There are SO many great places to eat at during your visit to Las Vegas. One of my favorite ways to dine my way through a destination is by sampling a variety of culinary experiences that include both hole-in-the-walls and more well-known, popular restaurants.
Narrowing down your options can be a little overwhelming in a city known for celebrity chefs and other well-known chefs who have been recipients of the prestigious James Beard Foundation Awards.
Portions of my trip were hosted, others were not. As always, all opinions are my own. This article contains affiliate links.
I’m sharing more about Las Vegas restaurants offering a unique experience, including local favorites, hidden gems, budget-friendly options, & popular dining opportunities that are worth the splurge.
Eat a GIANT Omelet at The Original Omelet House
2160 W Charleston Blvd A, Las Vegas, NV
The Original Omelet House is a local favorite and the perfect place to find an affordable breakfast. Opening in 1979, part of the charm is that it’s a time capsule to that era.
As you enter the restaurant you will see a large collection of signed photographs of celebrities, entertainers, and politicians who have visited over the years.
If you are looking for a BIG breakfast you will happy with the generous portion sizes at the Original Omelet House.
With 38 types of omelets on the menu you can stick with the classics or venture to try something new. Each omelet is made with 6 eggs which makes them big enough to split!
If you’re in the mood for something else, you’ll find plenty of other breakfast and lunch options.
I would highly recommend subbing out toast for their homemade bread. Pictured above is their pumpkin and banana bread, which is a good choice for anyone who enjoys bakery items.
Try a Pot of Bread at Jamms Restaurant
1029 S Rainbow Blvd, Las Vegas, NV
This restaurant is a favorite of Las Vegas locals for breakfast and lunch that’s located in a strip mall.
Jamms’ is most known for their “pot of bread” that’s a fusion of a popover and dinner roll.
Once a week, the chefs make a speciality pot of bread with a flavor that’s usually themed around the upcoming holiday.
Jamms also offers a plain pot of bread and a cinnamon raisin pot of bread topped with cream cheese frosting.
Jamms signature omelet is made with sliced steak with onions, mushrooms and cheese topped with their homemade bearnaise sauce.
We tried the omelet with a side of Potatoes O’Brien (pan fried potatoes with onion and red and green peppers.)
If you want to mix things up you can turn any omelet into a BreakfastRrito made with scrambled eggs, onions, protein (such as pork sausage), and cheese in a flour tortilla.
Their french toast is also a great choice if you are in the mood for something sweet.
While You’re at Area15, Dine at The Beast by Todd English
Located inside Area15
3215 S Rancho Dr, Las Vegas, NV
The Beast by Todd English is a great dining option that’s conveniently located onsite when you visit Area15.
The atmosphere at the restaurant is in line with the vibe of Area15; it is dimly lit with large, projected art on the walls.
Their food is self-described as “made with love, old school.”
The menu has something for everyone with unique flavors for pizza, burgers, tacos, vegetarian options and more.
There are two smokemasters on staff and their edible art is evident once you experience their brisket smoked for 20 hours, ribs, and sausage.
Their cornbread was one of my favorite dishes and something that we talked about days later!
The pastrami sandwich takes 8 days for the meat to be prepped and comes in a generous portion.
And there’s good reason to save room for dessert if you can!
Experience a Seasonal Italian Neighborhood Restaurant at Esther’s Kitchen
1130 S Casino Center Blvd #110, Las Vegas, NV
I HIGHLY recommend visiting this gem located in the Las Vegas Arts District during your visit to Las Vegas.
Everything I’ve tried at Esther’s Kitchen is presented beautifully and the flavors will leave an imprint on your taste buds that will have you craving your next visit.
As one of my husband’s favorite restaurants in Las Vegas, Esther’s Kitchen was his #1 dining request on our return visit to Las Vegas.
I’ll just let the pictures to do the talking and know that the taste is even better.
If you are looking for a few recommendations, some of your best bets are the fried cauliflower, Bucatini, and Malfada Nero.
The Mussel Nduja Toast will have you soaking up every ounce flavor with each bite of bread. The picture doesn’t do the taste justice because it is AMAZING!!!
Esther’s Kitchen makes their homemade sourdough bread. You can’t go wrong with their bread paired with their Njuda, Burrata, or anchovy butter.
In addition to pastas, Esther’s Kitchen has naturally-leavened pizzas.
Stop by Nacho Daddy Near the Freemont Street Experience in Downtown Las Vegas
113 N 4th St, Las Vegas, NV
What’s not to love about GIANT nachos?!
Make sure that you come with a BIG appetite for this elevated nacho experience. Nacho Daddy is within walking distance to the Golden Nugget Casino and Freemont Street Experience where you can zipline.
