LVGuide

The Hit List: New Las Vegas Restaurants To Try Right Now

A ridiculously good sushi takeout spot, a secret lounge, and more places on and off the Strip you need to know about.
The Hit List: New Las Vegas Restaurants To Try Right Now image

Whether you consider Las Vegas to be kitschy or glamorous, almost 40 million visitors check into one of the city’s megaresorts every year to let their alter egos loose at the blockbuster concerts, turbo-charged nightclubs, and over-the-top restaurants that double as theaters.

And while Vegas is a place where you can still find some Rat Pack-era institutions, there are so many new places where both broke college students and corporate card-wielding execs alike can find their happy place.

So if you’re looking for the most current spots to celebrate that promotion or your type-A friend’s bachelor party, look no further. This list includes some of our favorite new places where you’ll find exciting tasting menus, a food court overflowing with hand rolls and pastrami sandwiches, and a steakhouse with a tableside martini cart.

THE SPOTS


Spanish

Summerlin

$$$$Perfect For:Small PlatesQuiet MealsDate NightGluten-Free OptionsVegansDrinking Good Wine
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Spain and Italy have a lot in common: they both think they make the best wine, they both think they make the best ham, and they both think they make the best olive oil. You can try all of the above at this date night spot that takes its name from the word for “soul” in both languages. It’s located on the ground floor of an office building off the Strip where, inside, you’ll find hanging displays of jamón above a case filled with prosciutto and other imported charcuterie. 

They also have a great raw bar of fresh oysters, scallop crudo served in its shell, and cured tuna sashimi, but it’s the entrees we can’t stop thinking about: there’s oven-roasted celery root in calamansi brown butter and truffle cavatelli with smoky Spanish sausage that gets pumped up by rich bone marrow. There are separate menus for vegetarians, vegans, and gluten-free folks, so it’s also a great spot for people with food restrictions.


If you need an escape from the constant dinging of slot machines, then stop by this Italian restaurant at the recently renovated Sahara Hotel. The best seats are by the enormous, twinkling olive trees near the windows with a view of the Strip—this is where you should start your meal with a spritz or negroni before exploring the mostly Italian wine list.

The burrata served with grilled focaccia is a must, and we’ve had a brussels sprouts salad with pear, squash, and pancetta vinaigrette that could convert any brussels hater. The rigatoni with scampi and bone-in ribeye are solid, but the antipasti are where the ingredients and flavors really shine. Everything on the menu is shareable, making it perfect for double dates or groups who want to linger.


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There’s no lack of expensive steakhouses on the Strip, but this dimly-lit Resorts World restaurant manages to stand out among the testosterone-loaded, bachelor party staples. The atmosphere hits the sweet spot between being fancy without being uptight for an unstuffy adults-night-out, and the super attentive waitstaff makes every person feel like they have a residency at one of the resorts.

Although it will set you back roughly $32, do not pass up the tableside martini cart that comes with five different varieties of vodkas and gin served by somebody who, at this point, has probably been featured in hundreds of TikToks.

As far as food goes, the lobster en croute is a headliner, but if you really want to go big, share a juicy, 42-ounce wagyu tomahawk steak for the table. Before it arrives, your server will show everybody a selection of knives to choose from, adding to the whole glitzy (and designed for social media) experience. End a warm summer night with a drink on the outdoor patio, and soak in the view.


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It’s true that most of the hottest new restaurants in Vegas are sit-down spots that require serious deliberation on what to wear. So for the times when you just don’t feel like getting dressed up but still want to dine like royalty, this takeout-only sushi spot puts out high-quality fish that you can eat on the hood of your rental car.

The chef and co-owner was one of the first women sushi chefs on the Strip, but she recently left Wynn’s Japanese restaurant Mizumi to debut this off-the-Strip outpost that makes you feel like you have your own personal sushi chef on call.

The fish is sourced mostly from Japan, and your go-to order should be The Treasure Box: a colorful assortment of melt-in-your-mouth toro, Hokkaido uni, hamachi, and briny ikura on top of sushi rice. It costs $80 but can feed two people and will make going back to grocery store sushi extremely hard—especially if you order the freshly grated Japanese wasabi root.


Located in a strip mall in Henderson, Korean spot Kang’s Kitchen is filled with plenty of leather banquettes perfect for a casual meal with your family or a significant other. Although the delicious $48-per-person, all-you-can-eat BBQ option will satisfy your meat cravings with tender prime cuts of beef, pork, chicken, seafood, and a table full of banchan, make room for the a la carte dishes that flex the restaurant’s Korean roots. We’re still dreaming about the steamed mandu filled with a juicy blend of pork, herbs, and vegetables, and the ugeoji galbi tang is in a league of its own—the meat falls off the bone and comes in a flavorful, spicy orange broth. 


