3 Best Restaurants in Paradise Road and the East Side, Las Vegas

Like time-traveling to Vegas’s vintage days when upscale restaurants were quiet and atmospheric, venerable Ferraro’s features a dark and decidedly romantic dining room with candles on every table, and a pricey menu stocked with steaks, fresh-made pastas, and Mediterranean-style seafood. Around since 1985 and in this location since 2009, this fine Italian eatery offers a cheaper happy hour of small plates nightly from 5 to 7 pm and bigger feasts throughout the evening. Among the popular entrées not found at most Italian restaurants are the popular stewed rabbit with mushrooms served over polenta, and tripe served in a spicy tomato sauce. And you can’t beat the signature veal osso buco.

The vibe is spelled out in the name of this sprawling indoor-outdoor casual Italian space from Los Angeles restaurateur Nick Mathers. The versatile menu follows the cues of the day, from "green eggs" or avacado toast at brunch to creative appetizers or full entrees in the evening. While a DJ spins beneath a disco ball, you can try the deceptively complex pizzas and salads or delve into more ambitious fare like lobster pasta or branzino. It's a 300-seater with three bars; the atmosphere changes from the bar-centric lounge near the front entry to "beachside" near the Virgin Las Vegas pool area with a lot of low-slung seating to encourage sociability.  

Las Vegas has very few restaurants left from the early 1980s, and none with the legend of Piero's. Located just across the street from the convention center for all but five of those years, Piero's is a blend of "expense account joint" and a classic Vegas mecca for those fascinated by the bygone mob era, having hosted the actual characters depicted in Casino and later serving as a filming site for the movie itself. Little set decoration was needed in the meandering restaurant full of nooks and crannies, low ceilings, and dark paneling with two bars serving giant martinis in the middle of the action. And, oh yes, there's food: The basics are done with detail and served on huge platters, from the osso buco (off menu but usually a special) to pastas such as the "Sunday Gravy" (rigatoni with both meatballs and Italian sausage).