Best Restaurants in Las Vegas
It shouldn’t be a gamble to decide where to eat in Sin City. Las Vegas has become a culinary destination, with prominent chefs and social media-ready dishes poised to help diners hit the flavor jackpot.
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Best Friend
At Best Friend, Roy Choi’s whimsical concept within Park MGM, the fun starts at the bodega-inspired entrance, then continues into the dining room, with funky fusion eats made famous on the celebrated chef’s food truck, Kogi. In a section cheekily titled "LA Sh*t" on the menu, short-rib tacos are pepped up with salsa roja and tangy shreds of chile-soy slaw; A-Frame OG Ribs, named for his A-Frame restaurant, are glazed with a sticky hoisin-chile sauce and stopped with scallions. Groups should dive into the pots, like a funky-sweet tamarind black cod stew with glass noodles and ginger.
Shark
Seafood and sushi shine at Shark, Bobby Flay’s latest concept within The Palms. The menu draws from ocean-inspired culinary regions around the world, including Japan, the Mediterranean, Mexico and South America. Hand and cut rolls and traditional pieces of sushi are expertly produced by Chef Kiyo Asano, formerly a major player at Nobu, while the rest of the menu boasts a festive Latin flair. Yellowtail ceviche, balanced with spicy chile de arbol and chunks of sweet charred pineapple, is presented in a hearty helping of its own juices meant to be slurped and savored.
Bazaar Meat by José Andrés
Eat with your eyes here —plating is taken to the next level at the upscale Bazaar Meat by chef and humanitarian José Andrés at the SLS Hotel. The cotton candy foie gras —presented on sticks like the childhood treat — makes a whimsical starter, as are the velvety béchamel- and jamon-filled croquets which are tucked into a glass sneaker. Steaks are exceptional, as is the suckling pig, which is served whole.
Honey Salt
Nestled in a corner of Rampart Commons near Summerlin, buzzy Honey Salt specializes in farm-to-table food in an attractive, down-home setting. Start with the sticky, savory monkey bread — warm and fluffy with parmesan and olive oil. The sea scallops, lightly caramelized, are flavored with vanilla and a pungent truffle sauce.
Majordomo Meat & Fish
A spinoff of its Los Angeles counterpart, the expansive Majordomo Meat & Fish within the Palazzo tower at Venetian is a celebration of land and sea with a Korean kick. Bing bread, flaky and fluffy like naan, should be used to scoop healthy portions of nutty chickpea dip with uni. And for the meat lover, smoked prime rib is cured for a day in salt, then served with classic sides, including mashed potatoes and creamed spinach, with jus.
Giada
At Giada’s inaugural restaurant concept within The Cromwell, Italian fare gets a West Coast twist, all paired with unsurpassed views of the Vegas Strip. Kick off a meal with plump, golden fried arancini served on a bed of pomodoro and generously stuffed with crab. The vegan-friendly eggplant stack comes neatly adorned with avocado slices drizzled in a sweet balsamic glaze. For non-vegans, the chianti-braised wagyu short rib offers a depth of flavor with creamy mascarpone polenta, sharp fennel and beads of deep ruby pomegranate.
Black Tap Las Vegas
This casual burger bar in the Venetian has earned Insta-glory for its sky-high desserts, appropriately coined CrazyShakes, made riotously excessive and extravagant with toppings galore. Milkshakes in traditional and outlandish flavors arrive in old-fashioned glassware under fluffy clouds of whip, bright puffs of cotton candy and full-size slices of cake for garnishes.
Mabel’s BBQ
In case Las Vegans needed a little encouragement to eat more meat, now there is a reason to do so with the addition of Michael Symon’s Mabel’s BBQ in the Palms, bedecked with a bright neon sign which reads — you guessed it — EAT MORE MEAT. The menu of Cleveland-style 'cue includes fatty pieces of chopped brisket, smoky kielbasa and maple-and-mustard-glazed pork belly.
La Monja
Off the strip, at the groovy Fergusons development downtown, La Monja showcases the robust flavors of Mexican coastal cuisine. Chef Dan Krohmer creates bold dishes like the habanero-spiced octopus aguachile and crisp tostadas layered with sea bass, avocado and macha salsa. If you can’t handle the heat, cool your palate with a bunuelo, a churro- and waffle-inspired deep-fried pastry dusted heavily with cinnamon and sugar and finished off with a creamy scoop of vanilla.
