Clint Thoman has one of the coolest jobs in Las Vegas—he works in a basement. OK, let’s rephrase, he’s the senior director of food and beverage for The Underground at The Mob Museum, a Prohibition-era speakeasy in the basement of one of the city’s most historic buildings that’s been turned into a museum housing all things Las Vegas and the mob.
“The Underground is the museum’s immersive, Prohibition-era exhibit,” Thoman says. “We tell the story of the 18th amendment that outlawed the manufacturing, transportation and sale of alcohol. We tell the story of the 1920s era. We’re telling the stories that are throughout the museum, we’re just telling them a little different down here. We’ve got a working speakeasy. We’ve got a working distillery making moonshine. We tell the story of rum runners, bootleggers, showgirls and gangsters.”
Thoman has his own long history working in the food and beverage industry. From bartending to management, he’s worked in cities including Atlanta, New Orleans and New York, where he worked at Tao nightclub, which eventually brought him out to Las Vegas to open its sister location at The Venetian in 2005. After spending nine years bartending for Tao, he moved into management, working at various restaurants on the Strip. In 2017, he heard that the museum was looking for a director of F&B to help open and run a speakeasy in the basement.
“Honestly, the whole idea sounded so much fun but a little crazy, too, that I just knew I needed and wanted to be a part of it,” he says.
Libation: The Marlow
Since The Underground’s inception, it’s been Thoman’s job to curate the cocktail program. The Marlow has been a mainstay on the menu since opening and continues to be one of the bar’s most popular picks. The smooth-tasting cocktail is a mix of bourbon, sherry, rosemary simple syrup, lemon juice and muddled blackberries.
Benefit: To gain access into The Underground, visit its Instagram account to get the password, posted every Friday.
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