Q:
On the recommendation of
Las Vegas Advisor, my wife and I went to Irene’s to try the breakfast. We opened the door and the cigarette smoke hit us right in the face. We sat down with the intent of eating, but we were overcome by the smoke and left. Please explain how LVA can recommend this establishment, as it is clearly breaking the Nevada Clean Indoor Air Act. I have been to many bars, taverns, and restaurants in Las Vegas and this is the only place I have encountered violating the law. I would think a retraction should be forthcoming.
A:
Irene’s was the "Local Corner" selection in the May LVA. It has a 24-hour kitchen that serves good food, especially an old-style bone-in ham & eggs that requires a second plate to accommodate the ham.
Sorry you missed this great breakfast, but you didn’t have to. Many bars violate the ill-conceived smoking/food law, as it’s almost never enforced and no one really seems to care (there’s talk of it being repealed soon). But that’s not relevant here, because Irene’s is not one of the violators.
Irene’s has a completely separate kitchen and dining area; it can be accessed from the outside without having to set foot in the bar area. You can eat in the bar if you want to, though, and legally. The law says that you can’t order and be served while in the bar. But you can go up to the sliding glass window, place your order, and pick it up when you get buzzed. At that point, you can take your meal wherever you want to eat it.
Now that you know the "trick," how about giving the great breakfast another shot?
Update 18 May 2009
QoDs on smoking always elicit numerous comments:
"I read QOD daily, and am usually shaking my head. I think you are way off the mark on your smoking ban comments today. I know a LOT of people who really really care. Irene's may have a separate dining area, but so many other places with great food do not, Michaels, Tap House and Stieners come to mind. Also, the legislature on Friday declined to amend the LAW -- passed by the residents of LV, who are sick of the stink! We travel a lot and if London, Dublin, Madrid, and the likes can do it, we can!"
"Not a question, but a comment on today's QOD. I live in Pahrump and Irene's has a casino here. It also is very smoky. They have a special, tacos for 50 cents each, on Tuesdays, but the smoke was so bad that we stopped going there."
"A year or two ago the Colorado casinos banned smoking. The ban has remained in force. It is really great to go there now. Can remember getting a non-smoking hotel room there, but it almost became a mute point when you went into the room with smoky cloths on from the casino. I find we go to Blackhawk more now because it is pleasant with the no smoking. I find it amazing that there is complaining from some of the casinos about the smoking ban rather than playing up the fact that it is now a good environment to gamble in."
"I have a comment on today's QOD. You say the smoking ban is 'ill conceived.' I live in Montreal, where every bar used to be a smoke-choked cancer ward and seemingly most of the population smokes. Yet the government was able to pull off a total smoking ban in all establishments, including bars and restaurants, and you can actually breathe when you set foot in any business today. The ban has been very successfully enforced, and I've never seen any violators. So why would it be so ill-conceived and a doomed effort in Vegas? Believe me, if Montreal can pull it off, any city can."
"On the QOD about smoking - We are smokers and don't mind not smoking in restaurants however we feel banning smoking in bars and casinos violates our rights. I think most problems are caused by poor ventilation. We no longer go to casinos in Illinois because of the smoking bans. We can drive to Indiana or Michigan to spend our money where smoking is allowed. I think it is just politically correct right now. But it will change again as it has over the centuries."
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