Vegas Restaurants

With the World Series of Poker right around the corner, I figured I’d write about a topic relating to it. One of the most frequent questions I get from friends coming to Vegas from out of town for the Series is, where’s a good restaurant that’s away from the hustle and bustle of the Strip? So, I’ve put together a list of some of my favorite restaurants that are west of the Strip.

My favorite food of all time is sushi. It used to be in Vegas that the only place to get good, fresh sushi was at Hamada of Japan. While Hamada is still there and very good, there now are lots of places that get fresh fish daily. Here are my three favorites:

Naked Fish: 3945 So. Durango; open until 2 a.m. Try the baked sea bass (it’s not sushi, I know, but it’s so good).

Sushi Fever: 7985 W. Sahara. This place is always packed, so you know it’s the nuts. Get the spicy garlic sashimi, and the Gail special (a spicy tuna roll topped off with fresh tuna and drowned in spicy garlic sauce … to die for!).

Tower Sushi: 4145 So. Grand Canyon Dr. One of the owners of Sushi Fever split off and started this place, so the menus are very similar. If you like soft-shell crab, try the Dale Earnhardt. My dad’s favorite is called Just for the Halibut, and it’s packed with its namesake, along with that spicy garlic sauce.

My next-favorite food is probably Mexican. That’s not a big surprise, as I went to high school in El Paso, Texas. I’ve eaten at the first place on my list ever since I was like 4 years old, and it has many locations. This one is my favorite.

Macayo Vegas: 8245 W. Sahara. Get the tostada del mundo or tostada of the world. It’s big, and contains everything south of the border. You can really have a good time in this place.

Super Mex: 6450 So. Duranago. Open 24 hours, great food, and they free-pour the vodka … enough said.

About half of my friends are Italian, so they take me to the best Italian places. I can’t name them all, but here are a few:

Martorano Cafe: Inside the Rio Hotel and Casino. My buddy Steve Martorano brings Italian to Vegas, south-Philly style. He flies his bread in daily from the East Coast. Get the Philly cheesesteak and the meatballs; the whole menu is great, but these are the best I’ve ever had.

Amore Taste of Chicago: 3945 So. Durango. I’ve often asked for extra garlic and dared the chef to drench it, always to no avail. Amore is the first restaurant I’ve ever been to that uses enough garlic. Try the BBQ chicken pizza or the chicken picata; both are unreal. And if that’s not enough, the owner stakes Sam Grizzle in high-limit games, so give this guy some business!

Giuseppe’s Bar and Grill: 6065 So. Durango. Again, this is my kind of place, open 24 hours with great drinks. Try the antipasto pizza. Yum.

Thai food has really taken off in the U.S. in the past 15 years or so. I usually eat it a few times a week. The first place on my list has been in Vegas for a while, and has a great reputation. I believe that it currently has three locations; here are two:

Archie’s: 6345 So. Rainbow and 6015 Fort Apache. The whole menu is great, but the beef larb and beef salad stand out.

Panna: 6015 Fort Apache, in the Pine Shopping Center. This place is spacious, nice, and quiet, and has a great staff. Try the chicken curry or ginger fish.

Benjarong: 7425 So. Durango. This is a new place with great Tom Yum Goong soup and traditional Pad Thai. It has the cutest Thai girls I’ve ever seen working there, so expect to run into Barry Greenstein while you’re there.

Vietnamese food has yet to get a real foothold in the American cuisine market. That’s only because most Americans haven’t tried it yet. If you’ve read my tweets, you know this line that I use: If JFK and LBJ had ever eaten Pho, they wouldn’t have been so quick to bomb Vietnam. There are lots of Vietnamese places on Spring Mountain Road, but I’m not that familiar with which are up to par. So, here’s one that’s tried-and-true:

Bamboo Bistro: 7537 So. Rainbow. Try the beef Pho and beef ribs. The sandwiches are also great! This place has the Scotty Nguyen “Baby” stamp of approval.

If you’re in the mood for some collard greens and oxtail, the best soul food in Vegas can be found at:

M&M Cafe: 3923 W. Charleston. It is not located in the nicest area of Las Vegas, nor is it the nicest place in Vegas. In fact, the last time that we were there, I thought I was about to get killed. As we were leaving, some giant, rough-looking guys started yelling at me from across the restaurant. It took me a minute to realize that they were asking when my next tournament was. The food is unbeatable, and the servers are fast and friendly. Plus, there’s free cornbread pancakes!

Many people already know about the great Indian restaurant, Gaylord, in the Rio Hotel and Casino. Another one is:

Mantra Masala: 8530 W. Warm Springs Road. The tandoori chicken with mint sauce can’t be beat.

Quite a few good barbecue joints opened in Vegas a few years ago. Unfortunately, the recession put many of them out of business before they had much of a chance. However, these are still around:

Famous Dave’s: 9695 W. Flamingo. Of course, the ribs are great, but I also like the BBQ brisket salad.

Blue Fire BBQ: 4275 So. Durango. Memphis meets Armenia. How they decided to mix Southern BBQ with all the sides and Armenian with traditional Russian-style foods is beyond me, but it definitely works. Plus, the giant blue chandelier looks like a UFO is landing on top of the bar.

I’ve saved the best for last — steak.

Lawry’s: 4043 Howard Hughes Parkway. You don’t even order in this place. They come around with a carving cart, and you tell them how big a cut you want. The sides are also on the cart. It’s fast and delicious.

Nine Steak House: Inside the Palms Casino. This is currently my favorite restaurant. Chef Barry Dakake, my buddy, is a culinary genius. Wolfgang Puck should follow Barry around on his knees and beg for his knowledge. The rest of the staff is great, too, and best of all, they’re all poker players. Start with the chilled shellfish platter; then, the bone-in filet, lobster mash, and cook your own s’mores for dessert. Then, you can die.

Actually, wait! Don’t die yet. You have to wait for the best, which is yet to open. Todd’s Tavern, located on the corner of Sunset and Teneya, will blow all of these other places away! ♠

Todd Brunson has been a professional poker player for more than 20 years. While primarily a cash-game player, he still has managed to win 18 major tournaments, for more than $3.5 million. He has won one bracelet and cashed 25 times at the World Series of Poker. You can play with Todd online at DoylesRoom.com or live at his tournament, The Todd Brunson Montana Poker Challenge, in Bigfork, Montana. Check his website, ToddBrunson.com, for details.