I ordered the Spicy margarita with extra jalapeños and my husband ordered the strawberry margarita.
Our family ordered the following nachos:
Spicy Shrimp Nacho GF (pictured above)
Spicy garlic shrimp, fresh jalapeños sautéed in hot salsa & tequila, Monterey Jack cheese, white queso, diced tomatoes, & cilantro on top of their house-made spinach chips.
Filet Mignon Nachos GF
Grilled filet mignon, refried beans, Cheddar & Jack cheese, ranchero sauce, sour cream, pico de gallo, guacamole & cilantro on top of their house-made corn chips.
Supreme Tostada Nacho GF
Seasoned ground beef, Cheddar & Jack cheese, yellow queso, refried beans, pico de gallo, fried jalapenos, lettuce, avocado lime salsita, sour cream & guacamole on top of their house-made chips.
Buffalo Hot Nacho
Popcorn chicken breast tossed in buffalo hot sauce, white queso, ranch dressing, celery, & green onions on top of their house-made corn chips.
Craft Burgers and CRAZYSHAKES at Black Tap
Located in:The Venetian Resort Las Vegas
3355 S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV
Black Tap has seating for 138 indoors indoors. For one of the best views on the strip, book one of the tables at the 52-seat outdoor patio that overlooks the Venetian’s famous canals.
Black Tap offers an assortment of craft beer on tap, craft cans, old school and Mexican beers, wine, craft cocktails, and slushies.
To mix things up, I tried the SPICY PIÑA slushie made with tequila, mezcal, pineapple, lime & chili salt.
Craft Burgers at Black Tap
I would highly recommend trying one of the delicious burgers at Black Tap.
Black Tap burgers are unique in that they are only flipped once, and then layered with two slices of cheese. The burgers are griddled, not grilled, to medium and served on a potato roll.
We ordered a few of the following craft burgers:
The Greg Norman made with ½ pound wagyu beef burger, house buttermilk-dill, blue cheese, and arugula. This burger is also a 3 time People’s Choice Award Winner at the NYC Wine and Food Festival’s “Burger Bash.”
All-American burger made with prime burger, American cheese, and special sauce.
We also tried the Truffle burger made with wagyu beef, smoked gouda, baby arugula, truffle-yuzu vinaigrette, and black truffle mayo.
If you’re not in the mood for burgers, you’ll still find plenty of other great food options on the menu, including chicken wings, salads and sandwiches.
Save Room For A CRAZYSHAKE
You’ll want to save room for one of the CRAZYSHAKES at Black Tap. The HUGE milkshakes/freakshakes are a contemporary take on the traditional milkshake and beautiful for photos, but realistically you won’t finish one.
The milkshakes are definitely one of the main attractions at this restaurants. In fact, Black Tap is home to the very first standalone CrazyShake® bar.
For the sake of “research,” we had to try a few flavors of their over-the-top milkshakes.
The Cookie Shake is a vanilla shake with vanilla frosted rim with cookie crumbles topped with a chocolate chip cookie ice cream sandwich, crumbled cookies, chocolate chips, whipped cream & chocolate drizzle.
Birthday cake lovers will want to order the Cakeshake. The cake batter shake has a vanilla frosted rim with rainbow sprinkles topped with a funfetti cake slice, rainbow sprinkles, whipped cream & a cherry.
Peanut butter lovers will want to order the “Sweet N’ Salty.” It’s a peanut butter shake with a chocolate and peanut butter frosted rim with m&m’s® topped with peanut butter cups, a sugar daddy, pretzel rods, chocolate covered pretzel, whipped cream, and a caramel & chocolate drizzle.
Worth the Splurge
If you are looking for an upscale dining experience in Las Vegas, there are several dining experiences that offer some the best food you’ll ever taste and definitely worth the splurge.
Dine at Bugsy & Meyer’s Steakhouse Vintage Steakhouse Experience
Located in: Flamingo Las Vegas Hotel & Casino
3555 Las Vegas Blvd S, Las Vegas, NV
This a great place to visit if you are looking for an exceptional steak. As you enter the Bugsy & Meyer’s Steakhouse you’ll enter through the bakery and pass by eye-catching meat on display as they specialize in both dry- and wet-aged premium steak.
Who were Bugsy & Meyer?
The restaurant is named for two childhood friends who grew up in New York in the early 1900s. “Bugsy” Siegel and Meyer Lansky transitioned from adolescent hooligans to eventually creating the Bugs and Meyer Mob.
The duo later joined Charles “Lucky” Luciano’s National Crime Syndicate. Over time, their life of crime caught up to them ending in an order hit on Bugsy. There is speculation that Lansky may have put out the hit on his friend, but the murder was never solved.
The restaurant gives nods to Old Vegas in its design with modern touches.
