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    The Emerson

    4.6 (234 reviews)
    Closed 4:00 pm - 11:00 PM
    Updated over 3 months ago

    The Emerson Photos

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    THE EMERSON ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Hipster
    Casual
    Trendy
    Classy

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    Recommended Reviews - The Emerson

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    Maple Glazed Salmon sliders
    Serena M.

    Do be clear I have had cocktails here before. However never knew they did food till Reno Food and Drink Week had them featured. Boy was I glad to find out. We went on sliders night and was hard making decisions. So we ordered a lot. It was all amazingly tasty. Then I found out they had a Maple Creme Brulee to finish my evening, boy what a treat. We had pretty quick service and I give extreme kudos to the kitchen, we will be back not only for the cocktails, but for the food too.

    Scott M.

    Wierd smell upon walking in this place but otherwise pretty interesting deco throughout. Especially the painting of Snow White snorting coke in the hallway. Definitely different! Service was awesome and Jake is the best bartender! Food is on point but can remember what we ate

    Gena M.

    Went here for the Reno Food Week offering. Korean Chicken Sliders were very flavorful, the Japanese style sweet potato salad was good a little bit salty. My husband had the So You-zu cocktail, he isn't a gin guy, but found it refreshing. The service was really good, friendly, and personable. Vintage decor and feel, super cute. They have outdoor seats too.

    Porn star martini, and specialty drink
    Elissa I.

    I came into Emerson tonight and tried their Reno food week special, which was super light and refreshing. It had yuzu and sake. My friend got the pornstar martini, which I've had before and is equally amazing. The quality is always superb and great atmosphere

    Megan S.

    The cutest bar. Friendly staff, amazing drinks, even better food! Great vibe. Best girl night or date night spot!

    Clearly the star of the show!
    Michelle F.

    Super fun outing for a drag queen brunch at the Emerson in midtown. I suspect reservations kind of a must. Fun time for all, excellent performances and a chance to sit back, relax and just be present for all the fun, most of which is hilarious. Bring your single dollar bills and you will be happy to reward the ladies! Prudes do not attend. Lots of tables booked attending to celebrate birthdays. Even though in midtown, parking did not turn out to be an issue. They really put on their best show and it does include an intermission. I recommend anything on their menu, all the food was delicious and served with a smile by super pleasant wait staff. What do businesses want to hear, 'I will be back' ! I shall!

    Wicked and Midnight Mass
    Kassandra I.

    Service was excellent and the staff were friendly. It gets busier later at night, but the drinks are always great. Good atmosphere for hanging with friends

    Lindsey F.

    I love this spot! It feels inclusive and fun. The space is clean and trendy. There's a small parking lot and then street parking in the area. They have lots of fun signature cocktails and then of course your standard bar fare. They host a number of events in this space including a drag bingo that is so fun! The bartenders are kind and attentive and know when to give you space to just chat with friends

    Watermelon Margarita
    Drake R.

    Another fun visit to the Emerson, hilariously to celebrate my wife's first broken bone... She ordered a Watermelon Margarita (her favorite), and an Appletini. The latter we said tasted like back in the day when we were degenerate children thinking Pucker was the liquor of the gods. I ended up just grabbing a couple rounds of Planteray, neat. They had the Stiggins Fancy Pineapple and the Cut and Dry. Little sad to not walk in and see Estefany behind the bar! BUT everyone here is great. Love stopping by for a couple drinks and they were even pushing "An American in Paris" through the projector.

    Happy hour!
    Heidi C.

    First visit to the Emerson was a fun one. Appreciated the comfortable and intimate seating options. Was nice in a busy bar setting to be able to still chat with our party comfortably. The bartenders were attentive and even delivered cocktails to our table despite it being a busy Friday evening. Such a fun vibe with the art, lighting, and inclusive fun crowd. The drinks were delicious, my favorite of the evening was the pillow talk.... The marshmallow topping paired perfectly and felt like such a fun seasonal treat. If you order the temptress, be prepared to leave your ID as collateral for returning their kitty cup! Would be fun to try this spot again for brunch!

    Writers Block and Hi Bestie. Every drink was unique to me but very enjoyable.
    Gary M.

    Savanna was a delightful bartender, serving up wonderful cocktails. Chef Sean produced delicious sliders for us. Overall, a wonderful experience. We will be back!

    Adorable cat cup!
    Darci R.

    We came in to cool off with some of the fun new watermelon margaritas after our morning 20 mile bike ride. Let me tell you they totally hit the spot, what a refreshing fun flavor, and I loved the tajin on the side, absolutely delicious! The inside is a super fun atmosphere, we ended up walking in to the end of a fun looking drag event. Everyone was so friendly and we even got information on how to attend the next Drag brunch in Sundays, I can't wait! The inside is decorated really fun and ready for their live shows. I cannot wait to come back to see some. The cool part about this place is the shady outside patio we were able to sit at and enjoy our drinks be still keep an eye on or bikes. Will most definitely be coming back to check out some shows and try some food!

