Native Las Vegan Scott Godino Jr. is so proud of his roots that he brags about them in the name of his business: Born And Raised. But even the guiding force behind the tavern brand had to learn how to navigate the far northwest valley.
“I couldn’t get around with all of the construction and new interchanges,” he said of his initial site exploration in 2023.
As a Bishop Gorman golfer a quarter-century ago, he played at the then-remote Paiute course and remembered thinking “it seemed like we were halfway to Reno.” Today those links are less than 15 minutes from town, and Godino said he marvels at development “all the way to Kyle Canyon.”
That influx of residents led him in early 2024 to open the Born And Raised at 6470 Kevin Way, near Centennial Parkway and Durango Drive.
“We’re witnessing the growth of the area,” he said, but adding, the northwest is “a market not yet oversaturated.”
Godino comes from a real estate family and is as comfortable talking about spreadsheets and demographics as he is recommending the pulled pork sandwich from the menu of upscale bar food. He said the northwest is “less impacted economically” by the day-to-day swings of the Strip. “Retail, median incomes, and home prices are strong,” he said.
He’s counting on that strength to power his rebound. When it opened, the Centennial location was one of four Born And Raised taverns strung from Henderson to North Las Vegas; now it’s the last one standing.
Godino says his personal demons convinced him he was invincible, which led him to expand too quickly and borrow too much. Then came the day he looked in the mirror and checked himself into rehab. He discussed his path to sobriety extensively in a November Review-Journal story.
“I needed the humility and the outlet,” he said.
Today he’s quick to thank his wife and four children for their support and says he’s ready to “take accountability and responsibility” for everything that happened and everything ahead.
When he’s not with his family, he’s usually tucked into a tiny, no-nonsense office between the bar, the kitchen, and the rest room at Born And Raised. He’s easy to spot: the optimistic recovering addict running a Las Vegas bar, keeping his faith, and betting on better days.
“The northwest is community driven; you can feel it,” Godino said.
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Doug Puppel is a writer, model, and longtime Las Vegan.