I'll be the first to admit that the downtown Las Vegas bar scene isn't really my thing. I'm not much of a cocktail connoisseur/drinker in the sense that I really don't care about your artisan cocktails made from hand-crafted ingredients. For me, drinking is a utilitarian exercise, and ordering a vodka soda at most of the bars downtown makes me feel... out of place, I guess. Sometimes Fremont East seems like it's one mixologist away from being a Portlandia sketch. So last week, after dinner downtown my friend suggested Backstage. I figured, why not. I'm not big on billiards (I absolutely suck at the game) but I've always enjoyed the atmosphere at pool halls. With my most recent pool hall visit being a trip to the Cue Club in which a vagrant came up to me at the bar and told me a rather filthy joke, I was pleased to find a much more lounge-y than dive-ish feel at Backstage. I always dig a bar that looks "lived in" rather than antiseptic, and this space definitely qualifies. I'm kind of a sucker for lighting like the warm blue hue in which the pool tables are bathed (relax, wankers, it's not black light, this isn't cosmic billiards). And while I've seen lots of people talk about the road cases that double as furnishing here, here's what spoke to me about Backstage: the wall of records behind the DJ booth. Records. As in vinyl. As someone who DJed with actual needles on records back in the 90s and early 2000sies, I'm not going to lie - I have a little bit of a fetish for the discontinued Technics 1200 and for 12" slabs of music. And there are literally thousands of tracks in the bookshelves behind the decks. I didn't realize it when I walked in but two of the owners of the bar are Scotty Boy and DJ Lethal. For those who don't know, the two of them have been in the DJ game for a very, very long time, which means that there is probably some very serious musical history on those shelves. It almost reminds me of The Library at Marquee, only with records instead of books. This is a carefully curated collection of sounds in physical form, not just a bunch of random decor. We had our drinks and relaxed. Nobody rolled their eyes at my Ketel soda. A spot like this is a nice addition to the mix downtown.

positive

A group of us went here at a friend's request. The wait was ridiculous and the food was pretty terrible. Frankly, if you're looking for good breakfast or brunch in the area, you've got other options.

negative

The atmosphere was a bit loud, dual entry into the restaurant made for high traffic depending on where you were sitting, for what ever reason there were 3 females at the host station most of the night, dress code was not enforced, silverware was spotty, windows were dirty, waiters customer service was nothing exceptional, really nice view, food was great and good presentation but they did however served what appeared to be Nutella. Why would a restaurant bearing a Michelin Star serve a hazel nut chocolate spread that can be purchased at Wal-Mart?

negative

Wonderful atmosphere to study and meet with friends. Lots of seating and a great location with good drinks. I'm giving it 4 stars because I've had problems with the workers not greeting you up front and having to wait or going to find them.
positive