Firefly

Tapas kitchen and bar serving Spanish food, drinks, an enticing atmosphere, an intoxicating experience.

Firefly Tapas Kitchen & Bar is the perfect spot for your party, meeting, or gathering! Please choose from our many hot and cold plates to assemble a multi-course feast or order in waves and share to enjoy as many flavors as possible. Our house-specialty Sangria marinates for three days and provides the perfect accompaniment to your meal, or check out our list of interesting and affordable wines by the glass, fine brews, and signature cocktails.

At Firefly, our mission is to provide our guests with a unique and stimulating dining experience in a cool, comfortable atmosphere at an affordable price.

Bustling Spanish eatery serving tapas & cocktails in a loungelike setting with patio seating.

A bustling Spanish restaurant serving tapas and cocktails in a relaxed setting. JOHN SIMMONS, Founder of Firefly and Chef, started his culinary career at the age 15 as a prep cook and dishwasher in a Jewish Deli located in Chicago. He didn't know it at the time, but this would lead to a long and fulfilling career in the kitchen. John earned a bachelor's degree in economics at the University of Illinois while working his way through high schools and college. He returned to the kitchen after he graduated college, and he worked in an office for several years.

With the goal to open his own restaurant one day, he quit his job and entered the Culinary school at Kendall College. John worked in various kitchens across Chicago and California before he was offered the opportunity to co-open a large project in Las Vegas. This would be with Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises, his former boss and chef. John accepted the opportunity and quickly found himself in Sin City helping to set up Mon Ami Gabi's kitchen operation at the Paris Hotel.

Mon Ami was a big hit in Vegas and a game-changer. It also became one of the most successful independent restaurants in America. John was a successful entrepreneur and Mon Ami gained national fame. John was in love.

The city of Las Vegas was the one that he fell in love. Vegas was a destination for gourmets and foodies from all over the globe. It is also a bustling industry area, home to people who work in hospitality. John, a chef, saw an opportunity for a casual, hip restaurant that served great food and offered a relaxed environment to industry workers who wanted a spot to relax after a long day on the Strip.

At that point, there were not tapas bars in the area. Tapas was a foreign concept to most people. It was thought to be a restaurant without tops, given its location in Sin City. The Firefly team worked hard to make it a success.

It was a popular destination for tourists from all over the United States and the globe. Firefly was the talk of town. In those days, there was often a wait of an hour until midnight. Firefly eventually took over the next-door location and moved down a few doors to occupy a larger area that was able to accommodate our huge following and also provide space for catering and banquets as well as the Latin Nights, and other events we held at the space.

In the meantime, John, a long-time fan of Mexican cuisine and craft beer, opened Tacos Beer in Firefly's original location. It has won many awards and been loved by many. Firefly Southwest Doors was next, which opened October 2019, to great reviews from the community. This new clubhouse is a hub for residents in the area.

It features an indoor-outdoor bar and patio, and is more boutique than its original Paradise Road location. We are soon opening Graze Kitchen and Plant-Powered Cuisine. In the spring of 2021, we will open. Visit us at one of our locations.

The Firefly Family, locally and independently-owned since 2003 will make your happy