O’Sheas entertainment bartender James Hadhazy is livin’ the dream. “I’ve been living (it) for almost 13 years. I love Las Vegas, I love my job. I wouldn’t change it for anything,” he said.

Born in Cleveland and raised on Long Island in New York, Hadhazy kicked off his bartending career as soon as he reached 21—getting his start in the industry in Florida. But after one visit to Vegas, he was hooked. “I took one trip out here and it was over,” he said. “I knew this is where I was supposed to be.”

Hadhazy joined the Caesars Entertainment group of hotels in 2003 at Rio; that’s where he first began adding flair into his bartending skills. He moved to The Linq Hotel during its transition from The Quad, and helped build two of the bars on property. But when he heard that O’Sheas would rise from the ashes and open a new location at The Linq, he knew that’s where he had to be. “More than 500 people applied; that’s how big of a deal the reopening was,” Hadhazy explained. “In the end, they hired a great team. Every bartender here has their own style of bartending, but what we have in common is that we all want to have fun when we come to work, and that attitude really spills out to the floor, creating the atmosphere.”

And that atmosphere is a come-as-you-are, be-yourself good time. Hadhazy is there right in the middle of it all, keeping a smile on his face and his guests’ cups full.

“I really like to just bartend—I could do this forever,” he said. “And that’s why I came to Vegas—to build a career. I just come in here and be myself and bartend. I couldn’t imagine myself doing anything else.”

Green with Envy

Green with Envy

Green With Envy

You’ll get a show and a cocktail when you order from Hadhazy. His flair bartending skills are so awesome that he was even crowned national champ during his heyday of participating in flair bartending competitions. The Green With Envy is one of Hadhazy’s specialties, mixed with Midori melon liqueur, Malibu rum, Skyy Raspberry vodka and pineapple juice, with a sidecar (shot) of Jameson. On St. Patrick’s Day, it’s the perfect green drink to keep the merriment going. “St. Paddy’s Day, everyone’s either coming from here or coming here,” said Hadhazy. “It’s gonna be at capacity all day long.”