 Hipster-approved nightspots that even the most pretentious among us will love Vegas may be famous for glitz and glam, but it’s also awash in authentically cool non-celebrity, non-tourist venues where ironic millennials (and maybe those who wish they were) sip cheap beer, kick back to local bands and play pinball. You too can hang with the hipsters in some of Sin City’s coolest local spots — from dive bars to vintage hotels. Put on those skinny jeans
and Wayfarers and head to the El Cortez Hotel & Casino in the heart
of downtown, where some of the rooms remain just as they were when Bugsy
Siegel owned the joint in the 1940s. The El Cortez retains the most
vintage feel of any place in Vegas — you have to take the original
creaky stairs to reach some rooms in the original wing. The outside
features the same facade it had in 1952. Inside, patrons enjoy cheap
gaming, retro games like Sigma Derby, and hashtag-approved “Throwback
Thursdays,” with “Sinatra” (impersonated by Peter Pavone) and $5
champagne. www.elcortezcasino.com
The
Griffin on Freemont Street is a hipster’s dream come true — the
dungeon-like interior is decked out in deep rich colors, leather booths
and two giant fireplaces — so it’s cozy and cool at the same time. And
what bar would be complete without a cultivated jukebox filled with
indie rock? 702.382.0577 Ellis Island Casino & Brewery, is a joint
with just enough kitsch to make it perfectly cool. Belt out your
favorite tunes at the karaoke lounge (which attracts a number of
aspiring Elvis impersonators) and swig glasses of cheap house beer while
playing the slots and the blackjack tables. www.ellisislandcasino.com
Take in the un-Vegasy “barcade” known as Insert Coins. Set
in downtown’s Entertainment District, this club has video games of all
kinds. But this new-school hangout isn’t just an arcade. Dance the night
away (or don’t, if you’re feeling stoic), to some of the most diverse
music you’ll find in the city, from the trendiest of deejays to live
performances. www.insertcvoinslv.com See also
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