When the COIVD-19 pandemic is in the rearview mirror, when getting back to a sense of normalcy stretches from the country’s coast to coast, when America is open for business again … who’s not gonna need a big ol’ cocktail to celebrate? We imagine we’ll sidle up to the bar, shoulder to shoulder, and keep calm and sip on. Here are 10 tasty cocktails that we love from Las Vegas hot spots that we’ll be imbibing once social distancing is like, so totally over.
1. Dama Blanca, Mama Rabbit at Park MGM Not only does the vibrant décor of the bar and lounge evoke a fiesta atmosphere, Mama Rabbit offers the Strip’s largest selection of agave-based spirits. Celebrating the culture and flavors of Oaxaca, the menu offers delicious mezcal and tequila cocktails like the Dama Blanca. The eye-catching cocktail is a blend of Ilegal Joven mezcal, Italicus Rosolio Bergamot liqueur, house orange cordial, simple syrup, fresh lemon and lime juices, egg white and a flower garnish.
2. Hangover Recovery Bloody Mary, Guy Fieri’s Vegas Kitchen & Bar, The Linq We love this one for the pure madness of its garnish—the great hair-of-the-dog Hangover Recovery Bloody Mary that weighs in at 52 ounces! You get to pick your spirit (vodka, gin or tequila) and combine it with in-house Bloody Mary mix. Then it’s on to the over-the-top garnishes (you can pick just a couple or go the gluttonous route): candied bacon, chicken apple sausage, pickled veggies, shrimp, peppers, spicy olives, pickles, cucumbers, pepperoni and more. You can even choose how spicy you want the cocktail, one to three flames.
Defendant
3. Defendant, Oscar’s Steakhouse at Plaza Sometimes you just need a stiff cocktail. Well, the Defendant does the trick. The flavor is a mix between an Old-Fashioned and a whiskey sour, and uses Larceny bourbon, Bauchant orange liqueur, Angostura bitters, simple syrup and fresh lemon. The smooth-tasting cocktail is just one of many classic cocktails with a twist that you can enjoy inside this throwback to old-school Las Vegas restaurant and bar built in honor of the city’s celebrated mayor Oscar Goodman.
4. Mean Green Mule, Lily Bar & Lounge at Bellagio A hot spot lounge long-known for offering a consistent elevated cocktail experience, Lily Bar & Lounge fills its specialty cocktail menu with recipes that utilize a lot of fresh fruit flavors balanced with savory notes. A popular pick is the Mean Green Mule, a mix of kiwi-infused Tito’s handmade vodka, cucumber, lime, sliced kiwis and ginger beer.
5. Bottom’s Up, Vanderpump Cocktail Garden at Caesars Palace Go big or go home. Definitely go big with the Bottom’s Up—it’s like a big ol’ punch bowl of liquid yumminess that can serve multiple drinkers. It’s a mix of Cointreau, Grand Marnier, lime juice, agave juice, juiced strawberries, lime and orange wheels, strawberries, edible flowers, jalapeño slices and a 1-liter bottle of Casamigos Blanco tequila. Enjoy it inside the chic, faux garden surroundings of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills Lisa Vanderpump’s bar and lounge.
Creole Punch, The Dorsey
6. Creole Punch, The Dorsey at The Venetian Another shareable, social-distancing-is-so-over cocktail is The Dorsey’s, Creole Punch. The punch bowl is filled to the brim with a sweet-with-some-bite mix of rum, rum and more rum, pineapple, ginger, citrus, all spice and nutmeg. The Dorsey’s menu is chock full of handcrafted cocktails that push the envelope in taste and design, thanks to the creative mind of veteran bartender, Sam Ross.
7. The Rook, Greene St. Kitchen at Palms Because this cocktail just looks so darn cool—and it’s delicious, too. The Rook looks like a flower pot but in fact it’s a cocktail mixed with simple syrup (with fresh herbs like basil, mint, dill and thyme) and fresh lime juice and Bombay Sapphire gin, it’s like a gin-sour-meets-mojito. Sip away while checking out the striking art work that decorates Greene St. Kitchen, including an actual 2002 piece by elusive street artist, Banksy.
8. Dragonheart, Yellowtail at Bellagio Not only is gin making a comeback, this cocktail is a delicious, well-balanced delight. The martini-style cocktail mixes Monkey 47 gin, Akira Back umeshu, prickly pear, pineapple and lemon juices, and cane sugar, then garnished with a slice of dragon fruit. A delightful way to enjoy the cocktail is by booking a table on the balcony of Yelllowtail so you can get a front-row view to the famed fountains of Bellagio.
9. Smoke on the Blvd., Hell’s Kitchen at Caesars Palace When Gordon Ramsay’s Stripside restaurant first opened, the Smoke on the Blvd. made headlines for its eye-catching presentation, and it’s about time to revisit the strong-yet-smooth sipping cocktail. Carried over to your table in a see-through box the cocktail sits inside with cherry wood smoke swirling around the rocks glass filled with Woodford Reserve rye, Aperol, Amaro Averna liqueur and sweet vermouth. The cocktail is a multisensory experience calling on sight, smell and taste.
10. Highland Mule, True Food Kitchen at The Forum Shops at Caesars While staying healthy has been the name of the game during the whole pandemic, it might be well worth keeping on that path, and one of the top spots in Las Vegas to do that is at True Food Kitchen. Natural, organic ingredients that do the body good is their jam, even when it comes to their specialty cocktails. The Highland Mule—a simple recipe of malt whisky, ginger and honey—is a strong sip but with a nice touch of sweet and snap from the ginger. Plus the ginger and honey help boost the immune system and provide natural antioxidants.
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