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| - No visit to Vegas is complete without a stop at the self-proclaimed Happiest Place on Earth, which is why whenever I pick a friend up at McCarran, the Double Down Saloon is the first place we go.
It's not for the squeamish, who may recoil from the "worst toilet in Scotland" style bathroom, the pool table that recalls The Accused or the fact that the televisions are usually playing something disturbing, whether it's hentai, grindhouse gore or some other pulpy shock fodder.
It's also not for the literally queasy, who may run afoul of the bar's "you puke, you clean" policy. It's the sort of bizarro Vegas hideaway where you'd expect to find modern-day Hunter S. Thompsons lurking.
The signature drinks here are the Bacon Martini, which isn't anywhere near as bad as it sounds, and the Ass Juice, which varies from batch to batch but is always deceptively strong and sticky sweet.
The bartenders have always made me feel right at home, even on those days I've gone to the punk-rock dive bar straight from work in a suit and tie. It's definitely a different place from day to night; after dark it transitions from introspective acid trip to debauched mob scene.
The jukebox here is legendary. There's free live music every night, but the venue's sound system is stretched pretty thin, so it can be hard to stick around for too long at times. They have video poker *and* pinball, meaning the place really is fun for the whole family. (Note: do not bring your children to the Double Down. Or your parents, for that matter.)
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