Explore Part 1 — Restaurants 1–50
Explore the first half of the Las Vegas Review-Journal’s Top 100 Restaurants for 2026. Discover neighborhood favorites and standout dining destinations, with reviews, photos, and locations to help plan your next meal.
Reviews by Johnathan L. Wright, Las Vegas Review-Journal / Neon. Original feature.
Able Baker Brewing Company
Photo: The interior of the brewpub (rjmagazine).
Bars | Downtown
Almost any given evening, especially during nice weather, crowds spill onto the terrace at Able Baker, which takes its name from the first two atomic bombs detonated at the Nevada Test Site in the 1950s. Many folks are drinking Atomic Duck, a lightly malty IPA that celebrates the only animal (according to brewery lore) to survive the detonations. Able Baker features a continually updated tap list and beers sold to go. Arts District Kitchen inside the brewery provides the food pairings, including signature lemongrass, honey and soy-glazed pork banh mi with a gust of cilantro.
1510 S. Main St., Suite 120, Las Vegas, NV 89104
Ada's
Photo: Hamachi crudo with verjus, radish and with jalapeño foam (Benjamin Hager).
American | Downtown
The restaurant moved last year from Tivoli Village to downtown, next door to its sibling, Esther's Kitchen. The move proved to be just the right fit for the restaurant, always creative and innovative in the downtown manner. Chef Jackson Stamper micro-planes mojama, a dry-cured tuna, to season the classic combination of asparagus and hollandaise. Burrata and local early tomatoes hum with mezcal vinaigrette. Hamachi crudo gets kicky with verjus, radish and with jalapeño foam. Duck rests in a pool of consommé made with five-day, umami-bomb distilled soy sauce.
1130 S. Casino Center Blvd., Suite 110, Las Vegas, NV 89104
Alebrijes by Chef Paco
Photo: Chef Paco Cortes (Alebrijes by Chef Paco).
Mexican and Latin American | Downtown
Longtime Vegas chef Paco Cortes' restaurant is named for vibrantly colored sculptures of mythical creatures from Mexican folklore. For pozole, slow-cooked pork and chewy, creamy hominy swim in a savory broth; a crunchy salad of lettuce, radish and onion and hits of smoky arbol chile sauce finish the soup. Achiote paste lends color and a subtle smokiness to cochinita pork tacos punched up with pickled onions, lime and habanero salsa. Duck confit carnitas blend France and Mexico to create rich tenderness.
450 Fremont St., Suite 310, Las Vegas, NV 89101
Amador Cocina Fina
Photo: Hokkaido scallop sashimi (Bronson Loftin).
Spanish | Spring Valley
Chef Oscar Amador's passion project unfurls behind a modest Chinatown storefront once occupied by his EDO Tapas & Wine. But the menu is anything but modest. You'll never look at chips and salsa the same way after tasting his “destroyed” chips in a spoon with gelatinized salsa and earthy-airy truffle spuma. Fresh and savory Hokkaido scallop sashimi harnesses kombu and aguachile. Dry-aged branzino touches down in vibrant Thai marinade. A trio of tartlets is topped with horchata ice cream, like rice pudding with a chill.
3400 S. Jones Blvd., Suite 11A, Las Vegas, NV 89146
Amari Italian Kitchen & Wine Shop
Photo: Lumache Bolognese (Liv Paggiarino/rjmagazine).
Italian | Southwest
Chef Nicole Brisson recently returned to lead the restaurant (while still helming Brezza and Bar Zazu in Resorts World). You can already taste the difference. A salad of beautifully tender poached octopus (the chef is an octopus whisperer) and potato is dressed with a bright anchovy vinaigrette. Lumache Bolognese (affectionately called Nicolognese) features pork, veal and beef ragù. Marsala beef cheek ravioli are perfectly textured and deeply flavored. With a ribeye for two, a ristretto meat sauce is cooked down to concentrate the essential body and flavors.
6825 Tom Rodriguez St., Suite 100, Las Vegas, NV 89113
Amata Modern Thai
Photo: Crisp prawn rolls (Amata Modern Thai).
Asian and Pacific Island | Spring Valley
Pinyo Saewu, former executive chef of Hakkasan, departed the big-name Strip restaurant in late 2025 to open Amata, where he reimagines Thai classics with refined flavors and presentations. Prawn rolls arrive in shaggy coats of crisp fried noodles backed by housemade spicy plum sauce. Duck braises for eight hours, then is fried twice, for a Panang curry elegantly dotted with edible flowers. A dramatically plated khao soi features a trench of bone marrow rising from a rich curry of northern Thai spices, noodles, and beef short ribs braised for eight hours.
