The Top Iconic Restaurants for Your Las Vegas Foodie Bucket List, as Recommended by Diners

From the casinos to the shows to the clubs, Las Vegas is about putting on some sparkle and living the high life. And to no surprise, that over-the-top attitude extends to its restaurants. Celebrity chefs have flocked to Sin City to punch in their extravagant culinary stamps, with a roster ranging from Wolfgang Puck to Gordon Ramsay. Unlike anywhere else in the world, you can see nearly 40 of their creations all in the same city. 

However, Vegas dining isn’t just about chefs who double as television hosts. Sin City has a long list of iconic restaurants, ranging from those featured in classic Las Vegas movies like “Casino” and “Showgirls” to an eatery at the top of a faux Eiffel Tower. To dine on a budget, order secret menu items while in a Las Vegas restaurant.

Explore rounded up the most iconic — and tastiest — of the bunch by asking those who have enjoyed a few days of fun in Las Vegas. We evaluated which Las Vegas restaurants had the highest reviews from sites such as Tripadvisor and Google. We also considered which restaurants had the most reviews, with at least hundreds. Finally, we assessed which Las Vegas eateries were simply must-visits due to their storied histories.

From a fake Eiffel Tower to Elvis impersonators, Las Vegas has no qualms about being kitschy. But despite its circus tent ceiling, rainbow colors, and circus paintings, Le Cirque is anything but tacky. Hospitality designer Adam D. Tihany conceived its dining room, and the theme complements the restaurant’s name, which translates to “The Circus” in English. The Forbes Travel Guide 5-Star restaurant is a dining legend with food and ambiance that stands alone.

From inside the Bellagio on the Las Vegas Strip, Le Cirque serves fine French dishes like potato-crusted sea bass with red wine reduction, sole meunière, and raspberry parfait with champagne gelée. They can be paired with nearly 1,000 wine offerings, many from France. Le Cirque has a business-elegant dress code and a ban on kids under 10. The restaurant has been a highlight since it opened in New York in 1974 under founder Sirio Maccioni. It’s sprouted a slew of renowned chefs throughout its tenure, including Daniel Boulud, Jacques Torres, and Christophe Bellanca.

Garnered from more than 2,000 reviews on Tripadvisor, Le Cirque has earned 4.6 stars. One past visitor wrote on Tripadvisor, “Culinary haven that deserves every bit of praise. It is not just a restaurant; it’s an experience that tantalizes the senses and leaves a lasting impression. Whether for a special occasion or a casual night out, [Le Cirque] is a top-tier establishment that I wholeheartedly recommend to anyone seeking a gastronomic adventure.”

Las Vegas is known for its club scene, but a century ago, the party destination was an epicenter of jazz clubs, live music, and supper clubs. Delilah, a ritzy restaurant and supper club at Wynn Las Vegas on the Las Vegas Strip since 2020, is bringing that back. Here, diners can indulge in lavish dishes like beef wellington, black truffle lobster rolls, and spicy tuna tartare, as well as a late-night menu. 

Dishes are paired with cocktails named in step with Delilah’s vintage vibe, such as the Film Noir and the Stepford Wife. It’s all served in a chic dining room outfitted with bubble chandeliers and gold palm trees. You might even see a few famous faces sitting in the velvet banquettes. Delilah has been visited by stars like Kendall Jenner, Drake, and Post Malone. During your dinner here, you’ll dance to music by three-piece and live bands, as well as see celebrity shows.

That best of all worlds has impressed Google users, who have given Delilah 4.5 stars through more than 1,400 reviews. “Awesome restaurant reminiscent of the old glamorous Hollywood days,” one past visitor on Google wrote. “If you ever wanted to go full glam – this will be the best spot to do it. There were dancers in beautiful dazzled evening gowns, gloves, and feather fans.”

Remember that fake Eiffel Tower in Las Vegas we mentioned? It might seem silly to have a giant recreation of the Paris landmark in a city that couldn’t be more different from its French counterpart. However, the restaurant inside it is awesome, according to Tripadvisor users. The Eiffel Tower Restaurant has earned 4.4 stars from more than 6,800 reviews on Tripadvisor. One happy customer wrote on Tripadvisor, “This restaurant was definitely top-notch. It’s a must eat if you’re in Las Vegas. The food was phenomenal. The service was exceptional, and the view was amazing. I cannot say enough good things about this restaurant.”

Located on the Las Vegas Strip, the eatery is on the 11^th floor of the tower — 110 feet in the air — and overlooks the Bellagio’s fountains. Those views have made the Eiffel Tower Restaurant one of the most romantic restaurants in the country. Customers can choose from French and fusion eats, such as foie gras torchon with duck prosciutto, Lyonnaise-style pork belly, escargot, and steak tartare. 

Additionally, they can pick from one of the largest wine lists in the city, with over 1,400 French and American selections. The restaurant is the brainchild of chef J. Joho, who hails from France. He cut his chops at acclaimed spots like Everest at the Chicago Stock Exchange and L’Auberge de L’Ill before opening the Eiffel Tower Restaurant in 1983.

