Sedona was once a suburban restaurant hot spot. When Golden Entertainment took over its space early this year, initial plans would have replaced it with the popular Sierra Gold tavern brand. But plans changed.
“We’ve opened four or five brands underneath our PT’s umbrella, and we decided we wanted to test ourselves to find that next niche product,” says Blake Sartini II, Golden’s senior vice president of distributed gaming. “We’re trying to get outside the confines of the gaming [bar] ... When we got this location, it made sense to put this vision of SG Bar into play.”
Located on West Flamingo Road near the Beltway and opened in September, SG Bar could be described as an elevated gaming tavern, armed with a fresh, comfortable design and a focus on food and beverage. There are 24 beers on tap—including some produced at Golden’s new PT’s Brewing Company—an expansive food menu that goes far beyond bar favorites, one-of-a-kind artwork and patio and private spaces for corporate events and parties. “I think it’s a much more upbeat experience, and you can feel it when you walk in,” Sartini says.
Golden Entertainment, which operates more than 50 taverns in Nevada, continues its rapid growth, having converted to a publicly traded company last year and taking on operations of casinos and properties in Maryland and Montana. SG Bar could become a bigger piece of the company’s overall picture. “Can we take this [concept] to Denver or Portland and survive there? That’s something we’ve always been interested in,” Sartini says. “This could be the vehicle to test those waters.” SG Bar at 9580 W. Flamingo Road, 702-320-4700; 24/7.
