- Front-of-the-line pass: $50.
- Payment information: Cash and major credit cards.
- Resident DJs:Thursday: DJ Karma, Friday: DJ David Christian, Saturday: DJ David Christian, Sunday: DJ Karma
- Clientele/Age Group: 21 and over.
- Attire: Upscale nightlife attire.
- Occupancy: 1,000.
- Parking: Self-parking and valet available at the Bellagio North Valet.
- Reservations: Required for table service, call (702) 693-8300.
- Seating: Available.
- Handicapped accessible: Yes.
- ATM: Available inside the Bellagio.
- Special events:Sunday IS (Industry Night).
Video Tour at The Bank Night Club Las Vegas
Review by Jamie Helmick
Picking which nightclub (or nightclubs – plural, if you’re feeling adventurous) to spend your precious and limited Vegas vacation on is a tough task. It seems like there a billion clubs, all touting the same stuff – alcohol, men, women, dancing – so how do you know which one has that something special to set it apart?
In the case of The Bank at the Bellagio, you know because people talk about it. The things that set The Bank apart are the kinds of things that people notice and if you’re in a place where Sin City nightlife doesn’t come up too often, well, that’s what we’re here for – here’s the rundown on The Bank. Hopefully this will help you make an, ahem, informed decision.
The layout of The Bank is one of the most intuitive in Vegas. Visitors to the club are greeted by a line that sometimes spills to the edges of the casino floor, but it’s laid out in a manageable way. Tables and VIPs to the left, general admission to the right.
Once you’re in, you head up an escalator that leads into the club. Because the elevator doesn’t spill right into the main club, there’s less of a back up than at most clubs. You progress through a room filled with bottles of Cristal and booths (if you’re looking for a slightly more breathable table, this is the spot to reserve) and then it’s The Bank in all its glory.
You enter the main room of the club in the back left corner. From here, there’s a bar immediately to your right and going straight will lead you to some of the best views in the house. The Bank’s layout is essentially a tiered rectangle. Ringing the rectangle on top are drink rails and standing space (which is where those views come in – you can see almost all the action with your drink resting comfortably on an actual flat surface instead of perched precariously on some ledge).
If you drop down a level (or two) there are booths and tables that are separated enough that VIPs have their own space, but don’t feel segregated or closed off. The dance floor is on the bottom floor, right in the middle. Above that is the DJ booth, where DJs like Samantha Ronson sometimes come to spin (there’s even VIP space flanking that if you’re going ultra-swanky for the night).
There’s another bar off to the far side of the club (and more private table seating behind that) and near there are stairs down to the restrooms.
But all that is just architecture. What actually sets The Bank apart is much more than simple schematics.
The Bank is generally regarded as a higher-end club, even if you don’t spring for bottle service (although if you do, the service is top notch). From the dark-yet-sparkly décor to the gold accents, The Bank oozes elegance. And if you didn’t notice from the atmosphere, take a look around at the other patrons – no one just picked up a shirt from the laundry pile and rolled into The Bank. There’s definitely a dress-to-impress vibe.
On top of all that, the club – and its management – bring in some fantastic talent (singer Estelle had a recent performance at The Bank that packed the house) and throw some epic parties.
It’s with all this that The Bank sets itself apart – and though it’s not the cheapest club in town, did you really come all the way to Vegas to scrimp once you got here? We didn’t think so.
- General admission: Men: $30; women: $20
- Payment information: Cash, credit cards.
- Location: Inside Wynn Las Vegas.
- Music: Top 40, hip-hop, mash-ups, house.
- Resident DJs: Justin Hoffman/DJ Create.
- Clientele/Age Group: 21 and older.
- Attire: Upscale. No hats, oversized jeans, athletic wear, sneakers, t-shirts, shorts or sandals. Dress code strictly enforced.
- Occupancy: 1,200.
- Parking: Garage parking and hotel valet.
- Reservations: Yes, call (702) 770-3375.
- Seating: Yes.
- Handicapped accessible: Yes.
- ATM: Outside the club.
- Special events:Thursday: “The Affair,” locals’ night, Friday and Saturday: DJ Justin Hoffman spins Top 40, hip-hop and ’80s rock.
Video Tour at LAX Night Club Las Vegas
Review by Jamie Helmick
What are you in Vegas for?
