The Best Bars in Las Vegas Right Now

Three floors inside a chandelier the size of a building — the Cosmopolitan's signature bar is one of the most photographed interiors in Las Vegas and, more importantly, one of the best-run bars on the Strip. The cocktail programme is overseen by talented staff who take the craft seriously despite the theatrical setting. The second floor has the best seats; the third is quieter and worth finding. Order the Verbena if it's on the menu.

Order: The Verbena — tequila, lemon, Cointreau, Szechuan pepper, topped with prosecco

The bar that helped establish Fremont East as a legitimate destination for serious drinkers — and it still holds up better than most of what followed. A small, low-lit room with a genuine cocktail programme and bartenders who have been here long enough to know every local by name. The menu rotates seasonally and the off-menu game is strong. Go on a weeknight when the Downtown crowd is in and the Strip visitors haven't found it yet.

Order: The DCR Old Fashioned — house-blended rye, Demerara syrup, mole bitters

Las Vegas's most exclusive drinking experience is also one of its most rewarding. Hidden behind a payphone in the Commonwealth bar on Fremont Street, The Laundry Room takes reservations only — text the number, receive a confirmation, and find a 20-seat room with a rotating tasting menu. The cocktails are among the most technically accomplished in the Southwest. Book at least two weeks ahead for weekend slots.

Order: Whatever they're featuring that evening — the tasting format is the point

An eclectic indoor-outdoor bar in the Arts District that has become one of the most beloved local spots in Vegas. The courtyard fills with locals on weekend evenings; the interior has a Victorian parlour aesthetic that somehow works. The cocktail list is creative and reasonably priced — genuinely unusual for this city. The staff are among the friendliest in town. Go for the atmosphere and stay for the third round you didn't plan on.

Order: The Rabbit Hole — gin, elderflower, fresh lemon, lavender bitters

The best tiki bar in Las Vegas is in Chinatown, not on the Strip, and it does the format properly — real house syrups, aged rum blends, theatrical presentation without cutting corners on what's inside the glass. The room is elaborately decorated in a way that took genuine commitment. Order a Zombie, find a booth in the back, and settle in. The Golden Tiki operates on its own timeline, which is slower and better than the rest of the city.

Order: The Zombie — multi-rum blend, falernum, Angostura, absinthe rinse, fresh lime and grapefruit

Open until 5am seven nights a week, Herbs & Rye is where Vegas industry workers end up after their shifts — which is the best recommendation a bar can receive. The cocktail programme is anchored in classics, the spirits selection runs deep, and the food (if you're there late enough to need it) is better than the surroundings suggest. The bar seats are the best in the house; get there before midnight if you want one.

Order: The Last Word — equal parts green Chartreuse, maraschino, gin, lime. Perfectly balanced here.

Overlooking the lake at the Wynn, Parasol Up is the most civilised drinking experience on the Strip. The room is designed around conversation rather than spectacle, the cocktail list is conservative but executed well, and the lake view on a warm Vegas evening is genuinely pleasant. Go before 7pm to get the best seat and avoid the worst of the evening crowd. The service here is among the most attentive of any hotel bar in the city.

Order: The Wynn Bellini — white peach puree, Ruinart Blanc de Blancs, fresh raspberries

ARIA's cocktail-forward bar takes the Strip's typical approach to mixology and pushes it somewhere more interesting. The cocktail programme draws on house-made infusions, clarified juices, and spirits that don't typically appear on Strip menus. The room is smaller than most hotel bars, which means the service is more focused. Arrive with some knowledge of what you want — the staff respond well to specificity.

Order: The Nevada Rose — local gin, clarified rose water, St-Germain, dry champagne

Open 24 hours, seven days a week, with no windows, no clocks, and no last call. Frankie's is the Vegas bar that most perfectly embodies the city's relationship with time. The tiki programme is serious — house syrups, proper blends, authentic recipes — and the staff works a consistent level regardless of what hour you arrive. There is something wonderfully defiant about a place that simply refuses to close.

Order: The Painkiller — Pusser's rum, coconut cream, pineapple, fresh orange, nutmeg

A rock-and-roll bar that manages to be relaxed rather than exhausting — an unusual combination in Vegas. The live music programming is genuinely good, the cocktail list is short but sound, and the crowd skews toward the kind of people who appreciate both. The dark red interior absorbs sound in a way that makes conversation possible even when the band is playing. A reliable Downtown option when you want music without the Fremont Street chaos.

Order: The Black Velvet — Guinness and Champagne, served properly cold