I’m heading to Las Vegas next weekend. Can anybody recommend some interesting restaurants to try? I’m not really all that interested in the high-end swanky casino places (although feel free to recommend something), more like interesting “local”-type places (although if they’re close to the Strip so much the better).
While we’re at it, what is the best BBQ in Vegas? We don’t really get “real” BBQ where I live so whenever I’m in the States I like to go to a BBQ place. I know Nevada isn’t exactly the home of BBQ but what’s the closest I can get to “authentic” there?
How about Mexican? I love Mexican food too, but again we don’t have too much up here in the way of Mexican so I usually try to find an authentic place when I’m in the States.
Also, which is your favourite buffet (and why)? I’ve always been a big fan of the Sunday Brunch at the Bellagio but I’ve heard good things about the Wynn and the new (well, newer than the last time I was there) buffet at the Mirage. Also I heard that there is a buffet at the M resort where beer and wine is included in the price, which is very intriguing to me.
I’ve been to Samba at the Mirage a couple of times; are there better Churrascarias?
You’ve already eaten at the only decent BBQ joint I’ve found in Vegas.
The Wynn buffet is excellent. The pastries alone would take it into the Top 3. The buffet at M Resort is also very good, and cheaper than most of the rest. The beer is ok. A step above commercial swill, but not transcendent either. Just the thing for washing down a variety of foods.
I’m sorry I can’t help you with the BBQ joint (I’m a veg), but the best Mexican food I’ve had in the 13+ years I’ve lived here is at Taqueria Santa Cruz (map at that link).
It’s not a fancy sit down restaurant; it’s a taqueria, but the food is excellent, and the atmosphere (families with kids hanging out, watching soccer & Telemundo) is great fun too.
I know it’s higher end than you might prefer, but when we had dinner at Hugo’s Cellar in the Four Queens Casino Hotel on Fremont Street, we had a chocolate dessert there that we still talk about. Our host, a local, took us there. They also have a café upstairs that is also good, with a strong local flavour.
Every time we go to Vegas, we eat at Battista’s Hole In The Wall, an Italian place right behind the Flamingo. The dinner portions are huge, and you get free house wine with your meal and cappuccino afterward. And you gotta love Gordie, the accordion player, who’s been there for about 30 years now.
Be warned: the food is so excellent that by comparison, all other Italian restaurants serve Spaghetti-Os.
On our first date I took my fiancee to the Yardhouse. It was the best tasting steak in my life and, if you’re into that kind of thing, has over a hundred beers on tap.
I was in Vegas a couple months ago and went to the Hofbrauhaus. Good schweinebraten and strudel, and where else are you gonna see a guy play the Star Wars theme on an alpenhorn with the bell end resting on a woman’s thighs?
True. Excellent buffet at the M Resort for the money. Lots of good food and great dessert bar. I’ve also dined at Marinelli’s and Terzetto’s as well, both are excellent. The bread girl at Marinelli’s was fun to talk to also…a young and beautiful Hungarian immigrant that looks like a young Susanna Hoffs (Bangles).
Try the Burger Palace in Imperial Palace. Nothing fancy, by any means, but a nice, inexpensive burger, made of real meat and garnished with real vegetables. Take the escalator from the front of the entrance.
[QUOTE=silenus;11793466
You’ve already eaten at the only decent BBQ joint I’ve found in Vegas.
.[/QUOTE]
Oh no no no- http://lucillesbbq.com/ beats the pants off Memphis BBQ any day, it’s well worth the cab ride (near GVR). The ribs are especially good and also highly recommend the banana pudding for dessert.
I’ve heard alot of people rave about the buffet at M recently. For a more quirky, English meal- Crown & Anchor makes a killer Guiness beef pie and is a fun bar (Trop/Maryland Pkwy- there’s another one that just opened up on the west side too). Actually, Crown & Anchor is one of my favorite places in the world, at least they were until they stopped carrying McEwan’s.
My boyfriend went to the steakhouse at Delmonico’s over five years ago and still fantasizes about it. If you want to do tapas- the only place I like (I’m not a huge fan of tapas, but this place won me over to them) is Firefly but go to the one on Paradise, NOT the one in the Plaza- big difference in quality IMHO.
For mexican- Dona Maria’s on Las Vegas Blvd (I hope it’s still there, been awhile) is very straight up Mexican fare, hole in the wall kinda place-good and especially reccomend their cheese and green chile tamales.
This is great, thanks a lot everybody. I think I will check out the Studio B, maybe pull the old “show up at 3:30, pay the lunch price and stay for dinner” trick. There has got to be a better name for that trick…
Sounds like I should try Lucille’s; I’ve been to Memphis Championship a few times so something different will be good. I’ll have a car so the location is not a big deal.
So is that what they call the “Northern Menu” on their website? From what I read it sounds like the Northern menu is something else, so is the Issan menu just the regular menu?
Most certainly try “M” buffet! The dessert bar alone is worth the trip, but the rest of it is great too. Beer and wine, all you can drink - by the way, they also have a great root beer on tap, but that is not everyone’s taste. Marinelli’s is great too…if you go there early (about 5) they have a special, cheap deal as well.
Silenus…how could you not find Lucille’s better than Memphis?! Better location, better atmosphere, better selection and - quite simply, better food! I have taken many visitors there and every one of them insists we go back there whenever they are in town. My cousin and his wife come to Vegas every year around Memorial Day and two places we have to hit: Lucille’s and Hofbrauhaus.
Back to the OP - there are so many great places to eat in Las Vegas, it is hard to pick. China Town area has, obviously, some great Chinese food that is just over the I-15 freeway on Spring Mountain (the street between Treasure Island and Fashion Show Mall)…just go about a mile or two and you will know you are there!
You do know about In 'n Out Burgers? Again, cross over the 1-15 on Tropicana and it is on the right. A West Coast chain of burger restaurants that is legendary.
I also mention a few other places - Indian food for instance - on my website.
There’s a Lucille’s about 45 minutes from here we’ve eaten at several times. Good, but not anywhere near my Top 10 for BBQ. I like Memphis better, although it doesn’t crack the Top 10 either.
Come to think of it, all 10 on the list are either in North Carolina or Texas.
