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I still have dreams about bacon martinis thanks to the Double Down. PS, don't try making one at home!
Great for late night drinks and cool people. The ass juice is somewhat like jungle juice from college, but kicked up a notch. Am guessing the name has something to do with the fact that it kicks you in the ass...and you feel like ass the next day :)
Can't wait to go back on my next trip to Vegas!
I swear the record player came to a screetching halt ... sssscrraatch, as we walked into this place, just in time for breakfast (hey, they have hot dogs and slim jims).
I had to first adjust my eyes to the blinding darkness, and make sure we weren't gonna get our asses kicked and told "yer not from 'round these parts, are ya?".
Although, at this time of day, the place was sparsely filled with definite regulars getting their drink and gamble on, the bartender was nice enough to us strangers.
This really seems like the kind of place where the regulars go in the day, and everyone else is welcome at night.
Where most people wouldn't know any of the selections on the juke box, therefore they give up, as to not piss off the regulars.
Where you can get any drink from a bacon martini, to ass juice, to a graveyard trifecta... consisting of a can of Schlitz, ass juice and a slim jim for $5 (only from 2am to 10am)...so, we just missed breakfast.
This is the only place I go when I'm out for a drink and real down time. I'm an executive in the office and a Harley riding beer drinking hell raiser on my 1 day off. You will see every type of person in this bar and hear the best dive bar music. The Slots are loose and will pay if your stay on them its just hard to leave when you win!
Ryan, Melo, Chris, Scotty and Ian are the greatest guys around and are my best friends (bartenders)! Moss the owner comes in and hangs out so this is a real hands on type of joint.
Celebrity's come in but dont get special treatment they even get a little hazed by the regulars.
"Double Down Saloon is a Great Fucking place a must for out of townees looking for the REAL VEGAS!"Pappas
A clean dive bar! Wow, this place is awesome. Yes, the Minty just called a dive bar awesome.
Why? Drinks are super cheap. And dear god, they have something called "ass juice." I suspect there's some sort of raspberry and vodka in it. Otherwise, don't ask.
We got there in time to watch some band play. They claimed to be from California. I thought they were from Santa Barbara adjacent looking at their hipster-college vibe.
I really had to go to the restroom so I made the gay boyfriend guard the men's room while I went in since it didn't have a lock. Otherwise, there's a ladies' room but it seemed to be perpetually occupied. The men's room was surprisingly clean which is why I giving this dive 4 stars.
The Double Down, Gipsy and Free Zone are all in an area called the Fruit Loop or the Gay Triangle.
No cover, strong drinks, fun atmosphere. Open 24/7. Mainly good bands. Awesome jukebox. Video poker... no cover charge! the place is small and it gets pretty packed. I've been in there with and without a band playing and without one the place is cozy enough... with a show on, standing-room-only becomes close-knit, shoulder-to-shoulder contact.
Shenanigans: I slipped my fiancee that bacon martini. He didn't eat bacon for a year after that.
Out on the town on a Friday night, my friend & I were looking for a good time. Not ready to shell out big time bucks for a night on the strip again, she offered to take me to a "dive bar" after stopping by the Peppermill and I was definitely Down.
When we walked in around 11 p.m., the place was packed. Great crowd inside, if you are into the punk scene and laid back vibe, which I most certainly am.
The Apocalyptics were on stage, and they were insane. I loved there vibe. They were intoxicating and fun to watch, as they put their ALL into their performance. A crazy regular, I assume, was mashing all over the place and ended up taking someone else down with him. Poor girl.
The drinks are pretty cheap. I must highly recommend the house "ass juice" - cheap and sweet. And leaves you buzzed. A must try if you happen to follow my advice and check out this spot. Not to mention, the bartenders are cool and quick to get you your next drink.
One gripe, the ladies bathroom door does not lock easily, so be prepared to have a fight for your privacy or have the door open on you mid-stream (as it did to me). Bathroom decor was crazy cool, by the way.
So, the next time you are on a quest for a uber cool dive bar, I highly recommend stopping by the Double Down and having a great time. You won't regret it.
I usually have go to Vegas for business/trade shows 2 or 3 times a year, and thats enough for me. On 2 of those occasions I snuck away to the DD on the recommendation of a friend who knows my love of punk and dive bars. Actually he was shocked that I had never heard of this classic place.
