Here’s our roundup of hotspots for celebrating playoff season and the Big Game.
Pandemic or no, Nevada’s sports-obsessed fans, along with those simply looking for a good party, still want to share the highs and lows of the playoffs and the fanfare of the Super Bowl on February 7. These are some of our favorite places to enjoy sports paired with some great food and drink— while, of course, practicing social distancing.
Tailgate Social Sports Bar and Grill, a new sports-centric bar, opened in November in Palace Station, just in time for football’s playoff push and college football’s march to the national championship.
Inside, fans will find more than 30 high definition TVs and a surround-sound system for a viewing experience that’ll make everyone feel as if they’re at the game. Tailgate Social’s value-friendly menu features comfort-food bar favorites, including “Bag-A-Bones” (hickory-smoked baby-back ribs with a side of fries) and a build your own burger with a multitude of mix-and-match options. Its famous Holey Moley Big Ass 4 Foot Stromboli is loaded with pepperoni, sausage, and roasted peppers with melted Parmesan and mozzarella cheese. To satisfy any sweet tooth, try the Tailgate Banana in the Tailpipe Sunday, a mélange of chocolate-covered bananas, vanilla soft serve, honey toast custard, chocolate sauce, strawberries, and sprinkles.
Tailgate Social’s over- sized beer list features hard-to-find brews and local favorites. On tap
is 7Five’s Training Day Golden Ale, a brew created by Vegas Golden Knights right winger Ryan Reaves. Tailgate Social offers a full menu of handcrafted drinks. Try the Red Card drink-app pairing: a top-shelf spicy house-blended michelada garnished with a charred jalapeno and served with a grilled fish taco, chips, and salsa.
Though walk-ins are welcome for most games, reservations for big game days can be made on opentable.com.
The Still Craft, Drafts & Eats
Las Vegas | The Mirage Hotel & Casino | 3400 Las Vegas Blvd. S. | thestillvegas.com
How about a little his- tory while watching a game? At The Still Craft, Drafts & Eats, located in the Mirage, the eats are served out of a refurbished Airstream trailer called Bud Bud’s. Found abandoned in Tennessee, the vintage trailer took on a new life as a fully function- ing kitchen inside The Still. The eatery’s menu features prime steak tip skewers (certified Angus New York beef), mini cheeseburgers, and street-style tacos with al pastor chicken, steak, and grilled fish. Finish with fried PB&J with dipping sauce or deep- fried Oreos (with red velvet batter and cream cheese icing).
First opened in 2016, The Still serves craft beer and specialty cock- tails in the comfort of an 8,000-square-foot space peppered with 27 televi- sions. It’s truly a haven for sports lovers and one fun place to watch any and all sporting events.
The center bar features more than 50 craft beers; 12 varieties of Mules made with vodka, gin, tequila, bourbon, and whiskey; and a number of drinks with Grey Goose vodka and Red Bull. The Still’s cucumber mint martini, made with Absolut Elyx vodka, Bombay London dry gin, cucumber, and fresh mint, elevates martini time. Show- casing a classic drink with a twist, the Still ol’ Fashion blends Jim Beam Whiskey, maple syrup, and orange bitters barrel-aged in-house.
During games, the Football Menu adds to the party atmosphere. Make reservations online and then cheer a favorite team.
The Depot Craft Brewery & Distillery
Reno/Sparks | 325 E. Fourth St. | thedepotreno.com
The Depot Craft Brewery & Distillery is housed inside a three-story brick building with a rich his- tory. The structure, built in 1910, served as the headquarters for the Nevada-California-Oregon Railway for ranchers and farmers along its 238- mile stretch. It inspired the creation of the state’s first combined brewery and distillery, which celebrated its sixth anniversary on New Year’s Eve. Championed by the head of business development Chris Shanks and brewmaster and distiller Brandon Wright, The Depot creates a unique dining experience. It brews several beers and distills its own vodka, bourbon, rye, single malt, Picon-style liqueur, and gin.
Great drinks demand wonderful food such as Cornbread Fritters made with garlic, jalapeño, and bourbon honey or brussels sprouts flash fried in a bacon, maple, and sherry vinaigrette. Gastro-fare includes the Depot burger: half- pound of grass-fed beef topped with a bacon onion jam, swiss cheese, sautéed mushroom, and white aioli served with fries. For the daring, the Cat Iron Filet with smashed potato, haricot verts, and mushroom soubise tempts sophisticated palates.
Enjoy the game with history, brews, spirits, and an upscale menu while rooting for the winning team.
