Bar Prohibition at Golden Gate

Bar Prohibition at Golden Gate does something absolutely insane: free open bar daily from 6-7pm. Not "cheap drinks." Not "buy one get one." FREE. OPEN. BAR. In a city built on separating you from your money, this speakeasy-themed spot just gives away booze for an hour every single day. It's the closest thing to a Vegas cheat code you'll find.

The Free Open Bar Situation

Daily from 6-7pm, everything's free. Wells, beer, wine—all complimentary. You walk in, order drinks, the bartender makes them, you don't pay. There's obviously a catch: you're expected to tip (do it, seriously), and the bar gets absolutely mobbed during this window. But if you can handle crowds and remember to tip your bartender, you're drinking free in downtown Vegas every single night.

How This Actually Works

Golden Gate is old-school downtown, and Bar Prohibition is their upscale-ish speakeasy concept. The free happy hour is a loss leader to get people in the door, gambling at their casino, and coming back for paid drinks later. It works. The bar fills with locals who know the deal, tourists who stumbled onto something magical, and everyone trying to maximize that one free hour.

The Speakeasy Vibe

Bar Prohibition commits to the Prohibition-era theme—dark wood, vintage decor, craft cocktails on the regular menu. During free happy hour, you're getting wells and basic pours, not the fancy craft stuff. But who cares? It's free. The bartenders are slammed but professional. The crowd's a mix of savvy locals and confused tourists who can't believe this is real.

Strategic Approach

Show up right at 6pm to beat the rush. By 6:15pm, it's packed. Grab a spot at the bar if possible—better service than waiting in the crowd. Order confidently, tip well ($2-3 per drink minimum), and don't be that person trying to order 10 drinks at once. Pace yourself because one hour of free drinks can get dangerous real quick.

The Tipping Expectation

This is free, but tipping is mandatory. The bartenders are working their asses off, and they're not getting compensated by drink sales during this hour. If you're saving $8-10 per drink, kick $2-3 back on each one. Being cheap here makes you an asshole. Tip properly or stay home.

Why Golden Gate Does This

Golden Gate is competing with bigger, flashier downtown casinos. The free happy hour gets people through the door, into their casino, and aware of their property. Some people stick around and gamble. Some come back for paid drinks later. It's smart marketing that actually benefits customers willing to show up.

The Daily Schedule Advantage

Every single day, 6-7pm. No weekday-only bullshit, no restrictions. You can plan your entire week around this if you're local. Tourists can hit it once and feel like Vegas insiders. The consistency makes it reliable, and reliability is rare in Vegas.

Real Talk

This is as close to free money as Vegas offers. Free drinks in a decent bar every single day. Yeah, it's crowded. Yeah, you need to tip. But you're getting quality bar service for the cost of tips, which is probably $10-15 total for an hour of drinking versus $50-80 anywhere else.

Come early, tip generously, drink responsibly, and appreciate that Golden Gate is basically subsidizing your Vegas trip one hour at a time.