There is a large bar in the center of the main dining room.
Tucked away past the dining room is the speakeasy, The Count Room, serving cocktails and small plates in an intimate setting.
Our boys enjoyed the Wagyu Braised Short Ribs. It was made with Parmesan Pappardelle Pasta, Truffle Butter, Mushrooms, and Grated Fresh Horseradish.
Normally I prefer to enjoy fresh seafood when I’m at a location near the ocean, but the scallops at Bugsy & Meyer were the best I’ve ever had!
The Seared Diver Scallops are made with Celeriac Mousseline, Porcini Mushrooms and Porcini Vinaigrette.
I ordered the 8oz Filet Mignon that is wet-aged for a minimum of 21 days.
The filet is seasoned with their signature house rub and slightly charred in their 1200-degree broiler to help seal in all the juices and flavors.
For sides, I recommend trying the Lobster Mac & Cheese and asparagus.
Take the “Savors of the Strip” Tour With Lip Smacking Foodie Tours
Why go to one restaurant when you can experience 4 of the hottest restaurants in one night without the wait? The Savors of the Strip is a 3-hour food tour that takes you to VIP tables throughout the evening.
At each restaurant you’ll enjoy 3-4 specially prepared dishes. There is a great variety of flavors which helps ensure everyone finds a flavor they will enjoy.
This tour is pricier if you are paying for multiple people in your family as it features some expensive meals, but we thought it was worth the splurge to experience a unique foodie adventure together.
We felt that this was a great opportunity for our boys to experience a guided dining experience at some of the best restaurants in Vegas without the wait. You’re going to eat anyway…so why not make the experience an adventure?!
Lip Smacking Foodie Tours also offers additional foodie tours that start at a lower price point.
On the guided tour, you’ll also learn about Las Vegas history, landmarks, art, and points of interest along the way.
For the best value on alcoholic drinks (not included), you may want to consider upgrading with their beverage package. The beverage package includes a pre-selected signature cocktail at various stops on the tour.
You can upgrade to the “Savory Bites & Neon Lights’’
For an additional $125 per person you can enjoy a bird’s eye view of the Las Vegas strip from a helicopter at night after your food tour.
Dine in the Marcos Room at Javier’s
Located in the ARIA Resort & Casino
Javier’s was the first restaurant on our Savors of the Strip food tour. You have to commit to spending $4k+… or go on a foodie tour to get the special perk of dining in the private Marcos room at Javier’s.
The large oblong inlayed wood dining table can seat up to 22 guests and features dimly-lit ambiance.
The overall vibe of Javier’s is contemporary and intimate.
While you’re in the restaurant, you’ll walk by the World’s largest chainsaw-created mural that highlights the Aztec civilization.
Authentic Tastes of Mexico
Javier’s menu originated from different regions of Mexico. Guests will experience the elevated, authentic tastes of Mexico using only the best and freshest ingredients available.
We started with fresh tortilla chips paired with four of Javier’s signature salsas:
- Javier’s House Salsa
- Roasted Tomato Salsa
- Roasted Green Tomatillo Salsa
- Salsa Verde Cruda
We also tried two enchiladas during our visit:
Enchiladas de Mariscos – made with shrimp & dungeness crab enchiladas, tomatillo sauce
Chicken enchilada – made with gaujillo sauce, served with Mexican rice and refried beans
We decided to order one of the featured drinks at this location for an additional fee. The Margarita PIA is made with a blend of Reposado Tequila, St. Germain, agave nectar, fresh lime juice, and pineapple.
FYI: Javier’s boasts one of the West Coast’s largest selections of the world’s finest tequilas in case your are a fan of tequila.
If you don’t want to order an additional drink, your food tour comes with complimentary water at each stop.
Experience a Beloved Restaurant with NYC Roots at Blue Ribbon
Located in The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas
The original Blue Ribbon is a well-known “where chefs go to eat” restaurant in SoHo in New York City.
Las Vegas guests get to experience a menu that’s a melting pot of flavors with influences from around the world.
The chefs’ travel and culinary education have enhanced their signature menu items and include oysters on the half shell, fried chicken, and beef marrow.
We got to experience several menu items during our visit, including the baked clams made with herb garlic butter and bread crumbs.
One of the things that I loved about our food tour was that it had a nice range of menu items that would appeal to every culinary comfort zone. For example, my sons normally wouldn’t have had any interest in trying a baked clam but they did on the tour.
They also loved the fried chicken wings with wasabi honey.
You also can’t go wrong with the Classic cheese fondue served with breadsticks, potato skins, bacon bits, apple slices and bread.
Modern Italian Cuisine with a View at Scarpetta Italian Restaurant
Located in The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas
If you love Italian food, you’re going to LOVE this stop on the food tour at Scarpetta Italian Restaurant.
