12 Spooky Ways to Eat and Drink Your Way Through Halloween

Halloween in Las Vegas blends Mardi Gras, New Year's Eve and a city-wide costume ball. It makes sense Sin City likes to start the festivities early and Day of the Dead lets the party stay late. Here are 12 ways to celebrate all wicked week, from altar offerings to Zombie bull riding.

1. STK
Where: Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas
What: Pick your side of Good or Evil with two rival specialty shots created just for this week. Then submit to the dark side for dessert with pumpkin panna cotta served with chocolate fudge macaroon and dulce de leche.
Call: 1-877-893-2003

2. Tabú Ultra Lounge
Where: MGM Grand
What: Tabu has conjured up three specialty cocktails, Devil's Reject, Gravedigger and Black Magic Martini for their festivities. The $12 drinks, include coffee-flavored tequila in the martini for a late night pick-me-up.
Call: 702-891-7183

3. PBR Rock Bar & Grill
Where: Miracle Mile Shops
What: Start your Halloween night early at PBR Rock Bar. Their 9 p.m. mechanical bull riding competition is reserved for costumed participants with a top prize of $200. For those not wishing to risk the bucking, the midnight costume contest could win you a complimentary bottle of your choice.
Call: 702-750-1685

4. Ranch House Kitchen
Where: Town Square
What: Ranch House Kitchen scares up open bar tab prizes of $100, $50 and $25 at their 10 p.m. Halloween night costume contest. But, they've not forgotten the family fun, and from 4 to 8 p.m with every adult entree purchase, guests receive a complimentary kid's meal for children ages 12 and younger.
Call: 702-749-6400

5. Jean-Philippe
Where: Bellagio
What: The pastry team at Bellagio's Jean Philippe Pâtisserie dedicated 70 hours to sculpting a life-size chocolate and fondant skeleton for their Halloween display. The bony 5-foot-5 creation sits on a chocolate electric chair and was built from more than 130 pounds of white and dark chocolate. Hand out the most decadent treats on your block by serving up Jean Philippe's mini-chocolate ghosts or sugar cookies shaped into black cats and witches.
Call: 702-693-8788

6. Cabo Wabo Cantina
Where: Miracle Mile Shops
What: The rockin' cantina has created an expanded happy hour for Halloween night. Their $4 well drinks deal is offered to all costumed revelers from 3 to 10 p.m.
Call: 702-385-2226

7. Gilley's Saloon
Where: Treasure Island
What: Gilley's annual Cowboys vs. Zombies party on Halloween night kicks off at 9 p.m. and includes three chances to win cash prizes. In addition to your usual best costume contest, they are hosting a "Thriller" dance-off contest and a costumed bull riding contest. Discounted drinks specials are on offer for those seeking a less strenuous evening of people and zombie watching.
Call: 702-894-7111

8. Señor Frog's
Where: Treasure Island
What: Dare to join a Heaven and Hell fiesta on Halloween night, with the upstairs floor of Señor Frog's turned into Heaven, while downstairs is promised to become a naughty Hell-themed playground. Guests can compete for cash and prizes for best costumes and indulge with special themed drinks, heavy on the puns, including the Frog's Buster, Ghostlager, Froggie Kruger and the Poison Apple.
Call: 702-894-7111

9. Trevi
Where: Forum Shops at Caesars
What: Trevi collides not one, but two special occasions, when National Candy Corn Day and Halloween are celebrated this week. Pastry Chef Hank Sbraccia unveils his candy corn gelato exclusively on Oct. 30 and 31. Crushed candy corns are swirled in his vanilla-flavored gelato, and served up for $4.50 per scoop.
Call: 702-735-4663

10. Green Valley Ranch bars
Where: Green Valley Ranch
What: A "Fright Night Pub Crawl" that manages your Halloween night within one location. Beginning at 8 p.m. the creepy crawl winds its way through the Lobby Bar, Quinns, Drop "Dead" Bar and finishes at Ovation. "Ghostbusters the Live '80s Band" will play till 1.a.m. paused by the results of their $2,500 costume contest. Drink specials include $1 Ghoulish Jell-O Shots and $5 Bacardi Zombies.
Call: 702-617-7777

11. Border Grill
Where: Mandalay Bay
What: Border Grill will be celebrating Day of the Dead, "El Dia De Los Muertos," but are extending the holiday celebrations all week long. From Oct. 30 to Nov. 5, Executive chef Mike Minor's limited-time menu includes Diablo Ceviche, Blackened Hawaiian Walu, Pork in Mole Negro and a new cocktail creation, The Green Goblin concocted from Crystal Head vodka, honeydew and lime. Guests wishing to participate in the ceremonial tradition of the holiday can write the name of a deceased loved one on a colored tag and tie it to a specially erected altar.
Call: 702-632-7403

12. China Poblano
Where: Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas
What: China Poblano's Day of the Dead celebrations include unique specials from Oct. 29 until Nov. 2, with four new cocktails and the introduction of all-new, a la carte dishes. Signature ingredients include braised veal cheek, sweet bread and crispy pork rind. Mezcal and chocolate are taste highlights of the cocktail concoctions with names such as the Zombie Apocalypse and Aztec Old Fashion. Altars will be set up on Oct. 30 and 31, to be covered with offerings to the dead including flowers, fruits, vegetables, candles, incense, statues of saints and photos of the deceased.
Call: 702-698-7900
Top photo: STK; bottom photo: Jean-Philippe [Photo: The ONE Group and Bellagio]