Plenty of Vegas venues brand themselves as some sort of speakeasy-style experience, but a cool secret entrance isn’t enough to establish the vibe. A distinct approach is required, along with stellar cocktails and unique entertainment.
Those are the elements that keep us coming back to the Barbershop at the Cosmopolitan, which is an actual, operating, old-school barbershop just inside the resort’s northern entrance off the Strip, playfully cloaking an energetic and refined parlor with a killer whisky list and a robust, rock-leaning live music program firing on all cylinders seven nights a week. There’s nothing else like it anywhere in Las Vegas.
“There are a lot of places you can go for that elevated lounge vibe. The approach for the Barbershop was to make it friendly for everyone,” says Paul Edgar, senior director of marketing at Clique Hospitality, which also operates Cosmo’s Clique Lounge. “Rock seems to connect with the most eclectic demographic of people, whereas EDM can be quite niche. So making this appealing for everyone has been a big part of its success.”
The Barbershop recently celebrated its fifth anniversary with a “5 Nights for 5 Years” party that highlighted that popular musical fun, including the signature Faded Karaoke where singers get to take the stage backed by a talented live band. What other bar can make you feel like the rockstar every Tuesday night? “Everyone comes to Vegas to party, and that full band is a unique touch,” Edgar says.
Radio XX, The Regulators, The 442s, Indie Florentino, Tomlinson Brown, Mojo Juju and other local and regional acts fill up the slate, a rotating lineup curated by Ben Carey, a musician himself and former member of Lifehouse and Savage Garden. His artist’s perspective has gone a long way in establishing the Barbershop’s reputation.
“It’s obviously not a traditional cover-band setup. Having someone who plays a lot of instruments and has been touring all over the world gives us an additional eye a normal booking agent wouldn’t see in terms of what works in that room,” Edgar says. “He knows that room and that stage and he’s always scanning the city and other events looking for new talent.”
Blending rock-club vibes with a Prohibition-era cocktail lounge is a special one-two punch that distinguishes the Barbershop from other nightlife experiences on the Boulevard, and it’s also been able to cultivate a decent following among locals and industry workers—always a tough task for a Strip venue.
“It’s a bit different, a bit outside the box, and locals kinda love that,” Edgar says.
THE BARBERSHOP CUTS & COCKTAILS Cosmopolitan, 702-698-7434, thebarbershoplv.com. Sunday-Wednesday, 8 p.m.-late; Thursday-Saturday, 6 p.m.-late.
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