Dining in Vegas

While planning for our first trip to the famous Las Vegas Strip, we didn't think we had to budget too much money for food, since we'd heard rumors from many people that "food is so cheap in Vegas". Well, either it's not true anymore, or we looked in the wrong places! It's not that it was too expensive, it just wasn't any cheaper than normal, and sometimes it was a little more. Also, being vegetarian didn't make the dining any easier in the plethora of "surf-n-turf" options, but even with these obstacles we managed to sort through the endless options and find some tasty choices and unique atmospheres! From celebrity chefs, noodle bars, and retro burger-joints, to a Manhattan deli, authentic Tex-Mex, and a spinning restaurant over 800 feet in the air, we experienced an array of dining while in Vegas!

Quick Tips:

If you don't fancy the buffet-style food, expect to pay a little more and make reservations for many of the evening meals. Many of the restaurants located in a casino are open to the casino floor with only pillars or a raised floor to distinguish the space. If you are looking for a more private, quiet meal call ahead of time or spend time touring the hotels before making a reservation to see if it is an "open" style or a proper, separate room dining area. We also noticed that many restaurants had dress codes, which varied from lunch to dinner, although several of the casinos were very relaxed about it (Stratosphere, New York) while others were more strict (Bellagio, Monte Carlo).

Best Way To Get Around:

One of the nice surprises about Las Vegas was the availability of free parking. We had rented a car since our timeshare was a couple miles east of the strip, and even though the traffic was bad most of the time, we studied the map and became familiar with the side roads that ran parallel to the entire length of the strip and were usually light with traffic. We found that all the casinos we drove to had free parking garages that could be used by hotel guests and visitors alike. We parked in the outdoor lot at the Excaliber, the garage at the Bellagio, and Mirage. Many of the resorts in the area offer free shuttle to/from specific points along the strip, and we took advantage of this service a couple times, although if you catch the last return shuttle of the night, be prepared to feel like a sardine for a good 30 to 45 minutes on the ride back! Taxis are available at all the casinos, but they are pricey, as is the popular valet service which stays busy throughout the city!

For our most unusual dining experience while in Vegas (and best view in town), we chose the Top of the World Restaurant in the Statosphere Tower. Located 1,149 feet above the city, the Tower is the tallest building west of the Mississippi River and is home to the highest restaurant in Las Vegas at 800 feet up! The dining room revolves an entire 360 degrees in 1 hour and 20 minutes while you dine, so you get a view of the whole area from the Strip to the Red Rock Canyon. We enjoyed lunch, complete with dessert, during the Labor Day weekend and preferred the daylight to view the area from above, although the night lights of the Strip are said to be quite a sight as well during dinner.

Since it was a holiday, the lunch menu also included a brunch selection, which is normally reserved for weekends. There were three and four-course meals available, as well as a la carte options, from Japanese beef, king crab eggs Benedict, and pistachio french toast to candied walnut salad, lobster ravioli, and fancy duck. There were only a couple vegetarian options, and the kitchen did not offer any items off the menu, so we settled for salad and eggs Benedict (sans crab). The food was tasty and of good quality, although be prepared for a pricey meal. The course meals for lunch ranged from mid-$30 to mid-$40, and the separated items were around $17/salad to high $20s for main dishes. Dinner is even more expensive. Don't pass up the desserts as samples revolve by your table during your meal, from espresso creme brulee to the chocolate Stratosphere tower filled with mousse!

Reservations are highly recommended for lunch (11am-3pm) and required for dinner (5:30pm-10:30pm, 11pm on weekends). Also, the host and website states that a dress code is enforced, although people in shorts and sandals dined near us at lunch. We had no problem finding parking in the free parking garage at the Stratosphere Hotel/Casino, and valet services are also available.

Celebrity chef, Wolfgang Puck's restaurants are always some of our favorites and he has several different ones to choose from on the Famous Las Vegas Strip. Located right in the center of the bustling MGM Grand Casino floor, this chic restaurant is open to the action with no exterior walls, but only sectioned curtains at the corners decorated with bold flower blooms to go along with the overall modern atmosphere. There is a small bar area with a TV, and the dining room is several steps up from floor level. Of course, if you want an intimate, quiet dining experience, this isn't the restaurant for you,  because the noise level is quite high due to the casino just off the dining room area (although there is a glassed-in private dining room that can be reserved).

