Las Vegas Food Guide: 25 Must-Eats On and Off the Strip

From classic shrimp cocktail to off-Strip sushi and craft beer, discover 25 dishes and drinks that define eating in Las Vegas.

Gamblers, conference-goers, hikers and partiers who travel to Las Vegas all have one thing in common: they need to eat. Luckily, the city delivers, with enough restaurants to satisfy every visitor plus the locals who call it home.

The billions of dollars invested in Vegas’ hospitality culture has attracted an enormous talent pool of world class chefs. Many of these chefs work in behemoth hotels on the Strip, but others have left the Strip, creating a definitive food culture that’s one of the best in the nation. Both on and off the Strip, it’s entirely possible to find French pastries that rival Paris, world class sushi and some of the best Northern Thai food in the USA.

🔓 Key Takeaways

• Las Vegas doesn’t have a single signature dish like Buffalo wings or the Philly cheesesteak. The shrimp cocktail comes closest, having been a casino staple since 1959.
• Celebrity chef restaurants dominate the Strip, but off-Strip neighborhoods like Chinatown, Downtown, Henderson, and the Arts District serve food that’s just as good for a lot less money.
• Steak and seafood remain Vegas classics, while the city’s Asian food, tapas, and Hawaiian dishes reflect just how international the dining scene has become.
• Vegas takes dessert seriously, with everything from its Ethel M Chocolates to proper donuts and French pastries.
• Craft beer, classic cocktails, and tiki bars have made Vegas a drinking destination, not just a place to eat and gamble.

Must-Eat Food in Las Vegas

Las Vegas is one of America’s top food cities. Although it doesn’t have a signature dish like Buffalo’s wings or Philly’s cheesesteak, Nevada’s Sin City shines with its cornucopia of dining choices.

From cheap-eats casual fare to pricey fine dining, Las Vegas is a city with a vibrant international dining scene that exists in two orbits, both on and off the Strip. And each side is co-dependent on the other. While we love off-strip dining, usually preferring it to the over-the-top dining that most people associate with Sin City, we still appreciate the many world class experiences in Vegas’ opulent center.

Based on our on-the-ground and in-the-mouth exploration on the Strip as well as in neighborhoods like Chinatown, Downtown, Henderson, Summerlin, Southwest Las Vegas and the Arts District, we recommend the following Las Vegas food favorites as the ones you shouldn’t miss:

1. Shrimp Cocktails

The shrimp cocktail became a Las Vegas fixture when the Golden Gate Hotel & Casino added the seafood starter to its menu in 1959. Originally priced at just 50 cents and served in a parfait glass, that iconic shrimp cocktail featured cooked shrimp, spicy cocktail sauce and a lemon wedge. During its peak popularity, the casino proudly sold 2,000 shrimp cocktails each and every day.

While the Golden Gate no longer serves shrimp cocktails, you can easily find the dish at restaurants both on and off the Strip. However, don’t assume that your shrimp cocktail will arrive in a parfait glass. Also, at today’s prices, expect to pay a lot more than 50 cents.

Where to Eat Classic Shrimp Cocktails in Las Vegas
Oyster Bar and Saginaw’s Delicatessen

It’s no secret that the Las Vegas Strip has a plethora of expensive restaurants helmed by an impressive cadre of celebrity chefs. Many of those chefs started in American cities like New York and Los Angeles, while others hail from Europe and Asia. Once they achieved television stardom and/or Michelin-starred fame, their arrival in Las Vegas was practically inevitable.

We’ve personally eaten at Las Vegas restaurants helmed by José Andres, Evan Funke, Thomas Keller, Emeril Lagasse and Wolfgang Puck. While each meal was special, food at these dining temples, especially on the Strip, can be exorbitantly priced. Unless you’re traveling on an expense account or win big at the casino, we recommend making a reservation at just one celebrity-chef-helmed-restaurant during your trip. With that one meal, you’ll experience innovative cuisine without completely busting your budget.

