Sushi and Steaks in Vegas

[Tim Dolan]

Heading to Vegas in Janurary for a bachelor party. I haven't been to Vegas in 5 years but I know that it will look totally different since then. For what I've read, there was a huge influx of high-end restuarants with world famous chefs. We won't be interested in any of those classy French places, we're just looking for great steaks, and personally I'll be looking for great sushi. I'll be reading through the other threads as much as I can, but figured that I would post specifically for these two types of dining. Only requirement would be to keep everything below $200pp for each dinner. I know you can pay as high as the stars in Vegas, but we'd like to keep things comparatively reasonable but still eat very well.

As far as sushi goes, the only thing I've seen so far after a very quick search was about Nobu. I think I'd like to stay away from there as from what I've read, it seems that it is the place with the greatest possibility of offering an average meal with an expensive price tag. Feel free to let me know if I'm correct in this assumption!

[Lisa Shock]

As a vegetarian, I normally wouldn't bother replying to a thread like this, but, my husband and I had a great meal at Shibuya in the MGM Grand. We were there in November, and the sushi chef made us a great winter vegetable roll with steamed cabbage instead of Nori. We also had a warm mushroom salad and some veggie sushi. It was well made and thoughtfully presented. They have a large selection of sake and shochu. I enjoyed a cocktail made of shochu and yuzu juice. My husband drank tea, and said that it was very good. (we have been to Japan, so, we have some basis for comparison) The environment is high-end modern Japanese. At the time we visited, the place was packed, loud and energetic -like a Tokyo place.

HERE is a link to the website.

[Marlene]

For steaks, my favourite place is Delmonico's. It's a must for us anytime we are in Vegas.

[Lisa Shock]

I forgot to mention that Shibuya had great desserts! They were trios on long plates, each just a couple of great bites. I'd go back just to get dessert.

[Hoshe]

I agree with Marlene's Delmonico recommendation. Very consistent and solid traditional steakhouse fair with good execution - I would recommend asking for no "Essence" on the steaks (I believe they season all their cuts with it) unless you want a blackened-flavored steak. Delmonico was always my go-to for steak in Vegas.

I currently think CUT at the Palazzo is turning out the best overall steakhouse experience. Very creative and refined takes on appetizers and sides and the steak quality is great. I sorto of view cut as an evolution of the product you get at Delmonico - very well executed, just a bit more interesting. I'd stick with the domestic beef and steer clear of the Kobe - overpriced and underqualitied relative to what's available at other high end restaurants IMHO.

As far as sushi goes, I've yet to find a place that I like in Vegas. I've done most/all the hotel Japanese restaurants of note and they're fine, but not exceptional. Honestly, the best raw seafood I've had has been at the high end places (Savoy, Robuchon, Trotter, Alex). I think Shibuya or Yellowtail have the best quality fish and you may want to try RM Seafood (though not Japanese they do have a sushi/sashimi/maki menu). Relative to what you can get in any major city (especially NYC, LA and even Boston) - and cost-wise that's what you're paying in Vegas - the sushi is definitely lacking. In the Aria set to open 12/10/09 they're opening an outpost of Bar Masa - this will undoubtedly be painfully overpriced but if his NYC restaurant Masa is any indication of the fish quality, they should be serving top notch fish.

Hope this helps. Have fun in January.

[sct4a]

Just got back from vegas and stayed at the encore. There is a place in the encore called wazuzu which has absolutly fantastic sushi. I would also highly recommend getting the chicken drunken noodles super super good. One of the best places I ate at in vegas.

[David Ross]

I agree with Marlene's Delmonico recommendation. Very consistent and solid traditional steakhouse fair with good execution - I would recommend asking for no "Essence" on the steaks (I believe they season all their cuts with it) unless you want a blackened-flavored steak. Delmonico was always my go-to for steak in Vegas.

I currently think CUT at the Palazzo is turning out the best overall steakhouse experience. Very creative and refined takes on appetizers and sides and the steak quality is great. I sorto of view cut as an evolution of the product you get at Delmonico - very well executed, just a bit more interesting. I'd stick with the domestic beef and steer clear of the Kobe - overpriced and underqualitied relative to what's available at other high end restaurants IMHO.

As far as sushi goes, I've yet to find a place that I like in Vegas. I've done most/all the hotel Japanese restaurants of note and they're fine, but not exceptional. Honestly, the best raw seafood I've had has been at the high end places (Savoy, Robuchon, Trotter, Alex). I think Shibuya or Yellowtail have the best quality fish and you may want to try RM Seafood (though not Japanese they do have a sushi/sashimi/maki menu). Relative to what you can get in any major city (especially NYC, LA and even Boston) - and cost-wise that's what you're paying in Vegas - the sushi is definitely lacking. In the Aria set to open 12/10/09 they're opening an outpost of Bar Masa - this will undoubtedly be painfully overpriced but if his NYC restaurant Masa is any indication of the fish quality, they should be serving top notch fish.

Hope this helps. Have fun in January.

I'll second the vote for CUT. The steaks are very good, and it's the sides that set it apart. Instead of "creamed spinach," think of "bone marrow custard." The decor is a bit too stainless steel and "moedaarn" for me and the 80's rock music is midly annoying, but the service and steaks more than make up for those minor quibbles.

Try to ignore the waiters when they roll out a cart with linen wrapped beef. Things have gotten so crazy in Las Vegas that now they are featuring not just one type of Kobe, but various grades and various price ranges. All overly expensive. Their Midwest beef, dry-aged and either grass-fed or corn-fed, is really quite delicious at a fraction of the cost of that fatty stuff.

Craftsteak at the MGM is also a very good steakhouse. Like CUT, what seems to set Craftsteak apart are the sides like roasted wild mushrooms and desserts based on seasonal fruits. It is not your cookie cutter style, chain steakhouse.

[jsmeeker]

I've dined at several different steakhouses in Las Vegas over the past few years and will give you my suggestions.

Demonico's Steakhouse (Venetian). Very solid. If you go, get some of the truffle potato chips to munch on while mulling over the menu. Morel's (Palazzo). Has a French vibe to it. Good steaks. If you like cheese, this is a place to check out. I recall the cocktail menu being pretty good too. Carnevino (Palazzo). Mario does steaks. And does them well. Want REALLY aged meat? This is the place to get it. Great house made charcuterie, too.