Best Nightclubs in Las Vegas

Best Vegas Night Clubs

 

The Vegas Night Club scene varies by night so check out which clubs are open and best by night. Here are out top overall choices with XS joined by 2 new clubs Vanity and Haze.

 

Most clubs will open between 10-11 pm (Revolver opens at 7 pm and ghostbar at 8 pm) and stay open until 4 to 4:30 depending on the crowd. Every night club in Las Vegas is open on Friday and Saturday including Foundation Room which was closed to members until recently. Here are the days the Las Vegas nightclubs are open. On Monday, for example, there are only 8 clubs open in Las Vegas. On Thursday, there are 19.

 

Vegas Made Easy.com recommends XS, Jet and Prive for Mondays especially since only 7 clubs are open. Because it is newer, you may prefer XS. On Tuesdays, Pure, Tao and Moon are the major hotspots.

 

On Wednesday, LAX is at its best with Eve on its Industry night. Haze is new and is currently a hot spot for Thursdays for now. Tryst and Tao are still standbys for Thursdays. Vanity is the new top choice for Sundays and good for Thursdays as well and given the excellent execution by its management will likely stay there. The Bank and XS are also good bets on Sundays.

 

All clubs are busiest on Fridays and Saturdays. However, we give the edge to XS, and to Vanity and Haze for newness.

 

These are the top Vegas nightlife spots by night:

 

 

Usually most clubs are busiest on their Industry nights. Members of the service industry local to Vegas or even just any local can get in free. Here are the Industry nights for Las Vegas night clubs by night. Note that many clubs do not have any Industry night.

 

 

 

 

Las Vegas Nightclub Comments

XS (Encore) is the biggest Las Vegas night club at 13,000 square feet inside with an outdoor pool and cabana space of 27,000 for 40,000 total square feet. It is over 3.3 times the size of Tryst and about 4,000 square feet larger than Pure's total area.

 

XS is very well appointed with excellent sound. Their PR release claims that $100M when into building it. Imagine Tryst's bigger brother with a similar layout but an outdoor pool area instead of the Tryst waterfall.

 

Tryst is the highly rated nightclub at Wynn. Victor Drai and the Cy and Jesse Waits twins who manage Tryst also oversee XS. Unlike Encore's red interior, XS is mostly gold and brown.

 

Bottle service (Stolichnaya) starts at $450 for 3 people per bottle. Grey Goose is $495. There are almost 110 tables.

 

Due to its novelty and subsequent crowds, we recommend getting there at 9:30 or half an hour before it opens. Admission is $30 for men and $20 for women, Friday to Monday. Any VIP service that has an existing Tryst relationship should be able to offer similar services for XS immediately. See our updated discussion of VIP services at the bottom of this article.

 

Poolside Sundays at XS is more like a cocktail party around a large pool than a true pool party. Dress code allows bikinis, board shorts, and sandals for the 10pm to 4 am party and the staff is dressed more for a pool experience as well.

 

Few people are actually in the pool and most are dressed for the clubs. If you would like to experience XS without the crowds but without the Friday/Saturday high energy as well, this is the night to go.

Vanity (Hard Rock Tower) is a medium large club at 15,000 square feet or twice the size of the now closed Body English (reopening in April as an after hours club, After Life). Vanity is well executed with particular appeal to women due to the great restroom that has nail, makeup technicians and enough stalls to handle many night's crowds. When its novelty fades, it will likely still be a strong club. The crowd tends to be one of the youngest in Vegas with more early-mid-twenties here than typical.

 

The centerpiece is the million dollar chandelier. Interesting touches include the hand mirror menus. Overall, this club was expected to be a good club and delivered. Bottle service starts at $450 for 4 but on some nights they might have a 2 or even 3 bottle minimum. Men are $40 and women might pay $30 if they have to pay. The Industry night is Sunday.

Haze (Aria) is a very large new club at 25,000 square feet and was supposed to compete head-on with XS. It is impressive but not as well executed as Vanity. Someone claustrophobic might notice that it does not have the terrace of a Vanity or Pure or the pool of an XS or waterfall of Tryst. It has a staircase that descends to the main floor and features unusual acts that change. The large screen is a novel effect.

 

Admission is $40 for men and $30 for women if they are not let in free. Drinks start at $14. Bottle service is also higher than average for Vegas at 3 per $475 bottle (not 4 people per bottle) and there is at least a 2 bottle minimum. Because it is new, it is highly rated but we will monitor how well it holds onto its rating. Thursday is Industry night.

Tryst (Wynn) sits atop the Okada restaurant with a 94 foot waterfall as part of its décor which we rate as one of the best of any club in Vegas--even better than Tao. Drinks are above average in price and they don't seem to get as popular a set of DJs as some other clubs. However, it is one of the top choices for Vegas especially if you prefer a slightly more intimate vibe than XS.

Drai's (Bill's) is an excellent restaurant in the former Barbary Coast casino. It becomes the top after hours nightclub with a mix of tourists and a fair number of locals. Some House and Trance in the main room and a room for mostly Hip Hop after 3 am. You can't get the Mac and Cheese any more, however.

