A Selective Guide to the Brew Pubs of Las Vegas

Brew Pub: A pub that makes its own beer and sells at least 50 percent of this beer on the premises.

Source:
www.BeerAdvocate.com

This spacious pub and brewery is one of the largest brew pubs in the nation and the only one directly on the Las Vegas Strip. The pub generally has six styles of the house-labeled brew on draft, along with guest beers and a full bar. Among the most popular house brews are the High Roller Red, a decent full-bodied ale, and Silver State Stout, a solid Irish stout. The menu consists of serviceable pub grub—good burgers and decent sandwiches—that complement the beer.

A great place to bring a large group, the Monte Carlo pub is very pleasant on a midweek afternoon when it can be fairly quiet. On weekends and on Monday nights during football season, the pub can be rowdy and fun; Wednesday through Saturday evenings, live music begins at 10 p.m.

3770 S. Las Vegas Blvd. (inside the Monte Carlo). Phone: 730-7777

This beautiful restaurant/pub is Downtown, near the Fremont Street Experience. The award-winning brews are served in a turn-of-the-century atmosphere (think old San Francisco), surrounded by enormous copper-clad brewing tanks. Regularly offered on tap are the High Roller Gold (a refreshing wheat), Black Chip Porter, Royal Red Lager (in the Viennese style) and a seasonal brew.

Food offerings include hand-made pizza, a decent calamari appetizer and something unusual in an American brew pub—a sushi bar. This is a good place to meet friends Downtown and a great place to watch Monday Night Football. One big plus: The craft beers are available to players in the casino. So belly up to your favorite table or machine and treat yourself to one of the best comps in Las Vegas.

200 N. Main Street (inside the Main Street Station Casino). Phone: 387-1896

Away from the Strip and at the entrance to a corner strip mall in the more upscale northwest section of town, is the Chicago Brewing Company. Reminiscent of a Chicago speakeasy of the 1930s, this beautiful brew pub is best known for its solid IPA and many special brews. (The double-berry wheat is especially refreshing when the summer temperatures hit 100-plus degrees.) The food is way above pub average and provides a satisfying accompaniment to the beer selection. Try the pizza or the generous sandwiches.

There is a well-appointed and popular cigar lounge on the second floor. Unfortunately, the cigar smoke seems to find its way into even the nonsmoking section of the restaurant, making it difficult to taste subtle nuances in the fine brews.

2201 S. Fort Apache Road (in the Village Square shopping center). Phone: 254-3333

This is a very inviting roadhouse-style pub. The house beer selection is impressive, as they usually have more than 10 on draft. Their award-winning brews include a smooth Black Lab Stout showing a hint of caramel, a lightly hopped Real Draft and a fragrant IPA.

Although food is served throughout the establishment, the restaurant itself is separate from the bar and provides a wholesome family atmosphere. Locals come here just as often for the delicious food as for the beer, and the rack of ribs and the burgers are standouts. In keeping with the University of Wisconsin and Green Bay Packer memorabilia displayed everywhere, the menu also includes some Wisconsin specialties, such as walleye and a good selection of bratwursts. And for vegetarians, the gardenburger is delicious.

4543 N. Rancho Drive. Phone: 645-1404

One of the most attractive brew pubs in Las Vegas, the Tenaya Creek Restaurant & Brewery is on the northwest side of town near a business park and medical offices. The clientele is a bit upscale and matches the chic Southwest decor. Ceilings are high and large picture windows make the place appear light and airy—a refreshing change from the familiar windowless Las Vegas bar. The pub usually has six house beers on draft—four regular offerings and two seasonal brews. Especially notable are the pilsners and the brown ale.

While the beers are good, the food is even better. Rarely seen on affordable menus, the steamed artichoke appetizer, with its rich and flavorful aioli, is a welcome change from the usual breaded and deep-fried bar snack. The chicken used in the sandwiches is grilled to order; the slab of ribs was meaty and tender with a smoky and not-too-sweet sauce.

With its lovely decor, good beer, and great food at reasonable prices, this is a terrific place to get away from the chaos and noise of the casinos.

3770 N. Tenaya Way. Phone: 362-7335