Three happy hours this week that all earned their spot on the list. A new one in the Arts District from one of the most respected hospitality groups in Vegas, an Italian institution that has been doing it right since 1985, and a local sushi favorite that keeps getting better. Different neighborhoods, different menus, great deals. All worth knowing about.
🥐 Bar Boheme — Arts District Daily 4–6 PM · 1401 S Main St
Here is the context that makes this happy hour worth paying attention to. Bar Boheme is the latest restaurant from Chef James Trees — the Las Vegas native behind Esther’s Kitchen, Al Solito Posto, Ada’s, and High Steaks, and a two-time James Beard semifinalist, including a 2026 nomination. Trees took a former mid-century mechanic’s shop on Main Street in the Arts District and turned it into a modern French brasserie centered around a zebra marble bar, bohemian chandeliers, and a wine list sourced exclusively from France. The kitchen is led by Executive Chef Sean O’Hara.
The happy hour menu is where the pedigree meets the price point. Escargot for $4. Le Hamburger — a genuinely remarkable burger that reviewers consistently single out — at happy hour pricing. Poutine. Martinis. The move is Le Hamburger, poutine, and a martini for around $35. That is outstanding on every level and not a combination you will find at this quality anywhere else in the valley.
The Arts District crowd here is local professionals, creatives, and food-savvy visitors who found the place through a recommendation. The room has that lived-in charm that takes years to develop and usually requires an actual neighborhood to exist. This one does.
Order this: Escargot to start and at $4 it is a no-risk introduction to one of the best kitchens in Vegas. Then Le Hamburger + poutine + a martini. ~$40 total.
🍝 Ferraro’s Ristorante — Paradise Road (Off Strip) Ora Sociale: Daily 4–7 PM · Bar, Lounge & Patio
Ferraro’s started as a six-table deli and pizzeria in 1985. Today it holds the Gambero Rosso Tre Forchette — one of only eight restaurants in the United States to earn the highest rating for authentic Italian cuisine — alongside a wine collection of 1,800 labels and 22,000 bottles. Tasting Table named it the best Italian restaurant in Nevada. It has been family-owned and operated for 41 years, now led by Executive Chef Mimmo Ferraro, son of founders Gino and Rosalba.
That is the restaurant. The Ora Sociale happy hour is how locals experience it every day without a special occasion attached. Classic Italian hospitality, serious food, and prices that feel like they belong to a different era. The $10 meatballs and Italian small plates are the entry point. The Carpaccio di Manzo is the move — thinly sliced beef tenderloin prepared the way a 40-year Italian institution prepares it. Do not overthink it. Just order it.
One block off the Strip. Free parking. The kind of restaurant that locals keep to themselves and visitors put on bucket lists. The happy hour is the shortcut to both.
Order this: Carpaccio di Manzo + meatballs + a glass from the wine list. You are one block from the Strip at one of the eight best Italian restaurants in America by one credible measure. Act accordingly.
🍣 Kusa Nori — Resorts World Las Vegas Sun–Thu 5–10 PM · Sat 5–6:30 PM · Closed Friday · Free parking for locals
Kusa Nori has built a loyal following among local sushi enthusiasts since opening at Resorts World, and the updated happy hour menu is the best version yet. This is an elegant, chic sushi bar that takes the fish seriously — and the happy hour prices make it one of the better-value sushi experiences in Las Vegas regardless of what you compare it to.
Hand rolls at $8 each — including the Ikura Salmon and the Tsurai Yellowtail, both of which are worth ordering on their own terms. The move is to add the Jidori Chicken Karaage or the Blue Fin Tuna Tartare at $16 to build a complete experience rather than treating this as a snack stop. That combination runs well under $50 and delivers at a level that most Strip sushi bars charge twice as much to approximate.
Resorts World has more happy hours than most people realize and free parking for locals makes the math work even better. Kusa Nori is the reason to make the trip.
Order this: Ikura Salmon hand roll + Tsurai Yellowtail hand roll + Blue Fin Tuna Tartare. That is the full Kusa Nori happy hour experience in three items.
The first non-California location of 70-year-old L.A. pastrami-sandwich institution, The Hat, opened at 6125 S. Rainbow in May. The place was immediately mobbed, and seven weeks later, nothing has changed. To be honest, we didn’t want to fade it, but we did.
The Lines
We can’t remember the last time we saw such sustained patronage. We finally went at noon on a Monday. Yes, that’s lunch hour, but it doesn’t matter. Every time we drive by there are 15-20 cars lined up in the drive-thru lane, which was the case when we went. Inside, there were 25 people in line. We asked at the counter if it was always that busy and the cashier said yes, until about 9 pm when “things slow down a little.”
The Machine
Despite the line and our big order, we were out the door with our food in 20 minutes. How? Because of the machine of an operation in place there. We counted 14 employees between the cashiers, cooks, packagers, and distributors. Everything moves and the throngs are appeased. Despite the crowds, there are tables to dine in if you like, though most were taking out. We tried to tip at the cashier. He assured us he was grateful, but informed that they “don’t accept tips at The Hat, returning customers is thanks enough.” In Vegas? Refreshing.
The Pastrami
We really weren’t ready for this. The pastrami is literally heaped onto the roll or whatever bread you choose. There’s no skimping going on here. The sandwich they’re famous for, the pastrami dip, is $12.90 and it will feed two. By all means, don’t try to eat this one in the car. You need plate underneath to catch the meat and a fork to eat it.
More Sandwiches
There are several: roast beef, Bar-B-Que beef, and steak sandwich, all $12.90. A hot dog is $3.99. A chili dog is $5.90. A chili tamale is $6.90. Most are loaded up with tomatoes and pickles. Maybe too much in some cases. Burgers are $5.85 to $12.90 (pastrami burger). Cold sandwiches—turkey, ham, tuna, avocado veggie—are $8.85 to $10.85. Everything is big. The onion rings in the photo are only have the portion; the rest spilled over into the bag. Along with the pastrami and rings, we got a chili dog, a chili tamale, a turkey sandwich, and veggie avocado cheese.
This place is a trip. It’s cool to see the workers in action; don’t worry about the lines. Good pricing; we could have fed 10 with what we ordered and it came to $64.20 before tax. Good food; we didn’t love everything, but the pastrami is no joke, lean and plentiful as advertised. With some exceptions, we see little reason to pay twice as much for less at a big-name deli. Hours are 10 a.m. to 1 a.m. daily.
We’ve written about Crown & Anchor many times in LVA. It’s one of our favorite bars, both for hanging out with some of our favorite bartenders—Art, Priscilla, Callie, Kristi, Amanda—and for the good food. We were spurred to do this review by the fun we’re having with the big crowds that show up for USA and England World Cup soccer matches, as well as by the new “Tender Tuesdays” promo.
Tender Tuesdays
We’ll start by declaring that there are no better chicken fingers, or tenders if you will, in all of Las Vegas. Regularly $13.95, an order is just $7 on Tuesdays. “We don’t have tacos so we went with Tender Tuesdays,” says manager Art Christenson, who goes on to describe what makes them so good. “The fingers are cut from fresh chicken breast, soaked in buttermilk for 24 hours, then hand-battered and deep-fried to perfection.” We asked if there are any in Vegas that compare. “Only Raising Cane’s is close,” he says. “That’s a big corporation doing their best and they’re still only close.” We got ours with an order of crisps (homemade potato chips) for $5.95.
