Don’t Leave Las Vegas Without Visiting These Standout Restaurants (2024)

• Las Vegas
• Eat
• Restaurants

Published on Aug 14, 2024 at 12:41 PM

Best Restaurants on the Strip in Las Vegas

Resorts World
Brezza is one of the best things about Resorts World. The restaurant offers a modern interpretation of classic Italian cuisine via inventive recipes by Nicole Brisson, who formerly ran the groundbreaking dry-aging program at Carnevino. After helping to launch Locale and the Vegas outpost of Eataly, she's finally in her own element, with the freedom to stretch some creativity and showcase a fierce dedication to fresh, local ingredients. The dining room is bright and open, but the large outdoor patio steals the show, surrounded by the glow of the Strip and 65-year-old olive trees preserved from when the property was the Stardust. The food is best enjoyed as a complete multi-course experience, beginning with farm-focused antipasti and some of the best salads on the Strip before continuing with vibrant pastas and meat or seafood entrees. There's thoughtful consideration given to vegetarian recipes, and you can't go wrong with the cappellacci with spinach, lemon, garlic, and crispy capers. Steaks are dry-aged locally in collaboration with Creekstone Farms and flame-cooked over white oak.

Wynn Las Vegas
You may have heard: We're in a new Roaring '20s. And while the best speakeasy bars in Las Vegas offer Prohibition-era style in small doses, old-school supper clubs are also having a moment. Just walking into Delilah is an experience all by itself, with the scene unfolding like a Martin Scorsese exposition shot. Guests enter through a bar and lounge that overlooks the main dining room, soaking in art deco extravagance before being led downstairs. It's almost like dining on a movie set with a stage for live entertainment, but executive chef Joshua Smith's food seals in the authenticity. Keep the phone in your pocket and respect the no camera or social media policy. Much like the venue itself, the menu is an exercise in indulgence with the best in prime steaks, seafood, and caviar. The Wagyu Beef Wellington, sliced tableside for two, is the showcase piece, but you'll find small doses of joy in the carrot side dish, presented in a souffle so sweet, it could almost be dessert.

The Cosmopolitan
José Andrés has an impressive collection of Las Vegas restaurants—including the promising, newly opened Bazaar Mar—but one has curated an aura of exclusivity that's rare in a town that doesn't try to make reservations difficult. é by José Andrés is an intimate dining room inside the chef's larger, busier Jaleo Spanish restaurant, but instead of hearty paella, guests receive a playful, multi-course menu of small bites, rooted in inventive European gastronomy. Expect at least 20 recipes that vary by the season, although a few staples (like a "Wonder Bread" sandwich of foie gras, peach, and black truffle or a spirit-forward cava sphere that dissolves in your mouth) have stuck around. The card catalog drawers that line the walls are a metaphor for Andrés' knowledge and imagination—a look inside his mind. Reservations are only available at 5:30 or 8:30 pm with a small group of up to nine people gathered around the same communal counter. There's a machinery to the madness, but also an upbeat, social atmosphere—almost like a dinner party. You'll make friends with the other diners in little time.

The Venetian
Estiatorio Milos only got better after moving from the Cosmopolitan to the Venetian, keeping everything that made it great in the first place and adding new elements like a sashimi program and house-strained yogurt, served with honey for dessert. Yet fresh fish is the main draw, featuring a catch that was probably swimming in the Mediterranean less than 24 hours before it reaches your plate. Simple presentations are all you need—baked whole in a salt crust or fileted with lemon, capers, and olive oil. Signature appetizers like a vibrant tomato salad and crispy zucchini never go out of style, and taste even better in a minimalist dining room that lets the day's seafood selection command most of the attention while on display.

MGM Grand
The legacy of the late Joël Robuchon continues in Las Vegas with two restaurants side by side on the casino floor of the MGM Grand. The eponymous Joël Robuchon is dedicated to the greatest hits—foie gras, caviar, and quite possibly the world's best mashed potatoes—prepared with uncommon attention-to-detail under the direction of executive chef Eleazar Villanueva. The dining room defines elegance with posh furniture, crystal chandeliers, and an enviable cognac collection. Even the bread is incredible. The neighboring L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon is a little more experimental, helmed by executive chef Anthony Taormina with French wine ready to pour with each bite. It's a more interactive, social affair with the best seats at the counter facing a busy, open kitchen.

