I am traveling with two people to Vegas. While I love to spend my money and time on food, my companions are the opposite. If I don't plan a bit, I am concerned we will be eating nachos every night at the closest bar. Does anyone have any suggestions for this diverse group? I am looking for good food but it can't be too terribly pretentious or expensive or I won't get my fun but non foodie friends to enter.

The cheesecake factory has good variety and would suit all tastes. It's middle of the road

At which hotel are you staying?

I could have written the original question! We are staying at a timeshare - Tahitian Gardens - on Las Vegas Blvd. I'm concerned that some of our group will want to eat at the condo or at McDonald's to save money. Suggestions for moderately-priced restaurants with great food would be appreciated. Italian, Southwestern, Mexican, American - I'm open to anything!

The casinos put out some of the best buffets. Why not try a search for those?

Not only do you not have to decide what kind of food ("Italian? Chinese? French?") but the buffets are opened for very long hours, so you can be certain of getting in at an hour convenient to most of your group.

Here's one list from USAToday:

http://travel.usatoday.com/destinati...vegas/177165/1

If you're interested, you can google "best Las Vegas buffet" and come up with even more choices.

When you get there - pick up the tourist magazines and they have coupons for places.

Also check out the booths along the Strip that have Tix4Less signs, and there is another company that does that too. Down by the Tahitian Gardens, I am not sure where they have one - but there is one just beyond the MGM - where the big coke bottle is - and a bit further up - before you get to the Harley Davidson place (Harmon St) - there is a little (Hawaiian themed) plaza - same side of the street - which has an outlet.

And down the Strip the other way from the Tahitian Gardens - the South Point Resort usually has some good deals on their menu, and they have good food.


You can also get deals on buffets if you check around - and just off the strip - on Trop I believe it is - The Orleans has a good lunch buffet that the locals even line up for.

And at the Hawaiian themed plaza - in front of the Polo Towers - just south of there is Fatburger - where a lot of locals also like to go. http://tinyurl.com/6prfkwl

Also - downtown in old Las Vegas - it's fun to see the huge lazer-roof display - the "Fremont Experience" - and they have some good dining deals there too. One place - toward the north end on the left side as you walk north - had a very good prime rib dinner for under $10 (with other selections)- and we were there to see a comdey show - so it was a bonus.

Also - there is a food court just north of MGM - close to the big coke bottle/M & M's place - and take the escelator to the 2nd floor and I like the Panda Express just fine, and they have other decent choices as well. And across the street - over at NY NY - you can get good slices of Pizza and other delights. That's also a fun place to ride their roller coaster, which takes some tight turns.

Two words.....HAPPY HOUR!

Some of the higher-end restaurants including The Palm, Roy's, Boa and others have joined the Happy Hour wagon. I think Happy Hour works well in Vegas because you often wake up late, have a big breakfast or a nice lunch, and then are hungry again around 5 or 6pm but not necessarily for a huge dinner.

If you seek out some of the higher-end happy hours, you can introduce your friends to some classy small plates at a good price, and you yourself can splurge and order something off the regular menu if you so desire. Unfortunately many of the happy hours run only Mon-Fri. But many places now offer a "bar menu" and if you don't mind eating in the bar area you can enjoy casual and less-expensive versions of good food.

"Happy Hour" certainly does not mean "nachos" anymore.

www.lvhhtime.com

Grand Lux cafe, the Palazzo hotel. A sister restaurant to the Cheesecake Factory.

http://www.grandluxcafe.com/menu.htm

Surely you can go to In-N-Out instead of McDonalds!

williamscb13: Surely you can go to In-N-Out instead of McDonalds!



Absolutely agree!

Arrive at the upstairs buffet at the Golden Nugget between 3 and 3:20 for a great buffet. If you arrive at 3:31 you will pay $7 more for the same meal. http://www.goldennugget.com/dining/buffet.asp
I enjoyed sitting at a table with a view of the swimming pool which surrounds a shark tank. There is a water slide which goes through the shark tank into the pool. The 62+ lb. nugget is cool

Thanks so much for all of the advice! We are staying at MGM. We will have a car since we are running the race at Hoover Dam. We will be there Wed - Monday so we can get in at least one happy hour - I absolutely love that idea. I have to admit, I typically don't go for buffets but maybe I can find one that is special and would have something for everyone as I know Vegas is the home of the buffets! Keep the ideas coming - dhack and I would love as many suggestions as possible!

Fiddely foo - lost another post when trying to retreive a web page. Anyhow - there are some primo buffets in Vegas now - such as the Wynn - but they have become a bit expensive ($40?) so that is why again suggest you check the various coupons/specials - and also - the good advice above. Years ago - we used to go to buffets more (at least once during the week we would stay there) and the Rio Seafood was hard to beat - but lately - not so much of chowing down at the buffets. However, one of our favorite buffets was at Paris - and if you went for a late breakfast - for the least expensive buffet of the day - you could linger until they switched to the lunch buffet and have some more choices. They had a great crepes - made to order - which for the whole breakfast buffet price - was only a bit more than the crepes they starting making across the hallway. And they have great desserts - as befits a French theme, non?

The Spice Market? buffet at the Planet Hollywood is also good - as are others - so it really depends on what price you want to pay/find a bargain, etc.

And the Happy Hour tip is also great. We also used to go to the Champagne Bar in Paris (since changed) - and they had live piano with a happy hour - serving freshly cut Roast Beef/ small sandwich - and a couple of good cheeses - so you could have an early repaste for free - and use the extra coin on good Champagne.

And if you shop around - I think a few places still have their late evening specials - when at say 11 PM - you can dine nicely for less.

BTW - hope you have a nice race down at Hoover dam - and on the way back - you might treat yourself to some great chocolate at the Etheyl M/Mars factory - which also has a great cactus garden to wonder, etc. During the Christmas Holidays - they light it up magnificently - and not sure what they do the rest of the year with it.

http://gocalifornia.about.com/cs/las...a/a/ethelm.htm

The MGM will have a number of restaurants that are good but unpretentious. Wolfgang Puck has a Bar and Grill that is more on the casual side where you can order anything from a wood fired pizza, salads,. pasta and fish and meat entrees. I've always had luck at Wolfgang Puck restaurants in Las Vegas.

Good luck in your race, have_to_research! Hope your weather is glorious.

Thanks to everyone for the suggestions! Love the happy hour idea. This is my favorite place for information, as I have gotten wonderful suggestions for restaurants and lodging no matter where I plan to visit.

Never been to the Paris buffet, but it might be worth a look. Will definitely go downtown one day and check into the Golden Nugget.

Fodorites are the best!

Thanks everyone! Will try the side trip after the race and love the Wolfgang Puck idea. There used to be one near my home that I liked but it closed down. You guys are the best thanks for responding!