Need Help with Restaurants in Las Vegas!
 

I will be going to Las Vegas for the first time in March and I am having the hardest time trying to find good restaurants that we can afford. I am looking for a good Chinese, Steakhouse or any other that are within the $25 per entree price. Does anyone have any suggestions?

Okay, I am probably going to get a lot of flack for my suggestion, but have you ever been to a Cheesecake Factory? My mom and I love it and eat there whenever we go to a city big enough to have one. It won't be a restaurant that is exclusive to Las Vegas because it's a chain, but if you've never been to one it may suit your budget. The menu is so extensive that it will accomodate a desire for any type of cuisine and it's got the larger-than-life thing happening that is very Vegas. We also ate the buffet at Luxor (Pharoah's something) but I didn't like the food nearly as much and it was way more expensive.

Another suggestion is to check around online or when you get there for a half-price coupon to someplace like the Rio.

If you think Cheesecake Factory is hideous, sorry, and disregard.

Thanks for the response! I have eaten at the Cheesecake Factory and have enjoyed it. I would like to find restaurants that are not a chain and are exclusive to Las Vegas.

The Steakhouse at Circus Circus consistently gets good reviews. Try www.cheapovegas.com and see if anywhere else has steak specials. The Ellis Island casino (easy walk behind Bally's) usually has really good steak special. So does Barbary Coast...

Chinese is more difficult. The one in the Imperial Palace is NOT good! PF Chang's fits your price range, but it is a chain.

Thanks for the website information!

On my last trip I had a fantastic steak meal at Ballys steakhouse. My DW also had a good steak meal at Paris. In past trips we have had a very good meal at Binions on Freemont. I have also tried Gallaghers at NYNY and while good, i thought it was overpriced for what we got.

I would go back to Ballys in a minute for an affordable steakhouse (but not necessarily cheap).

I have a couple of suggestions for off-Strip restaurants. These may be reached by a free shuttle or by taxi. One of the best Thai restaurants in the country is Lotus of Siam in the Commercial Center shoping center on Sahara Avenue.

Little Buddha is an upscale Asian restaurant located in the Palms. A shuttle is currently available from Barbary Coast to the Gold Coast and then walk across the street. The shuttle may originate other than Barbary Coast in March do a change in the ownership. Restaurant.com offers a $25 gift certificate.

The aforementioned Gold Coast has two excellent restaurants that will meet your needs. Ping Pang Pong is a Chinese restaurant with the same ownership as the Royal Star which was formerly in the Venetian. The restaurant recently began offering dim sum betweeen 11AM-3PM daily at very affordable prices. For affordable steak, I would suggest the Cortez Room in the Gold Coast.

In the Orleans, same shuttle as Gold Coast, there is Prime Rib Loft that offers excellent value.

If you are willing to take the Deuce (bus) downtown, you have many dining options including Redwood Bar & Grill in the California. It is open Friday-Tuesday from 5:30PM. A porterhoue $17.99 special is offered that includes a choice of salad or bowl of soup, potato or rice, vegetable of the day and dessert...apple dumpling in a cinnamon raisin sauce.

try mon ami gabi at paris. great for lunch and dinner. try olives at bellagio. the flatbreads are HUGE and so wonderfully gourmet and delish. you don't want to miss those flatbreads. very traditonal "pizza" to italy. try il fornaio in ny ny. great italian. good prices. go to the dueling piano bar with mom afterwards. maggianos at the fashion show mall. good italian. you can eat well for under $100 in vegas. check out these menus. i am a food snob. you can't go wrong with these places. good sushi? japonaise at mirage. a little more $$. good luck, have fun and the bellagio dinner buffet is unreal. top to bottom excellent.

I would second the suggestion for Lotus of Siam, a truly great Thai restaurant, and they have a cheap lunch buffet, too. There is also a great Cuban restaurant called The Florida Cafe, that's in a Howard Johnsons between the strip and downtown. And speaking of The Orleans, I really enjoyed their mexican restaurant. The Ellis Island steak special is good, and they supposedly have good BBQ as well.
Along with cheapovegas, which you have to try, tripadvisor also has tons of real people reviews of every restaurant in Vegas.
And if I may make one suggestion, although they are pricey by buffet standards (around 30 dollars, I think), the Bellagio and Wynn buffets are fantastic, and worth the price, IMHO.

Thanks for all of the information. I really do appreciate it!

Caesar's Palace has a very good Chinese restaurant called Empress Court. It is expensive but there are a number of entrees in the $25 range and the food is excellent as is the atmosphere.

Steakhouses are a little tougher in the $25 range. In fact, I can't think of any that would fit the bill.

You didn't mention Italian, but there are a lot of options in the $25 range on the strip. Off the top of my head, I would suggest Canelleto, which is either in the Forum Shops or the Canal Shoppes - can't remember right now. Also, Al Dente in Bally's is good.

If I had to spend a little more for a steakhouse, which ones would people suggest? I am willing to spend more than $25 per entree but not a whole lot more.

There aren't any true, authentic Chinese restaurants on the Strip. You would have to go to Chinatown, or to one of the MANY Chinese restaurants spread out around the city. PF Chang comes close, but there are way better places. If you want to stay on the Strip, that might be your best bet.

Lotus of Siam is good, but I wouldn't say it's the best Thai food. It caters mostly to tourists. For about the same price and bigger portions, go to the Original Thai BBQ.
www.originalthaibbq.com

Downtown is probably you best bet in your price range. Check out Main Street Station, The Cal, the Plaza and maybe Binions for steak.

For Italian, try Carluccio's Tivoli Gardens. You need a car to get there. Excellent Italian food.

I am not sure what the prices are because it has been several years since I have eaten there, but you may want to check out The Range steakhouse at Harrahs. I remember that I thought the food was very good as was the atmosphere. A lot of the hotel websites have menus that you can print out with selections and prices.

We've had good meals for an affordable price at the Lux Cafe located in the Venetian. They have a varied menu. I've also heard that the Hard Rock
24/7 Cafe has a steak & shrimp special for around $7.95, but it's not on the menu - you have to ask for it. (Some sort of advertising experiment?)
We've enjoyed meals at various LV
restaurants with various price ranges -
half the fun is trying new ones! I'm sure you'll be able to find good meals whatever your price range!

I have had great steak at Mon Ami Gabi at Paris on the strip. Entrees though are $25 - 40.


B-)

NB