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Las Vegas is one of America's hottest restaurant markets. Nearly every big Strip property has at least one and often two or more celebrity-chef restaurants. Away from the Strip, the unprecedented population growth in the city's suburbs has brought with it a separate and continuous wave of new eateries, both familiar chains and increasing numbers of legitimate destination restaurants.
Casino-resort dining basically falls into one of three categories. In the top echelon are the properties that have a half dozen or more bona fide star-status restaurants: Aria, Bellagio, Caesars, The Cosmopolitan, Mandalay Bay, MGM Grand, Venetian/Palazzo, and Wynn/Encore. At the next level are those resorts with one or two stellar restaurants and a smaller range of worthwhile but not quite top-of-the-line options. On the Strip, these include The Cromwell, Mandarin Oriental, Mirage, Monte Carlo, New York–New York, Paris, Planet Hollywood, SLS Las Vegas, and Treasure Island. Off the Strip, you can add the Lucky Dragon, Palms, the Hard Rock, M Resort, The Rio All-Suite Hotel, Green Valley Ranch, the JW Marriott, and Red Rock Resort. Then there's everybody else: casino-resorts with maybe a decent eatery or two but that simply aren't known for great food.
Downtown Las Vegas has seen a big revitalization in the past several years, and that extends to restaurants. Although Downtown still lacks a destination restaurant, notable spots are Carson Kitchen, Therapy, Turmeric, Le Thai, and La Comida in Fremont East; and Pizza Rock and the older Triple George Grill in the Downtown 3rd District. There also are a number of good restaurants in the Downtown Container Park.
Outside the tourism corridor, Las Vegas has a number of marquee restaurants with increasing cachet among foodies from out of town—places such as Todd’s Unique Dining, Marché Bacchus, Nora's Italian Cuisine, and Lotus of Siam. There's great food to be had off the beaten path in Las Vegas, and you'll pay a lot less in these areas, too.
If you haven't been to Vegas in a few years, you'll notice some major changes. Names like Wolfgang Puck, Michael Mina, and Emeril Lagasse still have plenty of pull in this town, but the Vegas chefs commanding the most attention are French imports such as Pierre Gagnaire, Joël Robuchon, and Guy Savoy, along with vaunted U.S. chefs like Giada De Laurentiis, Charlie Palmer, and Mario Batali.
There's also a trend toward high-minded restaurants with exclusive-nightclub vibes. Note the success of see-and-be-seen Pan-Asian hot spot Hakkasan and Tao Asian Bistro & Nightclub, the youthful late-night haunts LAVO and FIX, and bordello-chic establishments such as Strip House—to name just a few. Elsewhere in town, Las Vegas's growing international—and especially Asian—population has created a market for some of the best Chinese, Thai, Vietnamese, and Pan-Asian restaurants in the country.
This casual restaurant from James Beard–nominated chef Nicole Brisson offers a panoply of tapas-inspired dishes from around the world in a slightly funky, highly energetic atmosphere. Bring a friend or four and share dishes such as roasted beets with charred oranges, baby kale salad with apples and chorizo, or Basque seafood stew. There also are cheese and salumi boards, pizzas, and sandwiches.
Chocolate—dark, white, and milk—flows from a tall glass fountain at the entrance of this stunning pastry shop just off the Bellagio's famed conservatory. This artful homage to chocolate has decadent desserts, including cakes, cookies, macarons, gelato, hand-dipped chocolate candies, and particularly memorable crêpes (try the one with Nutella sauce inside and out, candied hazelnuts, and whipped cream), as well as salads and sandwiches Seating is limited. It's open late, until 10 pm daily.
Since Bobby Flay has always been known for his grilling skills, a burger place just seems like a natural choice. But these aren't just any burgers; order Bobby's Crunchburger, and you'll find it piled with potato chips for the signature sound. There are sides, of course, as well as thick shakes and even beer and canned cocktails. Breakfast is served from 7 to 11 am daily. Also at Caesars Palace on the Center Strip and Harrah's on the North Strip.
