Beat The Vegas Heat In An Icy Winter Wonderland At Minus5 Ice Bar

You won’t find a colder drink in Sin City! And with summer just around the bend, knowing where to find a super cold drink is important!

Escape the Las Vegas heat and step into a winter wonderland at Minus5° ICEBAR. This one-of-a-kind attraction offers an immersive, sub-zero experience where everything—from the walls to the glasses—is made entirely of ice. 

Guests can sip on handcrafted cocktails while surrounded by stunning ice sculptures, cozy up in provided parkas and gloves, and enjoy a truly unique night out. Whether you're looking for a date spot, an unforgettable group outing, or just a break from the desert sun, Minus5° ICEBAR delivers a chill like no other in the heart of Vegas. And with three locations, you’re never too far from one while enjoying the world-famous Las Vegas Strip.

No matter what the weather is outside, it’s always 23 degrees inside Minus5°. But don’t worry - your visit includes proper attire to brave the cold temps while enjoying the atmosphere and drinks. 

“The Ice Bar is all about the world and the art of ice. It's called Minus5° because we like to keep it at 23 degrees Fahrenheit, which is translated to minus five Celsius,” Blake Nightingale, Area Marketing Manager, exclusively told The Blast.

“The entire room is constructed of ice and ice sculptures made by world-renowned ice artists. And we give you all the gear to keep warm, parkas, gloves, and we serve you a full bar in there where all the drinks are served in custom-crafted ice cups. It's really just about immersing everybody in the experience and the art of ice.”

There are three locations in Las Vegas for people to enjoy - one at Shoppes at Mandalay Place inside Mandalay Bay, one at Grand Canal Shoppes in Venetian, and one at the Linq Promenade between the Linq and Flamingo. 

Are you ready for 23 degrees and nothing but ice? If you answered yes, then minus5 is screaming your name! 

“We actually have everything set to roughly about 12 to 15 degrees Fahrenheit to make sure that we're operating good and nothing's melting,” Nightingale said. “Absolutely everything, except the floors and ceilings, are ice, the walls, the art, the seats, the tables, the cups that you're drinking your cocktails out of, it's all made out of ice.”

If you think that sounds like a lot of ice, you would be correct! Each bar is roughly about 90 to 100 tons of ice that’s imported from all over the world. 

Because it’s all made of ice, much of minus5 gets a redesign and updates bi-annually. 

“We like to always keep things fresh and cool so every time you visit, you’ll see different ice and different sculptures. So roughly for each bar, about twice a year,” he explained. “A team of world-renowned ice carvers will come in and with a whole bunch of new blocks of ice. We shut down the bar partially for 72 hours or so to completely redo portions of the bar with new themes, new sculptures, new art, new motifs.”

When guests arrive at Minus5°, they are outfitted with something to keep them warm. With a few different package options, guests can choose the type of coat they would like to keep them warm.

“Every entry package includes all the gear to keep you warm. We have a couple of packages. The Cool and Coolest comes with a Minus5° branded blue parka that you wear and gloves, because those cups are made of ice so we want to keep your fingers from freezing,” Nightingale explained to The Blast. “Our V-ICE-P and Ultimate Polar Passports come with faux fur coats to wear which are a little bit warmer to make the experience a bit more exclusive and fun for you. They also come with souvenir hats, like beanies or eskimo hats, to keep your head warm.” 

And while there is no time limit, people tend to try to tough the cold as long as possible for the best experience. Nightingale shared that the average stay is typically 30 to 45 minutes, but many people try to stay for two-plus hours because there’s so much to do.

For guests who want the “ultimate” experience, the Ultimate Polar Passport is the way to go. This pass includes the V-ICE-P package - entry, gloves, use of a faux fur coat, two ice cocktails, souvenir gift, and one digital photo - as well as one extra drink, re-entry at all three Ice Bar locations, a DREAMBOX360° show, High Roller ticket, and 20% off at their daiquiri bars.

“What’s really cool about the Ultimate Polar Passport is it gets you not only just the Ice Bar attraction experiences, but it also gets you tickets into two other attractions at the Linq Promenade. One of those is DREAMBOX360°, which is a new, very intimate, immersive digital projection experience,” he said. “And then the High Roller Observation Wheel that everybody knows and sees at the end of Linq Promenade, you get a ticket to that as well. It’s a killer deal.” 

DREAMBOX360° is adjacent to Minus5° in the Linq Promenade. The High Roller is also just steps away, making the Ultimate Polar Pass a convenient way to spend some time enjoying the Promenade. 

The other two minus5 locations have a 1923 Prohibition Bar connected to each of them. 

“Those are speakeasy bars that specialize in craft cocktails and bourbon cocktails,” Nightingale said. “And each also has speakeasy magic shows, speakeasy burlesque shows and other entertainment.” 

With such a unique concept and so much fun inside the icy walls, it’s a given that there are some little known fun facts. 

One fun fact is that you don’t have to be 21 to experience the Ice Bar. Minus5° is family friendly until 9 p.m. daily. They even have some kid entry packages that come with a mocktail and souvenir hat. 

Nightingale shared a few other fun facts.

“You know you’re really immersing yourself in about 100 tons of ice drawn from all over the world,” he said. “It’s the only place in town where your beer gets colder as you drink because it’s chilling down just as you are.”

Another fun fact Nightingale shared is sometimes, the bar’s mascot, a penguin, will pop into party alongside guests. 

The Blast had the opportunity to visit the Minus5° ICEBAR in the Linq Promenade for a fun-filled Friday night adventure. And while the thought of a freezing cold adventure might not immediately sound like a good time, it definitely is!

After outfitted in the proper winter weather gear, we entered the icy wonderland. Yes, it was cold in there, but not so cold that you couldn't have a great time. (Not being a big fan of being cold, I hardly noticed the freezing temps because it was such a fun experience.) Music, tasty drinks in cups made entirely of ice, and lots of great photo opportunities add up to a unique and memorable outing.

After some time in the Ice Bar, we checked out DREAMBOX360° and the High Roller, and both offered a unique experience and good time. (The Ultimate Polar Passport is the best option for a full experience at a great price.)

There are three different themes at DREAMBOX360° to choose from. No matter which one you choose, it's a really cool experience! And the High Roller is a definite for anyone who wants amazing aerial views of Las Vegas, including the Strip and Sphere. (And bonus: If you time it just right, you may get a bird's eye view of the Bellagio fountain show.)

For more information about Minus5° ICEBAR, visit their website and Instagram page.