Five Restaurants With Live Music To Try in Las Vegas This Weekend

Las Vegas is the Entertainment Capital of the World, so it stands to reason that dinner should be served with a side of live music. From famous pop stars on the Strip to under-the-radar bands in standing-room-only spaces in the Arts District, diners have plenty of ways to catch performances in Las Vegas. Whether the weekend calls for bluegrass brunch, fried chicken and indie rock, or a night spent sipping martinis in a jazz lounge, these five restaurants deliver.

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Sinatra-style crooners and Italian fare

With family roots tracing back to the days of the Rat Pack, it’s no surprise that the Bootlegger Italian Bistro still feels like the kind of place where the ghost of Sinatra might hang out. The 24-hour spot serves hearty Italian dishes including braised pork neck bones with capers and ciabatta, osso bucco with saffron risotto, and an old family lasagna recipe that has to be tasted to be believed. A chilled martini and nightly live music creates a classic Vegas evening.

Bootlegger Italian Bistro, 770o Las Vegas Blvd. S.; 702-736-4939

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Fried chicken, bowling, and music

Since opening in 2014, Brooklyn Bowl has been graced with performances by artists ranging from The Smashing Pumpkins to Ja Rule. The Linq Promenade venue offers intimate live shows, bowling (yes, bowling), and food from the Bromberg brothers of Blue Ribbon fame. The menu features shareable fried chicken platters, pulled pork with mashed potatoes, and bourbon-spiked Nutella milkshakes.

Brooklyn Bowl Las Vegas, The Linq Promenade, 3545 Las Vegas Blvd. S.; 702-862-2695

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Americana-inspired food and intimate performances

Hell’s Kitchen season 12 winner chef Scott Cummings offers up the perfect blend of American comfort food and live music at Freedom Beat. Located inside the Downtown Grand, the red, white, and blue festooned restaurant serves up all-day breakfast, melt-in-your-mouth pot roast, and a grilled cheese sandwich stuffed with macaroni and cheese. A small stage in the dining room makes for a lively bottomless mimosa fueled brunch.

Freedom Beat, Downtown Grand, 206 N. Third St.; 702-719-6315

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Bluegrass and pasties

Bacon, sausage, poached egg, potato, and vegetables stuffed inside warm flaky dough. Does Sunday morning get any better than that? At Cornish Pasty Co., it actually does. The Arts District restaurant plays host to Sunday bluegrass sessions, plus live music throughout the week. For some reason, the music sounds even better when accompanied by those signature Cornish pasties, British hand pies.

Cornish Pasty Co., 10 E. Charleston Blvd.; 702-862-4538

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Live jazz and half-pound burgers

Once heralded as the fourth best dive bar in America by Playboy Magazine, The Dispensary Lounge has been hosting jazz musicians and music lovers alike since 1976. The dimly lit venue features live jazz on the weekends, plus weekly performances from quartets and solo artists. The Dispensary serves half-pound burgers, sandwiches, and the kind of deep-fried appetizers that are a staple of any good dive bar.

The Dispensary Lounge, 2451 E. Tropicana Ave.; 702-458-6343

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