Next Wave Awards Industry Icon of the Year: Herbs & Rye
When guests step into Herbs & Rye, located some two miles east of the Las Vegas Strip, they encounter a version of Vegas that hasn’t existed on the famed thoroughfare for decades. Instead of flashy, overpriced excess, the setting delivers a throwback vibe complete with crushed red velvet wallpaper, affordable cocktails under $20, and damn good steaks for cheap. Its business model is deliberately out of step with the Strip’s perpetual and increasingly exclusive quest to squeeze maximum profit from whatever’s trending. Yet that’s precisely what makes Herbs & Rye not only special, but essential to preserving the Vegas of yore.
Credit: Anthony Mair
“Old Vegas existed as a place that respected everyone and treated them equally. That’s what we try to do here,” explains Herbs & Rye owner and Las Vegas native Nectaly Mendoza. “We could charge $25 for our cocktails if we wanted, but would it be morally wrong for us to do that? Absolutely.”
Herbs & Rye’s aesthetic carries a personal connection for Mendoza. The restaurant’s design evokes memories of his childhood, when his working-class father would load the family in the car and drive them to the Strip for an inexpensive buffet dinner. “We’d see a mobster every so often,” Mendoza recalls. “They were always good to families when they’d see a family walking through the casino.”
The spirit of Mendoza’s experiences as a longtime Vegas resident floats through Herbs & Rye, sans mafiosi. The venue provides a key place for the local community to thrive out of the spotlight, just as they have done ever since the city sprung into existence like a neon desert flower, supporting a bona fide homegrown institution. The regulars cling to Herbs & Rye’s traditional vibe and all it represents with unwavering passion, which can make even the slightest change to a menu a tricky proposal.
“We tried to change the bread we serve to sourdough years ago, and we got crucified. When we tried changing our creamed corn, I got personal calls at home from guests telling me not to change it,” Mendoza says. “People in Vegas want the things they love to be around forever.”
Credit: Anthony Mair
Given the crowd’s resistance to change, it’s somewhat ironic that Herbs & Rye’s presence as a steakhouse with a killer roster of classic cocktails is the product of evolution. When Mendoza opened the space in 2009, it was primarily a cocktail bar with a few Mediterranean- and Italian-inspired bites, launched to give hospitality workers an off-Strip, post-shift place to hang.
Even as Herbs & Rye grew into its current form, Mendoza’s commitment to hospitality and building community remained its central focus. The menu reflects this by offering thick steaks at deep happy-hour discounts and proper cocktails substantially lower than counterparts on the Strip. And the commitment to community extends well beyond food and drink.
Credit: Anthony Mair
Since 2015, Herbs & Rye has hosted BarMania, an irreverent, WWE-inspired speed cocktail competition held to raise funds for childhood cancer research. It’s the one time of year when the venue’s old-school Vegas vibe arguably goes on vacation. Yet, the energy generated by costumed bartenders from all over North America whipping up drinks at a breakneck pace — while cacophonous chants of “f**k cancer” emanate from the packed crowd — makes for quite the substitute. (Mendoza’s also taken the BarMania concept on the road, hosting similar events in Austin and San Juan, Puerto Rico.)
BarMania’s madcap frenzy is a shining example of just how much the drinks community appreciates Mendoza’s love letter to classic Vegas. Herbs & Rye’s abundant haul of industry awards and accolades provide further proof. Yet, he’s not one to bask in the acclaim. Mendoza’s quick to credit other bartenders for growing the city’s off-Strip cocktail culture, especially the new guard who have breathed life into formerly neglected neighborhoods like the Las Vegas Arts District. “One thing I’ve noticed about the new generation of Vegas bartenders is that they’re fearless,” he says. “They’re not scared to push boundaries.”
Credit: Anthony Mair
Even as the Vegas scene continues to flourish and transform, Herbs & Rye still represents its mother dough. Part of that is due to practicality — anyone serving drinks at Herbs & Rye’s elongated bar will master the classics — but it also has to do with Mendoza’s mentorship. Whenever a bartender’s journey takes them to another space, he’s hopeful the appreciation for classic cocktails and the love of community promoted through Herbs & Rye’s old-school philosophy remain as timeless as the restaurant’s vibe.
“That’s always the goal — when someone walks out of Herbs & Rye, even if it’s just leaving at the end of the day, they walk out with pride, knowing that they were part of something special,” Mendoza says. “I want them to look back at their days here and be proud of what they accomplished forever.”
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