Ghost Donkey — Restaurant in Paradise

If it's a secret, I want in. If it's mezcal, I want in. If it's a cocktail, likely I want in. Combine all three of these and add in a ghost donkey surveying the whole scene, then, oh man, I've arrived where I want to be.

I've been lucky enough to find/wander into a few of the "secret" speakeasies in Vegas...this one was only secret in that the entrance was tucked away in the back of the small food court area in the Cosmopolitan...but otherwise there was no gatekeeper or password...you just open the door and you're in. (it's also possible I was there at a lucky time when it was mostly full but not so busy that I needed to wait to find a seat or order.)

The atmosphere is cool. I sat near the ghost donkey which is almost all I've ever needed out of any experience.

I'm a fan of Mezcal and also of bourbon-based drinks like a Manhattan...so the mezcal-based "Smoked Corn and Coconut Manhattan" seemed like it would be a dream. And it kind of was. Perfectly mixed...familiar flavors but really unlike anything I've had before. I really liked it.

My big plan was to head off to another resort to try a NYC slice but my server clued me into another secret of the Cosmopolitan, Secret Pizza, which was about a two-minute walk from Ghost Donkey. So basically what I'm saying is I'm moving to the Cosmopolitan to live there forever, drinking in Ghost Donkey and eating Secret Pizza.

This was a really fun place to be and drink and helped round out a really fun...

Find the hidden exit door adorned with a donkey and follow it to agave heaven. This "speakeasy" style joint is all good vibes and even better drinks. With a capacity of 20 people and no reservation system or hostess, the juice has to be worth the squeeze to seek out this tiny hidden paradise if there's a chance you'll have to stand around and wait an hour for a precious seat or table to open up. I'm here to tell you however that your journey will not be in vain.

The smoked corn mezcal Manhattan and stone wall cocktails both were as original as they were delicious, and easily the best agave based craft cocktails I've had all year. Our flight of mezcal and tequila was accompanied by a plethora of fun things to take our journey with, and even as crazy busy as he was the bartender took the time to lay out the bottles and explain to us what we were drinking. A nice touch not often accompanied with a flight in places like this, and very welcome.

Truffle Nachos could have easily been just an edible gimmick and slathered in basic flavored oil. What was offered was an extremely generous portion of quite literally the perfect nacho flavors and layering. No chip was left uncheesed with a perfect combination of cheese crisp and sauce. Seriously unreal. Accept the quest, find the donkey, embrace the agave....

This place is one of the few very random but truly memorable and differentiating Vegas experiences. Located behind the seating area in the Cosmopolitan's food court... look for the donkey on a random door and push your way right through. Think of it as an underground tequila infused speakeasy... Offering top-notch tequila and mescal flights along with a wide variety of excellently prepared tequila-based Spirit cocktails. They also have a pretty limited menu featuring a bunch of different nachos... some combinations are truly different and all are really delicious. If you've never tried a world-class Paloma with truffle nachos look no further.

The bar does have some seats but they are seemingly always full... there are a few other seating booth type areas around that make great spots for sharing those delicious nachos with friends...but keep in mind since this place is meant to be a secret it's pretty tiny... All seats are at a premium but it's worth checking out whenever you're close. in the city of bars and restaurants constantly trying to outdo each other this simple speakeasy approach is really fun and certainly makes a list of the top spots to try and make it into...