Notable Celebrity Chefs with Las Vegas Restaurants
José Andrés (Bar Centro, Bazaar Mar, Bazaar Meat, China Poblano, é and Jaleo), Mario Carbone (Carbone), David Chang (Momofuku), Roy Choi (Best Friend), Michael Chow (Mr. Chow), Tom Colicchio (Craftsteak), Enzo Febbraro (Allegro), Guy Fieri (Guy Fieri’s Vegas Kitchen & Bar), Bobby Flay (Amalfi), Evan Funke (Mother Wolf), Lorena Garcia (CHICA), Thomas Keller (Bouchon), Giada De Laurentiis (GIADA), Emeril Legasse (Delmonico Steakhouse and Emeril’s New Orleans Fish House), Nobuyuki Matsuhisa (Nobu), Michael Mina (Bardot Brasserie, Bourbon Steak, Michael Mina, Orla and Stripsteak), Masaharu Morimoto (Morimoto), Wolfgang Puck (Carama, Cut, Spago and Wolfgang Puck Bar + Grill), Gordon Ramsay (various), Jeff Ramsey (Mizumi), Martha Stewart (The Bedford), Joël Robuchon (Joël Robuchon and L’Atelier), Chris Santos (Beauty & Essex), Guy Savoy (Restaurant Guy Savoy) Jean-Georges Vongerichten (Jean Georges Steakhouse and Prime Steakhouse) and Tetsuya Wakuda (WAKUDA)

Many of top Las Vegas restaurants and bars aren’t located in casinos and aren’t helmed by celebrity chefs. They also don’t have large rooms or fancy decor. What they do have are pedigreed chefs who take pride in serving excellent food to locals and adventurous tourists.

Located in various neighborhoods from Henderson to Summerlin as well as in Chinatown, Durango and the Arts District, off the Strip restaurants serve some of the best food in town. Some, like Esther’s Kitchen, Sparrow & Wolf and Partage offer dining experiences as good as, if not better than, many restaurants offer on the Strip. And, since off-Strip pricing is relatively affordable, it’s worth it to rent a car or order an Uber to eat off the Strip during your visit.

Where to Eat Off the Strip in Las Vegas
Check out our Off the Strip guide for a comprehensive list.

For carnivores who travel to Las Vegas, eating a steak is a must. The trick is deciding where to eat that steak. You can stay on the Strip and eat at numerous casino steakhouses or take a field trip to an off-Strip restaurant like Cleaver’s, Herbs & Rye or Mae Daly’s. However, the best option may be to travel back in time and eat a steak at Golden Steer. That’s where the Rat Pack ate their steaks back in the day. Be forewarned: Golden Steer is a tough reservation.

Once you decide on where to eat your steak, the next decision is which steak to order. You could opt for ribeye, New York strip, filet mignon or exotic ribeye like chuleton. You could also go big and order wagyu from America or even bigger with imported wagyu from Japan or Australia. They’re all available in Las Vegas. Start saving your money now.

Where to Eat Super Steaks in Las Vegas
Bavette’s Steakhouse & Bar, Bazaar Meat, Cleaver, Cut, Delmonico Steakhouse, Four Sixes Ranch Steakhouse, Golden Steer Steakhouse, Herbs & Rye, Mae Daly’s, Peter Luger Prime Steakhouse and SW Steakhouse

While pizza isn’t new to the city, in recent years, great pizza has emerged all over the city. Your favorite pizza style is likely available whether you’re a fan of Neapolitan, Roman, Chicago or Detroit pies. The same goes if you’re simply craving a New York slice.

The challenge will likely be narrowing the options to just one pizzeria. Since pizza is one of our great pleasures, we typically eat at multiple pizzerias every time we visit Las Vegas.

Where to Satisfy Your Pizza Craving in Las Vegas
00 Pie & Pub, Evel Pie, Good Pie, Monzú Italian Oven + Bar, Pizza Rock, Pop Up Pizza, Settebello, Solamente Pizza and Yukon Pizza

There are loads of burger options in Las Vegas. You can eat a vegetarian or vegan burger in Las Vegas if that’s how you roll. Otherwise, the better option is to eat a juicy hamburger that’s made with beef at a variety of restaurants both on and off the Strip.

If you’re looking for a wallet-friendly burger, American fast food faves In-N-Out Burger and Whataburger should do the trick. However, Bar Code Burgers and Fuku Burgers are better choices if you want to eat interesting burgers with roots in Sin City.

Where to Eat Banging Burgers in Las Vegas
Bar Code Burgers, Fuku Burger, In-N-Out Burger and Whataburger

Brunch is arguably the best meal of the day in Las Vegas whether you’re looking for a hangover cure or simply want to start your day with puffy pancakes, wonderful waffles or French toast. However, we don’t recommend limiting yourself to those traditional dishes during your visit.