Pub Grub
The Crown is an English pub and it serves English fare—cottage pie ($16.95), steak & mushroom pie ($17.95), Cornish pasty ($18.95), scotch egg ($9.95), and fish & chips ($18.95). On Fridays, it’s all-you-can-eat fish & chips for $20.95. Hamburgers are half-price ($8.95) Sun.-Thurs. from midnight to 8 a.m. The homemade clam chowder ($4.95/$6.95) is one of the best in town.
LVA Place
Crown & Anchor has always been LVA friendly and has one of the best offers in the Member Rewards Book. Play $200 through a machine and get item on the menu comped. Play another $100 and get $25 in free-play. The games are better than most, with 7/5 Bonus Poker (98.01%), and it’s the only bar we know of that you get paid $5 when you hit one number on the electronic bonus, called “Crown Pounds” there (all others require two numbers).
The Verdict
Of course, Crown & Anchor gets our highest recommendation. There used to be another Crown (the original) on Tropicana, but it closed last year. Now there’s just the one at the corner of Spring Mountain and Decatur. When you go, there’s a good chance you’ll run into other LVA members and Anthony Curtis shows up on a regular basis in the evenings or during a major soccer match. There are still a lot of games left in the World Cup. Come by and check it out.
What do you do when you can’t go to Lotus of Siam for Thai food? Las Vegas has several good Thai alternatives, one of the best of the rest being Weera Thai. There are four Weera restaurants in town, located on Rainbow, in Town Square, the original on Sahara, and the one reviewed here in Chinatown’s Shanghai Plaza.
There’s a big selection with most of the main dishes in the $20 range. Good value is the tom yum shrimp soup that comes in a big caldron that contains five or six bowls for $13.95. There are lots of noodle dishes. Pick the one you’re used to or try the pad kee mow—rice noodles stir-fried with Chinese broccoli, egg, and black soy sauce—pictured here. Good stuff.
You don’t have to fear the heat here. We ordered a spice level 5 on a 1-5 scale for the noodles and it had some punch, but wasn’t dangerous. Weera runs a good lunch special Mon.-Fri. from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and has a happy hour on the same days from 4 to 7 p.m., with discounts on beer and wine and $7-$8-$9 appetizers. Shanghai Plaza is an interesting enclave in Chinatown, but be sure to heed the warning about car break-ins detailed in the “News” (LVA 6/26).
Steak Special (The Martini)
This is one of Las Vegas’ many good bargain steak specials outside of a casino. It’s served at a bar called The Martini, on the west side at 1205 S. Ft. Apache Rd., just down the road from Suncoast.
The special is served daily from midnight to 6 a.m. and all day Sunday. It’s an 8-ounce filet mignon in a Cabernet sauce that comes with mashed potatoes and asparagus for $15. No salad. If you play the bar machines, you can get a comped glass of wine (with a generous pour) to go with it.
For $15, this is an excellent deal. The steak if good, but the standout is the mashed potatoes that are served with the skins mixed in and work well with the wine sauce for the steak. If you’re not there during steak hours, The Martini has a full menu with several Italian dishes in the $20 range. On Tuesdays, $200 coin-in gets a bottle of wine.
Broasted Chicken (Two Sisters)
Broasted chicken is on our look-for list. It doesn’t show up very often, but when it does, we try it. It’s been a while since the closing of Streets of New York in 2014, but we’ve found one. Two Sisters Broasted Chicken and Ribs has opened on the far northwest side of town at 9750 W. Skye Canyon Park Drive.
It was déjà vu walking into Two Sisters, as it looks just like Streets of New York with seating for dine-in and a bar where you can eat or have a beer while waiting for takeout. A conversation with the bartender explained why: Streets and Sisters have the same owner. However, Streets was chicken and pizza, while Sisters is chicken and ribs.
Of course, prices are up from our review of Streets in 2014. Back then a 12-piece mix with potato wedges and two sides was $28.95. Today at Sisters it’s $47.49, but it’s been 12 years and it’s good for three or four meals for two. There are lots of options, from one piece (wing) alone for $3.10 to a 20-piece meal with wedges and sides for $66.99. We didn’t try the ribs, ‘cause you just gotta do broasted chicken on the first visit.
Two Sisters is open 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. seven days a week. It’s a bit of a trek to get there, about 20 miles from the Strip, but it’s all freeway out US-95 and you get to see the amazing track-house developments on the outskirts of the city.
Steak Special (Scoundrels Tavern Southwest)
The new Scoundrels Tavern at 6945 S. Rainbow is the third in the chain. The Scoundrels are good bars, but the standout feature has been the Tuesday $19.99 steak special at the Lamb location. We said then that it might be the best steak special in town (excepting Ellis Island’s), so we were thrilled to hear that the same steak dinner is offered on Wednesdays at the new Rainbow location. It’s right off I-215 in the location that was formerly a Distill bar.
The special is served from 5 p.m. until they run out. It includes a 16-ounce ribeye that comes with salad, loaded baked potato, and garlic toast. The only difference from the Tuesday steak at Lamb, is there’s no vegetable with this one. Still, we thought it was even better that the original. Maybe the steak and potato were bigger. The salad, which is one of the best parts of the meal, was just as good. This is an outstanding deal.
As expressed, the deal runs until the steaks are gone. We know they ran out at times at Lamb, and everyone was ordering it here, so get there earlyish. There’s a good play-$250-get-$50 sign-up bonus if you aren’t already a players club member, but it’s the same card as Lamb and you can’t do it again if you signed up there. The staff is friendly. TVs are tuned to sports. This is a good one.
Tony Luke’s (Rio)
We reviewed Tony Luke’s at the Rio in LVA 3/24. The only thing that’s changed since then is that the price of some of the sandwiches have been raised by $1, including the cheesesteak (now $15). As we wrote then, these are among the best cheesesteaks in town and they’re a convenient grab from the Canteen Food Hall, just off the westside parking lot in the space where the buffet used to be.
We recently had a $100 comp and decided to use it at Luke’s to take out several different kinds of sandwiches—beef cheesesteak, chicken cheesesteak hoagie, Uncle Mike’s (veggie), etc. We hoped they’d label them, but they did better. Numbers were placed on the wraps of each and inside the bag was a directory to what each was, including all the ingredients
We’ve never seen that before, not to mention that the sandwiches were excellent and still were days later when the leftovers were heated up in a microwave.
Burger Special (Dispensary Lounge)
A Las Vegas in-the-know play for a great hamburger is the Dispensary Lounge (2451 E. Tropicana). When we first tried one in 2013, it was $5.95. But over the years the price has continued to go up and it’s now $16 with fries … except on Wednesdays and Fridays from 2 to 7 pm when it’s $7.
The deal requires that you buy a drink, and a $1.50 soda qualifies. If you get a beer, add $5. Better yet, throw $20 in a video poker machine and your drink is free and that fulfills the requirement. The burger is as good as ever, a legit half-pounder cooked to order with fresh lettuce, tomato, a slice of onion, and pickles on the side (cheese is extra and no fries).
