Capos Italian Speakeasy
I highly recommend visiting this lovely steakhouse if you are in Vegas. It is off the beaten path and a reservation is recommended but not required. The setup is just like an old fashioned speakeasy and the door requires buzzing (yes they are open even if you can't figure out the door). Once inside the lighting is extremely dark and they give you keychain lights to read the menu. The food is amazing. If you want a rare steak, make sure to say you want it extra bloody. The food is filling and comes in very large portions. Check it out, you will not regret it. From food to music this place is a hit.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxZnYY1wj6c
Visiting Vegas
Vegas is always busy and full of entertainment options. Morning, noon, or night you can walk into almost any hotel and lose track of time in the bright lights. From the moment you step off the tarmac and into baggage claim you will be surrounded by a variety of gambling options and ads for live shows. The average person thrown into this environment might be simultaneously awed and overwhelmed.
Las Vegas, Nevada is nicknamed the city of sin or sin city, but has more to offer than gambling, partying, and sexy entertainment. In 2003, Las Vegas tourism released their first ad quoting “What happens here, stays here,” the famous lines leading to what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. This might lead you to believe that the only reason to go to Vegas is to party. While it’s true that Vegas caters to the night scene, it also offers a variety of museums, recreational parks, fitness classes, spas, and live shows.
Las Vegas has more than 50 recreational parks. The city offers a variety of outdoor activities including hiking, mountain biking, backpacking, orienteering, dance classes, boot camps, and even trapeze classes. Plan ahead if you want to integrate any off the strip activities. Traffic runs slow during the day and it could easily take you two to four hours to get off the strip by rental car, taxi, or limo. If money is not an obstacle, some hotels offer helicopter tours.
RestaurantsWhere to Eat, Party, and Grab Coffee
Just about every hotel in Vegas has multiple bars and restaurants. In fact most Las Vegas hotels are paramount to small villages. You can eat, sleep, walk your dog, gamble, exercise and shop without every leaving your hotel’s premises. Las Vegas is well known for great dining options, but did you know Vegas is home to celebrity chefs and multiple Michelin star winners?
Suggestions for places to eat in Las Vegas:
Joël Robouchon & L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon, MGM Grand Hotel and Casino
Reservations: (702) 891-7925Website Yelp Reviews Related Article Menu
Joël Robuchon has two restaurants in Las Vegas, but Joël Robouchon is currently the only 3 star Michelin restaurant in Las Vegas. The food is french cuisine based on a multi-course tasting menu or à la carte items. Joël Robuchon’s other restaurant at MGM Grand is L’Atelier Robouchon. L’Atelier Robouchon offers an à la carte menu and counter service.
L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon
AWARDS:
Best Las Vegas Restaurant by Zagat Survey, France’s Chef of the Century by Gault Millau restaurant guideReviews:
YelpJoël Robouchon
Awards:
Michelin’s Three Star, Forbes Five-Star and AAA Five Diamond awards, and Wine Spectator’s Grand Award, France’s Chef of the Century by Gault Millau restaurant guidePicasso, Chef Guy Savoy, Caesars Palace Las Vegas
(702) 731-7286The Strip
3600 S Las Vegas Blvd
Las Vegas, NV 89109
Website Yelp Reviews Menu
Indoor and Outdoor seating available.
AWARDS:
Michelin 2 Stars, eleven time recipient of the AAA Five Diamond AwardPicasso (French)
The Strip3600 S Las Vegas Blvd
Las Vegas, NV 89109Phone number(702) 693-8105
View Yelp Reviews : http://www.yelp.com/biz/picasso-las-vegas#query:Michelin%20Star%20Restaurant
Le Cirque, Lakeside at Bellagio
Le Cirque has received a AAA Five Diamond rating for 13 consecutive years.
French cuisine
900 international wine selections.
Aureole,Mandalay Bay
Chef Charlie Palmer
Michael’s Gourmet Room,South Point
AAA Four Diamond winner. Has been a top Las Vegas restaurant for more than 20 years. 50 seat restaurant.
Andre’s,Monte Carlo
Chef Andre Rochat serves AAA Four Diamond-rated French cuisine
Twist,Mandarin Oriental
Nobu,Caesars Palace
Looking for delicious food for under $80 per person?
On or off the strip you can find a variety of hidden gems. At peak season times you will generally want to make reservations, but sometimes you get lucky.
Bar Masa Sushi
Capos Italian Steakhouse is a classic speakeasy close to the strip.
Firefly for Tapas
Hash House A Go Go for breakfast/brunch
Discounts to Vegas Restaurants
(Groupon) (Living Social)
Places to get local beer
- Ellis Island Hotel and Casino brews it’s own beer (which you can get for a few dollars a pint).
- Main Station Casino has the 777 restaurant/brewery (a good micro brew if you are on Fremont street)
- Big Dogs Brewery and Teneya Creek Brewery are the 2 main Local Brewery’s.
- Aces and Ales have 2 locations now with 50 taps and a large/delicious food menu.
- The Freaking Frog is your hipster bar near UNLV, lots of locals/College Students and they have bands that come in.
