Las Vegas Mafia Attractions – Bring Sin Back to Sin City!
Las Vegas embraces its criminal past like no other city in America. With a wink and a nod, he looks back at the underworld element that, in part, brought notoriety and promise to what would otherwise have been a sleepy town in the middle of the desert. Some names like Benjamin Siegel and Meyer Lansky were recognized for having the vision to bring large-scale casinos to the desert, as well as the players who powered them.
Today the town is a model of order and civility, attending family vacations as much, if not more, than the gamblers of yesterday. However, despite his family values, there is a soft spot in Las Vegas for his criminal record. When you visit, of course, enjoy Sin City’s seedy past. Just remember to watch your back and tip appropriately!
The Mob Museum
With the motto “There are two sides to every story”, the Mob Museum is the Smithsonian of crime! Located on Stewart Avenue in downtown Las Vegas, the museum is housed in the former federal courthouse and United States Post Office.
No expense was spared when the City of Las Vegas worked with law enforcement archivists and the development group responsible for the Spy Museum in Washington DC and the Rock and Roll Museum in Cleveland. As you ascend the steps of the historic building, you are transported back in time to a world that is both glamorous and deadly.
Starting at the top and working your way down, the Mob Museum takes you down windy corridors from the flashy, alluring mob lifestyle that lured gamers and entertainers into the deadly, sadistic world that trapped them there.
Exhibits at the museum range from Hollywood and Las Vegas costumes and props to listening devices and undercover tools law enforcement used to combat them. Along the way, visitors can see a portion of the Valentine’s Day Massacre wall, an interactive display of Tommy guns, and a simulated electric chair that makes the house’s lights dim.
The museum is full of fun and light-hearted exhibits, but never loses sight of the danger and corruption of the underworld. This is a must see, and you could easily spend the day wandering through the museum. Just be aware that when they close their doors, they mean it!
the mob bar
Just around the corner from the Mob Museum on 3rd Street is the Mob Bar, as perfect a complement as ice cream to cake or vermouth to gin. Calling the Mob Bar a watering hole is a HUGE disservice, with expert mixologists whipping up a litany of unique cocktails guaranteed to hit the spot and erase it. Adopting its theme, there’s also a menu of “roaring ’20s-inspired drinks” like the “Clara Bow” to put you in a roaring mood!
The pairing with these drinks is a selection of what some consider “small plates” of delicacies that would make any Italian grandmother proud.
The bar’s décor is pure Speakeasy, with a wall of mirrors, chandeliers and a life-size painting by Garbo that transports you back to an idealized past. Waiters donning flapper dresses and newspaper caps complete the transformation.
The Mob Bar is a great lunch stop, where you can enjoy a libation or two and watch the calendar turn back to a time when everything was the bee’s knees.
Tropicana Mob Experience
On the entertainment side, the Mob Experience at the Tropicana is steeped in crime novels and movies like the Godfather Y Good boys, where he travels through the exhibition as an active participant in the action rather than an observer. And in this world, it means an early exit if you don’t know what you’re doing.
At the beginning of the experience, you will be greeted by your choice of celebrity guide. You can pick from Hollywood bigwigs like Mickey Rourke, Steve Schirripa, and Tony Sirico, but I don’t see why you wouldn’t pick James Caan.
They take you through the history of Las Vegas, from The Beginnings, The Day, and The Decline and Fall of the Mob. On the way, you are greeted by a doorman from a Speakeasy who tells us that “Big Leo” wants to see us. From there, the decisions you make will guide you down a path from dealing with a speakeasy speakeasy to interacting with the police, who are curious if you’ve spoken to “Big Leo.”
Think about your answers, because like in any mob drama, they are very important.
Moving through the Mob Experience, you play your role and think on your feet, making the Mob Experience at the Tropicana a new level of fun!
Capo’s Speakeasy Steakhouse
Away from the hustle and bustle of the strip, Capo’s Steakhouse, located on West Sahara Avenue, is a great way to end your tour of Las Vegas. At True Speakeasy, your first challenge is to call ahead and get the “password” that allows you to enter this one-of-a-kind steakhouse. The next is to find the door of the establishment and access. While it may take a bit of effort to get into, it’s worth it.
Capo’s interior is pure mafia, with dark wood set off by striking red wallpaper and crimson vinyl booths. The chandeliers in the dining room would look like a natural in Tony Soprano’s home, and the servers do their best “Joe Pesci” as you order from a menu of items like Bogie’s Bruschetta and Rat Pack pasta.
Enjoy a good red wine while enjoying the atmosphere where the owners complete the experience. On weekends there are usually live shows, such as the screening of The Godfather or a singer from the Rat Pack, the perfect way to say goodbye to a nice evening.
The Rose Garden of the Flamingo Hotel
As the sun sets during your day of Las Vegas Underworld activities, be sure to stop by and pay your respects to the man who brought the mob to Las Vegas. Outside the Flamingo Hotel is a small rose garden, very low-key and subdued by Las Vegas Strip standards, celebrating Bugsy Siegel. At the foot of the hotel, among the roses that Siegel supposedly adored, is a small plaque dedicated to the founding of the Flamingo Hotel.
If there were any other achievements Bugsy Siegel was known for, the board knows nothing.