Along with the excellent lunch play, this bar is one of Las Vegas’ classics, open since 1976, and known for its big waterwheel inside and ongoing live jazz nights on designated weekdays and the last Sunday of the month.
Potato Skins (Sporting Life Bar)
Did you ever ponder who has the best potato skins in town? You probably haven’t, but we have. Things like that are in our job description. We have certain things that we try in different places whenever we get the chance. And we have a list of dining best-ofs. For potato skins, it’s the Sporting Life Bar (SLB) at 7770 S. Jones.
These are big potato slices loaded with cheese, bacon, tomatoes, and green onions, and served with a side of sour cream. The slices are huge, like maybe there were are few whole potatoes involved. They’re $13.99, but easily feed two or even three, or take the leftovers out — they heat up well. We asked the owner, Scooter, if we were crazy for raving and he confirmed that they’re a specialty that SLB takes pride in.
We’re touting the potato skins, but that’s just one of several standouts on the SLB menu. It’s also one of the city’s best sports bars to watch the games and has a cool bar crew. The Member Rewards Book has an instacomp offer to get anything on the menu comped when you play $20 and double or lose it.
Prime Rib Special (Seventy Six Tavern Lamb)
The Seventy Six Taverns are Station Casinos’ bid to get into the local-bars market. The Seventy Six at 6345 N. Lamb Blvd. advertises a Saturday-only prime rib special served 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. for $14.95. We try these PR specials when they pop up, because you never know when you’re gonna find a gem, and you have to like your chances when it’s coming from Station, which tends to do food well.
The prime rib comes with choice of potato and vegetable. No salad or rolls. They ask you how you want it cooked, but it doesn’t matter, because the slice is thin. It comes with au jus and straight or creamed horseradish. The loaded baked potato and veggies are good.
We didn’t try to make the photo look unappetizing. In fact, we’ll blame the lighting a bit, because it certainly wasn’t terrible and the meal will fill you up. But it’s not a prime special that we’d recommend traveling for. Most of them aren’t gems.
Yun Noodle & Dumplings
It goes without saying that there are a lot of great places for Chinese food in Chinatown. But there are also a couple off the main Spring Mountain drag. One is Yun Noodle & Dumplings. It’s located at 4001 S. Decatur, about a half mile north of Spring Mountain.
Noodles and Dumplings
It’s in the name. Lots of noodle and dumpling dishes—dry, boiled, pan-fried, soup, and more. Most selections are under $17. We’ve gone here a couple times and our favorite is the house special oil spill noodle for $11.99, but we’ve barely scratched the surface of this menu.
The Deciding Factor
So here’s the quick story of why we’re running this review. We’d intended to review the China Mama Express outlet on Rainbow, which isn’t as good as the original China Mama, but its convenient. It closes at 9 p.m. and we recently got there at 8:40.
“We’re closed,” said a man behind the counter as soon as we walked in.
“It says you close at nine, that’s twenty minutes from now.”
“No, closed,” with a waive of his hand.
OK. We whipped around the corner to Yun, which also closes at 9. It was now 8:53.
“Too late,” we asked?
“No, what would you like”?
That’s what we like. We ordered the house special chow mein and beef wonton noodle soup to go. The bill was $36.83.
A $10 tip for the Yun man. No review for China Mama Express.
Shrimp Cocktail (Palace Station)
First it was the $5.99 burger & fries. Then the $1.99 frozen margarita and $3 beers and shots. Now Station Casinos has a $2.99 shrimp cocktail. Unlike the other deals, this one’s available only in the Brass Fork at Palace Station and Game on at Boulder Station. It’s served 24/7, no other purchase is required, and you have to show a players card.
The Shrimp Cocktail
This is an excellent shrimp cocktail, with the tiny bay shrimp reminiscent of the Golden Gate’s classic. There are dozens of them, perhaps more than 100 total. They’re firm and well chilled. It’s served with crackers, lemon, a sprig of parsley, lettuce at the bottom, and a slightly spicy cocktail sauce. Even the lettuce and sauce remnants at the end are edible.
The Burger
While there, we had to have the $5.99 cheeseburger. It’s as good as ever and a heck of a deal for $5.99.
Station may not like loss leaders and low margins, but when they do it, they do it well. The cost for both was $9.73 after tax.
Beso Breakfast
We reviewed Beso in October. At the time they’d just begun breakfast service on weekends and we mentioned it, but didn’t elaborate. We’ve since gone back and tried a few things. Served Saturdays and Sundays only, this is a laid-back brunch experience that costs about $20 per person. Our favorites are the sausage & eggs ($15) and the salmon Benedict ($17).
You can probably tell which is which. The sausage plate comes with a homemade ketchup. Both come with a batch of their breakfast potatoes. You’ll probably have leftovers to take out. Coffee drinkers, try the Americana. It’s just $4.
Beso is located at 4435 S. Buffalo on the west side of town. Read our first review here.
Shrimp Cocktail and Hot Dog Specials (Tuscany)
Tuscany has been promoting with a back-to-value stance, including a $3.99 shrimp cocktail and a $1.50 hot dog. That’s a good combo that can be done in tandem for under $6 and we gave it at try. Saturday around noon during college football seemed like a good time. First to the Toscana bar for the shrimp. Unfortunately, they were out. OK.
“So where’s the hot dog cart?
“It’s usually near the bar, but it didn’t show up today.”
Hmm. That review was scheduled for the January issue and obviously had to wait. We went back in January with better luck, both were available.
The Shrimp Cocktail
There are seven smallish shrimp served with cocktail sauce and a lemon. Not bad, but also not good. The cocktail sauce is bland. Whereas most specials like this take the tax out of the price, here you get a bill for 4.32. Not horrible, but also not cool.
The Hot Dog
The dogs are Hoffy brand and there are only packet condiments—mustard, ketchup, mayonnaise, and relish. The dogs are … filling. They’re advertised for $1.50 but they cost $1.60. Not horrible, but … you know. There’s also gelato for $3/$5, but we didn’t want to pay $3.25/$5.42.
It sounds like we hated it, but you can’t hate a $4.32 shrimp cocktail and $1.60 hot dog in the land of $20 shrimp and $12 dogs. We’re just going to the better options (Slots A Fun, South Point, Skyline, etc.).
Sumo Sushi AYCE
A third Las Vegas location of Sumo Sushi has opened in the strip mall at the corner of Decatur and Twain in the space that was formerly Jjanga. We’d heard good reviews about the other Sumos in random all-you-can-eat-sushi discussions, but had never tried it. There’s really not a lot that distinguishes one AYCE joint from another, and it often comes down to the vibe or just personal preference, but what does distinguish this one is the price: $19.95 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and 9 p.m. to midnight. It’s that later time slot that stands out.
The arrangement is the same as most AYCE’s, there’s tiered pricing with some premium choices restricted on the lowest tier. Unless you’re there for things like yellowtail collar and soft shell crab, you don’t need the upsell; almost all the nigiri sushi, rolls, grilled items, appetizers, soups, salads, and desserts come with the first-level price. Quality is AYCE good. The fish is cut in longer strips and comes with less rice, which we view as a good departure from the norm. The selection of crazy cut and hand rolls is large. We tried several and added a teriyaki beef bowl.
