Pricing Guide

Years ago, Las Vegas was known for the cheap buffet with one low price for "all-you-can-eat." They did keep the wolf from the door, but they were by no means memorable gastronomic events. The idea was to save money for the casino floor. While the buffet still hangs on, even in the swankier resorts, fine dining has, for quite some time now, become an important Las Vegas activity. Virtually every world-renowned restaurant group or chef-entrepreneur of any consequence or size now has some sort of presence in Las Vegas. Equally, the visitor can find just about any chain restaurant or fast food place in Vegas, too.

Price Guide

The "dollar sign" system of estimating the costs of restaurants, night clubs, shows and hotels is traditional, but often mysterious and very approximate. This is the key to the dollar sign symbols used in the restaurant summaries:

The dollar cost is per "entrée" (main course). If the menu is not prix fixe, but rather a la carte, add about 50% for sides, taxes and tip. Alcohol is not included.

Dollar Signs	Type	Price Range
	Fast food, cafes, and buffets.	$5 to $15 USD per person.
	Casual restaurants.	$15 to $25 USD per person.
	Fine dining.	$25 to $40 USD per person.
	Luxurious fine dining.	$40 to $80 USD per person.
	Crème de la crème.	Over $80 USD per person.

Reservations

If you are trying to be a careful vacation planner, you will identify as early as possible when and where you want to go dining. Reservations are required at the fine dining establishments. Even at other places, reservations are always an excel-lent idea, just to avoid disappointments. Many places "sell out," that is, there are no reservations to be had on short notice. Sometimes a concierge can help you out in these situations, if money is no problem, but the best tactic is to make reservations from home, as far in advance as you can.

Location

The whole city is dotted with restaurants. Start narrowing your range of choices by location: there's the Strip and "Restaurant Row" on Paradise Road. There's westward towards Summerlin, south towards Henderson and Boulder, East of town, Downtown, and also North Las Vegas. Choose an area first.

Style of Cuisine

Be a bit skeptical about descriptions. For example, "Italian" can mean pizza and pasta, or it can mean very sophisticated (and expensive) dining as well. Equally, "French" can be applied to Mediterranean seafood dishes as well as lamb dishes from the northwest. "American" is almost a meaningless term. In a case of doubt, check out the website (for the many restaurants that have them) and take a look at a sample menu. This will also help nail down the answer to the question of how expensive it is. (If the menu has no prices, assume $$$$$.)

Relationships to Hotels and Casinos

In many cities of the world, the absolute top restaurants are not found in hotels - they are free-standing, independent operations. While Las Vegas has many of these, like Alfredo's of Rome, some of the finest chefs also hold forth from inside the Hotels and Casinos. So do not be discouraged if the place is in a hotel. In all likelihood it is not "just a hotel restaurant."

Renown

Many world famous restaurants and chefs have opened places in Las Vegas, like Smith & Wolensky from New York, Morton's from Chicago, P.F. Chiang from San Francisco, and Alfredo's from Rome. Some visitors find this a special incentive, as if they want to "collect" all of the restaurants in their various locations by eating at each one. Others, well, prefer to see what is out there that is home-grown in Las Vegas. Neither option is a bad one, but you probably will want to think this through before the last minute.

Dress

Most fine dining restaurants try, courteously, to enforce a dress code. While it may be OK to wear shorts, sandals and a sleeveless top when lunching in between shopping outings, evenings really require putting on a bit of style. Some places will tolerate an under-dressed guest, but you will feel more comfortable and fit in better if you dress up a little. New Las Vegas fashion is "smart casual," meaning slacks and jacket for the men, but no tie, and for the women, a party dress or a stylish pants suit, blouse and real shoes. If kids are with you, and it's someplace "nice" to eat, be mindful that they, too should leave the baggy shorts, torn jeans, hoods, flip flops and t-shirts back in the room.