Eating in Vegas

[suenmike32]

Just looking for a few family dining restaurants in Vegas that don’t cost an arm and a leg. Wife and I are just simple folk that enjoy a plate of Italian food (without fancy Sicilian names), burgers (that haven’t been raised on the Pampas).
Wouldn’t even mind a pizza now and then. We’re not Brunch people either.
Any Tugger suggestions would be appreciated. (besides staying home that is).
Thanks,
Mike
PS: We're stating at a T/S so I'm sure we will eat in a few times.

 

[b2bailey]

There is a 'locals' place called Ellis Island that has some good food at great prices. There is a steak special not on the menu -- you have to ask for it. I'm thinking it's under $10.

 

[Karen G]

Where are you staying and will you have a car?

 

[AwayWeGo]

In Las Vegas, Just About All We Do Is Eat.

Eating in Vegas

Well, we also go to shows & see the sights & take in the glitzy ambiance, etc. What we don't do is drink or smoke or gamble (much -- just a few pulls on some slot machines). Sometimes we also go on timeshare sales presentations, just for the freebies.

I made a major serious eating mistake last time we were in Las Vegas. I signed us up for the Orleans Casino All Day Buffet -- $25 (at the time, now $28) for all you can eat 1 day (Monday - Thursday) between 8AM & 9PM.

Seemed like a good idea at the time, but in truth it was too much of a good thing. When I'm in Las Vegas again, I might eat a breakfast buffet & a lunch buffet & a supper buffet -- but never-never-never all on the same day.

I might have realized that if I had thought it through before singing up. As it is, I had to learn it the hard way. So it goes.

As for the Ellis Island steak special (which is not on the menu -- you have to ask for it), we eat that at least once & sometimes twice every time we're in town. Details about how to get the special price deal for that are shown on the list of Las Vegas Top 10 Values.

Enjoy !

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​

 

[smmatrix]

You can often find coupons for deals for the Fiesta's or Stations buffets for as little as $5.99


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Pat H]

By playing free games on myvegas.com, several of us have redeemed for 2 for 1 dinner buffets at Bellagio. it's easy to get points and besides food options there are discounts for shows, rooms, etc.

Where is Ellis Island in relation to the Flamingo? Is it walkable?

 

[Fern Modena]

I would like to know where you are staying and if you have an auto as well. Pubs/Taverns are a good place for what you call family food. PTs is inexpensive, but if you are anywhere near a Village Pub the food menu is much more extensive.

If you are going to a Stations Casino, I'd stay away from Palace Station, which is the nearest to The Strip, cause the food "ain't all that." I've had better food in a school cafeteria. I do often go to Green Valley Ranch. It and Red Rock Casino are the higher priced Stations buffets, and with the higher prices comes better food, of course. I also go to Sunset Station, which is on my side of town and is less expensive. Get a player's card and you get a discount on the buffet (maybe $2. per person). If either of you were in the military, show your DD214 when you get your card, and you'll get a special card, and maybe a t-shirt. The card, and a coupon sheet they give you, give you a Military Monday discount on the buffet, which puts lunch price down to 2 people for just under $11.

South Point Casino has a decent buffet, including stir-fry, again you need a player's card for a discount. They also have a coffee shop with good prices and a wide range of Chinese food after 11AM. They have a real good deli near the sports book as well. If you are over 50 with a players card you can go to a movie before 4pm at $4. each, with that players card Monday thru Thursday.

If you've never had an In and Out Burger, now would be a good time. Just make sure to order those fries well done. One order of fries will be enough for two.

Again, that's a really short list because I don't know where you will be staying and if you will have a car. Without one, eating like locals do is extremely limited.

Fern

 

[MichaelColey]

To me, it seems like there are two extremes in Vegas. Cheap and High End. Not as much in between.

 

[Karen G]

To me, it seems like there are two extremes in Vegas. Cheap and High End. Not as much in between.

That's why it would be helpful to know if the OP will have a car. There are lots of great places in the mid-range away from the Strip in Summerlin and Henderson.

Downtown Summerlin is a new development on the west side just south of Red Rock Casino/Hotel. There are many nice restaurants and stores and it's a very pleasant place to walk around. Town Square is another good destination at the south end of LV Blvd. There are tons of good mid-range places to eat in Henderson along Eastern just south of the 215 and at the Galleria Mall area.

