Best of Vegas: Dance Clubs

by Jake Gosselin | Jan 16 2008

It is with a wry smile that we at Bodog have compiled our list of the best dance clubs in Vegas. While we sincerely believe that these are the five best clubs in Vegas for kicking your heels up, we couldn’t help but point out a few of the bumps you can expect to encounter during your nocturnal journey.

No. 5 - Rumjungle

What’s that? The drum and bass that the DJs are spinning at the usual Vegas dance clubs don’t have enough of a driving beat for you? Well, Rumjungle has you covered with their inclusion of live drummers along with their DJs. A nice change from the usual dance floor grind. Arguably, though, it could still use more cowbell.

Rumjungle has a great vibe and a consistently attentive staff. Plus, let’s not forget that it always plays host to a slew of beautiful patrons.

As far as the dancing goes, it does come with one caveat – it’s cramped. Their smallish dance floor might leave you feeling like you’ve been crammed into a Tokyo subway, but hey, what’s sexier than intimately sharing the smells of hundreds of drunks at 2 a.m.?

Rumjungle tip: Have dinner there. You’ll not only save the $20 cover, but you’ll also be able to shake your junk after grubbing on some skirt steak and chimichurri mashed potatoes.

No. 4 - Rain

Just when you thought the Palms Hotel and Casino had nothing left to offer the world, they come up with Rain and prove that you might have been right in the first place. We kid, we kid. Rain is actually a pretty impressive club as it knows what it is and doesn’t try to pretend to be anything else. Like “classy.”

The 24,000-square foot club has three levels and a massive dance floor which is always packed (a selling point to some). It also offers a moat and fire balls. If real fire balls aren’t your thing, you can always approach some women of the “ginger” variety for some fire crotch.

Cover is $25, $100 for VIP entry and up to $1,000 for a skybox.

No. 3 - Tao

We at Bodog aren’t convinced that Buddha would be thrilled with his image being a Las Vegas nightclub’s main attraction, but the designers of Tao seemed to think he’d be OK with it.

Set in the luxurious Venetian Hotel and Casino, Tao is, admittedly, a beautiful space heavily influenced by Buddhist themes. With its giant statue of the man himself, Tao insinuates a sense of style by appropriating one of the world’s more fashionable religions. Thanks for teaching us the eightfold path to coolness, Buddha!

If you are primarily concerned with sharing your party space with as many celebrities as possible, then Tao is the place for you.

With two separate dance floors, you’ll sadly be torn by the epic debate of house vs. hip hop. The eternal battle rages on! Buddha had a hard time with that one, too. He was more into the boy bands though.

Looking for something different? How about Salsa Nights?

No. 2 - Pure

Are you an elitist? Are you able to blend in and hang with celebrities? Are your teeth as pearly white as your whitest pair of Jimmy Choos? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, then you would probably enjoy dancing the night away at Pure. If you answered “yes” to all of these questions, then you might actually have a chance at getting in.

If you’re cool enough to get on the guest list, you’ll also want to check out the Pussycat Dolls Lounge at Pure. They do a sexy song and dance routine that’s sure to titillate even the moldiest of corpses.

One thing to beware of when going to Pure is the old VIP trick. There are more VIP cards for Pure handed out in Vegas than there are those little prostitution calendars. Their VIP cards get you pretty much nowhere. They are designed to get you into a line and thinking, “Hey, I’ve got a VIP card. Now I just need to wait in this line and pay $30 cover. Sweet!”

Don’t do it. It’s a trap! You’ll just commit so much time to waiting that when you finally get to go in and they want to charge you a cover anyway, you’ll feel too invested to turn back. So if you are going to go to Pure, don’t have any delusions about what your VIP pass might get you. Unless you’re looking for a swift kick in the nuts – then hey, you’re hooked up, man.

There is one wonderful thing about Pure, and that is if the crowds and pounding music get to be too much for you, you can always take a breather up on the outdoor rooftop patio. So yes, the best thing about Pure is that it provides a way to escape from Pure. And thus it was that the serpent ate its tail…

No. 1 - Tryst

There is no better place to get your groove on than the waterfalled awesomeness that is Tryst nightclub at Wynn Las Vegas. Sure, sure… you’re staying at the Excalibur and you cross your fingers every time a cocktail waitress runs your credit card, but when you’re partying at Tryst, you at least feel like a million bucks.

Tryst can be a lot of fun but can also give you major heartburn. If you don’t know what to expect, you might be caught waiting in line or with a bar tab bigger than your monthly mortgage. Therefore, we have put together some pointers to help you successfully party at Tryst:

A) Don’t be Ugly
Most everyone at Tryst is hot. This is because they pull hot people out of the line and let them in first. So if you’ve been beaten or even slightly paddled by the ugly stick, being at Tryst might make you feel a little uglier. And if you are ugly, you’ll have to wait in line longer as punishment, while prettier people behind you get moved to the front of the line. But don’t let a little humiliation kill your Saturday night buzz - there’s $28 drinks waiting for you inside!

B) Try to Score Passes
One thing to note is that if you are staying at the Wynn, ask the concierge for VIP passes, which will get you in for free (the cost on weekends is $30 for guys, $20 for ladies). However, if you’re ugly, well, they might just laugh in your face. But, worth the gamble, I’d say.

C) Bring a Flask
With the bar constantly mobbed, looking like a weirdo alcoholic with a flask is a sacrifice worth making. And if anyone mocks you for taking swigs from your flask, scream in their face while they’re waiting for their cocktails, “Well at least I’m not sober like you!” That’ll teach ‘em.

D) Enjoy Confined Spaces and Guys with Sweaty Pits
It is the only way you’ll get through it.

E) Be a Belinda Carlisle Fan
You’ll be hearing a lot of her.

Craps can be pretty exciting so be careful not to spill your drink.  Play craps now!