Any first-time visitor in Las Vegas is surely overwhelmed by the deluge of places to visit. A food lover will already have a list of go-to spots to visit, while a newbie fresh off the plane might not come with an agenda. This list gives a little of both, with over-the-top experiences that come with a memory and a story to tell the friends back home.
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The Peppermill & Fireside Lounge
The 24-hour Peppermill is a rite of passage for any Las Vegas visitor. Moody neon, trees draped over the booths, a counter for single diners, green and red sugar, and massive plates of diner fare are all worthy reasons to visit, especially late at night. Customers should have at least one drink at the neighboring Fireside Lounge at the fire pit to complete that memory. It’s a blast from the past but satisfies nonetheless.
Mon Ami Gabi
Queue up early to grab a seat on the patio of Mon Ami Gabi at the base of the faux Eiffel Tower at Paris Las Vegas. Breakfast, lunch and dinner make the menu here at this French bistro, but it’s the people watching strip-side and view of the Bellagio Fountains that create the memories.
Giada
Giada De Laurentiis has her only restaurant in the world (for now) in Las Vegas. Odds are high that the Food Network star will be in the kitchen and walking through the dining room to meet and greet diners eating her California-inspired Italian food at The Cromwell.
Guy Fieri’s Vegas Kitchen & Bar
Anyone who loves food probably read New York Times food critic Pete Wells’ epic take down of Guy Fieri’s Times Square location in New York City. All the more reason to see the insane dishes on the menu at his Las Vegas space at The Linq. Righteous Rojo Rings? Check. Vegas Fries? Of course. The Mayor of Flavortown Burger? Absolutely. A Pic-a-Nik Sandwich? Duh.
Ellis Island Front Yard
The indoor/outdoor venue features a second-floor atrium with views of the Las Vegas Strip. Ellis family favorite recipes such as house-cured bacon and brisket as well as dishes incorporating craft beers from its own Ellis Island Brewery. Of course, The Front Yard plans to pour beers straight from Ellis Island Brewery on a seasonal rotation. This is definitely a local’s hidden gem.
Golden Steer Steakhouse
Old school Vegas comes back to life at the Golden Steer, open since 1958. Booths here come with plaques remembering the stars of yesteryear who dined at the steakhouse. Mobster Tony “The Ant” Spilatro, actress Natalie Wood, singer Nat “King” Cole, bases player Joe DiMaggio, Elvis Presley and race car driver Mario Andretti along with the Rat Pack stars Frank Sinatra, boxer Muhammad Ali all dined here. Table-side carts dish out Caesars salads, while anything with red meat is a must-order.
Tao Asian Bistro
Pan-Asian food makes the menu, but the possibility of spotting a celebrity walking past that giant Buddha floating above a pond Japanese Koi in the middle of the dining room are perhaps the highest here at this nightclub and restaurant at the Venetian.
8-East at Circa
An Asian delight for any special occasion. This spot at the newly built Circa Hotel Casino in downtown Las Vegas has all the locals flocking to.8-East worked on fusion dishes and techniques to incorporate at 8 East that he tested at his Thai restaurant and at home for family and friends, such as salt and Sichuan pepper chicken wings and cumin lamb lollipops that will be served with Sichuan, Chengdu, and Thai sauces.
Carlo’s Bakery
Judging by the lines queued up outside Cake Boss Buddy Valastro’s Carlo’s Bakery, fans want a taste of New Jersey pastries to take home. The lobster tail is a best bet, but don’t count on seeing Valastro in the shop at the Venetian.
Bacchanal Buffet Opens May 20th, 2021
Inevitably, everyone wants to eat at a buffet, if only for the insanity of shoving unlimited food on a plate and in your stomach as possible. The biggest sits at Caesars Palace with nine live-action show kitchens spanning sushi and sashimi, Mexican, pizza, barbecue, and a center island dessert bar and more than 500 dishes served daily. Dishes change with the seasons, plus the buffet features at least 15 daily specials. Wear loose-fitting attire.
Bacchanal Opens at Caesars Palace May 20th 2021.
The best buffet in Las Vegas just got better with a multimillion-dollar refresh featuring all-new design enhancements; more than 30 new dishes; and the introduction of reservations.
In addition to the design enhancements, Bacchanal will introduce more than 30 new dishes to its robust menu. Those additions include:
- New dim sum-style food carts that will roam the dining room offering more on-trend dishes like foie gras PB&J, spicy seafood boil bags, Japanese wagyu hot dogs, as well as traditional dim sum.
- All-new, unique and innovative composed dishes guests would never expect to taste at a buffet like turmeric grilled baby octopus with XO chili jam, cheeseburger bao, chipotle bourbon barbecue oysters and duck carnitas quesadillas.
- More plant-based and vegan items that will excite herbivores and carnivores alike, such as quinoa-stuffed baby sweet potatoes with fried kale, tomato tartar and coconut-carrot gazpacho.
- The Mediterranean and Asian kitchens have been re-imagined with updates ranging from a new mezze bar and authentic Roman-style pizza, to a wider selection of Southeast Asian flavors featuring Laotian, Filipino, Indonesian, Thai and Vietnamese specialties.
- Eye-catching desserts like earl grey mousse, salted caramel popcorn and death by chocolate cupcakes, yuzu tart, ube chiffon cake and more than 10 all-natural gelato flavors.
- Bacchanal will still feature fan favorites including cold and steamed crab legs, as well as shrimp cocktail, from the all-new seafood kitchen. From the reimagined carving, American and Latin stations, guests can also enjoy prime rib, wagon wheel mac and cheese, street tacos and more.
Bacchanal will reopen with dinner served Thursday-Monday from 4 p.m. – 10 p.m. For the first time, Bacchanal welcomes and encourages reservations on OpenTable.com.
