Las Vegas, Nevada - Eat & Drink

Eat

Large casinos will invariably offer a variety of dining options, ranging from the omni-present buffet to simple cafes to gourmet restaurants.

Buffets

The most famous buffets in Las Vegas are at the Rio, Bellagio, Paris and Planet Hollywood (formerly Aladdin), though the newly opened Wynn buffet is becoming more and more of a favorite with tourists and locals alike. The best buffets typically run about $30 a person for a weekend dinner. Lunch is your best value at most buffets when they are around half price, breakfasts are cheapest and often have a great spread too. Do not forget that tipping your buffet waiter 10-15% is customary. You can leave cash on the table at the end of your meal or tip the cashier at the counter on a credit card.

• The Buffet, 3131 Las Vegas Blvd South, Wynn Las Vegas, 702-770-7100, Short lines, 16 cooking stations of extraordinary, and sometimes exotic, international foods, especially noted for sushi. Seating in the elegant complex is divided into several comfortable rooms with tile, marble, or carpeted floors.

• The Buffet 3600 Las Vegas Blvd South, Bellagio, 702-693-7111, Prices vary by meal and day of week, with the breakfast buffet running about $15, while the weekend dinner buffet costs upwards of $30. The Bellagio has arguably the best buffet on the strip, with the dinner menu including pre-split crab legs, venison, Kobe beef, and wild boar - all in a windowless, ambiance-free setting that departs from the Bellagio’s usually posh environment. Lines may be long, especially on weekends.

• Le Village Buffet, 3655 Las Vegas Blvd. South, located in Paris Las Vegas, 702-946-7000 [1]. Featuring dishes from five French provinces, the Village Buffet offers exquisite classic French foods, some made to order, and seasonal specialties under a faux sky in a village-like setting. Patrons may, for example, choose to sit in a town square or French country home.

• Spice Market 3400 South Las Vegas Blvd, Planet Hollywood, 702-785-5555, The casino changed names, but the buffet is the same. All styles of food including good seafood. Line moves fast.

• Village Seafood Buffet 3700 W Flamingo Rd, Rio, 702-777-7777, $34.99 per person (dinner only)[2] Open from 4:00 PM until 10:00 PM Sunday through Thursday, and from 3:00 PM until 11:00 PM Friday and Saturday. This buffet is one of the better buffets in Las Vegas, with an extensive seafood collection (as well as other items). Lines can be long. Note that the Rio also offers the Carnivale World Buffet, which is cheaper but does not offer a total seafood oriented buffet, but features a changing variety of dishes featuring seafood.

Restaurants

On the Strip

• AJ's Steakhouse, Hard Rock Hotel, [3] Order a martini and a Filet Mignon—medium rare—and hoist one for ‘ol Blue Eyes!

• Craftsteak, MGM Grand, 702-891-7318, avg $95/per person, [4] Considered to be one of the best steak houses in America.

• Cypress Street Marketplace, Caesars Palace, Interesting and good for the family, it has every cuisine and is mostly cheap.

• Kahunaville Treasure Island, [5] Great atmosphere that serves standard fare.

• Mesa Grill, Caesars Palace, 877-346-4642, [6] With a brightly colored decor and festive atmosphere, chef Bobby Flay serves us some tasty Southwestern food with flair.

• The Range Steakhouse, Harrah's, Grilled to order steaks that will satisfy.

• Mr. Lucky's 24-7, Hard Rock Hotel, [7] Sandwiches, salads, and sundaes are popular at the rock and roll diner, but nothing compares with the people watching!

• Nobu, Hard Rock Hotel, [8] A staple for Las Vegas sushi lovers, newcomers will discover a fusion of traditional Japanese cuisine with Latin spices and flavors.

• Roman Court, Caesars Palace , Good food as well as good icy drinks.

• Shang-hai Lily, Mandalay Bay, Gourmet Chinese and an incredible fine dining experience.

