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If you could eat at only 20 Vegas restaurants forever - what would they be If you could eat at only 20 Vegas restaurants forever - what would they be

01-15-2014 , 03:38 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Turyia
ya twain and palo verde... maybe it happened recently... i pass it pretty often so will keep an eye out... best mexican ff place3 in vegas, IMO..... though the neighborhood is uncomfortably authentic.
I'm just a tourist, but am always on the lookout for a good Vegas mexican place. A guy told me to check out Victor's. I went by during noon hour, and they had a line of construction workers going out the door and into the parking lot. I knew I had found my church.
If you could eat at only 20 Vegas restaurants forever - what would they be Quote
01-15-2014 , 03:45 PM
EggWorks - Awesome breakfast spot
Monta
Ramen Sora
Lupo - hand made pasta
Bouchon
DelMonico
Capriotti's - Cheesesteaks and Bobbies!
Roberto's - hangover breakfast burritos
LBS (closing) - will replace with Umami Burger (coming soon to SLS)
Hash House - not Hash House A Go Go!
Lahaina Grill
Lindo Michoacan (Trop/Flamingo)
Oh-Jah
PopUp Pizza
Yard House - food sucks but 200+ beers on tap
China A Go Go(Trop/Hualapai) - delivery!
Marco's Pizza
Marche Bacchus
Famous Dave's BBQ / Lucille's BBQ



Foodtrucks:

FukuBurger
If you could eat at only 20 Vegas restaurants forever - what would they be Quote
01-15-2014 , 03:55 PM
Jmurder needs to be banned for including Olive Garden on his list
If you could eat at only 20 Vegas restaurants forever - what would they be Quote
01-15-2014 , 04:24 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dominic
Jmurder needs to be banned for including Olive Garden on his list
You need to be banned for not properly appreciating Olive Garden

Willing to consider other reasonably priced Italian options, but for the most part I'd rather just make my own pasta at home. Not so great with homemade soups, though.

Been to Capo's a couple times. Can't say I was a big fan.
If you could eat at only 20 Vegas restaurants forever - what would they be Quote
01-15-2014 , 04:31 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dominic
Jmurder needs to be banned for including Olive Garden on his list
Quote:
Originally Posted by JMurder3
You need to be banned for not properly appreciating Olive Garden

Willing to consider other reasonably priced Italian options, but for the most part I'd rather just make my own pasta at home. Not so great with homemade soups, though.

Been to Capo's a couple times. Can't say I was a big fan.
I've been reading Restaurant Man recently and Joe B sure goes on a tirade against that type of restaurant.

And guess where the fiancee and I are going tonight?

I know it is faux italian that doesn't challenge the tastebuds but so what.

JMurder, have you tried Bacio at The Trop?
If you could eat at only 20 Vegas restaurants forever - what would they be Quote
01-15-2014 , 05:09 PM
In no particular order:

Cafe Rio - My fast food choice.Seriously great, fresh Mexican food.




Five/50 in Aria - not only do they have the best pizza in town, but some incredible salads, as well. My favorite dish is the meatballs - served with a spicy sauce, shaved parmesan, and toasted bread to sop up the sauce. Best part is, you can order from here while sitting at the poker tables, next door!





Bouchon - Best breakfast/brunch in town.




Bachi Burger - Japanese burgers with some of the best ground steak I've tasted.




Picasso - The best upscale restaurant in Vegas. The wine-tasting menu is still an experience.




Stack/Fix - Sister restaurants in the Mirage and Bellagio, respectively. Great, mid-priced comfort food. The very adult mac & cheese is to die for.




Lemongrass - My favorite Thai place. I try and get a hotter dish each time I'm there. I've gotten as far up the hot scale as a 7. I once tried to get a 10, and the chef came out and shook his head no. Too hot." One day!




Herbs & Rye - Great, classic Vegas dining with red booths, Italian fare, and a cool vibe.




SushiSamba - Best place to take visitors. So much fun - especially if you plunck down the $300-$600 it'll cost to get the Kobe Beef Hot Rock:




Vintner Grill
My favorite restaurant in Las Vegas. Hidden away in a non-descript office park off of Charleston, it's the most romantic, hippest off-strip place in town, with one of the best wine lists and sommeliers in town.




