Las Vegas: Restaurants and Shows

[Haven]

We're taking my FIL and his companion to Las Vegas for his 70th birthday. I've already booked rooms in the Bellagio, but beyond that I don't have any plans for things to do and where to eat.

We'll be there for three nights. DH wants to eat at Carnevino because he's a Joe Bastianich fan.

Vegas is not really our cup of tea, but my FIL loves it. DH is a bit of a neat freak and a health freak, so . . . but we'll gamble a bit, and take in some shows. We've been there with my family several times and seen the Cirque shows, but I'd like to see one of them again. My FIL and his girlfriend are pretty much down for anything. They love it there.

So, PSers, I know you visit Vegas. Where should we eat? What should we do? What have you loved? Everyone in our group is pretty mobile, but long walking tours and the like are out of the question.

Thanks so much!

 

[ame]

We have seen Penn and Teller a few times, they're at RIO and I thikn you can shuttle over there. We really like Mesa Grill which I think is in Caesars. It's not cheap but what there is.

 

[Enerchi]

OMG!!! MY MOST FAVOURITE-EST PLACE ON THE PLANET!!!!!

We do it on the cheap (in terms of eating) so I have no restaurants to recommend other than standard hotel fare, and for that, I do recommend the Aria - Julian Serrano and American Fish were great - and for casual dining - Lemongrass has a good variety.

As for Cirque de Soleil, I'd HIGHLY Recommend Viva Elvis! I've seen a few, and by far, this one was the most enthusiastic, upbeat, 'happy', toetapping one I've seen! I'd see this again in a heart beat!!

I'd also recommend a hypnotist show - but set someone else in your group up to be volunteered!! We've seen Marc Savard (not so good), Anthony Cools - very good, and twice we've seen Terry Stokes, who is now playing at Planet Hollywood ---- OMG!!! FUNNY FUNNY FUNNY!!!

If you are not into being at the strip all day, there is the Charletson St Premium outlets where you will be able to provide your credit card with a little exercise and fresh air ( ). If you haven't been to the Grand Canyon, that really is worth the day trip there and back. We did the coach tour which included a helicopter ride down to the Colorado river, then a pontoon ride looking up at the Canyon, followed by that TERRORIZING helicopter ride up to the top again then a lunch at a Hualapi Indian reserve. It was very intense (not just the plane portion) and very humbling to put our human existence in perspective with the power and majesty of nature.

Oh--- you are going to have SUCH fun!! (or at least I hope you do! I'm excited for you!!)

 

[dani13]

Haven, definitely get tickets to see Cirque's "O" if you haven't seen it. Its AMAZING. Hands down MH & I's favorite show, and we have been to a lot!!!! We love Vegas!!!

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

Food - Serendipity 3! Omg, they have an amazing burger (Brie, avocado, caramelized onions) and a delicious frozen hot chocolate that you can get either with or without alcohol (I believe Freke is the one who suggested I go there when I went to Vegas last Jan. - my friends and I loved it so much that we went a few times during the trip).

Also, I love Cirque. I saw Zumanity, which was amazing (but um, quite sexual - lots of boobs, just a warning). I also heard Ka was good too and that was our second choice.

ETA: Err, just reread and saw that you said you're taking your FIL and his companion. Perhaps Ka might be a better choice

 

[movie zombie]

definitely Penn and Teller. parents with kids to great grandparent types all attend....not a dressy event.

 

[tuffyluvr]

If you want to have another fancy dinner besides carnevino, Le Circe is wonderful. I used to go to Vegas several times a year on business, and I am not a big fan. Something about the ambiance gives me major anxiety. I went last year for a friends bday, and we stayed at the MGM Signature a I loved it! Its close enough to easily get around, but it doesn't have a casino so it's super mellow. It was my best stay in Vegas yet!

