What Are The Best Las Vegas Strip Restaurants?
Celebrity chefs are living the high life by creating gourmet cuisine at lavishly decorated Las Vegas Strip restaurants. Some intense gamblers don’t mind “duking it out” over the buffets. Other high-rollers come here to experience the poignant flavors of Wolfgang Puck, Chef Emeril, Charlie Palmer and Michael Mina. In addition to world-renowned chefs, Las Vegas Nevada also has its fair share of homegrown heroes, including André Rochat, of André and Alizé, as well as Michael and Wendy Jordan of Rosemary’s just west of the Vegas Strip.
The Las Vegas Strip offers fine dining cuisine only previously seen on TV. Since 1992, celebrity chefs have migrated to Vegas Nevada, choosing to roost in the vibrant city that never sleeps. Chef Emeril Lagasse first carved a name for himself in New Orleans with his lobster bisque, “Tournedos au Poivre,” which includes grilled petite beef medallions with roasted shallots and haricot vert, parmesan crusted baked tomato and brandy peppercorn sauce, filet mignon and signature banana cream pie with whipped cream, chocolate shavings and caramel sauce. Now visitors can enjoy delicious entrees in the $30-50/dish price range amid vaulted ceilings, quaint French doors and a petit grand piano at the “Delmonico Steakhouse.”
For travelers who haven’t quite hit it big at a Las Vegas casino yet, there are more modest offerings that are explosive in flavor but not in price. “Cravings” in the Mirage Hotel boasts the biggest menu over any other Las Vegas hotel restaurant, with buffet-style dishes from Japan, China, Mexico, France, Italy and more for $15-25/person. “The Sterling Brunch” at Bally’s Steakhouse fills bellies with seared salmon, smoked fish, bagels, fresh shrimp, waffles, omelets, sushi, sashimi and desserts, making this the ideal option for a special occasion, at only $30/person.
Another one of the best buffets in Vegas is at The Bellagio Hotel. Presentation is big here at this $32/person gourmet dining experience. There is a vast array of Italian, Chinese and American options. Just off the Vegas strip on Sahara is “Hash House A Go Go,” which is ideal for families with five types of scrambled egg skillets, five kinds of eggs benedict or dinners, like sage fried chicken, stuffed meatloaf and blue crab cakes.
Lastly, there are some great places for Las Vegas Strip boozing and carousing. People come from around the world to choose from over 4,000 wines at “Aureole,” a heavenly, three-story wine tower inside Mandalay Bay. Cover bands at “Carnaval Court” (Harrah’s) and dueling pianos at New-York-New-York or Harrah’s provide drinks and entertainment. For an Irish pub atmosphere, New-York-New-York delivers imported beer and bangers n’ mash at “Nine Fine Irishmen.” For ambiance and mixed drinks galore, the “Vodka Locker” has hundreds of vodkas and a large block of ice that keeps drinks frigid. “Coyote Ugly” in New-York-New-York is the place for bachelor parties, with wild bartenders serving from atop the bar, while “Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville” provides a tamer baby boomer oasis. The newest place to grab a drink is the 36,000 square foot, two-story “PURE Nightclub” at Caesars Palace, which offers awesome views of the Strip, over-sized beds, a packed dance floor and an all-around interesting time.
