Playbar

Playbar leans into the party atmosphere hard, with a setup that's built for daytime drinking and poolside vibes that transition into night energy. The happy hour timing is actually interesting—Monday through Friday, 1-4pm, which is way earlier than most spots. That 1pm start time suggests they know their audience: people who are either day-drinking on vacation or have made questionable life choices. Either way, the $5 drafts, $6 wells, and $8 cocktails make it a solid early-day drinking option on the Strip.

The Daytime Drinking Advantage

Starting happy hour at 1pm is genius for Vegas. By the time most people finish sleeping off last night and have lunch, it's prime time to start drinking again. The three-hour window ending at 4pm means you can get properly buzzed before dinner, save money on drinks, and still have your whole evening ahead of you. Or you can start at 1pm and realize at 8pm that you've been drinking for seven hours and need to reevaluate your choices. The flexibility is there.

Pricing Breakdown

$5 drafts are solid—you're getting cold beer at a fair price for a Strip party bar. $6 wells won't blow your mind but won't rip you off either. The $8 cocktails are where it gets interesting—these aren't your standard bar cocktails. Playbar does the Instagram-worthy drinks with color and presentation, so $8 for something that looks fun and tastes decent is fair value. You're not just buying alcohol, you're buying the photo op, which in 2026 is part of the transaction whether we like it or not.

The Party Vibe Is Real

This isn't a quiet contemplative drinking spot. Expect music, energy, people who are here to have fun loudly. The crowd skews younger—twenties and early thirties—and tends toward groups of friends or bachelorette parties. Depending on the day and season, there might be pool access or outdoor areas that amp up the resort party energy. If you need conversation-friendly acoustics or a chill atmosphere, this ain't it. But if you want to day-drink with energy and meet other people doing the same, Playbar delivers.

Strategic Timing

The 1-4pm window is perfect for post-checkout drinking if you're leaving Vegas and your flight isn't until evening. It's also great for starting your day if you've decided today is a write-off anyway. Weekdays are less chaotic than weekends—you'll get more locals and people extending their lunch breaks versus full-on tourist party mode. Summer pool season makes this spot significantly busier and more scene-y.

Reality Check

Playbar happy hour is designed for day drinking with intent. The early start time, party atmosphere, and drink pricing all point toward people who are here to get the party started early and maintain that energy. It's not the spot for a quiet drink or sophisticated cocktails. But if you want to maximize your Vegas drinking hours, save some money while doing it, and be surrounded by other people embracing the chaos, this works. Just know what you're signing up for—this is day-drinking party energy, not happy hour professionalism. Sometimes that's exactly the vibe you need, especially in Vegas where the whole point is excess and poor decisions. Embrace it or skip it, no middle ground here.