When most people think about Vegas, they think about gambling, partying, showgirls, and pool parties… but that’s not what WE do in Vegas. We go to Vegas to EAT! There is so much good (and bad) food in Las Vegas… and I’m not talking about buffets (yuk)! I know we do need to do a “Vegas Buffet” but quite frankly the lines, the mass amount of people… items sitting on chafing dishes or cold baths just don’t interest me. What does tickle my fancy are the OUTSTANDING restaurants in Las Vegas. Vegas is always a “foodie vacation” for us, so I’ve put together my favourite restaurants in Vegas and some ones that I would pass on seconds.

Joël Robuchon

Taken from their own website, “When only the best will do for dinner, visit Joël Robuchon’s unparalleled French restaurant”. This could not be truer. Kevin and I have been fortunate to eat at some amazing restaurants in Canada, The United States, and Europe… and NOT ONE can touch the perfectness of Joël Robuchon. It’s hard to imagine that this restaurant of impeccable food, service, and presentation can be found inside of the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas, but… here it is. It is no surprise that this restaurant holds Three Michelin Stars, Forbes Five Star, AAA Five Diamond, and Wine Spectators Award. This restaurant is beautifully designed within the style of an Art Deco Townhouse with a lush garden terrace. I can’t even begin to explain how incredible and over-the-top this experience is. I imagine dining at this restaurant is what royalty feels like on the regular. From the way they seat you, the champagne starter, the quiet and intimate location, the choice of 1 of what seems like 1000 bread options, the dessert choices, to the sommelier pairing the perfect choices for your meal… nothing I can ever compare to this restaurant and I don’t think ever will. This meal was a once in a lifetime experience (not only because of the cost (it will set you back quite a bit especially if you do the tasting menu)), but also I am afraid to go back because I have such a romanticized version of how amazing our experience was that I am worried if I went again it could not meet the expectations I have for this establishment. We opted for the four-course tasting menu with dessert and Kevin had the wine pairing. I enjoyed a glass of champagne to start and then had one glass of wine with my main. Each course was perfectly executed and presented with the ultimate in flavours, texture, and pairings. The service was beyond amazing. When I had booked the reservation, I had let the host know that it was Kevin’s 30th birthday and that was why we were visiting. They brought out an entire fondant cake for him! I couldn’t believe it! We, of course, could not finish a whole cake to ourselves (and they knew this) so they packaged up the remainder of the cake (without us knowing) in beautiful Robuchon themed bakery dishes to go. The truffles on the mashed potatoes were fresh and outstanding (the mashed potatoes are incredible and Kevin has been trying to make Robuchon potatoes ever since (once he has come very close). The only comparison I can make for how outstanding this meal would be getting to watch the Superbowl from the 40-yard line or seeing Paul McCartney perform in his living room… a once in a lifetime experience worth every penny.

2. JARDIN

We went to Jardin for brunch to scope it out before deciding if it would be a worthwhile dinner destination. Unfortunately for us… it was no. Overpriced, underserviced and left a lot to be desired. The food was all very “okay” and although presented beautifully, did not impress us very much. The restaurant itself is beautiful and the decor is stunning, but the service experience and atmosphere felt a lot more like a franchise restaurant rather than a high-end location. We would not return.

3. Le Cirque

Ah… Le Cirque, our first Michelin Star dining experience… and an experience it was! The eloquent and exquisite French cuisine is unmatched. From the minute you enter the door until the minute you leave… you are treated to an immersive and unparalleled dining experience. Service is impeccable and food is delish. Not only is the food delicious, but plating is extraordinary with always that extra something to make you go “how did they think of that?”. The decor is brilliant with bright colours but still romantic and intimate. Also… you can time you visit so that you get a private showing from your table of the Bellagio fountains! We LOVED Le Cirque and can’t wait (and hopefully will return). We did the tasting menu with caviar supplement and it was worth every.single.penny. Bon Appétit!

4. Sinatra

We took a chance on the restaurant Sinatra as it was in our hotel and seemed like a good Italian restaurant. But… it had mediocre reviews and wasn’t listed on any of the “best-of-dining” lists… so off we went with low expectations to what we were sure would be mediocre pasta and overpriced wine. We couldn’t have been MORE wrong. The restaurant blew us away. Service was amazing, they at us on the patio with a heater and a nice private location that made us feel like we were the only people in a busy Vegas restaurant. Which was perfect as I was super pregnant and this would be one of the last dinner dates we had just the two of us. We were lucky enough that during our visit it was truffle season… oh my god right? We started with truffle risotto balls and I wasn’t super hungry that evening (I was dealing with some morning sickness) so we shared fettuccine with fresh truffles. It DID NOT disappoint. Everything was perfectly simple and fresh and exactly what we were looking for. They let the truffles be the star of the dish and didn’t overpower it with a thick sauce or overcooked noodles. The service was great, the sommelier was great (at recommending choices for Kevin) and we finished our meal with a wonderful chocolate dessert with gold leaf. We would definitely be back again, but I would only want to go if I was HUNGRY so that I could try a few more things on the menu!

5. Wing Lei

When I booked our reservation at Wing Lei - the first Chinese restaurant in North America to earn a Michelin star… I was beyond excited. I had never had high-end Chinese food and only had the North American style delivery. I had to burst my own bubble… the restaurant was extremely underwhelming. Food was just okay, service left a lot to be desired and the atmosphere wasn’t much to write home about. I know that a lot of people LOVE this restaurant so I don’t know if we ordered the wrong things or went on an off night, but we definitely will not be returning to this restaurant.

6. Kumi

I will preface this by saying… I think we are very lucky to live in Vancouver where we have access to great, fresh seafood all the time. Kevin and I eat sushi multiple times a week and we love it. That’s where Kumi disappointed us… it seemed like sushi for people who don’t like sushi. Not a ton of raw, not a ton of interesting rolls, very simple things. A lot of the fish was cooked and in our humble opinion a little too simple. The menu left a lot to be desired. The atmosphere was fun, fresh and easy-going. I probably wouldn’t go for dinner again but would contemplate going for a quick bite and some drinks with friends as it was a fun environment.

7. L’Atelier De Joel Robuchon

Because we LOVED Rubuchon so much and it was our favourite dining experience ever, we had to try Chef Robuchon’s second Vegas restaurant. This experience is completely different than the other. A lot more casual and laid back. We chose to sit at the bar where you can watch the chefs prepare all the meals right in front of your eyes. It’s a super cool experience to see how perfect each individual step is and how everyone has their role. Seeing them perfect the famous mashed potatoes was really neat and have helped Kevin perfect them at home. It’s also really cool to see the head chef manage everyone and how a real working high-end kitchen works. We again opted for the tasting menu and Kevin had the wine pairing. The food was exceptional and the experience was great, we loved it. But, it is still very expensive and therefore I would prefer to spend a little bit more to go back to Robuchon’s original restaurant again. I am so glad we did this experience and it was well worth it, but I just don’t think I would visit a second time when my favourite restaurant of all time is next door!

“I can be much more creative with my menus in the casino cities. In New York, there are certain things I can’t make. In Las Vegas, they’re much more receptive. Rabbit, some seafoods - they won’t necessarily do well in New York, but I’ll try them in Las Vegas, and they’ll be a success.”

— Joel Robuchon