5597 S. Rainbow Blvd., Suite 110, Las Vegas, NV 89118
Anima by EDO
Photo: Pani puri with payoyo cheese stuffing and striploin carpaccio (Benjamin Hager).
Spanish | Southwest
Since its debut in 2022, this restaurant (from chef Oscar Amador and his business partners) has become one of the leading dining destinations in Vegas. Locals leave their neighborhoods (and visitors leave the Strip) for a frequently changing menu that laces together the cooking of Barcelona with international forays. Garlic confit and lovage pesto (like celery with oomph) make cauliflower distinctive. Pani puri are stuffed with payoyo cheese and draped with striploin carpaccio: crisp, creamy, salty. Arugula with a tart calamansi vinaigrette brightens salmon a la plancha.
9205 W. Russell Road, Suite 185, Las Vegas, NV 89148
Aqua Bar & Lounge
Photo: Caviar service (Aqua Bar & Lounge).
International | Strip | Resorts World Las Vegas
Aqua, led by Michelin-starred chef Shaun Hergatt, quietly and expertly goes about its mission of showcasing luxuries from the water. The caviar service is tightly focused: buttery briny pops of Kaluga and Osetra, plus golden and special reserve versions of each, served with traditional accoutrements. This is caviar treated respectfully, not as ill-considered ostentation like too many Vegas restaurants. The warm spiciness of ginger vinaigrette balances the richness of bluefin toro. Mini Maine lobster rolls arrive creamy on toasted brioche — you won't want to stop grazing.
3000 Las Vegas Blvd. South, Las Vegas, NV 89109
Azzurra Cucina Italiana
Photo: Paella-style seafood risotto (Benjamin Hager).
Italian | Henderson
At this abundantly charming neighborhood restaurant with an equally charming terrace, chef Alessandra Madeira sends out the penne alla vodka of the year: ideally al dente pasta, a roasty and savory tomato sauce, small chunks of tomato adding textural interest (and slipping inside the tubes). A trio of pork, veal and beef meatballs, firm but yielding, are robed in marinara and a flourish of basil oil. Sausage, shrimp, clams, mussels and calamari populate a heap of paella-style risotto, with bits of risotto and plump, sweet seafood nestling in some of the shells.
322 S. Water St., Henderson, NV 89015
Bajamar Seafood & Tacos
Photo: An exterior mural (Benjamin Hager).
Mexican and Latin American | Downtown
Surfboards and images of octopuses, plus shades of sea green, summon the requisite beachy vibe (with an edge) for this restaurant serving Baja-style seafood. The gobernador taco wraps sautéed shrimp in a melty blanket of mozzarella. A trio of tostadas pile clean-tasting ahi ceviche done three ways: black ahi style with sesame oil and spicy soy sauce; a K38 with soy, sesame, vegetables and the bite of serrano chiles; and Mulegé, named after a Baja town, with guacamole, sesame, spicy soy and mayo, and crisp onion strings.
1615 Las Vegas Blvd. South, Las Vegas, NV 89104
Bar Boheme
Photo: Terrine of foie gras with strawberry and pistachio cream (Benjamin Hager).
French | Downtown
The current Bar Boheme approach — looking at classic French dishes with a modern eye — delivers the most compelling food since the restaurant opened in April 2025. Chef Sean O'Hara oversees the program in exemplary fashion, sending out Brillat-Savarin agnolotti taking a dip in warm mushroom consommé, light yet substantial. Crème fraîche tops a slender foie gras terrine with strawberry and pistachio cream. Arancini rillettes surprisingly accompany La Belle Farms duck a l'orange whispering with orange flower water.
1401 S. Main St., Las Vegas, NV 89104
Bites of Europe
Photo: Beef and pork pelmeni (Benjamin Hager).
International | Northwest
Chef Bulat Nasybulin, who was raised in Ukraine and Russia, and chef Ellen Doren, who was born in Ukraine and raised in Russia, own Bites of Europe, which offers a menu that ranges across the continent. For must-try grenki, dark dense strips of pumpernickel are fried, coated in garlic and dipped in aïoli. Plump beef and pork pelmeni feature stripes of sour cream, a whoosh of dill and a side of smoky adjika red pepper paste to counter all the mellowness. Beef Stroganoff is classically rendered with egg noodles, braised beef, and rich mushroom and sour cream sauce.
