With hundreds of excellent dining choices in Las Vegas, it’s easy to spend a lot of time researching where you will eat. Maybe you’re following a celebrity chef who recently opened a hot, new restaurant. You could be chasing old-school Vegas vibes and looking for stylish supper clubs. Or it could be the local approach you seek at some off-Strip hidden gems. Whatever your motivation is, where is only part of the equation. Once you’ve settled in with a menu, it’s time to consider what you’re going to order!

What are you in the mood for? Do you want something playful or do you want meticulous plate presentation? Something to share? A showy splurge to impress your date? Here’s a starter list of iconic highlights from some of the destination’s menus, the kind of dishes you’ll want to plan your culinary adventure around.

On Fire

Flambé dishes combine romance with drama. Lose yourself in the heat of these dishes that use flame as an essential ingredient.

Dinner comes with a show at Villa Azur when you order the Pâtes Flambées Dans Une Meule de Pecorino. If you don’t speak French, let us translate: This decadent pasta dish is prepared tableside in a 12-month-aged wheel of pecorino cheese that melts cheesy deliciousness with a little flame and some Martell VS cognac (that’s right, even more flambé made its way onto this list). It’s finished with a luscious mushroom sauce for a plate that you’re going to remember forever. If that doesn’t have you excited for the menu at this restaurant at The Palazzo at The Venetian Resort Las Vegas, we don’t know what will!

 

For a vintage Vegas feel, head to Scotch 80 Prime at Palms Casino Resort. It’s a classic steakhouse with modern appeal, and the seafood is just as impressive as the prime cuts. The Char-Broiled Seafood Platter includes the finest Maine lobster, king crab, Peruvian scallops, shrimp and oysters, flambéed in cognac and served with an herb butter sauce. Your server will set the platter aflame right in front of you; then you’ll feast on top-quality seafood.

The Jumbo Bone Marrow Flambé at SW Steakhouse is a hefty split shank finished in flame at your table, served with blackberry jam for a hit of sweet. Scoop the marrow and spread it on grilled sourdough bread for one truly decadent treat. The dining room at Wynn Las Vegas overlooks the Lake of Dreams, which features a production show that will captivate your attention (well, after the flames in front of you have faded).

One Perfect Plate

Fun or formal, sometimes you want that one perfect dish, the single selection that calls your name from the menu. Here are two memorable stand-alone suggestions that will exceed your expectations.

NoMad Las Vegas elevates the standard roast chicken to high art inside Park MGM Las Vegas at NoMad Library Restaurant. Foie gras, black truffle, chorizo mushrooms and a bed of saffron rice complete the preparation, with the bird roasted at the ideal temperature for ultimate tenderness and a crispy skin. When the white meat is cooked to perfection, the drumsticks are carved and finished separately. The results are elegantly plated, and the service is as elaborate as the preparation. Be patient and order an appetizer; the elaborate feast for two takes time to prepare.

Spectacular Salads

Craving the crunch of fresh vegetables or the citrusy spike of fresh fruit? These salads go beyond the melon ball, and far beyond the standard side salad.

Located in Downtown Las Vegas and downstairs at the Four Queens Hotel and Casino is Hugo’s Cellar, a cornerstone of the Vegas dining scene since 1973. The service is as classic as the menu and includes a traditional Caesar salad, assembled tableside. You decide what tops the fresh lettuce, with selections including tomato wedges, marinated artichokes, hearts of palm, shrimp, toasted croutons, blue cheese, chopped eggs, red onion, sliced mushrooms and roasted pine nuts. It’s all tossed in your choice of one of three house-made dressings, including a Caesar for the traditionalists out there.

Located right on the iconic Las Vegas Strip just north of Wynn Las Vegas, the Peppermill is a slice of Vegas history that appears in loads of movies and videos – likely because the showy retro interior is an irresistible setting. And the restaurant’s food presentation shines just as brightly. A fruit plate isn’t usually synonymous with excess, but the Peppermill’s Western Fruit Plate is an architectural construction of fresh fruit goodness and house-made banana bread, topped with a creamy marshmallow sauce. It’s breakfast, dessert and your daily serving of produce all in one.

Eat Social

There’s great pleasure in a table covered with plates you can share. Whether it’s oversized party platters or elegant options to pass around, a dish shared is an experience shared.

At Guy Fieri’s Flavortown Sports Kitchen at Horseshoe Las Vegas, the Trash Can Nachos are a fun, delicious mess, the perfect thing to order for the table. Imagine a pile of tortilla chips covered in nacho cheese and BBQ sauces, topped with house-smoked pork, pico de gallo, sour cream, pickled onion, beans, cilantro and jalapenos – all served in a trash-can-shaped container. The perfect sharable dish for your crew to tear apart.

Dim sum is a highlight at Genting Palace inside Resorts World Las Vegas—and while the delectable and sharable bites are often served during brunch hours, you can order them for dinner at this alluring restaurant serving authentic Chinese fare. Be sure to try the pork and shrimp siu mai, delicious dumplings that explode with flavor when you bite into the delicate steamed wonton wrappings.

Asian Inspired

Vegas has an outstanding array of international cuisine, with loads of options from China, Southeast Asia and the Pacific.

Lotus of Siam is known for gorgeous Northern Thai dishes. The Garlic Prawns are a must, with hand-battered giant prawns deep-fried and tossed in a tasty garlic sauce. With two locations, one in Red Rock Casino Spa Resort, this restaurant is for those seeking truly authentic Thai from James Beard Award-winning Chef – Saipin Chutima uses family recipes that go back generations.

Stir-fried and tossed with a Szechuan sesame and peanut sauce with ground pork or chicken, the DanDan Noodles from 8 East at Circa Resort & Casino showcase chef Dan Coughlin’s cutting-edge take on the cuisines of China, Japan, Vietnam and Thailand. You’ll dig into a bowl of perfectly cooked rice noodles and crunchy veggies, with just the right amount of spicy kick.

Plan Around the Plate

It's okay to build your trip around an only-in-Las-Vegas dish. Once you’ve figured out what that is – and yes, there can be more than one – it’s time to plan the rest of your getaway. Here’s a trip planning guide to help you decide what’s next on your Vegas agenda.

And if you’ve headed downtown to experience its unique Las Vegas restaurant scene, why not find out what else is happening in the vibrant and historic neighborhood. Shopping, zip-lining, The Neon Museum; those are just a few things to do you’ll find when you explore downtown.