Another departure is there’s no seating at the bar, or at least there wasn’t when we were there. They claim to be waiting on a liquor license. As for that $19.95 price, we’re not sure how long it will last and we read an online comment saying it wasn’t honored on a weekend, so you should call ahead to confirm. It looks like the normal price is $28.95 for dinner, and our experience was good enough to pay that.
Kitchen Breakfast Buffet (Virgin)
Virgin Hotel has a buffet. It’s breakfast only, served daily from 6 a.m. to noon for $23.95 in Kitchen, the space that was Mr. Lucky’s when it was the Hard Rock. They opened the buffet quietly. So quietly, in fact, that we didn’t know it was there until a friend staying at Virgin tipped us off. Of course we checked it out immediately.
It’s a somewhat pedestrian spread, including scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, biscuits & gravy, potatoes, oatmeal, waffles, croissants, fruit, and a toaster for toast. No eggs Bendict, lox, or quiches. It’s probably not enough to justify the price for most, except for the saving grace, omelets-to-order with a heap of fixins to choose from. You can dig your money’s worth out with that.
It’s good enough, but the gouge is aggravating. The price was $21.95 when we went in early December, and by the time we posted this review it had already been raised to $23.95. Additionally, there’s a $3.95 “service charge” making the real price $27.90. Service charge for what? You’re seated when you walk in and someone picks up empty plates. That’s it. You get your own food and all the drinks are self-serve. Don’t hate the buffet, hate the playa. Come on Virgin.
Lawry’s
Lawry’s doesn’t change much. We reviewed it in 2015 and that 10-year-old review still paints a perfect picture, because … Lawry’s doesn’t change much. What does change, though, is the prices.
In 2015 the range went from $39 for the California cut to $61 for the beef-bowl double cut. That range is now $55 to $105 (and there’s now a Tokyo cut for $51). We had the $69 Lawry’s cut and the $105 beef-bowl double-cut. The beef-bowl is certainly bigger, but in our opinion not worth the extra cost, especially since these meals aren’t a la carte; they come with salad, mashed potatoes & gravy, and Yorkshire pudding.
Lawry’s CutBeef-bowl-cut
It’s the same fun presentation, with the spinning salad bowl and the carving from the prime rib cart both conducted tableside. The cart ritual is impressive. It transports multiple whole roasts to your table, where the carver slices off your cut to both size and cooking specifications. It’s one of the best parts of the meal. Sides are surprisingly low priced, most in the $10 range, which was the price of a good sauteed spinach.
Our bill for two, was $248, but you can almost cut that in half by sticking with the less-expensive cuts, given that they come with the extras. Lawry’s is located on E. Flamingo Rd., across the street from Tuscany.
Skyline (Shrimp, Prime Rib, Ham & Eggs)
We don’t get out to Skyline very often, so we tried a few things while we were there. The main reason for the visit, though, was to sample the shrimp cocktail. The Skyline shrimp cocktail first hit the Top Ten in March 2012. It was $1.49. Over the years the price has fluctuated—$1.99, $2.25, $2.95, $2.25, $1.50, $2.50, then $3.45 in 2023, and that’s when we said adios. Now the price is back to $2.50, so we gave it a try.
This is still a good one. It’s served at the bar or in the restaurant with cocktail sauce, lemon, and crackers. The shrimp are medium size with the tail on. We ordered two, and both had seven shrimp. It’s definitely a good deal, but is it worth the drive out to Boulder Highway? Probably not. Hence, while Skyline’s is recommended, we’re staying with Slots A Fun as the best deal on shrimp cocktail for 50¢ less and its convenient location on the Strip.
While there, we also tried the prime rib special and the ham & eggs. We’ve eaten many times at Skyline and it’s reliable, but both of these meals were better than we expected. The prime rib is $15.95, which borders on the best price for a bargain prime rib these days. It comes with choice of potato, including baked, and a roll. No salad. No vegetable. No problem. The prime rib portion is big enough to fill you up, along with the potato and the shrimp cocktail appetizer. It was cooked rare as requested. It’s not Lawry’s, but you can get four of them for the price of the Lawry’s cut with $5 to spare. The ham & eggs for $5.95 was also a winner, with two eggs, two slices of ham, hash browns, and biscuits & gravy. The total tally for prime rib, ham & eggs, and two shrimp cocktails was $28.73 after tax. Excellent service from personable waitresses to boot.
The prime rib is served daily 11 am to 10 pm, the ham & eggs all day. As a bonus, Skyline has good video poker schedules detailed here.
Stage Door is Back
One of Las Vegas’ best deals returns with the reopening of the Stage Door on Flamingo after the slot house had been closed for five months. Bucking the $10+ beer prices at the Strip casinos, Stage Door was a regular Top Ten selection for its $1 Budweiser in the bottle available 24/7. The question was, would they bring it back? And what about that $2 hot dog? Of course, we had to check it out.
The place looks just like it always did—two bars, TVs on the walls, adjacent convenience store, maybe a slightly cleaner look. That’s because the work done was on the innards: roof, plumbing, electrical. You still have to show ID at the door to get in. Fine. What about the beers and the dogs? Yep, it’s still $1 for Bud and Bud Light and the hot dogs are $2.17 after tax. The dog isn’t fancy, served wrapped in a napkin, but it’s big and it’s good. The condiments? Check out that collection behind the dog. You’re lookin’ at yellow mustard, Gulden’s mustard, ketchup, mayonnaise, relish, and the first chopped-onions packet we’ve ever seen.
So all is good? Yes, but only for a while, as it looks like the days of the $1 beers are numbered. We were told that they’d last only until the outside signage was changed and that the new deal woutd be $2 Heineken and Dos Equis. Not the worst trade ever. Note: Stage Door is also famous for its many deals on shots. With the pending changes, we figured we’d wait to see what shakes out there before listing them.
Roberto’s (Skip the Drive-Thru)
We’ve written about Roberto’s before (check the index), so we won’t go into how good the Wednesday taco deal is. Here we’ll simply explain why you don’t want to use the drive-thru at locations when it’s available. In this case were specifically referencing the Roberto’s at Arville and Spring Mountain.
For one, parking is ample and close to the door and service is fast inside, while sometimes cars line up for the window. But the most important reason is:
If you drive thru, you can’t access the condiments station. After ordering, help yourself to two good salsas and limes for your tacos or burritos, and also cucumbers, radishes, and marinated carrots to munch on while you wait. Baggies are provided to take out, and most do.
Oscar’s Steakhouse (Bar)
What can you do when you miss the free-parking deadline at the Plaza? A bite in the bar at Oscar’s will get you out.
True story. While expecting a quick in-and-out at Golden Gate across the street, we parked in the Plaza’s garage. You have to be careful with this play because the free-parking grace time is only 30 minutes. If you miss, it’s a flat $10 fee … unless the dreaded “event parking” is in place. We missed and you guessed it—event parking, $30 to get out. Now we had to validate. You can get validated a few ways at the Plaza, but putting $20 in a bar machine isn’t one of them. Eating at Oscar’s is. Good thing we were hungry.