Lotus of Siam is a Vegas institution, and their newest location has an enormous carved wooden door, more than 200 hanging lanterns, and plenty of plants and bamboo accents in their airy Summerlin space. Basically, this is just an awesome place to eat garlic shell-on prawns, savory khao soi, and crispy duck served on top of a red curry that you’ll want to put on everything. Most of the dishes are made to share, so it’s best for a big group or a post-conference team dinner. Book a table in advance, since prime time slots are usually snatched by hotel guests at Red Rock Resort, where the restaurant is located, and the neighbors from down the street.


When you need a quick bite, this counter-service Israeli spot that’s pretty close to the Palazzo’s casino floor is ideal for solo diners and convention-goers who are in-between meetings. They’ve got a folded cheeseburger pita and a branzino- and potato-filled fish and chips option, but it’s the out-of-the-pita vegetable dishes that deserve most of your attention. Go for the slightly charred whole-roasted baby cauliflower and the bag of green beans drizzled with olive oil, lemon, salt, and garlic. Make no mistake, though: we love the pillowy-soft pita, but we prefer to eat it separately with a scoop of the imported tahini or the restaurant’s self-proclaimed (and true) “best hummus plate that you will ever eat.


This family-run, premium all-you-can-eat Korean barbecue spot occupies a prime location in Chinatown (and our hearts). The mascot statues, upbeat pop music, brightly-colored cartoon murals, and neon accents on the wall sort of feel like you’re stepping into an arcade (sans video games), so this is where you should bring your rowdiest friends. The premium AYCE dinner menu is $49 per person, and includes cuts like wagyu beef tongue, short ribs, filet mignon, fresh-cut ribeye, pork jowl, seafood, and more banchan than you could wish for. Come to celebrate a birthday, and be prepared to see your face projected on the flatscreens all over the room.


When your friend wants a burger and you’re craving ramen, head straight to the newest food hall on the Strip for lunch or dinner. You’ll find popular spots from around the world, like Judy Joo’s Seoul Bird out of London, Wexler’s Deli out of Los Angeles, Portland’s Shalom Y’all, and New York’s Egghead—all of these places operating for the first time outside of their hometowns. We often find ourselves eating sustainably-caught sushi and hand rolls at Temaki Bar, a favorite from Encinitas, California. If you’re there in the evening, pay special attention to the traffic in front of Easy Donuts, where a secret, cabaret lounge that serves caviar and creative cocktails is hidden just past the cash register.


Though it’s really more of an outdoor shopping center, Shanghai Plaza is home to some of the best Asian food in Las Vegas. Whether you explore by yourself or with a friend, the two-story strip mall offers a great capsule collection to spare you from walking aimlessly all over Chinatown—especially in the 100-plus-degree summer. 

What we recommend above all else are the dessert shops—we wish we could eat the fluffy bingsoo topped with fresh fruit from Sul & Beans every day. If you don’t decide to skip straight to dessert, check out the Korean street food at JMT and CrunCheese, the soup dumplings at ShangHai Taste, and the marble taro bread at 85c Bakery. The Hainanese chicken at the Malaysian restaurant Banana Leaf also deserves a mention, since the cold dish makes for a refreshing meal after wading in a lukewarm pool with the sweaty masses at the day club.


Spiedini Fiamma is a place where fun comes in the form of endless rounds of Limoncello martinis and eavesdropping on couples who are planning their wedding rehearsal dinners. The menu at this new Italian restaurant serves all the familiar staples—chicken parmesan, braised short rib, meatballs, pizzas, and pastas—and you can’t really go wrong with anything. The shades of blue and curved velvet banquettes make it feel casual with a coastal vibe that’s nice but not too fancy. It’s a great space for small events, especially on the wraparound patio that’s surrounded by waterfalls, greenery, and koi ponds that make it very easy to forget that you’re in a casino off the Strip.


Walk into Wakuda and you'll find that the glowing lanterns and neon lights immediately set the tone for a fancy lunch or a high-energy night out (no matter how sluggish you might still be feeling from the past evening). Sure, you’ll find some of the freshest sushi in town, with king salmon from New Zealand that’s topped with a pinch of yuzu kosho, but Wakuda is more than just a glamorous sushi bar. The grilled meats, such as the $175, 10-ounce Tasmanian washu ribeye are also worth the splurge. If you want to totally ball out—and chances are you might, since you’re in Vegas—consider the $500 per person omakase that’s served in a secret dining room. And no matter how full you may be, always say yes to the miso soft serve.


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