Yayo Taco = Thursday Night Vegas Hotspot?

By daylight, Yayo Taco might seem like it’s at a competitive disadvantage to its neighbors. Crowded into a corner of University Gardens at Harmon and Maryland, Yayo is completely obscured by a wall of neighboring small businesses. You really wouldn’t know it’s there unless you’re either looking for it or you’re forced to park at the far end of the Gardens on a busy afternoon. And even then, it looks like just another taco shop in an area of town loaded with eating options.

Take a drive by the Gardens at night, however, and you might wonder what’s going on. Starbucks is closed, Einstein’s isn’t open for another few hours, and the school day is over. For some reason though, a gathering of cars has congregated to the far end of the parking lot, and there’s a line full of young party people hoping to get in.

Once you’re inside, you feel like you’ve really stumbled on to something. That’s because on any number of nights per week (Thursday night is currently the busiest), Yayo Taco turns into the hottest party spot, by far, around campus. You could find your way into a local frat party and sip free beers off the keg all night, but Yayo is almost just as good – $2 tequila shots and $3 beers pretty much means everyone in the place can afford to get hammered! And if you have friends that live on or near campus, Yayo is within stumbling distance!

The setup is pretty simple. The bar serves only beer and tequila. If you have the stomach for Jose Cuervo, you’re in for a great night! The dining room tables are all set up for a giant beer pong party, complete with a DJ and an outside smoking area. You won’t find the bells and whistles (or $10 drinks) of an on-the-Strip lounge or nightclub. But if cheap drinks and a room full of energetic, attractive party people sound like fun, then check it out. College kids are happy when they’re not broke. Go party with them at Yayo Taco!

Spy On Vegas Open Bar Schedule 2/19 – 2/22

If you’ve never been to a SpyOnVegas.com Open Bar party, don’t worry – there are lots of chances coming up in the very near future. In case you haven’t heard about SpyOnVegas.com, check it out. The website is one of the best sources of information on bars, nightclubs and special events all over Las Vegas, and the SpyOnVegas Open Bar promotion is a rotating party that takes place five nights a week.

Open Bar usually runs Monday through Friday from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at various different venues across town. The selected cocktail of the night is free, but because of Open Bar’s popularity, the free booze often runs out before 9 p.m. In any case, though, it’s a great way to get on the scene!

Tuesday 2/19 – Open Bar goes to Tight Rack in Henderson, the home of some of the fiercest Beer Pong battles you’ll ever see!

Wednesday 2/20 – Lucky Strike Lanes at Rio is the spot for a mid-week party at the swankiest bowling alley in town!

Thursday 2/21 – Sierra Gold has some of the best bar food around, and on this night free booze too.

Friday 2/22 – The week comes to a close at Dos Caminos at Palazzo, one of the most eagerly-anticipated new restaurants in the city.

See you on the scene!

Stoney’s Rockin’ Country is the Las Vegas Locals’ Hotspot

Everyone wants to party in Las Vegas. Vacationers hit town expecting to have the craziest weekend of their lives, and Vegas locals have a nightlife scene all their own. Not everyone, however, knows where to go. Nightclubs and bars on the Strip are always a sure bet for a wild (and expensive) night, but what if you’re new to the city and you’re trying to get in on the local scene?

Upon first inspection, Stoney’s Rockin’ Country might seem like an unlikely place to start. Situated under a huge, Texas-shaped neon sign and located on South Las Vegas Blvd. (near South Point), Stoney’s lays claim to being the only country-themed nightclub in Vegas. But if you think that means this place only draws cowboys, cowgirls and their wannabe counterparts, think again.

Since opening its doors in August 2007, Stoney’s has become one of the top locals’ hangouts in Vegas. The 2,000-capacity club is almost always filled to capacity on weekend nights, and long lines and a packed parking lot are the norm. If you have the patience to wait through the line, you’ll be rewarded with one of the most fun atmospheres you’ll find in a Vegas club. According to Stoney Gray, owner and general manager of Stoney’s Rockin’ Country, it’s the local Vegas population that makes his club such a hit. I spoke with Gray at a rare quiet hour inside the nightclub, where he tried to explain the phenomenon.

“We are the only locals nightclub, find another locals nightclub anywhere in town,” Gray said. “Another nightclub on the Strip, if there’s a major party in town, locals are shut out. We built the club for locals. If we get the tourists, that’s a bonus.”

Gray is no newcomer to the Las Vegas scene, having spent seven years as the general manager of the popular Gilley’s, a cowboy bar at the now defunct Frontier that was based on the famous Texas bar of the same name, which closed in 2007. His new project is flourishing, and Gray says he’s not surprised.

“I always tell people I’m not that smart,” Gray said. “The formula is simple – listen to the people and give them what they want. I tell them that all the time.”

Besides the fact that you could run into a country music superstar like Toby Keith or Rodney Carrington, here are some other reasons to check out Stoney’s on the weekends:

THURSDAY – Ladies night. Women get in for $1 and get all drinks for $1. This, as you might guess, is one of the biggest nights of the week at Stoney’s!

FRIDAY/SATURDAY – $20 all-you-can-drink draft beer, $5 cover charge.

Stoney’s is still a great spot even on regular weekdays, a great option for any night when you can’t agree on where to go. Cheap drinks, the largest dance floor in Nevada and a fun, diverse crowd makes Stoney’s Rockin’ Country a go-to night spot!