You have to do the whole sit-down thing. You can eat at the bar and it’s kinda cool to boot, but it’s not cheap. We got a hamburger for $24 and a wedge salad for $16, split between two. Yes, a $24 burger is expensive, but this one is darned good.
So now the $30 parking fee had become $40, plus tax and tip. But that’s a better deal than pay-$30-and-go-get-lunch-somewhere-else, right? Oscar’s is pricey in general, but you can shave some off by going for happy hour daily from 5 to 7 p.m. for a plate of “No Nose’s meatballs” ($12) and $5 beers.
Back to the parking hack, in reality, you can just grab a beer at the bar and probably get validated at the hostess stand, but the best play is to get a drink at the Sand Dollar Downtown bar, where they also validate.
Herbs & Rye
Ask a local for a value-play for a steak dinner and Herbs & Rye will be on the list, if not at the top. We’ve eaten there for years, but it’s been a while, mostly because we discovered its sister restaurant, Cleaver. Both are excellent.
Steaks at H&R start at $41 for an 8-ounce flat iron. Or do they? You see, there’s a trick: Order the happy-hour items, which are discounted and include several steaks. For example, the 9-ounce filet listed at $64 is $35 on the HH deal, the 12-ounce New York strip for $56 is $29, and that $41 flat iron is just $24. When’s happy hour? The entire time the restaurant is open. So, yes, the price of the steak is really $24. Another good play is the double-cut pork chop, listed at $53, but actually $28. There’s a bit of a giveback on appetizers and sides, but you can navigate those. Two of us split a wedge salad ($17) and a garlic spinach side ($12) to get out for $90 before drinks.
garlic spinach sidedouble-cut pork chop
A glass of grenache was $13 and a King Crispy pilsner out of Oregon is just $6. This place also makes a wicked Moscow mule.
The vibe is laid back local. Eat at a table or at the bar. Herbs & Rye is located at 3713 W. Sahara, about three miles west of the Strip.
Tofu Hut (Korean)
We first tried Tofu Hut in 2008 and to this day it remains our favorite Korean restaurant in town. With a name like that, we might have never tried it, but we got the heads-up from a Korean friend who told us it was the best.
This is primarily an AYCE barbecue place, but the value is in the inexpensive entrées that come with the little appetizer bowls (banchan)—kimchi, radish, spinach, bean sprouts, mashed potatoes, pancake, cucumber; they change. If you finish one and want more, they’ll bring it. It’s a buffet of sorts. All Korean restaurants have this, but here it’s better than most.
The best play is the soup. There are several choices for $13.95.
It comes out boiling with a raw egg on the side to crack into it.
Talk about a late-night after-drinking play—or still drinking, they have Korean beers, soju, and makgeolli—no one will be hungry after this. Tofu Hut is located in Chinatown at 3920 Spring Mtn. Rd. and is open till midnight weekdays and 2 a.m. on weekends. Then they’re back at 8 a.m. for breakfast. Hangover soup, anyone?
Sapphire MNF Buffet
The big Monday Night Football parties are a thing of the past, with the exception of the Sapphire gentlemen’s club. Admission is $28 (after tax), but it comes with two drinks, raffles for swag throughout the games, and even $2 lap dances at halftime.
It’s a fun environment with the game playing on big screens and a big crowd in attendance. But the primary value is the buffet. On the day we were there the line-up was tri tip, two chicken dishes, pasta, two kinds of steamed vegetables, salad, and a charcuterie selection. There’s also the obligatory stadium food, including hot dogs and wings, and an assortment of desserts.
This buffet is better than many we’ve had at casinos in the past. It’s offered all game and you can refill as often as you like. Throw in the value of the drinks and this is a bargain play. BTW, if you don’t use the drink tickets you can give them to someone if you want. But by no means should you throw them away—there’s not expiration on the redemption period.
Chaz’ Gumbo (Brewskes)
Here’s another of our secret bar finds that we seek to make not-so-secret. Brewskes Bar & Grill is a local bar on the west side (3645 S. Durango Dr.) where you can get one of the best gumbos you’ll find in Las Vegas. It’s homemade daily by Chef Chaz from her secret recipe. It’s loaded with shrimp, sausage, chicken, and okra in a rich dark roux and served with rice.
This is a good one for $15 or get a cup for $7.50, and there are other Cajun dishes on the blackboard, plus a full menu of standard bar food.
Brewskes is another of our go-to bars with several of our favorite bartenders—Alicia, Amanda, Tabatha, and Lorina among them, and Chef Chaz is pretty cool, too. The kitchen is open daily from 9 a.m. to 1:45 a.m. For gambler’s, there’s a play $10-get-$10 sign-up bonus and a 200/20 deal Mondays through Thursdays.
Two Good Sips
You can pay $14 for a beer on the Strip or you can go the bargain routes that start with the $1 beer at Stage Door. That play is temporarily on hold with the Stage Door closed for repairs, but here are two excellent alternatives.
Way back when Station Casinos was promotion driven, they used to have 99¢ frozen margaritas available 24/7 at all their main bars. Someone went back into the playbook to bring this one back, albeit for a dollar more. But these days, that’s a heck of a bargain and good enough to snag the #10 spot in the TOP TEN. We didn’t think it would have much of a kick, but it does. It’s made with Sauza tequila and you can add another shot for $2. Even if they were lighter on the booze, these are about as refreshing as it gets with the thermometer still pushing 100. That’s two Station Casinos deals in the TOP TEN this month. We didn’t think it could happen with those guys, but give credit where credit is due.
The bloody Mary at Hennessey’s has always been one of our favorites. The thing comes with what looks like half a salad and, amazingly, is just $7.50. We get one (or two) whenever we’re downtown and have a minute. They’ll comp it if you’re gambling at the bar.
Sauerkraut Fish Soup (Fish With You)
We can guarantee that this won’t be for everyone. Fish With You is one of many restaurants in Chinatown’s Shanghai Plaza. It’s an international chain with more than 2,500 outlets worldwide, but unless you live in New York City or San Francisco, you probably won’t find one in your hometown.
The menu is soups and appetizers. There’s tomato fish soup, lemon fish soup, beef soup, and vegetable soup, but the Chinese sauerkraut soup, in multiple variations, is the specialty.
We went with the staple hot-oil sauerkraut fish that serves two for $29.95 (single servings are $17.95-$19.95). You get to pick some things that go into it, such as wood ears (a type of mushroom), but it’s pretty much just go with the flow. Check it out.
The white pieces are fish. We were told the fish was “Asian white fish” so possibly haddock or halibut. There were probably 20 good-sized chunks, maybe more. The red pieces are chiles. If you avoid them the heat factor isn’t high. Yes, the soup is sour tasting. The fish is good. Would we do it again? Yes. Would most non-Asians? Probably not (we were the only non-Asians in the place). Do we crave doing it again? No. But it’s a cool thing to have on your culinary resume. Hours are 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. seven days a week.
Another Burger Deal (Wildfires)
The Wildfires are owned by Station Casinos, which currently has the $5.99 cheeseburger & fries special that’s #4 in the TOP TEN. This deal might be better. The following report comes from Conrad Stanley.
