CNN Calls Arts District Hottest Neighborhood In Las Vegas

CNN recently gave some love to Las Vegas' beautifully chaotic area, The Arts District.

An article for CNN by Matt Villano, a freelance writer who's currently based in Las Vegas and calls himself "#Vegas pro" on Instagram, published an exploration through the bustling area that's packed with shops, art, great bites and necessary libations. He writes about the food, the history, the bars and the people of this well-loved gem, calling it Vegas' "hottest" neighborhood.

From food, beautiful works of art and so much more, the culture of the Arts District vibrates with dreams of people who've opened culinary experiences, turned concepts into successful business models and have beautified blocks of our city encompassed by highways and construction.

"In the beginning, the neighborhood revolved around a destination called The Arts Factory, a circa-1920s building that was repurposed to hold studios for more than 30 artists," Villano writes in his article.

Many locals adore Esther's Kitchen, Velveteen Rabbit and the antiques shops dotted around the corners of the area, which Villano also mentioned in his article.

Here's some context to how much the Vegas community loves Esther's Kitchen: "By early 2023, it was harder to get a reservation at Esther’s than it was to get one at many high-end restaurants on the Strip," the CNN article reads.

Here are some other places that weren't mentioned in the article and are totally worth visiting the next time you're in the Arts District.

Berlin Bar, located at 201 E Charleston Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89104, is the epitome of a grungy, dark and perfect dive bar. The bar has punk rock karaoke, and that's a total blast. It's lowkey, but gets a good crowd during the weekends. It's a fun place to let loose. Just order a bucket of beer, take a seat and enjoy some life.

Bungalow Coffee Co, the address is 201 E Charleston Blvd Suite 180, Las Vegas, NV 89104, is a simple and delicious coffee house that's great if you work from home and want a change of scenery. It's a immaculate "working" coffee shop, but it also curates a great vibe for catching up with friends.

Mezcla - Ceviche & Tequila Bar at 197 E California Ave Unit 110, Las Vegas, NV 89104 is a fun spot that serves an amazing Guadalajara Sour. That delicious drink contains Gran Centenario Añejo Tequila, lime, agave, egg white, house sangria float, according to their website. The bar also has other liquors from Peru, Brazil, Bolivia, Mexico and more.

There are a plethora of vintage stores, eclectic antique malls, and unique clothing brands. I personally love picking up a graphic t-shirt at Nightmare Toys, a store dedicated to horror-themed items.

The Red Kat Vintage, Off The Threads and Alt Rebel are just a few clothing stores that have great finds and one-of-a-kind pieces.

The beauty of the Arts District is that you can stroll around and find something interesting. So, just take a walk, explore the area and find something magical!

Scams in Las Vegas, when you're a local, usually involve that fake solar salesman who runs off with down payment from an unsuspecting homeowner. Or the unlicensed contractors who come out of the woodwork to do home repairs after monsoon season.

We're talking about the kind of scams that screw you out of thousands of dollars and, more often than not, land you in small claims court.

The first category rounds up the resorts that were the most disappointing for tourists. A lot of popular casinos on the Vegas Strip landed in the top ten on the list. But none of those we know the most were in the top three. Here are the ones that were.

The resort with the most scam-related reviews on TripAdvisor was the Las Vegas location of Bluegreen Vacations Club. They have locations all over the country, but the one on Tropicana had 4.2% of scam-related reviews. With 59 percent of the reviews including the word 'scam'. Mostly pointing toward the timeshare program, but also siting cleanliness concerns.

According to casino.org's study, nearly half of the scam-related reviews for Jockey Club mentioned the word 'waste'. And one reviewer claimed they spent over $12,000 on their services, which they called 'dreadful'. Overall, Jockey Club gather 2.8% of scam-related reviews. Landing it at number two on the list.

