BAR GALORE…FOOD + DRINKS = GOOD TIMES!
Looking to munch and get a buzz on at the same time without spending all your gambling money, you can still feast and drink on a budget…always a good thing.
T&T – TACOS & TEQUILA…SALUD!
Just saying the words ‘tacos’ and ‘tequila’ next to each other just sounds right. What a wonderful pairing. And the folks at Luxor thought so too as T&T is a welcome and casual destination on the hotel’s atrium level.
A chill atmosphere offering tasty Mexican food with great presentation as well as strong, stiff drinks this is an ideal place to unwind, relax and get away from the scorching sun.
“This is not your grandma’s cantina – think Pink Taco meets Coyote Ugly interpreted by Quentin Tarantino,” T&T owner Michael Frey explains. “I am excited to bring our version of a sexy, energy-infused Mexican restaurant to life. Offering more than just a great place to grab an amazing taco or great tequila, it will be a dining experience that will tantalize the senses.”
If you find yourself in town midweek, check out Mischieve Wednesdays where from 4-10 p.m. you can get $5 Hornitos Shots, Tecate Lights and margaritas. And there’s a photo booth contest where the most mischievous photo wins a $100 bar tab.
Opting for a relaxed Saturday tequila breakfast (what better way to fight through a foggy morning after a Strip-fueled Friday night than with a shot or two?), we started with the White Peach signature Margarita (Aha Toro Reposado Tequila, fresh lime juice, Peachello Liqueur, agave nectar, fresh peach puree, and fresh lime juice, served on the rocks) along with the Casarita (Hornitos Añejo 100% Agave Tequila, organic agave nectar, Grand Marnier, and house-made margarita mix squeezed daily from fresh limes, served on the rocks with a rim of house salt mixture). That will get your morning off to a good start.
To go with our margaritas we started with the hefty sized Guacamole and the savory Crab Tostadas featuring jumbo lump crabmeat, roasted corn, red bell pepper, pico de gallo, chipotle aioli, avocado and Oaxaca chile sauce. This one is a winner.
We also opted for one Combo with a Chicken Tamal, Shaved Taco, and Beef Enchilada served with refried black beans and rice. This dish tasted as good as it looked. We also ordered the Shaved Tacos al pastor also served with refried black beans and rice. You wouldn’t think you could find tasty Mexican food in a giant pyramid in the desert but think again.
And since this was our tequila breakfast that meant ordering a Jeffe Flight of tequilas including a Bloody Mary shot to help cleanse the palate. The Jeffe flight even includes a shot of extra añejo tequila.
And if you drink enough tequila you’ll be sure to order dessert even if you’re not hungry anymore so go with the tres leches and anything else with ice cream since it is all about keeping cool in the summer.
T&T Tacos & Tequila is located at Luxor’s atrium level. Dining attire is casual. Open 11:00 am – 11:00 pm. Reservations not required. Call 702-262-5225.
CABO WABO CANTINA…
THERE’S ONLY ONE WAY TO ROCK!
Rocker Sammy Hagar has boldly stated in the past that he can’t drive 55 but after a night at his Cabo Wabo Cantina located inside the Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood you shouldn’t be driving anyway.
Modeled after its famous founder, Cabo Wabo Cantina is laided back and relaxed, and offers a cool, party atmosphere. Don’t worry about dress codes or hefty bottle service here. Instead the music is loud and simply rocks, just as the margaritas are served best on the rocks, and after a few drinks and/or shots you won’t even be feeling the sweltering heat.
The rockin’ Mexican restaurant and live music venue is now featuring some of its signature menu items and cocktails for half the price during Happy Hour Monday through Thursday from 5 to 8 p.m. offering 2-for-1 frozen drinks, draft and bottled beers, and a variety of half-priced appetizers including the cantina’s signature Cadillac nachos, zesty guacamole, chili con queso, and beef or chicken quesadillas. Drink specialties include a variety of frozen flavors including strawberry daiquiri, margarita, piña colada and dreamcicle, along with 20 beer selections ranging from domestic brands to imported Mexican varieties.
And once the sun sets and it is not quite hell-on-earth outside, an outdoor seat beneath the enormous Paris balloon looking out onto the Bellagio Fountains and CityCenter is quite a site. But don’t fool yourself into thinking time spent here is about anything else but having fun and drinking.
Start off with a Caborita (2oz Cabo Wabo Reposado Tequila, 2oz limejuice freshly squeezed and 1oz Triple Sec), indulge in chips and salsa, and order the tasty Sammy’s Tequila Shrimp sautéed with garlic and Serrano chile, deglazed with limejuice and Cabo Wabo tequila. Excellent choice!
This isn’t your fine dining destination but if you’re on a budget then why not eat while you party and drink. Or at least order the Guacamole, but do note it is big and after a day of drinking we could hardly make a dent to it when we arrived around 11pm. But it’s good and you do need something in your stomach if you’ll be consuming tequila.
And if you really want to treat yourself right, order a shot of Cabo Uno, Cabo Wabo’s high-end, signature tequila. At $55 a shot you won’t want to down this bad-boy as you really want to savor every wonderful ounce. Handcrafted from select, 100-percent Weber’s Blue Agave, Cabo Uno is matured in charred American white oak barrels for 38 months. Boasting delicate aromas of fresh herbs and tropical fruit, Cabo Uno excites the palate with elegant notes of chocolate, caramel and roasted coffee before delivering a long and ultra-smooth finish.
And I’ll say it again, you keep drinking tequila and dessert will soon follow so go ahead and order the Churros because it just seems right.
Cabo Wabo Cantina is located inside the Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood. Open daily from 11 a.m. - 12 a.m. No reservations required. Call 702-866-0710.
ROCKHOUSE BAR & NIGHTCLUB
Amidst all the high end bars in town catering to the elite comes Rockhouse, a cool local dive bar that doesn’t aim to achieve the glamour of Sin City mega clubs while definitely being party headquarters for the shorts and flip-flop wearing crowd.
With its laid-back vibe where party-people can enjoy a hassle-free night on the Strip, you can order bottle service, at half the price of most mega clubs, but that’s not really necessary here. Sure, that will definitely score you a table put this place is void of the look-at-me stench found at most clubs and it’s so small it’s probably not worth shelling out the extra cash unless you have it to burn.
Blending upbeat rock, hip-hop and dance, Rockhouse bills itself as the place where the party never stops but then again, that’s pretty much everywhere in Vegas, you just might not go broke partying here.
Part nightclub and part walk-up bar, Rockhouse also features a walk-up daiquiri bar and two-for-one beer specials and a prime center Strip location where sight-seers are free to grab a drink and take a break before continuing their journey down famed Las Vegas Boulevard.
Located across from Caesars at Imperial Station, hot bartenders dance in a giant birdcage and dangle from tire swings suspended from the ceiling.
“There is nothing else like the Rockhouse on the Strip,” managing partner Jonathan Fine boasts. “This place is about as far out of control as you can get within the law. Pure fun.”
A cool, casual setting during the day, it’s a great place to escape the heat and watch the games on TV, later in the night the lights go down, the stools and beer pong table are removed and a loud, cramped club holding 300 people comes to life.
Rockhouse is located at 3535 S. Las Vegas Blvd. at Imperial Station. Open daily from 10 a.m. - 5 a.m. Call 702-731-9683.
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