Real bar drinks in Terminal 1 A-gates before Southwest
The B Lounge sits by Gate A7 in Terminal 1, post-security, and it’s basically the sit-down bar option for the older A-gates. If you want an actual poured drink instead of a quick beer from a grab-and-go cooler, this is where you land before most Southwest departures.
Pricing runs in the mid range ($$), so think standard airport markups on cocktails and drafts rather than bargain happy hour. You’re paying for a stool, a bartender, and not having to hover by the gate podium with a plastic bottle. Figure on one drink hitting your card about the same as two at a downtown casino bar.
The bar sits in Terminal 1’s A concourse near A7, not out in ticketing, so you need to clear security first. That’s useful on tight-ish connections inside T1, since you can walk from the C or B gates over to A without re-clearing TSA, then park here for a quick pre-boarding round.
Food coverage is light, so treat The B Lounge as “drinks first, snacks second.” If you actually need a meal before a long Southwest hop, eat in the main Terminal 1 food court or at C-gates, then come here for a final drink. With a 1-star aggregate rating, expectations on food quality and service should stay low and flexible.
There’s no widely reported signature cocktail or regulars’ hack yet, so just order simple: draft beer, basic mixed drinks, or a house wine and keep it easy for the bartender. If you care about speed, grab your tab after the first round instead of starting a long open ticket; A7 turns over quickly when multiple Las Vegas departures board in the same 45-minute window.
Tip: Sit where you can see the A-gate departure boards; with the older Terminal 1 layout, gate changes from A7 to another A-gate happen fast and aren’t always called loudly over the bar noise.