10040 W. Cheyenne Ave., Suite 150, Las Vegas, NV 89129
Boa Steakhouse
Photo: Ahi with coconut milk and lime cream (Benjamin Hager).
Steakhouses | Strip | The Venetian
Welcome back, Boa. Last fall, more than a dozen years after it had closed in the Forum Shops at Caesars, this L.A. institution with a (very Vegas) social sexiness returned with a new outpost in the Grand Canal Shoppes at The Venetian. The stylish dining room features patterned black walnut finishes and a ceiling composed of sectioned felt. Ahi takes a Thai turn with dots of coconut milk and lime cream. Goat cheese baklava with black truffle — crashy, tangy, earthy — also stars among the starters. A bone-in ribeye dry aged for 15 days, a classic silhouette, is nicely tailored.
3327 Las Vegas Blvd. South, Las Vegas, NV 89109
Bourbon Steak
Photo: Smoke show ribeye (Benjamin Hager).
Steakhouses | Strip | Four Seasons
If Bourbon Steak served nothing but the smoke show tomahawk, the restaurant would still be worth a visit. And what a show it is — a 40-ounce tomahawk ribeye is mesquite grilled, smoked in hay, then unveiled at the table, where it's flambéed in bourbon and sliced. Black truffle macaroni gratinée and a creamed spinach pastry with béchamel and Comté cheese, nutty and lightly sweet, prove worthy assistants to the marquee performer. Maine lobster pot pie, a Bourbon Steak classic, swaddles lobster meat, potatoes and seasonal vegetables in lobster-brandy emulsion.
3960 Las Vegas Blvd. South, Las Vegas, NV 89119
Braseria by EDO
Photo: Chef Tayden Poha-Ellamar (Benjamin Hager).
French | Central
Braseria is the latest restaurant from EDO Hospitality Group of Anima by EDO fame. Braseria infuses French bistro dishes with Spanish, Italian and Asian flavors. Cappelletti pasta “hats” are stuffed with Comté, Gruyère and Parmesan, set in a broth of charred onions cooked down, and topped with a Parmesan tuile broken to soak up the broth. The dish is Braseria's version of French onion soup. Beef tartare employs silky filet mignon trim and Casa Santoña anchovies from Spain. For Thermidor, lobster meat is mixed with a béchamel made using miso and lobster jus.
3900 Paradise Road, Suite Z, Las Vegas, NV 89169
Butcher & Thief
Photo: Looking toward the kitchen of the restaurant (Benjamin Hager).
Steakhouses | Southwest
When chef Cory Harwell opened Butcher & Thief last fall in a southwest neighborhood, he set for himself an admirable goal: offer approachably priced steaks even with beef prices at record highs. He has achieved that goal by offering traditional cuts alongside less-familiar chops like a tender and marbled zabuton (Denver steak). Prices range from about $38 for the flat iron to about $64 for the A5 wagyu tri-tip, far less than you'd pay on the Strip. Harwell has a sense of humor, too. His Junk Food Platter convenes rotating snacks like cheesy popcorn and house Ho Hos.
8670 W. Sunset Road, Las Vegas, NV 89148
Cafe Breizh
Photo: Croissants (Liv Paggiarino).
French | West
Chef Pierre Gatel, former executive pastry chef of Wynn Las Vegas, co-founded Cafe Breizh in 2016 as a tribute to the pastry traditions of the founders' French heritage. Breizh is the name for Brittany in the Breton dialect. The cafe is justly acclaimed for its croissants: airy, buttery, with that quintessential crisp flake. The croissants are offered traditionally, as superb pain au chocolat or almond versions, and in savory dishes like an addictive ham and cheese croissant enclosing ham, Gruyère and rich, creamy béchamel. Kouign amann, the classic Breton pastry, also shines.
3555 S. Fort Apache Road, Suite 141, Las Vegas, NV 89147
Calabash African Kitchen
Photo: Spread of Senegambian dishes (L.E. Baskow/rjmagazine).
International | Spring Valley
Chef Oulay Ceesay Fisher launched Calabash in early 2023 to celebrate the cooking of her native Senegambia on the coast of West Africa. Since then, the restaurant has become a Vegas mainstay. Jollof rice simmers jasmine rice and vegetables in a roasty tomato sauce that hums with the heat of a habanero and ginger condiment. Mafe-domoda, a soulful peanut stew made using almost-scorched habaneros and onions, touches down with white rice, sticky-spongy foufou (boiled cassava dough) or a heap of fonio (a tiny African heritage grain) playing foil.
