Went back to Carolina’s for lunch, so good

Did anyone say that? It’s a very nice mid tier place that does fun stuff. Anyone that’s in town for more than a few days and like’s this type of food should go.

Feels like it’s just about every Las Vegas food writer’s top five recommendation. Again it’s good, but it is really overhyped. Especially when there are so many very good to great Italian restaurants in vegas.

Need more top 5 recs

GF loves the crab cake sandwich at Sundry at uncommons.

ate their pizza there, wasn't impressed.

ice cream at smitten is top notch

Ok I’m interested who else is also making their own homemade well executed pasta plates for under $20. Makes their own sourdough and some nice fresh, non standard salads. Would like to avoid the strip and Summerlin.

Enchiladas poblanas at Javier’s, extra spicy this time. The extra spice came in pretty clutch. Def better if you can handle some heat. Solid flan too

going to watch a "taste of things " in a couple hours , anyone has a good French casual restaurant to recommend?

I would love to get a list going. I assume these are among the top contenders?

Esthers
La Strega
Anima by Edo
Noras
North Italia
Piero's
Ferraro's
Mastrioni's
Italian American Club (I dont think I've been)
Al Solito Posto
(Capo's doesn't make my list)

Pieros and Ferraro's are expensive. To me it's Esthers, La Strega, and Anima. And I like the spicy rigatoni from t-bones

yeah 5 of us ate pretty well there for under $500 out the door including cocktails, a bottle of wine, and a good tip.

You are definitely the king of the LVL dining threads. I need to at some point make it to Piero’s for the clams, osso buco and see where Bob Stupak got assaulted by the Binion’s family.

osso buco made me check the menu, and it's not there

I'm 99% sure I've had it there, so YMMV

So odd. It’s not on the menu but it’s their signature dish. If you go to there site to check there menu it’s the pic on the page. If you go to there instagram it says it’s there signature dish.

https://pieroscuisine.com/our-menu/
https://www.instagram.com/p/Cme-a5rtIEs/?hl=en

how funny

https://www.instagram.com/p/C2AsyD_vG-Y/?hl=en
Someone in the comments:
"Yes! Back when it was on the regular menu."

https://lasvegasmagazine.com/dining/...ing-celebrity/
"For a substantial entrée, if you are lucky, the osso buco will be on special"

Sounds like it might not be a regular item anymore.

Anyone been to La Strega? For some reason it’s on my list of to go tos but I never choose it.

Here’s the best I could do breaking things down with my love of Italian food

Tasty but standard red sauce Italian (these restaurants will do the hits well and might add some other things.
Esther’s
North Italia
Aromi
Matteo’s
Al solito posto (these aren’t in order but this barely makes the list)
Allegro

Expensive standard but great atmosphere
Carbone
Sinatra

Fine dining Italian (both easily top 10 restaurants in Vegas)
Vetri
Cipriani

Deserves mention for being great
Anima by Edo

Old school Vegas feel (step down from everything else on this list)
Italian American club
Ferraros

My favorite when considering food, atmosphere, service, and value
Osteria Fiorella.

I’ve never seen it on their online menu, but I’ve been there like 5 times and it’s never not been on the restaurant menu. No idea why they never show it online though.

Well, I've succeeded in learning about somewhere I've never been - Aromi. Thanks. I avoided the strip in my list, and there are obviously some great spots there.

You had a decent meal at the IAC?

I would never recommend the food there when there are so many great options, but the atmosphere and the people made it a memorable night. Like I said both Ferraros and maybe especially IAC are a step down from anything else on the list, but my dad still talks about it so for that old vegas atmosphere I found it worth mentioning.

Also Pieros is so bad without the charm and capos just the pictures make me a little ill that IAC felt worth mentioning

The burger and fries and Peter Lugers remains the best in Vegas. It might not look the best but the simplest burger with the best beef can’t be topped. Pj Clarkes, Bradley Ogden and bbds at palace station were my all time best burgers in Vegas, Peter Luger is now in that conversation and only one still in business.

You don’t go to a place like the IAC for the food, you go for the whole experience. The food looks bad. The kind of food only old guys from Jersey that are a quarter Italian would like.

Great little date spot in Summerlin. Small quiet bar, like a 4-seater. The food is very good. It’s not a red sauce Italian joint. A little pricy but good spot. We tried to go safe with red sauce type things the first time and were a little underwhelmed at the price point but having tried the rest of the menu it’s now in our regular rotation. Helps that we can walk there, though.

Tomatoes aren't even Italian