Who says you need to book an expensive trip to Whistler in Canada or Hokkaido in Japan to experience the homey feeling of drinking at a lodge after hitting the slopes? If you’re craving the vibe of an alpine lodge while you’re in Vegas, just visit the Ski Lodge at the Cosmopolitan.
The Ski Lodge is a ski resort-themed speakeasy bar that opened in 2021 at the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. In early 2022, it started to pick up popularity for its unique, quirky atmosphere, delectable pizza, and yummy cocktails.
Wondering how to find this speakeasy and what you can expect when you enter it? We’ve got you. Today, we’ll be talking about everything you need to know about the Ski Lodge in Las Vegas—from where it’s located to what you should order while you’re there.
How to Get to the Ski Lodge Las Vegas
The Ski Lodge speakeasy bar can be found in the Cosmopolitan, which is known to have several speakeasies left and right.
However, the Ski Lodge is vastly different because of its kitsch and cozy ski concept—but more on that later. First, let’s talk about how to find the Ski Lodge to begin with.
From the second floor of the Cosmopolitan’s Chelsea Tower, look for the hallway that leads you to Superfrico—the hotel’s Italian American “psychedelic” restaurant. Along the way, you should also see the OPM Theater and the Wicked Spoon Buffet.
You can access the Ski Lodge by entering Superfrico first. This is perfect if you want to eat scrumptious Italian food for dinner before hitting the bar. They serve pizza, fresh pasta, juicy steaks, and many more. From there, you can ask to be led to the Ski Lodge.
That said, you don’t have to sit down and have a meal at Superfrico to enter the Ski Lodge. You can simply walk to the Ski Lodge when you enter.
But if you don’t want to pass by Superfrico to get to the speakeasy, that’s possible too. Instead of entering the Italian restaurant through its huge purple doors, turn to the left and look for a small, ordinary-looking door with a skiing logo on it. This is the door to the Ski Lodge.
When you find the door, just push it and enter the bar. Some people who lurk longer in the hallway report that a staff member asked them if they were “looking for someplace cold” before leading them to the Ski Lodge. Once you’re in, you’ll have a blast inside!
What to Expect Inside the Ski Lodge
The Ski Lodge is a cabin-style bar with striking interiors reminiscent of exclusive winter resorts and ski lodges in Europe and Asia. But instead of coffee and hot cocoa, the place serves cocktails and indulgent pizza.
The bar was inspired by the world’s most exquisite ski resorts, such as those in Hokkaido, Japan. They even have an LED screen behind the bar that gives you the illusion of looking out into a window and seeing sparkling snow in a ski resort.
The overall vibe in the Ski Lodge is that you’ve just finished skiing on the slopes and want to end the day and relax with a drink. It’s awesome for those who want to relive their favorite experiences in snowy mountains right from the sunny party town of Las Vegas.
While the Ski Lodge is inspired by high-end resorts in ski towns, the bar itself has a touch of quirkiness and coziness, too. It makes you feel as if you’re in a local ski lodge up in the Swiss Alps.
In the bar, you’ll find a fireplace, tons of board games and books on the wall, and even a bartender wearing ski gear and an unworn helmet. There is also a bunch of kitsch-looking décor, like ceramic penguins and tons of ski-related stickers stuck to the walls.
But be warned—there aren’t a lot of seats available at the Ski Lodge. At most, the place can seat about 30-40 people. It’s best to come here early in the evening and not late at night. That way, you and your party will have a better chance of scoring the seats you want.
The Ski Lodge Menu: What Food and Drinks to Try Out
Just like its aesthetic concept, the menu of the Ski Lodge is quite unique, too. Instead of fancy appetizers or finger foods to go with your drinks, the speakeasy serves delicious pizza alongside its cocktails.
The Ski Lodge is arguably most popular for its cheesy, frico-crusted pizzas, of which there are only three variants available.
They have the vegetarian OG Square pizza, which has tomatoes, mozzarella, cheddar, parmigiano reggiano, and oregano. If you want some meat in yours, you can get the hearty Ultimate Pepperoni Square. And if you want a modern take on pesto pizza, try out the Pistachio Mortadella Square.
Next up, we have their drinks. The cocktail list was carefully curated by Leo Robitschek (a James Beard Foundation Award winner and mixologist) and Niko Novick (the Executive of Beverage at the neighboring Superfrico restaurant).
The two harped on classic cocktails, but they added their own unique twists to them, too. The menu includes izakaya-inspired cocktails with Japanese spirits as well as seasonal flavors.
Even with the thoughtfulness and sophistication of the cocktails at the Ski Lodge, they’re still right on theme and have quirky, interesting names.
For example, the Grow a Pear is made with gin, Pernod, pears, and some cinnamon and lemon. Meanwhile, Sticky Pajamas is a concoction of vodka, grape, lychee, coconut honey, and a dash of lemon.
Of course, in true Las Vegas fashion, the bar has its elegant, fancy drinks too. One of these is the Nat King Cole, which is made of 21-year-old Suntory Hibiki, sweet Maraschino, and some orange bitters. They also have a Vieux Chalet, which contains Louis XIII Cognac and rye whiskey.
For dessert, try their S’mores Mountain Campfire Kit, which allows you to roast your vanilla marshmallows over a campfire pot and assemble it between spiced Graham crackers and rich chocolate. It’s the perfect dessert to have in a place that emulates cold, frosty weather.
And if none of these seem to whet your appetite, you can always order anything from the Superfrico menu next door! That’s one advantage of hanging out at a speakeasy that’s right beside an Italian American restaurant.
When Are They Open?
The Ski Lodge is open every day of the week from 4:00 PM until late at night. It’s perfect for those who want drinks after dinner or want to stay up late to catch up with friends with a snowy backdrop.
They don’t accept reservations, so you can come in any time you want a drink. This means that coming here is a bit of a risk, especially since there are only about 30 or so seats available. There’s a high chance that you won’t have seats waiting for you if you hit the bar too late into the night.
Also, note that as with all Las Vegas bars and clubs, only people 21 and above can come into the bar. If you’re traveling with teens or kids, it’s best to leave them at the hotel while you catch a drink or two.
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Conclusion
Although Las Vegas is smack in the middle of the Nevada desert, every day feels like a cold, homey snow day thanks to the Ski Lodge. Its cheerful and quirky yet exclusive vibe is great for anyone who wants to experience drinking cocktails and eating pizza at a speakeasy bar.
There’s nothing quite like the hidden Ski Lodge in Las Vegas. So, if you want a break from the swanky nightclubs that all look the same and want to try something different, visit this ski-themed bar at Superfrico at the Cosmopolitan today!