Mrs. Chef and I are celebrating our 20th wedding anniversary this weekend in Las Vegas. We’ve picked out a couple of shows, planned some gambling, and have a Sunday brunch buffet staked out like two lions at a Namibian water hole. However, I’m still trying to pick a place for us to have a lush anniversary dinner.
If you know your way around the Vegas culinary scene, how about sending a couple of recommendations my way? I’d really like to keep the tab under $150, but other than that, no restrictions.
Well, your cash restriction is going to keep you at Burger King.
Data point: The wife and I just got back from celebrating our anniversary in Vegas. Our celebratory dinner was at Mesa Grill, Bobby Flay’s restaurant in Caesars. With tip the tab ran twice your limit. So eating on the Strip is contra-indicated. How about Hugo’s Cellar downtown? I would have suggested Andre’s, but it closed down a while back. The last of the old-school French places in town.
Any particular cuisine? If a steakhouse fits, try The Range at Harrah’s.
I had a WONDERFUL meal at FiAMMA in the MGM Grand. It was the special of the evening, a Kobe steak with sliced truffle. One of the best steaks I’ve had. The ambiance was also spectacular.
(I know Kobe is overrated by some, but the steak I had was splendid…)
On our annual Christmas trip to Vegas, we always head for Alizé at the top of the Palms (since Andre’s, our former favorite, is closed, as **Silenus **mentioned). It’s run by the same chef, with the same fantastic food, but, as **Silenus **also mentioned, it will probably break the bank for you in financial terms.
Andre also has a venue at the Monte Carlo, but I’ve never been to it.
Also, if you can get a reservation at sundown, at or near a window, watching all of the lights come on up and down the strip is just magnificent.
I enthusiastically second Hugo’s Cellar. The dessert I had there is the best thing I have ever eaten and the standard by which all other desserts will ever be measured. And the prime rib was also excellent.
I love the steakhouse in the New York New York, but it might be more of a place for a bunch of guys to eat really good huge steaks than an anniversary place. Just be warned it is *a la carte *and the sides are big enough for 2 to 3.
Whenever someone asks for Vegas food recommendations, I always say Battista’s Hole In The Wall. Best Italian food you’ll ever eat, house wine and cappuccino after the meal is included in the price. It’s just off the Strip, behind the Flamingo. Say hi to Gordy for us!
I dunno - I like Battistas, and the food is good, but it’s kind of a cheesy place - cheesy in a good way, for the right occasion, but I’m not sure I’d recommend it for a 20th anniversary meal. Unless that’s your sort of thing!
I had a very, very good meal at Todd English’s Olives, at the Bellagio. Unless you’re wine people, you should be able to get out of there for under $150.
My uncle, who’s as big a foodie as I am with the financial wherewithal to really gratify his tastes, recommends Picasso at the Bellagio. Anybody eaten there?
I’ve eaten at B&B Ristorante, Twist, Le Cirque and Sage in Vegas, and my favourite by far was Sage. I had a price fix menu for $79 or $89 (I can’t remember exactly), and the wine was really reasonable to boot. I had a really nice bottle of pinot gris from New Zealand for $40.
If you prefer to order off the menu, I think the entrees were around $40.00. The food was fantastic - if you go, you have to get the fois gras creme brulee. It sounds odd, but it was absolutely delicious. The dessert was among the best I’ve ever had in a restaurant, and I’ve been to a lot of really good restaurants.
The decor and atmosphere are quite romantic as well, and the service was very good.
A bit higher in price than what the OP is looking for, but superb, are several of the restaurants at Encore. Sinatra is excellent, as is Botero. On-the-ball service as well. Either would make for a memorable anniversary.
Andre’s closed?! Well, damn. There’s a light out in my universe, now. SpouseO and I went there yonks ago for a really nice dinner, and enjoyed every minute. Bummer.
I ate there a few years ago for my anniversary, the food and service were excellent, but it’s out of your price range so I didn’t recommended it. Our bill was over $400 US, including the wine pairings.
Literally the worst Italian food I’ve ever eaten. I’m saying even below Olive Garden.
It’s funny, my Italian grandmother was telling me about this little spot in Vegas she and my (Italian immigrant) grandfather used to eat at religiously when visiting town. From her description, I realized it was Battista’s, since it’s right down the road from my office and I’ve passed it about a million times. I confirmed this was the same place she’d been raving about and off I went.
Now, the sweet little accordian player? Adorable. Such a sweet man and funny to boot.
Sure, the atmosphere is a little cheesy, but it’s cute. I’d definitely feel comfortable somewhere like that on a date or special dinner (though it’s certainly not fancy).
But the deal breaker at this place is the food. How anyone can say it’s good is mind boggling to me. They basically have 3 different menus (if I’m remember correctly) that you order from, each at a different price point. One menu is cheap stuff (spaghetti and red sauce, etc), then it moves up to fancier dishes with each menu.
The meal starts with bread that is literally cheap white bread with a ton of fake butter and oil poured over the top-- it seems like it was just run under a broiler for a second. Simultaneously greasy and dry-- it crumbles into dust. Then there’s the iceberg lettuce salad. My entree. . . I don’t remember exactly what I got, but it was something with white wine and mushrooms. It had zero flavor. . .in fact, it tasted like heavy cream and oil with nothing else. Also, the “unlimited wine” is about what you’d expect if a place is offering you unlimited wine.
I’m FAR from a restaurant snob, but I will never, EVER understand the kind things people are saying about Battista’s. I can believe that in the 20 years since my grandfather died the restaurant has possibly changed :), but I don’t even know about the rest of yous. . .
My personal favorite fun restaurant in Vegas is Firefly, which is a Tapas bar off the strip with out of this world sangria. You could easily run up quite the tab there if you guys stay a few hours and really make a fun evening of it. It’s a fun romantic little spot that has salsa dancing some nights, too.
ETA: Looking at photos on Yelp, the bread in the pictures at Battista’s on there is not at all what we were served. Maybe we went on a bad night? I dunno.
I really liked Bouchon at the Venetian when I was there about a year ago. Delicious French bistro food, good-sized servings, clever and creative dishes.
I really respect your opinion on food, Drainy, so I’m leaning toward that. Plus I see they have an early evening prix fixe seating that may work better with our evening plans. We may have a winner!
