The Cabinet of Curiosities

Hidden beneath the casino floor at Horseshoe Las Vegas (formerly Bally's), The Cabinet of Curiosities is worth visiting even if you never discover what lies behind it.

The front bar feels like stepping into an eccentric collector's study, filled with oddities and travel souvenirs that look as though they've been gathered over decades from every corner of the world. It's a fun place to relax with a drink, but the real destination is hidden in plain sight.

Simply ask for "the Operator." From there, you'll be guided through a short escape room-style puzzle before gaining access to The Lock, one of the most memorable hidden speakeasies in Las Vegas.

Crossing through the hidden entrance feels like leaving the casino behind and stepping into another era. Inside, vintage jazz and swing from the Prohibition era through the 1950s set the mood while classic black-and-white films quietly flicker across the walls. The room itself is intentionally intimate, and I believe that's exactly what makes it work. Instead of fighting for a bartender's attention in a packed lounge, every guest feels seen. With only a small number of seats, one talented mixologist can truly focus on each person, making every cocktail feel like a conversation rather than a transaction.

I've visited several times, and what truly sets this hidden gem apart is its elite hospitality pedigree. General Manager Daniel Ponsky, a familiar face from multiple episodes of Paramount's Bar Rescue, is easily my favorite mixologist in Las Vegas. He has cultivated a brilliantly novel cocktail program and handpicked top-tier talent from across the country, including elite bartenders from hit culinary competitions like Netflix's Drink Masters. On this outing, we were looked after by a highly talented mixologist named Nell. Even though Daniel wasn't behind the bar during this visit, Nell had complete command over the room and earned my absolute highest recognition for her precision and hospitality. She was knowledgeable, approachable, and clearly passionate about her craft. Every recommendation came with confidence, and every cocktail felt intentionally designed rather than simply prepared.

Before you order, throw out any assumptions about standard casino bars. Their house "well" spirits aren't the cheap, plastic-bottle brands you find at a corner bodega; the baseline spirits used here easily rival or surpass the premium top-shelf selections at a standard chain grill or dive bar. That commitment to quality becomes obvious from the very first sip.

Here is how you unlock a legendary cocktail experience: you order your first round from their handcrafted pre-fix menu, then you are handed a card to customize your flavor profile for your second drink. You can play it safe, or you can opt for their top-shelf liquor tier, a gamble that paid off massively for me.

I got things started with the Pappa Brown Butta’, a masterful, rich cocktail built with fat-washed brown butter bourbon, maple pecan, a deep vanilla syrup, fresh lemon juice, vegan egg whites, and chocolate bitters. It delivers that complex, comforting holiday warmth but drinks beautifully even in the dead of a Vegas summer.

I also tried the Lavender Hill, a crisp, refreshing blend of light oak rum, floral lavender syrup, honey, lime, and vegan egg whites. Think of it as an elevated, deeply aromatic spin on a classic lemon drop.

For my custom card, I made a bespoke gamble where I requested a tequila or mezcal base highlighted by lavender, lychee, and bright floral notes with their top-shelf spirits. Nell flipped the script and built a completely handcrafted masterpiece using house made butterfly pea tea, lavender syrup, pureed lychee, citrus, hibiscus, and Holmes Cay Rum (a highly coveted, small-batch independent global bottling operation—IYKYK). In particular, this this rum was a limited edition from Australia (Beenleigh 2012) with gentle notes of vanilla, fruit, and oak. It wasn't exactly what I asked for, but it was so stunningly complex that I had absolutely zero regrets. Exceptional 5 of 5 stars.