Oddly enough, my involvement with the Red Hawk Tavern began at the Hard Rock Hotel’s Center Bar. I was guarding my female cousin from some skeezy dude’s advances, while I listened to some guy brag that he was the manager or owner or something that ends in an “-er” of this wonderful bar in Henderson. According to Mr. Bar Manager, this bar was the lone spark of rock ’n’ roll in town, which was apparently defined by female Jell-O wrestling. Dude even shared photos of the joyous escapades. He said this bar was a regular hangout for rock ’n’ rollers. Genuine famous musicians, he insinuated. Or their friends and hangers-on. Or music lovers. I was intrigued.

Blame it on the dome-roof acoustics of the Center Bar, but I never caught the name of Mr. Bar Manager’s bar. It must’ve skipped over me and landed in the ear of the person on the opposite side. That lucky individual is probably having the time of his life at the most awesome bar ever.

Dude’s friend, who was wearing sunglasses inside and looked like sleaze in a to-go cup, stopped hitting on my cousin to interrupt my conversation. Mr. Inside Sunglasses told Mr. Bar Manager that I was the type of girl he should marry. I gave the classic defense: “Um, I’m seeing someone.”

Mr. Bar Manager followed with, “Um, I’m seeing someone, too.”

Mr. Inside Sunglasses countered with, “If you were seeing someone you wouldn’t be here,” and started describing “our” wedding day.

I grabbed my cousin and yanked us both outta there.

Mr. Bar Manager never contacted me about his bar.

I hoped this mysterious bar would eventually reveal itself. When it didn’t, I Googled: bar + Henderson + “jello wrestling.” The only result: the MySpace page for Red Hawk Tavern. The photos were sufficiently lively, and it seemed possible this was the fabled bar. I called to verify, but couldn’t hear the bartender over the noise. I took this as a good sign and drove there immediately.

Located at Horizon Ridge and Eastern, Red Hawk Tavern is so far out in suburbia that the surroundings are monochromatic. Everything is the sand color of new development. The bar is a stand-alone building in the parking lot of a strip mall anchored by an Albertsons. When I arrived (at the end of Friday happy hour), a few motorcycles graced the parking lot, which meant I was on the right track.

While the interior walls were tan, the Red Hawk was colorful in every definition of the word. As promised (assuming this was the right place), the crowd was rock ’n’ roll, but the older kind of rock ’n’ roll that’s ground in like dirt in the fingernails of a construction worker. A little more road-worn than the pretty rhinestone rockers that wander the Hard Rock.

The spirited locals all seemed to know each other. The voluptuous barmaid, who shakes hands and introduces herself to new patrons, invited a male patron to motorboat her. She explained that they were good friends. Me, I was grateful for the special: $3 for 25 ounces of eponymous Red Hawk beer.

I asked bartender Jason if Red Hawk had Jell-O wrestling. He said it had happened twice, which was more than enough for him, though it could happen again. I tried telling him about Mr. Bar Manager, but the most I discovered was that the guy who owns Red Hawk also owns the two Outside Inn bars (West Charleston and South Jones, respectively) and Martinis on Fort Apache. Was this the bar? The results were inconclusive.

Changing subjects, I inquired about the stage that was half dismantled. Jason said the Red Hawk was in renovation. In a few weeks, the stage will be gone in favor of new pool tables, dart boards and a big-screen golf game. “We’re also getting rid of these murals.” He motioned to the pastoral scenes that made the place look like a hunting lodge. He said the changes will make it a nice place for hanging out, which it already is. In Vegas, new is newer. And the Red Hawk has been around for five years, ever since it took over the space Three Angry Wives vacated when it moved to Boca Park.

So is Red Hawk the bar Mr. Bar Manager was describing? Heck if I know. Either way, it’s a fine discovery in its own right. Still, if you or someone you know has any information on the possible whereabouts of this mystery bar, please do tell.