The name of the restaurant comes from the Italian expression, “fare la scarpetta.”
That expression refers to soaking up the remaining sauce left in the pot of one’s home with a little boot-shaped piece of bread.
After you experience the food, you’ll understand why you’ll want to savor every bite of sauce with your bread!
Speaking of bread, make sure that you try a bite of more than one type of bread at the beginning of your meal.
We tried one of the signature pastas which are all made in-house daily with locally-sourced ingredients.
Creamy polenta | fricassee of truffled mushrooms
Scarpetta’s famous spaghetti made with tomato & basil is a classic and it was incredible.
Other highlights were the Duck & Foie Gras ravioli with a marsala reduction.
The Agnolotii was also wonderful and is made with short rib, brown butter, horseradish &
toasted breadcrumbs.
As another food tour perk, we were seated in a dining area with views of the Bellagio next door. Be on the lookout for the Bellagio fountain show during your meal.
Dessert Inside a Sculptural Tree House at Mastro’s Ocean Club
Located in The Shops at Crystals
What could be a better way to end your culinary adventure than dining inside an 80-foot sculptural Tree House?
Mastro’s Ocean Club does have a strict dress code, which isn’t a problem if you are already following the clothing attire guidelines from the food tour.
Food tour guests are instructed to wear comfortable walking shoes with upscale restaurant attire. For my sons, that meant not wearing their preferred daily attire of athletic clothing.
It was a nice change for them to dress up a little more than normal in a collared shirt without it being too fancy. Business casual attire is totally fine.
The Lemon drop martini at Mastro’s Ocean is all about presentation if you want to try another drink.
Have your camera ready to video because this drink is served table side, poured into martini glass that’s filled with dry ice.
For me it was a little too sweet, so I opted for a coffee with my dessert which, in my opinion, was a better pairing.
Our group tried a trio of the following desserts at Mastro’s:
- Mastro’s Signature Butter Cake made with a buttery yellow cake topped with a cream cheese mixture and then baked. The cake is topped with caramelized, raw sugar and then finished with vanilla bean ice cream, raspberry sauce, sliced strawberries and orange supremes.
- New York-style cheesecake topped with berries set atop a graham cracker crust
- Chocolate sin cake made with flourless chocolate torte, creme anglaise and fresh raspberries
Each dessert was AMAZING but the star was definitely their Signature butter cake!
Popular California Chains that You Can Also Try in Las Vegas
You don’t have to fly to the West Coast to experience the popular California chains. These are a few best places to try if you are looking for a quick bite to eat, curious to try something new or just missing some familiar flavors.
Sharky’s Woodfired Mexican Grill
5070 Blue Diamond Rd., Las Vegas
Sharky’s offers fresh and affordable meal options in a fast, casual environment. This California chain started in Sherman Oaks in 1992 and has since expanded throughout the state. There is one location in Las Vegas that’s not too far from Red Rock Canyon.
I would describe Sharky’s as an elevated Chipotle with more menu and drink options.
In-N-Out Burger
4888 Dean Martin Dr, Las Vegas, NV
If you live in the Midwest or East Coast you may or may not know about the cult-like following In-N-Out Burger has across the county.
The California-based chain started in the burbs of Los Angelos in Southern California and has expanded throughout the state of California and beyond in select cities throughout Arizona, Texas, Nevada, and Utah.
Thankfully, if you are craving this fast food chain, there are several In-N-Out Burgers in the Las Vegas area.
Make sure that you also try the fries made with whole potatoes that are peeled and diced in-store, and then cooked in sunflower oil.
Is there an In-N-Out Burger on the Las Vegas Strip?
There is one In-N-Out Burger on the Las Vegas Strip located in the Linq Promenade.
Try Your Order “Animal Style” at In-N-Out Burger
What is “Animal Style” at In-N-Out Burger?
Answer: A burger (or fries) topped with EVERYTHING, including lettuce, tomato, raw onion and a “spread” of their secret sauce that will remind you of Thousand Island dressing sauce served on a toasted bun.
Animal Style Fries come in a paper boat of fully loaded fries with melted American cheese, In-N-Out sauce and grilled onions.
You can learn more about other “Not so Secret Menu Items” at In-N-Out Burger.
Looking for More Things to Do Around Las Vegas?
Check out the articles below for more ideas for your next vacation in Las Vegas.
Hi Nendra,
It was a great article! My sister is an absolute foodie, and I am looking forward to taking her to these places to eat. She loves sandwiches and trying out new things. I am sure, all of these places would be a great fit for her. I am looking forward to taking her to any of these places these holidays. Since she is visiting this year, I am really hoping to give her a great experience. Thanks for sharing this great resource.