Eve (Crystals at CityCenter) is the upstairs club over Beso owned by Eva Longoria. It has large windows and a good view of CityCenter that did not turn out to be spectacular as hoped but nice. It is averaged price for a Vegas nightlife spot with 4 people to a $450 bottle. Men pay $30, women $20. Their industry night is Wednesday.

Pure (Caesars) has 4 total rooms with a main and VIP room, an open air terrace plus the Pussycat Dolls Lounge. Each has its own music. It ranks highly for celebrity spotting (assuming Nicole Ritchie, etc. are celebrities).

 

We recommend, if weather accommodates, the upper level terrace which looks out on the Strip or slipping into Pussycat Dolls if it is too crowded which happens most of the time.

Tao (Venetian) is the highest grossing food and drink business in the U.S. with an interesting Asian inspired décor. It was probably one of the most expensive clubs ever opened in Vegas.

 

Because it has become so popular, you may need bottle service (which gets you seating) for the best experience. Getting out of the main room also helps. During the summer, Tao Beach can be a worthy alternative to Rehab at the Hard Rock and they have recently added hookah as an option.

Moon (Palms) is a fairly new Nightclub that has floor tiles that change color and a retractable roof. It is attached to the downstairs Playboy Club. It has a great view from its patio sitting on top of the Palms Fantasy Tower.

 

The posh Playboy Club is downstairs and has a small dance floor of its own but it has a more lounge type of feel. Blackjack table minimums are high roller but the Bunnies are hot if occasionally mathematically challenged.

 

Other Las Vegas Nightclubs

The Bank (Bellagio) has emerged from what used to be Light. In order to expand the club, they dug down about 9 feet so it is now a multi-level club with a glass encased dance floor, black interior, chandeliers and a Cristal bottle entrance. Music is more top 40.

Body English (Hard Rock) It will be closed until the Spring when it may reopen as a late hours club.

Blush (Wynn) is mostly a lounge where you can get good drinks and Asian food from Red 8 now being run by master chef Richard Chen. From 10 pm to 4 am they convert to a smallish boutique nightclub with an underlit onyx dance floor. Seats are reserved for bottle service that starts at $425.

Christian Audigier (TI) opened July 4th 2008 in the spot vacated by the old Tangerine. It features the art and fashion of Audigier who has a bold tattoo style of skulls and roses, etc. The club is fairly small despite increasing the outside area from about 3,100 to about 3,600 square feet.

 

The inside is only about 3,000 square feet which makes the entire area about the same size as The Bank at Bellagio which is 6,600 square feet. Pure is 22,000 inside with a 14,000 square foot terrace so 36,000 total. Tryst is 12,000 square feet and Tao is 10,000 square feet for comparison.

 

The industry night was moved to Sunday instead of Tangerine's old Wednesday. The vibe is quite cool and this should gain some momentum as the interior is a significant improvement over the old orange theme. Also, as the weather cools the outside should be in more demand.

 

Table reservations are not based on bottles but on dollar spend. $1,000 will reserve a table that can seat up to 8. If you have several friends coming into town who prefer a smaller club--more a lounge, Audigier would be a good choice.

Foundation Room (Mandalay Bay), mostly Hip-Hop and House, was only open to the public on Monday until recently with probably the best view of any Vegas Nightclub. With gold membership, you also get access to other Foundation Rooms in other cities plus a very good golf program. It has excellent private dining as well as good membership dining in other cities such as at Roy's, Flemings, etc.

Jet (Mirage) has 3 rooms with different music and décor. It has ceiling monitors of the dancers below so you can watch the snow fall. The line passes on their website work okay if you are appropriately dressed. This would be the best for many cities but for Vegas is just another good nightclub.

LAX (Luxor) is one of the newest major clubs in Vegas taking the place of RA. It has low ceilings in some places due to the pyramid shape of the casino and seems to run warmer than other clubs. Its light and sound systems are among the most advanced in Vegas. The Industry Night for LAX is Wednesday and this is often the night they bring in special guest stars.

Rain (Palms) has seen a bit of a revival with House/Trance fans. Paul Oakenfold (or one of his chosen proteges) will spin on Saturdays. He appears in person about half the time. The Playboy bunnies will sometimes gather here in a VIP booth as they join the somewhat younger than average crowd here.

Revolver (Santa Fe Station) is the old Stoney's North Forty but now managed by Station Casinos. To the best of our knowledge, this is the only club currently managed by the casino owner. Their focus has changed to attract an older crowd and with a 90/10 mix of country to top 40--not hip-hop. They still have very low drink prices ($1-$2 beers) and 4 people for $140 bottle service. Admission is $10 with Thursday Industry night. It is open earlier than most clubs at 7 pm.

 

Rok (NY NY) is Tommy Lee's Miami-transplant with 360 degree surround video, half-bottle service, and unisex bathrooms that are female friendly. Rok is about 7,500 square feet plus a 3,000 square foot patio with a separate DJ playing hip-hop and house rather than the more rock oriented mash-ups indoors.