 

[shortstack]

Dining -

Joel Robuchon at the MGM Grand
http://www.mgmgrand.com/restaurants/joel-robuchon-french-restaurant.aspx

Alize at Palms Casino & Resort
http://www.palms.com/dining/las-vegas-alize-gourmet-restaurant/

Sushi Roku in The Forum Shops (Caesars Palace)
http://www.sushiroku.com/sushiroku/

Mix at Mandalay Bay
http://www.mandalaybay.com/dining/signature-restaurants/mix.aspx

Picasso at Bellagio (one of my personal favorites)
http://www.bellagio.com/restaurants/picasso.aspx

Le Cirque at Bellagio
http://www.bellagio.com/restaurants/le-cirque.aspx

Bouchon Bistro at The Venetian
http://www.bouchonbistro.com/

Joyful House (off the Strip)
http://www.joyfulhouselv.com/joyful.html

Fun -

The Shoppes at the Palazzo: Bauman Rare books, Van Cleef & Arpels, Links of London
http://www.theshoppesatthepalazzo.com/

Wynn - Chanel, Graff, Cartier, Dior, Manolo Blahnik
http://www.wynnlasvegas.com/amenities/shopping

The Forum Shops - everything!
http://www.caesarspalace.com/casinos/caesars-palace/casino-misc/the-forum-shops-detail.html

The Fashion Show Mall - typical stores
http://www.thefashionshow.com/
Maggiano's Little Italy is casual http://www.thefashionshow.com/dining-entertainment/maggianos-little-italy

City Center (Crystals shopping & dining)
http://www.crystalsatcitycenter.com/

DH and I hate going to shows, but all the Cirque performers I've met have told me that Ka is their favorite.
http://www.mgmgrand.com/entertainment/ka-cirque-du-soleil-show.aspx

You probably won't have time, but Mt. Charleston and Red Rock Canyon are beautiful.

 

[smitcompton]

Hi,

I spent Thanksgiving week in Vegas. I, too, just love it there. Right in the Bellagio is the Buffet. My niece, who is from England, said she thought it was the most famous buffet in the world. She took pictures of the crab legs to send to her sisters. We waited 3 and a half hrs to be seated. It is fabulous-everything from soup to nuts.
If you like Deli for lunch, Ceasars has a deli that has a wonderful reputation. If you are looking for cheap eats, find coupons for free food in vegas by googleing. Nathans has two places in food courts if you like good hotdogs( 2 for 1). I do. One is in the Venetian in the food court. The walk there is through the canals on the second floor. There is also a two for one coupon for panini at the same food court and a two for one hagen das ice cream cone.

You could walk over to the Paris, which is just across the bridge and check out the restaurants there. I wish I could remember the name. It was so good. It actually came as the dinner part of dinner and a show. Anthony Cools was the show part. I was so disappointed in the show. We were told it was very blue, but we thought we were adults and wouldn't mind. We hated it. It had such possibilities, hypnotists could be funny, but sex was his main point and young and old in our group didn't like it.

There is a good Thai restaurant in Ballys at the back. Nice atmosphere.

Have a wonderful time and I wish I were there with you all.

Annette

 

[Gypsy]

Andres at the Monte Carlo, just remodeled and great food.

 

[Haven]

Thank you to everyone for these wonderful suggestions! I don't have time to respond individually right now, but I wanted to pop in to say THANKS!

This thread is making me excited to go on this trip!

One thing I failed to mention is that my BFF from college is one of the wardrobe managers for one of the traveling Cirque shows, can't remember which. She worked on a couple Vegas shows, too, so I do love going to Cirque to see the amazing costumes.

This thread is also making me hungry!

Thanks so much, I'll be back!

 

[movie zombie]

don't forget Hoover Dam tour and Lake Mead..........the dam really is worth it.

 

[movie zombie]

don't forget Hoover Dam tour and Lake Mead..........the dam really is worth it.

 

[Iowa Lizzy]

My hands-down favorite restaurant is Olives at Bellagio. It's a Todd English restaurant and everything is good, but the scallops and beef carpaccio are especially excellent. (If the weather is nice and you can snag a seat on the patio, DO IT! The fountains are lovely to watch while you eat). Craft Steak at MGM is tasty as well. But wait, are you a vegetarian? For some reason that sounds familiar. Or else I'm making that up.

If you like Bistro fare, Thomas Keller's Bouchon is delish! That is in the Venetian, if I recall correctly.

I love all the Cirque shows, but O is probably my favorite. Mystere is a close second. David Copperfield is totally cheesy. Not sure if he's there right now, but I wouldn't waste your money.

In terms of what else to do? I just love wandering and people-watching. The conservatory at Bellagio is ever-changing and always gorgeous. The architecture at the new City Center is breathtaking. I always have such a blast in Vegas, even if I don't have anything pre-planned!