Jaleo - Fun, cool, and hip. My favorite tapas place.




Bartolotta - If you want to ask a girl to marry you, take her here. Amazing, upscale Italian in a fairy-tale setting.




SW Steakhouse - My favorite steakhouse in Vegas. Expensive, but worth it.




Sen of Japan - possibly the best sushi I've ever had. And it's not expensive!




The Barrymore - Old-time Vegas with a cool patio, a piano bar, and some of the best American cuisine on The Stip.




Nora's Cuisine - Family dining at its best.




Ferraro's - Maybe the most famous off-strip restaurant in Vegas - it's classic Italian menu is like going back to New York.




Todd's Unique Dining - how this isn't more popular, I have no idea. No one is doing more interesting and inexpensive fare than Todd.




Marche Bacchus - Lakeside dining with amazing food. What more could you ask for?




Milo's Cellar - Gotta give Boulder City some love - where else can you stop off on a drive to Lake Mead to get a bottle of wine, a baguette sandwich, and a cranberry-dressing salad, AND watch some sports on the TVs above?
If you could eat at only 20 Vegas restaurants forever - what would they be Quote
01-15-2014 , 05:10 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by JMurder3
You need to be banned for not properly appreciating Olive Garden

Willing to consider other reasonably priced Italian options, but for the most part I'd rather just make my own pasta at home. Not so great with homemade soups, though.

Been to Capo's a couple times. Can't say I was a big fan.
Try Nora's or Ferarro's
If you could eat at only 20 Vegas restaurants forever - what would they be Quote
01-15-2014 , 06:24 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Doc T River
I've been reading Restaurant Man recently and Joe B sure goes on a tirade against that type of restaurant.

And guess where the fiancee and I are going tonight?

I know it is faux italian that doesn't challenge the tastebuds but so what.

JMurder, have you tried Bacio at The Trop?
I'm not sure that I've eaten anywhere at Trop. There was one restaurant that I remember looked pretty decent when we were walking through that I thought would be good to try sometime. Not sure if it was that one.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dominic
Try Nora's or Ferarro's
I looked into both places once, but ended up going somewhere totally different. Forget why. Will have to check at least one of them out sometime soon.
If you could eat at only 20 Vegas restaurants forever - what would they be Quote
01-15-2014 , 09:37 PM
In no particular order...

Off-Strip

1. Sen of Japan
2. Bachi Burger
3. Settebello
4. Monta
5. Raku
6. DJK
7. Komex
8. DW Bistro
9. Pho Kim Long
10. Mint
11. Archi's
12. Capriotti's
13. Roberto's
14. Joyful House

Strip

15. Jaleo
16. Carnevino
17. Wicked Spoon
18. Bouchon
19. Sage
20. L'Atelier

Covers all of the major food types I like to eat without much duplication and balances places I could eat regularly with some for special occasions. Toughest to decide were which Thai place to include and whether to dump Bouchon for e.
If you could eat at only 20 Vegas restaurants forever - what would they be Quote
01-16-2014 , 01:48 AM
Dominic with a solid list. Many places I like that I couldn't put on my list, but am glad someone mentioned them.
If you could eat at only 20 Vegas restaurants forever - what would they be Quote
01-16-2014 , 03:55 AM
[QUOTE=vikthunder;41794468]

7) Todd English Pub (Aria): The food is decent, but the bigger draw is the free beer if you can knock down a pint in 8 seconds. It's just so much fun to get the college gang together and see who can still get it done.

How far past college are you? A pint in 8 seconds is plenty of time for an average drinker!

They actually stopped us from getting more pints for free by saying the promotion was only for a single beer.

Last edited by djdiggydiggy; 01-16-2014 at 03:56 AM. Reason: Maybe the drinkers I spend my time around aren't average though...
If you could eat at only 20 Vegas restaurants forever - what would they be Quote
01-16-2014 , 04:41 AM
Spoiler:
1. If Clark had asked for ONE restaurant that I would eat all my meals at, it would be Lappert's. Technically it's not a restaurant. Could I eat all my meals there? Yes, I could. Would it kill me? Yes, it would. Would I care? No, I wouldn't.

