Best value resturants on the Las Vegas strip?

[iriee]

going to be in vegas this next week. in all your opinions what are the best value-quality restaurants on the strip. any options,,seafood,steakhouses,italian,french. thanks!

[lgott]

1. Bouchon for breakfast. It's not cheap, but it's so good it's still a good value.

2. To me, Bradley Ogden isn't worth it - unless they still offer the $29 three course meal at the bar. For that amount, I got the best hamburger around, a very good Caesar salad, and a reasonable dessert.

3. Daniel Boulud's $48 prix fixe dinner. There are restrictions on choices and on when it's available.

4. A pastry from Payard Patisserie or John-Philippe Patisserie - expensive for a pastry, but cheap for a meal.

[David Ross]

going to be in vegas this next week. in all your opinions what are the best value-quality restaurants on the strip. any options,,seafood,steakhouses,italian,french. thanks!

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Iriee-I appreciate the fact that you mentioned "value-quality" because that is an important point when it comes to offering dining suggestions in Las Vegas.

Far too often people associate "value" with meaning "cheap." It doesn't. "Value," as you suggest, can speak to quality.

For example, the Discovery menu at L'Atelier (Joel Robuchon), at the MGM is quite a "value" when you considered the "quality" of the ingredients-foie gras, quail, caviar and baby lamb, et at. It's priced at around $165 for nine courses, quite a "bargain" when you consider a similar menu without the fuss next door at Joel Robuchon would be $300 plus.

So I would suggest L'Atelier as the best value/quality French place if you don't mind sitting at the counter. The counter is actually a fun part of the experience at L'Atelier.

Igott is right about Bouchon, not cheap, but for around $30 or so, you'll experience a quality breakfast amidst the gardens and patio of the Venezia tower at The Venetian. Avoid it for dinner-it's fallen into the tourist trap, not so great Brasserie type of place.

I would second Igott on the recommendation of Boulud at The Wynn. The pre-theater dinner is three courses, albeit limited choices. The service and setting are quite nice.

I'm not the expert on Italian, but you may try the cafe out front of Valentino at The Venetian. It's often overlooked, yet the quality of the food is superb-and far less expensive than the formal dining room at the back of the house. Try the Penne Pasta with Wild Boar Ragu if it's on the menu.

For seafood, you may try RM Seafood at Mandalay Place. There is a nice cafe downstairs serving good quality grilled seafood at reasonable prices. The upstairs dining room is more expensive-and more creative. Three courses upstairs would run around $85 without wine or tip. Chef Moonen is always in the kitchen-an asset not always found at other "celebrity" chef restaurants in Las Vegas.

[rjwong]

iriee, since you visit Las Vegas as much as some of us Vegans (Las Vegans, that is), what restaurants were you thinking of? lgott & David Ross pretty much covered most of the places. I'm probably going to repeat. So, here it goes ...

Bouchon for breakfast. It's good for what it is. If you don't know your way around the Venetian, half the fun is finding the place, because Bouchon is not on the Venetian's Property Map (last time I checked) ...

Another option for breakfast is Payard Patisserie over at Caesar's. I think Payard still has the all-you-can-eat continental breakfast for about $16 (That was the price back in 2007). If you don't know your way around Caesar's, good luck, even with a map ...

Boulud has a $48 prix fixe dinner until 8:00 p.m.

L'Atelier is my best value fine dining meal in Las Vegas. David, the menu decouverte is now priced at $165?? I checked the MGM website and I noticed their Fall Tasting Menu is priced at $75 for five courses, including the cheese course & dessert.

I would have recommended Louis's Fish Camp way at the south end of the Strip (and a bit beyond), but it closed. Instead, let me recommend Sensi at the Bellagio. Chef Martin Heierling is European-trained and he knows the nuances of Asian cuisine.

Don't scoff, but the lunch buffets over at the Bellagio and Wynn Resort are really good. For about $25, you can have a very decent lunch with a lot of dishes to choose from.

Just off the Strip on Sahara Blvd. is Lotus of Siam for some Thai food. If you go there for lunch, order from the a la carte menu. Don't order the lunch buffet. Arguably one of the best Thai restaurants in the United States.

As for steakhouses, I can't think of any "value" steakhouses along the Strip. I just go, eat the steak & pay those Las Vegas Strip prices. You might want to try one of the local LV steakhouses either off-Strip or downtown, like Binion's (around $40, includes vegetables & potato). How much were you thinking of?

I hope this helps.

[Alex]

I would have recommended Louis's Fish Camp way at the south end of the Strip (and a bit beyond), but it closed.

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Do you know if the adjacent, more upscale, Louie's Las Vegas is still open?

[iriee]

thanks to all of you. rj,,there is no big price limit. its more what you get for the buck. im a chef at an upscale restaurant and i know what things cost. this is why i don't mind spending but some of the upscale restaurants prices are just too crazy. david,,,we are going to rm seafood one of the nights (i have connections with the chef so im really looking forward to that night. another night we have reservations at circo in the bellagio (anniversary) i just seen that strip steak in planet hollywood won best of las vegas. anyone been there??

[rjwong]

I would have recommended Louis's Fish Camp way at the south end of the Strip (and a bit beyond), but it closed.

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Do you know if the adjacent, more upscale, Louie's Las Vegas is still open?

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Yes, the upscale restaurant Louis's is still open. Mind you, I've never eaten there, just the late Fish Camp. They need to change their website a bit. Last I heard, chef Carlos Guia (formerly Commander's Palace) was working at Fish Camp and then moved on to SW Steakhouse at Wynn Resort before Fish Camp finally closed.