It is as advertised, divey to the inth degree. Yay!! God I have needed this in Vegas for soooo long (kicks self).
The only downer of my two previous visits was that my biz trips were during the week, thus no live music, dang it! Had a great time both times, even though it was dead. The first time I cabed it over by myself and had a quite a bit to drink with customers at dinner earlier, and hung out with the dj requesting cool old punk tunes. This person was most accommodating , and we spoke several times, and I never did figure out the gender. Thats rock and roll kiddies!!
Hands down this is my favorite bar in Vegas!!
Nestled in the Fruit Loop near the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, the Double Down is close to the action but far enough from the strip to keep out some of the whack tourists.
Wow where to start??
The free juke box loaded with old skool punk is awesome. It normally has a ton of credits on it and you're free to go up and enter in whatever you want. Side note: During my last two visits there were no remaining credits.
Not many bars in Vegas sell canned beer and I don't think there are any others that sell cans of Olympia (It's the Water!) and Shlitz (It's the Beer That Made Milwaukee Famous!). These are two of my favorite beers, so the only trouble I have is in deciding which one to order!
Puke Insurance! What? Yeah, pay $20 and if you barf in the bar you don't have to clean it up. The Double Down will pay one of the local vagrants to do it for you.
The Graveyard Trifecta! This $5 treat is served from 2-10am and provides the patron with a glass of Ass Juice, a can of Shlitz and a Slim Jim.
Ass Juice. "Outta Our Ass, Into Your Glass" This concoction is comprised of about 10 various liquors which appear to be chosen at random. These are poured into a 1.5L wine bottle to the half way mark and the rest is filled with sprite. Although the name is not flattering, it's pretty tasty!
Bacon Martini. So you like Vodka and you like Bacon, right? Yeah, me too, that's all there is too it. It comes from a bottle of vodka with 4-5 pieces of bacon in it. It's fantastic. I now make my own Bacon Vodka at home!
Soooo, what else? 70's porn on the televisions, crooked pool tables, a photo booth, loud crazy bands, a snack machine, transvestites to your left and business men to your right....the list goes on, you're just going to have to see for yourself!! You won't be disappointed!
I've lived in Vegas on and off for six years and I'm kicking myself for not going to this place sooner.
The Double Down Saloon is on the end of a small strip mall right next to the Thomas & Mack at Harmon and Spencer. There is some parking but if you arrive too late you might have to park a block or two away. This is an area known to locals as "the fruit loop" because of several nearby gay bars. The double down doesn't care who you are. All are welcome. It's just here to rock.
This place is a glorious dive. Dark, loud and the walls covered in stickers of all the small bands that have played here over the years. Any place that sells bottles of PBR is just fine by me. You won't find a huge selection of brew. Really only the stuff that matters. You can also get a concoction called "ass juice" or a bacon martini and for some reason Slim Jims are also an option. Maybe they're friends with the Macho Man.
The crowd is pretty young without a trendy douchebag in sight. At times it felt a little like a high school party with a more abundant supply of booze, but there are people from all ages who show up.
On the night I was there a band called Forth Yeer was playing and they ripped it up. In all a great way to spend a Friday night. No cover charge. No drama. No waiting in line hoping some doorman loser likes your shirt enough to let you in. Las Vegas needs more places like the famed Double Down. A slice of reality in a superficial town.
Great place to go off the Vegas Strip. We loved the music, they had 4 bands play, each played 5 songs each. We had to try all the house specials. The Ass Juice was pretty good considering its a high octane jungle juice, the cans of Olympia beer took me back to a time of drinking for the first time, and the Bacon Martini, well we wont go there again. We had to have a large plate of bacon the next morning just to like it again.
The downsides, are its a very very smokey place. You are an ashtray at the end of the evening. Also watch out for the local working girls that are on the make.
# 1 punk dive bar in America. Chock full of tattooed freaks, I have never felt more at home so far from home. Amazing juke box, and la piece de resistance: A Jeffrey Lee Pierce/Gun Club mural on the wall, I'm a Gun Club FREAK. Being there reignited my fantasy of winning the Super Lotto just so I could buy a place in Vegas within stumbling distance from this place. Forget gambling, I wouldn't hesitate to make a special trip to Vegas just to party at the Double Down, it just kicks ass.