 

[LisaH]

If you've never had an In and Out Burger, now would be a good time. Just make sure to order those fries well done.

Fern

Didn't know you could do that! Have to give it a try next time I visit...

 

[suenmike32]

Sorry for the delay. Tahiti Village near airport. Yes, we are renting a car.

 

[suenmike32]

Guys and Ladies, once again, I'm sorry for the delay. I hope I didn't lose the interest of everyone that replied. I am a Vet and carry a DAV card at all times. The info thus far is great! Hopefully now that some of the responders know where were are staying, (Tahiti), and that I have a car, (pretty good deal through Marriott at Hertz), I can get a few more tips.
Tuggers are the best!!!! Thanks again,
Mike

 

[Ty1on]

Sorry for the delay. Tahiti Village near airport. Yes, we are renting a car.

There is a Denny's at the resort.

Just South, across Warm Springs on your side of Las Vegas Blvd, is an outlet mall with many restaurants outside the mall, lining Las Vegas Blvd. Outback, Chili's, Chipotle, Raising Cane's, Jersey Mike's subs, Panda Express, Buffalo Wild Wings just to name a few.

A little further, across Robindale on the same side of the Blvd, is the Bootlegger, which is an Italian bistro and lounge. It's pricier than Olive Garden but not Las Vegas Strip pricey, and I've never had a bad meal there. Highly recommended if you want a reasonably priced higher end meal.

If you head East on Warm Springs, then South on Bermuda to the corner of Windmill, there is a joint called Bachi Burger, with fairly expensive but amazing burgers with an Asian fusion flare. On Gillespie and Bermuda, right across from the Car Rental facility, is Winchell's Bar and Grill (not related to the donut chain). I have never been massively impressed with lunch there, but it is popular and is an option.

 

[Karen G]

Good to know where you'll be staying & that you'll have a car. Just south of Tahiti Village out in front of the outlet mall are several eating places. My favorite there is Canes Chicken. You'll be close to Town Square & Southpoint mentioned above.

 

[Fern Modena]

Raising Cane's is wonderful. They only do one thing, chicken fingers, and they do it well. Side dishes are cole slaw, fries, and Texas Toast, and you get all of them. Plus they have the regular beverages. Don't ask them what kind of sauces they have, cause that brands you as an outsider. They have one type of sauce, Cane's Sauce, and it is really yummy.

Winchells is a typical tavern/pun. Drinking/smoking/slots one one side, which is closed off (so no smoke in the restaurant) and food service on the other. They used to have house made potato chips, which are always really good. Don't know if they still do. But as a rule of thumb, anywhere you go, house made chips are good.

Which brings me to the Oyster Bar at South Point. Inexpensive meal would be clam chowder (comes with French Bread). White or Red, your choice. Looks like not a lot, but man oh man, is it filling! And they have house made chips, which you can also get to go (don't put them in the fridge, they will get soggy).

If you want prepared food but don't want to cook, Whole Foods is on the fringe of Town Square. They have many kinds of foods that are already prepared, and a huge cheese bar.

For Stations Casinos Military Mondays, go to Green Valley Ranch (of I-215 at Green Valley, turn right, then immediately right again into The District. We often go at lunch, and as I said it becomes under $11. for two. You could also wander around The District, there is a Crazy Pita there, a Panera, an Elephant Bar, Lucille's and more.

I've heard many people rave about Bacci Burger. However, I went there once with a group of about 20. It had been prearranged, it wasn't a surprise. They lied to us about how they would do things, then took what I would consider a tremendous amount of time to bring our food. Then they lied a bit more. They obviously weren't able to accept such a group easily, and shouldn't have booked us, but I'll never go back because of the way I was treated.

I didn't provide you with links but if you put the names of the places in Uncle Google, you should find all of them. I only provided things East of I-15, on "our" side of town. Karen will tell you about Summerlin.

Fern

 

[rickandcindy23]

We are in Vegas right now, staying at Marriott's Grand Chateau, which is fabulous and no casino, so it's a nice quiet place. The only downside is the valet parking, which has us tipping the staff sometimes three times a day to get our car for shopping or restaurant searching.

Fern, I just told Rick about your recommendation of Raising Cane's. He is anxious to try it because chicken fingers is something he orders at various places. I am looking forward to it, and I told him not to bother to ask for the sauce flavors.