The Cosmopolitan
LPM follows the flavors of the French Riviera, but touches on elements of Italian, Greek, American, and even Japanese cuisine, funneled through a focused vision that celebrates simplicity in taste and texture. Art is a theme, from hand-drawn murals to the menu itself, based on dishes, co*cktails, imagery, inspired by Jean Cocteau. Fresh, clean ingredients are the priority, whether it's a delicate serving of warm prawns or New Zealand lamb chops, grilled tender like a steak. Whatever you order, get the Tomatini, a combination of vodka, muddled tomatoes, and white balsamic vinegar, strained over a martini glass with fresh, cracked pepper.

Bellagio
The signature seafood restaurant by Michael Mina is one of the best reasons to visit the Bellagio. It's located alongside the resort's iconic Conservatory and even offers a bucket-list worthy table inside the attraction. Either way, you'll enjoy an assortment of seafood from around the world, presented by a skilled kitchen team led by Raj Dixit. Regulars return for the five-layer caviar parfait with smoked salmon and the indulgent lobster pot pie, but the fish selection varies by the day, served as steaks with minimal seasoning, broiled whole fish with ginger and scallions, or as a spice-crusted whole fish fry. Mina has five restaurants (with a sixth, Bourbon Steak at the Four Seasons, on the way), but you can't go wrong if you start here.

Caesars Palace
If money is no object, Restaurant Guy Savoy may be the best meal you'll experience in Las Vegas—or anywhere else for that matter. The only North American restaurant by French culinary master Guy Savory is a multi-course experience, carried out by a team trained with the precision of a small army in a quiet dining room overlooking the Strip. Indulgent bread and cheese courses are balanced by signature dishes like the artichoke and black truffle soup, A5 Japanese Wague, and the "Colors of Caviar," stacked with cream and pureed vegetables. For true luxury, book the Krug table, facing the action in the kitchen with the restaurant's best champagne ready to pour.

Forum Shops at Caesars
RPM Italian gets a lot of press and attention thanks to the high profile of co-owners Bill and Giuliana Rancic. Still, it's a complete, indulgent, Vegas-worthy experience that justifies the prices. The dining room's modern design is a dramatic improvement over the space's previous and short-lived role as the Slanted Door, while the menu offers an easy layout to build a meal with multiple components. Complement hot and cold appetizers with fantastic 600-day aged prosciutto (more melt-in-your-mouth than salty), six-inch pizzas, and small shareable pastas (especially stuffed options like Lobster Pansotti and Corn Agnolotti) to leave room for ambitious entrees. The Lobster Fra Diavolo is steamed and served without mess, accompanied by a Calabrian chili butter, while a Wagyu strip is cured in whipped gorgonzola for a funky, nutty flavor similar to what you'd get from dry-aging without diminishing the heft of the cut. RPM also has one of the best happy hours on the Strip.

Palms
Scotch 80 Prime covers a lot of ground, allowing the Palms restaurant to stand out among a crowded lineup of steakhouses in Las Vegas. Exceptional cuts from a variety of American ranches share real estate on the menu with high-end A5 Wagyu from Japan, including rich, buttery Hokkaido Snow Beef. The selection of seafood is strong as well, but half the fun is stumbling across surprises by chef Marty Lopez like brie fondue with bacon jam or Wagyu-stuffed empanadas. The restaurant recently introduced incredible Social Hour deals, with half-off select items, including a few steaks, available twice a night.

Best Restaurants Off the Strip in Las Vegas

West Valley
Anima is a tapas restaurant from the team behind EDO (a bucket-list dining destination in its own right) at the Gramercy near Summerlin. Chef Oscar Amador has perfected a menu that retains its core Spanish influence while mixing in inspired global elements. More than simply "EDO West," Anima has a larger, more contemporary dining room with food stations and hand-painted murals adding to the charm and energy of the space. A few items carry over from EDO (such as the croquetas and a fantastic dry-aged strip loin carpaccio), but most of the menu is new. There's a notable emphasis on seafood, so order the Peruvian-style scallop crudo, butter-poached lobster crostini, and a whole-roasted Dorade with sunchoke and yuzu toppings. Pastas are also a priority. The truffle cavatelli is topped with bone marrow tableside, while a single large ravioli with Dungeness crab, sweet corn, ricotta, and poached egg is a popular off-menu special. The hardest decision is choosing between one of 150 wines (with an emphasis on small producers) or a co*cktail from the roving gin and tonic cart.