    The Violet
    Beth H.

    Still love this place! I was re-reading my review from when it opened...much has changed, but still a favorite and amazing! They no longer have the bathtub drink, but the craft cocktails are delicious and sophisticated. Probably the best Espresso Martini, and The Porn Star is a must! Such a warm, relaxed vibe and wonderful service. A special place for sure.

    Anne Benny's cure

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    12 days ago

    Went for Derby Day. Wonderful service, great atmosphere, superior employees, recommend this establishment to one and all.

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    Page 1 of 6

    Ask the Community - The Emerson

    Do you think this might br a good place for DJ TRIVIA or DJ BINGO?

    Hi Craig, We are thinking of adding a DJ trivia night down the road. Definitely think it could be a fun event for The Emerson! Thank you

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    Death & Taxes - D&T Single Barrel Weller  Antique

    Death & Taxes

    4.4(581 reviews)
    0.2 miMidtown
    $$

    My favorite place to get a cocktail in Reno…read more They have a unique "Old Fashioned" with buffalo trace bourbon, moroccan sugar, coconut, tobacco bitters, dehydrated pineapple. It really does not taste anything like an "old fashioned" but it's very good and my usual go-to. Ambiance is cool. Has a very Edgar Alan Poe vibe mixed with an alchemist/speakeasy. They have a small patio as well. Service: top-notch mixologists/alchemists.

    I'm battling this review. I battle rating it for the drinks/ambiance versus the service. The good:…read moreabsolutely the cutest vibe and decor. Love the quality of the drinks as they absolutely put effort and time making quality drinks with quality ingredients. It's relatively small inside so I can only imagine it could get packed in there. We had several drinks and every single one was perfection! The bathroom is the cutest and they have the coolest speakeasy door that the employees use to get to the back (not for the customers). My rant..I'm not from the area so I had NO idea what this place was when I walked by. It looked cute so my husband, myself and child walked up the steps and they sat outside while I went to check it out and see if this was a bar/club/ restaurant. I walked inside and instantly got the death glare from an employee. I instantly said omg I take it this place isn't kid friendly.. he rudely said no. I wanted to clarify and confirm even outside ? He said no. I apologized and they left but the vibe and way he said it was definitely off putting. My sister and I decided to stay for a drink while my husband/child went to walk around. Usually I don't give bad costumer service a chance.. but I realllllllly wanted a drink that one of those others customers were drinking. If this place had better costumer service. It would be a 5

    Photos
    Death & Taxes - D&T Single Barrel Weller Full Proof

    D&T Single Barrel Weller Full Proof

    Death & Taxes - Ginger n/a

    Ginger n/a

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    1864 Tavern - Bear glass, desert rose

    1864 Tavern

    4.6(277 reviews)
    0.4 mi
    $$

    1864 Tavern is a great spot for delicious cocktails for intimate gatherings or larger groups. Most…read morerecently, I visited with a group of 10 for a birthday celebration. We arrived around 5:30 PM on a Saturday. The joint was nearly empty aside from a couple at the bar. Plenty of seating for our large group in the large, comfy couches. They also have cool built-in seating around the perimeter of the bar, though not nearly as comfortable as the vintage furniture. The menu is sorted by glass type. A fun and unique way to sort cocktails. They also have a selection of beer on draft and wine. The drinks can also be made into mocktails- a win for our group since we had a few non-drinkers. The 1859 mocktail was great. Perfectly sweet with a small hit of miso flavor from the miso honey. Probably even better and more balanced with the whiskey! Others in my group enjoyed working their way through the many light, dark, and sour beers on tap. 1864 offers a classic, relaxed atmosphere and a great place to get a cocktail. The prices are reasonable, too. Definitely worth the visit.

    When in Reno, I was really craving a top notch craft cocktail, and let me tell you this is the spot…read moreto go . You will get speakeasy vibes love all the vintage decor which transports you to the 1920s. Our mixologist was amazing and really knew what he was doing . Marcos was very nice and attentive he made us some fabulous drinks. Overall this place met all of our expectations. The drinks were fabulous. The service was amazing. I highly recommend this place if you're looking for a great cocktail. Can't wait to go back.