Sparrow + Wolf
This Spring Mountain Road hideaway is worth a drive from the Strip. Artsy interiors include a mural of a sparrow and a wolf (natch) behind the bar, setting the stage for a creative and diverse menu of contemporary American dishes. The beef cheek and bone marrow dumplings are a vision, or at least will be once they're unveiled from their layer of foamy goodness. And for a feast of epic proportions, the miso-rubbed dry-aged porterhouse is wood-grilled and served in tender slices, banchan style — meaning the meat arrives with a multitude of mini sides to enhance it, including carrots, cucumbers, sesame noodles, garlic, chimichurri and more.
Masso Osteria
Scott Conant earned raves when he opened Scarpetta and D.O.C.G. in Vegas, and today he continues to raise the bar with Italian eats at Masso Osteria at Red Rock Resort. Meals strike the right balance of homestyle and high-end, including cubed focaccia with an array of dips, and perfectly saucy pasta al Pomodoro, twisted and towering high on the plate. Conant also makes available a tasting menu here, which is prepared family-style for the table to share.
Pronto
This all-day fast-casual restaurant from Giada serves eye-catching Italian eats and pastries. Start the day with a vegetable frittata, morning muffin or a bowl of Giada’s oatmeal, topped with jewels of sliced orange and extra virgin olive oil with almonds. Visit during weekend brunch to try the omelet station and bottomless cocktails.
Beauty & Essex
Similar to its funky NYC sister location, the ultra-trendy Beauty & Essex within the Cosmopolitan appears as a pawn shop upon first glance, then opens up to a grand restaurant with richly decorated interiors, plush seating and plenty of pretty people. The lengthy menu is fun and festive with diverse eats like the poblano-spiced chile relleno empanadas, and gochujang-glazed Korean fried chicken topped with cool cucumber kimchi. Mains are just as adventurous, with scallops resting atop a bed of white bean purée and finished off with charred jalapeno butter and pesto spaghettini topped with a sunny side up egg.
Hakkasan
Low lit and sultry, Hakkasan is a sexy destination to kick off a Sin City evening. Dive into veggie-friendly Shanghai dumplings or fried prawn dumplings with a traditional plum dipping sauce before moving on to full-flavored mains like the crispy roasted duck, made dynamic with the addition of juicy kumquat, or a heaping plate of Hakka noodles with chunky mushrooms.
Monta Ramen
A local favorite within Sin City’s Chinatown, Monta Ramen is a solid place to slurp your supper. The rich milky tonkotsu broth is fortified by straight noodles, sliced pork chashu and black mushrooms. With the desert heat to consider, cold ramen bowls are also popular here. A heaping bowl of thick, wavy cold noodles is served broth-less, tossed with egg, chilled cucumber, tomato and bean sprouts and dressed in bright yuzu sauce.
Ghost Donkey
Hidden in plain sight, this secret bar within the Cosmopolitan, marked simply by a donkey on the door, is one of the city’s best-kept secrets and proves that good things do indeed come in small packages. Like the Ghost Donkey in NYC, this cozy, eight-seat space, bedecked with strings of glowing red lights, offers an impressive menu of mezcal and bar bites like mushroom nachos, generously dusted with cotija cheese. For an Insta-worthy moment, opt for the almost-opaque mushroom marg, made with huitlacoche-infused mezcal and lava salt.
Locale
The twinkling lights and hustle-bustle of the Strip are a far cry from Locale, a hidden gem neatly tucked away in Mountain’s Edge. Helmed by executive chef Nicole Brisson, formerly of Eataly, the restaurant puts the spotlight on meaty Italian dishes incorporating farm-fresh ingredients. Delicate pockets of house-made ravioli are gently stuffed with beef cheek, and loaded pizzas like the citrusy mortadella or pancetta and goat cheese are prepared on dough mixed with a touch of honey for a sweet and salty bready bite. Mains include saltimbocca and bone-in lamb chops, the gaminess cut with cumin yogurt.
Bavette’s
Few steakhouses bring the warmth and romance like Bavette’s, located on the casino level of Park MGM. Richly decorated and intensely intimate — like its Chicago counterpart — the mahogany space is moodily lit with soft yellow globe fixture, transporting diners to a nostalgic mid-century era. On the menu, there are steakhouse classics like shrimp cocktail, raw oysters and a generously dressed wedge topped with gorgonzola, but steaks are the main attraction. Dry-aged for 42 days, the 22-ounce bone-in ribeye is a hefty portion but can — and should — be made extra-hearty with the accompaniment of roasted bone marrow.