After you've insulted everyone, burned all of your bridges, lost all your money, and are desperately in need of a location where you can hide from the world, nurse your wounds, and suck down something call ass juice there is no place better than the Double Down Saloon (aka the Happiest Place on Earth).
You want a dive bar ... this is the definition! A little off the Vegas strip ... no respectable dive bar would be exactly on the strip ... this happy little respite earned its way into my heart a while back and I doubt it will ever leave me.
When you pull up you will not see the name of the place ... just a sign proudly declaring it the "Happiest Place on Earth". Ignore that fear gripping the pit of your stomach. Allow your inner Andy Dufresne to beckon, "if you've come this far maybe you'll come a little further".
Light does not penetrate the Pandora's Box which is the Double Down. Its painted black walls are adorned with a cacaphony of memorabelia which one imagines have been traded for a shot of the hard stuff. When I first sat down I had two thoughts:
"I hope I don't stick to anything."
AND
"Any place that has a sign reading 'I love Mormon Pussy' is my kind of place."
In the Double Down you may find yourself chatting with off-work strippers, bikers, slumming tv gameshow hosts, junkies, tourists, or any of the other of the worst sort.
Order up a shot of ass juice. The brownish liquid is a mix of a variety of whatever sweet liquors which can be found behind the bar and imbibing it is actually a delightful experience. After 2 shots of the ass get yourself a bacon martini. Yes, you heard me ... a bacon martini. Personally, I choked and sputtered through mine (did I mention that they sell puke insurance). My advice is after a few sips ask the bartender to turn it into a Bloody Mary ... a bacon martini can be converted into the BEST Bloody Mary.
In the end the most important part of visiting this bar is setting a limit for yourself. Time will fade away while you're here.
My favorite bar in Vegas hands down.
They have Fernet, High life, rad bartenders and a kick ass jukebox.
Met some really cool people here this weekend. Oh, the drinks are cheap too.
I will for sure be making the Double Down a mandatory stop every time I am in L.V.
Well, all I can say is I have never been kicked out for being a drunk ass here. Other than that, Grant is awesome! So is Ryan his brother! The ass juice is great. Just don't wear anything you don't want to stink like an ashtray for awhile. You can wash your clothes a few times after coming here and they will still smell like an ashtray. I still like it here though. I don't know why, nostalgia of my youth I suppose. You can lapdance chairs too after all the people leave and the sun is coming out.
As far as dive bars go, this place lived up to its reputation. Upon entering (if during the day) you'll need to stop and let your eyes adjust to the darkness. We were there on a weekday around 3:00 in the afternoon. The bartender was a good guy with a lot of patience. He needed it to deal with the various obnoxious drunk f*cks at the bar. Most of the patrons were friendly but there were a couple of them that just kept yelling drunken insults back and forth across the bar in a language that only they could understand. The bartender told the two shut up and drink their beers on a number of occasions. They were able to comply for a matter of seconds.
Aside from this and one drunk patron who tried to grope my wife, this was a fun place. Sex Pistols playing on the jukebox, accompanied by videos on the TV's that are literally indescribable (but funny, sick and disturbing all at the same time). What more could you ask for? As recommended, I tried the "Ass Juice" and was coaxed into trying a bacon martini, against my better judgment. I'll tell you, that was one tasty martini. It was simply some quality vodka infused with a few pieces of cooked bacon. It wasn't greasy as described by some other Yelpers, but was simply delicious mmm... bacony goodness.
In speaking with one of the employees, this place gets some seriously good live bands. If you're in Vegas and are sick of the strip, this is an excellent diversion.
You had me at "Ass Juice."
I'm just a country bumpkin from the sticks and on my latest trip to Vegas, I needed to find the real town. Imagine my giddy delight to actually find "the (other) happiest place on earth"!
Dark, rank, cheap, outwardly unappealing, uber-friendly, in-your-face perfect dive bar. I didn't need the $20 puke insurance but I am certain there are many past patrons who may have wished they'd purchased the damage waiver.
"Time stops here." reads the painted letters on the door. Truer words were never posted.
This place is easy to find - right at the end of runway 4F at McCarren. I swear a landing 737 almost touch the roof!