 

[sonnyjane]

I love Le Reve at Wynn. Love it. I've seen it four times and would keep seeing it again and again. It's by the guy that used to be the director of Cirque (developed their famous shows like O), but then he left to form his own company. It's a spectacular show. I honestly can't get enough of it.

 

[tuffyluvr]

My hands-down favorite restaurant is Olives at Bellagio. It's a Todd English restaurant and everything is good, but the scallops and beef carpaccio are especially excellent. (If the weather is nice and you can snag a seat on the patio, DO IT! The fountains are lovely to watch while you eat). Craft Steak at MGM is tasty as well. But wait, are you a vegetarian? For some reason that sounds familiar. Or else I'm making that up.

If you like Bistro fare, Thomas Keller's Bouchon is delish! That is in the Venetian, if I recall correctly.

I love all the Cirque shows, but O is probably my favorite. Mystere is a close second. David Copperfield is totally cheesy. Not sure if he's there right now, but I wouldn't waste your money.

In terms of what else to do? I just love wandering and people-watching. The conservatory at Bellagio is ever-changing and always gorgeous. The architecture at the new City Center is breathtaking. I always have such a blast in Vegas, even if I don't have anything pre-planned!

Bouchon is fab!!! I had the crispy salmon on a bed of creamy leeks when I was there and it was just perfection. It was so simple, but it was absolutely delicious and very memorable.

 

[beebrisk]

My favorite place for dinner in Vegas is Enoteca Otto in The Venetian--Another Batali/Bastianich restaurant.

It's in the faux "Piazza San Marco", a crazy indoor space that (sort of) feels and looks like outdoors. The kind of space you can find only in Vegas. The food is great, relatively healthy (light Italian fare) and not badly priced.

Spago (Wolfgang Puck) in Ceasar's is nice for lunch.

If you're going to go the buffet route at all (they can be fun and part of the old-timey Vegas tradition) I've tried many of them and think the one in "Paris" is the best. After that, you can take a ride up the "Eiffel Tower" for a great view of the strip. Yeah, I like Vegas. The good, the bad and the cheesy!

 

[JulieN]

I thought Bouchon was really mediocre. Just not what it used to be when it first opened.

I usually eat off-strip now, unless you are going for fine dining.

 

[LaurenThePartier]

Haven, when are you going? W and I will be there during the first part of President's Day weekend to see The Darkness at House of Blues.

Carnevino is *amazing*. Get the prosciutto starter, if you're into that sort of thing. I had the duck confit canneloni, which were TO DIE FOR. The bread is served with pork lard to spread upon it. I never felt so darn gluttonous in my life!

Bouchon for breakfast/brunch. The mussels in saffron broth are out of this world delicious.

And, as hokey as it is, Aureole still holds a special place in my heart.

 

[LaurenThePartier]

I thought Bouchon was really mediocre. Just not what it used to be when it first opened.

I usually eat off-strip now, unless you are going for fine dining.

If you went for dinner, that's what I've heard - mediocre at best. Brunch is the only meal that I've heard people rave about, and I have to say, I'm in agreement.

 

[iheartscience]

If you want a casual quick bite you HAVE to go to In-N-Out Burger! I used to go to Vegas twice a year for trade shows and my favorite meal of the trip was always In-N-Out! My boss and I would land, rent the car and then go straight there and take our food back to the hotel. And we always got an extra order of fries to split in the car on the way to the hotel!

For sit down meals I really liked Daniel Boulud's restaurant but I think I heard that it closed, so double check that one! Oh-and if you like seafood at all the seafood place in Mandalay Bay has fantastic seafood, especially the oysters! I think it's called R Bar or something similar!

 

[portia]

DH and I went to Vegas over labor day weekend. I didn't consider myself much of a Vegas fan, but DH and I had such a good time, we decided to make this an annual trip.

The Cirque shows are always so good. I think my absolute favorite is Mystere, but "O" is fantastic as well. I heard Ka is amazing, but they were dark the weekend we were there. We went to see Le Reve and it was a great show. If you go and want to upgrade the experience for your FIL, you can get the VIP Indulgence package which we did. You watch the show in the huge, comfy chairs while they serve you champagne, truffles and chocolate covered strawberries. Yum!! There is also a tv monitor that you can watch that shows the behind the "scenes" work. We saw the divers underwater helping the cast get into place and bringing them back. It was really interesting to see that.