Probably a little fun, a little alcohol and a lot of forgetting your worries and cares, right?
So, if you take that one step further, you’ve set up a tryst for yourself with a good time.
It’s appropriate then, that the nightclub you’ll want to paint the town red at is called Tryst.
Regardless of whether you followed that line of logic, all you really need to know is that Tryst can be everything you want it to be.
It’s a nightclub on an epic scale, in a hotel on an epic scale, in a town definitely on an epic scale.
The plush setting of the Wynn aside, Tryst stands on its own opulent little legs serving up the glamour that your apartment back home could never provide.
First of all, if you take nothing else about the club away (because maybe you got a little too wrapped up in forgetting your troubles), you’ll remember a giant waterfall. It’s visible from most places you’d find yourself standing in the club and it’s a waterfall. In a hotel. In a nightclub. It’s not another strobe light or bottle of Skyy, it’s a waterfall.
Suffice to say, it’s a neat feature that serves to set Tryst apart from all the other clubs in town.
But you can’t just build a waterfall and call it a day and so Tryst extends that incredulous concept into every aspect of the venue.
If you’re the designated driver or happen to find yourself saddled with an uninteresting date (or even just like looking at stuff), play a game of “Spot the Luxury.” You’ll find stuff like red velvet-covered walls, mirrors that are the opposite of tacky and furniture that came from IKEA if IKEA were only in the price range of the super-wealthy.
Should you spring for bottle service (it’s definitely worth it) you could find yourself sitting next to the giant waterfall, mist occasionally ghosting across your face and with the right cocktail, you might just happen upon one of those moments where everything seems right with the world.
If that seems a little hokey, well, maybe it is, but there haven’t been many corners cut in the design and execution of Tryst – it’s a gorgeous club and you’re supposed to be on vacation. Let yourself live a little. Go ahead and have your Tryst
Open : Lounge open nightly – nightclub open Thursday – Saturday
Tao Nightclub Details
- Front of the line pass (female): $40 , per night (Includes single admission and line pass. Available Thursday, Friday and Saturday only).
- Front of the line pass (male): $40, per night (Includes single admission and line pass. Available Thursday and Friday only. Groups larger than 6 will not be admitted).
- Front of the line pass (couples): $60 Thursday, $80 Friday, $100 Saturday (Includes admission and line pass for two females or one male and one female entering the club at the same time).
- Payment information: Cash, Visa, Mastercard, American Express.
- Resident DJs: Thursday: DJ Five and DJ Skratchy. Friday: DJ Reach and DJ Skratchy. Saturday: DJ Vice and DJ Mile.
- Clientele/Age Group: 21 and over.
- Attire: Dress code strictly enforced. Men are required to wear a collared shirt and dress shoes. No tank tops, tennis shoes or shorts.
- Occupancy: 2500.
- Parking: Garage parking and hotel valet. There is also an exclusive Tao valet in front of the Venetian.
- Reservations: No.
- Seating: Yes.
- Handicapped accessible: Yes.
- ATM: Inside the hotel.
- Special events:Thursday: “Worship,” industry locals night.Friday: Resident DJ Reach and guest DJs play a mix of hip-hop, Top 40 and other dance music. Saturday: Resident DJ Vice and guest DJs play a mix of current and classic dance music.
Video Tour at Tao Night Club Las Vegas
Review by Jamie Helmick
Vegas is a fickle beast. We spent years cultivating themes up and down Las Vegas Boulevard – a pirate ship here, a pyramid there – and then, all of the sudden, themes were old news. Every hot spot became just another mish-mash of shiny technology and sleek lines.
That is, until Tao opened in September 2005. Located near the Strip-side entrance of The Grand Canal Shoppes in the Venetian, Tao was most certainly themed – it was an Asian-influenced nightclub in the heart of Sin City.
Since Tao’s opening, there’s been a rotating door of clubs trying to out-Tao Tao, but it never works. Tao always attracts some of the biggest celebrities, throws some of the most outlandish parties and continues to build their name in Vegas, opening up Tao Beach in 2007, which serves as a poolside extension of the nightclub.
But what is it about Tao that keeps it on top?
First, there’s that whole theme thing. By unabashedly going for it as far as décor was concerned, Tao is able to present a setting that looks nothing like most of the other clubs you’ve ever been in.
