Thunderbird Lounge Opens in Downtown Las Vegas | Eater Vegas

"Opened in 1948 as the fourth hotel on the Strip, the property was notable for having the largest pool in Nevada at the time, cowboy murals, and an iconic roadside sign featuring a bird clutching a marquee; it later became the Silverbird and then El Rancho before closing in 1992, and the new boutique iteration revives that historic identity. An on-site lounge led by hospitality veteran Kelley Jones in partnership with Todd Parmalee embraces a retro‑chic vibe with bar-top gaming, beers on tap, a pool table, beer pong and a “beat the clock” happy hour from 3–7 p.m. daily with specials on select domestic draft beer, well cocktails and house wines by the glass. The kitchen offers all-day dining (7:30 a.m.–10 p.m. Sunday–Thursday, until midnight Friday–Saturday) with breakfast staples like steak and eggs and a hangover breakfast burrito (scrambled eggs, sausage, scallions and cheddar topped with salsa), plus pork belly sliders with Asian barbecue sauce, a shrimp po' boy, a steak-and-potato wrap with flank steak and tater tots, street tacos, a veggie burger, flatbreads (sausage/pepperoni/bacon or Margherita), beer-battered fish and chips, pasta primavera and chicken parmesan. Classic cocktails on the menu include a 1948 Cocktail (Woodford Reserve Straight Rye, Aperol, vermouth, chocolate bitters), a Hemingway daiquiri (Atlantico Blanco rum, Luxardo, grapefruit liqueur and lime) and a Pink Squirrel (Crème de Noyaux, white crème de cacao and cream). The boutique hotel has 100 guest rooms at 1215 Las Vegas Blvd. S., plus a wedding chapel and a showroom; the site north of the Stratosphere previously housed the Aruba Hotel." - Susan Stapleton