• Tao, Venetian, 702-388-8338, A dinner for two with drinks will cost between $60 and $100. [9] Open Sunday - Thursday from 5:00 PM until 12:00 AM, and Friday - Saturday from 5:00 PM to 1:00 AM. A beautifully decorated Asian restaurant that doubles as a nightclub, this eatery offers very good food at moderately high prices.

• Toby Keith's I Love This Bar and Grill, Harrah's, American cuisine that includes steaks, burgers, sandwiches, and even dishes like meatloaf and fried catfish. During the evening the restaurant features live country music bands.

• Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville, Flamingo, A fun tropical-themed restaurant featuring dishes named after many of Jimmy Buffett's songs (for example: the Cheeseburger in Paradise).

• Top of the World, Stratosphere, 702-380-7711, [10] A revolving gourmet restaurant more than 800 feet above the strip at the top of the Stratosphere Tower.

Off the Strip

• Bahama Breeze, 375 Hughes Center Drive, [11] Serves great tropical food. Large portions with a great atmosphere. Famous for their Jerk Chicken Pasta, Cinnamon Mashed Sweet Potatoes, and wide variety of hand-crafted tropical drinks such as the Bahamarita. This is a great place to get away and relax from the crowds on people on the strip.

• Ellis Island Casino Restaurant, Located one block east of Bally's at the intersection of Flamingo and Koval, [12] The $6.95 steak special is consistently voted one of the best deals in Las Vegas. It's not on the menu, so ask for it specifically. If steak is not your thing the restaurant has plenty of other selections at cheap prices. In addition, Ellis Island has barbecue every night from 4-10 pm. Ellis Island also brews its own beer, and serves them in the casino bar in 20 oz. glasses for a buck.

• ENVY, The Steakhouse, 3400 Paradise Road, Located in the Renaissance Las Vegas Hotel, [13], ENVY is the proud winner of the 2005 Las Vegas Life Magazine Epicurean Award “Best New Restaurant – Off the Strip,” as well as the 2005 and 2006 Wine Spectator Award of Excellence. Inspired by Chef Richard Chamberlain, the distinctive ENVY menu includes premium quality, fresh ingredients from select purveyors around the country, featured in innovative dishes that redefine traditional steakhouse cuisine. Enjoy the highest quality Kobe filet, prime rib roast, Black Angus filet and prime bone-in rib eye. The walk-in wine cellar features 1,500 bottles of wine.

Downtown

• Pasta Pirate 12 East Ogden Ave, California Hotel & Casino, 702-385-1222 [14], Closed Tuesdays. Delicious steaks, seafood, and pasta. A romantic darkened wharf decor with a view to the chef's flaming grill. The steak and lobster special is a really great value. All dinners include a glass of house wine. Call ahead for reservations to avoid a long wait.

Other

Luv-It Frozen Custard: Hidden a bit north of the Stratus Tower, this family operation offers excellent frozen custards with outstanding toppings. A short quarter block east of South Las Vegas Blvd, on the north side of Oakey, they share a parking lot with a convenience store. Currently open from 1:00 PM every day in summer (May-Sept.); closed on Sundays & Mondays other times; Christmas/New Year is their time for 2+ weeks of vacation.

Drink

Bars

In Las Vegas, free drinks are offered to all players, even those playing 5-cent slot machines. It is customary to tip the cocktail waitress at least $1 per drink (unless you like going thirsty).

