Zero Bond, opening next month at Wynn Las Vegas, enters a growing scene of high-end nightspots in VegasVille, some of which offer exclusive membership. These opulent clubs are separate from supper clubs such as Mayfair, live entertainment venues such as Voltaire and The Pinky Ring, and traditional DJ-driven nightclubs. Here’s the hot list.
The Poodle Club
On the north end of the Strip (you can’t miss its blue-hued tower), you’ll find this 89th-floor spot atop the Fontainebleau Las Vegas. A panoramic view of the Vegas skyline is an enticing selling point. With its midcentury modern and maximalist design, the club features poodle-inspired effects throughout, including a big (taxidermied) poodle in a stall in the women’s restroom.
Around the venue are a mirrored entryway, a cigar lounge and a private bar. Access is limited to members, those invited by members, those with reservations at the 12-seat Japanese restaurant Ito, or those staying in the Fleur de Lis suites. The no-cellphone policy is buttressed by stickers over the lens of guests’ cameras showing the club’s poodle brand. Information: fontainebleaulasvegas.com.
Doberman Drawing Room
The Arts District nightspot drew neighborhood scrutiny for its membership option. Many Vegas dwellers thought it was membership-only. Not so. Anyone 21 or older can enter; reservations are encouraged but not required. There is one membership tier, with a $500 initiation fee and $2,500 annual dues. Members receive a bottle of Champagne each month, which is equivalent to $3,000 a year. A down payment for the bubbly, in short.
The club is modeled on the estate of a European dignitary, or possibly the Most Interesting Man in the World. A closed-off VIP area with a cushy sofa and an attic-fashioned mini-club upstairs, overlooking the main floor, are among the amenities. You’ll find several mounted heads of large-game animals, a chandelier built more than a century ago, rust-tinged tubas and French horns, model ships and the smeared-effect paintings of hyper-realistic portrait artist Ben Ashton.
The menu is an adventurous collection of high-end cocktails, an inventive zero-proof roster and light bites. Music and live entertainment are highlighted by piano favorite Spadoni’s Keys to Doberman trio on Wednesdays, Mikalah Gordon’s trio on Sundays and the new monthly “Tub Club” burlesque show.
Allē Lounge on 66
Resorts World’s sky-high space is named for its 66th-floor location. No membership necessary and no entry fee.
The lounge features rare spirits, craft cocktails and small plates. Access the swank nightspot via elevators at the Conrad Las Vegas. The bar is big enough to serve as its own club, with several couches and chairs facing the floor-to-ceiling windows. DJs work nightly. The club emphasizes its dress code. Swimwear/athletic apparel and sandals are not permitted in the lounge.
Also, any decision regarding entry to the venue is at management’s discretion, meaning there is exclusivity to weed out those not using common sense. The club is a partnership with the Allē aesthetics loyalty program, which offers discounts to club guests.
Legacy Club
The elevated hangout at Circa is another top-down venue, covering 8,400 square feet atop the 60th-floor tower. On co-owner Derek Stevens’ VIP list are busts of several Vegas casino pioneers that adorn the club.
There’s also a panoramic view of the Strip, facing south, along with a firepit, couches, banquettes on the outdoor terrace, plenty of seating at or near the bar and a very cosmopolitan experience on Fremont and Main. You almost can’t recall the days when the Las Vegas Club stood on this site.
Assorted booth and table packages require a spending limit ($25 to $350, depending on the group size). Otherwise, there’s no fee to enter. Just make sure your attire is “upscale nightlife.”
The Foundation Room
Mandalay Bay’s top-floor club, which offers membership and allows general admission, has been shut down since the fall. But we list it here because word is the venue will relaunch as the Vinyl Room in July, if not earlier.
The 63rd-floor venue has been completely redesigned and is said to be spectacular, an international design (including some Asian influence). The Foundation Room was an elite destination when it launched in 2000, just after Mandalay Bay opened. It was an anti-megaclub then, and will be again.
John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. Contact him at [email protected]. Follow @johnnykats on X, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.