We ate at Rainforest Café yesterday and really enjoyed the food. For that one, we walked because it's just .2 mile. It started to rain when we were just walking out of the hotel. The café is very small compared to Disneyworld's two locations, and the show inside was mostly just lightning and thunder with no big animals, so the grandkids would have been very disappointed.

The employees at Rainforest seem very unhappy the restaurant moved from the MGM Grand. The host and the server both talked about the fabulous location they had at MGM, as opposed to the new spot. Then the manager came over to our table and asked if we ever ate at Rainforest in the MGM Grand. We told her we hadn't been to Vegas for even an overnight's stay in over 30 years. That is true. She said the MGM Grand hadn't renewed their lease which forced them to find a new spot.

We used to stop in for a buffet meal at one of the casinos once in a while, on our way to California, if we hit the strip at mealtime. I tried to always make sure we would be hungry by that time. The buffets no longer appeal to me, but I might be persuaded to go to the Golden Nugget for theirs, which I remember was spectacular about 30 years ago. But I think it was just breakfast, and it wasn't cheap, even back then, but it was worth what we paid.

So today we went to Red Lobster a few miles away from the Marriott. I had to have Red Lobster, since we always go while on vacation. It was very good.

Gambling in Vegas is not as fun for us. We used to love slot machines for 25 cent per play, or 3 quarters if you feel lucky. No more do we enjoy the "one-armed bandits," because they aren't one-armed anymore--they have no arms! You just put in dollars, gamble a bit and lose your money very quickly with the push of a button. I cannot waste money in such a way.

Loved Terry Fator's show on Monday night. We had great seats and laughed out loud for a solid 90 minutes. Tonight it's Donny and Marie, and Friday night it's Mat Franco for magic.

 

[Ty1on]

We used to stop in for a buffet meal at one of the casinos once in a while, on our way to California, if we hit the strip at mealtime. I tried to always make sure we would be hungry by that time. The buffets no longer appeal to me, but I might be persuaded to go to the Golden Nugget for theirs, which I remember was spectacular about 30 years ago. But I think it was just breakfast, and it wasn't cheap, even back then, but it was worth what we paid.

30 years later, neither the Golden Nugget nor its buffet are what you remember. some dude named Steve Wynn owned it back then. It does get decent reviews today, but by far not the best in town.

 

[John Cummings]

To me, it seems like there are two extremes in Vegas. Cheap and High End. Not as much in between.

There are many in between restaurants including some right on the strip. There are the Carnegie Deli at the Mirage ( not as good as the Carnegie Deli in New York City but not bad ), The Yard House by the Flamingo, Cheesecake Factory at Caesars Forum Shops, Cheese Burger Las Vegas ( It is a sit down restaurant like Red Robin ). That is just a sample as there are many more, some good, some bad, and some in between.

 

[friedshrimp]

"BurGR" by Gordon Ramsey at Planet Hollywood. Awesome place!!!

 

[Fern Modena]

I've heard that, but I don't much like to dine at overpriced celebrity chef places. I occasionally do, but they really have to have some great reviews and call out to me, and a burger place just doesn't do it for me.

Besides, the OP asked for reasonably priced places, and this isn't that.

Fern

 

[suenmike32]

Besides, the OP asked for reasonably priced places, and this isn't that.

Fern

Thanks Fern.

 

[friedshrimp]

I've heard that, but I don't much like to dine at overpriced celebrity chef places. I occasionally do, but they really have to have some great reviews and call out to me, and a burger place just doesn't do it for me.

Besides, the OP asked for reasonably priced places, and this isn't that.

Fern

For something like Gordon Ramsey, a $13-$15 burger isn't bad (especially when regular burger places are in the $10 range). I was there back in July and I thought the food was exceptional as well as the atmosphere. Obviously, "reasonably priced" is subjective. I was simply offering a suggestion that the OP can take or not.

 

[gmarine]

It is a great burger and at $13 is reasonable for what has been said to be one of the best burgers in Vegas. There are tons of mid range places on the strip. NYNY has a few we like including the Mexican restaurant Gonzalez y Gonzalez which has a lot of entrees around $15.

 

[silentg]

I also recommend Ellis Island! And Denny's

 

[suenmike32]

Thanks all, for some great suggestions. We'll be bbq'ing and cooking-in a couple days and now I have plenty of suggestions for eating out.
Mike