While most of the restaurants on this list were founded by famous chefs, Esther’s Kitchen was created by a Las Vegas local. James Trees, who has lived in Las Vegas for his entire life, founded Esther’s Kitchen in honor of his great aunt Esther. Besides supporting Trees’ family, Esther paid for his Culinary Institute of America education. When Esther died, Trees used the inheritance she left him to open the restaurant, which he named after her. 

The Italian restaurant serves housemade pastas, sourdough bread, and pizza. It also offers everchanging dishes that include wood-grilled Calabrian pork sausage and spinach and artichoke risotto. They are all cooked in an open kitchen, while the pasta is made in a temperature and humidity-controlled pasta room.

Customers have been clamoring for Esther’s Kitchen since it opened in the Las Vegas Arts District in 2018. It’s one of the unique hidden gems in Las Vegas. The restaurant has earned 4.7 stars from over 350 reviews on Tripadvisor. “The food is excellent and very authentic. You feel like you’re in Italy,” wrote one Tripadvisor user. “For all lovers of good food and drinks, this is the right place in Las Vegas.” That’s just one of its few accolades, as Esther’s Kitchen has also been named the best Italian eatery by Desert Companion Magazine.

We’re talking about restaurant icons here, and perhaps no Las Vegas eatery fits that bill quite like the Golden Steer Steakhouse. Dating back to 1958, it’s the oldest steakhouse in the city and has the roster to prove it. It has been visited by legendary celebrities – who ate in the same red leather booths that customers dine in today — like Frank Sinatra and Marilyn Monroe. Here are more places in Las Vegas where you’re likely to see celebrities. 

The Golden Steer Steakhouse was featured in the 1995 thriller “Casino.” Another casino nod is that the restaurant’s owner is also the founder of the Mesquite Star Casino. The menu features classic dishes like oysters Rockefeller, seafood towers, prime rib, lamb chops, and tomahawk steaks. And be sure to order the Caesar salad or bananas foster, as they’re prepared tableside. You can also take the Golden Steer Steakhouse home with you since it has a gift shop that sells seasonings, pins, shirts, butters, and more.

Through more than 1,200 reviews, the Golden Steer Steakhouse has earned 4.3 stars on Tripadvisor. Wrote one happy customer on Tripadvisor, “Went here to try the stark and lobster tail, and what can I say [is that] the steak was the best I’ve ever tasted; got the Caesar salad and French onion soup as [a] starter and OMG, unreal, would recommend if ever in Vegas.”

For 23 seasons since 2005, celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay screamed out his lungs as chefs put their knives to the test on “Hell’s Kitchen” in a fight to be Ramsay’s protégé. Fans can get a taste — literally — of what it’s like to be on the show at Ramsay’s Hell’s Kitchen restaurant, which has a location at Caesar’s Palace. The restaurant stays as true as can be to the Emmy-nominated show. Mirroring the studio set, Hell’s Kitchen features a red and blue kitchen and plenty of pitchforks, including fruit garnish on miniature pitchforks and pitchfork-shaped chandeliers. 

Plus, it serves dishes commonly cooked on the show, such as pan-seared scallops, lobster risotto, and beef wellington. For a unique complement, customers can also order the Smoke on the Blvd cocktail, which is presented inside a smoky box. Food and drink are served in a modern space adorned with floor-to-ceiling windows, offering a front-row seat to the Las Vegas Strip. But consider this before booking a stay at one of the long-standing hotels on the Las Vegas Strip.

Customers seem a lot happier than how Michelin-starred Ramsay often appears on screen. Hell’s Kitchen has garnered 4.2 stars from more than 3,600 Tripadvisor reviews. “Meets the high-end expectations,” described one Tripadvisor user. “We follow Hells Kitchen and were curious if his restaurants would show the same quality; the answer is … yes. All the (TV) famous menu items are available and what we tried are excellent.”

It’s been a long time since Lotus of Siam was a gem hidden behind a façade of travel agency posters and a forgettable neon sign. Since then, it’s certainly been discovered, offering authentic northern Thai cuisine at two acclaimed Las Vegas locations. Founder Saipin Chutima is the first Asian chef cooking her homeland’s fare to win a coveted James Beard Award. She’s known for her authentic Thai cooking, which is a result of prowess passed down from her grandmothers. Some of her favorite creations include sour pork sausages served with fresh chili, ginger, and peanuts, as well as crispy duck with red curry, fingerroot, and bell peppers.

Anthony Bourdain loved it, too. “You don’t do pad Thai here,” Bourdain said on an episode of “Parts Unknown.” “You do what they are uniquely superb at, which is specifically the food of northern Thailand.” Customers agree. Lotus of Siam has 4.3 stars on Tripadvisor, garnered from more than 480 reviews. “One [of] the best meals I have ever had, hands down,” one Tripadvisor user wrote. “The garlic prawns and crispy rice are knockouts. I could have easily just had that for dinner, but we couldn’t pass on the curry and crispy duck, the crab fried rice, chicken satay, [and] pad thai, all of which were fantastic. Penny and the team at Lotus are top-notch.” Penny Chutima, Saipin’s daughter, now runs the show at Lotus of Siam after working there since she was 12.

