Atomic Liquors is the oldest freestanding bar in Las Vegas — it has been pouring drinks on Fremont East since 1952. The name comes from the rooftop ritual that drew regulars during the 1950s nuclear testing era: customers would climb to the roof with cocktails to watch the mushroom clouds rise from the Nevada Test Site, 65 miles to the north. The Atomic Cocktail, vodka, brandy, and Champagne with a dash of sherry, was the house drink.
After a long quiet stretch, the bar reopened in 2012 with most of its history intact: the original mid-century neon sign, the long wooden bar, photos of Frank Sinatra and Barbra Streisand from when they drank here on their way home from Strip shows. The beer list is now properly curated (rare for old Vegas dives), and the kitchen turns out solid bar food. A short walk from Fremont Street Experience.