Some of our favorite Las Vegas brunch dishes include Chinese dim sum, Hawaiian loco moco, Mexican breakfast burritos and Australian avocado egg toast. And, as is the case when we’re in NYC, we’re keen on eating bagels and lox in Vegas, too.

Where to Eat a Beautiful Brunch in Las Vegas
Check out our brunch guide for a comprehensive list.

Despite its landlocked desert location and thanks to refrigeration, Las Vegas has access to excellent seafood that goes well beyond shrimp cocktails. Yes, shrimp cocktails are iconic in Vegas, but they’re simply not the only seafood to eat during your visit.

Las Vegas is a great city for oysters whether you prefer to eat them freshly shucked or casino-style, i.e., baked with bacon and butter. It’s also a great city for seafood gumbo, seafood soup and seafood pasta as well as crab legs, crab cakes and lobster rolls.

Where to Eat Satisfying Seafood in Las Vegas
Emeril’s New Orleans Fish House, Luke’s Lobster, Ocean Prime, Other Mama, Oyster Bar and Water Grill

Las Vegas’ Asian food scene is nothing short of extraordinary despite a distance between Asia and Las Vegas that exceeds 7,000 miles. That distance is reason enough to make the diversity of Asian offerings impressive. However, it’s the quality of the city’s Asian food that’s truly remarkable.

Much of the best Asian food is found at restaurants in strip malls sprinkled along Spring Mountain Road. While that neighborhood, known as Chinatown, sports great Asian options, excellent new Asian restaurants are popping up all over town. Food options include dim sum, khao soi, Korean BBQ, pho, ramen, samosas, soup dumplings and sushi. In other words, it’s entirely possible to eat your way around Asia without getting jet lag.

Where to Eat Extraordinary Asian Food in Las Vegas
China Mama, District One Kitchen & Bar, Ichiza, Izakaya Go, Kaiseki Yuzu, Lotus of Siam, Mott 32, Rainbow Kitchen, Raku, ShangHai Taste and Xiao Long Dumplings

Las Vegas has topless bars, but surprisingly, it also has tapas bars. Yes, just like many French chefs have set up shop around the city, Spanish chefs are making their mark here too.

The best Las Vegas tapas bars serve elevated small plates both on and off the Strip. You can eat Barcelona classics like canelón in béchamel as well as tapas dishes that hail from southern Spain. You can also order ample plates of Ibérico jamón. It all pairs wonderfully with wine.

Where to Eat Tasty Tapas in Las Vegas
Anima by EDO, Firefly, Jaleo and Jamón Jamón

While the hamburger is technically a sandwich, it’s not the only sandwich worth eating in Las Vegas. The city has a variety of sandwich options that range from American classics like pastrami on rye to global favorites like Vietnam’s bánh mi.

Sure, you could easily grab a sandwich at a chain restaurant, but you can do that anywhere. The better option is to sit down at a local Las Vegas restaurant and eat a sandwich there. Add a soup or salad to your order if you’re feeling extra hungry.

Where to Open Wide for Sandwiches in Las Vegas
CRAFTkitchen, Honey Salt, Saginaw’s Delicatessen and Siegel’s Bagelmania

Las Vegas is nicknamed the ninth island due to its popularity among Hawaiians, many of whom have relocated to the land-locked city. Other Hawaiians simply visit the gambling mecca on vacation. Whether or not they actually gamble while in Las Vegas, they get credit for introducing Las Vegas residents to Hawaiian food.

There are now more than a dozen Las Vegas restaurants that serve dishes like poke, loco moco, musubi and spam-fried rice. Some fuse Hawaiian dishes with popular Asian dishes while others stay true to the original eight islands.

Where to Eat Hawaiian Food in Las Vegas
Aloha Specialties, Island Sushi and Grill and Poke Market

Tacos aren’t difficult to find in Las Vegas. You can find upscale tacos at ARIA and the Venetian. You can also find more affordable tacos at chain restaurants both on and off the Strip. The same goes for other Mexican dishes like burritos, enchiladas and aguachile.

But if you’re like us, sometimes you crave authentic Mexican food that’s not curated by a celebrity chef or served in a paper bag. Las Vegas has plenty of mid-range Mexican restaurants for those times. Some focus on regional dishes while others serve a range of familiar favorites. Most have tacos on the menu too.