Ah YES an actual dive bar in LV that understands your wants and needs. Love the crowd, closer to my type of people having come from SF.
As Karlee D. says down there... Fernet.
First Wendesday -Punk Rock Bingo!
Great place nothing more to say. Best dive bar anywhere. So the next time you are in Vegas and want to just go and have cheap drinks and relax for a bit before you head out for the evening the DDS is the place to do it. They have shows on most nights I just happened to catch The Dead Beat Sinners from Oxnard and some amazing Japanese R-n-R band that had the crowd moving. DBS did two amazing sets that night and let me tell you watching Ruben play his bass made my night after MotorHead Canceled at the House of blues.
If you go to get wild, which is the only reason to go, be sure to get the puke insurance. That way, if/when you puke on the bar, they won't kick you out! If you think I am joking, go there and see for yourself.
If you get the puke insurance, ask the bartender to make you a glass of ass juice. That way, you will get the most out of your experience and the insurance won't go to waste.
If south Orange County had any establishment even remotely like the Double Down... there's so much happiness and awesomeness flowing from that hypothetical possibility that I can't even narrow it down to what I might say.
The Happiest Place on Earth is a one-room schoolhouse that's dark inside even if it's light outside. Handwritten signs blend in seamlessly with stickers and posters of every sort unapologetically adorning the walls -- bands, slogans, art forms, advertisements, you name it. I walked in really wanting to hear Knuckledragger -- this was a marquee Saturday night for some random live music -- but according to the bouncers (who are cool as all get out btw), some bands canceled last minute. Boooo. Instead my bro and I enjoyed Fire to Reason, a hardcore metal band, and if you know anything about my brother's musical tastes then you'll know why it was just such a Tom Wolfe moment for me to sit back, enjoy, and experience the fantastic combination that was the band performing, the audience watching, and my brother involved in all this somehow.
Anywho, I doubt that even President Obama walking in here would get any kind of stares or extra attention. Seated at the bar when we came in were a couple of gorgeous clubbing-dressed ladies, a couple of older buddies dressed not unlike Christopher Meloni's character in Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle, a suave-looking gentleman in a dapper Sinatra-esque get up, and the beautifully decked out mod queens of Bettie Page inspiration. Add that to the little Jamie Pressly My Name is Earl hottie that walked in on me in the bathroom and the big bald Dogtown shirt-wearing music fan that I fell in love with, and you've got the Double Down.
Bacon martini -- would be AMAZING if they didn't infuse shank vodka. The bacon flavor was so awesome, but it still didn't mask the fact that you were drinking kerosene in a martini glass. (Alvin's reaction: "Ugh. No.") Ass juice turned out to be a step up, but it was still a bit too sweet for my taste. Even one of the guys sitting at the bar was like, "Ass juice? What's that?" I half-drunkenly laughed, "I dunno, but hopefully it's not the real thing!" They loved it up there. See, this is why I love laid-back old-school Vegas. I say shit like that at the hip groovy in-style places (I'm looking at YOU, TAO) and people think I'm borderline retarded. Here (and at small restaurant chains, as well as downtown blackjack tables), I get a good laugh, no matter how stupid it really is.
The highlights of our night, though, turned out to be the Schlitz they sold in cans -- which I think is a big throwback to my bro's high school days on the East Coast, waaay back when -- and this LARGE (I'm talking maybe 2x3') decorative lamp-fan looking thing shaped as a cucaracha. "Hey," Alvin says to me as soon as he sees it on the ceiling. "Looks like what we had in our room at Nevada Palace. Except, the ones at Nevada Palace were much, much bigger."
I heart you, Double Down, even if parking was weird and some bands were no-shows. Neither are your fault. See you in a few months!
The double Down is the ONLY bar in the entire city of Las Vegas that I totally endourse. Cheap drinks, video blackjack, good touring and local bands, how could you go wrong? Screw all that casino crapola. This is where it's at!
I'd read about DDS and decided I wanted to make the trip over at least once when I went to Vegas this past March. Bacon Martini's plus some drink called Ass Juice, plus a jukebox full of punk bands- sounded like my type of scene.
I was pumped to go, but there's no way to describe my excitement the second I stepped out of the cab and heard "Warning! Warning!" by the Disasters blasting out of the place (Roger Miret is my hero). Once inside it lived up to my expectations and then some. Some things that happened while there:
1.)Getting in an argument with a guy at the bar over Wolfgang Puck and whether or not he was a money whore.
