The Classic Jewel is disguised as an urban lounge, but really it’s a bridge—one that tips its hat to our Rat Pack past, stitches together Fremont East and the Arts District and opens its arms to a notably colorful clientele.
The bar, located on the ground floor of the Juhl, throws it back to Vegas’ glimmering heyday with Sinatra & Co. memorabilia, gin drinks like the Sammy and the Fitzgerald, and a classic red-and-white Ford Falcon convertible that co-owner and car enthusiast Jerome Harry parks outside.
Though the bar is new, you’d never know it by the camaraderie. On a recent Friday, a DJ spun James Brown, Rick James and OutKast loudly enough to energize the space but not drown out conversation. A full house of bar-goers gathered on lounge seating beneath a crystal chandelier or pulled up chairs to the blue-light-bathed concrete bar.
“I tell people it’s not a club, it’s a lounge,” says Harry, who owns the bar with partner Selina Brown. “Come after work and let your hair down.”
The Classic Jewel Martini, served dirty, dry or “with a twist,” crowns the cocktail menu, followed by favorites, priced at $10-$12, such as the Woodford Reserve Bourbon-based Mint Jewelep, and the Heat, a concoction of Sauza Hornitos Reposado Tequila, agave, orange and lime juices, chili salt and jalapeño. The rotating beer list features $8-$10 drafts and $6-$14 bottles, with several Tenaya Creek and Ballast Point selections.
The Classic Jewel is the first of a number of planned F&B establishments to open at Juhl. It’s a bridge, and a step in the right direction for diversifying Downtown.
Classic Jewel 353 Bonneville Ave. #11, 702-722-6750. Monday-Thursday, 4 p.m.-midnight; Friday, 4 p.m.-2 a.m.; Saturday, 1 p.m.-2 a.m.; Sunday, 1 p.m.-midnight.