Where to Eat Mexican Food in Las Vegas
BBQ Mexicana, La Casa De Juliette, China Poblano, Letty’s De Leticia’s Cocina, Nacho Daddy and Tacos El Gordo

America has several cities that excel at BBQ: Asheville, Austin, Kansas City and Memphis just to name a few. Las Vegas isn’t one of those cities, but it’s still possible to eat decent barbecue in Sin City.

You can eat smoked brisket and cornbread at Soulbelly BBQ along with a side of pimento cheese or mac & cheese. You can also eat barbecue at a restaurant that specializes in Hawaiian, Korean or Mexican food. The choice is yours.

Where to Eat Traditional Barbecue in Las Vegas
Soulbelly BBQ

Although Austrian bakers get credit for inventing the croissant centuries ago, the French are the ones who refined the pastry into a laminated sensation. And, while there’s nothing quite the same as nibbling croissants in Paris, it’s entirely possible to eat excellent croissants at several Las Vegas cafes.

Some of these cafes add almonds and chocolate to their croissants while others fill them with ham and cheese. Then there’s Dominique Ansel, which famously bakes a croissant-donut hybrid that happens to be the original cronut.

Where to Eat Flaky Croissants in Las Vegas
1228 Main, Bouchon Bakery, Cafe Breizh, Delices Gourmands French Bakery and Dominique Ansel

Las Vegas is a city that takes dessert as seriously as we do. Prime examples are the outstanding desserts we’ve eaten at restaurants like Cut and Ichiza as well as at the now closed Raku Sweets. We’ve also eaten great desserts at bakeries dedicated to baking sweet treats loaded with butter and sugar. Our best advice is to save room for dessert whether you crave a decadent American dessert, an exotic international dessert or something simpler like candy, ice cream or a donut.

Where to Eat Decadent Desserts in Las Vegas
Cafe Breizh, Dandelion Chocolate, Dominique Ansel, Gäbi Coffee & Bakery and Milk Bar

In Las Vegas, you’ll find stores dedicated to the two most popular American candies (Hershey and M&Ms) plus stores that sell a variety of candy flavors. Shopping at these stores is way more fun than buying chocolate bars at a drug store. But there’s an even better place to buy chocolate in Las Vegas: Ethel M. Chocolates.

You can buy chocolate at Ethel M. Chocolates after you take a tour at the candy company’s Henderson factory. Founded by Forrest Mars in 1981 and named after his mother, Ethel M. sells small-batch chocolates in a range of fun flavors. Our favorites are filled with liqueur.

Where to Buy Candy in Las Vegas
Ethel M, Hershey’s Chocolate World, I Love Sugar and M&M’s Las Vegas

Las Vegas ice cream shops serve traditional ice cream flavors in cups and on cones. They also serve modern flavors with ingredients like cake batter and honeycomb. Some shops go further by combining ice cream with donuts and brioche while others create epic sundaes and creamy milkshakes.

These shops are popular in Las Vegas all year round, but especially when the temperature is 90°F in the shade. And, since Las Vegas is a desert city, that happens more than 100 days each year.

Where to Cool Down with Ice Cream in Las Vegas
Cream Me Ice Creamery, Salt & Straw, Secret Creamery, Somisomi and Sorry Not Sorry Creamery

You don’t have to look hard to find donuts in Las Vegas. The city has more than a dozen shops that sell old-school donuts as well as donuts that double as decadent desserts. Some are cakey. Some are yeasty. Many are glazed while others are filled with jam. The best ones are practically impossible to resist.

Experiencing a donut dilemma with all the holey choices? If so, take a donut tour to find your favorite. You can do it yourself but you’ll need a car. Another option is to take a Doughnut Tour that stops at four Las Vegas donut shops including a local favorite (Pinkbox).

Where to Eat Donuts in Las Vegas
Carl’s Donuts, Dee’s Donuts, Donutique, Pinkbox Doughnuts, Saint Honoré Doughnuts, Wicked Donuts and Yonutz

Classic cocktails are currently on trend in Sin City but this is nothing new – people have been imbibing classic cocktails in Las Vegas since the city’s incorporation in 1911. Back then, prior to Prohibition, popular cocktails like the Gimlet and Aviation weren’t yet classic – the passage of time has given them that status.

