingerie, as reconceived in the Cirque du Soleil world,
clad girls practicing lurid versions of their yoga poses, with a detached and yet
erotic attitude, perched on a ledge for you to gawk at as soon as you walk in the
door. More scantily dressed gals work the top of the bar, while a DJ spins discs
in this industrial-nightclub-meets-modern-day-strip-bar. Fancy constructed
desserts are for sale, and there are dark nooks everywhere (including balconies
that fit no more than four), where the desserts can be consumed and we don’t
want to know what else could go on. Of course, for every dipped-in-black club
kid beauty there is a denim-wearing tourist, but still, you can get your jollies.
3655 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (in the Paris Hotel). & 702/946-7000. Cover: Men $20, women $10.
Sand Dollar Blues Lounge The kind of funky, no-decor (think posters and
beer signs), atmosphere-intensive, slightly grimy, friendly bar you either wish
your town had or wish it had something other than. Just up the road from Treasure
Island, this is a great antidote to artificial Vegas. Attracting a solid mix of
locals and tourists (employees claim the former includes everything from bikers
to chamber of commerce members), the Sand Dollar features live blues (both
electric and acoustic, with a little Cajun and zydeco thrown in) every night. We
wondered how Vegas had enough blues bands to fill out a whole weekly bill. The
answer? All the musicians play in multiple bands in different configurations.
The dance floor is tiny and often full. The minimal cover always goes to the
band. Depending on your desires, it’s either refreshingly not Las Vegas, or just
the kind of place you came to Vegas to escape. Go before someone has the idea
Impressions
“It’s a wonderful town all right!” a stick man at the Thunderbird told
me. “Where else can a fellow gamble all day, get drunk, go to sleep, get
up at four in the morning and find plenty of company when he walks
into the lobby?”
—Daniel Lang, Blackjack and Flashes