Review of the Raunchy “Atomic Saloon” at Venetian Las Vegas

Key Points:

• Atomic Saloon serves up a collection of variety acts while following a humorous wild-west storyline.

• The show specializes in a raunchy brand of humor that some are sure to enjoy, but others may find distasteful.

• I found the intimate theater, impressive variety acts, and interactive cast to make this a worthwhile show experience.

Atomic Saloon is a Wild West-themed variety show that calls The Venetian Las Vegas home and is a product of the folks at Spiegelworld, who also produces the wildly popular Absinthe at Caesars Palace.

The show itself follows the exploits of Madame Boozy Skunkton and her eclectic crew which included clergy, nuns, a cowboy, young lovers, a couple of drunks, and more.

Throughout the show, various acts take the stage that are a blend of humorous, shocking, and amazing.

In this review of Atomic Saloon, I’ll break down both what I enjoyed, and what I didn’t to help you determine if it’s a good fit for you.

What I Liked About Atomic Saloon

The Venue and Theater

The moment my foot crossed the entryway into the venue, I felt as though I was transported into an old-timey Western saloon.

The hallways, bars, wall decor, everything, felt authentic. I felt engaged before the show even kicked off.

The theater itself is very small, with chairs around the stage, restaurant-style booths along the walls, balcony seating on the second level, and even church pew seating *ON* the stage… which is where my seat was.

Cast Interactions

Even before the show, cast members were milling about, interacting with each other and the audience.

Nuns were giving “communion” with pringles, and there was even a cowboy-looking character dragging a fake dead body around the joint.

My front-row pew seat put me directly in the line of fire of some cast member bun-throwing (apparently an Atomic Saloon tradition).

Then the two goofballs below set up a table directly in front of me and started pouring shots for audience members.

Throughout the show, it wasn’t uncommon for performers to whisper things under their breath to me or reach out for a fist bump.

I sincerely felt as though I was part of the show, and I’m sure other audience members felt the same way.

While no audience members were pulled up onstage, a few folks seated in the front row of chairs surrounding the stage were the subject of “additional attention”. One poor guy was even asked to belt out a line of the song “Rhinestone Cowboy”… but he also received a free beer to chug, which was fun.

One audience member even got smooched… on the lips… by Boozy Skunkton.

Front row seats are where the audience participation action is if you wish to seek it or avoid it.

Raunchy Humor

Raunchy, inappropriate humor is my jam. I like it. I live for it. Just note that this show isn’t one you want to bring your kids, or grandma, to.

You’re going to see buttcheeks, be treated to sexualized storylines, and hear F-bombs. Grow up and enjoy it.

Variety Acts

Variety acts you’ll see throughout Atomic Saloon include hoola-hoop routines, tap dancing, acrobatics, feats of strength, a stripper pole routine, and even a talented little chihuahua.

There was even one occasion in which I was concerned for the safety of the performer – That’s how good some of the acts were.

You’ll be impressed. I sure was.

What I Felt Was Lacking

Tried Too Hard At Times

While I thoroughly enjoy raunchy humor, there were times when I thought Atomic Saloon tried too hard… Almost being overly raunchy for raunchiness’s sake, leading to a lot of fake smiles and “cringey” moments in the crowd.

An example of this was the opening act, where a cowboy came out with a guitar repeating inappropriate lines over and over, eventually inviting the crowd to repeat those lines. It was chuckle-worthy at first, but then felt like it went on forever, leaving me thinking, “Ok, we get it. Move on”.

It reminded me of how my 8-year-old will say something funny, get a laugh, and then keep repeating the same joke over and over thinking it’ll still be funny.

Again, this IS a show that’ll make you laugh. There were just a few occasions where I didn’t think it “worked”.

Uncomfortable seating

Full disclosure – I have a boney butt and minimal butt cheek fat to provide cushioning, however, I was in pain by the end of the show in the pew seating.

I can’t speak for every seat in the house, but the pews lacked comfort.

Best Seating Options at Atomic Saloon

If you want the potential to participate: Sit in the front row chairs around the circular part of the stage, or on an aisle.

If you want to be less likely to be roped into anything: Snag one of the booth seats on the outside of the theater or even second-level balcony seats. You’ll still have a great view of everything, without having crosshairs on you.

Albeit physically uncomfortable, I thought the pew seating at the back of the stage was amazing. I was often inches away from the cast, had several low-key performer interactions, and felt as though I was part of the show.

No matter where you are in the theater, the intimate nature of the venue and the fact cast members mill about ensure you’ll have a unique and memorable experience.

View-wise, there isn’t a bad seat in the house.

The Verdict: Is Atomic Saloon Worth The Money?

Tickets to Atomic Saloon start at $99 if you buy directly from their website, however, I was able to score a slight deal by purchasing on Vegas.com.

While my base ticket cost $71.74, the total came to $84.65 after fees.

Although some of the attempts at humor “missed the mark”, Atomic Saloon was one of the more engaging shows I’ve been to in Las Vegas.

Everything, including the theming, the intimate nature of the theater, and the way the cast interacted with the crowd made this a one-of-a-kind experience.

That being said, this show is wildly inappropriate. If you don’t like crude jokes, male butt cheeks, female butt cheeks, or sexual content in general, I’d recommend skipping this one and hitting something by Cirque du Soleil instead.

Especially if you’re looking for something fun to do as a couple, put Atomic Saloon under consideration – It’s a show you won’t soon forget.

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