“I just had this double cheeseburger special at the Wildfire on Valley View. The burger & fries are $7, 24/7, 365. It’s huge and the best burger I’ve had in a long time. Also, I parlayed it with a happy hour pint for just $2.50. All drinks and all beers are half off daily from 4 to 7 p.m. and 11 p.m. to 2 a.m. A nice feature is that all the draft beers are the same price regardless of whether they’re domestic, craft, or import. They currently offer Bud Light, Mich Ultra, Modelo, Stella, Estrella Jalisco, Kona Longboard, and Mango Cart from Golden Road Brewing. There are also some $5 happy hour bites.”
In a follow-up, Conrad compares Wildfire with the special at the Station casinos:
“If the Station burgers are 1/4 pound, the Wildfire patties have to be double, so a full half pound. The burger is so big it was difficult to get my mouth around it. To add a second patty to the casino burgers is an additional $2.99. making that burger $9. At all Wildfire locations (I’m not certain it’s at all locations, but I can’t imagine it’s not) it’s $7, plus you don’t get $2.50 premium drafts at the full casinos. I also tried the wing special, which is also $7. Includes wings (8), fries, carrots, celery, and ranch, and comes with a 16-ounce draft beer (I had a Modelo).”
Tacos and Beer (Downtown Grand)
We’ve been glossing over it, but the if you’re not a hot dog fan, the taco option at the Downtown Grand’s snack bar is a good one. The TOP TEN lists the this deal at #5:
Hot Dog/Beer * Downtown Grand * Daily * $3
However, you can substitute a taco for the dog. Here’s a look at the two of them side-by-side, both with the PBR that comes with either one.
The taco is huge, made with three soft tortillas loaded with shredded chicken and cheese. Top the taco with salsa, onions, and jalapenos from the condiments area and you have a meal.
Which is better? Depends on your preference, but either choice gets one of the best deals in Vegas. The snack bar is located off the main pit near the front doors and opens at 11 a.m.
Palms Lobster Buffet Hack
8/1/25 – How do you make a good thing better? By being creative. The following report comes from Conrad Stanley, who’s about as creative as it gets.
My Member Rewards coupon was approaching 30 days [after printing it out], so I went to the lobster buffet and brought my tools. Those lobster shears worked great opening that whole lobster and pulling out the entire tail intact within seconds. I didn’t eat 22 tails like last visit, I only did 15 cuz I also had shrimp, ahi tuna, crab, and lobster mac ‘n’ cheese, as well as ice cream, some pineapple dole whip, and a Cannolli! I got there at 7:15 with no reservation, waited in the overflow line for 15 to 20 minutes, and got in. By 8:30 there was no line at all. They cut the line off at 10 p.m. and start pulling food at 10:30, so getting there at 8:30 is more than enough time.
The main reason for running this review was to highlight Conrad’s “tools.” Talk about enhancing an already good situation. He bought the set for $8.95 on Amazon and it comes with a drawstring pouch that holds the four implements. Nice.
Double Zero Pie & Bar
8/1/25 – As you’ve read in this issue, Double Zero was again named to the list of best pizzas in the U.S.
We wrote a detailed review of Double Zero here, so we won’t rehash everything regarding the unique Tokyo-style cooking. But here’s an update on quality and pricing. We went for a pepperoni pizza ($23) and the Caesar salad ($15) that we dubbed best in Vegas on our first try.
Pizza excellent, Caesar almost as good as the first time. We also tried the meatballs ($17), which were nothing special and we don’t recommend. A Trummer Pilsner was just $5 during happy hour that runs from 9 p.m. to close.
Located in Chinatown on Spring Mtn. Rd., the place has a cool vibe. The only disappointment is they’ve replaced the distinctive oven that you can see in the previous review. We’re told it couldn’t handle high demand. We thought it was essential to the style, but we honestly couldn’t tell the difference from the first.
Hot Dog Cart (South Point)
8/1/25 – It’s been a while since this hot dog from the sports book cart at South Point has been in the Top Ten, as it’s been kept out by the dog & beer at Downtown Grand, not to mention that South Point snubs LVA at every turn. But snub or no snub, we give credit where credit’s due, and it’s certainly due here.
It’s the same good Vienna beef hot dog, sold from the cart daily from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., still $1.50. Top it off with choice of mustard, ketchup, relish, onions, and kraut. Limit of three per person.
The dogs are loaded, so you can grab a seat in the sports book to eat. Or, our play is to eat it over one of trash containers because something’s gonna fall out of the bun.
There’s usually a line, but the servers hustle. We really do hate to love South Point, but this is one of many things there that’s too good to ignore.
Bonito Michoacan (Breakfast)
One of many Las Vegas Mexican restaurants with Michoacan in the name, Bonito Michoacan is a good one that’s located close to our office at 3715 S. Decatur Boulevard. It’s always been a solid choice for lunch (several specials), dinner, or a good Margarita after hours, and now it’s added breakfast, served daily starting at 7 a.m.
When we checked it out we were the only ones in the place, but breakfast service is brand new, so it will take some time to build. Like the other meals, the breakfast selection is vast. We tried the huevos rancheros for $15 (see below) that was good, but needed something. Asking for hot sauce took care of that. Meeting with higher approval was a mole omelette for $16. The servings are big. Coffee is $3.95. Especially with the current light crowds, this is a good place for a breakfast meeting. We’ll be back to sample other selections.
Prime Rib Night (Jackson’s)
We’ve written about the prime rib at Jackson’s, one of Vegas’ long-running local bars at 6020 W. Flamingo Rd. just west of the Palms. Jackson’s has an excellent 24-hour kitchen that takes particular pride in its steak deals and LVA has a primo instacomp in the Member Rewards Book for the ribeye special. We like this place.
Jackson’s used to do prime rib once a week, but since the pandemic, it’s only on spaced out prime rib nights, and they run less than once a month. There’s one this month, though. On July 18, Jackson’s will serve its prime rib special all day until they run out. It’s a 16-ounce cut with choice of potato and a vegetable for $25. Dine in or take out.
This is consistently one of the best prime rib deals in town. They use this as a perk for their top customers, so the place will be busy, but they’ll get to you. Say hi to Jade behind the bar.
Eureka Daily Special
Eureka, the slot house on E. Sahara, is running a good combo dining/gambling special. Purchase the daily special in Fat Choy Mon.-Thurs. from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and get $10 in free-play. There’s a different special each day running from $10 for tacos on Tuesdays to $15 for ribs on Thursdays and they come with a soft drink, including four versions of lemonade.
We tried the tacos that come with a choice of chicken, pork belly, shrimp, or fish, three to an order, in any combination. They needed a bit of spicing up, but it’s a meal with a drink for about 50¢ considering the value of the free-play.
You’ll need to have a players card, then take the receipt to the cage. Eureka has excellent video poker, as you can see here (scroll down to Eureka), though most of the best schedules are only on the floor.
If you’re there early, Fat Choy also has a good $7.99 steak & eggs special served every day from 8 to 11 a.m. We reviewed it here when it was $6. This restaurant has changed since it was opened by James Beard Award nominee Sheridan Su, who is no longer affiliated, but it’s still good and there’s a $9 hamburger that might be the best burger deal in town if you use your Member Rewards twofer. The MRB also has a play-$1,000-get-$25 bonus and Eureka has a $25 sign-up bonus for new club members.