The front entrance is lined with bathtubs filled with rose petals and women and the lights are immediately changed from garish casino mall lighting to subdued reddish mood lighting.
The first floor (which is where you enter) serves as Tao’s lounge and restaurant area. Before it converts over into a nightclub, Tao spends its days serving up Kobe beef and giant fortune cookies under a giant Buddha statue to celebrities like Kelly Clarkson and Sarah Michelle Gellar (and hundreds of others – just about every weekend someone you’ve heard of is seen eating at Tao).
The lounge area also brings in the crowds, as it opens its doors on nights when the club isn’t going (it’s open on clubs days, too, though).
Together, the dining area and lounge take up a sizable space that you could almost mistake for the club itself, but there’s actually a lot more to Tao. A staircase off to the side of the lounge’s bar takes you up to the club area, which is a whole different (and massive space).
In fact, one of the coolest features in Tao is the number of ways you can experience it.
Kara Lewis, director of marketing for Tao Bistro, Nightclub and Beach, sums it up – “Versatility is the advantage,” Lewis said. “We have the ability to provide an intimate dinner for two in our restaurant, cocktails in the lounge, VIP table service in the nightclub for larger groups, or use of the entire venue for private events for up to 3,000 people.”
And within the different sections, there’s versatility, too. The nightclub has different rooms and areas that play distinct music styles and create several different vibes all under the umbrella of Tao Nightclub. Even the different bars in the venue have separate themes – including one of the most unique bars in Sin City, complete with hundreds of Buddhas and candles.
Depending on where you are, you can watch a go-go dancer on an elevated platform, watch the dance floor pulsate with a mass of bodies or shut it all out and hole up in a VIP booth.
It’s admittedly a little intimidating, with so much going on and so many people, but if you remind yourself that, like you, everyone’s there to have a good time. And if it gets too scary? Just have a look at the space you’re in – it’s all very Zen and you should be, too.
- All Access Pass (Monday and Wednesday): $25, includes admission to Playboy Club and Ghostbar (Moon is closed Mondays and Wednesdays). Check in at either club’s door, name will be on the pre-paid guest list.
- VIP All Access Wristband (Friday and Saturday): $80, includes VIP express admission to Playboy Club, Moon Nightclub, Rain Nightclub and Ghostbar. Must pick up wristband at Will Call inside STUFF Store next to Rain by 12:45 a.m
- All Access Pass (Friday and Saturday): $50, includes admission to Playboy Club, Moon Nightclub, Rain Nightclub and Ghostbar. Must pick up pass at Will Call inside STUFF Store next to Rain by 12:45 a.m.
- All Access Pass (Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday): $25, includes admission to Playboy Club, Moon Nightclub and Ghostbar. Check in at either club’s door, name will be on the pre-paid guest list.
- Payment information: Cash and all major credit cards.
- Location: Inside the Palms Casino Resort.
- Music: Moon: Hip-hop, mash-ups, rock. Playboy Club: Varies.
- Resident DJs: Playboy Club:- Friday: Cyberkid, OB One, Saturday: Mark Styles, FIVE, Sunday: OB One, Graham Funke
- Clientele/Age Group: 21 and older.
- Attire: Stylish nightlife attire: No tank tops, shorts, athletic wear, baseball hats, tennis shoes or flip-flops.
- Occupancy: 499 in each club.
- Parking: Self parking and valet both available at the Palms hotel-casino.
- Reservations: Call for VIP reservations.
- Seating: Yes.
- Handicapped accessible: Yes.
- ATM: There is an ATM inside the Playboy Club, as well as in the main Palms casino.
Video Tour at Playboy Club Las Vegas
Review by Jamie Helmick
At the top of the Palms’ Fantasy Tower, the art of nightlife has been taken to a bold, new level – more than 50 stories above the streets of Las Vegas.
N9NE Group – already an innovator of Vegas nightlife and dining with its other Palms venues, N9NE Steakhouse, Rain nightclub and ghostbar – has topped even itself with the opening of Moon Nightclub and Playboy Club.
The two venues are part of a triple-threat assault on all five senses that begins with the Italian delights of Nove Italiano restaurant on the 51st floor of the Fantasy Tower. But dinner there is a mere prelude to the delights waiting on the two stories above.
