Asylum Bar + Arcade inside AREA15 in Las Vegas is a wonderful place to gather, compete, drink and play for people of all ages. For “kids” of a certain age, it may as well be heaven.
Asylum Bar + Arcade opened June 1 at AREA15, the massive entertainment venue in Las Vegas, just west of I-15. It uses both floors and is located in the rear of the building. The bottom floor is open to all ages before 9 p.m., and the top floor is 21-plus at all times.
Whether you’re looking to find checkered flags through the state-of-the-art F1 racing game or hoping to see red flags by playing a bunch of games against a potential partner on a first date, Asylum Bar + Arcade has the game or activity for you. Downstairs includes the aforementioned F1 game, midway games like Pop-a-Shot (Lakers vs. Celtics, so choose wisely) and skee ball, and a handful of the 32 classic coin-operated games that reside at Asylum. There’s also an eight-person bar with all of Asylum’s tap handles and specialty cocktails.
The walk upstairs is breathtaking if you haven’t been to an old-school arcade in years or decades. It includes the bulk of Asylum’s vintage video games. All-time classics like Donkey Kong, Super Mario Bros., NBA Jam and Rampage are littered throughout, and so many more that you may not have thought of in forever. It’s a smile-filled trip down memory lane or – for some – an introduction to the “OGs” of video gaming. There is also an extensive collection of pinball machines along the back wall, four pool tables for those who prefer their competition technology-free, and additional skee ball and Pop-a-Shot games. The DJ booth is also upstairs, and Asylum Bar + Arcade highlights various DJs throughout the week to keep things fresh.
For craft beer fans, Asylum Bar + Arcade has a rotating list of cans and drafts featuring highly-rated beers and ciders from around the country. Nevada staples like Able Baker’s Atomic Duck, plus selections from Beer Zombies and Battle Born breweries are featured at the time of publication. Out-of-state favorites include choices from Dogfish Head, Pizza Port and others. For those who prefer cocktails, Asylum Bar + Arcade has specialty cocktails on draft and housemade booze-filled slushies. One draft cocktail is the Metroid Margarita, which contains Tequila Corrido, triple sec, strawberry syrup, lime juice and agave. The strawberry syrup isn’t overpowering, so you get a refreshing margarita with a nice touch of strawberry. One of the Housemade Boozie Slushies is the Goldeneye with Mount Gay Rum, Passion Fruit Malibu, passion fruit Puree, plus lemon and lime. Asylum Bar + Arcade has a full bar, so if you want a sophisticated, sipping-style drink, you can get it, but the emphasis throughout the cocktail list is drinkability. You’re way more likely to hit the high score in Tetris if you’re just enjoying your drink and not overly concerned with whether those are notes of leather or smoke within.
Asylum Bar + Arcade is available for corporate events and private parties. It is open Sunday to Thursday from noon to midnight, and Friday and Saturday until 2 a.m.
For more information about Asylum Bar + Arcade, visit www.asylumarcade.com.