Nightlife

Insiders say that the nightlife in the Reno/Tahoe area is 24–7–365. It’s rocking 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

The only city in the world that can outdo the Reno/Tahoe area for nighttime entertainment is its big sister to the south. But being second still puts it way, way ahead of other cities. Reno does an outstanding job of keeping visitors and locals alike hip-hopping to the night scene. In fact, Insiders joke that here, the nightlife lasts all day.

Throughout the year, the area jumps and jives from the sounds of big-time production numbers in the casino showrooms to the local punk band pounding out tunes in its first gig at one of those three-stooled, dimly lit dives. Because of the large Hispanic population in the area, a number of nightspots showcase Latino music and dancing. But if you want a cozy place where you can snuggle next to a fire, we’ve got that, too. In fact, we’ve got just about every kind of nightlife scene covered. And remember, most of the casinos have cabarets or lounges where some of the best Insider talent performs just about every hour of every night of the week, and the best thing is, the lounge entertainment is free.

Major performing artists the likes of Jay Leno, Chicago, Bill Maher, Jeff Foxworthy, Carrot Top, Ricky Martin, Air Supply, Neil Young, Jose Feliciano, The 5th Dimension, and Olivia Newton-John constantly pop in and out of the area. We’ve got comedy stores. We’ve got pubs and microbreweries. We’ve got nightclubs. So you can see that you can’t whine that there’s nothing to do at night here.

That’s the magnificent thing about this area: No matter what the season or what the weather, you can play hard all day and party hard all night. In this chapter, I’ll toss out my favorite picks of the night scene in the Reno/Tahoe area. I’ll point you in the right direction no matter what your tastes happen to be. I’ll guide you to the best karaoke bars, nightclubs, brewpubs, country and western dance halls, and other nightlife that the area has to offer. (See the Casino Nightlife chapter for a rundown of the entertainment offerings in the casino showrooms.)

This chapter is divided by type of establishment, then by geographical locations to help you find just the right place that tickles your fancy.

I would, however, like to put in a disclaimer here: The Reno/Tahoe area is dotted with hundreds of bars, but I have listed only the Insiders’ choices, most of which have entertainment, both live and recorded. As far as the rest of the bars are concerned, you’re on your own.

Just heed these words of warning: On the California side of the area, bars usually open at 6:00 a.m. and close at 2:00 a.m., but on the Nevada side of the area, liquor laws allow 24-hour-a-day drinking if you’re 21 or older. So pace yourself and be aware of the driving under the influence law (see the Getting Here, Getting Around chapter for a detailed explanation of the law). The one place guaranteed to be a drag during the night is the county jails, so behave in a responsible manner.

Also remember that the night scene changes constantly. There’s no guarantee that by the time you read this book that a specific bar may still offer live entertainment at the time listed. To keep up on what’s happening, grab one of the weekly entertainment guides (see the Media and Casino Nightlife chapters for a list). Now, let’s party.

Nightlife - Casino Nightlife

With casinos springing up on riverboats and Indian reservations all over the country, you don’t have to come to Nevada to gamble anymore. But because the Silver State has been in the business of legalized gambling longer than any other entity (since 1931), Nevada gaming establishments have refined casino nightlife to an art form designed to dazzle the senses of even the most discriminating casino patrons.

You can literally lose yourself (but hopefully not all your money) in a virtual world of gourmet dining, lavish stage revues, celebrity performances, and lively games 24 hours a day. Aside from running out of money, many visitors complain they don’t have time to sleep because the action never stops. If you’ve come to the Reno/Tahoe area to gamble, you’ll find casino gaming only in Nevada. But if you’re bedded down in California lodging, don’t despair because the Nevada casinos aren’t very far away from wherever you might be staying.

While many people hit the casinos with the hope of breaking the bank (the casinos’, not their own), the chances of that happening are slim because the odds on the machines and table games are in the casinos’ favor. For example, if you expect to hit a MegaJackpot on Megabucks, your chances are only about 200,000 to 1 after putting about $25 in the machine. And though the house or casino advantage on other games is not as daunting as Megabucks, it’s still about 5 percent on roulette and 22 percent on keno, for example. Remember that casinos make money when you lose and, in the long run, most players eventually do.

The healthiest way to approach gaming is to think of it as entertainment. Don’t expect to win big, but do hope to have a good time. Gamble only the amount of money you can realistically afford to lose, and then know when to quit. The best time to quit is when you’ve won, and if you don’t win before your budgeted amount is gone, walk away. To avoid being stuck without money to get home (it happens more often than you’d think), set aside enough for the trip home, and don’t touch it until you leave town.

If you’re a novice at gambling, it’s a good idea to learn something about it before you plunk down your hard-earned cash. After all, you wouldn’t invest in a business without finding out about it first, would you? If you have questions about slot machines, most casino slot employees can answer them for you. And while some dealers on the table games are happy to answer questions, keep in mind that your fellow players may not appreciate your holding up the game if the action is particularly hot and heavy. To help you get started, I’ll give you a few basics of the most popular games found in Reno/Tahoe casinos. Good luck!