Directly above Nove Italiano is the uniquely Vegas location of the Playboy Club.
Playboy Club
Playboy. The word has conjured up thoughts of beautiful women, swanky bachelor pads and swinging singles for 54 years. Now, on the tail of a 20-year Playboy Club drought, that iconic lifestyle once again leaps off the pages of the famous magazine and comes to life in the Playboy Club at the Palms Las Vegas.
“The bunny is back,” said Playboy Magazine founder Hugh Hefner, who opened the original Playboy Club in Chicago in 1960. During the ’60s and ’70s, dozens of clubs had cropped up all over the world from New York to London and Manila. Top comedy and musical acts performed at and frequented the clubs, which were open to members who held an exclusive key.
Playboy closed its last club in the United States in Lansing, Mich., in 1988, due to the increasing conservative world atmosphere.
“The truth of the matter for Playboy in general, certainly in terms of the bunnies, there was a period in the 1980s and early ’90s when the brand was not hot,” said Hefner, 81. “I think we went through kind of a politically correct period in America and elsewhere and they were not the best days for Playboy.”
Then over the last half dozen years, Hefner said a huge fascination with retro emerged, from James Bond and The Beatles to the bunnies.
“The brand has become hotter on a global level, hotter than ever before,” he said. “So we were looking for a place to re-ignite the whole Playboy Club-Casino concept and Las Vegas seemed like the most logical place.”
Playboy Enterprises, Inc., talked to a lot of different operators in Las Vegas, but Hefner said the partner that made the most sense was the Maloof family, owners of the Palms.
“We made a deal to move into the Palms and I think it was the right choice,” he said. “They are very successful at attracting a young, hip audience, from celebrities to high rollers.”
Hefner added that Playboy Enterprises plans to open Playboy Club-Casinos elsewhere in the world, including London and Macau.
“It is the relationship, however, with the Maloofs and the Palms that is really the beginning of it all,” he said.
Unlike the original clubs, the Playboy Club at the Palms does not require a membership. Anyone is welcome and the club’s sophisticated ambience appeals to both men and women alike. While this club doesn’t feature live performances, it does offer an exciting blend of hip nightlife and gaming.
Located on the 52nd floor of the Palms’ Fantasy Tower, the club features floor-to-ceiling windows, offering stunning views of the Las Vegas Strip and the valley. The decor incorporates rich, dark colors, plush leather sofas and Baccarat crystal chandeliers, which all create a vintage Vegas vibe.
An exclusive VIP area features its own bar, a cozy fireplace and even some retro Playboy brand pinball machines.
The trademark Playboy Bunny logo is prominently displayed throughout the club – from the carpeting and the buttons on the sofas to a giant neon bunny head emblazoned on the side of the building.
For those who are fans of the magazine and its photographs, there is Playboy centerfold wallpaper and 60 plasma screens displaying visual images from the archives of the magazine.
While Hefner had input in the design of the Playboy Club, he said most of the credit goes to the Maloofs and the Las Vegas-based entertainment company that helped open the club, N9NE Group. Michael Morton, a principal of N9NE group, is the son of Chicago restaurateur Arnie Morton, one of Hefner’s partners in the launch of the original Playboy Club.
“So our roots run all the way back to the early days,” Hefner said.
Besides being a great place to grab a cocktail and enjoy the view, the Playboy Club also offers gaming in the form of blackjack and roulette tables. These aren’t your ordinary blackjack tables. The dealers are all beautiful Playboy bunnies, clad in the legendary bunny costume complete with cuffs, collars and cottontails.
Cocktail waitresses also wear reinvented bunny costumes recently created by edgy designer Roberto Cavalli. The new costumes feature designs that include leopard prints and rhinestones – a fitting Vegas tribute.
The opening of the club in October 2006 brought back many memories for Hefner.
“I felt a tremendous amount of nostalgia,” said Hefner, whose daughter Christie, chairman and chief executive officer of Playboy Enterprises, also attended. “It was a very emotional weekend for me.”
- Front of the line male and female (Sunday – Thursday): $30, per night.
- Front of the line male and female (Friday- Saturday): $40, per night.
- I-Bar front of line package: $35, per night, (Sunday – Thursday), $45, per night, (Friday-Saturday). Start the night out right with two specialty drinks at I-Bar and then receive front-of-the-line admission to VooDoo.
