Kim Gullicks, left, and KerryAnn Thompson, both of Bismarck, N.D., at the rotating bar at Whiskey Licker Up Saloon in Binion’s at Fremont Street Experience in downtown in Las Vegas Thursday, Oct. 17, 2019. (K.M. Cannon/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @KMCannonPhoto
Trista Wells, left, and Sara Peterson, both of Kalispell Montana, at the rotating bar at Whiskey Licker Up Saloon in Binion’s at Fremont Street Experience in downtown in Las Vegas Thursday, Oct. 17, 2019. (K.M. Cannon/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @KMCannonPhoto
Trista Wells, right, and Sara Peterson, both of Kalispell Montana, at the rotating bar at Whiskey Licker Up Saloon in Binion’s at Fremont Street Experience in downtown in Las Vegas Thursday, Oct. 17, 2019. (K.M. Cannon/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @KMCannonPhoto
The rotating bar at Whiskey Licker Up Saloon in Binion’s at Fremont Street Experience in downtown in Las Vegas Thursday, Oct. 17, 2019. (K.M. Cannon/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @KMCannonPhoto
The rotating bar at Whiskey Licker Up Saloon in Binion’s at Fremont Street Experience in downtown in Las Vegas Thursday, Oct. 17, 2019. (K.M. Cannon/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @KMCannonPhoto
Trista Wells, left, and Sara Peterson, both of Kalispell Montana, at the rotating bar at Whiskey Licker Up Saloon in Binion’s at Fremont Street Experience in downtown in Las Vegas Thursday, Oct. 17, 2019. (K.M. Cannon/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @KMCannonPhoto
Frank and Barb Fox of Lake Erie, Ohio at the rotating bar at Whiskey Licker Up Saloon in Binion’s at Fremont Street Experience in downtown in Las Vegas Thursday, Oct. 17, 2019. (K.M. Cannon/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @KMCannonPhoto
Thomas Rodrigues, from right, Kahtrinah Guerrero, both of San Antonio, Texas, Miranda Calderon and Armando Calderon, both of Lake Hills Texas, at the rotating bar at Whiskey Licker Up Saloon in Binion’s at Fremont Street Experience in downtown in Las Vegas Thursday, Oct. 17, 2019. (K.M. Cannon/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @KMCannonPhoto
The rotating bar at Whiskey Licker Up Saloon in Binion’s at Fremont Street Experience in downtown in Las Vegas Thursday, Oct. 17, 2019. (K.M. Cannon/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @KMCannonPhoto
The rotating bar at Whiskey Licker Up Saloon in Binion’s at Fremont Street Experience in downtown in Las Vegas Thursday, Oct. 17, 2019. (K.M. Cannon/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @KMCannonPhoto
The rotating bar at Whiskey Licker Up Saloon in Binion’s at Fremont Street Experience in downtown in Las Vegas Thursday, Oct. 17, 2019. (K.M. Cannon/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @KMCannonPhoto
The rotating bar at Whiskey Licker Up Saloon in Binion’s at Fremont Street Experience in downtown in Las Vegas Thursday, Oct. 17, 2019. (K.M. Cannon/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @KMCannonPhoto
Trista Wells, left, and Sara Peterson, both of Kalispell Montana, at the rotating bar at Whiskey Licker Up Saloon in Binion’s at Fremont Street Experience in downtown in Las Vegas Thursday, Oct. 17, 2019. (K.M. Cannon/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @KMCannonPhoto
Binion’s new Whiskey Licker Up Saloon gives visitors the perfect view of the Fremont Street Experience soundstage.
Then the Vegas Vic neon sign. Then the Golden Nugget. Then a handful of SlotZilla zip-liners.
The rotating bar, which opened Sept. 30, is the only one of its kind downtown.
“People love it,” said Tim Lager, the general manager for Binion’s and Four Queens. “You’re in this glass bubble, so you’re out rotating right on Fremont Street. … People seem to get a kick out of it when the (Fremont Street) lights are on.”
The bar, stationed above the original Whisky Licker bar on Fremont Street, originally held the executive office for Binion’s employees.
It wasn’t until Terry Caudill’s TLC Casino Enterprises bought the property in 2008 that executives realized they could do better with the space.
“Come New Year’s Eve, they were doing sound checks on the stage next to us, and the music was so loud,” Lager said. “That’s when I realized our office was sitting on Fremont Street. It’s an idea we’ve had a long, long time.”
Because of the recession, the company had to sit on the idea for a few years, Lager said. Then, two years ago, it started putting its plan into action.
The bar seats 25 people, but the rotating platform can fit more than 50 people total. It takes about 15 minutes for the stage to complete a full rotation, and it has a restaurant that makes its food from scratch.
“We think it’s cool for downtown and Las Vegas,” Lager said.
The Whiskey Licker Up bar is open 11:30 a.m. to 2 a.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 2 a.m. Saturday and Sunday.