1750 S. Rainbow Blvd., Suite 8, Las Vegas, NV 89146
Cantina Contramar
Photo: Seafood coctel vuelve a la vida (Benjamin Hager).
Mexican and Latin American | Strip | Fontainebleau Las Vegas
Chef Gabriela Cámara launched this spot as the sibling of Contramar, her Mexico City flagship famed for its freshly caught seafood. A seafood coctel vuelve a la vida is so bright and lively that its name — “come back to life” — does not overstate the taste experience. A tuna tostada de atún sports a creamy undercoat of chipotle mayonnaise. A fried masa round is troweled with Osetra caviar and crowned by a fat quenelle of crème fraîche. Signature whole grilled snapper is painted, yin and yang style, with fresh green parsley rub on one half and salty red adobo paste on the other.
2777 Las Vegas Blvd. South, Las Vegas, NV 89109
Carson Kitchen
Photo: Devil’s eggs with pancetta and caviar (Benjamin Hager).
American | Downtown
At Carson Kitchen, chef Cory Harwell takes a whimsical approach to American comfort food that still produces dishes with serious culinary cred and grazeability. Spread his whisper-crisp tempura green beans with pepper jelly cream cheese. Devil's eggs are deviled but also wickedly addictive, with a ziggurat of pancetta-studded filling rising to a caviar crown. Harwell presents his take on chicharrones de pollo with crisp chicken skins. Cubes of luscious, fatty pork belly are dunked in buffalo beurre blanc. Fruitcake buckle nods, in a chef's way, to Betty Crocker.
124 S. Sixth St., Suite 100, Las Vegas, NV 89101
Casa de Raku
Photo: Flambéed octopus (Chase Stevens/rjmagazine).
Spanish | Chinatown
This sibling of the other two Raku restaurants in Vegas, from chef and James Beard Award finalist Mitsuo Endo, draws on carefully sourced ingredients to create Spanish tapas with touches of Japan. Break open an onsen egg and spoon the rich yolk over patatas bravas flurried with shaved manchego. Wagyu meatloaf stuffs a section of baguette. Jamón Ibérico tops a mille-feuille stacking crisp strata of potato. However it's prepared, octopus excels. Raventós i Blanc De la Finca, from one of the top sparkling wine houses in Spain, pairs beautifully with almost anything on the menu.
5040 Spring Mountain Road, Suite 3, Las Vegas, NV 89146
Casa di Amore
Photo: Salmon with white beans (rjmagazine).
Italian | East
Casa di Amore pays homage to vintage Vegas supper clubs, with brick, low lighting, dark wood, leather booths, images of old-school Strip casinos, live music performed from the dining room stage and a menu of Italian-American standards. A pile of calamari is nicely fried. Jumbo shrimp in spicy marinara arrive atop a snarl of linguine. Eggplant Parmigiana? Properly substantial but not heavy or soggy. If it's offered, order the salmon special with white beans in a savory cream sauce — rustic yet elegant.
2850 E. Tropicana Ave., Las Vegas, NV 89121
Casa Playa
Photo: Chef Sarah Thompson (Benjamin Hager).
Mexican and Latin American | Strip | Wynn Las Vegas
Chef Sarah Thompson won the 2026 James Beard Award for Best Chef: Southwest for her coastal Mexican food that is bold and lusty, nuanced and layered, combining respect for tradition with modern ingredients and flavors. The masa in a squash tamal employs coconut oil instead of lard for lightness and fluffy texture. Serrano chile-Thai basil mole tops the tamal. Tilefish is crisped in hot oil to lift the scales, then garnished with oxalis (wood sorrel) and lacy cilantro flowers. Wagyu short rib suadero is prepared sous vide, seared to crisp the exterior and backed by tomatillo salsa.
3131 Las Vegas Blvd. South, Las Vegas, NV 89109
Chaska
Photo: Vegetable balls Manchurian royale (Benjamin Hager).
Indian | Southwest
When speaking of food, “chaska” in Hindi means a fondness for certain dishes or a craving for a taste experience. The menu proves the restaurant is aptly named. Golden vada pav presents crisp, spiced potato patties nestled between soft buns, like sliders; spread this classic Mumbai street food with mint-tamarind chutney. Vegetable balls in sweet, spicy, tangy gravy compose vegetarian Manchurian royale, created by 19th century Chinese immigrants to India. Chettinad goat curry delivers the bold heat and spices (balanced by yogurt and coconut paste) of south India.
7686 Las Vegas Blvd. South, Suite 150, Las Vegas, NV
Chyna Club
Photo: Kung pao dayboat scallops (Benjamin Hager).
