O’Shea’s: Luck of the Irish Dwells Within

May 1
2 min read

Around the same time the Berlin Wall came crumbling down, a nifty, little establishment cropped up in the heart of the Las Vegas strip.

To the random passerby, the shamrock above its entranceway was the perfect invitation into its 30,000-foot premises. Yes, the luck of the Irish had dwelled within.

With its garage-style, roll-up doorways and unkempt floors, it may’ve been a harder sell for the city’s ritzier tourists. After all, O’Shea’s was a striking diversion from the surrounding elegance of the Mirage and Caesar’s. It was the fast-food of local gambling (a Burger King actually nestled in its hind quarters), more reminiscent of a video arcade than a Vegas palace.

However, its humility was also its charm.

Three-dollar tables graced its cement floors, providing an affordable haven to gamble and depart with shirt intact. With five beer pong tables peppered around its 650 slot machines, O’Shea’s also upheld the Irish image for partying hearty.

Fast-forwarding to the present day, O’Shea’s is now situated a block away with an entirely new face. Implanted in the Promenade shopping expo, it now boasts a slick, modern look compared to its salty predecessor. Downsized to a mere 5,000 feet, O’Shea’s (now owned by Caesars Entertainment) continues its tradition as an imbibe-first, play-later joint catered to the young, alcoholically-inclined.

Lucky the Leprechaun, O’Shea’s longtime mascot, leaps into the action, which includes a series of low-minimum tables, a private poker room, and a World Series of Beer Pong section, perhaps the casino’s signature attraction.

Unfortunately, the shift in ownership also came at a cost, as O’Shea’s offers some of the least favorable odds on the strip, namely on its blackjack tables (6:5 payouts). Also beware the perils of drunk-gambling, which often leads to false bravado, impaired judgement, and ultimately, empty pockets.

Still, O’Shea’s is a doozy of a good time, and despite its niftier digs, remains a true proletariat amid its neighboring aristocrats.

The Call: O’Shea’s still carries a touch of sentiment – call it nostalgia – within its modest quarters. With its capacity for light rollers and heavy drinkers, O’Shea’s remains a four-leafed clover among its working-class counterparts.