re: Las Vegas Food and Drinks Recs

Duly noted, thank you!

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craftsteak

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I agree with tbis. We blew up an expense report there a few years ago.

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normally wouldn't have given Grand Lux because it is just the "generic hotel restaurant

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Just a heads up, Grand Lux is owned by Cheesecake Factory. It's a more upscale, better version imo. They have one in Houston and it's always packed.

I looked them up and saw that also - locations in several major cities. The week before we left, all I talked about was all the good places we were going to eat - yet it seemed we were always on the run and didn't make it to most. Even had to cancel my Delmonico's reservation.
This ended up our go-to place when we were pressed for time and it was SO much better than I expected. I wish we had time to eat breakfast there every day of the trip.

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The Peppermill

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I haven't been there is years. It's a neat place. About as neoned out as you're going to find on the strip. At one time in that area there was a place called Sexpresso. A coffee place with topless waitresses.

There are a bunch of different places with cool specials. Unadvertised at the Hard Rock is steak and eggs for $7.77, but only later at night, and only if you ask.

The Detroit boys at The D brought in Joe Vicari's Andiamo Italian Steakhouse.

The rotating restaurant at the top of the Stratosphere is a neat place to eat, although I personally don't care for that their new age menu.

The one secret is that many times things aren't as they appear in Las Vegas. The best comedy show in my opinion is also the least expensive, and it's downtown. The best topless review used to be at the old, nasty Rivera. Cirque shows are pretty much overpriced, and if you've seen one, you've seen them all.

So what I'd suggest is going to Tix4Tonight. If you buy a discount show ticket, you can pay $3 for 25-30% off of dinner at selected restaurants. But you have to know which restaurants, and which shows are worth paying even discounted rates for. So as an example, you can go to Gordie Brown downtown, and get 25% off of Hugo's Cellar, and that is a deal. That is a great Las Vegas entertainment and dining experience, and it is deeply discounted. As another example, Crazt Girls while at the Riveria cost about $18.00, the other burlesque shows 3-4 time that. Crazy Girls is the best show in terms of singing in addition to the topless part. When the Convention Center bought the Riveria out, Crazy Girls moves to Planet Hollywood I think, Cost quadrupled.

Another show called Vegas the Show. A musical history, and if you're in to the Rat Pack all the way to present day stuff, a great show. Cheap. Qualifies for discounted tickets and discounted dinners. Their 15 minutes on the Rat Pack is superior to the Rat Pack tribute show.

My advice is rent a car and drive so you can see some great stuff, and not spend too much. Don't drive drunk, but you should be able to rent a car for 3-4 days, and the amount of excellent experiences and savings will more than pay for the car rental.

My MO there is a free room on the strip. A rental car, and dinner always 25-30% off at restaurants outside of the casino I'm staying at. Because I can drive to Tix$Tonight, drive to the restaurant and drive to whichever show I'm interested in. Due to this, I've been backstage at Santana and Britney Spears, ate at what I consider the very, very best places deeply discounted, and met some great people. And important to me at least, did all of this without paying anywhere near full retail, or tourist prices.

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I haven't made it there yet, since I usually work on Saturdays. (I tend to save my vacation days for football season.)

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Hahah. I hear ya. I went ahead and bought my tickets last night. Little on the pricey side, but I guess that is expected considering they are driving them in from Lafayette I read. But it includes beer, so I'm sold.


Also all this talk of the Peppermill makes me want to go. That is a good suggestion for the OP. Go late at night for the great people watching.

Last time I went to the Peppermill a fight between two ladies of the night broke out. Business just went on as usual, no one was phased. Of course it was at about 4am.

The Peppermill Pastrami Burger is top notch.

I get out to Vegas 1-2 times a year and the places I like are

Steak Cut and Carnevino at the Palazzo. Prime at Bellagio. Stripsteak at Mandalay Bay

Joe's at Caesars Palace for stone crabs and my wife had the Alaskan King crab legs and they were really good.

For breakfast we like Grand Lux(Chicken and Waffles) and the Peppermill Café.

Yard Bird has a drink call Blackberry Lemonade which we get a couple of every time we go.

Lobster Me in the food court at the Venetian for a quick on the run meal.

One last place is I Love Burgers at the Venetian/Palazzo. I like it for breakfast and I get the Eggs over a hamburger patty.

I could name several more but will just stop here.

I would not eat at Delmonico's either. Have eaten there 3 times and you can get a lot better steak at Ruth Chris IMHO

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We also like to stay at the Venetian. One of our favorite restaurants there is Bouchon. This is a French restaurant run by Thomas Keller of French Laundry fame.

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I plan on going here for brunch at least.

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Valentino's is also good. For a more casual meal, we enjoy having pizza and wine on the banks of their "Grand Canal".

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Thanks for your recommendations