2. Le Thai. Whenever I go there, the food is perfect and it is as though the entire staff is conspiring to see that I have a good time.

3. Another Thai joint that I like is Thai Red Pepper, on Paradise, right by the Strat.

4. While we are on Paradise, there's an Ethiopian place further south on the same side of the street. Don't know it's name, but I always have a good time there. Maybe because so many Ethiopian girls are so exotically beautiful.

5. While I'm recommending restaurants that i don't know the name of, the place in Aria that makes meatball sandwiches, but only for lunch. Prolly the place that Dom is talking about. It's hard to get a good meatball sandwich more than 50 miles from NYC. These are out-****ing-standing. Order from your poker table.

6. Not lunchtime at the Aria? Order the Yellow Chicken Curry. They'll make it as spicy as you like.

7. Old Vegas? The Flame in El Cortez is a great steak house. Don't laugh, it's the real thing.

8. While were on the subject of El Cortez, the El Cortez Steak House in the Gold Coast is my secret prime rib place. Excellent and low priced. Haven't been in a couple of years.

9. While we are there, Ping Pang Pong in my late night place. I get the Night Market Fried Rice. They are really proud of their dim sum -- I like their other stuff. And, in the same casino...

10. The Sports Book hot dog stand. They used to be $.75; I think they are $1.25 now. Get one with kraut and mustard. Years ago, a broke phat mack ate a bunch of these, and he remembers the nice lady who ran the cart with a great deal of fondness.

11. While we are on Flamingo, I have to go out to Capriotti's for a turkey, stuffing and cranberry sandwich.

12. Back downtown to the lunch counter at Binion's for either the Soup of the Day, or the Bean of the Day, with cornbread and a V8. Best soup in Vegas; made from scratch on the premises. Avoid the French Onion.

13. 777 Brewpub at MSS. I stopped in there for a beer an breakfast one morning at 3 AM. It was cooked to perfection, and have gone back every chance I get.

I'll do 7 more tomorrow...
If you could eat at only 20 Vegas restaurants forever - what would they be Quote
01-16-2014 , 11:01 AM
Living all the new ideas I hadn't heard of
If you could eat at only 20 Vegas restaurants forever - what would they be Quote
01-16-2014 , 11:44 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by JMurder3
I'm not sure that I've eaten anywhere at Trop. There was one restaurant that I remember looked pretty decent when we were walking through that I thought would be good to try sometime. Not sure if it was that one.



I looked into both places once, but ended up going somewhere totally different. Forget why. Will have to check at least one of them out sometime soon.
Well, there are only three true restaurants at The Trop not counting Bagatelle (sp). One is the italian place (Bacio), one is the steak/seafood place (Biscayne), and the last is their take on a buffet and more (Beach Cafe). Bacio and Biscayne are across from each other.

If you go to Bacio, see if Anthony still works there and if so, if he is on duty. He does a really great job.

Some of Dom's pics are making me drool and I'm going to be googling Bartolotta later.
If you could eat at only 20 Vegas restaurants forever - what would they be Quote
01-16-2014 , 12:10 PM
@ Domenic- so glad u mentioned The Barrymore. Its a great diversion from my usual LVB haunts. And SW was where wifey and I had our 10th anniv. dinner, very solid.
If you could eat at only 20 Vegas restaurants forever - what would they be Quote
01-16-2014 , 01:58 PM
that's a pretty good list ot - very similar to what I'd have

I'd probably add lotus and earl of sandwich to my list - maybe mickey d's just for the convenience (and double cheeseburger) factor
If you could eat at only 20 Vegas restaurants forever - what would they be Quote
01-16-2014 , 02:37 PM
Spoiler:

14. Let's say I'm playing at the V. or the Wynn. Time to get up and stretch. What to do? Go to the Jamba Juice in Fashion Show Mall. While there, I recollect the people I've been playing with and ask for a shot of anti-oxidants in my smoothie. Then I think of the toil ahead and ask for a shot of caffeine. I'm randomly listing places, but, believe it or not, this would have a high priority. It's important to take breaks and stretch one's legs.

