The Best Bar to . . . Celebrate a Big Win: The Chandelier
This story appears in the July 2011 issue of Entrepreneur. Subscribe »
The Chandelier | Las Vegas
You don't have to be a 5-year-old girl to be attracted to sparkles. Case in point: The Chandelier, a glitzy bar inside the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. The 2 million beaded crystals draped around the three-story cocktail haven make it feel like you're sitting inside a chandelier.
Since the venue opened in late 2010, locals and visitors alike have flocked here to party with friends and celebrate big business wins. Turns out everything looks better behind a curtain that glimmers in the (artificial) light.
Granted, other attributes set The Chandelier apart from Vegas' many win-friendly bars. For starters, it's quiet. Most bars in this town never fully remove you from the constant ringing of slot machines, but The Chandelier's two upper levels float above the hubbub. The bar also offers privacy, especially on the second level, where several banquettes are built into nooks and crannies. One of the most sought-after spots in town? The ultra-secluded table that servers jokingly refer to as "jail."
Finally, of course, there are the cocktails. General manager Mariena Mercer, also the Cosmopolitan's head mixologist, has concocted an unparalleled menu of powerful potions. Each floor specializes in different types of libations. Her molecular gastronomy program revolves around creative garnishes--think freeze-dried raspberries--and drinks you can eat, like the Old Fashioned sorbet.
Patrons certainly appreciate all the attention to detail. Roger Snow, an executive at ShuffleMaster, a local casino supply company, has hit the bar many nights after inking a new customer. "We can indulge and feel like we're in our own world, yet still be in the middle of it all," he says. His take on The Chandelier's glitzy look? A "crystal octopus with a thousand tentacles."
Indeed, every celebration is better with sparkles.
Order like a regular: Get the Verbena, a ginger and lemon margarita garnished with a "buzz button," a dried flower that makes your mouth salivate and heightens your taste sensitivity.
Go: 3708 Las Vegas Blvd. S.; (702) 698-7000; cosmopolitanlasvegas.com
