The Oldest Bar In Vegas Is A Historic Gem Where Cold War Cocktails Meet Atomic History

Las Vegas, Nevada, is a world-renowned tourist city full of fun and excitement. A part of that excitement comes from how much it reinvents itself, always with something new to do and see. But it still has some of its historic spots. The Golden Gate Hotel in historic downtown Las Vegas is the oldest casino in the city, dating back to 1906, and just a mile away is Atomic Liquors, the city's longest-running freestanding bar.

Atomic Liquors opened in 1952; before that, it had been a cafe called Virginia's and owned by Joe and Stella Sobchik. People came to the cafe's rooftop to watch (from a safe distance) the nuclear explosions outside of Las Vegas. The Nevada Test Site, which started operating in the early 1950s, was north of the city, and the mushroom clouds that accompany an atomic bomb were visible from the city. In 1952, Joe and Stella turned the cafe into a bar with the first-ever "Tavern License" issued in Las Vegas. Joe served drinks like the Atomic Cocktail, which you can still get there today. The drink is a potent mix of equal parts vodka and cognac with a bit of sherry and champagne; drink with care!

Joe died in 2010, and Stella died 3 months later in 2011; the two had run the bar for nearly 60 years together. It changed hands in 2012, and it was remodeled and reopened. It still has its iconic neon sign, dating back to the 1950s, and it still serves fantastic cocktails and craft beers along with classic bar food like burgers, wings, tacos, and pizza.

Over the years, Atomic Liquors has been frequented by famous Hollywood celebrities like the Rat Pack, Barbra Streisand (who particularly liked to play pool there), Robert De Niro, and others. It was featured in the 1995 movie "Casino" by Martin Scorsese; it's the place where Joe Pesci's character uses a pen to kill someone. And you might recognize the exterior and its famous neon sign from a scene in the movie "The Hangover" or an episode of "The Twilight Zone." Some of the cocktails on the menu reference the bar's deep history and former famous patrons, like the Hunter S. Smash, named for writer Hunter S. Thompson. It features Old Crow Bourbon, which was one of Thompson's favorite whiskeys. 

There's no more pool table (sorry, Babs!), but there's still lots of historic artifacts from its atomic heyday on display, like the vintage Old Crow bottles behind the bar and a Geiger counter. It also still has some of the original styling with a large curving bar and red lighting. In a city where there's often a lot of change, Atomic Liquors is one of those places that has truly stood the test of time.

If you're interested in more nuclear history in the area, the Nevada Test Site is open for guided tours once a month. And the Atomic Museum is near the strip, less than 2 miles from The Venetian Resort, an elegant all-suite hotel filled with world-class restaurants. It has exhibits on the history of the nuclear programs near Las Vegas and the impact of the atomic weapons on pop culture.