Las Vegas’s Downtown Cocktail Room Is Closing | Eater Vegas

"Opened in January 2007, Downtown Cocktail Room became a 3,000-square-foot, warm bohemian-chic speakeasy tucked behind a simple marquee at the corner of Fremont Street and Las Vegas Boulevard, with dim red tones, angled spotlights, lounge-style seating on padded sofas, and a rear bar where bartenders poured classic cocktails and seasonal signatures. Drinks included the Killa Kiwi (vodka, kiwi puree, vanilla syrup, and lemon) and the Downtown Dill (a gin-and-cucumber riff on a Bloody Mary), and it was noted as one of the only bars in town that can reliably make a banging Ramos Gin Fizz—provided the night was early enough and the tip large enough for the five-minute dry shake. Memorable touches included two-way-mirrored bathroom stalls and a history as a locals-first destination that helped spur downtown’s renaissance after Tony Hsieh’s investments; owner Michael Cornthwaite recalls opening it to serve nearby city employees and law firms and later watching the neighborhood change. Facing pandemic-era shifts, rising costs that pushed cocktails above $20, demographic changes after Cornthwaite relocated to Colorado, and evolving nightlife on the block, he announced DCR will close sometime between November 8 and November 13, and hopes longtime locals stop in one last time for a shot of Fernet or a Ramos Gin Fizz." - Janna Karel