VIVA LAS VEGAS. A little birdy once told me to head inside to the Ice Bar at the Golden Nugget Hotel and Casino Las Vegas to get a cheaper (and way tastier) Bloody Mary than at the Nugget’s pool. Thanks to that birdy, I bring you a review of the Ice Bar’s “Build Your Own” Bloody Mary, which actually wasn’t really BYO. The bartender made the Bloody for me and put every garnish ingredient in it, so I didn’t exactly build it myself. Bacon was involved, so all was well.
The Golden Nugget is a way chill hotel in old Las Vegas– north of the Strip and near the Fremont Street Experience. I stayed there a few weeks ago before seeing PHISH for four nights at the MGM. The Nugget is a decently priced hotel with lots of restaurants, bars, and walking access to the Fremont Street Experience. I recommend it if you are interested in taking a Vegas vacation off of the Strip. And my favorite part about the Nugget? They have a shark tank pool and waterslide that runs through theshark tank. That’s right. A freakin’ waterslide going through the shark tank. My inner child was absolutely released on that water slide. And, of course, like all Las Vegas pools, there’s a bar with delicious drinks poolside. But at the Nugget… There’s a bar inside with cheaper (and better) cocktails. Like the BYO Bloody Mary, which you can read about below.
AT A GLANCE 20/20
The Ice Bar’s Bloody looked super, super tasty! It was garnished with a slice of bacon, pickled asparagus, an olive, a pickle, some celery, a pepperoncini, and lime wedge. Lots of spices were seen floating throughout the dark red-colored cocktail and on the bottom of the cup.
GARNISH 20/20
The garnish was on point. Although it was marketed as a “Build Your Own” Bloody, the bartender made me one with everything! Definitely the way to go. The pickled asparagus and bacon were highlights and the combination of all of the different ingredients made for a perfect garnish.
SPICE 19/20
The Absolut Peppar was the perfect vodka for this cocktail.. It added super peppery notes to the Bloody and mixed nicely with the other spices used in the cocktail (notably salt and celery seed). It was pretty spicy and had a kick of heat, perfect for a Vegas day by the pool.
TEXTURE & ACIDITY 17/20
Ice Bar’s Bloody was pretty refreshing, although quite spicy and of a thicker consistency. It was tangy and the slightest bit acidic.
UNIQUENESS 18/20
The Bloody was kicking with heat, tasty, full of delicious garnish ingredients, and only $12, which is a steal in Vegas. The use of Absolut Peppar was perfect. Highly recommended if you’re at the Nugget.
FINAL SCORE 94/100
Next time you’re headed to Sin City, spend a night off the Strip at the Golden Nugget and have a Bloody before you hit the epic shark tank pool. The Golden Nugget is located at:
129 Fremont Street Experience, Las Vegas, NV 89101