- VooDoo Open Bar package: $60, per night (Sunday – Wednesday), $100, per night, (Thursday – Saturday). Includes front-of-the-line admission and open bar at VooDoo. Starts at 9:30 p.m. NO shots. Table NOT included – bar only. The open bar at Voodoo includes domestic and imported beer, wine, basic liquors (SKYY vodka, Cruzan rum, Salsa tequila, Jack Daniels, Crown Royal whiskey, bourbon and Christian Brothers), bottled water, soda and juice. Includes Red Bull. Start time is 10 p.m.
- VooDoo VIP Package 1: $400, per night. Includes front-of-the-line admission and table for four (Inside seating only), one bottle of SKYY Vodka, mixers and gratuity. Inside club seating only.
- VooDoo VIP Package 2: $800, per night. Includes front-of-the-line admission and table for eight (Inside seating only), two bottles of SKYY Vodka, mixers and gratuity. Inside club seating only.
- I-Bar and VooDoo VIP Package 1: $155, per night (Sunday – Thursday), $195, per night (Friday-Saturday). Start the night out right with a table for four and a bottle of Moet at I-Bar, followed by front of the line admission at VooDoo. Includes tax and gratuity.
- I-Bar and VooDoo VIP Package 2: $295 (Nightly). Start the night out right with a table for four and a bottle of SKYY vodka at I-Bar, followed by front of the line admission at VooDoo. Includes tax and gratuity.
- Payment information: Cash, all major credit cards.
- Clientele/Age Group: 21 and older.
- Attire: Dress to impress. No hats, white t-shirts, tank tops, baggy pants, shorts, sandals, flip flops, white tennis shoes, athletic or gym wear of any type.
- Occupancy: 750.
- Parking: Parking located in garages at the front and rear of the Rio hotel-casino. Valet parking at the Rio.
- Reservations: Available for VIP tables and booths.
- Seating: Yes, general admission and VIP.
- Handicapped accessible: Yes.
- ATM: Outside club on second floor.
- Special events: Wednesday: “Soled Out,” featuring old school hip-hop. Sunday: “Solid Gold Sundays,” ’80s night.
Video Tour at Voodoo Lounge Las Vegas
Review by Jamie Helmick
There’s something to be said for partying 51 stories above the ground.
“I’m afraid of heights!”
“Take a picture for my MySpace!”
“Oh my gosh, look at this view!”
Whatever it is, there’s something to be said and that’s what makes VooDoo Lounge at the Rio so unique.
To even get to the club, you have to take an elevator ride unlike any other – a glass-walled box steadily climbs up the side of the Rio while you watch the streets shrink below you. It definitely beats the stuffy ride you take to the fifth floor of your office building every day, at any rate.
Elevators aside (because, really, if that’s what you remember most about your night at VooDoo, something went horribly wrong), VooDoo is unlike any club in Vegas, which is a fantastic accomplishment because VooDoo helped shape the nightlife scene as it grew into what it is today.
The inside of the club is laid out and decorated in such a way that there’s some dark sexiness to the whole atmosphere (think candlelight accents and lots of rich colors) and if you choose to stay inside the whole time, you’ll still have a great time, but the crown jewel of VooDoo is its patio, so if there were ever a time to get over that fear of heights, your trip to VooDoo would be it.
The patio is huge and full of everything the inside of the club has (bars, VIP areas, DJ booth, dance floor – even a stripper pole), but it’s made infinitely better by the view.
From the patio at VooDoo, the entire city is laid out before you, which sounds like a cliché, but it’s really true. You can see the hotels, the houses, the streets, the tiny lights and everything else that fills it all in.
There’s a 40-ton staircase that connects the patios of the 50 and 51st floors (the VooDoo restaurant is on the 50th) and, adorned with an American flag, it’s probably the one spot you’ll definitely remember being in all night – and not just because you took a picture on it (and you will, trust us).
Unfortunately, you can’t live the rest of your life up on the top of the Rio, so when it’s time to come down, you’ll get one more ride on that glass elevator. And here’s the best piece of advice you’ll get about VooDoo – that’s a long elevator ride for the drunkest among you and the view’s too good to waste in a martini glass, so save the all-out bender for someplace else – your stomach (and your MySpace page) will thank you.
