LAS VEGAS, Dec. 14, 2011 -- The grand opening of Lynyrd Skynyrd BBQ & Beer (www.LynyrdSkynyrdLV.com) wouldn't have been complete without Lynyrd Skynyrd rockin' the house as they opened their first venue at Excalibur Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas on Thursday, Dec. 8.

Lynyrd Skynyrd BBQ & Beer serves mouthwatering pork and beef ribs, brisket, chicken and signature "regular" and jalapeno cheese sausage. Open daily for lunch and dinner, the new 8,000-square-foot restaurant and bar transforms into a high-energy rock club every night with great music and entertainment. The staff is part of the action – hot bartenders and servers encourage guests to have a great time - leading riotous sing-alongs to classic rock songs.

The cuisine is served "weigh and pay" style, with an array of delicious side dishes inspired by the Lone Star State including cheddar cheese grit fries, hush puppies, mom's baked beans, corn succotash, coleslaw and potato salad. Dessert selections include white chocolate bread pudding served with Jack Daniel's caramel sauce, Blue Bell ice cream, seasonal cobbler and more. The band members themselves have a few favorites. For lead singer, Johnny Van Zant, it's the mac & cheese, while guitarist Rickey Medlocke says he "can't get enough of the pecan pie."

Designed to capture the spirit of the band's "Hell House," the walls are made of authentic 150-year old barnyard wood, with concrete floors and aged brick completing the downhome feel of the space. The tables are made from floors of historic grain barns and the surface marks are hoof marks from many generations of stock animals. The tabletops are made of rough-faced old growth Doug fir from pre-World War II era from historic sites including a 1927 Brentwood house and a Los Angeles church.

The food itself is of legendary status, with a menu developed in partnership with Kreuz Market, a 111-year-old Lockhart, Tex.institution. The barbecue at Kreuz Market has consistently been named the best in the country.   

Las Vegas-based Michael Frey and Craig Gilbert of Drive This! Entertainment came together with Lynyrd Skynyrd to develop Lynyrd Skynyrd BBQ & Beer, a concept they plan to expand into other cities.

Drive This! Entertainment also owns and operates American Burger Works at Excalibur, Tacos & Tequila at Luxor Hotel and Casino, RHUMBAR at The Mirage and Casa Fuente in the Forum Shops at Caesars Palace.

Twitter: @lynyrdskynyrdlv,
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SOURCE Lynyrd Skynyrd BBQ & Beer