If the cocktail culture in Las Vegas is strong, believe us when we say that the competition, like many of the drinks, is even stiffer.
It takes a lot to stand out in this town. But for seven years, the Dorsey at Venetian did so beautifully. Now as the newly remodeled Juliet Cocktail Room transitions into the space, local hospitality veteran Ryan Labbe has every intention of raising the bar even higher.
Juliet marks the first of several new concepts by Labbe’s 81/82 Group at the Venetian, with the resort’s Rosina and Electra to be completely re-envisioned in the coming months.
“We would love for everybody to go through all of the spaces. Originally, when we got these spaces, the cocktail menus were very similar,” Labbe says. “Rosina, quite honestly, didn’t have a cocktail menu, it just had a list of traditional cocktails, which you would just call out by name. We redid all the menus and the offerings, so they’re all unique.”
A casino cocktail crawl should begin (and may very well end) at Juliet, named after one of the most expensive roses in the world, taking about a decade to grow.
“We built a very Victorian-style space, and we wanted a beautiful name to accompany it,” Labbe says. “When people think about Juliet, they think about Romeo and Juliet. The fact that it’s not that and there’s a different story behind it, I think makes it a little more interesting.”
Labbe’s aptitude for creating spaces that feel both lived-in and welcoming is a hard-earned skill, sharpened by years of conceptualizing great restaurants and bars like Más Por Favor, La Neta and the Cosmopolitan’s Barbershop Cuts & Cocktails. At Juliet, everything has been redone, Labbe says, from the furniture to the floors to the library. The brass birdcage at the entrance remains, but even that’s been revitalized with dueling pianists and sultry singers doing lounge covers of the Fugees and Blackstreet.
“We’re still working on the exact programming and what bands are in there, but we want a show,” Labbe says, adding that DJs still hop behind decks on Thursdays. “I think it brings another level of entertainment to the Venetian side of things.”
Juliet’s cocktails go hand-in-hand with that level of showmanship. The attention to detail, even down to the glassware and garnishes, is awe-inspiring. For example, the Fields of Norway, an acidic and potent mixture of Dansk Mjod Viking Blod mead, Norwegian aquavit and green chartreuse, comes served in a Nordic viking horn. Meanwhile, the Green With Envy is a fairytale in a floral, handcrafted tea cup, with the rum and matcha creating a cloudy emerald hue that’s both creamy and vibrant in flavor.
“The basics are still there, but at the same time, you have to get a little innovative without being too crazy,” Labbe says. “I see everybody lighting steaks on fire at restaurants, when does it stop? It’s about toeing that fine line of something that’s interesting to somebody, still has that quality there, but at the same time isn’t overwhelming for the staff to execute.”
With Juliet staying open until 2 a.m. and light bites being brought in daily from neighboring restaurant Chica, you could essentially park it here for the whole night. Bring a date, bring the girls, bring the co-workers.
“At the end of the day, everybody wants to feel cool,” Labbe says. “We wanted to create a place where everybody can feel cool, no matter who you are.”
JULIET COCKTAIL ROOM Venetian, julietcocktailroom.com. Daily, 3 p.m.-2 a.m.
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