Asian and Pacific Island | Strip | Fontainebleau Las Vegas
This restaurant ranks among the most elegant in Vegas, with illuminated panels inspired by traditional Chinese scrolls rising behind the back bar, one bright fern-filled dining area that nods to classic conservatories, and a library with plush red seating surrounded by book-lined walls. Michelin-starred chef Richard Chen sends out sumptuous Peking duck, crisp of skin and succulent of flesh. Mild, sweet dayboat scallops set off the bold spiciness of Sichuan kung pao. Italy and Asia unite in braised veal osso buco with creamy glutinous rice, daikon broth and star anise.
2777 Las Vegas Blvd. South, Las Vegas, NV 89109
Delmonico Steakhouse
Photo: Apple-cured kurobuta pork bacon (Benjamin Hager).
Steakhouses | Strip | The Venetian
Here's some ribeye to chew on: In May, Delmonico celebrated 27 years at The Venetian, its debut coinciding with the opening of the property. Year after year, the restaurant goes about its business with quiet excellence. Even after almost three decades, this spot from celebrated chef Emeril Lagasse feels at the top of its game. As in a tender, deeply flavored, 20-ounce Prime-grade ribeye dry aged in-house. Or apple-cured kurobuta pork bacon glossed with sweet-savory Abita Root Beer glaze. Luscious banana cream pie will tempt you to have a second slice.
3355 Las Vegas Blvd. South, Las Vegas, NV 89109
Don's Prime
Photo: The bar at the restaurant (Connie Zhou).
Steakhouses | Strip | Fontainebleau Las Vegas
Let us belay the beef for a moment to address the seasonal risotto at Don's Prime — ideally textured, studded with sweet spring peas, deepened by earthy black truffle. An herb salad balances the richness of roasted bone marrow with a truffle-Parmesan crust; swipe it across toasted sourdough. Prime-grade cuts of beef — tender, generously marbled, robustly flavored — from famed purveyor Pat LaFrieda are presented tableside on a cutting board. Don's Prime is also one of the most attractive steakhouses in Vegas, a profusion of leather, marble and glass.
2777 Las Vegas Blvd. South, Las Vegas, NV 89109
é by José Andrés
Photo: Uni and Osetra caviar tortillita (José Andrés Group).
Spanish | Strip | The Cosmopolitan
Vegas loves exclusivity; é puts the e in the word: a hidden private dining room, two seatings a night with only nine seats at each, 20 to 25 avant-garde courses designed by one of the world's most accomplished chefs. Consider this bauble: a tortillita fashioned from uni cracker, crème fraîche, Hokkaido uni, royal Osetra caviar, micro tarragon and star blossom. A golden ticket, fittingly, admits diners to the éxtraordinary.
3708 Las Vegas Blvd. South, Las Vegas, NV 89109
Ellie's Chinese Restaurant
Photo: Rice rolls with XO sauce (Liv Paggiarino).
Asian and Pacific Island | Chinatown
This family-owned spot mainly serves Cantonese food, with occasional detours to other Chinese traditions. Start with the lightly baked barbecued pork buns: a soft, gently flaky exterior sheltering a cache of savory filling. The buns feel more like pastry than typical versions. Stir-fried rice rolls luxuriate in the smoky umami of XO sauce. Rich, savory boiled beef buzzes with the numbing, tingling ma-la heat of Sichuan peppercorn. A signature dish features a dome of crisp fried rice noodles that is sliced open to reveal a stir-fry of noodles, proteins and vegetables.
5740 Spring Mountain Road, Las Vegas, NV 89146
Esther's Kitchen
Photo: Chef-owner James Trees (Benjamin Hager).
Italian | Downtown
When chef James Trees opened Esther's Kitchen in downtown Vegas in January 2018, skepticism ensued. The area was still dicey at times; how would this fine dining restaurant do? The answer: It flourished, with Esther's becoming a leader among independent restaurants and, for many, the face of Vegas dining in and beyond the city. Esther's enters the Hall of Fame in recognition of its groundbreaking role.
1131 S. Main St., Las Vegas, NV 89104
Ferraro's Ristorante
Photo: Salmon marechiaro (Gaby Duong).
Italian | South
For more than 40 years, Ferraro's has showcased family recipes that incorporate a modern spin on tradition. That longevity alone would merit consideration for the Hall of Fame. But through the decades, Ferraro's has maintained its quality — witness Gambero Rosso, the respected Italian food and wine authority, twice naming Ferraro's in recent years as one of the world's best Italian restaurants outside of Italy.
