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It’s the hair of the dog; it’s the start of the party. Whatever the day or night calls for in Vegas, the Bloody Mary is proof that there’s never a bad time for the iconic cocktail. Best enjoyed on a sunny patio with views of the passing crowds on the Strip, bloody Marys in Las Vegas are often available with over the top garnishes that occasionally are a meal in themselves. From bacon to shrimp to mini breakfast sandwiches, Las Vegas restaurants are constantly outdoing each other in the race to create the craziest bloody Mary. The winner, of course, is everyone.
Here are five of the best ones:
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A drink at the Linq
Virgil’s Real Barbecue specializes in ribs, wings, pulled pork and all things smoked and saucy, so it makes sense that the menu includes a bloody Mary with a little extra protein. Located at the Linq Promenade, the restaurant features a Big Bloody Bull Rider that’s made with Tito’s vodka and garnished with jerky. Diners have the option of adding a barbecue chicken wing, bacon and a shrimp and brisket skewer.
Virgil’s Real Barbecue, The Linq Promenade, 3545 Las Vegas Blvd. S.; 702-389-7400
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A meal in a glass
At Mr. Lucky’s, there’s hardly a need to order a meal and a bloody Mary. The Hard Rock Hotel’s 24-hour restaurant serves a bloody Mary that’s garnished with a deviled egg, beef jerky, and shrimp plus a mini breakfast sandwich. The souvenir glass it’s served in is a lifetime reminder of how crazy this cocktail is.
Mr. Lucky’s, Hard Rock Hotel, 4455 Paradise Road; 702-693-5592
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A table side cart
Hearthstone Kitchen & Cellar offers a bloody Mary option for those who like to customize their cocktails. For $70, the Red Rock Resort restaurant will bring over a table-side cart with vodka, bloody Mary mix, bacon, pickles, hot sauce and everything else that makes for a bespoke bloody Mary.
Hearthstone Kitchen & Cellar, Red Rock Resort, 11011 W. Charleston Blvd.; 702-797-7344
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A supersized Bloody
Hexx Kitchen & Bar’s cocktail menu seems tailor-made for boozy open air brunches and gratuitous Instagram shots. No such cocktail better exemplifies this than the aptly named Colossal Bloody Mary, which features basil-infused vodka and an Alaskan king crab leg plus shrimp, bacon, and beef. Other bloody Marys on the menu include a bacon-infused gin version with cheddar and a spicy vodka variety with pickled vegetables.
Hexx Kitchen & Bar, Paris Las Vegas, 3655 Las Vegas Blvd. S.; 702-331-5100
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Late night at Mandalay Bay
Does a bloody Mary count as a breakfast cocktail if it’s ordered before sunrise? At Citizens Kitchen & Bar, it really doesn’t matter. The 24-hour spot serves a decked out bloody Mary made with Tito’s vodka and adorned with shrimp, crab, beef jerky, and Old Bay spice.
Citizens Kitchen & Bar, Mandalay Bay, 3950 Las Vegas Blvd. S.; 702-632-9200
• Where To Eat Brunch in Las Vegas [ELV]