Henderson
Aroma Latin American Cocina is a small operation in a quaint strip mall dining room, but it's producing incredibly inspired, beautifully plated cuisine with a strong emphasis on Guatemalan and Peruvian flavors. The restaurant is led by chef Steve Kestler, former executive sous chef at EDO and a veteran of Bazaar Meat and Bouchon. With Aroma, he's carrying out his own vision with astute execution and a devotion to quality ingredients that more than compensates for any lack of flash and style in the setting. The soft, juicy filling of beef, olives, and raisins in the enchilada comes alive against the soft crunch of the dough exterior. A similar balance of textures is felt in the pork belly appetizer with small bites of meat served on crispy plantains with a lightly pickled onion slaw. Most of the entrees mix a variety of elements on one plate; nicely presented and separated to appreciate every bite.

Circa
Barry's Downtown Prime is everything you want a Vegas steakhouse to be: a dramatic, moody, dining room with a strong presence, attentive service, and a menu that mixes modern elements with old-school touches and top-notch ingredients. Chef Barry Dakake is a fan of tableside presentations, from a smoked Old Fashioned cart to lobster sauteed to order with truffle, gnocchi, and asparagus. But the steaks are the main attraction, featuring a variety of wet- and dry-aged cuts. Connoisseurs will be eager to share the 46-ounce Mishima Tomahawk, but don't overlook the simplicity of the signature ribeye cap, marinated in olive oil, garlic, shallots, rosemary, and thyme.

Southwest
After helping Oscar Amador launch Anima by EDO in early 2022, Francesco Di Caudo is now doing his own thing with Basilico in the same southwest corner of Las Vegas. The restaurant anchors the retail component of the perpetually under-construction Evora apartment complex, but is already drawing fans while the first tenants trickle in. Di Caudo's take on Italian cuisine ranges from traditional (a Sicilian-style eggplant parmesan) to modern (bottarga bauletti, like a cross between stuffed pasta and lasagna) and playful (a "cigar" of duck, foie gras, and mushroom, presented in a glass ashtray with black sesame and truffle "ash" for dipping). The chef is eager to stretch his creativity with a variety of seafood and a thick, chunky risotto that's given frequent seasonal updates. The main dining room is bold and contemporary with accordion style windows behind the bar that open wide to a spacious, temperature-controlled patio—a perfect spot to enjoy the daily Social Hour discounts from 4 to 6 pm.

Henderson
Boom Bang Fine Foods follows the vision of Elia Aboumrad-Page, the first female sous chef under Joёl Robuchon, who offers an elevated take on American comfort food with a few surprises and global influences. The dining room has a cozy touch of vintage decor and colorful wallpaper, with a grill on the outdoor patio. The menu is shaped by the seasonal availability of ingredients, reflected in the restaurant’s evolving series of savory tarts. The corn dogs are the most popular appetizer—a clean bite of natural Niman Ranch franks, honey-sweetened batter, and mustard sauce. Yet Boom Bang shines brightest with its entrees, especially hearty proteins like a slow-cooked, tender pork shank with Asian soy sauce, short rib rolled onto itself on a tomahawk bone, and duck confit cooked in its own fat for 20 hours and oven-roasted to order for a crispy exterior with poached pear on the side. Aboumrad-Page pays tribute to her old boss with creamy Robuchon-esque mashed potatoes that pair well with any dish.

Downtown
Carson Kitchen continues to be the best dinner destination for anyone hanging out on Fremont Street (although it's technically one block south on Carson Avenue). The collaboration between Cory Harwell and the late Kerry Simon has been around for more than a decade now, but retains a sharp contemporary edge with industrial decor, a chaotic open kitchen, and servers dressed in '80s concert t-shirts. The recipes put unexpected twists on familiar comfort-food favorites. Much of the menu varies by season, but a few staples remain from day one, including the addictive crunchy chicken skins with dipping honey, bacon jam, and iconic Butter Burger.

