Nearly everything about Las Vegas is obvious. Our casinos can tell you what they are from several blocks away—big castle, big observation needle, big volcano. Our neon signage is less like general directions and more like covert commands from the id: “cocktails,” “gaming,” “weddings.” The lights of the Strip are observable from space. Las Vegas is about being seen through big windows, all about welcoming guests through giant open doors.

Except when it’s not.

It’s hard to say when Vegas’ embrace of speakeasies and secret rooms began; it can be argued that secrets have been a big part of this town from its beginning. (“What happens here, stays here,” went the old LVCVA ad slogan.) But it was about 10 years ago, when Downtown’s Laundry Room and now-defunct Tokyo 365 made their debut, that we began flaunting the fact that Las Vegas had rooms that didn’t have giant open doors or big windows … or even have windows at all.

Today, there are covert nightspots located all over the city, even hidden away in those big casino properties. We’ll tell you about a few spots worth finding, what you might discover once you’re inside and how to gain entrance through those secret doors. –Geoff Carter

The Lock at the Cabinet of Curiosities – Bally’s, thecabinetlv.com

Every oddity and trinket on display at the Cabinet of Curiosities holds a treasure trove of tales. Guests can peruse the bar’s eccentric collection of artifacts at leisure, but if it’s true adventure you seek, wander beyond the Cabinet into the Lock, a secret, reservation-only bar within the bar. At the vaulted door, answer the Lock Smith’s questions over the phone to enter the “Safe Room,” where you must crack the combination to the safe. Find the clues to solve the puzzle, and you’ll be ushered through a crawl space (or secret door) and into the Lock’s lounge, replete with Victorian-era artwork.

By this point in the evening, you’re likely to have worked up a sweat. Grab a cocktail menu card and fill in details about your mood, spirit preferences and flavor profiles, and a mixologist will curate a drink for you. And the exploration doesn’t end there. Just beyond the Lock’s walls lies another hideaway full of infinity mirrors and paintings that appear suspiciously … alive. You’ll have to reserve that room with a group to uncover the rest of its secrets. –Amber Sampson

The Parlor at Más Por Favor – 3879 Spring Mountain Road, masporfavorlv.com

This Chinatown spot, located in the same buzzy plaza as Half Bird and the Golden Tiki, appears straightforward at first look, with a take-away counter, a few tables and a neon sign that helpfully advertises its menu of “TACOS TACOS TACOS.” But if you ask the cashier for “Tonight’s Delight”—or simply look for the sliding metal door to the left of the food counter, with a host standing in front of it—you’ll discover the long, dark “stone” hallway that leads to the Parlor, a swooningly gorgeous, dark and cavernlike room serving up margaritas on tap.

There are so many cool details here—from the archway of skulls over the bar to the familiar brown emoji that denotes the way to the bathrooms—that you might gloss over some of the details of the menu. Don’t. Their OG margarita, made from Casamigos tequila and “if we told ya we’d have to kill ya,” is an all-timer, as is the Disco Sh!t shooter—Casamigos Blanco, pineapple vinegar, orgeat, lime and mint, served with “party favors.” Order some drinks, pair them with the house’s terrific street tacos, and you might never want to return to the surface world.–GC

Here Kitty Kitty Vice Den at Famous FOODS Street Eats – Resorts World, rwlasvegas.com

Street market-like casino food halls—now a fixture at the Cosmopolitan and Resorts World and coming to Aria and beyond—have become premier destinations for both tourists and locals, drawn by their global selection of tastes. Resorts World’s version, Famous Foods Street Eats, is a must-visit, both for its ambitious selection ranging from hand-pulled noodles to Texas barbecue and its carefully hidden speakeasy.

You won’t find any signage for Here Kitty Kitty Vice Den, but its entrance is located just behind the shelves of Ms. Meow’s Mamak Stall. “Meow” goes the password, and you’ll be invited into this trendy, Japanese-themed den of sin adorned with overhead string lights and neon-lit Bengal tigers. Aside from the covert thrill it provides, Here Kitty Kitty’s greatest strength is its drink menu, which offers a wide selection of Asian whisky, mezcal, beer and specialty cocktails tied to some of Resorts World’s shops and venues. For example: The sexy adult wellness boutique Pepper is represented by a “One Night Stand” cocktail—Milagro Blanco, strawberries, serrano, taijin and lime—cheekily described as a “sticky, spicy mess, so bring your protection.” And Here Kitty Kitty’s $150 cocktail, the Golden Ticket, doubles as a skip-the-line/free-entry pass to Zouk Nightclub or Ayu Dayclub. –AS

Datamosh at Meow Wolf’s OmegaMart – Area15, meowwolf.com/visit/las-vegas

We’re going full Inception with this one. Datamosh is a bar secreted away within an art installation, within a faux “supermarket,” within a retail and experience complex. But you don’t need to dive into your own dreams to get there. Once you’ve found your way into Area15, purchased a ticket to Meow Wolf’s weird and wondrous OmegaMart, and had a leisurely look at both the shelves and the spectacular parallel universe that exists behind the cold drinks section, make your way to the pharmacy. You’ll find it by its sign, with its caduceus-like serpent putting the squeeze on a cocktail glass.