- The Double Down Saloon is a must for the Dive Bar lover, they also bring in local talent.
- Money Shot is popular to hash house harriers and has a great local vibe.
- Millers Ale House and the Yard House offer a large assortment of taps for the thirsty traveler.
- I highly recommend people checkout the Linq (where the new High Roller ferris wheel bar is located) they have places like O’Sheas (great little Irish bar) and the Brooklyn Bowl which has good food/beer/bowling and live music concerts (some are free others you can purchase tickets for)
Places to Stay in Vegas
Las Vegas has its variety of 5 star hotels and shady but not inexpensive places to stay. Beware of online reviews, during my first trip to Vegas I was confused by the varying reviews of hotels with photoshopped cover photos to advertise a variety of hotels. Yes, most of the $300/night hotels are gorgeous, accommodating, and everything you could ever hope for. When you get down to 3 stars, you get what you pay for. Some reviews mention things as scary as shootings, bed bugs, and security buttons on every floor in rooms without AC.I’ll admit, that on my first visit to Vegas I was used to traveling but had never been anywhere like Vegas. I’d go as far to say there is no where I know of quite like Las Vegas, Nevada. So when I booked a room at a certain hotel based on the photo outside of the hotel, I was shocked to see that the inside was lackluster, warn, dirty, the air conditioning barely worked, and every floor had emergency panic buttons. I have yet to really party and gamble in Las Vegas, but on my one night in this hotel (because it would have cost me to cancel my reservation) I discovered that the staff do not bother with the do not disturb signs in some hotels and will just open up your door. I was still mostly asleep and understandably disturbed by the experience, so much so that I called security. Security took more than an hour to show up, confirmed it was house cleaning at 8 or maybe 9 AM. I’ll never stay there again.
Las Vegas Entertainment
You probably already know that Las Vegas has a plethora of stuff to do. For Vegas, I recommend not going to the Las Vegas Strip on the weekend, but rather midweek if possible. Same experience, less crowded. Additionally, for the gamblers, minimum bets for table games are raised during peak times making a weekday visit a better choice.As you would expect, Vegas offers a multitude of casinos and bars but also a local vibe, which draws the younger Vegas crowd.
Most locals, go to the Fremont Street area, it’s lovingly known as “Old Vegas” with a variety of bars, vintage signage, and shops. The Downtown Project is revitalizing the area. It’s ever expanding with new features like “Container Park” which is a must see. Container Park is a cute shopping district made out of shipping containers. The area includes bars, restaurants, a seating area, night lighting, and an amazing adult sized playground in the center.
I would research “Fremont Street Experience” “Container Park” “Atomic Liquors” “Mob Museum” “Neon Museum” for things in that area.
Shows
It’s Vegas so see a show, there are plenty of Big Names in Vegas. Smaller shows may not get all the publicity but still offer great entertainment value. I went to Claire Sinclair’s Pin Up Calendar show during my last trip to Vegas. It was a small classy affair circa 1940 or earlier. Enjoyed every minute of it and my whole party left pleasantly surprised by the show. Zombie Burlesque is another small show in Vegas that is underrated but is worth the visit. The small shows generally cost less, are sometimes easier to get tickets to last minute, let you meet the performers for photos in the lobby afterwards, and if they are hosted by your hotel you will generally get a discount.
City Tours
Helicopter toursAdventures or Outdoor Activities in or near Las Vegas
In Vegas entertainment is only limited by the sky, the depths of your pocket book, and how long you can stay awake. For the right price you can do just about anything. For the outdoorsy people, hiking Red Rocks and the Valley of fire are popular if you want a little exercise. If you are looking for the great outdoors in a leisurely stroll visit Lake Mead or the Hoover Dam.hiking, mountain biking, backpacking, orienteering, dance classes, boot camps, and even trapeze classes
Rides
I enjoyed the rides and shows at many places but the tall space needle like hotel in the older part of Vegas is called the Stratosphere. I do not recommend staying there, but playing there is great.
Safety in Vegas
Vegas is pretty safe, but it is still a big city with lots of travelers. A friend of mine had their car broken into while in the downtown arts district, he lives there and said he knew better than to park on a side street with a duffle bag sitting in the back seat but that is how it happened.Everywhere you go you see signs in Vegas warning you not to leave your valuables or to hide them. In my friends case, the theifs stole an old swim suit and a towel. The best thing you can do is to park in reliable parking areas, take your valuables with you, or at the very least hide your belongings, and lock the car. Basically travel smart. If you can, leave your stuff in your hotel or out of sight. My friend’s car was off the beaten path late at night, which in any city could cause more trouble than just a stolen swimsuit. Granted he couldn’t find parking elsewhere and took his chances, but most Vegas travelers will avoid the rental car and walk, taxi, helicopter, or limo their way through the city.
Taking standard precautions, in any city, lowers your risk. People come to Vegas and forget their “limits” doesn’t matter if it’s spending, gambling, or drinking; It’s safer and more fun to go experience Vegas with friend so you can look after each other.
A great place that I found for hotels in Vegas is this site. But, I agree, beware of the review. Always check reviews from at least two independent websites before choosing a hotel.
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