• Cleopatra's Barge, (at Caesars Palace). A popular nightspot at Caesars Palace, Cleopatra's Barge is a luxurious floating barge in a ornate replica of the barge that transported Cleopatra down the Nile.
• Nefertiti's Lounge, (at the Luxor). They specialize in 36-inch Sphinx margaritas and glasses made in the shape of mummy cases (they make for nice vases afterward).
• Pink Taco, (at the Hard Rock). [15] Pink Taco serves up the very best of Mexico with atmosphere, tequila, buckets of beer and of course, tasty Mexican food!
• Venus Lounge, (at the Venetian). Pricey but enjoyable for a couple of quick cocktails.
• Double Down Saloon, 4640 Paradise Road, 791-5775. [16] A bit out of the way but plenty of atmosphere and out of the casinos if that's your thing.
• Nine Fine Irishmen, (in the New York, New York casino)[17]. This pub was actually constructed in Ireland and then shipped to Las Vegas. A great Irish band plays most nights starting around 9:00, the crowd is always energetic, and the Guinness and Bass flow easily. A pint runs about $6.
• The Bunkhouse, (Downtown) [18]. Cheap downtown bar. Located one block from the USA Hostel. Friendly with travelers and frequented often by the staff and guests of the nearby hostel.
• The Centrifuge, (at MGM Grand). Circular shaped bar/lounge; every hour the bar staff dances on the bartop or lounge tables.

Nightclubs/Dancing

Nightlife in Las Vegas is never hard to find, with a club or lounge in nearly every hotel and casino. Most clubs remain open until 4am, with various after-hour clubs available for the truly hard-core partiers. Drink s can range anywhere from $4 - $8 for a domestic bottle of beer, $8 - $10 for well drinks, and $200 or more for a bottle of alcohol. Clubs are always busy on weekends, and may also be packed during weekdays at places that have Service Industry Night (SIN), usually Tuesday through Thursday when locals working in the service industry have their night off.

A good way to find out what places are currently hot in Vegas is to ask service staff who look like party-people. People working inside hotels are bound to recommend the hotel's institutions, so rather go for waiters or shop-assistants in restaurants or malls outside the hotels.

The top clubs will charge a cover of $15 or more. Exceptions include those who have reserved a table, ladies, and sometimes locals. Expect to wait in a line, depending on the night, anywhere from ten minutes up to a couple of . A general rule of thumb is to get there early (before 10pm), and while the club may be emptier the line will be shorter and you may avoid paying cover. Be aware that tables in Vegas often come with a bottle purchase; unless you keep buying bottles from the hostess they will ask you to vacate the table so that someone else can occupy the table. The dress code varies by club and bar. The general rule of thumb is most of the time women know what to wear when they are going out, and men should avoid wearing tennis shoes, tank tops, hats, t-shirts, and blue jeans.

• 3121, 3700 W Flamingo Rd,Rio Hotel, 702 777-7776, [19] Originally Club Rio, the number one dance club for over nine years. The Rio recently announced a deal with Prince for him to play on Friday and Saturdays. With other headliners and Prince's new favorites during the rest of the week. The club is huge with over 30,000 sq feet of super clubbing of course in all purple. It is named after Prince's new album with the name coming from the number 3121 as an at a Los Angeles home where the performer used to give private concerts. Another explanation is that the four digits add up to seven and have a spiritual significance. Either way the club is hot and the place to be if you like Prince, like the color purple, or like the funk.</drink>

• Drais,Billy's (between Ballys and Flamingo), until 9am, $20/$30. The most popular place for after on week-ends, so expect long queues especially from 5am. Two dance-floors, the main floor features trance and Euro dance (otherwise rare in Vegas), the VIP floor (extra charge) features hip hop.

• Seamless, opposite of the Orleans, 1 mile west of the strip on Tropicana Avenue, until noon, $20. One of the most popular independent (i.e., not in a hotel) clubs and the one to go when all other clubs are closed, i.e. for after-after and on week-days. The club consists of a strip bar with a hooker area, and a normal night club featuring trance/techno - don't get irritated by the hookers making out with customers, after all, this is Vegas.

• Body English', Hard Rock Hotel, until 4am, $25. Plays techno/trance/house on Wednesday nights.

