There was a time in Las Vegas when you could stock a bar with a variety of beer and liquor, put in some slots and you had a winning combination.

Those days may be gone.

As the city has grown, so has the number of local pub chains. Many have been able to finance expansion on a large scale, such as PT's Pub, which has 24 locations, while others have been more cautious.

But expectations also have expanded as to how a pub should look and what it should serve.

A relatively recent trend is the themed pub.

The Roadrunner Saloons, with six locations, have a rustic look with corrugated tin on the roof and sides of the buildings. They carry the Western theme through on the inside as well, with high-backed chairs, stainless steel bar top with tooled leather elbow rail, authentic chaps and saddles and blankets, and a ceiling in the dining room that's painted to look like the sky, with silhouettes of horses and cowboys.

The idea was to break the mold of what a tavern should look like.

Timbers also has a different, lodge-style look complete with a fireplace.

The chain will have nine locations later this year, says Andrew Donner, head of the Timbers Hospitality Group. "Most of our growth has come in the last 24 months," he says. "We got serious about the business."

Growth hasn't been easy, he notes. Rents are going up but "a tavern can only pay so much rent. There are diminishing profits. Landlords can make this business extinct."

Most of a pub's profits come from slot machines, Donner says, although "we do $10 million in food and beverages."

Another change in recent years has been an emphasis on different types of food, rather than merely the usual hamburgers, chicken fingers and chicken wings, and pizza.

At the Roadrunners, many items are made from scratch, such as salsa and salad dressings.

The trend today is toward bar food with a difference.

Shuck's Oyster Bar, for instance, features a warehouse-on-the-water theme at its two outlets. The owners have backgrounds in fine dining; Steve Meatovich, Bob Buist and Rick Winzen worked together at The Tillerman, as did chef Frank Wannamaker.

Shuck's menu offers a wide range of seafood dishes.

PT's also has gotten into the act. "We've done a lot to improve the menu," says Mary Beth Hartleb, human resources director.

The chain is the largest of its type in the city. PT's Pub was started in 1982 by Las Vegas businessmen Phil and Tom Boeckle. They sold the business in May 2002 to Golden Gaming.

What sets PT's apart from other pubs and accounts for its popularity are "the menu, the new promotions. Plus we're on every corner," Hartleb says.

There are Vegas-themed items on the PT's menu, including "Fuggedabowdit Fries" and "Bugsy's Patty Melt."

Timbers has a full-service menu with everything from steaks to seafood. "The idea is to create a full product mix," Donner says.

Many local pub chains also feature amenities such as pool tables, large-screen TVs and other forms of entertainment to draw in customers.

PT's features fireplaces in the newer locations. Twelve PT's have been renovated since Golden Gaming bought the chain last year.

Timbers also features a "fun room" as Donner calls it, complete with video games and pool tables, plus separate bar and dining room.

"Everything we do is homemade," Donner says. Popular items include nachos, beer-batter onion rings, steaks and tacos.