16. Sapphire Lounge
City: Reno, NV
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (775) 788-2814
Address: 219 North Center Street
Description: Like everything else at Harrah’s, the Sapphire Lounge is a classy establishment. New to the Reno nightclub scene, it capitalizes on club hoppers’ renewed interest in exotic cocktails. The beverage menu also boasts a large selection of cognacs, tequilas, and handcrafted bourbons. If you’re toasting a special occasion, you’ll find a variety of wines and champagnes to choose from, both by the bottle and by the glass. You can enjoy a variety of entertainment at this upscale lounge Wednesday through Sunday. It opens at 6:00 p.m.
17. Satellite Cocktail Lounge
City: Reno, NV
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (775) 786-3536
Address: 188 California Avenue
Description: A small neighborhood lounge located along historic California Avenue, the Satellite offers a large variety of live music and events Tuesday through Sunday. The cover charge varies with the group. The welcome mat goes out at 4:00 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and at 6:00 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
18. The Zephyr Lounge
City: Reno, NV
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (775) 324-9853
Address: 1074 South Virginia Street
Description: At the Zephyr Lounge, the owners say the excitement comes from not knowing who you might see here—a banker, a veteran, a pacifist, or a teacher. And its music is as varied as its clientele. Some nights there is jazz, some nights blues, and some nights swing music. The Zephyr opens daily at 2:00 p.m.
19. New Oasis
City: Reno, NV
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (775) 359-4020
Address: 2100 Victorian Avenue
Description: You can forget the soft, easy-listening music: The sound at the New Oasis is big and bold, like the industrial dance music belted out by Ministry. Since groups and times vary, it’s best to consult the Web site for the current schedule. Some groups are suitable for all ages.
20. Sidelines Bar & Nightclub
City: Reno, NV
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (775) 355-1030
Address: 1237 Baring Boulevard
Description: Tucked away in a shopping center on Baring Boulevard, this little neighborhood bar advertises cheap drinks and fun. You’ll find live music on weekends and open-mic and jam during the week along with a variety of special events. Check the Web site or call for the specific schedule.
21. River Ranch Lodge
City: Reno, NV
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (530) 583-4264, (866) 991-9912
Description: One of the most popular summer outings at Lake Tahoe is floating the Truckee River from its source at Tahoe City down to the River Ranch Lodge. Rafters arrive to a first-class welcome with live entertainment and food and drinks on the patio of this wonderful historic lodge. You don’t have to arrive wet to be admitted, however, and you can enjoy the fun through the cocktail hour and dinner if you wish.
22. Ceol Irish Pub
City: Reno, NV
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (775) 329-5558
Address: 538 South Virginia Street
Description: Irish emblems and warm brick walls create a homey Irish ambience at the Ceol (which means “music” in Irish) Irish Pub. You can imbibe in Irish brews or whiskeys while chatting with new friends and enjoying entertainment. The pub offers live music Friday and Saturday at 9:00 p.m. with no cover charge and a variety of special events throughout the week. It opens at 3:00 p.m.
23. Corrigan’S Bit O’Ireland
City: Reno, NV
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (775) 322-1977
Address: 1526 South Wells Avenue
Description: To give you a sense of the kind of atmosphere here, Corrigan’s has an electric sign counting down the days until St. Patrick’s Day and a placard that reads England Get Out of Ireland. The owner is really named Corrigan, and you can get Harp and Guinness on tap. What more do you need know about this Irish pub? This is an Insiders’ hangout, though its clientele changes often. One day it might be students from the local university, the next it might be the construction workers from across the street. One thing’s for certain, don’t come here on St. Patrick’s Day unless you like crowds. It’s standing room only. But you wouldn’t expect less from an Irish pub.
24. The Flowing Tide Pub
City: Reno, NV
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (775) 747-7707
Address: 10580 North McCarran Boulevard
Description: With three locations in Reno, it’s pretty easy to pop into a Flowing Tide Pub for food and drink. The atmosphere is lively, and TVs keep customers entertained while they imbibe in typical pub offerings. Don’t worry about what you’re wearing, because the ambience is definitely laid-back. With large portions and inexpensive prices, the Flowing Tide also appeals to families for lunch and dinner.
25. Foley’S Irish Pub
City: Reno, NV
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (775) 829-8500
Address: 2780 South Virginia Street
Description: Foley’s sits right across the street from the Peppermill Hotel Casino Reno. It has good Irish stout on tap and good Catholic whiskey behind the bar (OK, it also has fairly good Protestant whiskey, too). It also serves pub food. This pub has room for a small band and books real Celtic musicians once in a while.
26. Bully’S Sports Bar & Grill
City: Reno, NV
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (775)746-8006
Address: 2005 Sierra Highlands Drive
27. Bully’S Sports Bar & Grill Too
City: Reno, NV
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (775) 851-7400
Address: 18156 Wedge Parkway/Mt. Rose Highway
Description: With 10 locations, Bully’s has been voted the No. 1 sports bar in the Reno/Tahoe area for several years, and with good reason. These bars are the epitome of what sports bars should be—big-screen TVs, friendly employees, and everyone screaming for their favorite team. These bars are equipped with scrolling scoreboards to keep patrons up-to-date on all the games. Good luck trying to find a seat on Friday or Saturday night. I’ve listed two of the most convenient locations here and one in the Sparks section of this chapter. Check the Web site for more locations.
28. Knucklehead’S Sports Bar
City: Reno, NV
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (775) 323-6500
Address: 405 Vine Street
Description: You can enjoy your favorite game on one of this bar’s five TV screens along with video games, pool, and darts. Happy hour runs from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m., and there is live music Friday and Saturday nights starting at 9:00 p.m.
29. Sparky’S Sports Bar & Grill
City: Reno, NV
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (775) 851-3999
Description: On any given night of the week, you’d swear that every one of the thousands of league softball area players is in Sparky’s. It is rapidly becoming the place to go after that hard-played game. The atmosphere is loud and the food and drink typical of sports bar fare. Sparky’s has six locations in the area.
30. Bully’S Sports Bar & Grill
City: Reno, NV
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (775) 352-8400
Description: See Reno listing earlier in this chapter for more information.