4480 Paradise Road, Las Vegas, NV 89169
Friendly Donut House
Photo: Selection of doughnuts (rjmagazine).
American | Henderson
Find your style and stick with it. Friendly Donut House reflects this timeless truth — its doughnuts don't need rococo toppings or “couture” stylings or social media stardom. They are simply delicious, and they await behind an exceedingly modest storefront with pink boxes stacked next to the case. A half-dozen friendlies won't completely survive the drive home, especially a perfect glazed specimen: airy, springy with a gently crisp exterior. Lick your fingers. Cake doughnuts are properly substantial without being too dense. Apple fritters are ready for your coffee.
856 S. Boulder Highway, Henderson, NV 89015
Garagiste Wine Room & Merchant
Photo: Champagne Hervieux-Dumez Hilde Brut Rosé (Kristen Di Chiara/rjmagazine)
Bars | Downtown
Small is mighty at this downtown mainstay that showcases releases from small-production wineries and regions around the globe. The frequently changing list offers a bracing ecumenicism: crisp, lemony aligoté white from France, pinot grigios from Italy that actually have character, a mineraly Pflüger German pinot noir, Faust for fans of lush Napa Valley cabs. If you love bubbles, the choices range from Champagne to greater Europe to the New World. Garagiste, more than any other wine bar, has changed the way Vegas drinks wine.
197 E. California Ave., Suite 140, Las Vegas, NV 89104
Giada
Photo: Scallops in Parmesan risotto (Liv Paggiarino).
Italian | Strip | The Vanderpump Hotel
The restaurant, at the newly rechristened Vanderpump Hotel, sits above the crossroads of the Strip at Flamingo Road. In the evening especially, jumbo neon signs flicker and glow. It feels so very Vegas in the best way. For signature lemon spaghetti, pasta strands are twirled about a large kitchen fork to form a cone that's gently plated, with shrimp, drizzles of lemony sauce and a shower of garnishes completing this culinary architecture. Plump scallops nestle in Parmesan risotto. Bacon-wrapped dates, pancetta arancini and other nibbles stock a tower of Giada's favorite bites.
3595 Las Vegas Blvd. South, Las Vegas, NV 89109
Golden Boy Market & Deli
Photo: Beef sandwich with au poivre aïoli, cheddar, pickled onions and potato sticks (Liv Paggiarino).
American | Henderson
Scott Arn and Ramtin Yashar left the grind of downtown fine dining to open Golden Boy, drawing on chef techniques and culinary understanding to craft the menu. Some of their sandwich art: a chicken Caesar with confited chicken breast, on-trend stretchy stracciatella for a Caprese with basil pesto, and a beef stack with au poivre aïoli, onions, and potato sticks out the side. Aiding the sandwich assembly, like high-end scaffolding, are ingredients such as Bridor breads, Kewpie mayonnaise, house vinaigrette, pomegranate molasses and house chili crisp.
10960 S. Eastern Ave., Suite 103, Henderson, NV 89052
Golden Steer Steakhouse
Photo: The Rat Pack booth (Benjamin Hager).
Steakhouses | Central
In January, Golden Steer took its Rat Pack-era swing and wet-aged ribeyes to the Big Apple, opening an outpost on the ground floor of a famed Lower Fifth Avenue building, a space that has housed restaurants for decades. Just two years shy of its 70th birthday, this Vegas institution proves it still has moves to make.
308 W. Sahara Ave., Las Vegas, NV 89102
Grinds 2 Da Max
Photo: Kalua pork nachos (rjmagazine).
Asian and Pacific Island | West
It hardly needs repeating: Vegas has long been known as the Ninth Island because of all the people living here of Hawaiian descent or with ties to the Islands. Grinds 2 Da Max — grinds is Hawaiian slang for “food” — has true island cred, starting as a food truck on Oahu in 2016. Grinds does the standards right: fried noodles scattered with minced kamaboko, the pink-edged lightly sweet fish cake; chicken katsu with spicy sauce and wasabi aïoli; and tender kalua pig (as a plate, in lumpia, in nachos). Feeling a steak? There's a teppanyaki New York with potent Japanese mustard
6825 W. Russell Road, Suite 135, Las Vegas, NV 89118
Gritz Cafe
Photo: The interior of the restaurant (rjmagazine).
