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Las Vegas in New York

By Tracy E. Hopkins | Special to amNewYork

April 11, 2008

Ah, Las Vegas. Who can resist this adult play land? Thanks to deeply discounted airfare and hotel specials, New Yorkers are constantly being tempted to go west. But you don't have to leave the Big Apple to get a taste of Sin City.

Here are our choice picks of how to party like a high roller without leaving town.

Hawaiian Tropic Zone
Hawaiiantropiczone.com

729 Seventh Avenue at 49th Street
212-626-7312
This expansive, neon-lit restaurant and lounge is flashy -- even by Times Square standards. With a sister property at Las Vegas' Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino, the New York City version boasts an upscale menu (spicy Asian tuna tartar, cheesecake lollipops) by top chef David Burke. But the main draw for the predominantly male clientele is the spray-tanned wait staff sashaying about in itsy-bitsy bikinis. And in true "let us entertain you" Vegas fashion, the scantily-clad Hawaiian Tropic Zone dancers intermittently put on a choreographed show that would make a Beyoncé impersonator proud.

Fuerza Bruta
Daryl Roth Theater
Fuerzabrutanyc.com
101 East 15th Street
212-239-6200
A visceral, in-your-face show, Fuerza Bruta mirrors the gritty, frenetic pace of New York's daily grind -- just as the playful Cirque du Soleil mirrors the sunny side of Las Vegas. Housed in Union Square's Daryl Roth Theater a landmarked former bank -- Fuerza Bruta features athletic dancers suspended on harnesses who run across makeshift walls and dive into mobile pools that get low enough for the standing audience to touch. Don't miss the angst-ridden actors dodging furniture and paper debris on a 6-foot-high treadmill or the finale, which is an audience-participatory rave that feels like a scene from "The Matrix."

Trailer Park
271 W. 23rd Street
212-463-8000
This tucked-away Chelsea eatery is open 'til 2 a.m. and recalls a delightful dive you'd find in Vegas' less glam Fremont Street zone. Designed to look like an actual trailer, this diner is adorned with velvet Elvis portraits and assorted country kitsch. And the grub -- tasty tater tots, burgers (veggie and beef) and sweet potato fries -- isn't bad either.

Pussycat Lounge
96 Greenwich Street
212-952-9675
They may not have a reality show or a ritzy lounge at Caesar's Palace, but Manhattan has its own Pussycat Dolls. Lap and table dances aren't allowed at this topless bar, but in twisted Vegas fashion, the Pussycat Lounge tempers its adult entertainment with a Wednesday night freak show featuring a family circus and an X-rated contortionist.

Buddha Bar NYC
25 Little W 12th Street
(9th Avenue and Washington Street)
212-647-7314
The New York version of the Buddha Bar is just as posh as its Paris and Las Vegas counterparts. Known for its bold black lacquered Buddha centerpiece, model-y clientele, lavish sushi bar and eclectic Asian-fusion cuisine, this sprawling Meatpacking district hot spot is the place to see and be seen.

Mandarin Oriental hotel
80 Columbus Circle @ 60th Street
212-805-8800
A celebrity favorite, the Mandarin Oriental is Vegas-style grand only classier, since there's no casino cluttered with fanny pack-toting tourists. This upscale 248-room property houses the swanky MObar and Asiate restaurant, a 14,500 square foot luxury spa with an indoor lap pool and VIP Spa Suite with fireplace, private steam and shower. And like Vegas' Bellagio and Caesar's Palace, the Mandarin has its own high-end shopping mall -- the multi-level Shops at Columbus Circle.