Skip to main content
    La Fête du ChampagneUp to 18% off
    New York · Oct 14–17Chicago · Oct 22–24
    Pearl app wordmark
    Join
    DEATH & TAXES, Bar in Reno
    Bar

    DEATH & TAXES

    Midtown, Reno

    Bar in Reno, United States

    SaveMark VisitedBook with Pearl

    The Read

    Independent Bar Precision

    Price

    $10–20per person

    Why go

    Death & Taxes is the most cocktail-focused bar in downtown Reno: a deliberate, conversation-friendly room at 26 Cheney St where the drinks list is the point. Booking is easy, walk-ins are viable mid-week, and it's the right first stop for anyone who wants to understand what a serious bar looks like in this city.

    About DEATH & TAXES

    Should You Book Death & Taxes?

    If you've been to Death & Taxes before, the question on a return visit isn't whether it's changed: it's whether the cocktail program still earns its reputation in a Reno bar scene that keeps getting more competitive. For a first-timer, the short answer is yes, this is the right place to start if you want to understand what a serious craft bar in Reno looks like.

    The name signals intent. Death & Taxes sits at 26 Cheney St in downtown Reno, and what separates it from the city's more casual drinking spots is a commitment to the cocktail as the main event: not an afterthought to a food menu or a sports screen. If you're arriving expecting a direct bar experience, recalibrate. The atmosphere here reads as deliberate and considered: lower energy than a club, quieter than a casino bar, more focused than a neighborhood pub. It's a room designed for conversation and for paying attention to what's in your glass.

    For first-timers, go in knowing that the cocktail list is where the kitchen is. The drinks program reflects the kind of ambition you find at destination bars like Bar Leather Apron in Honolulu or Jewel of the South in New Orleans, structured, ingredient-driven, and worth reading carefully before you order. That's not a common standard in Reno, which makes Death & Taxes a useful reference point for anyone building a night out in the city. For a different take on the cocktail-forward format, Julep in Houston offers a useful comparison if you're benchmarking against other serious American bar programs.

    Booking is easy, this is not a hard reservation to secure, and the venue doesn't carry the two- or three-week lead time of a tasting-menu restaurant. That said, showing up without a plan on a weekend evening is a different proposition than a quiet Tuesday. If your visit is date-specific, a same-week reservation is a reasonable call. Walk-ins are likely fine mid-week.

    For a broader view of where Death & Taxes fits in the city, see our full Reno bars guide, our full Reno restaurants guide, and our full Reno experiences guide. If you're planning a full trip, the Reno hotels guide and Reno wineries guide are worth a look too.

    Know Before You Go

    • Address: 26 Cheney St, Reno, NV 89501
    • Booking difficulty: Easy, same-week reservations are realistic; walk-ins likely fine mid-week
    • Leading for: Cocktail-focused evenings, dates, small groups wanting a conversation-friendly room
    • Atmosphere: Focused and low-key; expect a quieter, more intentional room than a typical Reno bar
    • Nearby alternatives: Centro Bar & Kitchen, Beaujolais Bistro, Arario Midtown

    Also Worth Considering in Reno

    If Death & Taxes isn't available or doesn't fit your occasion, Antojitos Colibrí offers a different energy in the same city. For a sit-down meal alongside drinks, Centro Bar & Kitchen and Beaujolais Bistro are both worth checking before you commit.

    The takeThis is best for late-night outings, including date nights and small special occasions. Death & Taxes is part of Reno’s after-dark cocktail scene, a downtown alternative to strip-driven drinking, so it suits guests seeking a more independent, refined night out. It works for visitors who want to sample Midtown’s evolving hospitality scene: an understated stop within a broader bar crawl of the neighborhood.
    Venue detailsSeated Bar
    Know before you goBefore you book
    Also considerAlternatives
    Bar contextReno, United States

    Planning details

    Hours
    Monday: 2–11 PM · Tuesday: 2–11 PM
    Location
    26 Cheney St, Reno, NV 89501
    Website
    deathandtaxesreno.com
    Explore RenoNearby
    Around this placeMore Pearl picks
    The take

    The Take

    The Vibe

    Death & Taxes presents as a focused, downtown cocktail bar that favors intimacy over spectacle. The bar sits in Midtown's growing independent-bar corridor, where small operators compete on craft and attitude. The tone of the description, frank, deliberate and attentive to the city’s changing social geography, aligns with an elegant, sophisticated nightspot that still feels cozy and approachable. Patrons can expect a concentrated, bar-first environment that reads as reserved and polished, the kind of place built around carefully composed drinks and a quieter, conversational energy.

    Best For

    This is best for late-night outings, including date nights and small special occasions. Death & Taxes is part of Reno’s after-dark cocktail scene, a downtown alternative to strip-driven drinking, so it suits guests seeking a more independent, refined night out. It works for visitors who want to sample Midtown’s evolving hospitality scene: an understated stop within a broader bar crawl of the neighborhood.