As far as eating goes, I don't think I've ever had a bad meal in Vegas. I can only add to the already fantastic recommendations that everyone has given. We went to B&B (Joseph Bastianich and Mario Batali's restaurant). They had a really interesting menu - everything was very good. I'd definitely go back. We also had the most amazing meal ever at Joel Roubouchon's restaurant at the MGM Grand. It's extremely pricy, but the food is incredible, the service was spot on, and the decor... OMG... we sat in an area that was not in the main room, but it was like an outdoor terrace - very european feel. Not sure how to exactly explain it, but I completely forgot we were inside the MGM Grand. Very fine dining, very memorable and not at all pretentious. Loved it!!! Can you tell we're foodies? Oh, and one more... La Cave at the Encore. Fantastic wine selection, small plates and casual seating with distinct areas (front area with long tables and small bar, larger bar area in back, terrace/patio indoor and outdoor seating). We loved it so much we went back several times.

We ate at other places, but the ones I mentioned were the best to us. Lots of great recommendations in this thread, can't go wrong with any of them. Have fun!!

 

[Saoirse2]

We like to visit the Red Rock Canyon at sunset in the winter. If you are a hiker or bicyclist you will love it. 
Re: Cirque du Soleil 
MGM's "KA" is the most complete show of all IMHO.   
'O' @ Bellagio is my second favorite... 4th row and up to avoid splashing. 
"Mystere" @Treasure Island is my third favorite.  
Criss Angel 'Believe' @ Luxor was OK. 
@Caesars Palace: Celine 2012!
@Paris right across from your hotel: Jersey Boys is a great option for those who like the Four Seasons music [6th row and up is best]. 
@Venetian: The Phantom of the Opera! row JJ might be the best seating or you might miss out the part where the phantom hangs from a chandelier.

Food: Buffets are not my cup of tea, just don't like them in general but certanly popular. Bellagio is known for their crab claws, venison and buffalo
Carnevino is an excellent choice for aged steaks. The mashed potatoes with mascarpone are out of this world!  
Craftsteak @ the MGM Grand is great too. BTW, there is also a great deli in this hotel. 
Mr. Lucky's Cafe @Hard Rock Hotel has $8 dollar meal/24 hrs a day, you get steak, shrimp, sald and mashed potatoes. Ask the server for Gambler's Special because it's not advertised.
Spago @ Caesars has the best Bolognese sauce, might not be in the menu but it's always available. Their Scallops in basil oil areTDF!
Olives @ Bellagio: large servings, the best beef carpaccio we have ever had. Le Cirque serves great desserts all day long.

If you visit the Wynn, stop at Shoe In-- LOVE, love that place!

 

[portia]

We like to visit the Red Rock Canyon at sunset in the winter. If you are a hiker or bicyclist you will love it. 

Oh, yes. Totally forgot to mention Red Rock Canyon in my post. DH and I used to go rock climbing there. It's really beautiful. If you're renting a car it's worth a drive out there. I think it's about 20 min from the strip. There's a 13 mi. one-way loop road you can take - really beautiful area. If fact, that was the reason we used to go to Vegas - for the rock climbing, the strip was secondary.

 

[FrekeChild]

We went to Bouchon for our anniversary trip last winter and it was overrated. The only thing worth mentioning was the butternut squash puree.

The question I have is what kind of food do you guys like to eat?

 

[Haven]

So many amazing recommendations! Thank you!

To answer some questions:

We're going this month, so we'll miss you LTP. That would have been fun! Great to know Carnevino is good. Mmm, I'm so hungry now.

Freke--We eat pretty much everything. DH loves seafood, Italian, and a great steak. I love lobster and steak. My FIL and his companion are meat and potatoes people. She won't eat vegetables, which I think is funny. She hates them all. Other than the no veggies, we're not picky at all. We want to take them out for really nice dinners every night while we're there.

Thing--In-N-Out Burger! GAH! I didn't even think about eating there. I had my first In-N-Out burger in LA in October, and it was amazing. AMAZING. I'm going to have to ask my sister how she ordered it, it was something strange. Animal style? Monster style? I don't know. YUM!!!!

Portia--Awesome restaurant recs and descriptions, thank you. And ooh, Red Rock Canyon sounds right up our alley. Great rec, thank you!