American | Central
“Y'all Come Back Now!” unfurls above the exit from the cafe, and for almost 20 years, people have been doing just that at this soul and Southern restaurant founded on the Historic Westside by Trina Jiles, the first Black woman firefighter in Clark County. Peach cobbler waffles (a genius move), deftly fried catfish with a waffle, and wings with soulful sides (collard greens, candied yams, mac and cheese, cornbread) help fuel the repeat business. So do chicken fried steak with thick country gravy and DIY bowls uniting grits, choice of protein (try: fried shrimp) and about a dozen toppings.
1911 Stella Lake St., Las Vegas, NV 89106
Guerrilla Pizza
Photo: An interior mural (Benjamin Hager).
Italian | Downtown
The pizzeria began in 2019 with pizzaiolo Robby Cunningham giving away free pies through an Instagram handle. In December 2025, Guerrilla Pizza found its permanent home in a ground-floor space at a downtown condominium. Cunningham, a Detroit native, specializes in the deep-dish pizza of his hometown: oiled crisp bottom, crisp-chewy cornice, cheese spread to the edges, two wide stripes of sauce, all baked in a glazed metal pan. The build-your-own rectangles offer a host of toppings, including banana peppers, curled pepperoni and hot Hungarian sausage.
900 Las Vegas Blvd. South, Suite 120, Las Vegas, NV 89101
Gymkhana
Photo: The interior of the restaurant (Benjamin Hager).
Indian | Strip | Aria
The Strip needed a top-drawer Indian restaurant; Gymkhana filled the void. Stunningly. The restaurant arrived from London bearing two Michelin stars and a design, based on upper-class Indian social clubs, harnessing rich leathers, dark woods, jewel tones and patterns, and animal and botanical images in gilt frames. Lacy, crisp pappadums await dipping in umami-hit Goan prawn chutney and other condiments. Goan lobster curry is rich with coconut milk, roasty with spices. Venison biryani joins with aromatic saffron rice. Sumptuous punches are served tableside for eight.
3730 Las Vegas Blvd. South, Las Vegas, NV 89158
Hearthstone Kitchen & Cellar
Photo: Bucket of fried chicken with buttermilk biscuits, coleslaw, honey butter and house sauces (Benjamin Hager).
American | West | Red Rock Resort
In late January, Hearthstone returned to the space it had occupied for almost a decade before closing in 2023. Regulars had long called for the reopening of this quintessential neighborhood spot; Station Casinos listened. A yellowfin tuna pizza is fresh and savory, with a thin, delicate crust. A signature bucket of fried chicken, in original or hot honey, arrives with buttermilk biscuits, coleslaw, honey butter and housemade sauces. Drag tender, buffalo-style lollipop chicken wings through house blue cheese dressing
11011 W. Charleston Blvd., Las Vegas, NV 89135
High Steaks Vegas
Photo: Black Forest Piecaken (Benjamin Hager).
Steakhouses | Central | Rio
When word emerged that chef James Trees was launching a steakhouse in the Rio, Vegas restaurant watchers wondered what this champion of independent restaurants was doing. Turns out, the chef had long wanted to open a steakhouse, and the space was dramatic, atop the Masquerade Tower at the property. Smoked Jidori fried chicken receives a lift from fried sage, Calabrian chili honey and gravy. The tomahawk steak weighs in at a bruising 40 ounces. Cherry pie nestles inside chocolate cheesecake for Black Forest Piecaken, an old-time desert meets onetime internet trend.
3700 W. Flamingo Road, Las Vegas, NV 89103
Honey Salt
Photo: Jidori chicken with charred pea tendrils and goat cheese dumplings (Anastasiia Gaines).
American | West
When Elizabeth Blau and her husband, chef Kim Canteenwalla, opened Honey Salt almost 15 years ago, they helped lead the new trend of culinary professionals with Strip or restaurant group experience going entrepreneurial and opening fine dining spots in Vegas neighborhoods. The restaurant still feels fresh. Pulled verde chicken pozole with tomato and radish is substantial enough for lunch (with a side of herbed fries). Cast iron Jidori chicken, a Honey Salt standard, takes on charred pea tendrils and goat cheese dumplings. Dessert means stone fruit galette.
1031 S. Rampart Blvd., Las Vegas, NV 89145
Jipata
Photo: Clockwise from left, spicy Thai street spaghetti, goi nuan Isaan-style steak tartare and yum gai saab fried chicken with larb herbs and spices (Liv Paggiarino).