 

Bottle service is affordable for Vegas nightclubs starting at $295. Their industry night is Wednesday and they are open W-Sa from 10:30 to 4 am or so with cover at $30 for guys and $20 for girls. 702-740-6765

Stoney's (9151 LV Blvd S)

 

This bastion of country line dancing, and 2 stepping has closed its second location (North Forty) at Santa Fe Station. Stoney's offers $1 drinks and $1 admission for the fair sex on Thursday Ladies Night. The younger than average crowd enjoys line dancing lessons, mechanical bull riding and pool tables in addition to the 80/20 mix of country/hip-hop.

Studio 54 (MGM)

This is an older multi-level club that has been somewhat left behind. They recently added very late hours which might make it more appealing for the early Tuesday and Wednesday crowd who can't stop partying.

 

Music

 

Although most nightclubs in Vegas have different kinds of music, if you have a strong preference you might prefer certain clubs. Trance fans may find more in the mix at Tabu (MGM), Rain (Palms), Drai's (Bill's) especially towards the end of the night. Latin lovers may prefer the Voodoo Lounge (Rio) on Mondays.

 

Stoney's is roughly 80% Country with some Hip-Hop or other music thrown in as well. It is also geared to line dancing and well worth the drive south of Mandalay Bay to get there if you are a jeans and cowboy/cowgirl type of dancer. If you are in the northern part of town, Revolver might appeal to the Country fan who can stand some top 40.

 

For House fans, Saturdays at Rain is the strongest play, especially when Oakenfold himself is there (about half the time). House is common at Jet, Tao, Drai's (which also has a hip-hop room), Foundation Room and Tabu. Thursdays is House night at Vanity.

 

Best Las Vegas Views

 

Although most of the best views will be the people watching (especially at XS, Pure, Tao and Jet) there are superb city views such as Voodoo Lounge at the Rio. The patio from Moon, The Playboy Club and ghostbar at the Palms are serious contenders as are the Foundation Room and Mix both at Mandalay Bay.

 

The slightest edge goes to the Mandalay Bay properties because you have a clear view straight up the Strip. Mix is the Alain Ducasse restaurant that recently received a Michelin Guide accolade. See our Celebrity Chef report.

 

Very Late Hours

 

If 4 am is not late enough, there are 3 possibilities to keep the party going. In order of preference, Vegas Made Easy.com recommends Drai's, Studio 54, and Deja Vu Fusion.

 

Deja Vu Fusion (4740 Arville, Off-Strip) converts to a nightclub at 4 am with some of the strippers from this club (and other clubs) staying for the transition. If you need to use the facilities, it has one of the more interesting bathrooms in town-a bit Tao like. If you come too early, you may wonder what utter moron recommended a strip club to a club rat such as yourself. It is open 7 days a week and stays open until about 10 am. This was formerly Seamless and is similar in concept except the girl in the giant martini glass is discontinued.

 

No Crowds, No Dress Codes, No Money-Keep Dreaming

 

Unfortunately the best nightclubs require guys to dress up and girls to dress sexy while the guys spend huge sums of cash.

 

Most lines (without any passes) will take 30 to 60 minutes if not hours if you are a guy. If you are in a group of 6 or more men, Tao will not take you at all. Women who are above average in looks or can dress suggestively have the best chance of getting through and their line passes are almost always half the price of men if they even need them at all.

 

Women can usually get into most clubs with short dresses and heels which they have no problem figuring out on their own. Some men may require some coaching to get in. If men avoid these mistakes they can get in:

 

• Baseball caps (even if it's a Yankees cap)
• T-shirts, tank tops
• Worn jeans especially the very loose kinds
• Sneakers
• Forgetting to tip the bouncers ($40 minimum, $100 when crowded and $150 at XS if packed)

 

Line passes range from $10 to $80 (for a couple) with many at around $40 for men with women's passes cheaper. Nordstrom's has stopped carrying line passes. If you are staying at the hotel or at the restaurant associated with a club or see a promoter for the club, try asking for a pass.

 

If you are planning on doing club hopping in Las Vegas, you can either do it yourself by calling clubs and/or going online such as for Jet. Another approach is to get a package of passes which will reduce your planning time.

 

Drinks are more expensive than in most U.S. Cities. Expect to pay a minimum of $10 on up depending on your concoction with $20+ drinks sometimes seen. Bottle service, to secure a table, will be $400+ for just 3 or 4 people. If you thought that the Las Vegas restaurant markup of 3-4X for wine was unpleasant, be prepared to gasp for your Grey Goose when it comes with a double digit markup.

 

 

 

VelvetRope generates guest list or bottle service reservations for Vegas clubs such as Pure, LAX, etc. with more being added. There is also upcoming events at the clubs. You input name, email and phone and select the venues.

 

It requires an iPhone or iPod Touch with OS 3.2.1 or a later version of software. It takes up .4 MB. Although it automates the clubbing process, general rules still apply: more girls makes it is easier to get in. They also plan on adding other cities but at least they chose the right one to start off with.

 

Please click here for the iPhone App Store link. Cost is $0.99.