There’s a lot to love about Las Vegas but getting freebies might be everyone’s favorite – even if the freebies aren’t technically “free”. Those complimentary drinks you receive while playing slot machines or blackjack in Las Vegas aren’t exactly free. You’ll only receive those drinks if you’re spending money. Additionally, you should be tipping drink servers so there’s going to be a cost.
Still, we love getting “complementary” drinks. They add to the entertainment of being in a casino. The cost of a complimentary drink may seem less expensive on the surface but I’ve paid $300 for a blackjack session where I lost almost every hand in about 10 minutes. My one vodka drink ended up “costing” me $300. Hey, at least it was top shelf vodka.
One of the best things to happen to Las Vegas, for me, is the explosion of craft beer. When I first moved to Las Vegas it wasn’t easy to find a good beer. Bar and restaurant menus had, maybe, 1 or 2 non-traditional beer options. Now almost every bar in Las Vegas has a respectable selection of beer. Unfortunately that doesn’t translate to the casino floor. However, if you play video poker at the casino bar you may get access to different drinks, including craft beer. Remember, complimentary doesn’t mean 100% free when you’re playing video poker. You’ll have to put money in the machine and play max credits (usually $1.25 per game) and you should be tipping your bartender.
So which bars do we recommend for beer drinking video poker players?
Tag Bar at The Linq Hotel
Tag Bar at The Linq Hotel has the best complimentary beer selection if you’re playing video poker. They have over 300 beers available most of which you can get at no charge if you’re playing video poker. These complimentary beers aren’t the cheap macro domestic bottled beers, rather they’re the craft and import beers you won’t find anywhere else on property. Not only is this excellent beer selection a bargain but you still have the entertainment from playing video poker and being in a sports bar environment. If you’re looking for an added buzz hit the Belgian beer section of the menu. Your menu options will vary depending on your Total Rewards status. The higher your tier, the more options you have.
If you walk down the street from Tag Bar to The Cromwell you will find another bar with a great craft beer selection. Unlike Tag Bar you won’t see most of their great beer selection on display. The casino side of Interlude at The Cromwell is fairly small with about 12 bar stools. All bottled beer is kept hidden in dark refrigerator cabinets. There are a few taps, but the bottled beer is where you’ll find the better options when playing video poker. The bartenders are great and beers may rotate so just ask for recommendations and enjoy!
LONGBAR at the D
LONGBAR at the D in downtown Las Vegas is another great option for beer drinkers. They have about 10-20 different tap beers that you can get complimentary while playing video poker. Note, there’s another bar on the second floor of The D called Vue Bar and their beer selection isn’t nearly as good. Don’t let that stop you visiting the second floor however, as it’s home to their coin-op vintage casino, including one of the only 2 sigma derby machines in Las Vegas, which can be a lot of fun!
Main Street Station, also located in downtown Las Vegas, offers multiple in house craft brews to all players in their casino. The hotel-casino is also a brewery. Unlike other casinos you can get their 777 craft beers at the tables, machines and, of course, at the bar. What’s great about 777 beers is that some of the flavors will rotate so that you can have something fresh and new every time you visit.
While most bars in Las Vegas will offer complimentary drinks when playing video poker just keep in mind that not all will. The bars at Wynn and Encore don’t offer complimentary drinks to video poker players. It’s a shock for many people as they’re expecting a free drink but are told that they have to pay $8-$15 per drink even though they dropped $20 in the video poker machine already.
The craft beer explosion can be found all over Las Vegas and it’s awesome. It’s even better when those beers come along at no additional charge to the money you plan for casino entertainment. Chances are good that if I’m in the mood for a beer in a casino you’ll also catch me playing some video poker.
Regarding Main Street Station, it should also be noted that their bartop VP machines at the Boars Head Bar are 9/6 Jacks or Better. And even if you’re not gambling, the Triple 7’s beers are always $1.50 to $2 at the back bar. Can’t beat it.