This East Coast transplant with locations all over the Valley satisfies Sin City's cravings for giant sub sandwiches, including a Philly-style cheese steak, a hot pastrami sandwich, and a divine creation called the Bobbie—basically Thanksgiving dinner on a bun. Numerous locations around town include outposts in a few outlying casinos, such as Red Rock, Santa Fe, and Green Valley Ranch.
The excitement from Philadelphia-native locals and visitors surrounding this Sahara spot is palpable, largely because of its legendary (and reportedly addictive) crab fries—french fries with crab seasoning, also available topped with actual crab or lobster (or try the Crabby Sweets, a sweet-potato version). There’s plenty more on this sports-bar menu, though, including four varieties of Philly cheesesteaks, warm or chilled lobster rolls, an impressive variety of other seafood, burgers, sandwiches, salads, pizza, and more. The late-night menu, served at the bar from 10 pm to midnight daily, is brief, but all the favorites are on it.
Fried-chicken sandwiches are all the rage now, but this is the OG, having started back in San Diego in 2015. This more recent outpost in The Park, between New York–New York and Park MGM, serves the brand’s nearly irresistible sandwiches, such as the "Coop Deville" (chicken breast with pickled Fresno chiles, lime mayo, and Napa cabbage on brioche), and the "Cali Drip" (pollo asado piled with fries, chipotle-bacon mayo, pickled onions, jalapeños, and melty Oaxacan queso on a crunchy torta roll). Whole fried chickens in half or whole birds, sides including fries and Mexican poutine, and bowls and meals fill out the flock.
Dominique Ansel may have found fame as the creator of the "cronut" and the chocolate-chip-cookie shot, but he proves he has far more to offer in this new boite at Paris Las Vegas. All of his bakery favorites are served here, of course, including fine pastries, crêpes, and fruit tarts. But Ansel carries out the French sidewalk-café spirit of this place by adding such savory choices as rotisserie chicken, turkey, and porchetta, in addition to sandwiches, salads, flatbreads, and more
Inside Downtown's bohemian temple, the Emergency Arts Building, this restaurant features what they call a "scratch kitchen concept." It may sound rather pot-lucky, but this isn't the standard chain-food menu (despite being part of a California-based chain). How does this sound: skirt steak with broccolini, red chimichurri, chili flakes, Parmesan, and lemon zest; a cowboy burger nearly tipping over with shoestring onions, bacon, cheddar cheese, and a beer barbecue sauce; and a bourbon barrel cake. That's just for starters. For imbibing purposes, sample the local craft beers, small-batch whiskeys, and classic cocktails. And don't miss the daily "Hoppy Hour."
Food halls have replaced buffets in several Las Vegas casino-resorts, but nobody does it as well as Resorts World, which has one with more than a dozen mini-restaurants and even a pour-it-yourself bar. Famous Foods is inspired by the street markets of Southeast Asia, and the cuisine skews in that direction, with dumplings, hand-pulled noodles, clay-pot rice, ramen, sushi, and sashimi among the main offerings. But you’ll also find fish and chips, Mediterranean foods, Texas barbecue, and Marcus Samuelsson’s Nashville-style hot chicken.
Old-timers will recognize the building as a vintage Taco Bell, but for years it has been the grounded location of a popular food truck. The burgers have that adventurous food-truck flair, and all come with one modest, uniform price, they're topped with fusion combinations such as wasabi mayo and pickled red ginger. A lively little place (open until 1 am), it's adorned with Japanese pop-art, and seems to sell as much beer as soft drinks. There's another location in the Southwest part of town (7365 Buffalo Dr.).
