Your Next Night Out Should Be a Gateway District Bar Crawl

The Las Vegas Gateway District bridges the gap between the Las Vegas Strip and the Fremont Street area that most people associate with downtown. Adjacent to the Arts District, the Gateway District is an older part of town that has seen an influx of new businesses in recent years through renewed interest in the region that promises to connect two of the city’s hubs into one extended tourist corridor. Bordered by the Sahara Las Vegas at its southeast corner, Industrial Road to the West, Charleston Boulevard to the North, and the Arts District to the Northwest, the district is becoming a compelling — and walkable — neighborhood for bar-hopping, thrifting, and shopping in its handful of locally owned boutiques.

Sure, there are several excellent bars and restaurants here worth making an entire night of. But for the purposes of a well-rounded bar crawl, this do-it-yourself tour will walk you through a comprehensive night out in one of Las Vegas’s most exciting neighborhoods.

7 p.m.
Start at Able Baker Brewing Co.

Louiie Victa

Start at the brewery named after the first two atomic bombs detonated at the Nevada Test Site. The bar takes inspiration from the Atomic Age in its artwork and its brews — chief among them the Atomic Duck, a malty IPA. The industrial taproom is also home to the Arts District Kitchen. Share a couple platters of garbage fries piled with chipotle lime chicken, pork belly, and guacamole, or chicken tikka masala tacos before heading out for the night.

8 p.m.
Liquid Diet

Enter this nondescript bar from the alley off of Main Street. There’s no sign on the door so look for the old autobody garage with patio chairs out front. Inside, you’ll find the evening’s 12 or so cocktails scrawled on butcher paper posted above the bar. The meticulously crafted and culinary-inspired cocktails rotate nightly but, if it’s available, order the pico de gallo michelada. And if you’re feeling daring, the horseradish shot is on the menu most nights in this cozy and vaguely spooky bar.

9 p.m.
The Silver Stamp

Louiie Victa

Leave it to Las Vegas to romanticize the aesthetic of a Midwestern basement. This wood-paneled and Christmas light-adorned beer bar is a local favorite for a reason. And the copious displays of empty beer cans around the room are a testament to its owners’s passion and knowledge for things brewed. Unsure what to order? Let your bartender guide you toward discovering a new favorite. And it’s worth bringing a few quarters along with you to throw into the very silly 1980s-style chicken egg vending machine.

10 p.m.
Nevada Brew Works and HUDL Brewing Co.

Nevada Brew Works

From the Silver Stamp, walk down one block to the patio shared by Nevada Brew Works and HUDL. Both breweries boast dozens of beers on tap and they each flank the smokers belonging to Soulbelly BBQ — if you’re jonesing for a mid-crawl pick-me-up of Texas brisket, pulled pork, or macaroni and cheese. Inside HUDL, go for the house brew HUDL Pilsner or pop into Brew Works for the almost fruity NBW Hefeweizen. But the real appeal is the patio, which offers prime people-watching opportunities right on Main Street.

11 p.m.
ReBar and Velveteen Rabbit

Louiie Victa

A ReBar and Velveteen Rabbit double-feature makes for a great night out even when isolated from a full bar crawl. Whether you close out the night at one of the two or amble into both, you can’t go wrong. In this choose-your-own-adventure leg of the crawl, cross the border into the Arts District and start at ReBar, a sprawling divey bar that doubles as an antique store. Buy the stein you’re drinking out of or the light fixture you’re seated beneath if you so choose. The backyard often hosts shows from local bands and the interior will give you plenty to gawk over. Alternatively, dash right across the street and slip into the sultry, moody Velveteen Rabbit. You’ll need a reservation here on the weekends, so plan accordingly. But if you do get a seat, select an inventive cocktail from its seasonally rotating menu, often poured into delicate, whimsical cups. Both bars are open until 2 a.m. on weekends and midnight on weekdays.

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