Restaurants and Bars

Once a vast wasteland of buffets, Las Vegas has come of age in dining and drinking. Added to the list of celebrities are some of the top names in the culinary world. Visitors now have their choice of fine dining experiences, both on and off the strip.

The Strip

Las Vegas and especially the Strip has quickly become a hotbed of upscale, fine dining establishments, attracting world-class celebrity chefs from all corners of the globe. Famous for his California-style food and original restaurants, Wolfgang Puck has graced the city with several ventures. One of his establishments, Postrio, located inside the Venetian Hotel provides the romantic atmosphere of a genuine bistro, along with private rooms. If you like a fine dining experience with a spectacular view, ascend to the top of the Stratosphere Tower for an evening at the Top of the World Restaurant. There is not a bad seat in the house since the room slowly rotates one complete turn each hour. Bouchon, is world renowned chef Thomas Keller's Vegas venture, offering the very best French bistro cuisine inside the Venetian Resort & Casino. Another celebrity chef who has made himself a home in Las Vegas is Bobby Flay, whose Mesa Grill inside Caesars Palace Hotel Casino brings real southwestern flavor to Sin City. If you're in the mood for something a little more exotic, try Pearl at the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino to sample the flavors of the far east. Visiting the Mohave Desert does not preclude enjoying fine seafood. Chef Emeril Lagasse produces award winning lobster, fish and crab delights at Emeril's New Orleans Fish House inside the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino. Awards have also been garnered by the Rosewood Grille, multiple winner of the "Award of Excellence" by Wine Spectator Magazine.

If you rather have quantity and quality, there are some great buffets on the Strip. In fact, buffets are less expensive than fine dinning and you can have all-you-can-eat lobster, steak and dessert for one price. Some of the best, though rather expensive, buffets are on the Strip. Le Village Buffet can be found at Paris Las Vegas, where you can sample as much as you can stomach, all from various regions of France. For a more upscale all-you-can-eat experience, it doesn't get much classier than The Buffet at the Bellagio, complete with a champagne brunch on weekends. The Buffet at Wynn also boasts numerous cooking stations, including sushi, risotto and of course, dessert. Cravings, located in the Mirage Hotel is a colorful, contemporary restaurant featuring such international delicacies as gelato and dim sum. The Treasure Island Buffet is a tried and true classic, which also boasts an impressive Sunday brunch buffet. Another brunch hotspot is Sterling Brunch at Bally's Casino Resort. While it is only open for Sunday brunch, and is one of the more pricey buffets, it is well worth the effort and money.

Being one of the entertainment capitals of the world, Las Vegas has no shortage of theme restaurants. Perhaps you'd be tickled by dining with a cyborg from the Terminator, or Freddy from Friday the 13th. If so, drop in at Planet Hollywood where you will see authentic movie props and maybe a real star or two. You don't need to travel to the jungles of South America to get a taste of exotic plants and animals, instead you can just pop into the Rainforest Cafe. Le Provencal inside Paris Las Vegas will transport you to a small European village, without ever leaving the Strip! For something a little more casual, Burger Bar serves up everything burger, right down to the dessert.

Just like the action never stops in Vegas, there's also a lot of restaurants that go round the clock with you, so no matter what the time, you can always find something to satisfy your appetite. Raffles Cafe at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino is a casual, tropical restaurant with a diverse menu to satisfy any craving at any time. At Caesars Palace Hotel Casino the Augustus Cafe also has diverse offerings on the menu, with breakfast being the specialty any time of day or night. Le Cafe Ile St. Louis has all the atmosphere of a Parisian sidewalk cafe, offering French and American specialties, and the Grand Lux Cafe offers over 20 desserts to satiate any late night sweet tooth yearnings. Cafe Bellagio is an upscale coffee shop with gorgeous views any time of day.

If you'd like to save some money for the slots and shows, there are several cheap places to grab a meal. For breakfast, dinner or anytime in between, head to Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino and try Planet Dailies to experience the coffee shop of the future. There are several good dining options at the Miracle Mile Shops @ Planet Hollywood, like Ocean One Bar & Grille, which will really suit your budget. Backstage Deli at the Luxor is a kosher deli that will make you feel like you've been transported to New York, don't miss their famous triple decker sandwiches. If you'd rather grab a burger Cheeseburger Las Vegas will to save you some money for the slots and you can top your burger with almost anything you could think of. Noodles can give you a taste of Asia without the cost of getting there. They also have dim sum on weekends. Ready for something sweet? Le Creperie can help, with numerous different dessert crepes, as well as savory options for dinner.

Downtown

Downtown Las Vegas has both historical and new restaurants. Although you'll still have to deal with the crowds, the prices will be more reasonable than on the Strip. If you want casual fine dining Second Street Grille is a great place to have American cuisine. Grotto Ristorante at the Golden Nugget Hotel Casino is an Italian restaurant that uses only the freshest ingredients. Binion's Ranch Steak House is the perfect place to have quality steak or seafood, make sure you try the Chicken Fried Lobster. If you just want a snack head to Sidebar, it was voted the best martini in Las Vegas and has great fried calamari.

Off the Strip

If you don't want to deal with the crowds and the prices of the Strip or downtown Las Vegas, the restaurants off the Strip have plenty of great choices. Terrible Mike's at the Orleans Hotel Casino is a great place to fill up on burgers and sandwiches without cleaning out your wallet. For a taste of south of the border, head to the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino to Pink Taco, where you can get tacos, burritos and other Mexican favorites.

Las Vegas has always been known for its numerous, affordable buffets. And while the days of the 99 cent all-you-can-eat prime rib may be gone, there are endless, quality options available. The Rio All-Suites Hotel & Casino features two buffets, the award winning Carnival World Buffet and Village Seafood Buffet, both extremely popular with tourists and locals alike. Ports o' Call Buffet at the Gold Coast Hotel Casino is another local favorite, with seven live cooking stations.

If music is more your cup of tea, you can dine with the world's largest guitar at the Hard Rock Cafe. Mr. Lucky's 24/7 Cafe at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino serves up classics like pizza and burgers with a '50's diner feel. For a truly unique dining experience, head to Quark's Bar & Restaurant at the Las Vegas Hilton for a meal that is out of this world.

Outside the City

If you need a break from hustle and bustle of the Las Vegas you can find the real deals outside the city. Go to Amigo's Mexican Cantina for a Mexican meal paired with a margarita. Gold Rush Cafe is a family friendly restaurant with reasonable prices. If you want an all-you-can-eat option try the international buffet is the Feast Around the World Buffet, located a little ways outside the city at the Green Valley Ranch Resort Spa & Casino.