Las Vegas Dive Bar Guide

A Few Counterpoints to Walking the Vegas Strip

Sometimes dive bars are the hidden gems to be found in cities that might slip under the radar, a place where the entertainment options may not be obvious and the local institutions a bit obscured from view. Las Vegas is not that place. The city is flush with dive bars, high end cocktail bars and every possible alcohol environment in between. But still, there are a few icons that stand out in a city full of them.

Atomic Liquors is the logical place to start, the oldest free-standing bar in the city and holder of Las Vegas liquor permit No. 1. Opened as a café in 1945, Atomic Liquors was christened under its current name in 1952, a symptom of the growing revenue from alcohol. A haunt for local celebrities over the years, crowds initially formed thanks to the convenient rooftop view of mushroom clouds thanks to atomic testing at the Nevada Test Site 65 miles away.

On the opposite end of the spectrum sits Double Down Saloon, a punk rock dive bar home to live music, an absolute explosion of graffiti and a signature shot called Ass Juice served in a small porcelain toilet bowl shot glass. Development has grown in the direction of Double Down Saloon, making it less of an outpost than it once was, but the desolate, edge-of-the-city vibe is still alive and well.

And somewhere in between sits Frankie’s Tiki Room, sharing an owner with the Double Down Saloon and currently holding the flag for tiki bars in Vegas. The love story between Las Vegas and its tiki bars has seen ups and downs over the years, but Frankie’s upholds the tradition well, a white building with a half moon entrance that bursts into grass hut & carving-infused life inside.

Dive bars compete with countless other options in Las Vegas, but a good dose of reality somewhere away from the Strip is always a good idea when in town. These dive bars provide a bit of that reality check, even if it too is wrapped in a bit of Vegas bubble wrap, from the 24/7 hours to the marquee often out front to the video poker machines at the bar (not a bad thing).

Dive Bar Map

Las Vegas Dive Bar Reviews

Ranked Order

Johnnie's Glenn Avenue Grill - Columbus Dive Bar Exterior

Double Down Saloon

Review Rating: 10 out of 10
There may be no better manifestation of everything great about dive bars than the Double Down.
Johnnie's Glenn Avenue Grill - Columbus Dive Bar Exterior

Frankie's Tiki Room

Review Rating: 10 out of 10
This simple white structure houses one of the richest drinking atmospheres in Las Vegas, no small feat.
Johnnie's Glenn Avenue Grill - Columbus Dive Bar Exterior

Red Dwarf

Review Rating: 9 out of 10
Detroit-style pizza, Dole Whips and a no-smoking policy set Red Dwarf's tiki vibe apart.
Johnnie's Glenn Avenue Grill - Columbus Dive Bar Exterior

Dino's Lounge

Review Rating: 8 out of 10
The self-proclaimed oldest neighborhood bar in Vegas, Dion's is all old-school all the time.
Johnnie's Glenn Avenue Grill - Columbus Dive Bar Exterior

The Dive Bar

Review Rating: 8 out of 10
The phrase "dive bar" isn't usually a good sign, but in this case the bar lives up to the name.
Johnnie's Glenn Avenue Grill - Columbus Dive Bar Exterior

Rustic Lounge

Review Rating: 7 out of 10
On the fringes of Henderson, Rustic Lounge feels like a no-frills desert outpost.
Johnnie's Glenn Avenue Grill - Columbus Dive Bar Exterior

Gold Mine Tavern

Review Rating: 7 out of 10
Newly revitalized in 2018, Gold Mine Tavern is refreshingly affordable in a city of excess.
Johnnie's Glenn Avenue Grill - Columbus Dive Bar Exterior

Atomic Liquors

Review Rating: 7 out of 10
Soak in the radioactive history of drinking in a spot once known for its rooftop mushroom cloud views.
Johnnie's Glenn Avenue Grill - Columbus Dive Bar Exterior

Maxx's Food & Drinks

Review Rating: 7 out of 10
Few combos are quite as classic as the roadside motel and its snug, parking lot bar & restaurant.
Johnnie's Glenn Avenue Grill - Columbus Dive Bar Exterior

Hogs & Heifers

Review Rating: 4 out of 10
More a theme bar than a true dive, prepare your eardrums for bullhorn-fueled pestering.

Las Vegas Dive Bars Not Yet Reviewed

Must Visit Recommendations

Unfortunately, we have not yet been to every single dive bar in the city, but there probably a few more punch cards on our livers, so we’ll make it there soon. In the meantime, the curated list of dives below comes highly recommended by a variety of friends, online sources and drunks.

Downtown

Hard Hat Lounge

1675 S Industrial Rd
Las Vegas, NV 89102
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Downtown

Huntridge Tavern

1116 E Charleston Blvd
Las Vegas, NV 89104
Google Map

Southeast

Dispensary Lounge

2451 E Tropicana Ave
Las Vegas, NV 89121
Google Map

Southwest

Rusty Spur Saloon

8025 Dean Martin Dr
Las Vegas, NV 89139
Google Map

Strip

Stage Door Casino

4000 Linq Ln
Las Vegas, NV 89109
Google Map

Westside

Moondoggies Bar

3240 Arville St
Las Vegas, NV 89102
Google Map

Other Dive Bar Options

4 Mile Bar

3650 Boulder Hwy
Las Vegas, NV 89121
Google Map

Badlands Las Vegas

953 E Sahara Ave #22B
Las Vegas, NV 89104
Google Map

Blue Ox Central

6000 S Eastern Ave
Las Vegas, NV 89119
Google Map

C.D.'s Sports Bar

3025 E Desert Inn Rd
Las Vegas, NV 89121
Google Map

Decatur Package Liquor & Cocktails

546 S Decatur Blvd
Las Vegas, NV 89107
Google Map

Four Kegs Sports Pub

276 N Jones Blvd # B
Las Vegas, NV 89107
Google Map

Fun Hog Ranch

495 E Twain Ave
Las Vegas, NV 89169
Google Map

Rush Hour Tavern

3985 E Sunset Rd #A
Las Vegas, NV 89120
Google Map

Saddle N Spurs Saloon

2333 N Jones Blvd # 108
Las Vegas, NV 89108
Google Map

Tap House

5589 W Charleston Blvd
Las Vegas, NV 89146
Google Map

What Did We Miss?

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