9 Oldest Bars in Nevada

From starting as the least-populated state to becoming a major tourist destination in the 20th century, Nevada is widely known for its vibrant nightlife. The driest state of the Wild West offers plenty of entertainment through casinos, festivals, alien invasions, and remarkable scenery, but more than anything, long-lasting bars and saloons. 

Resort areas like Las Vegas, Lake Tahoe, and Reno are most popular with visitors, but bars are spread all over the state. Like pieces of history, a token of the Golden Age of Hollywood, Las Vegas is considered the “entertainment capital of the world”. 

Some of the bars on the list have been serving drinks to locals, tourists, and celebrities for over 100 years. Those lucky ones that survived Prohibition from the beginning of the last century found their rightful place on this list of oldest bars still serving in Nevada. 

9. Dino’s Lounge

photo source: Las Vegas Weekly

“Getting Vegas Drunk Since 1962” is written in big letters on the entrance of the Dino’s Lounge, one of the more popular bars in Las Vegas.

Initially, the bar was called Ringside Liquors, owned by a mobster Eddie Trascher, but the new owner Rinaldo Dean “Dino” Barolomucci, renamed it.

The bar is now open 24 hours a week, but it has been closed on a couple of occasions over the years for movie shootings.

Dino’s offers karaoke night every so often, but they also have a “Drunk of the Month” contest for the best spending customer. The winner gets their own parking spot as a reward. 

Did You Know?

Dino’s Lounge is dubbed “The Last Neighborhood Bar in Las Vegas” since it carries a piece of history with the theme. Also, Playboy once voted the bar as the Best Dive Bar in Las Vegas. 

8. Hard Hat Lounge

photo source: Historic Las Vegas Project

Hard Hat Lounge is the oldest Dive Bar in Nevada, running since 1958. The bar was originally for blue-collar workers to unwind after work. The name comes from the construction hat, known as the hard hat, as depicted on the lounge’s logo.

Nowadays, the lounge is known for great food and a cold beer whenever you feel like it since it’s opened 24 hours a week. A stand-alone diner at first, the bar went through a handful of renovations over the years, but the original charm is still present.

7. Atomic Liquors

photo source: Inter Mountain Histories

Originally Virginia’s Cafe, the bar opened in 1945, but the restaurant was closed just a couple of years later. The original owners got the first tavern license in Las Vegas, so they opened Atomic Liquors in 1952. The bar used to be open for 24 hours.

There was a year off in 2011 when the bar was closed due to the original owner’s passing, but it was reopened in 2012 by real estate brothers Kent Johns. Barbra Streisand has a seat in the back of the bar, reserved just for her, a bar stool with a star on the top. 

Did You Know?

Atomic testing took place just 65 miles away from the bar, hence the name. The customers used to enjoy their cold drinks with a special show from the rooftop sitting area. Roy Rogers, Bradley Cooper, Clint Eastwood, and Robert De Niro are some of the regulars.

6. Mountain Springs Saloon

photo source: Travel Nevada

The Mountain Springs Saloon has been barbecuing and serving cold brews since the 1950s. The specific year is unknown, but the saloon has been a popular place for bikers ever since. Other than this, the bar offers tacos, live music, and domestic and imported craft beer.

The bar is elevated around 5,000 feet from the rest of the area, ideal for cooling down after exploring southern Nevada’s desert. It is perched between the city of Pahrump and Blue Diamond in Mountain Springs canyon.

5. Pioneer Saloon

photo source: The Culture Trip

Goodsprings is considered one of the best productive mining districts in all of Nevada, but it is also home to one of the oldest bars in the United States, Pioneer Saloon. The bar was opened in 1913, offering an array of food and drinks, but they are known for the so-called Ghost burger.

Opened by a local businessman George Fayle, the bar held its name from the start as one of the main attractions for the miners. The original mahogany bar from the 1800s is still in the main saloon, having been there since the opening. 

Did You Know?

Three bullet holes are preserved on one of the walls from back when a card player was killed by his opponent for cheating his hand at poker. Next to the bullet holes is a report by a coroner. The bar is featured in the role-playing video game “Fallout: New Vegas”. 

4. The Tonopah Liquor Saloon

photo source: Flickr

The Tonopah Liquor Saloon is located in the building of the same name, constructed in 1905 by the Tonopah Liquor Company (TLC). The saloon is famous for its variety of whiskeys, especially its own handcrafted drinks, as they are home to the TLC Whiskey 100 Club. 

The building design has the Classical Revival style. It’s also one of the only four remaining in the town. In 1982, the bar building entered the National Register of Historic Places.

Did You Know?

Today, Tonopah resembles a ghost mining town, even though it was among the wealthiest in Nevada, starting with the accidental discovery of gold mines. This town sits between Las Vegas and Reno, and its prime was at the beginning of the 1900s. 

3. Bank Saloon

photo source: Wikipedia

The Bank Saloon, also known as Jack’s Bar, is the longest operating bar in Carson City, starting in 1899. The bar hasn’t ever been closed, working even through the Prohibition from 1919 to 1933. It has been a host to many celebrities over the years, known for handcrafted house cocktails and craft beer.

The lounge was among the first establishments to receive gambling and soft drink licenses in 1922. Due to building deterioration, the bar was closed for a couple of years before reopening in 2019. 

Did You Know?

Jack’s Bar was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980, deemed as “the significant representation of a class of establishments that have played a vital role in the social and political atmosphere of Carson City”. 

2. Bucket of Blood Saloon

photo source: Travel Nevada

With its intriguing name, the Bucket of Blood is one of the oldest bars in Virginia City. The bar has been serving drinks and food ever since 1876. It’s been through multiple renovations through the years, but the pub still holds a piece of history and old-time charm with hanging lamps and mirrors.

Versal McBride purchased the Bucket of Blood in 1931, and the bar stayed in the McBride family ever since. On weekends, the visitors can enjoy live music from David John and the Comstock Cowboys, the official house band of the saloon. 

Did You Know?

The Bucket of Blood was constructed over the remnants of the only black-owned western saloon from this time, known as the Boston Saloon, after the Great Fire of 1875. The Great Fire destroyed most of Virginia City, but the town was soon reconstructed. 

1. Genoa Bar & Saloon

photo source: Travel Nevada

“Nevada’s Oldest Thirst Parlor” has been serving drinks and tomato juice since 1853. The bar has a rich history, considering all of the presidents, musicians, and actors that went through it over the years.

The back of the bar has a hanging diamond-dust mirror, dating back to the 1840s, one of the oldest decoration pieces. 

Located in Douglas County, the Town of Genoa was established just two years before the bar as a trading post by a group of Mormon traders from Salt Lake City. The saloon hasn’t changed much over the years, having all pieces of history hanging from the walls. 

Did You Know?

Raquel Welch was asked to leave her bra when she visited the bar in the 1970s. The actress agreed but demanded the owners take down all the other bras. Her black leopard print bra and a signed photo hang on a pair of antlers. Hollywood movies “Misery” and “Til’ the River Runs Dry” were filmed here too.