    Ordering Tips

    Prioritize the cocktails. The bar leads with attitude before its drinks list, so expect thoughtful, bartender-driven drinks. Lean into signature cocktails or the bartender’s recommendations, and plan to visit during later hours when the 'after dark' scene is in fuller swing. Because the focus is on craft and the independent-bar circuit, allow the team to guide you toward balanced, composed options rather than ordering by brand names or spirits alone.

    Venue details

    Ambiance

    Dark, moody, chandelier-lit with dim lighting, cozy seating, and Victorian-inspired décor evoking a speakeasy atmosphere.

    Tags

    Vibe

    IntimateSophisticatedElegant

    Best For

    Date NightSpecial Occasion

    Experience

    Speakeasy

    Format

    Seated BarLounge Seating

    At the Bar

    Bar Category
    Cocktail Bar
    Late Night
    Open Until 2am
    Spirits Focus
    Whiskey
    Zero-Proof Program
    Yes

    Signature Pours

    • Old Fashioned
    • Manhattan
    • Scottish Samurai
    • Death’s Mule
    Know before you go

    Know Before You Go

    Getting there
    26 Cheney St, Reno, NV 89501

    Planning details

    Hours

    Monday
    2–11 PM
    Tuesday
    2–11 PM
    Wednesday
    2–11 PM
    Thursday
    2–11 PM
    Friday
    2 PM–12 AM
    Saturday
    2 PM–12 AM
    Sunday
    2–11 PM

    Location

    26 Cheney St, Reno, NV 89501 · Directions

    deathandtaxesreno.com

    Also consider

    Also Consider

    • Kuma Sushi: Notable alternative
    • Arario Midtown: Notable alternative
    • Beaujolais Bistro: Notable alternative
    • Centro Bar & Kitchen: Notable alternative
    • DOPO Pizza & Pasta: Notable alternative

    Bar context

    Death & Taxes occupies a specific lane in Reno: it's a cocktail-first bar, and that focus sets it apart from most of its downtown peers. If you're comparing it to Beaujolais Bistro, the key difference is format: Beaujolais leads with food and wine in a bistro setting, which makes it the stronger call for a dinner-anchored evening. Death & Taxes is the better choice when the drink is the reason you're going out.

    Centro Bar & Kitchen sits closer to Death & Taxes in ambition but skews more toward the bar-kitchen hybrid model. If you want food to be a meaningful part of the visit, Centro is the more practical option. For a purely drink-driven night, Death & Taxes keeps the focus tighter. Arario Midtown brings a different aesthetic and is worth considering if you want more energy and a younger room.

    Kuma Sushi and DOPO Pizza & Pasta aren't direct competitors, both lead with food rather than the bar program, so comparing them to Death & Taxes is less useful unless you're deciding between a drinks night and a dinner night. For the full picture of what's available in the city, the Reno bars guide and Reno wineries guide cover the range.

    Explore Reno

    Restaurants in RenoBars in RenoHotels
    Around this place
    Read more on Pearl

    Discover more on Pearl

    Unlock the full DEATH & TAXES guide in Pearl, including awards, comparisons, FAQs, planning details, and nearby places.

    Get Exclusive Access

    Compare DEATH & TAXES

    Value Check: DEATH & TAXES and Peers
    VenueBooking DifficultyAwards
    DEATH & TAXESEasyNo published awards
    Kuma SushiUnknownNo published awards
    Arario MidtownUnknownNo published awards
    Beaujolais BistroUnknownNo published awards
    Centro Bar & KitchenUnknownNo published awards
    DOPO Pizza & PastaUnknownNo published awards

    A quick look at how DEATH & TAXES measures up.

    FAQ

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Does DEATH & TAXES have outdoor seating?

    For Death & Taxes at 26 Cheney St in downtown Reno, call ahead or check on arrival if a patio matters to your group and do not plan your evening around outdoor seating without confirming.

    Is DEATH & TAXES good for groups?

    It works for small groups of 3-5 who are there for drinks rather than a structured dinner. Larger parties will want to check on reservation policy before showing up, as cocktail bars in tight downtown spaces often cap walk-in group sizes. Centro Bar & Kitchen is a closer fit if your group needs a full sit-down meal alongside drinks.

    Is DEATH & TAXES good for a date?

    Yes, with the right expectation: it's a bar, not a restaurant, so plan dinner elsewhere first. The Cheney St location puts it close to other downtown Reno options, making it a practical last stop rather than the whole evening. If you want food and drinks in one place for a date, Beaujolais Bistro is the stronger call.

    Is the food good at DEATH & TAXES?

    Food isn't the point here: the cocktail program is. If food is a priority for your visit, pair Death & Taxes with a nearby dinner spot rather than expecting a full kitchen. DOPO Pizza & Pasta is a practical option nearby if you need to eat first.

    Does DEATH & TAXES have happy hour deals?

    Check their social channels or call ahead closer to your visit: downtown Reno bars frequently run early-evening specials, but specifics change. Don't assume a deal is running without confirming.