It seems as though it’s becoming easier to find good beer every day in Las Vegas. I’ve been on a beer kick lately so I was stoked to check out the first Las Vegas location of Eureka! This small chain of restaurants has more than 20 locations as far east as Texas. As I mentioned on a recent “What’s Hot In Vegas” video I couldn’t wait to check out the restaurant that uses a tagline proudly saying “No Crap On Tap.”
Eureka is a welcome addition to the Fremont East part of downtown Las Vegas. The bar and restaurant is across the street from El Cortez in a space that used to be home to The Beat coffee shop (RIP). While there are plenty of bars with a good beer selection in downtown Las Vegas (Atomic Liquors for starters) the casino corridor between the Plaza and El Cortez is lacking.
The bar at Eureka features 40 craft beers on tap. Half of the beers rotate regularly which is great for someone like me who likes to constantly try a new flavor. They also have a massive whiskey list if you prefer the brown booze. I'll check on that another time.
I tend to watch sport at bars in downtown Las Vegas instead of sportsbooks because they often have better TV’s. We can add Eureka to the list of places to watch sports in downtown Vegas. There are plenty of large and new TV’s located at the bar. The wall next to the bar opens like a garage door so there's often fresh air inside. Ahhhhhhh.
There was food at dinner but I was more focused on the beer list. I was able to enjoy all four IPA’s they have on their regular beer menu. All were good options for an IPA drinker, but my current favorite local brew is called Atomic Duck (7.3% ABV) from Able Baker Brewing.
The Osso Bucco riblets (imagine small ribs with hot wing sauce) was an excellent start to dinner and the 28 Days burger was very good. The star of the meal was the beer and the fantastic Bourbon Barrel Cake with vanilla ice cream. I see myself returning just for beer and dessert.
Craft Beer In Downtown Las Vegas
Eureka is a great addition to downtown Las Vegas because of the expansive beer list. There aren't many options in and around the casinos if you're looking for a variety of beer. Pizza Rock has been my go-to since it opened with more than 20 beers on tap. Until Eureka opened they had the best beer options available around a casino downtown.
Banger Brewing at Neonopolis under the Fremont Street Experience is a good option for beer drinkers. Choices are limited since the brewery only serves beer they brew. The More Cal-Bel Belgian IPA is my favorite. They're currently offering a grapefruit saison called Spring Training. I might try it just because I love baseball more than I hate grapefruit.
Main Street Station is one of the few casinos in Las Vegas that brews their own beer. In addition to cheap prices, the casino offers their beer as a comp when gambling. They regularly brew six kinds of beer and a seasonal. I prefer the Royal Red Ale.
The Longbar at The D might have the best selection at a casino bar in downtown Las Vegas. They have more than 10 beers on tap and offer each as a comp if you're playing video poker. Just a heads up that you'll find better video poker machines at the Vue Bar upstairs but they don't have a good beer selection.
Last but not least, Chicago Brewing Company has a restaurant at Four Queens. I'm not a fan of their beer and this casino but it's another option for beer drinkers.
Hop Nuts and Tenaya Creek breweries are located in downtown Las Vegas. You'll just have to leave the casino area to make a visit.
I'm always on the lookout for a new place to drink too much beer. Downtown Las Vegas has been a one trick pony for this beer drinker. Thankfully, Eureka offers another option to grab a beer and watch the games.