Saoirse--Amazing recs, thank you. I love the details, they will really help me make decisions.

GAH, I have to go again. I'll be back to respond. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH! This is a really epic Vegas tips thread. I'm so grateful!

 

[tuffyluvr]

So many amazing recommendations! Thank you!

To answer some questions:

We're going this month, so we'll miss you LTP. That would have been fun! Great to know Carnevino is good. Mmm, I'm so hungry now.

Freke--We eat pretty much everything. DH loves seafood, Italian, and a great steak. I love lobster and steak. My FIL and his companion are meat and potatoes people. She won't eat vegetables, which I think is funny. She hates them all. Other than the no veggies, we're not picky at all. We want to take them out for really nice dinners every night while we're there.

Thing--In-N-Out Burger! GAH! I didn't even think about eating there. I had my first In-N-Out burger in LA in October, and it was amazing. AMAZING. I'm going to have to ask my sister how she ordered it, it was something strange. Animal style? Monster style? I don't know. YUM!!!!

Portia--Awesome restaurant recs and descriptions, thank you. And ooh, Red Rock Canyon sounds right up our alley. Great rec, thank you!

Saoirse--Amazing recs, thank you. I love the details, they will really help me make decisions.

GAH, I have to go again. I'll be back to respond. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH! This is a really epic Vegas tips thread. I'm so grateful!

Yes, it's animal style. No clue why it's called that, but it's delicious! There are several off-menu "secret" orders. I always get grilled cheese, animal style--it's just a burger without the meat patty and I LOVE it. Protein style has a lettuce wrap instead of a bun. And if you are feeling particularly gluttonous, you can even get your fries animal style (with cheese, grilled onions and 'spread'), though I don't recommend getting animal style fries unless you are going to share or you'll end up with a tummy ache!

I guess I should recind my rec for Bouchon. I was there when it first opened, and it sounds like it's gone downhill since then!

 

[Italiahaircolor]

For my husband's birthday we did Dinner In The Sky ... it was beautiful and the food was very good as well. It sort of doubles as entertainment since the experience of the sunset it pretty fantastic.
http://www.dinnerintheskylv.com/

 

[manderz]

Fi and I went a couple years ago, and our favorite thing to do BY FAR was to take a helicopter tour of the strip at night. It was AMAZING!! Sadly, I can't remember who it was through to try and direct/link you there

 

[Gypsy]

So many amazing recommendations! Thank you!

To answer some questions:

We're going this month, so we'll miss you LTP. That would have been fun! Great to know Carnevino is good. Mmm, I'm so hungry now.

Freke--We eat pretty much everything. DH loves seafood, Italian, and a great steak. I love lobster and steak. My FIL and his companion are meat and potatoes people. She won't eat vegetables, which I think is funny. She hates them all. Other than the no veggies, we're not picky at all. We want to take them out for really nice dinners every night while we're there.

Thing--In-N-Out Burger! GAH! I didn't even think about eating there. I had my first In-N-Out burger in LA in October, and it was amazing. AMAZING. I'm going to have to ask my sister how she ordered it, it was something strange. Animal style? Monster style? I don't know. YUM!!!!

Portia--Awesome restaurant recs and descriptions, thank you. And ooh, Red Rock Canyon sounds right up our alley. Great rec, thank you!

Saoirse--Amazing recs, thank you. I love the details, they will really help me make decisions.

GAH, I have to go again. I'll be back to respond. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH! This is a really epic Vegas tips thread. I'm so grateful!

Yes, it's animal style. No clue why it's called that, but it's delicious! There are several off-menu "secret" orders. I always get grilled cheese, animal style--it's just a burger without the meat patty and I LOVE it. Protein style has a lettuce wrap instead of a bun. And if you are feeling particularly gluttonous, you can even get your fries animal style (with cheese, grilled onions and 'spread'), though I don't recommend getting animal style fries unless you are going to share or you'll end up with a tummy ache!

I guess I should recind my rec for Bouchon. I was there when it first opened, and it sounds like it's gone downhill since then!

Ahh yes. In an Out. My hubby gets Animal Style too. Just in case you are feeling SUPER hungry you can also order more patty's by ordering a 3 by 3 (three patties, three cheeses) or any combination of patties and cheese you want 3 x 6 or 6x 3 (can you imagine).