Chinatown
Las Vegas is full of great pizza, but Double Zero Pie & Pub (or "00") is the perfect vehicle for the talents of chef Michael Vakneen, who already mastered New York-style slices at Pop Up Pizza at the Plaza. This time around, he's perfected a progressive take on wood-fired Neapolitan pizzas, topped with exceptional (and often unexpected) ingredients and an array of imported meats and cheeses. The red pesto, made with pistachio and chili puree, in the new Salami Rossa pizza underscores the restaurant's creativity, while the in-house pickling program and surprises like a scallop crudo prove that anything is fair game. The food is Italian-focused, but the identity is inspired by a Japanese izakaya with some Asian spirits and beer on standby.

Downtown Arts District
Esther's Kitchen reflects a new era of Italian cuisine in Las Vegas, featuring fresh ingredients and neighborhood hospitality that reflect growing off-Strip preferences. While it's not uncommon for tourists to show up with suitcases by their side, Esther's is a restaurant for the people—and for the neighborhood, elevating the Arts District as a dining destination and kicking off an unpredictable wave of growth and development. That includes Esther's itself, which recently moved into a larger next-door space to accommodate demand. The familiar favorites remain in place: house-baked bread, anchovy butter, and a compelling lineup of wines and co*cktails that don't break the bank. But the newly expanded kitchen now has a wood-fired pizza oven, station to roll, cut, and cook pasta to order, and a smoky hearth for proteins. Stick around after dinner and enjoy one more drink in the "Treehouse," a moody upstairs lounge that overlooks the main dining room.

Chinatown
Kabuto isn't the only multi-dollar-sign omakase experience in Chinatown. Some may prefer Yui, Kame, or Kaiseki Yuzu (for seasonal kaiseki meals), but Kabuto was the first to popularize the concept at this level in Las Vegas, featuring fresh seafood that tastes like it was just purchased from the Toyosu Fish Market in Tokyo. The setting is ultra-minimalist, showcasing a team of chefs that slice sashimi and intricate appetizers on the spot. On any given night, you may have jellyfish, seaweed, and quail egg alongside octopus with plum and caviar; every ingredient serving a purpose. Only the finest seafood is featured, from specially harvested Shigoku oysters to rich slices of otoro bluefin tuna. The experience unfolds over multiple courses, winding down with miso soup before dessert. Splurge for the optional sake pairings, which may include unexpected surprises—like one made with sunflower yeast.

Chinatown & Southwest
ShangHai Taste built its reputation in Chinatown and recently opened a second location in the Southwest Valley, which is becoming a mini-hub for Asian cuisine. Chef Jimmy Li specializes in casual Shanghainese street food with the greatest attention given to perfectly prepared Xiao Long Bao (or soup dumplings), including sheng jiad, a pan-fried version. New additions to the menu include prime beef, slow-cooked in a wok with king oyster mushrooms, peppers, and garlic in XO sauce, and a seafood combo that mixes Chinese, Thai, and Japanese versions of curry into a robust combination of flavors with shrimp, scallops, calamari, and mahi-mahi.

Downtown Arts District
A fierce debate over the best BBQ in Las Vegas will rage forever, but SoulBelly has the format locked down in the Arts District. Bruce Kalman smokes meats low and slow over Texas post oak, producing the right balance of robust flavors and tender textures. The dining room feels straight out of Austin or Nashville, featuring indoor string lights and a stage for live music. Whether noshing on pulled pork, ribs, or brisket, everything tastes right with a Bacon Old Fashioned or a bag of Jiggle Juice—a spicy mixture of whiskey and lemonade.

Chinatown
Sparrow + Wolf is the perfect vehicle for chef Brian Howard to stretch his culinary creativity. The chef combines a wide variety of styles—Asian, European, American—with meats and vegetables brought to life in a wood-fired oven that adds a smoky touch to the international collection of flavors. Newer dishes include a country pate with Thai basil pesto, cold-water lobster in tomato dashi with smoked roe, and octopus with robust North African spices. The co*cktails are exceptional, but the restaurant was an early supporter of the low-intervention wine movement as well. A new "Bar Snacks" popup takes place on the last Saturday of every other month, featuring dim sum-esque dishes from a guest chef and bartender.

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