3 Best Restaurants in Downtown, Las Vegas

Chef James Trees has had a bit of a Midas touch around his native Las Vegas; every restaurant he creates is gold. It's no surprise, then, that this French-influenced Arts District restaurant has become an instant hit among locals and visitors alike. The menu features fresh spins on classic dishes such as escargot, boeuf Bourguignon, and sole Veronique, but the real stand-outs are the appetizers. The "Plateaux de Fruits de Mer" allow guests to assemble their own seafood towers, while three different pates options will make mouths water. The space itself is exquisite, with a marble-capped bar and lights that resemble palm fronds. After dinner have a nightcap at the Petite Boheme cocktail bar out back.

Chef Barry Dakake made a name for himself in this town with his work at N9NE Steakhouse inside the Palms (back when the Palms was at the forefront of cool). This new eponymous restaurant, on the lowest level of Circa Las Vegas, is a mix of old and new, blending classics from N9NE with modern dishes and a variety of fish and shellfish. Big parties love the bone marrow appetizer, which includes the opportunity to drink a shot of vodka through a hallowed-out bone. Another crowd favorite: seafood towers, which come in a variety of sizes. Cocktails here are strong and creative; some are made tableside by scantily clad mixologists working different cocktail carts. The dining room at Barry's is swanky and sophisticated, with plenty of hidden alcoves. Perhaps the only demerit: sometimes the music can be deafening. 

This venerable restaurant dates to the Rat Pack era. The "cellar" aspect (it's about a half-flight below ground) gives it a cozy feel, as do Old Vegas touches like table-side salad preparation with every dinner (you choose what you want from the cart), a red rose for each woman, and formal, impeccable service. The menu presents a 1960s vibe, with dishes like Duck Anise Flambé, chateaubriand and lobster for two, and table-side cherries jubilee and bananas Foster. But entrées are prepared with modern sensibilities and are joined by new-era choices like a grilled stuffed portobello mushroom and other vegetarian entrées.