The Freakin' Frog, Las Vegas, United States - pub details
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Address: 4700 Maryland Parkway, Las Vegas, NV 89119 UNITED STATES [click here for map]
Pub facilities/features:
- TV, Big screen, Jukebox
- Dartboard
- Food served, Real ale
> Current user rating: 9.0/10 (rated by 3 users)
user reviews of the Freakin' Frog, Las Vegas
please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
| One of the many things I was looking forward to on my recent trip to Vegas was revisiting the Freakin' Frog to see how it might have changed over the two and a half years since I was last there. Then, I remember it as a fledgling bar that was quickly establishing a good reputation and had ambitious plans for the future. Those plans seemed to be built around the enthusiasm of the people involved for their product and their passion to drive the business forward. I remember thinking I hope they survive and achieve those goals and what I found was that they had, or at least they were well on their way. The Whisky Attic that was being built in May 05 is now fully operational and has the air of a London Gentlemen�s club. In fact to preserve exclusivity they do charge a small membership fee and if I lived a little closer than 5,000 miles away I would certainly put my name forward. I can imagine, after a hard day at work, reclining in a comfortable chair amid the dark wooden furnishings sampling a few exclusive single malts whilst putting the world to rights or watching a movie on one of the large screens. The bar itself is much as I remember it although there may have been a small extension to make way for a larger stage for the regular live music evenings that feature. The range of beers is just as impressive, if not more, and the list of bottled beers available runs to over 700 from all around the world. There are 15 beers on tap including Chimay Trippel, Lindemans Framboise, a pumpkin spiced ale and two from local microbreweries on our visit. But pride of place goes to the iconic pink elephant that sits atop the Delirium Tremens tap which must be one of the few outside Europe. We were told that the guys at DT are fiercely protective of their brand, with good reason, and the Freakin' Frog had to negotiate long and hard and prove their credentials to be allowed to serve it on tap. That in itself tells you something about this bar. But just like last time it was the people who made the Freakin' experience special. We went in the afternoon so there weren�t too many other customers initially but we were made very welcome by Nick who kindly gave us a tour of the Whisky Attic and provided some recommendations for beers. When his shift ended we were �handed over� to Lisa who was just as enthusiastic about tipping unusual beers down our throats. It was an afternoon lost but certainly not an afternoon wasted and this second great Freakin' experience puts this bar firmly in my top 10 worldwide favourites. Millay - 9 Dec 2007 15:14 |
| OK, so you've done a few casino bars along the Strip, got fed up drinking Bud Light or badly poured Guinness, and are wondering if there is anywhere you can get a decent beer in a proper bar with people whose attention isn't transfixed on a video poker machine. Fear not, there is an antidote to the noise and neon, just jump in a cab and ask for the Freakin' Frog. The easiest way if you are at the bottom end of the Strip is straight up E. Tropicana Avenue and do a left at Maryland Parkway. The Freakin' Frog is on the right hand side in a strip mall (a sort of mini retail park) set back from the road - just behind Moose's Beach House which may be more familiar to cab drivers. At first glance it looks a bit like a warehouse but don't let that put you off. On entering it might take your eyes a couple of minutes to adjust to the dark interior, as there are no windows. The flash of sunlight whenever anyone enters seems an almost unwelcome interruption once you have been there a while. A bar with stools runs along the left-hand side of the room and the right has booths and tables with inlaid brewery adverts. There are two dartboards on a small raised stage, a jukebox where music can be downloaded and a big screen showing sports, news and the occasional film. The bar is mercifully free of video poker machines with the only semblance of gaming being an old Ms Pacman machine in the corner. Someone told me they also had a piano but I couldn't see it - too dark when I arrived and too drunk when I left. Open Mon-Sat with hours proudly proclaimed on the door as "11am until the freakin' fun is done". They also claim to have the largest selection of beers in Nevada and beer is really what this place is all about. There were 10 beers on tap including Chimay, Old Speckled Hen, Alaskan Smoked Porter, a Belgian fruit beer, plus beers from Sierra Nevada, Rogue and local brewery Big Dog. There is a small chilled cabinet behind the bar with specialist bottled beers from around the world, plus cans of Strongbow which for some strange reason seemed fairly popular. At 3pm each day the cabinet is lit up and for the next three hours all the beers are on a 2 for 1 offer. However don't make the mistake of thinking that this - or the overflow racking near the toilets - is the extent of the range. Out back there is a whole room full of 300+ beers that are listed in folders that can be found on the bar. I found a Youngs Double Chocolate Stout although it did come in a can; the bottle of Rogue Mocha Porter I followed it up with was far superior. The food menu is fairly basic and functional being of the "chuck it in the fryer and chuck it on a plate" variety. As such it complements the drinking experience perfectly rather than interfering with it. My tip is to try the Mac 'n' Cheese triangles, or Crack 'n' Cheese as they are known locally for their addictiveness. Apart from the excellent selection of beers, the best thing about this bar is the people. The staff are all friendly (thanks Trish and Rhonda) and along with owner Adam, who you are likely to be introduced to, they are all knowledgeable about the beers on offer and passionate about building the business. An upstairs level is currently being developed into a specialist whisky bar. Although I suspect people travel some way to visit this bar, much of the clientele comes from the nearby University. But don't worry, you wont find the annoying, high-fiving, whooping it up, reality game show hopeful, baseball cap wearing chavs here. The study topics of choice are clearly alcohol and the pursuit of ebriety, and they seem to take it very seriously. Certainly the three mature criminal law students who "adopted" me for the afternoon did. There was the delightfully entertaining Marie, the entertainingly drunk Morag, who arrived in Vegas from the Isle of Wight via Birmingham and social philosopher and linguist Bannister with whom I enjoyed some excellent conversation. Then there was Eddie who insisted that we all drank Rogues Old Crustacean Barley Wine at 11.2% ABV. which was probably around the time I decided the rest of the evening would be a bit of a write off and that it wouldn't be a great idea to head for the blackjack tables in this state. Thanks to everyone for a great freakin' experience. It's probably not a place for the typical Vegas tourist but if you want a break from all the hype & neon, and staying sober is not high on your agenda, give it a visit, you wont be disappointed. Millay - 31 May 2005 13:58 |
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