La Strega
Tucked outside central Vegas in Summerlin, La Strega is a bright Italian escape, with exceptional pastas, including clam-studded linguine, and bright bucatini tossed with chunky potatoes and greens in fragrant dandelion pesto. Start with a prosciutto di parma pizza pie with horseradish cream and zesty balsamic.
Scotch 80 Prime
Though Sin City has plenty of steakhouses, Scotch 80 Prime at the Palms stands apart for its immersive dishes and attention to detail. Kick off the meal with a Manhattan or old-fashioned, each expertly crafted tableside to taste. Steaks can be amped up with sautéed foie gras, subtly sweet with a strawberry-red wine reduction. Come dessert, the fire and ice banana split, also prepared tableside, with a slew of colorful candy toppings.
Spago
Wolfgang Puck knows how to pair food and great ambience — fabulous food and welcoming settings make Spago and his other restaurants into destinations in Beverly Hills, Maui and beside the Bellagio fountains in Vegas. The star chef helped reinvent California cuisine, with Austrian touches. Look for his signature schnitzel, along with smoked salmon pizza and fabulous house pastas.
Momofuku
From star chef David Chang, Momofuku brings the robust flavors of inspired Korean cuisine to the Cosmopolitan. Bring a crowd for family-style meals like bo ssam, fried chicken or five-spiced whole-roasted duck with accompaniments like chive pancakes, kimchi, ssam sauce and herbs. Save room for cereal milk soft serve from Milk Bar.
The Mayfair Supper Club
Waterfront, with first-class views of Bellagio’s brilliant dancing fountains, The Mayfair prioritizes entertainment with its food. Glamorous, old Hollywood-inspired live performances are paired with fanciful dishes like gold leaf-garnished wagyu and caviar hand roll, and baked Alaska.
Catch
Seafood and sushi play starring roles at this aptly named Aria destination. The Catch ceviche is a healthy sampling of meaty crustaceans including Alaskan king crab, shrimp and Maine lobster tossed with chunky mango and a blood orange ponzu. Entrees include salmon a la plancha and a whole oven-roasted branzino. Come dessert, the "Hit Me" chocolate cake presents a tower of brownie and devil’s food and dulce de leche ice cream treated to a generous pour of liquid Klondike. Just press record.
Bouchon
Up on the 10th floor of the Venetian, Bouchon by Thomas Keller serves classic French far, including salty escargot in parsley-garlic butter presented inside flaky, golden globes of Bouchon Bakery puff pastry, and, of course, steak frites with perfect bistro fries. Visit for brunch to best enjoy golden, flaky morning pastries like the savory cheese croissant or the heartier pain perdu, made extra decadent dusted with powdered sugar and topped with a sticky blueberry compote.
The Black Sheep
Humbly tucked in a Southwest Las Vegas-area retail strip mall, The Black Sheep is the brain child of chefs Jamie Tran, Andy Hooper and Jon Schwalb, who successfully fuse Vietnamese-American flavor profiles with comfort classics. Plates are pretty and plentiful. Take, for instance, bao sliders, which stand tall layered with a fried quail egg-topped pork sausage, mild crispy shallot, fragrant herbs and sharp jalapeno aioli on house baos. With the Black Sheep hot chicken, the spicy protein is kicked up a notch with the addition of honey mustard seed and pickled cucumber on a plate of honey toast. This restaurant may be "the black sheep" of the retail strip, but it’s putting all the fun back into classic eats.
Cipriani
Harry’s Bar in Venice, Italy, is one of the world’s most-iconic culinary destinations, but Giuseppe Cipriani’s touch extends to cities around the world, including at Cipriani inside the Wynn. A mixed salad of artichoke and avocado is tented with two thick cuts of sliced Parmesan, and the legendary baked tagliolini with ham, appears under a layer of bubbly cheese with browned edges. Prepare for a cheese pull extraordinaire.
Lotus of Siam
The hype is real at this famed off-strip restaurant, where true Northern Thai dishes like panang curry and deep-fried prawns pack a fiery punch. Playing it safe with a plate of pad Thai may sound tempting — it is delicious here, and extra savory, generously tossed with bright scallions, finely chopped peanuts and crisp bean sprouts — but opting for something less ubiquitous, like the Khao Soi is the way to go. A bowl of egg noodles serves as a bed for thick juicy cuts of crispy duck in a rich and silky coconut-based yellow curry. Spice levels are no joke at Lotus of Siam, so when asked, choose wisely.
