Lying in the heart of the city and surrounded by all of our other neighborhoods is Downtown. We've included Winchester and most of East Las Vegas as well. The north is mostly bounded by E. Owens Ave. between N. M.L.K. Blvd. and N. Nellis Blvd. The east boundary runs south along Nellis to E. Charleston Blvd., cuts west along Charleston until Boulder Hwy., following the highway until E. Desert Inn Rd. The south boundary then runs east-to-west along Desert Inn until it hits the Strip. The east boundary runs north along the S. Las Vegas Blvd. until E. Sahara Ave., going back west until it hits I-15. The west boundary then mostly follows I-15 north but includes areas about a block or two west of our valley's interstate until it gets back to Owens/M.L.K.
Arts & Culture
Best movie destination — The Beverly
When The Beverly Theater debuted at Sixth and Bonneville earlier this year, cinephiles and art enthusiasts rejoiced. As the new go-to spot for independent film screenings, the versatile structure is a sparkly sight to behold. The theater (with 146 seats on a platform that can be retracted to increase capacity to 500), Segue (jazz) terrace, and courtyard also host live music and literature events. This jewel, the vision of Beverly Rogers of The Rogers Foundation, frequently updates its calendar to give us all something special to anticipate each week. GR | thebeverlytheater.com
Best live performance venue — The Smith Center
That room. Enter it for the hundredth time, and you’re still gobsmacked that our supposedly degenerate boom town boasts such an august performance space. For more than 10 years now, Reynolds Hall has further elevated its house band, the Las Vegas Philharmonic, and its resident dance company, the Nevada Ballet Theatre — and provided touring Broadway productions the Vegas home they deserve. Throw in its two adjacent, smaller venues, and you have a cultural complex that both stirs and rewards curiosity. MP | thesmithcenter.com
Best rock ’n’ roll lounge — Backstage Bar & Billiards
Music venues in Las Vegas have seen their share of struggles. But, as we continue to mourn the closing of the Bunkhouse and await the rebirth of the Huntridge Theater, Backstage Bar & Billiards has been keepin’ on keepin’ on. For more than a decade, Triple B has provided a stage and sound system for touring bands and local acts of all genres: K-Pop DJs, Tina Turner tributes, burlesque shows, hip-hop showcases, punk rock gigs. Solid bookings with reasonable ticket prices, relatively inexpensive drinks, and a friendly staff keep its corner of Fremont Street hopping.
LTR | backstagebarlv.com
Family & Recreation
Best park to go when you’re “board” — Winchester Park
There is something to be said about a park that not only has the usual amenities of a playground and splash pad, but also a cultural center that hosts a public art gallery, dramatic performances, and creative arts workshops. Winchester Park may be best known for its open-air skate park, though. While it’s not the biggest in the valley, the combination of hills, raised platforms, and metal railings make it a prime spot to test the limits of your skateboard, scooter, or other non-mechanized wheeled device. EDV | parkslocator.clarkcountynv.gov
Food & Beverage
Best low-key drag bar — Badlands
Drag shows in Las Vegas often require an investment of time and money in casino showroom tickets or a bottomless mimosa brunch. But if you just want to whoop it up in a bar with some drinking and lip-synching, Badlands has been doing it for decades. There are nights that feature a half-dozen diva turns — an homage to Nicki Minaj, ersatz Adele. Other evenings lean into variety acts or trivia competitions, while some afternoons might offer bingo or show tunes with your day drinking. Just remember: No cover means tip more! LTR | badlandsbarlv.com
Best stone crabs during the season — Siegel’s 1941
Sure, Florida refugees and other stone-crab lovers can get the coveted crustaceans year-round on the Strip, at premium prices. But for a comparatively affordable experience — with authentic seasonal availability — they go to the retro restaurant at El Cortez between mid-October and the beginning of May. The crabs are priced higher than the $8.95 all-you-can-eat we remember on Chokoloskee Island in the late ’70s, but then so much about the ’70s is foggy … HKR | elcortezhotelcasino.com
Best buzzy after-dinner drink — Dark of Night
