Question of the Day - 13 February 2006

This is a question we’ve been asked regularly over the months and, with Valentine’s Day looming, we were finally inspired to tackle it.

It’s been a few years since Las Vegas shifted away from the whole family-friendly concept and back toward its old Sin City image. The opening of the Palms seemed to usher in a new era in which properties are actively seeking to appeal more to the L.A. party crowd than the 40- and 50-something set, as witnessed by the proliferation of nightclubs and closure of hotel lounges.

That said, we still have some suggestions for venues with dancing that cater to the more mature crowd (we can't vouch for them all personally, as we haven't visited some in a while, but we did call all to make sure they still offer live music):

• Fontana Lounge, Bellagio: Dancing to live music nightly (varying from jazz, contemporary, and rock covers) from 5 pm till 1 am Sunday through Thursday, and until 2 am Friday and Saturday. The room is closed off from the casino and opens out onto a terrace that affords great views of the fountain show. You must be seated by a host and dress appropriately (business-casual) and although there’s neither a cover nor a rigidly enforced drink minimum, it’s expected that you’ll partake of a cocktail or two while you’re there.
• Tuscany Hotel Lounge: Live music and dancing from 9 pm to 1 am Wednesday through Sunday, although they're also auditioning now for acts to fill the Monday and Tuesday night spots. The music varies, but it's all aimed at the 40-plus crowd and this and the Fontana Lounge were particularly recommended to us as favorites by one of the leading dance studios in town. 702/893-8933.
• Capozzoli’s Italian Restaurant, 3333 S. Maryland Pkwy.: This classic old-style Las Vegas Italian restaurant has long been a favorite with the entertainment crowd (Tom Jones has been known to show up and jam from time to time after a show). Located a couple of miles east of the Strip, it serves traditional Italian fare (until 2 am during the week and 4 am on weekends), but the main pull is the atmosphere. There’s dancing nightly to the strains of a live band performing jazz standards, Sinatra songs, etc., beginning at 7 pm during the week and 8 or 9 pm on the weekend. Valentine’s night promises to be especially busy, so phone and book a table as soon as possible. 702/731-5311.
• Casa di Amore 2850 E. Tropicana: Like Capozzoli's, this is another classic Italian local joint and is open for dining 24 hours a day. Evenings feature live entertainment beginning at 7 pm (good jazz groups and the like) and the music and dancing extend past midnight, when an after-shift late-night crowd shows up. It's sure to be very popular with its loyal local clientele this Valentine's Day, so definitely phone in advance to see if you can get a table. 702/433-4967
• Larry’s Hideaway, 3969 Thom Blvd. (one block north of Cheyenne on the east side of Rancho): If country music is your thing, Larry’s has dancing 9 pm-2 am Friday and Saturday and from 7 pm on Sunday. The venue is popular with all ages, but tends to feature a more mature crowd earlier in the evening, with the younger set taking over as the night progresses. 702/645-1899
• Nefertiti’s Lounge, Luxor: Live entertainment with dancing in the afternoon and evening. Hours are Tuesday-Thursday 4:50 pm-8:30 pm, Friday and Saturday 2 pm-8:30 pm, plus Tuesday through Thursday 9 pm-1 am, while the entertainment runs until 2 am on Sundays, and 3 am Friday and Saturday.
• Coral Reef Lounge, Mandalay Bay: MBay has three lounges featuring live music, but this is the only one with a dance floor. Entertainment begins at 10 pm nightly and runs until 3 am. When we called, they didn't have any details about the band booked for Valentine's night, so check back with them nearer the time for an update. 702/632-7777