Bar: Dino’s Lounge
Location: 1516 S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89104
Score: 8.7/10
“Welcome to the Vortex” are the first words you see while entering Dino’s, quite fitting for this establishment. Dark lighting, cheap beer, great music, pool tables, and attentive bartenders. If you like these features of a bar, Dino’s is for you. Dino’s had me sold from the big-ass green neon light outside of the bar. Dino’s is an awesome bar located in Las Vegas’ Art District. Dino’s is the definition of a dive. It is a couple of miles away from the strip and in a great area if you need a break from the chaos of the strip. This bar has some character. It is one of Vegas’ oldest bars, when you approach the building the first thing you notice is a sign that says, “Getting Vegas Drunk Sine 1962”. They hold up to this promise as they have daily drink specials on top of their already cheap prices. I went on a random Thursday while on vacation at about 2 pm and the place was fairly empty. The bartender was great, and as we spoke I found out we grew up in similar areas near St. Louis. She was a proud Packers fan, which was annoying, but other than that she was a stellar bartender. Dino’s had a variety of games such as pool and digital Keno along with karaoke entertainment at nighttime. The best part of Dino’s? It was a 24/7 bar. That’s right. Open all day, seven days a week, 365. Truly the best hours for the city that never sleeps. The gentleman I was sitting next to was taking advantage of the 24/7 hours as he said he had been at Dino’s since 10 am and you could tell he was not lying. This man was hammered, but as friendly as can be. This place was truly a great experience and embodied what a dive should be. I could not have been happier that I came across this gem.
Décor: This was Dino’s worst category by far. The place had some signage, but not as much as I’d like to see for a place that is over sixty years old. Dino’s had a great bar set up with plenty of space for their patrons as well as an area for some pool tables. A few more neon lights could do this place some justice.
Prices: For how expensive Vegas is in general, Dino’s shined in this category. The beer they sold was very cheap and they had a great selection.
Service: As mentioned, the service at Dino’s was very prompt and the bartender was a great conversationalist. Gonna have to dock a few points for her being a Packers fan though.
Atmosphere: Everyone at the bar was very friendly and the music was great. Luckily I was there when karaoke was not being played. Unpopular opinion but, karaoke can find a way to truly kill the atmosphere of a bar. Rarely ever do I enjoy karaoke music more than the actual music itself. I would never sign up to willingly hear drunks belt their favorite song, but that is just me. Dino’s surprised me that they had karaoke, it did not seem like the establishment that would.
Cleanliness: Dino’s was very clean in all aspects of their bar. Dive bars in general are grimy, but that does not mean they cannot be clean. If you do not understand this, you have not spent enough time in dive bars. Dino’s fell into the grimy category, but the bar top and surrounding area were spotless.
Bonus Points: Bonus points are awarded for Dino’s being a 24/7 establishment.