2.)20 mins later having that same guy have his two girl friends show me their tits.
3.)The first time you bite into a Slim Jim after drinking a can of Schlitz and swearing to yourself its the best meal you've ever had.
4.)Sitting down at one of the tables and having the chair break to pieces.
5.)Getting 5 jukebox plays for a buck.
6.)Getting drunk at 4am on the cheap while listening to the Dead Boys
If you like clubs like Pure, XS, Tryst and the people who go there- do yourself and all of us a favor and stay far far away from Double Down. Everyone else needs to check this place out.
Remember that scene in Animal house where Flounder brings his girl to the Frat House? And right when they walk through the door a bottle breaks right next to her head and she gets beer on her? That's the Double Down. This place is the raunchiest, dirtiest, most disgusting, decrepit dump of a dive bar this side of the 38th parallel. and I LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT!!!
I have never had a bad time here. I've been there on a slow weekday when it was just me, a friend, and the bartender. I've been there on show nights; where the air is misty with the condensation of other people's sweat and it takes 20 minutes to get a drink. Screw it, it's bitchin, trust me.
I came here during Viva Las Vegas 2008 to see one of my favorite bands; Austin, Texas' own Flametrick Subs. It was an experience. After trying a few Bacon Martinis (not as gross as they sound) and pounding several cans of Schlitz Lager, the show started, and the place was packed.
But something was a little different here, I thought I was in The Twilight Zone. There was one guy fried on LSD shooting at lights with his finger, and the highlight? Some dude getting his ass beat by 4 girls in fishnets and stilettos for burning one with a cigarette and not apologizing. Interesting. The band started playing and Acid boy was dancing some sort of interpretive self mosh. He ended up getting kicked out (thrown out cartoon style really) for breaking a light, but hey; it was fun.
This is a real dive bar, so be careful. Unsavory characters, assholes, and just straight up bad attitudes are the way of the land here, so be prepared.
The Double Down is also pretty well decorated. The Hardwood floor is falling apart, or missing in some areas, the pool tables have no bumpers, and the restrooms do not know clean. or locked. Cartoon porn on the Tv's, along with strange 70's stag films, naked alien women o n the walls, and a giant painting of Poison Ivy from the Cramps on the Women's restroom door all scream, "Fuck personality! What were we here for again? Oh yea, to get drunk.". That's what it's all about here. So pick up your Ass Juice and Bacon Martinis, light up a cigarette and enjoy the road to hell this place is paving for all it's patrons. Amen!
The best dive, punk rock, music bar in town and the country. The NYC Double Down might get to this caliber one day but right now ittries too hard to be Vegas. The original cant be beat! Awesome bartenders. Amazing music, jukebox and people. Always live music and cool random people. You Puke You Clean the way any bar should be. If you havent been to Double Down yet you have to experience it to love it. If you are uptight you will relax, tolerance is a must! Great selection at the bar and prices that are great.
Having been to Double Down NYC, I had high hopes for the Double Down LV-- I was not disappointed! I was in town for the National APA pool tournament, my companion and I wanted something a little more lowbrow, so we took a cab to the Double Down. He had the Bacon Martini, or, rather, choked it down, and I had my usual whiskey on the rocks. When you are tired of paying twenty three dollars for two drinks on the Strip, get yourself over to the Double Down. Two pool tables, a fantastic jukebox (though I would have enjoyed a a selection of old country and some deathrock), competent and friendly (if you aren't acting like an idiot) and a surprisingly clean bathroom, the "Happiest Place on Earth" earns five stars from me and my blackened liver and lungs.
We heard about the Double Down, ironically, from a Tony Bourdain show, where he visited it for a brief moment while in Vegas. This just may be the king, the grand-daddy, the papi of all dive bars. It is fantastically dirty, with graffiti, stickers, and cheap "treasures" festooned all over the walls, I had a dildo dangling uncomfortably close to my head that I dubbed the "Dildo of Damocles". And then there was Wade.