Hours of operation: Open daily, 8 p.m. to early morning hours.
- All Access Pass (Friday and Saturday): $50, includes admission to Playboy Club, Moon Nightclub, Rain Nightclub and Ghostbar. Must pick up pass at Will Call inside STUFF Store next to Rain by 12:45 a.m.
- VIP All Access Wristband (Friday and Saturday): $80, includes VIP express admission to Playboy Club, Moon Nightclub, Rain Nightclub and Ghostbar. Must pick up wristband at Will Call inside STUFF Store next to Rain by 12:45 a.m.
- All Access Pass (Sunday-Thursday): $25, includes admission to Playboy Club, Moon Nightclub and Ghostbar. Moon is closed Mondays and Wednesdays Check in at either club’s door, name will be on the pre-paid guest list.
- Hosted Bar Package (Friday and Saturday): $110, includes designated area inside Ghostbar with a hosted bar featuring Ketel One vodka and Perrier Jouet champagne. Must check in at Ghostbar door by 10 p.m. for wristband.
- VIP All Access Wristband plus Hosted Bar Package (Friday and Saturday): $150, includes designated area inside Ghostbar with a hosted bar featuring Ketel One vodka and Perrier Jouet champagne, plus VIP admission to Rain, Ghostbar and Playboy Club. Must check in at Ghostbar door by 10 p.m. for wristband.
- Payment information: Cash and all major credit cards.
- Location: Inside the Palms Casino Resort.
- Resident DJs: Tino Sanchez, Five and OB One.
- Clientele/Age Group: 21 and older.
- Attire: Proper attire required.
- Occupancy: 325.
- Parking: Self parking and valet both available at the Palms hotel-casino.
- Reservations: Call for VIP reservations.
- Seating: Yes.
- Handicapped accessible: Yes.
- ATM: ATM available inside the Palms casino.
- Special events: Tuesday: “Gossip Tuesdays” with DJs Five and OB One. Featuring rock, hip-hop, mash-ups and ’80s.
Video Tour at Ghostbar Night Club Las Vegas
Review by Jamie Helmick
When you’re consistently at the top of Sin City’s must-visit lists, it’s a little bit of a stretch to call yourself ghostbar, but things do get pretty spirited at the Palms 55th-floor lounge, so we’ll let it slide.
In fact, of all the nightclub and nightlife offerings at the Palms, ghostbar might just be the most low-key-in-a-high-energy way of all of them. Didn’t follow that? We’ll explain.
Ghostbar isn’t huge. It’s around the size you wish your living room were, if you were going to throw a house party that felt intimate, yet still included 300 of your closest friends.
Like we mentioned, it’s 55 stories up and, for obvious reasons, this lends itself to an amazing view. You get the Vegas panorama, from outside or inside, but the best view in the whole place doesn’t look out, but down.
The ghostbar patio has a transparent floor section that looks down on to the pool area. You can stand on it and conquer your fear of heights in one crazy Vegas night. Or you can make your fear of heights worse, but at least you have a neat story and maybe a new Facebook picture.
There’s a lot of debate on dancing at ghostbar – we’ve seen it, but don’t count on it. The whole place is more of a lounge than anything – despite the presence of tunes (mash ups, hip-hop, rock) that usually lead to awkward feet shuffling or that thing other people do where they move in time to the music and it looks really cool.
The furniture, lighting, decorations, everything, all look like something out the future as it was envisioned in the 1960s – defined shapes and bold or metallic colors.
In a strike against whoever decided that sitting down in Vegas nightclubs was a no-no, there’s ample seating at ghostbar, although we will say that it’s not the easiest in the world to get. Your best bet? Shelling out for a table with bottle service.
The ghostbar customers, as we’ve witnessed them, are usually two types of people:
People who have already done and are already over the traditional Vegas nightclub scene, but still want to party
People who have no interest in the traditional Vegas nightclub scene, but still want to party
From that, it’s pretty easy to figure out what’s at the heart and soul of ghostbar – a nightclub, but without all the hassle. You still need to put on a nice shirt and upgrade your Chuck Taylors to some dress shoes, but it’s not the three-ring circus that some of the mega-clubs are.
Basically, there are people who believe in ghostbar and people who don’t. And just like real ghosts, you have to see it to believe it.
