The Rat Pack Is Back

With Lady Gaga, Cher, Britney and J.Lo dominating the flashing marquees on the Las Vegas Strip these days, it’s easy to overlook the city’s colorful past, which includes the Rat Pack, which performed and caroused here in the 1950s, 1960s and beyond.

For the uninitiated, the Rat Pack, whose members included Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Joey Bishop, Sammy Davis Jr. and Peter Lawford, hit the Las Vegas scene in 1949 when Dean Martin took the stage at the Flamingo Hotel. In 1951 Sinatra played his first Las Vegas gig at the Desert Inn. Here are a handful of experiences you can recommend to your customers looking for a little Vegas history.

Rat Pack Tribute Show

First, recommend the 75-minute tribute show, “The Rat Pack Is Back,” at the Tuscany Suites and Casino on Flamingo Road. The show, which is backed by a seven-piece orchestra, includes jokes, skits and music associated with various members of the pack. Ticket prices start at $45.

The Golden Steer

Restaurants frequented by the Rat Pack include the Golden Steer, which opened in 1958. It is tucked away in a strip mall on Sahara Boulevard, near the former Sahara Casino Hotel, which now operates as the SLS Las Vegas Hotel & Casino. Sinatra, Martin and the rest of the Rat Pack were regulars. Sammy Davis Jr. would drop by to dine after his shows, as Strip hotels had strict segregation policies.

The room there has changed little over the years, and still sports white tablecloths, tuxedoed waiters and horseshoe-shaped red leather booths accented with soft lighting. You can reserve a spot at Sinatra’s favorite table. The aged prime beef, tableside-tossed Caesar salads and supercharged martinis and flaming desserts are still on the menu.

Sinatra at Encore

At the nearby Encore at Wynn Las Vegas, Italian chef Theo Schoenegger’s restaurant, Sinatra, pays serious homage to Ol’ Blue Eyes with a menu specializing in hand-rolled spaghetti, chicken saltimbocca and Frank’s faves—clams posillipo and osso buco.

Peppermill Fireside Lounge

Your clients will take a journey back in time with a visit to the Peppermill Fireside Lounge, located just north of the Encore on the Las Vegas Strip. It has maintained its original 1972 décor, large fishbowl cocktails, blue neon and brass trim and central roaring chrome fire pit. It is open 24/7, with a daily Happy Hour from 3 to 6 p.m.

Top of Binion's Steakhouse

This downtown Las Vegas restaurant has changed little since the early 1950s, when it opened with good whiskey and good food. Set on the 24th floor, it offers excellent views of the city and a reasonably priced menu.

Madame Tussauds Las Vegas

Your clients can take selfies with the waxed images of the Rat Pack—and across the street, if they take a look at the right time, they may be able to see the Bellagio Fountains erupt to the accompaniment of “Luck Be a Lady” and “Fly Me to the Moon.”