Vegas on Two Wheels: Double Barrel Roadhouse

This week’s Vegas on Two Wheels burned rubber on the strip for a killer visit to the Double Barrel Roadhouse! This southern rock bar and grill tantalized my taste buds and rocked my biker boots right off me!

Getting to this bar is pretty simple. Getting off the I-15 (heading north) at Tropicana you take a left onto Las Vegas Blvd. and look for the light that brings you to the Monte Carlo (on the left). Best thing to do is to park in the garage. It will be a cinch to find parking for your hog, but I did not feel comfortable leaving my helmet on the bike. Huge garage plus no cameras plus signs that start by saying “We are not responsible…” is an open invitation for thieves to nab your gear.

The bar is literally in the front of the Monte Carlo and looks over the Las Vegas Blvd. so be ready to walk through the entire casino. With lights flashing, bells are ringing, and people are screaming from winning a big jackpot, it was rather hard for me not to take out a hundred bucks and try my luck at the tables or the slots.

I waded through the gamete of gambling to the front doors of the Monte Carlo. I stepped out and a cool rush of evening air filled my lungs. The smell grabbed my attention first! Whiffs of smoked brisket, French fries, and BBQ pork gently grabbed me by my nostrils and guided me to the left of where I exited. There, under the warm glow of dock lights, The Double Barrel.

From the outside, this Bar and Grill infused the look of a classic Texas steakhouse and an aged whiskey distillery. Wooden planks made to look aged line the outside walls; a classic red neon sign glows overhead spelling out “Double Barrel” in a western text, above the sign a massive Whiskey Barrel sits looking over the boulevard; a reminder of what this bar and grill is all about.

There seemed to be no true door to the Double Barrel; it was wide open. The inside spills out onto the strip. Outdoor seating was available and under flaming heaters, a good dozen patrons weathered the chilly night. The inside did not disappoint! Esthetically, I felt I was walking into a Jack Daniels distillery! Old wood floors and planked walls stamped with white lettering reminding all to celebrate, make memories and just have a good time, even a catwalk above to easily maintain the lights across the room and the built-up stage on the back wall. With two long fully staffed bars in the front and one more in front of the stage, it wasn’t difficult at all to grab a beer or something a little stiffer.

This place was rockin’ and rollin’ from the time I got there to the time I left. Live entertainment during the early evening in front and by 10 PM, the lights to the stage turned on and another band rocked me into the night!

Now, this is a bar AND GRILL, so I had to try out the grub and let me tell you guys, the food was bitchin! The menu is comprised of Southern BBQ; comfort food but with a Las Vegas flair to it! I need to highlight a few food items that are a MUST to try. First, the Candy Bacon!

The bacon is thick-cut bacon seasoned lightly and then dipped in brown sugar which is then caramelized. This bacon is DEADLY in a good way hahaha. The smokey/salty richness of the bacon married with the earthy sweetness of the bacon had me wanting more and more. I could have had that the entire meal…but it is bacon and too much bacon clogs the arteries …which could kill you ….hence why I say this is DEADLY hahaha.

Next up was the burnt ends. These beef tips are smoked for half a day and are watched carefully so not to dry out. Then, glazed with a house made BBQ sauce that even now has my mouth watering. What blew my mind was how the chef was able to keep these ends from being dry. They were still moist and bursting with smoky/sweet flavor.

Finally, my favorite, the four cheese Mac n Cheese with BBQ kielbasa! Ok, so did you or your mom ever make Mac n Cheese with cut-up hot dogs before? OF COURSE, THEY DID! IT WAS A STAPLE CHILDHOOD MEAL, and this dish hit me like a Mack truck! The Mac n Cheese was excellent made the right way; backed with a parmesan crust on top. The taste was creamy, gooey, and had just a hint of smoke and with the four cheese working off one another so well, it brought my taste buds to pleasure town!

The Kielbasa a fantastic surprise! I remember eating Kielbasa as a kid and it being a little overpowering to me too salty and smoky. Well David Mangual, Executive Chef, seemed to have read my mind. Instead of smoking the Kielbasa, David and his team grills it and marries this sausage with a very sweet house made BBQ sauce.

This balanced the dish perfectly. Now this is where I got hit by a Mack truck. Grabbing a forkful of Mac n Cheese and stabbing a piece of the Kielbasa, I tried the two together! WHAM!!! Childhood hit my frontal lobe! Memories of my mom in the kitchen making lunch as we come running in from the pool; I hear her talking to her friend from upstate on the phone. She pauses and yells at us to slow down and to sit down for lunch. My brothers and I are laughing, making funny faces and figuring out where to go fishing after lunch. I return to the present–a look down at my meal wide eyed! Creamy, smoky, sweet, tangy with a very mild salty center point…”Oh MY GOD!” leaped from my mouth, out for the entire restaurant to hear. I hear from a distance, “Knocked your socks off right!?” I looked across the room to the general manager Rick Cruz, who continues “YYYAAAAPPP….that happens a lot here hahahaha.”

If you’re a biker, hell, any kind of person, and you want to explore the strip, stop in for a bite that will NOT break the bank at all, grab a drink and listen to some killer country rock and roll? Look no further than the Double Barrel! For The staff, the ambiance, and the FOOD, I know I will be making this a staple stop in my personal book!

[Images: Greg Bennett]

Greg Bennett

Greg Bennett is the morning meteorologist on KTNV’s Good Morning Las Vegas newscast. He is an avid Harley rider but also is a huge classic car fan and loves to work on both. In his free time, you can catch Greg riding his bike around town, working out at the gym, hanging out with his Pit Bull (DewPoint), or getting his hands dirty by volunteering across the city of Las Vegas.