.png)
In Tokyo, the onomatopoeic phrase “pachi pachi” evokes the sound of clapping hands, exploding fireworks or the sound metal balls make as they cascade through a pachinko machine, a kind of Japanese pinball. But in Downtown Las Vegas, Pachi-Pachi invokes the spirit of Tokyo nightlife.
An intimate (capacity 80) gastrobar and nightspot from the rich imagination of Evel Pie/Golden Tiki creator Branden Powers—working with the ownership team of developer J Dapper, restaurateur Mark Evensvold and mixologist Tony Gadachy, along with a raft of visual, culinary and sound artists—Pachi-Pachi’s contributions to Vegas’ bar culture come in so many different flavors that they demand a menu-style listing. Take a minute and we’ll come back for your order.
THE VIBES
You’ll want to soak them up. Pachi-Pachi is a trip. No, I’m not going all Jeff Bridges on you: The bar’s illustrated walls, animated graphics and interactive design elements relate the story of an actual trip belonging to Aya, a young Japanese woman undertaking a psychedelics-assisted journey of discovery. French-Mexican artist Mauricio Couturier created its visual universe in a style bar management describes as “retro Gucci collides with psychedelic jungle future.” Scenic artist Jen Stiling and muralist Nico Roussin also contribute to Pachi-Pachi’s maximalist aura, and a few vintage pachinko machines line the west wall. It’s a lot of stimuli, but it’s a good lot.
THE TASTES
Ghost Noodles at Pachi Pachi
Photo by: Courtesy
Pachi-Pachi’s food menu is devised by chefs Mike Boyle and Gilleum Marcoux, with input from Evensvold and Le Thai’s Dan Coughlin; the cocktail program belongs to Aria Mathar and Gadachy. Try the Ghost Noodles ($20), tasty egg noodles with garlic sauce, bok choy, nasu and sesame; the name comes from the ghostly chopsticks seemingly floating above the plate, with a generous twist of noodles around them. You’ll also love the Hokkaido Biru Bomb Burger ($16.50), a Wagyu smashburger with caramelized onions, shisu greens and yuzu kosho aioli, dipped in addictive beer cheese.
The drinks are a treat for the eyes as well as the palate. The Wagyu Smoked Old Fashioned ($16)—fat-washed Suntory toki whisky, gomme syrup and yuzu bitters—is served in a literal box of woodsmoke. And the Sakura Collins ($13)—Empress Indigo gin, yuzu lemon juice, cherry blossom syrup and Fevertree yuzu lime—arrives as a two-toned pousse-café; you need to stir it yourself to achieve its luminous pink shade.
THE SURPRISES
They’re everywhere. The giant peering through the “window” of the “living room.” The books on consciousness expansion, just lying around waiting to pry your third eye open. The red phone, which responds to a three-digit phone number corresponding to a lucky Vegas jackpot. And the disco-fied “time machine” in the bathrooms, which visits several listed locations and one mystery pick. Surprises are Pachi-Pachi’s most abundant gift. And they just keep popping off, one after another.
THE SOUNDS
The sound system is custom-designed by Pioneer Pro Audio, and Pachi-Pachi puts it to full use. Balearic beats drive lunchtimes; in the early evenings, Stephen Grobstein runs a “Japanese listening lounge” using his father’s vintage reel-to-reels, turntables and other analog equipment. But you’ll want to check out Obscure ’80s, DJ Velvet Rebel’s late-night Wednesday set, to see Pachi-Pachi’s neon-color mysticism achieve full liftoff, fueled by Blancmange, Siouxsie and the Banshees, David Bowie and other delicious, impossibly deep cuts you don’t yet know that you love. It’s like no ’80s set you’ve heard, completely skirting nostalgia.
PACHI-PACHI 211 Las Vegas Blvd. S. #120, 702-602-5077, ilovepachipachi.com. Daily, 11:11 a.m.-3 a.m.
Click HERE to subscribe for free to the Weekly Fix, the digital edition of Las Vegas Weekly! Stay up to date with the latest on Las Vegas concerts, shows, restaurants, bars and more, sent directly to your inbox!
English (US) ·