If you like New York-style pizza, quality sausage, great cocktails, memorabilia, oddities and antiques, there are two new places in Downtown Las Vegas to put on your must-visit list.
ReBar on Main Street celebrated its opening with a unique sausage-cutting ceremony on Wednesday. The event was attended by Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman, Congresswoman Dina Titus, Nevada Assemblywoman Heidi Swank, and Las Vegas City Councilman Bob Coffin, along with a virtual who's who of Downtown Las Vegas and local nonprofits. ReBar, which is a combination of an antique store and bar, is the dream of co-owner Derek Stonebarger.
Stonebarger is a familiar name and face in Las Vegas. He's been involved in a variety of ventures over the years including Theatre 7, several 48 Hour Film Project competitions, the reopening of Atomic Liquors, and a parody of the "Pawn Stars" TV show titled "Pawn Stars Live."
In February of 2015, it was discovered that he had cancer in his throat. He immediately began aggressive treatment, including surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation. It was during that time that he began making plans for ReBar, which had been a dream of his for several years.
Stonebarger says that he has always loved antiques and oddities and has been buying and selling stuff since he was a teenager as a hobby and as supplemental income. Many of the items inside of ReBar are items that he already owned, including a wall of cuckoo clocks and dozens of beer steins. And, everything is for sale.
Stonebarger believes in the future of Main Street, which is scheduled for some major redevelopment in the near future, and the Arts District. In fact, he was recently elected president of the Arts District.
He also believes in helping others.
Stonebarger was able to present several checks to local nonprofits during the grand opening ceremony. The money came from the sales of several special cocktails and from sausages that are sold at the bar.
For example, a portion of the proceeds from the Huntridge Old Fashioned cocktail will benefit the Huntridge Foundation. The Absolut After-School Mule benefits the After-School All-Stars, and the Opportunity Gin & Tonic benefits Opportunity Village.
John Mull's Meats provides the sausages for Rebar. Thirty-three cents from each sausage that is sold will be donated to Three Square food bank. That is enough to provide one meal for someone who is hungry in our community.
Drink prices are $3 draft beers, $4 well drinks, $4 draft wines and $4 to $8 for almost all other beers and cocktails. Sausages and hot links are priced from $6 to $8 and come with free condiments.
ReBar is owned by Stonebarger and his wife Dorian, downtown attorney Charles Vlasic and his wife Sarah, downtown attorney John P. Witucki and Make Studios owner Rob Gurdison. It is open from 11:30 a.m. to 2 a.m. seven days a week.
If you are a fan of New York-style pizza (hand-tossed thin-crust pies sold in wide, greasy slices perfect for folding) and daredevil Evel Knievel, head over to Fremont East Entertainment District to check out the newest pizza joint in town.
Evel Pie, which is owned by a new hospitality group comprised of Golden Tiki owner Branden Powers, Jeff Fine, Seth Schorr and Kelly Knievel (son of Evel), celebrated its grand opening on Friday night.
The pizza joint's motto is "Live Hard, Ride Fast, Eat Pizza." The restaurant is filled with photographs of Knievel, a Knievel-branded kid's bike, Dogtown skateboards, an arcade game and a pinball machine. There is also a bronze statue of Evel Knievel that features the daredevil standing on a slice of pizza.
In addition to your standard pepperoni and cheese pizzas, the restaurant offers a variety of toppings. Some of the toppings include salami, roasted red peppers, ham, anchovy, pineapple, man candy and barbecue pulled pork. It also has several specialty pizzas including the World Famous Snake River Pizza with rattlesnake jalapeno sausage and the Balls to the Walls Pizza with meatballs and Sunday gravy. Slices are priced from $4 (cheese) to $5.50 for a slice of one of the specialty pizzas. The restaurant also offers a house salad and classic Caesar salad and has a full bar.
Plans for the restaurant include having employees deliver pizzas on mopeds while dressed in Evel Knievel jumpsuits and to finish the back patio which has been named "Knievel's Family Junkyard." Restaurant owners plan to put in a bar on the patio and will have seating for more customers.
The restaurant is open 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 4 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays.