Miller’s Bar and More from Detroit
Anthony went back to his hometown for a quick visit and dropped in on one of his favorite former haunts, Miller’s Bar in Dearborn. Here’s AC’s quick review.
Miller’s Bar on Michigan Avenue has been around since 1941. It’s always been known for its 7-ounce fresh ground round burgers, served with pickles and a thick slice of white onion on wax paper. This is the one I’ve used as a barometer to compare with other burgers and I’ve seen it on multiple best-burger lists, including one in the Wall Street Journal. Why more bars don’t adopt the formula I’ll never understand. The place has been sold since I was there and some of the touches are slightly different, but it’s still a classic for $10
Making things even better, I met up with my longtime buddy Gary Woronchak and his wife Vivian. Good times. Good burger.
Best of Detroit
Along with the Miller’s burger, if you find yourself in Detroit, AC recommends the following: One of the original Coney Islands (Lafayette, American, or Senate, though Vegas has an American Coney Island at the D, Kowalski lunch meats, and Sanders chocolates.
Roberto’s Wednesdays
We’ve referenced Roberto’s many times. There are dozens of them in Las Vegas and we’d rate their food above any Mexican take-out option in town. They’re open 24/7, so you can hit one anytime you get the urge. The major play, though, is chicken tacos on Wednesdays. They’re $1.59. Salsa and limes are free. Munch on free marinated carrots while you wait.
Limit is 12 and they heat up well so order up.
Player Promo at Sammy’s
The best non-Member Rewards instacomp (it’s hard to beat our MRB deals at Crown & Anchor, Jackson’s, and Sporting Life Bar) outside of the casinos is at 6500 Tavern, the bar adjacent to Sammy’s Woodfire Pizza at 6500 W. Sahara, where everything on the menu is half-price for players. There’s no specified amount you have to play and no restrictions on what you can order. You have to eat there, but you can take out leftovers.
This is NY-style pizza and our go-to tomato Angel hair pasta for a total bill of $17. And, of course, the drinks are comped. Sign up for the players card and get a play-$20-get-$20 bonus.
Whole Squid at District One
This is one of our favorite return-to dishes. It’s the whole grilled squid at District One Kitchen (3400 S. Jones).
You can get it fried or grilled. Go with grilled and squeeze the lime over it. Mix in some of those red peppers if you have a decent heat tolerance. It’s $20, up from $14.99 in 2021, but will feed two and warms up well (or good cold) if you take out the leftovers. Everything is good here. We also had garlic serrano chicken wings ($16) and egg rolls ($13).
Pho tai here is $20, but the place is known for its lobster pho. When the restaurant debuted in 2014 it was $29.95. In 10/21 it was $60. Today it’s … wait for it … $78. Now that’s inflation.
Breakfast at Mary’s Hash House
There are dozens of breakfast spots outside of the casinos. Everyone has their favorite. This is ours; the go-to when we have friends in town or want to impress at a business breakfast. This is chicken hash with grits.
Except for the hash & eggs dishes now starting at $13.95, nothing of note has changed since our review in LVA 10/19. Hours are 8 am to 2 pm (closed Thursdays).
Hard Hat Comparison
See the review of the Hard Hat smashburger below. Here’s the single and the double side-by-side. As expressed, the single for $10 will be enough for most. The double is $12.
We took a first-timer who commented, “This burger is legit!”
VGK Playoffs Special (Westgate)
Westgate has $1 chicken wings and $1 beer in the SuperBook for all Vegas Golden Knights games during the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The following report is from Conrad Stanley (no relation to the Lord Stanley).
Overall, the deal at Westgate is pretty good. The $1 wings were crispy like I like them. They don’t include carrots or celery, but they do include a nice size sauce. I opted for ranch and when I picked up my order I asked for an extra and was obliged. Order and pick up the wings from Drafts Sports Bar & Grill in the SuperBook. The $1 beer is a draft from the sports bar bar. They’re small (10-ounce cups), but they pour to the rim. Being in the beer biz for years, if it’s a 12-ounce cup and there’s any foam/head at all, you’re getting 10 ounces of beer, if that, so no problem. This is a good deal in a great place to watch the games.
The VGK are on the verge of winning their first-round series against the Minnesota Wild, so this deal should be running for another set of games.
Pho Thanh (Lunch Special)
From Tim S.:
This placehas a lunch special for $16. It’s any pho soup with all the fixings, two egg rolls and a drink. It was very good and generous portions.
My wife had pad thai and they gave to her for half price for lunch. The address is 5150 Spring Mountain.
If you eat pho in different places, you know that the recipes can vary quite a bit. We’d already sampled Pho Thanh before getting this suggestion and weren’t phans of the pho that has a sweeter broth and lots of white onions. But given that the going price for pho in Chinatown is about $16, the add-ons make this a deal for the price and we went back to try the special (note that we didn’t investigate the potential discount for other items).
There were problems from the start. The special isn’t advertised anywhere and the waitress didn’t volunteer the information. When we asked about it, she acknowledged that it was available. The soup came, but no egg rolls for 10 minutes. Our assessment of the pho didn’t change, and we’re not exactly sure what was in the egg rolls that had a mushy consistency. So the food wasn’t to our liking, but to each his own on taste (Tim S. liked it). When we went to the cashier, a man who appeared to be an owner or manager handed us a bill that charged for each item individually. When we said no, that it was supposed to be one price for all, he ran to the back shouting, then returned and adjusted the bill. Get it straight Pho Thanh people.
$1.99 Burger (The Composers Room)
We’ve been talking a lot about hamburgers lately, as we continue to search out and try every one we can find that’s $10 and under. Station has its $5.99er, which is tough to beat these days. But $1.99? No, this isn’t a slider. It’s a quarter-pounder with the works. The catch? It’s a gambler’s special, so you have to be playing a machine in the bar at TCR to get the $1.99 price (regularly $10). The deal is offered daily from midnight to 3 a.m. and noon to 3 p.m.
This is a legitimate burger, topped with lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and pickles. It doesn’t come with anything on the side, but it doesn’t need to. It will fill you up.
Since you’re gambling, the drinks are free, so it’s really a burger and a beer (or whatever you drink) for $1.99, plus the expected loss from playing. The best game is 6/5 Bonus Poker (96.87%).
The Composers Room is the entertainment complex that’s been open for a year in Commercial Center at Maryland Pkwy. and Sahara. They’re trying hard there and have been able to make it a year where similar attempts have failed. There’s a lot to this place, which we’ll be reporting on in the future. For now, check out the deal while you take a look around both TCR and the iconic Commercial Center and the diverse restaurant line-up that’s soon to be augmented by the return of the original Lotus of Siam.
Smash Burgers at Hard Hat
The Hard Hat Lounge, located at 1675 Industrial behind The STRAT, has gone though several dining incarnations—Burg sandwiches, Detroit-style pizza, barbecue, even sushi for a minute. Now it’s smash burgers. The smashers come with cheese and are topped with pickles, chopped onions, and some kind of special sauce for $10. Your can make it a double for $2 more, but a single will be enough for most.