Wade deserves his own paragraph. Wade is a friendly fellow, who grabs your hand to shake it and never. lets. go. Until he makes sure he gets his point across, which takes a considerable amount of time because he was apparently colossally drunk by the time we got there at about 4pm on a Monday. But, drunk as he was, he was sharp enough to crack a few jokes at our expense - "Where did your son go to college?" "Do you think I could remember that if I couldn't remember that I lived in Hayward?!" and other zingers. Wade really brought the room together.
And the drinks. After all the overcharging and glitzy excess of Vegas, there's something comforting about a Jaeger-based drink called Ass Juice that only sets you back $3, the bacon martini, and most any cheap beer you could ask for. Now, as a veggie, I couldn't exactly order the bacon martini, but I wasn't about to let them in on that fact 'cause I probably would have been thrown out right then and there.
We were treated about halfway through our visit when with great '70s-'80s porn on the telly with a peeping tom checking out some ladies gettin' it on. Because, you know, if you peep into a house you will most likely see some lesbian sex. I know it because the movies told me so . . . and watching porn in a dive bar is just about as good as it gets . . . as long as there are other ladies there, which there were.
The bartender is great, very welcoming, and makes you feel like you just walked into the friendliest pit in all of Vegas, which you pretty much just did. A must-see if you can hang in a dive bar. And if you can't, please ignore the "add as a friend" button on the left . . .
I was enlightened by Anthony Bourdain to the existence of Ass Juice. I knew one day I'd get my own ass to the Double Down. Our second day in Vegas, I had eyes on the infamous bacon martini. I had to take one for the team. I had to experience "the happiest place on earth" because people, for me it ain't Disney.
Upon walking in, I knew I wanted to just pull up a stool and soak it all in. The place was dim, dark, dirty, grungy, smelled like stale beer cans, wasted dreams, quarters and careers.
The bathroom was a literal feast for the eyes, toilet paper on the chain link behind you and all. I must have sat in there for about 10 minutes just reading the walls. My personal favorite? "I have a spiffy beaver"
I had a shot of ass juice waiting for me while Joe sipped a Schlitz. "Sipped a Schlitz"...not a pretty sound. Not a pretty sight. The juice went down fast, and I can only imagine the need for sugary puke insurance. Thankfully, I knew I wouldn't be there long enough.
I then went for the martini. I swore I heard someone say "bong water martini" from the peanut gallery in the corner, but who cares. I ordered it, I drank it, and i even saw the bottle of bacon. I don't think i need to drink it again, although, I was intrigued by the notion of a bacon bloody mary. "It's like an alcoholic BLT!" the bartender bragged. We liked him.
We made a friend at the bar. I'll call him "Wade". Apparently, according to other patrons, the only reason Wade was still around was because "the grave diggers were on strike!" He was a harmless fellow, who spouted obscenities, told Joe he had a lot of nerve bringing me to a place like this, and then slobbered on my hand once he realized it was I who chose the bar. What can I say? I'm a classy gal. Hobos love me.
I could go on. The 70s soft porn on the tv, the punk rock, Wade, the bacon etc..but there were other adventures to be had in Vegas. It's probably a good thing I couldn't stay too long, but I'll be back next time I'm in town.
The DDS is one of the few places in Vegas to see great rock, punk and metal bands in an intimate setting--plus the beer/drinks are reasonably priced!!! The stage is pretty tiny, so the drums are about all that fits, which brings the band right onto the dancefloor, which turned into a good-natured moshpit on this particular evening. Another good thing: the show started on real rock 'n' roll time, at about 10:45, and ended around 3am or so.
That doesn't even happen in NYC much anymore.
This past weekend, I and my Reality Check TV cast checked the reality of our good friends SHE WOLVES from NYC, who were on a short West Coast Tour to support their 'ENJOY DAMNATION' cd/ep. There were some other killer bands like SADDLE TRASH and PISS POPS on the bill as well, and it was friggin' FREE ADMISSION on a Saturday nite, of all things!
SHE WOLVES busted out some new and recent tunes, as well as a few choice nugs from Dava SheWolf's previous band, CYCLE SLUTS FROM HELL, including their classic "I Wish You Were a Beer" anthem, where both my co-host DDDanny and myself joined in on the choruses! She Wolves have played both my and Danny's birthday parties in the past, one in SF, and the other in NYC, and both have been memorable affairs.
Check 'em out at http://myspace.com/she... for more info...