Drinks here, perhaps unsurprisingly considering what Meow Wolf does, play with your senses a bit. Recommended is the Source, an earthy concoction of mezcal, Lillet Blanc, tarragon syrup and citrus topped with a literal bubble of rosemary smoke; and Happle Juice, a vodka, Chareau Aloe and apple liqueur cocktail whose candy-sweet profile magically turns tart after you chew on its buzz button garnish. Once you’ve enjoyed one or both beneath Datamosh’s life-size moldings of whale hearts, visit the other world next door and make some music with lasers, or maybe jump through a swirling portal. There’s no more intoxicating nightcap. –GC

The Count Room Inside Bugsy & Meyer’s Steakhouse – Flamingo, bit.ly/3WaU4W9

Vintage steakhouses don’t get more throwback than Bugsy & Meyer’s. The chic restaurant pays homage to Las Vegas’ colorful history—and the organized crime figures who helped make it so—starting with how you first arrive in the establishment. At the storefront entrance, you’re led inside a fake bread and pastries shop, through some back doors and into the real restaurant. The scene is a direct nod to the mob-fronted businesses of the Prohibition era, and the immersion doesn’t end there.

Bugsy & Meyer’s also contains the Count Room, an intimate speakeasy named for the casino space where the house’s money gets tallied. It’s tucked away within the restaurant and accessible only by request. The ambiance is as classy as it is cozy, and on Fridays and Saturdays, The Moonshiners’ live jazz soundtracks the room. Handcrafted cocktails—vintage and contemporary—headline the menu. Traditionalists will love the Count Room’s Old-Fashioned cart, with which you can customize the classic cocktail to your liking. –AS

More Hidden Doors and Secret Rooms

If you want to explore Vegas’ culture of covert bars, it makes sense to go where the current craze has its roots: in Downtown Las Vegas, on and around Fremont Street. The Laundry Room, accessible through an anonymous-looking door at the back of Commonwealth (525 E Fremont St., commonwealthlv.com), is an intimate spot (only 22 seats) with a Jazz Age feel; reservations are necessary and available online at laundryroomlv.com.

Around the corner—and through a literal back alley—is Mike Morey’s Sip ’n’ Tip, a locals-friendly spot attached to Downtown Cocktail Room (111 Las Vegas Blvd. S., downtowncocktailroom.com). And a few blocks away, beneath the Mob Museum (300 Stewart Ave., themobmuseum.org), hides the Underground, a Prohibition-inspired distillery and lounge accessible only by password (which you can learn here: bit.ly/3TNgV8K).

Not to be outdone, the Strip has its own well-established hidden bars. The Vinyl Parlor at Park MGM’s On the Record (ontherecordlv.com) takes the club’s record-store theme and runs with it, with LPs lovingly displayed in illuminated alcoves; ask a host how to get in. (On the Record also has hidden karaoke rooms; be sure to ask about those, too.) You can self-guide your way to Ghost Donkey (ghostdonkey.com), the mezcal and tequila lounge at the Cosmopolitan, by looking for the donkey-stamped door at the rear of the Block 16 food hall.

Speaking of the Cosmo, you’ve found Secret Pizza, right? If not, look for the unmarked, vintage album cover-lined hallway on the third floor of the casino, and get yourself one of the town’s best slices. If you’re more in a sushi mood, visit the secret omakase dining room (translation: “I leave it to you”) at the recently opened Wakuda Las Vegas at the Venetian. (The secret space isn’t ready just yet; visit wakudajapanese.com/join-the-list for updates.)

And if you prefer a feast only for the eyes, see Akhob, the immersive installation by renowned light artist James Turrell, located inside Louis Vuitton at the Shops at Crystals (simon.com/mall/the-shops-at-crystals). Access to the installation is very limited; call 702-730-3150 to make reservations and expect them to be booked at least a month out. It’s that compelling. –GC

Click HERE to subscribe for free to the Weekly Fix, the digital edition of Las Vegas Weekly! Stay up to date with the latest on Las Vegas concerts, shows, restaurants, bars and more, sent directly to your inbox!