    Photos
    1864 Tavern - Bear glass, desert rose

    Bear glass, desert rose

    1864 Tavern - Flamingo

    Flamingo

    1864 Tavern - Desert Rose

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    Desert Rose

    White Rabbit Theater and Lounge - The Crystal Ball

    White Rabbit Theater and Lounge

    4.7(71 reviews)
    1.7 mi
    $$

    A wonderful magic show inside the Grand Sierra Hotel & Casino…read more I was looking for something to do without leaving the hotel for a major conference. I saw that they were advertising this show...and I like a good magic show. It did not disappoint. The sleight of hand and on-stage demonstrations were incredible. I was still banging my head of how they did it or maybe it was the cocktail at the bar that was playing tricks on my mind. As a guest of the hotel, I had a 20% coupon and promptly used it at the ticket office, though I think I should have picked my seat better. Nonetheless, I was in the second row and I was able to get a good look of the magic up close. If you arrive early, you can hang out for Happy Hour, they had some unique drinks including the local standby beers and cocktails...and mocktails for those attending the all-ages show. I recommend seeing this show on a Friday or Saturday night if you want a bit more rambunctious, racy show.

    Last Friday night we went to the White Rabbit Theater. We got there 3 minutes before happy hour…read moreended so we got 2 specialty drinks for $20 instead of $18 each. I wish I had ordered two. After happy hour ended a bud light and high noon was $18. I can't believe they turned the old movie theater into a magic show theater. I sat there thinking about all the movies I saw at the Hotel and the first time I had a drink in a movie theater so long ago, 1989. It was fun in the bar prior to the doors opening they have a magical experience for adults and kids to set the mood for the evening. Tracy the bartender was awesome! She also works at Blitz during the day. She has the kindest soul and such a people person! It was like I had known her for years. They have a box office where you can purchase tickets. Very hard to hear the gal! They definitely need a microphone to speak to each other. If you think you're going to save a few extra dollars on those service fees - you may have to think twice, just purchase on line. It's much easier. Also, they have a snack bar with fresh popped popcorn $9 -$13 and huge pretzels $14. Chase Hasty and his wife have traveled around the world to over 25 countries sharing their magical talent and ballet dancing skills. My favorite part of the show was when Chase brought out a locked box and Hoisted the box with a rope up to the ceiling and told this guy to watch the box. Later in the show they opened the box, it was a pretty impressive trick!!! One not to be forgotten!! It's a small production but well thought out with couple extra dancers and costumes changes. I love that Chase, picks people out of the audience to help with the show. Maddox was a return kid that had been practicing his magic and Chase let him perform in front of the audience and what is that called "That's Magic!!!" It's nice the performers will met you afterwards in the hallway to have pictures and ask questions. It's a great family night or you can come to the later show at 9pm for a little more risky nocturnal show. I'll have to save that one for another time!

    Photos
    White Rabbit Theater and Lounge - 2/9/26 FYI. My seat.

    2/9/26 FYI. My seat.

    White Rabbit Theater and Lounge - Smoke & Mirrors

    Smoke & Mirrors

    White Rabbit Theater and Lounge

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    The Jesse

    The Jesse

    4.5(192 reviews)
    1.0 miDowntown
    $$

    The Jesse is my favorite place in town! The food is amazing, and we tried almost all of the tapas,…read moreand every single one is delicious. Everything tastes fresh! It's honestly hard to choose a favorite because they are all so good. And you definitely need to try the basil cocktail, "Aegean Garden" - it is incredibly delicious and one of the best cocktails I've had in a long time! A wonderful place for great food, drinks, and atmosphere, I will definitely be back!

    Cute little coffee shop that served old world coffee beans. Love that I have another option to walk…read moreover from silver legacy where I usually stay. . I like coming here for the old world coffee expresso and I do like ordering a ice Americano and it is a really great solid espresso drink. It is under $6 around $5.41. It is served all day so I like how there is another option where I can grab a good espresso coffee other than Starbucks while staying near the casino. . The Ambiance here is really nice and I do love the inside where there is plenty of seedings and is very cozy and warm. They have a really nice outdoor patio where it is very relaxing with lots of comfy couches and high tables as well. You can dine outside or Dine inside. I like using the patio during the late afternoons and before Sunset as well to come here in the morning and having a morning coffee with a really nice outdoor patio vibe. The service here is great and they are always friendly and ready to serve you some good coffee. Hope this review helps and thanks for reading and have a yelptastic day.

    Photos
    The Jesse - Siting area

    Siting area

    The Jesse - Mezcal Porch Tea + Elote Hushpuppies are the perfect pair! 20% off this cocktail and 30% off this dish with Yelp Check in!

    Mezcal Porch Tea + Elote Hushpuppies are the perfect pair! 20% off this cocktail and 30% off this dish with Yelp Check in!

    The Jesse - Delicious craft cocktails available at 4pm daily

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    Delicious craft cocktails available at 4pm daily

    The Emerson - cocktailbars - Updated May 2026

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