15. Now let's say it is 4 AM and I'm headed to the Atomic Testing Museum when I remember that it's not open at this hour. What to do? Late night breakfast special at Terrible's Casino. I don't know, or even need to know, the name of this place but it's on the 2nd floor. Top quality diner-type breakfast for very cheap. Added bonus: giant rotisserie on the far wall -- it has room enough for hundreds of chickens, but there is never more than one or two in it. They look kinda forlorn, all alone, spinning around, getting over cooked. If it bothers you, don't look.

Super added bonus: to get to the second floor you go up an escalator. At the top of the escalator is one of those machines where you put in a quarter, it activates, and a series of rakes on a series of levels start pushing quarters downwards and out a slot. I am super +EV on this machine. If there is a long line for cheap breakfast, tell your date to hold your place in line while you use the restroom. Then go play this game.

16. Taqueria Victor's on East Twain. Not sure this place is still in business (see above in thread), but if it is, go for lunch. Don't go at 3AM with your frat brothers. Go when it's busy, that's when the food is best and the service is fastest (true for all restaurants). If it is really busy, and the staff is frowning and screaming at each other, leave. But if it is busy and the staff is busting ass, eat. Order what the guy in front of you is getting. Don't get a diet coke, get a rice milk (forgot what it's called) or a chocolate. Or a mexican soft drink.

17. Somebody already mentioned the Hash House (NOT hash house a gogo), so I'll go with the Egg and I. Yeah, it's a chain, but it's a small chain and still good. Excellent place to take people who wouldn't step into the places I normally frequent.

18. Across from Lappert's is the Aloha Grill. It's my go-to place when I have to have loco moco, or I'm gambling and need a spam musubi (the Waybread of Chowachamp's people) to keep my energy level up. Weird hours: 9 AM to 9 PM; I'm not that active when it's open. If you've lived in asia and like noodle-stall food, they have some very tasty items.

I need to name a couple more, but don't want to pick them just for the sake of picking them. If I think of 2 that I can't live with out, I'll post them.

Special RIP to Rosemary's, Bay City Diner and the Burger King in O' Shea's. I miss you desperately, and think of you each passing day.

I wish I had cool pictures, like Dom. This is the best I can do (if the hot links work):

Chocolate Macadamia Nut from Lappert's:


Chicken Gumbo at Binion's:

If you could eat at only 20 Vegas restaurants forever - what would they be Quote
01-16-2014 , 04:22 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by djdiggydiggy

7) Todd English Pub (Aria): The food is decent, but the bigger draw is the free beer if you can knock down a pint in 8 seconds. It's just so much fun to get the college gang together and see who can still get it done.

How far past college are you? A pint in 8 seconds is plenty of time for an average drinker!

They actually stopped us from getting more pints for free by saying the promotion was only for a single beer.
I've been out of school for almost 15 years, and I haven't bonged a beer in probably 5 years. It does get tougher the longer you're away from that atmosphere.

Every time I've been there, they've had a 2 pint limit. I agree, most people can do it. However, it's fun to watch and talk about for a while while you are there.
If you could eat at only 20 Vegas restaurants forever - what would they be Quote
01-16-2014 , 07:47 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Doc T River
Well, there are only three true restaurants at The Trop not counting Bagatelle (sp). One is the italian place (Bacio), one is the steak/seafood place (Biscayne), and the last is their take on a buffet and more (Beach Cafe). Bacio and Biscayne are across from each other.

If you go to Bacio, see if Anthony still works there and if so, if he is on duty. He does a really great job.

Some of Dom's pics are making me drool and I'm going to be googling Bartolotta later.
I believe the one that looked better was on the right heading deeper into Trop & on the left heading out. I couldn't swear to that, though.
If you could eat at only 20 Vegas restaurants forever - what would they be Quote
01-22-2014 , 02:49 AM
Great thread...thanks for all the tips on off strip places.
If you could eat at only 20 Vegas restaurants forever - what would they be Quote
01-22-2014 , 11:48 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by vikthunder
1) The Tequilla Bar (Bally's): When your hammered and you need 10 tacos to take the edge off of things before passing out, this is the place to go. Location is a huge plus, as Bally's is one of the best price/value/location places to stay for a guys trip to Vegas.
.
Went here with roommates the other night for happy hour. We had $2 tacos, which were adequate but nothing special... chicks at the table next to us got the nachos. Hard to tell about quality from a table over but they appeared legitimately gargantuan.
If you could eat at only 20 Vegas restaurants forever - what would they be Quote
03-04-2014 , 11:28 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by ClarkNasty
Title says it all. You have to pick 20 restaurants in Vegas. You can't ever eat at any other restaurants.