Oh man, what an experience. My friends and I, like so many other Yelpers, decided that the idea of a Bacon Martini was just too good to pass up, so we took a cab off the strip to the infamous "Fruit Loop" to get our hands on some of the porcine swill. And swill it was.
Be sure to dress down when headed to the Double Down, the four of us felt out of place in shorts and collared shirts and the bartender treated us like we were too.
In the future I'll stick with a place that's friendly or just stay at the nickel video poker where they bring you drinks for free with a smile.
Chalk another one up to "you gotta try it once!"
This bar makes other dives look like a pre-pubescent emo chick who recently bought the new Brittany Spears album. Would I describe this as the perfect bar, YES! Why? Because every other bar I have gone to since makes me cry and miss the Double Down.
First, they have cheap liquor. Forget your fancy Bacon Martinis, all I need is Jameson and PBR, which are never in short supply here. Second, their jukebox is amazing! When a live punk band isn't playing you can definitely pick out some good tunes.
Come here mid-week and skip the Disneyland-like crowds on the strip. You can play a game of pool, get drunk, gamble, and take pictures in their photo both to help you remember "what exactly happened last night?". Its grungy, and dirty, and awesome.
I love you Double Down, hopefully I can come see you again soon!
I'll start this off by saying I *thought* I liked "dive" bars prior to coming here. I like Fremont Street, I love the four kegs, I like going to see obscure rock bands at hole in the wall spots, etc... but this was not my scene!
I took a friend from out of town here on a whim. We had a friend flying in at 11:00 and wanted to kill some time before picking her up. At 10:00 or so we walked into a large open room with a bar on one end. We were dressed kind of cutely I guess so we got strange stares the entire time! Bartenders weren't exactly "friendly". We tried the ass juice and bacon martini. Neither was "cheap" (don't recall prices, but they were just average.. not cheap, not pricey). The ass juice tasted like ass. Kind of like a strong grape koolaid? I dunno.. not good. The bacon martini gives me nightmares to this day. I have to give them credit for serving such a drink, and I mean I was the idiot that ordered it.. but WOW it was far nastier and scarier than I could ever imagine. Imagine a glass of cold emulsified bacon fat with a strong awful rubbing alcohol aftertaste. YUP that's how it was. We choaked down two sips before leaving for other destinations.
Really 2 stars, but trying to give this place the benefit of the doubt. Maybe it's more fun when it's crowded? Maybe it's more fun when there's a band? I did learn, however, that bacon should NEVER be made into a martini!
Wow what can I say about this place, this is one of the best bars I have been to. I went on a Sunday afternoon I know that it was a slow time of the day, but I wanted to enjoy it I will go on a Saturday night the next time I am in town. Anyway I went it is pretty dark in there to the point it takes your eyes a while to adjust. Anyway get to the bar and sit down the bartender was a great server and talker. So the first drink I order is the bacon martini.
Now this bacon martini is what it is. Vodka infused with bacon in the bottle. So when they server the drink up it is in a martini glass but smells of bacon and you can see the chunks of cold fat floating around. I drank it it taste like bacon the only drawback was the fat dissolving in your mouth. It was one of those once in a lifetime thing you only do it once. Second I had their famous Ass Juice it was way better than the martini. Then I had a swine flu shot which had the bacon vodka if I knew it had that I would have passed on that. Other than that they had many lower shelf beers IE. Pabst, Olympia and others.
The bar itself has TVs playing old school punk concerts to sleazy b movie trailers from the 60's. This bar ambiance is who gives a F*$K I'm just here to get a drink. I recommend this bar to anyone with that attitude. If you are prissy or are douchy don't come within a 2 mile radius of this place.
The only drawback is its kind of hard to find due to the fact that it is between two one way streets.
Two words: Bacon Martini
Really, did I drink one too many Grey Goose martinis, die of alcohol poisoning, and go to bacon heaven? Bacon and vodka together? Yes, it is true...there is a God...because there is a bacon martini. Obviously someone up there heard my prayers and sent this magical drink down from the heavens. I am betting angels brought it down themselves.
The bacon vodka is a clear bottle filled with vodka, strips of bacon, and globules of bacon fat. Honestly, it is not a pretty sight. As a matter of fact, even for the bacon freak, it is quite frightening. The martini itself is icy bits of bacon and bacon fat globules floating in a glass of the bacon infused vodka. Knowing in advance that they do not provide a bacon garnish, I brought my own. Yes, I am a bacon dork...what?