Asian and Pacific Island | Chinatown
When the James Beard semifinalists were announced in late January, the nominees included Bank Atcharawan, a familiar local sommelier and restaurateur. But Jipata, his Thai restaurant and wine bar where he earned his nod, was less familiar, having quietly opened in 2025. Spicy Thai street spaghetti tangles with stir-fried shrimp, bacon, chili and basil. Butterfly pea lends a lilac hue to the wrappers of chor muang ground chicken dumplings that are shaped into roses. Jipata also has moments that are not strictly Thai, like smoked brisket enlivened with tingly Sichuan peppercorns.
3460 Arville St., Suite 7, Las Vegas, NV 89102
Joël Robuchon
Photo: Frog leg fritters swaddled in kataifi shredded phyllo (Chase Stevens).
French | Strip | MGM Grand
The late Robuchon, named the greatest chef of the 20th century by the Gault Millau food guide, opened his eponymous restaurant in 2005, setting standards for culinary precision and refinement in Vegas, providing rigorous training to a generation of local chefs and helping the city to expand its presence as a global dining destination. A 20th anniversary dinner last year showed Robuchon still sending out some of the most exquisite food anywhere.
3799 Las Vegas Blvd. South, Las Vegas, NV 89109
Kaiseki Yuzu
Photo: Hassun course from a kaiseki meal (K.M. Cannon/rjmagazine).
Asian and Pacific Island | Chinatown
Diners sit down to a long wooden counter, crafted by hand and slightly irregular, for menus that embody the Japanese tradition of kaiseki: a progression of seasonal, artfully crafted, gorgeously plated dishes that balance taste, texture and flavor with preparation and cooking techniques. The menus, at three price tiers, change monthly, with courses like fatty, buttery o-toro and other fish from Japan, say, or steamed halibut wrapped around scallops, delicacy meets depth. Kaiseki Yuzu also offers sushi omakase. Whatever the menu, the cooking is clean, precise and exhilarating.
3900 Spring Mountain Road, Suite A5, Las Vegas, NV 89102
Krok Thai Food
Photo: Dino rib Panang curry, left, and ground chicken larb (Liv Paggiarino).
Asian and Pacific Island | Chinatown
At Krok, executive chef Tidsanu Kanchitanurak — often shortened to chef T.K. — harnesses his experience in luxury hotels and Michelin-starred restaurants to create modern Thai dishes that update tradition. Consider the ground chicken larb classically outfitted with toasted rice powder, cilantro, basil and lime. Unlike so much larb, the citrus does not maul this version, resulting in a more nuanced dish. Dino rib Panang curry features a prehistoric beef rib, luscious and charred tableside, rising from a lake of curry set with a spray of avocado.
4355 Spring Mountain Road, Suite 107, Las Vegas, NV 89102
La Cave Food and Wine Hideaway
Photo: The garden room of the restaurant (Jeff Green).
American | Strip | Wynn Las Vegas
La Cave, known for its top-flight wine list and tray-passed brunch inspired by dim sum, affords views from the main dining room of the Wynn pool and gardens and the always-morphing Sphere. In the garden room, soaring glass doors lead to a terrace overlooking the pool and gardens. Both spaces provide a stylish backdrop for La Cave's modern American cooking, like tomato flatbread that exceeds all expectations for flatbread, crab ricotta ravioli sharpened by arugula and lemon butter, and Moroccan chicken skewers with naan to wrap and pull the meat from the pin.
3131 Las Vegas Blvd. South, Las Vegas, NV 89109
La Strega
Photo: Dishes from the Everyone Is Italian on Sunday experience (La Strega).
Italian | Summerlin
Chef-partner Gina Marinelli's travels in Italy continue to inspire her modern, strongly seasonal approach to Italian cooking. Bread merits separate service — say, rotating styles of focaccia. Swipe the bread with artisan burrata or a puff of whipped mascarpone butter. Stracci — irregular torn sheets of pasta — are tossed with braised beef cheeks, the edges trapping the sauce. La Strega brings people together with Everyone is Italian on Sunday, a family-style dinner with dishes like polpettini tiny beef meatballs and a 3-pound whole-roasted branzino with pungent puttanesca.
3555 S. Town Center Drive, Suite 105, Las Vegas, NV 89135
Le Cirque
Photo: Colorado lamb (L.E. Baskow).
French | Strip | Bellagio
After almost 28 years at Bellagio, Le Cirque is closing following service on Aug. 23, sending out its final tasting menus that celebrate a modern approach to classic French cooking, and ending a storied chapter in Vegas restaurant history. The original Le Cirque opened in 1974 in New York City, and since 2017, when the New York restaurant closed, Le Cirque Bellagio has been the last location of the brand.
3600 Las Vegas Blvd. South, Las Vegas, NV 89109