The google reviews for the Jockey Club are mixed. It has a 4-star rating on Google. And many of the positive reviews site the location as their best asset.

https://www.wyndhamgranddesert.com/

I've personally never been to Club Wyndham Grand Desert in Las Vegas, so I comment on the validity of these reviews. That being said, 2.7% of their reviews on TripAdvisor involved words that made it seem like a scam. But it should also be known that those reviews mostly pointed at their timeshare program. Calling the timeshare salespeople "rip-offs" and claiming the timeshare program had a lot of misleading information.

The reviews regarding Club Wyndham's hospitality were good. Just maybe don't do the timeshare part, if you can help it.

Coming in at number four on the list was Hilton Vacation Club Cancun Resort, with 2.6% of scam-related reviews. And tied for number five were the Golden Nugget and Palms Casino Resort, each with with 2% of scam-related reviews.

Next, the study listed the restaurants and bars around Las Vegas that tourists thought were the biggest waste of their money. Here's the top three.

Another place I've never personally experienced, Minus5 Icebar in Las Vegas just kind of screams "tourist trap". Like it's something you have to do once, to impress your visiting friends, but never a second time. And it seems like many TripAdvisor reviewers agree. A huge 5% of reviews indicated that Minus5 is a waste of money.

Landing at number two on the list is Pampas. With 3.9% of TripAdvisor reviews being unfavorable. Well over half of those feeling like they wasted their money by dining at the restaurant. Some reviewers felt deceived because Pampas didn't accept valid coupons or hotel gift cards. And others called the place a tourist trap.

Located in the Golden Nugget hotel, Saltgrass Steak House was number three on the list of highest scams in restaurant. With 3% of reviews mentioning things that visitors thought were a rip-off. Overpriced food not worth the low-quality of what the patrons got for their money was a major concern. And the general vibe of the reviews were warning people to spend their time and money elsewhere.

Coming in a number four on the list was a tie between the Circus Circus and Bacchanal Buffets, each with 2.7% of scam-related reviews. And 2.6% of the reviews went to the MGM Grand Buffet, landing it at number five.

The next category in the study mentioned the biggest scams when it comes to shows in Las Vegas, according to TripAdvisor reviewers. Here are the top three.

I saw Blue Man Group several years ago and it wasn't too bad. But maybe the quality has gone downhill since then. At least that is what's implied by the 5.5% of scam-related reviews from TripAdvisor. Former patrons of the show have said it was a waste of time and money and that your money would be better spent elsewhere.

I don't know that there are many people who have seen Criss Angel anywhere who can't say he seems like a fraud. And, according to the 3.9% of scam-related TripAdvisor reviews, former patrons feel the same about his show. Nearly all of those reviews called the show a 'waste' (casino.org). And said the tricks weren't that impressive. Some reviewers went as far as to call the show a 'marketing scam'.

Almost all of the 2.9% of scam-related reviews said the Penn & Teller show was grossly underwhelming. And I'm sure their feeling of being ripped off has a lot to do with the outrageous ticket prices. Reviewers also mentioned the bar at the show was vastly overpriced, claiming they spent an average of $20 per drink. Even for something as simple as a beer or rum and coke.

The Ka Cirque Du Soleil show came in at number four on the study, with 2.4% of scam-related reviews. And the fifth place went to the Jabbawockeez show, with 2.3% of the reviews.

Finally, the study broke down the attractions that Las Vegas tourists called the biggest waste of money. And there was one clear winner.

https://thehauntedmuseum.com/

A whopping 4% of reviews on TripAdvisor for Zak Bagans' The Haunted Museum claimed the attraction was a total waste of money. And over half of those reviews called the attraction a 'rip-off'. So maybe spend your money at some other place. I hear the Mob Museum is nice this time of year.

Another attraction in Las Vegas that many TripAdvisor reviewers felt was a scam was the gondola rides at the Venetian Resort. According to the study by casino.org, 3.7% of reviews mentioned patrons feeling ripped off by the cost of the attraction and how it wasn't worth the short amount of time they got to spend on the ride.