Atomic Liquor/Atomic Kitchen started with a love story. The oldest free-standing liquor store in the Las Vegas Valley was borne out of love, as hokey as that may sound. In 1921, Virginia Sobchick and her two daughters, Helen and Stella, stepped off the train in Las Vegas to create a new life. Virginia was fortunate enough to become the caretaker of a Judge, who left her the property between 9th and 10th street that would eventually become Atomic Liquor. Her daughter Stella would end up meeting the love of her life while working at a laundromat in Niagara Falls. Joe Sobchik playfully asked Stella, while she was counting the cash drawer, if she would buy him dinner, to which she coyly answered, “why sure,” and they married about a year later. Her mother, in the meantime, was developing the property in Las Vegas, so the newly married couple decided to give the business a go and opened Virginia’s Café. Joe started to tire of cooking for the crowds of Las Vegas, and they decided to open one of the first free-standing liquor stores in town. The couple also blazed trails by getting the first tavern license in town, enabling them to serve liquor 24/7 at the bar and still sell packaged alcohol to the public at the same time. Atomic became the hang out for the who knows who might show up. Barbara Streisand wrote fondly of her visits to the bar and her many meetups with owner Stella, to whom she was very close. Joe passed away in 2010, and the love of his life Stella passed away just three months later. In 2012, a group of investors bought Atomic and restored her to historic glory. It’s an iconic Vegas hang, and now with the development of Atomic Kitchen, it’s an iconic place to eat and drink as well.
When my friend and I decided to visit this historic establishment on a weekday, the warmth of the interior at first struck us. It is a warm den of conversations, gray wood tones, and great cocktail offerings. I decided to try one of their unique craft beer offerings, and my friend opted to try one of their unique whiskey creations called the “Gun Slinger,” a slightly sweet whiskey concoction served over a big trendy block of ice. Both very enjoyable.
Now for the food. We decided to try Atomic’s unique take on steak tartar. The cold thinly sliced tartar was served on top of a searingly hot plate of steak fries with a runny egg yolk perfectly placed in the middle. It was a genius reinvention of the classic dish of steak tartar that used to offend my French grandmother’s guests, who were not educated about the deliciousness of this dish. The hot of the thick steak fries complemented the cold take on tartar perfectly. It was a delight to the taste buds. We also indulged in their mushroom mac and cheese, which highlighted the elusive morel mushroom, a fat toadstool with a richness that matches a steak more than a vegetable. It was incredible. We then rounded out our meal with one of their delicious burgers.
This location is steeped in history—something we don’t experience too often in our city. Their menu changes daily, and they have recently started offering Sunday Brunches, which from a friend I have heard are pretty killer. So I highly recommend you take a step back in time and visit Atomic and sample their tasty offerings. Joe and Stella will be smiling down when you do. Now go eat something.