Several Vegas Strip resorts now have at least one beer-centric venue, and my latest discovery is Chickie’s and Pete’s Crabhouse and Sports Bar at Sahara Las Vegas. Opened in September 2021, it’s the Philadelphia-based chain’s first full-sized restaurant west of the Mississippi.
The concept has been hailed as ESPN’s #1 sports bar in North America. At the Las Vegas outpost a true sports bar feel is attained with the walls filled with signed jerseys of notable pro athletes including Larry Bird, Shaquille O’Neil, Kobe Bryant and local Las Vegas Raiders stars Derek Carr and Josh Jacobs.
The William Hill sports book is situated right inside the restaurant so you only have to take a few steps from your table to make a wager on a game, which you may be able to watch on one of the 50 TVs tuned to sports programming. There’s also a patio overlooking Las Vegas Boulevard (the Strip) and private VIP pods with gaming consoles, oversized sectional sofas and private TVs.
As you may have guessed from the name, the restaurant is known for several crab-centric menu items, including crab fries seasoned with Old Bay (which can be upgraded to be topped with crab or lobster), crab cakes, fried crab mac & cheese and crab pizza; or variation of crab meat offerings including King, Snow, Blue Claw Hard Shell and Dungeness.
As the restaurant group originated in Philadelphia, it’s no surprise that the menu features five Philly cheesesteak variations, such as classic, lobster, chicken steak and Buffalo chicken. Not to be overlooked is the Lisa’s Blonde Lobster Pie, a white sauce pizza with fresh lobster meat.
If you want exclusive whiskey, Sahara Las Vegas has its own whiskey label in partnership with Rare Character Whiskey Co. So far, they’ve purchased two batches of five-year high-rye, straight bourbon, which you can only get here and in a few of the Sahara’s casino lounges and bars.
As the motto is “sports, beer and crab”, beer is also covered, with more than 50 beers from a wide range of styles and several local brews such as Able Baker Atomic Duck, Bad Beat I Love NV Amber Ale, Banger Morning Joe Coffee Kolsch, Lovelady Love Juice IPA and Tenaya Creek Bonanza Brown.
Regarding supporting our local breweries, Sahara Las Vegas Director of Beverage Nate Hedlund said, “Chickie’s & Pete’s in Philly pride themselves on supporting their local beers and no reason the Las Vegas location wouldn’t do the same with all the quality brewers we have in town.”
In addition to the local brews,there are hard-to-find craft beer novelties like the coveted bourbon barrel-aged Goose Island Bourbon County Stout; and the delightful Cascade Citrus Noyaux, a sour blond ale aged in oak wine barrels for up to two years with apricot noyaux (kernels from the pits of apricots) and fresh orange, grapefruit and lemon peels.
As for prices and suitability for locals, most starters and salads are $10-$15, sandwiches $15-$17 and pizzas (which easily feed two) $18-$20; and valet and self-parking are free.
www.saharalasvegas.com/restaurants-bars/chickies-petes
