The Irish Spot has taken over the stand-alone building on East Tropicana near Maryland Parkway that longtime locals knew as Crown & Anchor, aiming to keep the neighborhood pub vibe alive with big-screen sports, darts and pool. The new bar mixes comfort-food plates with a wall of TVs tuned to hockey and international soccer, and its upstairs space nods to UNLV. Regulars who knew the old pub say the room feels familiar, just cleaned up and refreshed.
Inside: Food, screens and a gaming license
On the menu, dishes such as crispy fish and chips, what the bar calls “massive Irish-style chips,” and a battered sausage are already drawing praise. Staff told Good Day Las Vegas the bar plans to show Golden Knights games and international soccer during an interior tour, a preview 8 News Now aired. Clark County and Nevada Gaming Control Board filings show The Irish Spot applied for a restricted gaming license tied to the Tropicana address, which explains the bank of electronic machines on site. Those filings are public in Nevada Gaming Control Board records.
What Crown & Anchor left behind
The Tropicana Crown & Anchor closed in July 2024 after almost three decades in business, leaving a noticeable gap in the late-night and soccer-watching circuit, while its smaller Spring Mountain location continues to operate. Neighbors and longtime patrons marked the flagship’s sudden closure on social media and in local coverage from FOX5 Las Vegas.
Menu, fans and the ‘Rebel Room’
Owner Ryan Whelan has leaned into gameday energy while tweaking the menu, and the upstairs “Rebel Room” is a deliberate nod to UNLV history meant to draw in students and alumni. Early coverage shows the upper space decked out with university memorabilia and promises of pre- and post-game gatherings. What Now spoke with Whelan and reviewed licensing paperwork during the buildout.
Whether The Irish Spot will fully replace Crown & Anchor’s late-night lore is still an open question, but for now it offers another neighborhood option for pub food, hockey nights and Premier League windows. Staffers are planning a formal grand-opening celebration next month and expect steady foot traffic from UNLV events and sports fans. Locals say they will be watching the menu and the crowd to see if the new concept can capture the same everyday energy, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
