A:
Happy to oblige.
The "well" is a term applied to a place behind the bar easily accessible to the bartender where a rack or line of bottles of commonly used liquors -- vodka, gin, rum, blended whiskey, bourbon, and maybe tequila -- is kept handy. These bottles often consist of cheap off-brand liquors, but some use popular name brands for the well. A "call" drink, by contrast, is one where the patron "calls" for a particular brand by name ("I'd like a Bombay Sapphire and tonic," as opposed to, "I'd like a gin and tonic.") "Top shelf" liquors are just that -- the most expensive brands that are less frequently requested and hence are kept in a less accessible -- but visible -- place behind the bar.
We conducted a classic QoD survey to find out what some casino bars around town serve as the well liquors, and concluded that MGM Grand is definitely the place for house drinks (apart from vodka).
New York-New York – Smirnoff vodka, Jim Beam whiskey, Gordon’s Gin, and Bacardi rum
MGM Grand – Skyy or Absolut vodka, Jack Daniel's whiskey, Bombay Sapphire or Tanqueray Gin, and Captain Morgan rum
Hard Rock – Velicoff vodka, Early Times whiskey, velicoff Gin, and Castillo rum
Las Vegas Hilton – Varies -- whatever is cheaper at the time.
Gold Coast – Serkova vodka, Barton whiskey, Thornbury gin, Castillo rum
To answer your second question, a "reverse" happy hour isn't a miserable hour, but rather just a happy hour that starts late, in contrast to the usual after-work timing of a happy hour. Here are some of the current good ones we know of around town, many of which also have a regular happy hour and some of which include food in the cheap festivities.
Reverse Happy Hours:
Yard House (Town Square): Sun-Thurs, 3 p.m.-6 p.m. and 11 p.m.-2 a.m. ½-price appetizers and discounts on all alcoholic beverages.
Sapporo (W. Flamingo & Fort Apache): Tues-Sat, 4 p.m.-7 p.m. and Sun & Mon, 24 hrs ("Happy Day"), with discounted sushi rolls, appetizers, and drinks. Reverse happy hour starts at 10 p.m. and runs till close nightly (1 a.m. weekdays and 2 p.m. Fri/Sat) with the same deals.
RA Sushi (Fashion Show Mall): Mon-Fri, 4 p.m.-7 p.m. with ½-off appetizers, $1 hot sake, and many more drink specials. Reverse happy hour from 8 p.m.-midnight.
McCormick and Schmick's (Flamingo & Paradise): Mon-Fri, 3:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.-11 p.m. featuring a $1.95 menu and a $4.95 menu, which change daily.
Kona Grill (Boca Park, S. Rampart): Mon-Fri, 3 p.m.-7 p.m., Mon-Thurs, 10 p.m.-midnight, and Fri & Sat, 11 p.m.-1 a.m. with ½-off select appetizers, sushi, and drinks.
Dragonfly (3900 Paradise Rd.): entire menu half-off, Mon-Sun, 10:30 p.m.-close
Sweet Water Prime Seafood: (Eastern & Serene): Mon-Sun, 4 p.m.-7 p.m. and 10 p.m.-midnight with ½-off appetizers, $2 domestic draft beer, $3 microbrews, $3 Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon, and $4 "Appletinis," Chocolate Martinis, and Cosmopolitans.
Gordon Biersch Brewing Company (Paradise Rd. location): 4 p.m.-6:30 p.m. and 10 p.m.-close with $1 off beers and wines and $4.95 appetizer specials.
Musashi Japanese Steakhouse (3900 Paradise Rd.): Mon-Fri, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. and midnight-4 a.m. featuring food and drink specials.
San-Toki Korean BBQ & Shabu Bar (4480 Paradise Rd #1000): Mon-Sun, 11 p.m.-2 a.m.
Divebar (3035 E Tropicana): Mon-Sun, 4 p.m.-6 p.m. and Tues, 11 p.m.-midnight with $2 beers and $4 drafts.
Update 29 May 2008
Turns out the already excellent and longstanding happy hour at
Café Ba-Ba Reeba is now even better than we thought: Mon-Fri, 4 p.m.-7 p.m. and 9 p.m.-11 p.m., plus Sat. & Sun. 4 p.m.-close, with ½-off Sangria and $3 tapas. Sweet.
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