Includes all your needs.......breakfast, lunch, dinner, fast food, late night, delivery, etc. So this shouldn't be a list of the 20 "best" restaurants, ignoring price, as very few would only eat at those types of places. The idea is that you are not allowed to eat anywhere else other than at home or these places. So variety and different price points should be an option.

For example, you may well choose a local midrange sushi place over something like Blue Ribbon due to price:quality ratio and the fact that only being able to get sushi at Blue Ribbon may well mean you eat sushi less often than you like, depending on your personal budget.

I'd encourage people to think of their list without reading other people's lists first. We could do a point system (one point per vote per restaurant) and aggregate a forum list after there are enough responses.


My list
Spoiler:


Casual

Aurelio's Pizza - The best Chicago thin crust available

Broadway Pizza - Good NY pizza place. Love their Chicken Parm

Peppermill - The definative Las Vegas diner plus the lounge is elite

Crown & Anchor - Great bar food, awesome selection of beers on tap

Chicago Hot Dog on Rancho - sometimes you want a legit Chicago dog or Italian beef. This is the place

Capriotti's - Love the Cheesesteaks. Carved turkey sandwich also great.

Monta Ramen - Sometimes you need a little soup

Archi's Thai Restaurant - Sick value for daily eating lunch or dinner


Midrange

Grape Street Cafe - I love this place. Great appetizer variety and entrees from traditional American red sauce Italian to decent quality seafood

Ichiza - Maybe the best value restaurant in the city. Amazing quality, super cheap

Table 10 - Maybe the best business lunch menu in the city

Kaizen Sushi - Great quality. I swear they get their tuna from the same source as the high-end strip sushi places.


Nicer

Bouchon - Versatile for both Breakfast/Brunch and Dinner

Delmonico - I've been going there for years - like family. Quality for both lunch and dinner

STK - Hip, fun and frequently rotated menu

L'Atelier - Versatile. Can have a great formal tasting menu or just a semi-casual night with a plate or two.

Raku - The Asian version of L'Atelier in terms of versatility. Arguably a top-10 restaurant in Vegas

Marche Bacchus - Wonderful patio dining and best wine shop in Vegas. Brunch, lunch and dinner

Jaleo - Overpriced but I really enjoy the vibe and their Iberico pork steak is amazing

Picasso - A classic


Interesting note - couldn't come up with a Mexican place I thought was worth including on the list vs. being forced to make at home. Also couldn't justify a true fast food place. Chipotle was close to making the cut.


Update:

Sub out Chicago Hot Dog for Al's Italian Beef - Similar dogs but much better italian beef.

Sub out Picasso for Rollin' Smoke BBQ - got enough high end places and I loved Rollin' Smoke.
If you could eat at only 20 Vegas restaurants forever - what would they be Quote
03-04-2014 , 11:57 AM
I would love to hear TBC's answer to this question.
If you could eat at only 20 Vegas restaurants forever - what would they be Quote
03-04-2014 , 03:25 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by element90210
I would love to hear TBC's answer to this question.
+1

What are the odds that different McDonalds locations come up as separate entries on the top 20?
If you could eat at only 20 Vegas restaurants forever - what would they be Quote
03-04-2014 , 05:10 PM
How about the best place to get a good steak? By that I mean an inch and a half Delmonico, med rare and cooked in its own juices and not marinated or rubbed to death by a bunch of spices. I know, tall order. I usually end up getting prime rib when i am out because of the way most restaurants cook steaks these days. I will be staying at Gold Coast and it looks like I can get my Prime Rib fix there from the reviews, but was wondering about some other places.
If you could eat at only 20 Vegas restaurants forever - what would they be Quote

      
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