Las Vegas holds a special place in my heart. I was sitting in the MGM’s food court when I realized I was worthy to marry Jaclyn. Since then, I’ve traveled to Vegas at least once a year for professional reasons, writing about bartenders, wine, construction, philanthropists and celebrity chefs.

I just love Vegas’ vibe, especially the non-night club bar scene. So, if you like Vegas, get off your slot machine stool and stop drooling over the g-stringed strippers and check my top five Vegas bars.

5. Rhumbar – Mirage Hotel

The 2,000-square foot Rhumbar imitates classic Caribbean culture with a patio bordered by palm trees and Mirage’s famous volcano. It’s the one place in a Vegas hotel where you don’t hear slot machines or husbands begging their wives about something. But, that’s not why I love it. The rum and cigar selection beats any Vegas bar, while the rum-centric cocktail program sticks to the classics. My favorite is 1944 Mai Tai: Appleton Reserve Rum, lime, orange Curacao, rock candy syrup and French Orgeat.

4. Parasol Down – Wynn Las Vegas

Parasol Down is so breathtaking it would make most lists even if the cocktails sucked, which they don’t. Below its sister bar, Parasol Up, and surrounded by two winding escalators, the shimmering wood bar faces two large, three-tier parasols that point toward an ornate white ceiling with more colorful parasols hanging upside down. On the Parasol Down patio, you can watch lake water theater. The seasonal cocktail menu is created by one of America’s top mixologists, Patricia Richards. Unfortunately, in her role as chief mixologist, Patricia rarely makes the cocktails, so I hope your bartender follows the recipe!

3. Petrossian Paris – Bellagio Hotel

Passing through the Bellagio, you’ll walk right passed the marble steps leading you inside the hidden cocktail gem of the Petrossian Paris. Here, you’ll find a lounge piano player who can play just about any tune and Vegas’ most underrated bartenders. Want an Aviation cocktail? No problem. No need to look up the recipe, the bartender has the Luxardo in his hand before you can blink. How about a sidecar? Well, he might ask if you want a sugared rim, but that’s about all you hear before he starts mixing Cognac. So, if you’re a lover of good bartending, this is your place. It’s also the best place to people watch. You can sit back and watch the crazies strut through the Bellagio.

2. Freakin’ Frog – Off Strip – 4700 S. Maryland Pkwy.

Tired of all the damn Frat Boys running around the Strip trying to pick up a piece of tail? Are you sick of stopping every five seconds so a bunch of tourists can snap a photo in front of an escalator? And, do you really want to overhear another gambler’s strategy to win back his money? Welcome to life as a local. It’s time to jump into your overpriced cab and get yourself to a non-Vegas Vegas destination. It just so happens that my No. 2 pick is off strip and the ultimate destination for the beer or whisky drinker. The Freakin’ Frog boasts 1,100 beers from 490 breweries and 917 whiskies up stairs in the “Whisky Attic.” Currently, the Whisky Attic is available by appointment and guarded by knight armor known as “Sir Drinks A Lot.” The Whisky Attic is Vegas’ greatest treasure for a whisky drinker.

1. Herbs & Rye – Off Strip – 3713 W. Sahara

At any given moment in Herbs & Rye, the tables are filled with hotel beverage directors, sommeliers, chefs and top bartenders on date night. In other words, this is where the professionals go for a cocktail. A former mob drug dealer’s property, Herbs & Rye is always showing mob movies. But, the reason why this place is in the heart of every spirits writer and professional who walks through those doors is it’s the kind of place where you can tell the bartender your mood and he’ll make a cocktail just for you. Your prescribed cocktail may not be on any list and may have never been made before, but it completely matches your mood. Of course, it doesn’t hurt there’s a small still on the back bar and you find yourself wondering if they’d fire it up for a little moonshine action. That would be illegal, of course, and they’d never do that.