Las Vegas Mixtape v39: Supersonic Honky Tonkin,’ West African Eats, and New Downtown Funhouse

Track #5: Around Town Medley:

When reality stops delivering for you, it’s time to step into another kind of escape room—like the new Pachi-Pachi at the corner of 6th and Carson downtown (you can’t miss it thanks to the colorfully wrapped exterior). I had the opportunity to experience it at a preview bash one week ahead of its official opening.

Pachi-Pachi—described in the press notes as being “named after the hypnotic sound of pachinko balls clinking through a machine”—is a surreal-looking funhouse with eye-popping hand-painted walls. The place is lot of things: a Japanese-inspired bar, eatery (with specialty bites like “ghost noodles” and “steak sandos”), listening lounge, and club with carefully handpicked DJs.

Don’t miss the bathrooms—even if you don’t have to go. (Image: Vegas 411)

The boutique 80-person space was artistically helmed by Vegas hospitality icon Branden Powers (Golden Tiki, Evel Pie), so you know the bold visuals are guaranteed to free you from the mundane. Scenic visionary Jen Styling was also tapped for her keenly stimulating installations.

Notably, Pachi-Pachi is open 7 days a week for lunch (starting at 11am), happy hour, and deep into the night. The party seemingly doesn’t stop here.

Alt-metal—all the way from Sweden. (Image: Vegas 411)

It’s wonderful to see music venue Swan Dive gaining more traction with plum bookings since its opening one year ago on the upper level of the Colorado building on Main St in the Arts District.

Things got ultra-heavy, not to mention left-of-center, on a recent Thursday night at a triple bill topped by the inspired, long running, and perfectly named Swedish “stoner rock band” Dozer as part of their “Return To The Endless Void” tour.  Openers Abrams (from Denver) and Moon Destroys (primarily from Atlanta) also showed the depth of heavy music by artfully integrating dreamy and prog-rock elements. Keep your ears open for these three bands, who are upholding the true outsider spirit of rock.

A side of eye candy art. (Image: Vegas 411)

Congrats to Holsteins on their move to Arts District after 15 years of serving “Bam-Boozled shakes and burger masterpieces” at the Cosmopolitan. Slide into a brown leather banquette at their new space on Main St where it’s intimate, gorgeously lit, and beautifully textured with wood, brick, metal touches. It’s dazzling too, thanks to the art sculptures by a local artist placed throughout. Bonus point: on the night I was there, it was wonderful to hear The Stone Roses (“I Wanna Be Adored”) and the Pretenders (“Stop Your Sobbing”) on their playlist.

Where hamburgers look like alien spaceships…(Image: Vegas 411)

Their burgers delivered the promised thrills. Hats off to the “Gold Standard,” with aged goat cheddar cheese, smoked bacon, tomato confit, and chive aioli, and the “Rising Sun,” prepared with a Korean barbecue sauce, crispy yams, a multi-purpose Japanese seasoning, tempura, and spicy mayo.  Next time, I will gleefully descend into the rabbit hole of their elaborately prepared sweet-relief milkshakes, with and without booze. Seems the “Drunken Monkey” offering—with “screwball peanut butter whiskey, Reese’s peanut butter cups, and banana laffy taffy”—could transport anyone to some other galaxy.