It tastes like a naughty Andes Mint, and the jolt will help you stay up to enjoy all the delights of Downtown. The Dark of Night at Main St. Provisions is the ultimate espresso martini with Ketel One, New Deal Dark Chocolate Vodka, Kahlúa Blonde, Branca Menta, and espresso. It strikes a nice balance of strong and sweet, like the perfect partner. That’s why I keep going back. LBM | mainstprovisions.com
Best pop-up fried chicken — Fry Day by the Toddy Shop Indian Fried Chicken
While I still remember Hemant Kishore’s Queen Karimeen, a fish he cooked in the back of a dive bar, he’s now making new dishes to dream about. His fried chicken pop-up occurs bimonthly, every second and fourth Friday, at The Parlour Coffee & Cooking. Order ahead, because he limits amounts. And order everything. Tandoori fried chicken is Kishore’s mashup of classic tandoori flavors and southern fried chicken. Trivandrum fried chicken is a tribute to the street food in his hometown in India. And don’t forget the sides — ghee rice, cauliflower Manchurian, and black garbanzo bean salad round out this singular meal. JH | instagram.com/toddyshopusa
Best Literary Crawl
These downtown bookstores offer a refuge to dream, discover, and just be
Once upon a time independent bookstores were sacred around the valley. Now in the heart of the city, you can find not one, but three excellent indie booksellers, each with its own distinctive qualities.
The Writer’s Block (thewritersblock.org) is Downtown’s largest and most elaborate palace of literature, boasting a diligently curated collection of tomes, a theater for intellectual engagements, a café for overcaffeinated speed reading, and just the right amount of whimsy to keep the seemingly endless stacks from feeling stuffy.
Analog Dope (analogdope.com) keeps it so, so real with a crossfade of records and readables that cater to the experiences and ideations of the African diaspora. It’s hard to find a spot where one can pick up D’Angelo on wax and bell hooks (pen name of Gloria Jean Watkins) on paper, but this shop’s got chu. As a vibrant new addition to the scene, Analog Dope is the place to cultivate new forms of Ase.
The more adventurous can find page-turners of all kinds at Avantpop (avantpopbooks.com). It’s part small press publishing radical local works and part used bookstore. If you’re looking for eclectic and esoteric, this is the best game in town. Oddities such as Ayurvedic vampire yoga commingle with sci-fi standards by Philip K. Dick, just to get side-eyed by a shelf of Bukowskis. You never know what you’ll find, and that’s a great thing. BH
Shops & Services
Best thrift and secondhand store — Alt Rebel
We’re living in a world where it’s become easy to accidentally morph into a fast-fashion walking mannequin. For the cool and money-savvy, shopping secondhand is the only way to go. ALT Rebel is an unfailingly reliable resource to uncover special pieces to add to your wardrobe. Be patient sifting through the racks and shelves in this Arts District gem because good things take time. GR | alt-rebel.com
Best warm hug in a bottle — Mike’s Recovery at Fergusons
Nonbelievers of aromatherapy: I understand. But let me change your mind. When my dad died in 2020, not much could comfort me. A care package from a friend included bath soaks from Mike’s Recovery, and I used them (not exaggerating) every single day for two weeks. His blends turned every bath into a much-needed warm hug. When I restocked, I shared this with Mike, who responded so kindly when I told him why I sought out his products that I refuse to use anything else to this day. His lines include soaks, soaps, and other wellness products with a variety of scent blends and suggested uses. His oils are carefully composed to consider the body and mind, proving Mike to be a true master of his craft. KDS | mikesrecovery.com
Best staycation for history buffs — El Cortez Hotel & Casino, Original 47
I’m not even a mid-mod fan, and I swooned on a tour of El Cortez’s Original 47, the hotel’s first room block, built in 1941. In the recent renovation, designers struck a sweet balance of contemporary comforts and period-appropriate furnishings. The wing also includes the Speakeasy Barbershop and (if you can get access) a balcony with an amazing view of Fremont Street. The casino houses more nostalgia — vintage slot machines, the Parlour Bar, and the new History Hallway, showcasing photos from the early 20th century to today. HK | elcortezhotelcasino.com
