Make no mistake—dive bar is still rockin’ in new location
By Jack Houston
The Venetian Opens at 11 a.m. Sun.-Thurs., 10 a.m. Fri.-Sat. 702.731.9683
Rockhouse is moving on up. Not only has “the Strip’s only ultra-dive bar” moved up the street to The Venetian, it has also moved up to a second-floor perch across from First Food & Bar overlooking Las Vegas Boulevard.
A grand reopening bash, scheduled for Feb. 28, is set to kick off a second phase in the life of the beloved bar, which for years operated in front of Imperial Palace. Boasting cheap drink specials and bottle service, 80-ounce plastic guitar daiquiris, beer pong and dancers who cavorted in and around birdcages and tire swings, Rockhouse brought a level of grittiness rarely seen in the heart of the Strip.
The new location retains much of the spirit of the original but with some distinct differences, the most obvious being size. At 8,900 square feet, Rockhouse is now a sprawling monument to debauchery, stretching from a daiquiri bar, through a game room (beer pong, flip cup and quarters remain staples) and into the main room, where a DJ booth, raised VIP section and mechanical bull keep the atmosphere hyped throughout the day and into the night.
Building the base is an essential component of any drinking experience, and Rockhouse has wisely added a food menu to help soak up all those liquid calories. A sushi-style menu lets guests create their own hot dogs and tacos from a list of meats, toppings, condiments and other add-ons, with the base dogs and tacos starting as low as $4. Other menu items hew close to the kind of countrified bar fare you’ll find at PBR Rock Bar & Grill, Rockhouse’s sister restaurant at Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood Resort.
Also be on the lookout for midweek specials, including Winner Circle Wednesdays, home to Rockhouse’s weekly beer pong tournament, beginning at 7 p.m., and Prohibition Thursdays, where guests can acquire a password on the bar’s social media platforms to receive half-price cover and $5 cocktails from 7 p.m. to closing time.
