Looking for a cool place to kick it? For more than 50 years Ellis Island Hotel, Casino & Brewery has offered just that—a laid-back atmosphere where both locals and visitors converge for some brews, grub and gambling. Oh, and one of the most-popular hidden gems in the city—the Karaoke Lounge, a longtime favorite karaoke spot for Strip entertainers and workers, locals and tourists alike. "The energy that is in that room every night is such a big part of it," says Christina Ellis, director of marketing for Ellis Island. "Everyone tries to be encouraging as much as possible, whether you can sing or not. It's just a fun time."
Ellis Island offers guests another awesome reason to stop—the newly built Front Yard. "The original idea was just a patio and it slowly snowballed into this beautiful structure that is the beer garden," says Ellis. The two-story venue, lush with foliage and charming furnishings like picnic tables and twinkling lights, will undoubtedly become a hot spot for sports viewing with its monstrous 18-foot-by-10-foot TV in the center of the action and more than 20 flat screens set up throughout the space. There's two bars, one on the main floor and one upstairs in the atrium where guests can kick back and enjoy views of the Strip.
There's also a brand-new kitchen serving a brand-new menu—with some dishes pulled from the Ellis family's very own recipes. Sauces are made in-house, as well as bacon and brisket smoked in-house. Seven new beers sourced directly from the property's own brewery were added to the menu such as the Coffee Stout, Belgian IPA and Belgian Triple. If cocktails are more your style, the new menu offers a dozen specialty sips with some mighty creative recipes, with a lot of the ingredients made in-house, too, like the syrups and infused alcohol. Check out the Flamin' Hot Bloody with Flaming Hot Cheeto-infused Tito's vodka and house-made spicy mix or The 1968 (the year Ellis Island opened) with Makers Mark and maple-brown sugar simple syrup. Don't forget to try the Ellis family's secret-recipe Holiday Nog, made during the holidays and served till it's sold out (which should last until around New Year's Eve).
4178 Koval Lane, 702.733.8901
