Venerable Atomic Liquors Returns to Downtown Las Vegas After Temporarily Closing

Atomic Liquors returns to the Downtown Las Vegas nightlife scene at noon on Friday, February 19, after temporarily closing in late November.

The city’s oldest freestanding bar, named for a time when customers watched atomic blasts from the roof, was originally built in 1945 as Virginia’s Cafe. The Rat Pack and the Smothers Brothers drank there after their nightly shows, and Barbra Streisand even had her own seat at the bar. Sour beers are a specialty here, but consider this one of the best places to go when a beer is needed.

Atomic Liquors and its restaurant, The Kitchen at Atomic, temporarily closed on November 25 after the state mandated 25 percent occupancy at bars and restaurants to slow the spread of COVID-19. The state allowed bars and restaurants to expand to 35 percent occupancy and drop mandatory reservations effective on February 15.

Chef Bruce Kalman, who plans to open Soulbelly BBQ in the Gateway District south of the Arts District, already announced a pop-up takeover at the Kitchen at Atomic starting on Thursday, February 18, running from noon to 8 p.m. every Thursday through Sunday.

• Chef Bruce Kalman’s Soulbelly BBQ Pops Up in Downtown Las Vegas with Brisket and Pulled Pork [ELV]

• All Coverage of Atomic Liquors [ELV]

• How Coronavirus Is Affecting Las Vegas Food and Restaurants [ELV]