Columnist Jerry Fink: A look at top spots to lounge around

Friday, Jan. 3, 2003 | 8:54 a.m.

Jerry Fink's lounge column appears on Fridays. Reach him at jerry@lasvegassun.com at (702) 259-4058.

After two years of writing about lounges, I have barely touched the surface of the rich field of this type of entertainment available in Las Vegas -- and it's free.

The following are some of my favorite haunts of 2003:

No. 1: The Bootlegger, a 24-hour Italian restaurant that has lounge entertainment after the dinner hour.

Friday and Saturday nights, around 9:30 p.m., the place is wall-to-wall fun, spearheaded by Sonny King and Blackie Hunt. King and Hunt host "Off the Cuff," performing and introducing other performers who drop by.

You never know what local legend might show up in the spotlight -- caustic standup comic Cork Proctor, Carme, Nelson Sardelli, Grant Griffin and a host of others.

Fans can almost always count on Lt. Gov. Lorraine Hunt, Blackie's wife and the owner of the Bootlegger, to perform a few numbers.

The most poignant moment of the year was when jazzman Gus Mancuso organized a party to honor 74-year-old trombonist Carl Fontana, who suffers from Alzheimer's.

At one point as Mancuso and his backup band played, Fontana picked up a trombone and went through the motions of playing the number -- but no sounds came from the horn.

No. 2: The Piazza Lounge at the Tuscany Hotel.

Since dance band Chuy and Company began appearing at the venue in August, the lounge has been standing room only.

The Tuscany is scheduled to open its 60,000-square-foot casino later this month. When that happens, there may not even be room to stand in the Piazza.

No. 3: Double Down Saloon, on Paradise Road south of the Hard Rock Hotel.

Stuff magazine, a slick publication for men, named it one of the top 20 dives in the United States in its January issue. Playboy named it the bar of the month in November.

With such notoriety, will the funky bar with the motto "You puke, you clean" get a swollen head and change?

Probably not.

"It's a dive bar, and I say that proudly," says owner P Moss.

No. 4: Cappazzoli's, another Italian restaurant where a lounge transforms into an entertainment center after hours.

Many celebrities, from Tom Jones to Tony Bennett, have stopped by for impromptu performances.

Lou Martinez, a personable singer of standards, rock, country and other genre, hosts the late-night open mike sessions.

No. 5: ghostbar at the Palms.

There isn't a lot of entertainment at the venue, but it's one of the sexiest clubs in town.

From inside ghostbar, floor-to-ceiling windows allow a spectacular, panoramic view of the heart of Las Vegas from the 55th floor of the hotel.

Outside, a deck wraps around the building.

No. 6: Pogo's Tavern, a neighborhood bar that transforms into a jazz haunt from 8 p.m. to midnight on Fridays.

Drummer Irv Kluger, 82, has directed a jam session at the club for the past 17 years.

No. 7: Nora's Cuisine on West Flamingo Road, yet another Italian restaurant that provides entertainment late at night.

Giovanni Mauro, 30, manages the eatery for his parents, Nora and Gino. He also hosts open mike nights.

Mauro loves opera, which he studied in Italy, and often sings some of his favorite arias in between standards performed by guests.

No. 8: Jazzed Cafe on West Sahara Avenue.

Owner/chef Kirk Offerle provides great jazz and great food in a classy atmosphere.

No. 9: The Top of the World Lounge at the Stratosphere.

Not only does the venue have the most spectacular view in Las Vegas, it usually has excellent entertainment.

No. 10 is actually two venues, both started by the same person -- Teddy Daginis.

One is the Kitchen Cafe on East Flamingo Road, the other is Romy's on West Sahara Avenue (soon to be re-named Teddy's Bistro).

For many years the Kitchen Cafe was a favorite hangout for musicians, especially on Wednesday night open-mike nights.

Last year Teddy and his wife, Stephannie, divorced. She kept the Kitchen, and he opened Romy's, where he is attempting to rekindle the same musical fervor that existed at his former eatery.

Hopefully, there is room for both venues. You can't have too many lounges.

Lounging around

Open mikes: Cafe Espresso Roma, 4440 S. Maryland Parkway, 8 p.m. Sundays; Dino's Lounge, 1516 Las Vegas Blvd. South, 8 p.m. Sundays; Sasha's Bar & Restaurant, 4640 Paradise Road, 8 p.m. Fridays and Spirits Lounge, 4601 W. Sahara Ave., 8 p.m. Sundays.

Jazz: jam session at the Blue Note Las Vegas, 9 p.m. Sundays; various musicians, Suncoast, 6 p.m. Thursdays; Tongue and Groove, 713 E. Ogden Ave., 4 p.m. Sundays and The Hurricane, 10420 S. Bermuda Ave., 7 p.m. Sundays.

Blues: Blues jam, 9 p.m. Tuesdays at Barley's Brew Pub, 4500 E. Sunset Road; various touring artists at Boulder Station's Railhead, 8 p.m. Thursdays, and Sand Dollar, blues jam, 10 p.m. Tuesdays.

Karaoke: Arizona Charlie's, 8:30 p.m. Mondays; Barbary Coast, 9 p.m. Tuesdays; Boulder Station, 7 p.m. Thursday, 6 p.m. Friday, 8 p.m. Saturday and Royal Frog, 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.

"Chick Singer Night," first Monday of every month at The Palms' Palapa Lounge. An opportunity for female performers to sing with a live band. For more information go the the website chicksingernight.com.