This post was originally published on November 4, 2015.

Viva Las Vegas, baby. Sin City, the city of high rollers, bright lights, late nights, showgirls, and delicious Bloody Marys. I have had a few Las Vegas destinations on my Bloody Mary bucket list for some time now and had to cross at least one place off the list this past weekend while in Sin City. Funny thing is, the place I crossed off my list just opened in Vegas relatively recently. It’s called Yardbird and its original location is in Miami (the Miami location was on my wishlist). I knew we had to go there, as months ago, my mouth watered when reading about their chicken ‘n’ watermelon ‘n’ waffles…

After a late Friday night spent with Trey Anastasio Band at the Brooklyn Bowl, I called Yardbird Saturday morning to make a reservation to ease our hangovers. Then, we walked from the Bellagio over to the Venetian, where Yardbird is located. Upon arrival, you see Southern-style white shutters encasing the restaurant front and dim lights inside. The decor was hospitable; there were even ceiling lamps made out of mason jars. We sat at a comfortable table and were greeted almost immediately by our server.

I ordered a Bloody Mary with Tito’s jalapeno-infused vodka to start. We ordered a few dishes for the table to split– most notably the chicken ‘n’ watermelon ‘n’ waffles (I’ve wanted to try this for months now) which is brined for 27 HOURS! Thats right… 27 hours to create the succulent flavors that were in that damn bird. We also got two orders of the smoked brisket and biscuits (nice rhyme) and two yardbird benedicts. HOLY WOW. The food was so good. I’m still sitting here dreaming about it all the way in Colorado. And the Bloody Mary? F**king delicious. You can read the details about Yardbird’s Bloody Mary below. I highly recommend heading over to Yardbird if you want a delicious and filling meal in Las Vegas (or in Miami for that matter).

AT A GLANCE 19/20

Yardbird’s Bloody Mary looked absolutely delicious when it arrived at our table. It was served cleanly in a jar and boasted a bright red colour. The Bloody was garnished with bacon, pickled okra, pickled green bean, and an olive stuffed with cheese. It had that Southern appeal and spices were floating throughout the cocktail.

GARNISH 19/20

The Yardbird Bloody’s garnish was quite appealing and contained some of my favorite things– bacon, cheese, and pickled greatness! The bacon was crispy and was complimentary after sips of the Bloody. The pickled green bean had a nice vinegar taste, along with the pickled okra. The olive was AWESOME! It was stuffed with some fancy French cheese that melted in my mouth. I was lucky enough to eat my friend’s too 🙂 (she doesn’t like olives). The garnish was unique and really drew me in!

SPICE 20/20

As I ordered my Bloody with jalapeno-infused Tito’s, there was a nice bite to my cocktail. It was the perfect bite though, and not too spicy. The mix had a nice aroma and you could taste the freshness of the ingredients used within the mix. There were large chunks of spices, which added to the fullness of the flavor– especially horseradish!

TEXTURE & ACIDITY 20/20

Yardbird’s Bloody was not acidic at all, although it was spicy! This is the quintessential Bloody Mary– the one that gives you the perfect, spicy kick but does not leave you with heartburn afterwards. The texture of the Bloody was thick and filling.

UNIQUENESS 19/20

The Bloody Mary at Yardbird was unique and had Southern flair due to the fresh taste of the mix with the vinegar-soaked okra and green bean. The cocktail was served in a jar, which further accentuated the down home style. The addition of the jalapeno-infused Tito’s added to the complexity of the mix, resulting in deep flavors that had me begging for more.

FINAL SCORE 97/100

If you’re in Vegas and want a comforting Bloody and Southern-style meal to ease you into another fun-fueled day, check out Yardbird. Yardbird is located at:

The Venetian Restaurant Row, 3355 S. Las Vegas Boulevard, Las Vegas, NV 89109