Over the years, Vegas bartenders have served classic cocktails to a laundry list of mobsters and celebrities that includes Bugsy Siegel and Frank Sinatra. Today’s classic cocktail scene is more refined with some bars sporting special drink ‘programs’ crafted by expert mixologists.

Where to Sip Classic Cocktails in Las Vegas
Check out our guide to discover great Las Vegas bars located off the Strip.

Drinking tiki cocktails in the desert may seem incongruous and yet tiki bars are prolific in Las Vegas. Inspired by Polynesia and popularized at Don’s Beachcomber in Hollywood, tiki cocktails like the Mai Tai and Pina Colada are sweet and potent. And, when it comes to tiki cocktails, fruit wedges and paper umbrellas often provide the finishing touch.

We’ve imbibed tiki drinks at three bars – Frankie’s Tiki Room, Golden Tiki and Stray Pirate. Each was incredibly kitschy but with its own unique tiki spin. We’d go into more detail but you really need to experience these Vegas’ tiki bars to get the full picture.

Disclosure – Stray Pirate calls itself a pirate bar but still fits in the tiki category.

Where to Drink Tiki Cocktails in Las Vegas
Frankie’s Tiki Room, Glitter Gulch Tiki, Golden Monkey Tiki Lounge, Golden Tiki and Stray Pirate

You can spend a bundle on a bottle of wine at a Las Vegas restaurant and it will probably taste great with your food. Sometimes, however, sipping glasses of wine is the main event with cheese and charcuterie playing supporting roles.

To nobody’s surprise, Vegas has numerous bars that specialize in serving wine by both the bottle and the glass. Many of these wine bars source unique vintages both locally and from countries across the ocean and below the border. The best ones curate their bottles and will provide educated guidance based on your preference and mood.

Where to Sip Wonderful Wine in Las Vegas
Ada’s Food + Wine, Garagiste Wine Room | Merchant and Wineaux

Las Vegas was late to the craft beer party compared to cities like San Diego and Portland but the city is quickly catching up. Not only is craft beer now served at multiple bars e the Strip, but it’s also on available on draught at local spots like Downtown’s Atomic Liquors and Chinatown’s 595 Craft & Kitchen.

Some of that craft beer is brewed in Las Vegas’s Gateway District in an area that was dubbed ‘Brewery Row’ in 2023. At its launch, the row featured six breweries and two bars. You can explore them all by foot. You can also take a craft beer tour if you don’t want to drink alone.

Where to Drink Beer on Brewery Row in Las Vegas
Able Baker Brewing, Beer District Brewing, CraftHaus Brewery, Hop Nuts Brewing Downtown, Nevada Brew Works, Servezah Bottle Shop & Tap Room and The Silver Stamp

It wasn’t that long ago when Las Vegas was a desert for coffee drinkers who prefer cappuccinos and flat whites over basic brews and diner joes. Fast forward to today and the desert has blossomed with coffee shops in every neighborhood including the Strip.

While in our opinion, the quality of the coffee at these shops doesn’t yet match their quantity, these cafes provide an adequate refuge to coffee drinkers seeking a caffeine jolt. They’re also great spots for digital nomads looking to linger with their laptops.

Where to Drink Cappuccinos and Flat Whites in Las Vegas
Bad Owl Coffee Roasters, Bungalow Coffee Co., Dandelion Chocolate, Dig It! Coffee Co., The Coffee Class, Gäbi Coffee & Bakery, Makers & Finders, Mothership Coffee Roasters, PublicUs and Vesta Coffee Roasters

Buffets were a big part of Las Vegas’ past. Back in the 1940s, casinos used the ‘all you can eat’ buffet concept as a way to entice and retain gamblers. Those ‘chuck wagon’ meals were notable for their cheap prices (as low as a dollar) and variety of food. Over time, casinos upgraded their buffets both with lavish offerings like king crab legs and bottomless mimosas. They also raised their prices (often more than $50 plus tax and tip).

While we’ve eaten buffets at casinos like the Palm, the Rio and Wynn in the past, you couldn’t pay us to eat at a Las Vegas buffet today. But, hey, we get that experiencing one is a rite of passage. If you decide to try one, be sure to bring your stretchy pants and a well-funded credit card.

Where to Find Belly-Busting Buffets in Las Vegas
Casinos On and Off The Strip

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