Forget the yard glasses filled with cheap beer and frozen drinks. Skip the dollar bottle and shot deals.

For those arriving on flights to Las Vegas who are looking for a true alcohol experience, that isn’t the way to get it. The town is packed with restaurants and bars offering choices far beyond the typical house wine, domestic beer and rum and Coke.

Whether you’re searching for a cult wine, boutique beer or smoke-breathing drink, Las Vegas has got it.

Wine

Six of the 74 Grand Award recipients from the 2011 Wine Spectator awards are housed in Las Vegas. These restaurants boast not only more than 1,500 wines to choose from, but are known for the blending of popular bottles and hard-to-find selections.

Joel Robuchon at MGM Grand is one restaurant that is worth checking out, not only for its Grand Spectator recognition, but for its other awards as well. It is the only three-star Michelin restaurant in town. It’s also received the prestigious Forbes Five Star rating and the AAA Five Diamond Award. Chef Robuchon was also named as France’s Chef of the Century by Gault Millau.

Chef Charlie Palmer’s American cuisine comes nearly second to the wine at Aureole inside Mandalay Bay. Forget the wine list (which is expansive), the presentation of the wine here is impressive. “Wine Angels” float courtesy of a special harness and grab wine from its 45,000-bottle tower which measures in at more than four stories tall.

Another sure-bet is Picasso inside Bellagio. Chef Julian Serrano’s AAA Five Diamond restaurant features a blend of French and Spanish dishes set inside a charming restaurant. It’s wine list exceeds 1,500 bottles.

Beer

If a large selection of beer is what you are looking for, there are two stand-outs in town. Located near University of Nevada, Las Vegas, is a beer haven, Freakin’ Frog. The bar’s got more than 1,000 beers to choose from.

Yard House, with two locations in town (Town Square and Red Rock Resort) also offers a nice selection of beers, although not nearly as many as Freakin’ Frog. What’s great about Yard House is the special beers they offer, including beer floats, samplers and blends. Plus, the food’s pretty tasty.

Cocktails

Any bar can serve up a mixed drink. All it takes is having the right ingredients. However, for a truly unique cocktail experience via not only menu but setting, grab a drink at Chandelier Bar inside The Cosmopolitan.

The bar is actually set inside of one of the world’s largest chandeliers, creating an intimate bar. While the cocktails on all of the floors are great, visit floor 1.5 for the molecular drinks – think smoke-breathing, fire-starting deliciousness and truly unique flavor combinations.

CC Flickr photo credit: scaredy_kat