Las Vegas Weekly

Red Square revamped and revisited

Remember the last time you went to Red Square? Have you ever been to the Russian restaurant inside Mandalay Bay? It's the one where all the fuss was made years ago because of a bird-crap-covered Lenin statue, the head of which now resides in a simulated block of ice inside the joint's vodka vault.

My first and only visit to the Russian restaurant was dinner before my senior prom. It's not that I don't like the place, I just never really had a reason to go. The Cavi-hour sounds cool, but I don't like caviar. I do, however, like cocktails. Free ones are even better. And that's what my friend Linsie and I got last Wednesday at the launch of the Red Square Ultra Lounge.

Yes, Red Square is still there. And it's gone nightlife-y.

"Almost everyone thinks it's a brand new spot that's opened up," says Larry Lynx Camacho of Blue Tie Entertainment Group. "People seemed to walk by and had never been in there."

Working alongside new management on the Red Square Ultra Lounge, Camacho says the venue is perfect for a late-night vibe. And it is. The existing space transitions well from restaurant to high-end lounge thanks to plush red banquette booths that line the perimeters of the split-level space. Resident DJ Supa James' music is loud enough to dance to on the upper level, but low enough that you can carry on a conversation around the free-standing high-top bars. Then there's the always-cool frozen ice bar and vast selection of spirits and infusions.

Red Square becomes the Ultra Lounge every Wednesday, and locals and those on the guest list are free all night. In addition, ladies receive a complimentary Cosmopolitan or apple martini from 11 p.m. to midnight. For guest list and table reservations, call 366-4731.