Breakout out the Wayfarers and beanies. Las Vegas has a seriously happening hipster scene. With the onslaught of new openings in Downtown (the heart of hipster haven), it’s easy to mingle with the PBR-swilling locals and visitors. It’s just you need to know where all of the action is at. We are making it super easy for you and gifting you our top picks for the most hip of the hipster hotspots. Just don’t forget to pack your skinny jeans.
East Fremont
Beauty Bar
With outlets in the happening cities all over America, this Beauty Bar was one of the places in town to really cement Downtown’s spot in hipster hearts. With Nickel Beer Tuesdays (seriously, it’s a great deal), retro interior and large outdoor patio, Beauty Bar is one of Downtown’s darlings. The venue is also host to national music acts and has regular parties with popular DJs. 517 E. Fremont St, (702) 598-1965 thebeautybar.com
The Griffin
Just down the street from The Beauty Bar is The Griffin, another bar which has been around since almost the beginning of the rebirth of Downtown. The leather booths and fireplaces give the bar a more upscale vibe, but don’t let it fool you. They have a decent selection of beer on tap, the cocktails are stiff and the prices are reasonable. Spread over two rooms, its a great spot to sit back, put on music or check out a live band. 511 E. Fremont St, (702) 382-0577 yelp.com
Park on Fremont
A newer kid on the Fremont East block, Park on Fremont’s dimly lit, intimate vibe and gorgeous patio seating with, yup, a mini-”park” isn’t only parked in a great location (near many of the other hipster bars on the street), but also is a great location. Serving up some seriously fantastic cocktails (they’ve even got concoctions made with ginger beer), beer hybrids (think shandys but even better) and food, in a kitschy designed venue, it’s easy to see why the hip hang here. 506 E. Fremont, (702) 834-3160 parkonfremont.com
Commonwealth
Commonwealth boasts one of the best views in town, thanks to its rooftop terrace overlooking Downtown Vegas. The two-floor bar makes you feel like you aren’t in Vegas at all, thanks to its pre-Prohibition Era design and menu. Host to regular events and parties, Commonwealth has gained a national reputation thanks to coverage in publications like Forbes and The New York Post. 525 E. Fremont St, (702) 445-6400 commonwealthlv.com
Arts District
Velveteen Rabbit
The hipsters love the new spots, as evidenced by the popularity of the Velveteen Rabbit. Housed in the Arts District, the bar takes on a distinctly artsy feel courtesy of the reclaimed furniture and wallpaper. But, it isn’t the design that keeps the kids in the building, its the cocktail and craft beer list and the local music acts performing on the regular. Sister owners Christina and Pamela Dylag, who are no strangers to mixology thanks to their work as mixologists at other Vegas venues, keep the bar menu fresh with a cocktail list that is seasonal and focused on current alcohol trends. Even though it only opened in May 2013, this bar is raking in the recognition and was even recently featured in the Wall Street Journal. How much hipper can it possibly be? 1218 S. Main St, (702) 685-9645 facebook.com
Artifice
This dimly lit bar in the Arts District has been packing them in for a couple of years now. Spread over three rooms, locals here sip on the many wines or cocktails available. Popular with the more art-loving crowd, thanks to the many different artists on display in the rooms, it’s easy to catch performers from Vegas shows chilling here after hours. Artifice also regularly welcomes live music which ranges in genre. It can get loud, but the scene is so perfectly cool, it doesn’t matter. 1025 First St, (702) 489-6339 artificebar.com
Lady Silvia ** CLOSED **
It’s like walking into your grandma’s library parlor. Minus grandma and plus heaps of funky furniture and mood. Actually, according to Lady Silvia, it is like walking into Prague’s Strahov Monastery Library. With funk. This speakeasy lets the cocktails flow and is perfect for an intimate conversation about the latest music on your iPhone. The smoke-free hangout has an outdoor patio and a pop-up gallery, too. To enter, look for the old wooden door marked #140. 900 S. Las Vegas Blvd, (702) 405-0816 theladysilvia.com
Bar + Bistro @ The Arts Factory ** CLOSED **: Whisky is the name of the game here, so all you whisky lovers, this is your place. By day, the restaurant brings in the locals (especially the bluegrass Hangover Brunch on the weekends), but by night, the bar flourishes. Outdoors, you can catch fire-spinners, live music and more. This is the perfect spot for First Friday since it is literally attached to The Arts Factory which is home to some of the best galleries in town. 107 E. Charleston Blvd, (702) 202-6060 barbistroaf.com
Downtown
Downtown Cocktail Room: A staple of the Las Vegas hipster scene for years now, Downtown. Cocktail Room, affectionately referred to as DCR, features one of the best cocktail menus that rotates on a seasonal basis. This sexy lounge/speakeasy packs them in nightly and oozes a “come as you are, but be cool” vibe. The place fills up quickly, especially on First Friday, so come early to grab seating in the plush chairs, or come late and mingle with the cool kids. There’s even a “nibble” menu to coat your stomach before you enjoy the famous mixed drinks. For the non-cocktail-lovers, don’t worry. There are plenty of other alcoholic choices to sip on. The only challenge is figuring out how to get into the door. Hint: push. 111 S. Las Vegas Blvd, (702) 880-3696 thedowntownlv.com
Gold Spike: The former grungy casino got a serious makeover. Gone are the slot machines, cigarette smoke and cocktail servers past their prime. Today, the Gold Spike has been reborn into a cool watering hole/playground for the over-21 crowd. Thanks to Zappos leader, Tony Hsieh, and his grand vision for Downtown, the Gold Spike has been converted to one of the best spots in the city. By day, Gold Spike is a working spot, thanks to the super fast and free wifi, but at night, it turns everyone into Peter Pan. With a sweet beer list, shuffleboard, books, a bed, bean bags and more, its the perfect spot to hang out. Then, there’s the large outdoor patio with plenty of lounge chairs, soft candlelight and even more grown-up games to enjoy. 217 N. Las Vegas Blvd, (702) 476-4923 goldspike.com
