Posh rock: Much-hyped Caesars Palace nightspot opens Dec. 20

There is a sense of discovery at Caspian’s Cocktails & Caviar at Caesars Palace. But you won’t discover anything related to the the club it replaced.

Las Vegas lounge dwellers can know the days of Cleopatra’s Barge are over. The new place will be christened with cocktails and caviar for cool kids on Dec. 20. The New Year’s Eve party stars Vegas indie rockers Indie Florentino, and should be a real cork-popper (go to caspianslv.com/nye for intel).

The latest nightlife creation of Clique Hospitality, Caspian’s is attempting the unlikely. The club is mixing live rock ‘n’ roll on a regular basis with high-end food fare (especially caviar) for those apt to snack on Pringles. And that brand of chip with a caviar-infused dip is actually on the menu.

Fun, and they mean it

“The best thing is, you go into it with the idea of, ‘This is going to be fun,’” says Clique Hospitality chief operating officer Craig O’Keefe. “For us it was, how do we get the guest that doesn’t want to go to Omnia, or doesn’t want to go to a nightclub but wants to get a little loose, do some dancing, and have it at a reasonable price?”

Hours for music are 8 p.m. - 2 a.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays and 6 p.m. - 2 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. The cocktail lounge at Caspian’s will be open 11 a.m. - 2 a.m. daily, with the kitchen closing at 10 p.m. nightly. Other than specialty nights, such as NYE, there is no cover.

For the NYE bottle-service crowd, VIP-styled table reservations are available with prices starting at $2,000. A sample is The Headliner: Two bottles of Absolut Elyx, Codigo 1530 Blanco or Reposado or Jameson Irish Whiskey; two bottles of Perrier-Jouët Belle Epoque Brut; six Red Bulls; and six waters.

Walk on by

In a coveted high-traffic locale, Caspian’s reaches out to the walk-along crowd heading toward the casino floor or Nobu next door. Upon entry, the caviar bar is connected to a hideaway music club, through an unmarked passage. This is the sort of Las Vegas hideaway that will be well-known soon enough, but is designed as a voyage into an unexpected nightspot.

“In that corridor, you’ll be able to see the caviar bar lounge outside,” O’Keefe says. “But you won’t even know that this kind of portal into another world is existing right behind that door.”

Clique has developed a signature design effect with such a trek to the unknown. Its Barbershop Cuts & Cocktails at the Cosmopolitan presents a functional hair-cutting salon out front connecting to a closed-off, rowdy music hall.

But Caspian’s does not share many design effects with Barbershop, says the hospitality exec who envisioned the club’s aesthetics, Vincent Celano of Celano Design Studio. He refers to Caspian’s as a “one-of-a-kind experience” that is uncharted territory on the Strip. His own pre-opening description:

“The caviar bar features moss-green antique mirror panels, silver leaf columns, and a large deco-style ice sculpture where premium champagne bottles hover delicately on display. But the real allure lies beyond. Those aware will enter a secret door where a vibrant rock lounge awaits, unveiling a kaleidoscope of color and energy in a dramatic, jaw-dropping reveal.”

It is a lot of effort for someone who might just want to drop in and grab a FizzyWater and some crunching live music.

Rock on the inside

“It’s a little more posh-looking than Barbershop is, which is really masculine and kind of whiskey-driven,” O’Keefe says. “We have this kind of luxurious feel, but we thought, what a great way to juxtapose this great-looking space with some really great rock ‘n’ roll music going on inside.”

This is Clique’s first venture at Caesars Palace, replacing an iconic venue that featured headliners (including Wayne Newton and Dionne Warwick) and popular local band (David Perrico’s Pop Strings) when its plug was pulled during COVID. The pressure is on to advance the cause, while keeping a classic-Vegas vibe, at Caspian’s

“At Caesars, there’s not a ton of places to kind of go after you’ve had that dinner or after a show that’s done by 11 o’clock, other than the nightclub or just hanging out at one of the restaurant bars,” O’Keefe says. “We saw the big void on that property, specifically to bringing something that’s a little bit different. If you still want something to do, great, come on into the speakeasy.”

Carey on, wayward Ben

Aussie native and longtime Las Vegan Ben Carey is heading up the club’s music program, in a similar capacity in his role at Barbershop. Carey lives and breathes rock, whether as guitarist for Lifehouse or Radio XX, or as a talent scout and booker.

“When I’m trying to find bands, most of what I wanted, we’ve kind of snagged for Barbershop,” Carey says. “The pedigree for these venues is a little different than most. The ask is different, also, because we don’t take breaks. We do a three-hour show. A lot of bands won’t do that, because a lot of bands aren’t capable of doing that.”

Carey’s headliners at Barbershop will play at both clubs. He’s working on an all-star band, name to be determined. Bryce Soderberg of Lifehouse will front this new project, with bassist Josh Paul of Daughtry, drummer Al Serrato (also from Radio XX) and Carey on guitar.

“It’s gonna be bangin,” Carey says. “Like really, really good.” And try the Pringles and caviar. I hear it’s great.

John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. His “PodKats!” podcast can be found at reviewjournal.com/podcasts. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on X, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.