Entertainment offerings beyond the Las Vegas Strip include a wide variety of acts and unique venues that are as interesting as they are intimate. From jazz joints to comedy clubs and a fun-loving piano bar, these off-Strip spots are favored by Las Vegas locals and definitely worth exploring on your next visit to the destination.  

Maxan Jazz 

  • With live performances six nights a week, Maxan Jazz, a sushi-restaurant-meets-cool-little-music-club, is just a short drive from the Strip. The lineup features several of the destination’s most talented musicians and vocalists, with bands, combos and soloists performing everything from jazz to Latin and blues. Oh, and with former Nobu chefs behind the sushi bar, the food will be just as delightful as the tunes. 

Vic’s Las Vegas 

  • The vibe at Vic’s Las Vegas is decidedly retro, just like its iconic namesake: the Vegas Vic character, immortalized in neon in the 1950s. The combined jazz club/restaurant routinely presents sets from notable local and on-tour musicians, including an award-winning jazz combo and a trio featuring famed magician Penn Jillette. Located in downtown’s Symphony Park neighborhood, the swanky space features Italian-American fare and a daily happy hour.  

The Front Yard at Ellis Island Hotel, Casino & Brewery 

  • It’s never a dull moment at The Front Yard, a beer garden serving locally brewed suds just a block from the Strip. The indoor/outdoor bar and restaurant’s entertainment calendar is packed with live music and special events – including trivia nights, “movie bingo” and film screenings on its 18-foot, big-screen TV! 

Wiseguys Comedy Club 

  • Nestled in downtown’s burgeoning Main Street neighborhood, Wiseguys Comedy Club is an intimate space offering laughs most nights of the week, plus it has a full bar and a menu of snackable bites. In addition to its weekly open mics, the club regularly features sets from both up-and-coming comics and established stand-ups like comedy podcaster Marc Maron. 

The Beverly Theater 

  • The Beverly Theater is a three-in-one combo with distinct areas acting as part film house, concert venue and storytelling arena. The downtown cultural hub’s programming is as vast as it is varied – on any given night, you can catch anything from an indie flick or classic-film screening to an author’s or screenwriter’s talk and a set by a live band or DJ. 

Chinatown Plaza 

  • On first glance, Chinatown Plaza looks like a simple strip mall of mom-and-pop-owned restaurants offering a variety of Asian cuisines – but there’s more! Distinguished by its colorful Tang Dynasty-inspired architecture, the vibrant plaza regularly hosts cultural events and festivals throughout the year. It’s easy to spend a day here exploring, eating and shopping at its boutiques – all while connecting with the local community. 

The Sand Dollar Downtown at Plaza Hotel & Casino 

  • Local and touring acts alike take the stage at The Sand Dollar Downtown, the second location of this iconic Las Vegas nightspot. Similar to the first location, this iteration also attracts top talent. From country and rock to R&B and blues, there’s bound to be a show for you at this intimate venue. 

Don’t Tell Mama 

  • The bartenders pull double duty at Don’t Tell Mama, as each drink slinger at the beloved piano bar can tickle the ivories and carry a decent tune! They’ll serve and serenade while you sing along – or join them in the spotlight! The mic is always open at the Neonopolis complex bar, which operates Tuesdays through Sundays. 

La Casa Las Vegas 

  • Less than a 20-minute drive from the Las Vegas Strip, this cigar bar located at the suburban and open-air Tivoli Village shopping center, La Casa Las Vegas features a robust entertainment lineup. A live jazz band plays nightly from Tuesday to Saturday, with rotating acts – from country to R&B to classic rock – rounding out the calendar.  

Las Vegas events are aplenty on the Strip, but why not shake things up and experience something unexpected? These hot spots offer exactly that! While you’re planning that itinerary, don’t forget to take a peek at the latest restaurants to open in the destination and this stellar lineup of Las Vegas shows and nightspots.