The Biggest Party in Downtown Vegas Is 60 Stories Above Fremont Street
The sky-high cocktail lounge is leaning into its party-mode persona on weekends.
From the start, the Legacy Club has projected a sophisticated image and an unapologetically macho persona. The Circa spot may look a little different these days. The music is louder, the atmosphere is more energetic, and the drinks feel stronger. Maybe that last part is just me. But you can't deny that the cocktail lounge is leaning harder into its role as a penthouse party in the sky.
More than a mere rooftop bar, the Legacy Club is perched on the 60th floor of the skyscraping Circa resort on the Fremont Street Experience, soaking in panoramic views of Las Vegas from the Strip to Downtown. It's been around for nearly four years, barely showing its age with a timeless design that includes art deco touches, long couches, and an expansive outdoor patio with fire pits to breathe in the fresh air.
The Legacy Club opens at 4 pm daily for regular service with sunset packages before dusk and sporadic special events like a night of haunting elegance in October. But the weekends are fast becoming primetime for the lounge. It shifts into "party mode" at 9 pm on Friday and Saturday nights, featuring a DJ lineup that—so far—includes Exodus (fresh off a 10-year residency at the Palms), Quira (a UNLV grad and former cocktail waitress who's performed at Marquee), Freddie B. (a veteran of Wynn and Encore nightlife), Soxxi (whose international resume includes clubs in China and Mexico), and J. Alba (a favorite in Ibiza).
The DJ changes from week to week, but the playlist is a reliable combination of house and remixed hits. Whether celebrating a birthday or bachelor/bachelorette party, you're in the right place with confetti, lights, and unrestrained energy accompanying the bottle service presentations.
"It's a different crowd that shows up late on Friday and Saturday nights—a crowd that's ready to go out and party hard," according to Circa CEO Derek Stevens. "Whether it's sunny outside, twilight, or late night, the Legacy Club is such a unique place."
The Legacy Club already dabbled in late-night parties with Elevated Wednesdays, an industry night that takes place on the last Wednesday of each month. But the time is right to tap into a market that's typically drawn to the Strip for crowded nightclubs and upscale lounges.
The Legacy Club already dabbled in late-night parties with Elevated Wednesdays, an industry night that takes place on the last Wednesday of each month. But the time is right to tap into a market that's typically drawn to the Strip for crowded nightclubs and upscale lounges.
The elevators open to a hallway decorated with metal busts of casino moguls (or "Founding Fathers") that helped shape Vegas over the years, including MGM Grand founder Kirk Kerkorian, Boyd Gaming visionary Sam Boyd, and of course, infamous billionaire recluse Howard Hughes. Walk up to the host stand and you'll see a 10-foot-tall collection of 500 custom-engraved gold bars, totaling 1,000 ounces with the estimated market value updated in "real time" on a digital marquee.
Yet for all the grandiosity—and maybe, despite it—the Legacy Club is surprisingly accessible and approachable. Spare the special events, there's no cover charge and the cocktails, which lean and strong with quality spirits, run in the $19 range. Not cheap. But almost a deal compared to the overblown prices at Strip casinos these days. Considering that you're getting a "drink and a show" with the surrounding views, it's a fair deal—and almost populist in an era when other cocktail lounges and restaurants are marketing themselves on an aura of exclusivity. So don't be shy. Order what you want and be as flashy as you like.
"When I'm going with a craft cocktail, I'll do an Aviation," says Stevens about his go-to-drink at the Legacy Club. "If I'm just hanging out, I'm still a Captain Morgan guy."
It's not widely publicized, but the whiskey list is the bar's secret weapon, featuring a wide selection and reasonable Vegas prices. You wouldn't look out of place sipping on bourbon, rye, or Scotch, either neat or on the rocks. Feel free to customize an Old Fashioned with a choice of whiskey, sweetener, and bitters. My favorite: Nevada's own Frey Ranch with maple and cherry bark. It goes down easy.
And sure, you can go the predictable route with vodka or tequila for bottle service, but ask for whiskey instead. It just fits the place. The full list is fair game, beginning at $395 for the tableside presentation. You get a choice of mixers, glassware, and even shot glasses. Use 'em. This is a celebration, after all.