Las Vegas Nightlife FAQ

1. How much money should someone expect to spend for a night out at a bar or nightclub in Las Vegas?

Like anywhere else, there are all kinds of different kinds of bars/lounges/nightclubs in Las Vegas, charging all kinds of different prices. Some of the most sketchy dive bars you’ll ever find are right here in Sin City, but you can also just as easily party at any of numerous world-famous nightclubs on the Strip. Women usually don’t have to worry about funds as much as the guys (a nice-looking woman spends most of her night fighting off requests to buy her drinks), but because there are so many different kinds of nightlife options in the city, you should always do some research before going somewhere you’ve never been. You don’t want to end up having a bad night just because you’re partying outside of your budget. If you’re broke, go somewhere cheap! Ellis Island (at Flamingo and Koval) has $1 draft beers and a $6.95 steak dinner special, which makes for a great, low-key night out with friends.

2. How should I dress if I’m going to a nightclub?

It happens again and again – friends come out to visit for a few days, and they want you to be their tour guide for some debauchery-filled nights on the Strip. You meet up with your buddies in the lobby of their hotel and your spirits sink, because one person in the group decided to rock baggy, khaki shorts and some flip-flops with a T-shirt. You’re not getting into Tao now.

If you know you want to end up at a nightclub or higher-end bar or lounge, be prepared.

MEN – Rule No. 1/1A for nightclubs is no shorts and no sandals/ugly shoes. Jeans are fine, but make sure they’re not baggy, faded, torn, dirty, etc. Wear a pair of regular brown or black dress shoes and make sure they’re nice and clean. Combine your nice jeans and shiny shoes with a long-sleeve button-up shirt and you’ll pass the nightclub dress code test every time. It’s simple, and you’ll look like a lot of the other guys at the club, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. If you want to get more elaborate then you’re on your own!

WOMEN – If you look nice, you’re in! Wear whatever you want; if you look good the guys at the door will spot you in line and usher you in ahead of all the dudes! I’ve never seen a lady get refused entrance to a club because of the dress code, no matter how casually dressed.

3. I went to a nightclub, waited in a long line for an hour and still couldn’t get any closer than right outside the velvet rope. The guys at the door were still letting lots of people in, but my friends and I couldn’t get in the club. I don’t want to waste hours of my night in line if I’m not getting in anyway; what should I do?

The nightclub staff is always searching the line for attractive women, so if you’re a guy and you’re lucky enough to have the ladies with you, no problem! You may have to wait in line for a while but you’re eventually going to get in.

If your group is all guys, then you probably want to split off into duos and try to get in at different times. The last thing a nightclub doorman wants to see is a group of six or seven drunk college-age dudes and no females. The guys at Tao won’t even let you get in the line if you have four or more guys and no girls. If you have to roll six or seven deep, make sure your whole crew is dressed to the nines, and be realistic about you chances of getting in.

People stuck at the front of a nightclub line tend to incessantly hassle the doormen. This never works; if you’ve been waiting awhile at the door, nothing you say is getting you in any faster than any of the other people yelling at the club staff. Don’t try to drop names; if you wait until the club is super packed, they won’t let you in even if you’re on a VIP list. At this point you have to decide how badly you want to get into the club, because you’re a few $20 bills away from getting right in!

The most certain way to get in is to pay off one of the doorman. Unless it’s a super-exclusive place (like Noir Bar at Luxor), the guys at the door will greatly appreciate this and you’ll be inside the club and sucking down $12 drinks before you know it! Again, you have to decide how badly you want to get in. If you’re standing in line at Jet, for example, and all of your friends got there an hour earlier than you and are partying in the club, then it’s probably worth it to pay off a doorman, because you know a great time is waiting inside. Once you’ve slipped someone extra cash, you’re pretty much committed to that spot for the night, so don’t shell out the bribe unless your sure.

With all of these things in mind, the best way to get into clubs and skip lines on a regular basis is to know as many people as possible here in Vegas. Network enough and you’ll never worry about getting in anywhere. At least that’s what I’ve learned from my own experiences trying to get into nightclubs for the past four years in Vegas. Everyone has their own way – these are just my suggestions.

4. How should I decide what bar/nightclub to go on a given night?

There are lots of resources to help with this task. Check out SpyOnVegas.com and Las Vegas Weekly’s official website to get started. If anything special is going on, one or both of these websites will know.

5. We’ve been partying hard, and no one can safely drive home!

Plan on the possibility of having to call a cab before you go out. Taxis aren’t hard to find, and the staff at almost any nightclub or bar will be more than happy to call one for you, as a bar can face legal liability if they allow an obviously drunk person to drive. When you’ve lived in Las Vegas for awhile it’s very, very easy to build up a strong tolerance to alcohol and not realize how drunk you really are at a given time. DUI’s and car accidents can affect your life in ways most people can’t even imagine. If you’ve been dubbed as the designated driver for the night but you end up drinking anyway, then be sure you have some cab fare available for you and your friends to get home safe.

Hope this helps! Now get out there and party!

About Me

I am a senior-year student at UNLV, working toward degrees in Journalism/Media Studies and also Hospitality Management. My goal with this blog is to provide relevant and entertaining information regarding the Las Vegas nightlife scene. Whether it’s a new hot spot opening on the Strip, a celebrity making an appearance in a VIP lounge or an up-and-coming hospitality-industry superstar making waves, I’ll write about it here!