Twist by Pierre Gagnaire
Set above the brightly lit Strip on the 23rd floor of the Waldorf Astoria, French chef Pierre Gagnaire’s Twist is a bright, creative culinary journey through French flavors and techniques, including lobster fricassee, foie gras and a chocolate souffle.
Paid in Full
Trek to the Southwest side of Sin City for creative Japanese-inspired dishes at this izakaya-style hangout helmed by chefs Jason Olson and Michael Plourde, who change items on the menu often. Pair Japanese lager or a sparkling hibiscus tea with dishes like a tangled web of saucy udon fries or triple-garlic yakisoba tossed with chewy bits of glistening pork belly. Finish with miso-cookie-crumble-dusted shoyu-caramel panna cotta.
La Strega
Le Cirque
With vies of Bellagio’s dancing fountains, French destination Le Cirque is a romantic choice for eyes and palate. Save room for the famed chocolate ball dessert here, a sphere which once melted with chocolate sauce reveals a delicious mess of praline mousse and white chocolate ice-cream.
Mr. Chow
Channeling the see-and-be-seen vibe of its original Beverly Hills location, Mr. Chow at Caesar’s Palace brings style to the Strip. The famous hand-pulled noodles, which chefs live demonstrate in front of guests, are practically mandatory. Cocktails like the Chow-Lini crafted with house-made peach foam are festive, but choosing something off of the champagne cart as it makes its way through the dining room is not a bad way to celebrate something or nothing at all.
Other Mama
Venture out beyond the bright lights of the Vegas strip and discover this hidden gem in a strip mall. The oceanic-inspired dining room is welcoming and comfortable, but the best action is at the counter, with views into the open kitchen. The menu, though interesting and complex in its flavors, does not take itself too seriously — try the French toast, served in individual squares and topped with a dollop of creme fraiche and caviar, and spicy deviled eggs topped with golden fried oysters and fresh jalapeno. Blue crab-stuffed hushpuppies are meant to be double dipped.
Picasso
Under the direction of executive chef Julian Serrano, Picasso fuses the distinct flavors of Spain and France, bringing upscale dining to the Bellagio. Dishes are gracefully executed, including golden seared scallops rest on a bed of stocky potato mousseline, and halibut fillets atop a row of hollandaise sauce-topped asparagus. The best spots are the lakeside tables with views of the Bellagio fountains.
Hatsumi
Dan Krohmer livens up off-the-strip dining with his bold concepts, including Hatsumi, a new yakitori bar located within mid-century-motel-turned-retail development Fergusons downtown. The vegetable okonomiyaki — a popular Japanese street food which combines a savory pancake with Japanese mayo and tobiko flakes — incorporates local honey in its sauce; meat skewers are complemented by pork belly kimchi and miso vinaigrette-dressed cabbage salad.
Esther’s Kitchen
Situated in the heart of the Arts District in downtown Vegas, Esther’s Kitchen is proof that some of the best dining can be found off-Strip. Locals pack in to the cozy open-kitchen space for heaping plates of house-made pasta and no-nonsense lunch combos like the double-cheese meatball sandwich accompanied with salad and ube chips. Pro tip: Stop in during the daily pasta happy hour for samplings of spaghetti pomodoro or creamy rigatoni carbonara for a carb fest at half the price.
Block 16 Urban Food Hall
This food court-style space in the Cosmopolitan brings together some of the best fast-casual concepts from across the country in one space. Hattie B.’s serves Nashville’s famed hot chicken in all of its fiery splendor. Portland’s Lardo offers a menu of meaty pork sandos, and New Orleans-based District Donuts makes flavors like banana pudding and gooey oatmeal cream pie doughuts to pair with nitro cold brew and Vietnamese coffee. Visit the Tekka Bar for a hand roll — this counter, under the direction of local restaurateur Takashi Segawa, is the only one unique to Vegas.
Juniper
Let the fun beGIN at this seductive cocktail bar at Park MGM. Located on the casino level, in the heart of the hotel, and boasting the largest collection of gin in the city, this is a watering hole for drinkers who truly appreciate the woodsy spirit. Fantastical glassware, as in the one presented with the sweet and tart The Little Birdie cocktail, and amusing elements like flaming finishes make it all the more a hip place to hang out.