The bacon martini is indeed delicious and leaves a film of bacon fat on the lips...kind of like bacon chapstick. Wow, another fabulous idea...do you hear me up there?
In all my travels and travails, I have nary encountered such an exquisite establishment. The Double Down is a 24 hour dive bar, a concept with which I was unfamiliar before Vegas, and it wears the weight of its many patrons and overt lack of sanitation with a certain proud weariness. The bartenders were both charismatic and crass, pouring me drink after drink of a seasonal special called "Leprechaun Piss" whilst making relieved grunting noises and sighs. The Ass Juice was equally delish and the fact that the two battered pool tables were covered in Ass Juice stains completed the experience.
Five stars, Yelp; leave grandma at home and make The Double Down your go-to Vegas night out. You don't even need to leave. Ever.
Best dive bar in Vegas!!! There are FREE punk shows here almost everynight - bands usually start around midnight and go until 3 or 4am. It's dirty, rowdy & fukkin fun! Happiest place on earth?......at least in Vegas! And a big thanx to the large security guy that kept the crowd from slamming into me while we played, even though 'danger' IS my middle name.
If you go with friends that aren't into dive bars, make sure they're half lit before you come. Otherwise, they'll kill your fucking buzz and make you leave early.
Other than that, I love this place.
This is a dive bar people, it ain't a place where they greet you with a fake smile and hello as you walk through the door. It ain't a place where the bartender will oblige you with crappy small talk. This is a place with colorful murals and a jukebox full of punk. This is a place where the bathroom looks like something out of a third world slum. This is place where when you walk outside you might smell like you just spent a day at the track; but don't worry the smell didn't bother the fine gentleman the cops were cuffing as my group exited the premises. So for those of you who saw Double Down on No Reservations and thought you go there and try a Bacon Martini or some Ass Juice, you better be the type that don't mind a little dirt, literally and figuratively, because if you do mind then do everyone a favor and stick to the hollow touristy strip.
So we're in Vegas for a Bachelor party. Most of us except the bachelor have been there a few times. He's kind of a punk rock kinda guy. So where do you go? Luckily we knew someone from the city that knew exactly where we should be the Double Down Saloon.
When you walk in, it grabs your ass in an uncomfortable manner, then punches you in the face like a semi-truck versus a bicycle. You know that you've walked into the king ding-a-ling of dive bars.
The people are all really cool and sociable. The walls are all covered with illustrations though you can miss a lot due to the low light situation. There are a couple TVs playing a mixed of old horror movies trailers, wacky porn and randomness. When we went there was a band called Uberschall that did improvisational, kinda drone rock with tons of percussion (3 drummers). Turns out they consisted of members of Blue Man Group, Zumanity, Criss Angel's Cirque show and a guy from a Prince tribute band. Bad ass talent for free. Plus you can get trashed... which we did.
Now the big thing everyone talks about is the Bacon Martini. I wasn't really a fan of it nor were any of my friends, but at least we gave it a try. They also have a drink called Ass Juice; cheap and really tasty, almost a fruit punch that's been spiked with mystery-hol.
I can't wait to get back there next time we fly out. If you're looking for something low key that's not your average glitz and glamor Vegas, this place rocks.
This place rocks ass.
Its dark, filthy, loud, and completely what a rock n roll bar should be.
Scare some yuppies and bring em here, they will never speak to you again.
"It pays you back to drink here."
Okay... picture this, Two of The best looking girls in Vegas, [--] juice signs, cool bartender, a woman giving birth on the TV above the bar (yes, the real video) and more graffiti than usual. What else do you want? This place is full of suicide girls (look it up) and tattoos. It's a cool spot where the girls will initiate the conversation...
But never use the word "conversation." It's across the street from the hard rock... But miles away from that "made believe" crap. There's even puke insurance. It pays you back to drink here. The freaks come here any time after dark and it churns them until it's bright and sunny again.
Las Vegas, NV
Category: Lounges
Las Vegas, NV
Category: Lounges
Las Vegas, NV
Category: Dive Bars
Las Vegas, NV
Category: Lounges
Las Vegas, NV
Category: Music Venues
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