• Rock Cafe, Imperial Palace, until 2am on weekdays, free on weekdays. One of the hot party locations for a weekday night in Vegas. This place gets the crowd going by rock music, and also by classical 80s party pop hits. The toilet is located inside the casino, which makes every trip to the loo a temptative gambling break.

• Coyote Ugly, (New York New York). Monday - Sunday: after 8pm All - $10. Just like the movie, expect beautiful 20-something women serving you drinks and getting rowdy on the bar.

• Ivan Kane's Forty Deuce, 3930 S. Las Vegas Blvd., (in Mandalay Bay right outside the shops)[20]. General Admission: $20 (Sun., Mon., Wed., Thurs.). Front of the line: $40 (Fri., Sat.). The hottest new besque club in town, Ivan Kane's is definitely one of the sexiest clubs on offer.

• LAX, 3900 S. Las Vegas Blvd (in the Luxor) [21]. Where young Hollywood go to party. Exclusive club with an exclusive guest list.

• TAO Las Vegas, [22] (Venetian). TAO Nightclub is a 10,000 square foot nightclub located in Tao at the Venetian. There is an outside terrace with Strip views, 3 bars, two main rooms playing a variety of hip hop, house and rock. Wednesday - Saturday, 10:30 p.m. until Close.

• Teatro Euro Bar, 3799 S. Las Vegas Blvd (in the MGM Grand). Tuesday - Saturday, 9 p.m. - approximately 4 a.m. Famed for offering the world's most expensive cocktail at US$2200, the Teatro Bar is where gambling winners go to party.

Ultra Pool

An Ultra Pool is a mix of a pool, and club all in one.

• Wet Republic, MGM Grand,702 891-3563, [23] 11AM-Dusk. Located next to the MGM Grand, this Ultra Pool is the Ultimate Maximum Vegas Day Club. Have a blast swimming around in one of the many pools, or swim (yes, swim) up to a bar and order your favorite drink. Not into getting wet? Relax at a cabana or day bed. Bottle service is available. On select days be sure to stop by as live DJ's will spin the hottest music to cool you down on a hot day in Las Vegas. Wet Republic is daylife born...

Ultra Lounge An ultra lounge is a mix between lounge and a night club, but the difference to real night clubs is tiny and vanishes completely, when the DJ pulls out hard-core dance hits.

• Pure, Caesars Palace, 702 731-7873, [24] Fr,Sa,Su,Tu 10PM-early morning. $25+; girls may get waved in for free. Pure claims to be the hugest disco/club in Vegas with 40,000 square foot of space. On week-ends, be prepared for huge queues unless you are an attractive woman or a wehy man. The 14,000 square foot open air terrace on the 10th-ish floor is the only area open also on week-days. It features a panorama view of the strip glitter with all strip hotels in sight. Other areas, only open on week-ends, include the Pussycat Doll Lounge and the ultra exclusive (and expensive!) VIP Red Room, frequented by many celebrities.

• Blush, Wynn's, $25, On the 1st floor of Wynn's with an open-air section. Very posh, and accordingly not very energetic music and crowd.

• Ghostbar, Palms , 702 942-6832, [25] 8PM-late, Located on the hotel's roof, this bar features a section of floor that is made of thick glass with nothing beneath it -- the glass is the only thing between your feet and the ground 55 stories below.

• Tabu, MGM Grand, 702 891-7183, [26] Th-Mo 10PM-close. A small but sophisticated bar, this is a great place to linger over a cocktail.

• OPM, Caesars Palace, Located in the Forum Mall, Caesars Palace, OPM is one of the worlds premier RnB clubs. Located above a restaurant, Budda statues, black decor and red mood lighting, gives it a slightly underground feel. Two rooms play RnB/Hip Hop and Dancehall. Regularly frequented by celebrities.

• Tangerine, Treasure Island, Possibly one of the best views of the strip from inside a nightclub, overlooking a huge lake and pirate ship! As the name suggests the decor is orange and the clientle rich and/or beautiful.