By Don Chareunsy
Ole Red Las Vegas, the sixth and largest location of the Blake Shelton-inspired bar, restaurant and music venue, began its weeklong grand opening celebration April 16 with a private concert from the country superstar himself. Shelton returned the following evening for another show in his four-level entertainment venue.
“I know Las Vegas has been a big destination for cowboys, but not until tonight has there been a destination for absolute hillbillies, and now we got it!” Shelton said from the stage at Ole Red Las Vegas located in the Grand Bazaar Shops in front of Horseshoe Las Vegas at Las Vegas Boulevard and Flamingo.
Shelton’s concert launched Ole Red Las Vegas’s official grand opening festivities, where Shelton performed his hits including “Nobody But You” joined by surprise guest wife Gwen Stefani, who had just performed at Coachella. Ole Red celebrated all week with contests, giveaways and perfor- mances by Team Blake members from NBC’s “The Voice.”
I’m a longtime country music fan, and Shelton was my last concert in 2020 before the pandemic shut down the world. I was excited when Ole Red was first announced for Las Vegas, and a sneak peek in January didn’t disappoint (it opened to the public a few days later).
Ole Red Las Vegas is as big, bold and lively as Shelton, and the service is friendly, the drinks are large, and the food is solid. The food and cocktails I’ve enjoyed at Ole Red: shrimp corn dogs (standout), smoked mushroom tacos, blackberry crispy chicken sliders, hell right prime sliders (standout), mahi mahi (standout), St. Louis ribs with Korean barbecue, Ole Red barbecue and honey bourbon glaze sauces (all three are standouts), street corn salad and the cocktails Raspberry Fresh (vodka), Cowboy Mule (bourbon) and Adios My Friend (vodka, rum, gin, blue Curaçao and more).
The chef told us, while ending the evening on the rooftop with a great view of the Las Vegas Strip, there are 17 items on the menu unique to Las Vegas. Ryan Whyte Maloney was performing on this Sunday night in January.
A return in March when family was in town was just as stellar. Our food: Redneck Nachos, Honey Bee Hot Chicken & Waffles, Trash Talkin’ Taco Salad and Blue Tick Burger. The music: Dez Hoston, whose spirited covers included “Fast Car,” “Friends in Low Places,” “Tennessee Whiskey” and more. Ole Red Las Vegas is an awesome place for country music fans in Las Vegas.
Ole Red Las Vegas is the brand’s newest location at 27,000 square feet, including 686 seats and a 4,500 square-foot rooftop with views of the Strip. Ole Red is named after Shel- ton’s third chart hit “Ol’ Red.” Ole Red also is in Nashville; at Nashville International Airport; Tishomingo, Okla., Shelton’s hometown; Gatlinburg, Tenn.; and Orlando, Fla.
