What’s behind the secret doors?
While the end of Prohibition made speakeasies unnecessary, the appeal of a hidden room that can only be accessed with the proper intel has stuck around 88 years later. Some aren’t all that hidden, of course: Secret Pizza at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas is about as inconspicuous as the queue that forms outside it after a concert. The Mob Museum invites guests to relive the Jazz Age in The Underground Speakeasy and Distillery. And although Meow Wolf’s Omega Mart at Area15 just opened in February, the grocery store’s refrigerator door that gives way to a surreal funhouse is all over social media.
Nonetheless, a few hidden doors in Las Vegas remain nondescript — or concealed entirely — and still contain surprises behind them. At least until the word gets out (thanks to us).
Here Kitty Kitty Vice Den
Sandwiched between two food stalls at the Famous Foods Street Food Hall at Resorts World Las Vegas is a little store called Ms. Meow’s Mamak Stall. It sells a small selection of Asian newspapers and snacks. At the back of the shop is a blue shelf that, when pushed, gives way to Here Kitty Kitty Vice Den.
The bar opened in June with a small space decorated with neon lights, Asian-inspired artworks and a well-stocked bar. Cocktails include Berry Tales, a beautifully poured drink with Belvedere Blackberry Lemongrass, crème de mûre, lemongrass, oolong tea, lime and tongue-tingling powder. “The bar is hidden away, but it’s more vibrant than a lot of other speakeasies,” says Will Cahow, assistant director of beverage operations for Resorts World. “The overall nature is for it to not be well-known.” And even those in the know will need a reservation to enter.
3000 Las Vegas Blvd. South, rwlasvegas.com
Gabi Coffee and Bakery
The entrance to Gabi Coffee and Bakery is marked only by a heavy wooden door and a red sign that reads “open.” While the Korean cafe is nearly unidentifiable from the outside, the interior immediately became recognizable upon its opening in 2018 thanks to its Instagrammable atmosphere, artful greenhouse and colorful desserts. Guests who locate the correct door in the strip mall on Spring Mountain Road may sit cross-legged on wooden bleachers and sample treats including ube crepe cakes and yuzu matcha macarons.
5808 Spring Mountain Road, No. 104, gabicafe.com
Mas Por Favor Taqueria y Tequila
The front dining room of Mas Por Favor Taqueria y Tequila offers casual seating where guests can order street tacos. At the dining room’s back corner is a sliding door with a skull for a handle. Pulling the door open leads visitors down a dim tunnel into a rear lounge, over which two arches — one of roses and one of skulls — soar.
The lounge bar serves cocktails including the Jardin with blanco tequila, cucumber, cilantro, basil, mint, lime juice and prosecco and dishes such as loaded fries and quesadillas.
3879 Spring Mountain Road, masporfavorlv.com