This is maybe the best example of a Las Vegas adage, "Never judge a place by its ugly strip-mall facade." In a shopping center you'd usually drive by lies a coffee and tea house that's about as beautiful as they come. An indoor greenhouse covers the central kitchen area, amid a well-appointed warehouse feel with plants, art, and cozy seating and a singular three-tiered reading and browsing area (shoes off, please) in back. The coffee's first rate as well, and it's not unusual for customers to take way too long to ogle the display case of delicious-looking pastries or read the full menu of specialty-drink temptations. There's a soup, sandwich, and quiche menu for those who want to extend a coffee break into a meal. Gäbi now has a second location in Henderson (136 N. Stephanie St.).
Since Gordon Ramsay's been known to flame a contestant or two, it's only fitting that his burgers are cooked over a hardwood fire. Consider the Hell's Kitchen Burger, with asadero cheese, roasted jalapeños, and roasted tomatoes; or the Farmhouse Burger, with Dubliner cheese, bacon, and a fried egg. Salads include the "hellfire" chicken, and sides run to truffle Parmesan fries and beer-battered onion rings. Dig into one of Ramsay's rich desserts, or sip a cocktail while enjoying the roaring fire. There's another location at the Flamingo.
Swoop into this authentic, cozy Italian coffee bar in The Palazzo's Waterfall Atrium for richly brewed premium beverages, flaky pastries, and warm panini. This smart, colorful nook offers 36 flavors of glorious, creamy gelatos, as well as fresh dessert crepes, soups, and salads. Bonbons, truffles, and chocolate-dipped fruits are also available.
Visitors won't need a car for their In-N-Out fix since there's a location at The LINQ Promenade right on the Strip. The simple menu of fresh burgers, just-cut fries, and milk shakes makes this affordable West Coast fast-food joint with 18 locations around town a cult fave. If you're extra hungry (and we mean seriously so), go "off menu" and order a "4x4" (four beef patties with four slices of American cheese on a freshly baked bun), and maybe order it "animal-style," with a mustard-grilled beef patty and extra spread with grilled onions.
This casual spot from James Beard Award–winning chef Shawn McClain puts the emphasis on "social." The food's fun but seriously good: try the caviar fried egg, in which fish eggs are paired with a chicken one and corn pudding, or boards like charcuterie, house-baked bread or pretzels. Among the entrées are a roasted chicken and pappardelle with oxtail ragu. There are conversation-inducing seating areas and a cocktail program that includes a house old-fashioned with Calvados and cinnamon, and a refreshing pisco sour. Grab-and-go lunch is available at the window on weekends.
This elegant bar with dark-wood paneling and a baby grand piano sits just off Bellagio's lobby, near the famous Dale Chihuly glass ceiling. The best time to visit for cocktails is during the lavish afternoon tea, held daily from 1 to 4 pm. At other times, sample fine cheeses, smoked salmon, and several different kinds of caviar. Live piano music is provided hourly.
Some of the best doughnuts in Vegas are sold at this tiny Chinatown storefront tucked in a strip mall along Spring Mountain Road. Locals rave about the apple fritters, but more traditional selections, such as Boston cream, are addictive, too. Surprisingly, a good number of the offerings are vegan, a quirk that has put the hole-in-the-wall on the national map in recent years.
This fast-casual favorite born in New York City now has seven locations in Las Vegas, and the only thing different about it is that the lines aren't so long. It's a great place to stop for a Shack Burger and fries, and don't forget the shakes and frozen custard. The Strip location has been joined by others around town and at Harry Reid International Airport.
This popular Southern California restaurant, wine bar, and retail store has a sprawling two-story presence in The District at Resorts World. At dinner, expect dishes finished with truffles from wherever in the world they’re in season, such as truffle Bolognese; baked brie with truffle honey, truffle butter, and shaved truffles; truffle gnocchi; or truffle pizza. Alternatively, choose from among the steaks or be tempted by grilled halibut or pork belly. From the all-day menu, choose a cheese or charcuterie plate from nearly two dozen selections. Try the wood-oven-roasted French toast with lemon whipped ricotta and caramelized peaches at brunch from 8 am to 3 pm daily. The shop carries 8,000 wine labels, plus spirits, beer, and food items from all over the world for taking along or consuming on-site.
