Sorry to say, you're pining for a Las Vegas that, in almost all respects, no longer exists. Indeed, with the demolition of the Riviera well underway, the Strip is severing its last ties with Rack Pack-era Vegas. Yes, there's still Caesars Palace, from the tail end of that period, but it's been so heavily made over during the subsequent decades that you really wouldn't guess it's a half-century old (positively prehistoric in future-centric Vegas). Downtown, the Golden Gate still contains vestiges of its 1906 origins, but much of that was gutted in 2012, when Derek and Greg Stevens built a five-story hotel tower onto the back end of the casino.
As for donning a suit and tie to play slot machines or blackjack, or slipping into a glamorous frock for a show, those days are gone. A suit-wearing gambler would truly be a fish out of water in today's Vegas. In fact, it's always easy to spot casino employees because they're the only formally dressed people on the casino floor. "Vegas" has become synonymous with "casual" (especially in the summertime) and you can see people attending fine-dining establishments in their wife-beater or at least with a copious display of tattoos. An LVA staffer once observed the Monte Carlo casino floor from the front row of Brand Steakhouse & Lounge and you could spot the casino employees a mile off because they were the only people in suits. Virtually every tourist was wearing a T-shirt, shorts, and flip-flops.
In 2005, George Clooney and nightclub impresario Rande Gerber proposed an 11-tower metaresort on Harmon Avenue, to be called Las Ramblas. Clooney made it known that he wanted Las Ramblas to have a dress code, an idea that met with much derision, particularly from locals. It was quickly a moot point, as Clooney and Gerber sold their land to Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, although it has never been developed. Had it gone forward, Las Ramblas would probably have been one of the grisliest casualties of the casino crash of 2009.
If you want to recreate a Rat Pack-era sort of experience, we have a DIY suggestion. First off, find one of the restaurants that was popular during that time. The logical candidate would be the Golden Steer steakhouse, tucked inconspicuously into a Sahara Avenue storefront. The food is rich and high in calories but having the Caesar salad made at your table is an experience you won't quickly forget and each Rat Pack member had his own booth at the Golden Steer, marked by engraved nameplates.
Another former celebrity hangout is French restaurant Pamplemousse, also on Sahara. This little pink rambler, a converted residence, used to be one of the places to be seen (Bobby Darin was particularly fond of it) and the niceties – aside from the crudité basket – include a headwaiter who can recite the entire menu from memory.
Dressing up would definitely be a good idea if you're going to dine at Hugo's Cellar, in the Four Queens hotel-casino downtown. Ladies, you'll be greeted with a long-stemmed rose, so do you really want to receive that in a tank top? Like the Golden Steer, Hugo's prepares you salad tableside (ditto your dessert) and rests its appeal on a bedrock of black Angus beef. If you visit the casino upstairs in your formal wear, you'll definitely attract attention, looking like a high roller amidst the masses. Those are only a few, of course, of the many upscale restaurants in Las Vegas (where a nice shirt and slacks seem to constitute "dressing up") but also the ones with the most nostalgia-oriented vibe.
Cap off your dining experience with an evening at The Rat Pack is Back, at the Tuscany Suites & Casino. The Tuscany itself is a low-roller joint but at least you'll be able to enjoy a style of musical entertainment that takes you back to the Sixties, when Frank Sinatra and his posse ruled the town.
When it comes to feeling like a high roller, the days of James Bond in a tuxedo are also long gone. LVA Publisher says that he's not aware of any private gambling salons in Vegas that have a dress code. "There are just too many people walking around with money that don't want to dress up," he adds, "and the casinos don't want to exclude them. That said, the dress of the players in the high-limit rooms tends to be a little better than out on the floor with the masses."
So there you have it. The Rat Pack aesthetic has had its day and it was good for the city while it lasted. But, judging by the tastes of Millennials – casinos' new customers of choice – we're not going back to Classic Vegas anytime soon.
