Where to Drink in Las Vegas

Las Vegas is known for many over the top, ostentatiously showy reasons. Beautiful casinos, amazing shows and incredible food come to mind. Then of course their is what some would consider the bad side of Las Vegas, high crime rates, all kinds of legal and illegal vice, noise and light pollution, massive water shortages and until recently one of the worst, most pedestrian and underwhelming craft beer scenes of any large city.

Let me report that the times are changing in Sin City. Speaking of, Sin City Brewing has long felt like the only craft beer purveyor in town, which was decidedly not a good thing. However, in recent years, Vegas has added a new district, aptly called Brewery Row, and the world of beer in Las Vegas is on a sharp uptick. However I am not going to bury the lead, this city has a long way to go to be on par with other American brewing meccas.

I have been to Brewery Row a few times now, but having recently come back from CES 2024, I had the opportunity to hit a few new places and revisit some of my favorites.  Here is my list of must visit Las Vegas craft beer destinations and some general notes on the Vegas brewing scene good, bad and other.  While I have visited most of the breweries in town for this article, I  am focusing on my favorites and recommendations.

Brewery Row

CraftHaus Brewery has locations in both Henderson and Brewery Row and was easily my favorite brewery and beer in Las Vegas. The taproom itself is quite basic but does have some very interesting artwork. The food and the bartender also greatly added to the experience. They offer a Czech Pilsner with an authentic slow-pour tap which was great. However, the Lvl IX Belgian Dark Strong was incredible and is reason enough to stop in.

Abel Baker Brewing, located at the south end of Brewery Row, was our first stop this year. Their name and beer draws inspiration from the Atomic Age (not sure what the reason was behind all the ducks), specifically referring to the first two atomic bombs dropped at a Nevada test site. The taproom features over 30 craft beers on tap. My favorite this trip was the Nevadan Amber, which was slightly off style, but very pleasant and flavorful.

The Silver Stamp is the main reason I initially found this area of town.  I was told by some friends who know my love for a good dive bar and now I make sure and stop in every time I am in LV.  With its wood-paneled walls, antique beer signs, year round Christmas lights, odd old paintings and crazy quasi art pieces, this place is definitely the most unique bar in town. The tap wall is highly curated and frequently rotated, but there is always something unique and special that I have never heard of.

Honorable Mentions

Hop Nuts Brewing was lively and we had a lot of fun hanging out on a prior trip to town.  Its seems to have a heavy mix of tourists and locals with a more approachable vibe and a great long bar.  The 18b Pale Ale was solid.

Servehzah Bottle Shop and Tap Room was another interesting place with a well selected beer wall focused on many Las Vegas and Nevada craft breweries. Its a great place to try beer from around the state in a single stop.

The Las Vegas Strip

Craft Beer is likely not why you are on the Strip, but it does have a few places where you can find an occasional craft offering. The main caveat is that most of these bars will have large and impressive tap walls filled with mostly big beer owned brands and a few taps reserved for local breweries.

Beer Park is a very impressive indoor / outdoor venue located at the Paris hotel, right across form the Bellagio fountains. They have really good food and lots of games and activities to do both inside and outside. The beer is mostly AB InBev owned brands with a few local taps, think Elysian, 10 Barrel, Four Peaks, etc.

ameriCAN Bar, located in the LINQ Promenade, per the name, focuses mainly on canned beer. Again, you are going to find a lot of AB InBev owned beers, but I always manage to find a few surprises here, like Pizza Port. The general feel is more of a backyard, country vibe with cornhole and people watching.

Beerhaus is on the back side of New York, New York and brands itself as a modern interpretation of the classic beer hall. Once again, it fits the theme of big beer owned brands, table games like Jenga and people watching. If you can’t make it to Brewery Row, it’s a decent option.

BrewDog Las Vegas is also on the Strip.  I have had the beer in the past, it was good. I skipped it this trip based on their recent controversies. However, everyone deserves a second chance, perhaps they will change direction and I can give them a shot again at some point in the future.
An Open Letter to BrewDog | Punks With Purpose
Upcoming BBC Doc Reveals The Truth Behind BrewDog Controversary (tastingtable.com)
BrewDog loses its ethical B Corp certificate | BrewDog | The Guardian