This article first appeared in the Sep/Oct 2015 issue of WGM.
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PARK ON FREMONT
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| 506 Fremont St, Las Vegas | |
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Telephone
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+1 (702) 834 3160
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| Open |
11:00 to 03:00 (7 days)
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While The Stallion can usually be found in the bars and nightspots of Asia, each summer he gallops on over to Las Vegas to spend some time in America’s most well-known gaming playground. Many WGM readers like to try their luck in Vegas so here’s a bar where you can cool your heels the next time you’re there.
With its quaint outdoor seating and simple wooden panelling, the unremarkable exterior of Park on Fremont gives little away about the whacky weirdness waiting inside. And with the priority upon entering being a cold beer to escape the stifling Las Vegas heat, it can even take a few minutes before you start noticing this bar’s rather unique take on decoration.
First to catch the eye is the collection of taxidermied birds adorning the wall behind the bar – each enclosed in one of a dozen or so glass boxes and positioned as if going about their daily lives.
Turn around and you suddenly notice that the gothic wallpaper running the length of the room is also home to some artwork. The buried skeleton of a moose and a deer with its horns on fire are among the depictions of animals in wholly unnatural states. But before you start wondering if the owners have it in for our furry and feathered friends, the real standouts at Park on Fremont are the pictures of deranged and creepy kids that can be found throughout.
More than a little unsettling with their heads warped out of proportion, it’s also the last thing you expect to see when you look up while attending to business in the bathroom!
Taking pride of place further back in the bar is a giant painting of a young blonde girl with over-sized eyes and a dress made of various cuts of meat – impossible to miss as you make your way down the corridor to the rear beer garden.
And the beer garden itself isn’t lacking in the personality department. Surprisingly spacious with plenty of tables scattered around, it contrasts the darker goth interior with a burst of color via the dozens of old plates stuck to the back wall, some nice lighting and a lush flower bed. Of course, there are more of those peculiar paintings including another huge focal piece depicting a lady in a red dress and two horses, err… getting a little friendly with each other!
Park on Fremont slots into the ever-growing category known as hipster bars which can basically be defined as bars designed to be trendy, stylish and witty. However, while many hipster bars tend to be overly pretentious – complete with staff more focused on looking the part than actually serving customers – there was none of that on show here. In fact, not only was the Friday afternoon vibe perfectly chilled, the bartenders were friendly, attentive and more than happy to offer suggestions on which of their 100 artisan beers to try.
Sitting at the end of the bar and looking out through the large open windows towards the nearby Fremont St Experience, it’s hard to believe this spot was part of downtown’s “no-go” zone only a few years back – an area mostly comprised of vacant, rundown buildings and dangerous back alleys where muggings were rife.
Thanks to the efforts of the Downtown Project – which started in 2011 with the aim of rejuvenating the historic district – it is now a vibrant hub of activity with Park on Fremont one of a number of new bars and restaurants to have helped aid the change.
Many of them come with their own unique themes such as nearby Insert Coin(s) where guests can play their favorite arcade and video games while they drink, but Park on Fremont ticks a lot of boxes for The Stallion. The rare combination of welcoming staff at a classy hipster bar with 100 artisan beers to choose from and a sprawling beer garden out the back is pretty hard to resist.
And as disturbing as some may be, those decorations are strangely alluring.