If it weren’t for Spago, there wouldn’t be an iconic Las Vegas restaurant scene to write about. When acclaimed chef Wolfgang Puck opened Spago in Las Vegas after founding it in Los Angeles, it ushered in tons of other prominent chefs. Located in Bellagio on the Las Vegas Strip with a view of the hotel’s fountains from floor-to-ceiling windows, it offers excellence on every plate. 

Spago’s name translates to “string,” so its dishes are unique creations strung from simple ideas. Plus, they’re everchanging, as it offers a seasonal menu with ingredients sourced from the Santa Monica Farmer’s Market. Some of those dishes include smoked salmon pizza with Kaluga sturgeon caviar, handmade agnolotti with butternut squash, and lacquered magret duck breast.

Spago has earned 4.1 stars on Tripadvisor through more than 490 reviews. “I can’t say enough good things about this restaurant!!” wrote one Tripadvisor user. “From the food to the incredible service we enjoyed every second of it … Great place to watch the Bellagio fountains. Highly recommend!” You might get to watch something else, too, on your visit here. Puck is known to sometimes peruse the packed dining room, “pucking,” or shaking hands with his crowd of adoring fans.

You won’t see crowds early in the morning in Las Vegas — people are busy nursing their hangovers — but you will see one outside the Peppermill on the Las Vegas Strip. A retro diner that dates back to 1972, the restaurant features throwback glam combined with contemporary touches. This means plush purple booths are surrounded by cherry blossom branches covering the ceilings, and big breakfast platters are served alongside ribeye steak. 

It’s been Vegas’ go-to for so long that the Peppermill is the recipient of the James Beard America’s Classics Award. Just a few of its other accolades include being named one of the top places to see by Casino Magazine and the most romantic bar by Menu Magazine. The Peppermill has also been featured in iconic films and television shows. It has made appearances in “Casino,” “Showgirls,” “The Holly Madison Show,” and an Adam Lambert music video. Just a few of its past famous patrons include Guy Fieri, Dean Martin, and Floyd Mayweather.

Like an old-school diner, Peppermill is open 24 hours from Thursdays to Sundays. This means you can get your fix of restaurant staples like the French toast ambrosia and the famous Peppermill burger no matter what time you cash out. Through over 4,000 reviews, the restaurant has earned 4.4 stars. “Great food and huge portions!” one past visitor on Tripadvisor wrote. “This is one of our “must go to” places every time we’re in Vegas! This place is a gem. You won’t be disappointed!”

Buffets aren’t known to be the chicest dining destinations, but that isn’t the case in Las Vegas, especially not at the Wicked Spoon. Although it’s a buffet, this high-end restaurant on the Las Vegas Strip inside the Cosmopolitan Hotel is a restaurant force to be reckoned with. From the seemingly endless lines of options, customers can choose from all-you-can-eat items like crab legs, beef carpaccio, bone marrow, shrimp and grits, sushi, stuffed French toast, and more. Plus, everything is plated individually to ensure cleanliness. The buffet also includes build-your-own ramen and mashed potato stations.

However, if you want a taste of this brunch buffet, prepare to get up early. Reservations for less than eight people aren’t accepted, and it’s recommended that you get there at 8 a.m. when it opens to avoid the crowds. But it’s worth it, according to Tripadvisor reviews. The Wicked Spoon has earned 4.2 stars from over 6,800 reviews. One Tripadvisor user wrote, “Absolutely loved the Wicked Spoon. Tapas type entrees, so much variety and so tasty. They have it from wild to mild and always something for your liking. You can’t go wrong here to satisfy your big brunch craving. You’ll seriously love it.”

The Las Vegas we know today is incredibly different from Las Vegas about a century ago. A typical Western town, it was where cowboys and saloons ruled. However, after the construction of the Hoover Dam, casinos and tourists poured in. Food always comes with tourists, which is especially true for Vegas. Today, the Sin City is a dining mecca, home to internationally renowned eateries and chefs who know that having a Vegas outpost on their resume is a must. It’s also home to cool restaurants that deserve to be on your Las Vegas bucket list. But be on the lookout for the biggest tourist traps in Las Vegas while you’re at it.

To gather the best and most iconic restaurants to add to your Las Vegas foodie bucket list, Explore combed through Tripadvisor and Google reviews to see which eateries had the most reviews, ranging from 350 to nearly 7,000. We then determined which had the most stars, as every eatery on this list has earned at least 4.1 stars, while one has garnered a high 4.7. Finally, we considered which restaurants were simply Las Vegas icons due to their long lists of accolades, histories, appearances in movies and films, and appeal that will continue to persevere.