Hey Friends,

I haven’t had much to write about the ‘vegas scene’ in a bit since I haven’t felt comfortable venturing out into the world, however, with everyone in the family (save our toddler) fully vaccinated, I made my first trip down to the Strip in over a year.

It’s a strange feeling to miss the place you live. I’m sure others of you who live in larger cities may feel this way, but it’s as though Las Vegas is a close friend and I’ve missed her this past year.

I knew that my first trip back to the Strip should be special, so when I heard about the new N/A Menu at Casbar Lounge at Sahara I knew I had to go!

I took a long time friend who has never really been a drinker, because I thought it would be a good taste test to have someone who was previously an alcohol drinker (me) as well as someone who has never been a drinker (her), as our tastes for N/A beverages would vary slightly.

My friend and I arrived early on a Sunday morning (because Casbar is open 24/7) and it was nice to go into a casino for the first time back without feeling totally overwhelmed.

We found the non-alcoholic menu to be extensive and thoughtful. Look at those fantastic options below:

One of the bartenders from Casbar, Nick, explained the menu’s options, saying that:

“With the growing trends of no – and – low ABV cocktails, and health and wellness lifestyles, we want to lead that charge in Las Vegas. The easiest way to make a virgin cocktail is to take out the spirit and just use the mixers.  When doing this however, the guest isn’t getting the full experience of the juniper in the gin, the vanilla of the whiskey and the agave of the tequila.  So we partnered with Lyre’s Spirits as they are a non-alcoholic spirit that still keeps the integrity of what the spirit is supposed to taste like.“

I decided to try the N/A Old Fashioned (which featured Lyre’s American Malt) and my friend landed on the N/A Raspberry Mojito (which featured the Lyre’s White Cane Spirit), which Nick had said was his favorite.

I had also asked Nick for suggestions about what non-drinking folks could order if they are out somewhere not as sober-friendly as Casbar and don’t see many non-alcoholic options on the menu:

“Even if a place doesn’t have a specific menu for non-alcoholic drinks, there are so many great flavored waters and seltzers coming out.  Something as easy as ordering a Fever-Tree elderflower Tonic with lime is a great alternative to a gin and tonic.“

We took a seat and enjoyed being out and about for the first time in forever. Casbar is set up in such a way that you can view the casino floor and walking paths from almost any seating area, so it’s perfect for people watching. Both my friend and I are originally from Las Vegas and had missed the unpretentious feeling that the strip has.

Recently another friend from out of town visited and was asking about the dress code in casinos, and I explained that I’ve seen everything from formal evening attire to a straight up swimsuit and no one bats an eye at either. And honestly, it’s one of the best things about living here. Absolutely no one cares if you’re dressed up or dressed down and you can just be who you are!

After we finished our drinks we decided to take a walk outside and enjoy the perfect spring morning weather. It was the perfect way to ease back into some kind of ‘normal’ after a very tough year.

I hope all of you out there will keep Casbar in mind for your next trip to the Strip–and I know Vegas is looking forward to having you all back in town.