Spoiler alert: I loved Vanderpump Cocktail Garden. Dark and sexy with a sly wink pretty much sums up the ambiance at Lisa Vanderpump’s newest bar located near the Forum Shops inside Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.
Yes, I am a fan of RHOBH and Vanderpump Rules. Such a fan that one might assume I’ve been to SUR or Tom Tom already yet I haven’t. So, with a few hours to kill in Vegas, I went to check out Lisa Vanderpump’s newest bar Vanderpump Cocktail Garden and was pleasantly surprised by the excellent service and deliciously strong drinks.
Where is Vanderpump Cocktail Garden?
Vanderpump Cocktail Garden is located inside Caesars Palace near the Forum Shops. If you enter the casino doors at the main valet, you will head right and walk through the casino towards the Forum Shops. The bar is on the Forum Casino floor just before you get to the Forum Shops.
Use the glowing pink Vanderpump marquee on the ceiling as your guide.
Expect a Line to Get In – No Matter the Time of Day
We jetted off to Las Vegas on a Friday morning and arrived just in time for lunch at our hotel and a mid-day nap. Look, I’m not 22 anymore. Travel makes me tired. Vanderpump Cocktail Garden opens at 3pm on Fridays and while we hoped to be in line upon opening we didn’t get there until 4:00 and were greeted with a line of about 20 people out front. The bar was bustling already – it’s Vegas, after all.
We made it to the front in about 30 minutes. Here’s why: The drinks are expensive. People are there to drink one cocktail, take photos and bounce. So wait in the line, no matter how long it is.
Five Star Service
Don’t expect a bonehead like Jax to serve you at Vanderpump Cocktail Garden. We were surprised at how exceptionally nice and attentive everyone was. From the doorman to our cocktail waitress, the food runners and the bussers – everyone was on their game.
Bravo, Nick Alain!
Bravo to designer Nick Alain because he helped create on gorgeous cocktail bar. It’s just plain sexy. I wanted to sit there all evening bathed in beautiful lighting and sipping on twenty-dollar drinks. The walls are adorned with personal photos of Ken and Lisa and some of Lisa’s most famous quotes from her time on Housewives.
The outside was less impressive. The bar patio is enclosed by something similar to an old English garden fence and it’s doused with artificial flowers. It reminded me a lot of some forgotten fake flower arrangement you might find in your mother in-law’s old craft closet. But, there is a gorgeous step and repeat perfect for your Insta photos.
Vanderpump Cocktail Garden Food and Drinks
Of course we ordered SUR’s fried goat cheese balls and they were hugely disappointing. Almost slightly underdone – like if you were to microwave a bunch of frozen mozzarella sticks at home. I could see how these might be delicious if they were pipping hot with a golden brown coating. We weren’t disappointed by the grilled cheese tasting, though. Two grilled naan, one with Asian pear and the other with rosemary ham. Very good!
As for drinks, I started with the Please Her, Caesar! and my husband had a Cold Blooded. Both drinks beautiful, strong and $17 each. A second round consisted of another Cold Blooded and The Vanderpink Margarita. I have nothing but great things to say about the drinks – you won’t be disappointed.
Vanderpump Cocktail Garden is an experience and one I’d gladly do all over again. Drinks and service were great, I’d even try the goat cheese balls again. If you’re a fan of the show, I definitely recommend stopping in for a drink.