We stopped in for lunch and had several tasty options to choose from on the menu that has California grill-style entrées and offers fine dining options at a moderate price (~$25/lunch, ~$40/dinner). From truffled potatoes with blue cheese dip, grilled vegetable salad with sun dried tomatoes and feta, and prime beef sandwich with aioli, to Puck's famous wood-fired pizzas, baked manilla clams, and ricotta gnocchi, this restaurant has an item for every taste. There is a full bar and drink menu with unique cocktails and extensive fine wine list. The service was slightly slow, but the staff was friendly enough and was attentive to our table.

The restaurant is open Sunday to Thursday from 11:30am to 10pm, and Friday and Saturday from 11:30am to 11pm and reservations are recommended especially for dinner. We did not have reservations and were seated within 5 minutes for lunch. This is a great place to eat before or after a stop in at the Cirque du Soleil "Ka" theatre which is just a across the casino floor!

On our last night in Vegas, we did some searching on the Internet for vegetarian-friendly restaurants near the Strip. There seemed to be a handful around the city, but none within walking distance of the main drag except for several Asian/Indian cuisine spots! We choose Noodle Asia, which had good reviews online and had many dishes to choose from. Located in the ornate Venetian Hotel and Casino, the restaurant is open to the casino floor, but even with the spinning lights and ringing bells of the shot machines, our time at Noodle Asia seemed private enough for a nice meal.

About 20 tables are arranged in the dining room. There are seats at the preparation bar area, and all have a view into the open kitchen where the cooks prepare unique noodle dishes, from Mandarin noodles in broth and thick home-style noodles to wok, stir-fried and pan-fried noodle nests. There is also a variety of dim-sum and rice dishes and the traditional soups and salads mixed with some unique offerings like ginseng chicken soup and jellyfish salad. We shared an appetiser of salted edamame and a main dish of Buddha Feast pan-toasted noodles, which was a very tasty blend of a plateful of needle-thin noodles pan fried to a crispy outside and topped with a flavorful brown sauce chock-full of fresh veggies.

The service was friendly, but seemed a bit unorganized. We had about four different servers attend to us throughout the meal, and we waited a very long time to get our check - I think all the servers thought someone else had waited on us. Overall, it was a nice meal and atmosphere, and the price was moderate for the high-quality food!

Although I put this review in the category of "fast food", Tacone's preferred description is "quick-service gourmet franchise"—and we quickly found out that it was a far cry from what we normally associate with "fast food". Located in The District (a chic, outdoor shopping center in Henderson, a town just outside Las Vegas), Tacone quickly filled up when the doors opened for lunch, and people of all ages enjoyed the food and company on the sidewalk tables. We weren't sure where we'd like to stop for a bite to eat as we walked along the manicured sidewalks by fun shops like West Elm, White House Black Market, Sharper Image, and Anthropologie, but we were stopped in front of Tacone by the manager who stood outside to give samples and promote this new franchise. One of the fastest growing franchises currently in America, Tacone boasts an unique array of salads, sandwiches, wraps and smoothies—all with fun ingredients not normally seen together.

The sample we tried outside was of the famous sweet potato fries, which are dipped in a creamy, fruity sauce. The manager could not have been any nicer—patiently telling us about the menu and preparation of food, as well as bringing out complimentary chips to our table! We ordered a vegetarian wrap with a grilled variety of veggies, beans, feta, and balsamic vinaigrette. The name "Flavor Grill" does not disappoint with the wide variety of grilled sandwiches, grilled wraps, grill-plates (including vegetables, seafood, and chicken), and quesadillas. Flavors are combined with fresh ingredients from caramelized onions, cilantro, and artichoke pesto, to jasmine rice, Thai peanut sauce, and mango salsa.

Don't miss the table of about 10 unique dips to add to your platter, from a spicy apple butter and herbed oil, to a creamy Tex-Mex ranch and sweet hot sauce. Finish your meal with a dessert like homemade brownies or fruit salad, or a delightfully refreshing smoothie like the Pink Flamingo, with bananas, mango, strawberries, passion fruit, guava, orange, and pineapple!

Open 10:30am - 9pm daily (Sun until 7pm), this restaurant is a nice stop during a day of leisure shopping in The District. Most plates are around $7, but we found that the main dishes were big enough to share!