The Hottest Bar Openings Across The Country

A new Alain Ducasse lounge hits Las Vegas, New York City gets a pizza parlor–speakeasy and more.

Skyfall Lounge in the Delano Las Vegas takes a mixology-driven approach to bottle service by letting customers make drinks tableside. Cocktails, wine and spirits are also available.
Skyfall Lounge in the Delano Las Vegas takes a mixology-driven approach to bottle service by letting customers make drinks tableside. Cocktails, wine and spirits are also available. (Photo by Jaime Biondo)

Celebrated Chef Adds Upbeat Nightlife Venue In Vegas

Renowned restaurateur Alain Ducasse debuted Skyfall Lounge at the Delano Las Vegas resort in October. Situated 64 floors above Sin City on the Strip, the venue has a creative beverage program developed by mixology firm Proprietors LLC. Cocktails ($14 to $24) include standouts like the Climbin’ High, made with Appleton Estate Signature Blend rum, Kappa Pisco, Ducasse’s proprietary Champagne, and raspberry, pineapple and lime juices. The menu also offers updated classics like a jalapeño-strawberry Margarita and a Negroni that contains tea-infused sweet vermouth. Skyfall Lounge takes a new approach to spirits bottle service, giving guests the ingredients to mix cocktails tableside ($140 to $4,400 a 750-ml. bottle). Vodkas are accompanied by Cointreau orange liqueur, cranberry juice and lime to make a Cosmopolitan, while brandies are presented with Green Chartreuse liqueur, Angostura bitters and lemon to mix a Champs-Elysées. Myriad sipping spirits are available ($10 to $350 a 2-ounce pour), along with craft beers ($7 to $33 a bottle) and a lengthy wine list ($11 to $26 a glass; $55 to $1,500 a 750-ml. bottle). The space provides 180-degree views of Las Vegas, and its design evokes an evening sunset. In addition, Ducasse opened the adjacent French Riviera–inspired restaurant Rivea.

Hidden behind a pizza shop, New York City’s Visana highlights local and organic spirits.
Hidden behind a pizza shop, New York City’s Visana highlights local and organic spirits. (Photo by Edward Inzauto)

Pizza Parlor Fronts Speakeasy In Manhattan

Pure Hospitality Group opened the speakeasy-style lounge Visana in October in New York City’s East Village. Hidden behind a pizza parlor, the drinks den offers an exclusive but welcoming atmosphere. Guests enter through a secret door to find a 1,100-square-foot space with a DJ booth and wallpaper that appears to change color with the lighting. Visana focuses on healthy ingredients, mixing cocktails with local and organic spirits and house-made juices. Specialty drinks ($13) include the NYC Gold Rush, blending Bulleit Bourbon, honey, lemon and orange, and the Eastside Rose, comprising Farmer’s Botanical Organic gin, rose syrup, lime, cucumber and mint. The venue also offers a handful of craft beers ($8 a bottle) and wines by the glass ($11), as well as artisanal flatbreads and desserts ($8 to $14). 

Bar Briefs

  • Whiskey Social opened in Manhattan’s Greenwich Village in late September. A modern take on the Southern whiskey bar, the venue features a menu of roughly 150 whiskies from around the world and several whisk(e)y-based cocktails, as well as craft beers and high-end Southern-inspired bar fare.
  • Launched by a hospitality start-up in Chicago, The Vig is a contemporary sports bar with refined food and beverage menus. The venue opened in October in the Windy City’s Old Town neighborhood, boasting handcrafted and draft cocktails, encyclopedic beer and whisk(e)y lists, and a selection of sandwiches and bar fare.
  • A team of well-known West Coast bartenders, led by Julian Cox, joined together to open The Fiscal Agent in October in Studio City, California. The cocktail-focused bar highlights classic drinks and global ingredients, complemented by an upscale food menu.
  • New York City’s first rooftop Asian beer garden opened in Downtown Brooklyn in September. Kimoto Rooftop Beer Garden boasts more than 20 craft beers, including Japanese microbrews. These offerings are joined by Asian-influenced cocktails and beer-friendly food.