Maybe it should be called a slather burger — this is a messy meal. But these burgers are good and it’s a quick turn at the counter that’s open noon to 3 a.m. daily.
An extra bonus is the bar itself. Operating as a restaurant or bar since 1958, the Hard Hat is considered to be the oldest dive bar in Las Vegas and is famous for the giant mural (pictured below) that’s survived every redesign of the joint.
There’s a play-$20-get-$20 sign-up bonus, which means you can get a burger and beer and walk out with more money than you came in with.
Steak & Eggs Special (Jackpot Bar & Grill)
Jackpot (4485 S. Jones) has a pretty good kitchen, so we were expecting good things with the $8.88 steak & eggs special that’s regularly $12.99. It’s served daily from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. and again from 10 p.m. to midnight and comes with two eggs, the steak, and tater tots. Toast isn’t included, but we were told we could have a slice when we asked.
The steak is advertised as a 6-ounce top sirloin, but ours was bigger. Quantity isn’t a problem—this breakfast will fill you up—but the steak is sub-par and the breakfast overall is pretty much a snore. The Jackpot Burger ($15.49) is one of the best in town. The bar often has video poker bonuses a couple times a week, see the “Changes as They Happen” blog. There’s a play-$100-get-$20 sign-up bonus.
Three happy hours this week that are all doing something worth talking about right now. New menus, a beloved local coming back stronger than before, and a late night option after the show that makes the Strip feel like your neighborhood. Fresh news, real updates, and one of them you are literally hearing about here first. That is what we are here for.
And if unlimited craft beer samples and live 90s music sounds like your idea of a great Saturday afternoon, our friends at Pub 365 at Tuscany Suites are hosting the 9th Annual Silver State Brewfest on July 11. More on that below.
Happy 4th of July week. Go enjoy something good.
🍝 D’Agostino’s Trattoria Happy Hour | Spring Valley ⏰ Tue–Sun 4–6 PM
D’Agostino’s is the kind of neighborhood Italian that earns regulars and keeps them. Chef Dan just dropped a new personal pizza and Nicole’s summer cocktail menu just landed — which means the $10 happy hour menu you are looking at right now is so fresh you are reading about it here before anyone else has written it up. This is what happens when a kitchen never stops tinkering: fine dining roots, genuine creative instincts, and a happy hour that earns every visit.
The Italian Nachos are the unexpected standout — crispy, layered, and not something you will find on many Italian happy hour menus in Las Vegas. Pair them with a Limoncello Drop and you have a combination that sounds like it should not work and absolutely does. Locals have known about this place for a while. Now you do too.
Order this: Italian Nachos + Limoncello Drop. Then ask about Chef Dan’s new pizza — it just landed and it is worth knowing about.
🦪 Hearthstone Kitchen & Cellar | Red Rock Resort ⏰ Mon–Thu 4–6 PM
The backstory here matters to anyone who lives west of the Strip. Hearthstone opened at Red Rock Resort and became a genuine local institution — the kind of restaurant that felt like a neighborhood place even though it was inside a casino. After almost a decade, it closed in 2023 to make way for something new. The replacement did not take. Red Rock conducted focus groups and the message was clear: guests had been missing Hearthstone. So they brought it back.
Executive Chef Jason Janson said the response upon reopening was unlike anything in his 22 years in the business — packed from day one, with a built-in following already waiting at the door. The menu respects what people loved about the original while giving the kitchen room to improve on it.
The happy hour is exactly what it should be: oysters, wood-fired pizza, and drinks all at $12 or under for food. $1 Oyster Wednesdays starting at 4 PM is the weekly special that will make this a standing appointment. $7 Martini Mondays layer on top of the same window. Upscale, accessible, and back where it belongs.
Order this: Show up Wednesday at 4 PM. Order oysters. Order the apple and quinoa salad. Order a drink at $9. That is the Hearthstone happy hour in one move.
🌮 Hussong’s Cantina | Mandalay Bay ⏰ Late Night Happy Hour: 9 PM–Close
Here is the context that makes this happy hour worth knowing: Hussong’s Cantina was established in Ensenada, Baja California in 1892 and is credited as the place where the margarita was invented in October 1941 — bartender Don Carlos Orozco mixed equal parts tequila, damiana, and lime over ice in a salt-rimmed glass for Margarita Henkel, daughter of the German Ambassador to Mexico. The story is on record with the Ensenada Historical Society. The original location is still standing, still family-owned, and still serving.
The Las Vegas location is in Mandalay Place and has been a locals’ favorite since it opened — a multiple-time Best of Las Vegas winner for Best Enchiladas and recognized for Best Mexican Restaurant by the Las Vegas Review-Journal. The late night happy hour is new: after the show at House of Blues, walk down a few steps and order a $10 margarita with $7 street tacos, nachos, elote, or ceviche. Discounted cocktails, beer, and micheladas until close.
Ordering a margarita at the bar that invented the margarita, after a show, late at night, on the Strip — that is Las Vegas doing exactly what it does best.
Order this: The Original Margarita + street tacos + elote. The late night timing makes this the best post-show move on that end of the Strip.
🍺 Silver State Brewfest | Tuscany Suites & Casino ⏰ July 11 | 3 – 7 PM (ages 21+)
SPONSOR: Pub 365 hosts the 9th Annual Silver State Brewfest inside the Florentine Ballroom at Tuscany Suites & Casino on East Flamingo. All-you-can-drink samples from a wide selection of craft breweries, live music from Bling (the top Top 40 cover band in Las Vegas), air conditioning, and free parking. This is the summer event for craft beer fans in Las Vegas. BUY YOUR TICKETS HERE
Three Happy Hours. All Worth the Trip.
A fresh menu at a neighborhood Italian, a local favorite that came back because people demanded it, and a 130-year-old cantina serving late night margaritas after the show. None of these require a reservation. All three are open this week. Happy 4th of July — go enjoy something good.
The Happy Hour Vegas newsletter is free. No fluff, no filler, just curated deals, updated menus, and new finds from the team tracking 500+ happy hours across the valley. New issue with top 3 picks every week.
Caesars Palace – Bacchanal Buffet: New early brunch special Fri-Sun, 9 a.m.-11 a.m. for $69.99 with no crab offered.
Circus Circus – Circus Buffet: This weekend’s breakfast buffet is Fri, 8 a.m.-12 p.m. for $29.95. Then their dinner buffet is Sat & Sun, 5 p.m.-9 p.m. is $34.95.
It is hot outside. The kind of hot where the right move is indoors, air conditioned, and in front of something cold and worth drinking. Las Vegas is built for exactly this. This week’s list has an indoor adventure park with a retro bar and arcade games, a fresh seafood happy hour served anywhere in the restaurant you want to sit, and an all-day sushi happy hour run by a chef who trained at Nobu and Yellowtail at the Bellagio. All three are verified. The AC is definitely on.
Spy Ninjas HQ is a 53,000 sq ft family adventure park — zip line, rock wall, trampoline zone, aerial net, the whole operation. The Retro Bar sits on the second floor with a direct view of all of it. Neon lights, 80s and 90s hits, classic arcade games, and a happy hour menu that makes the whole afternoon make financial sense.
Cheese Curds $8.50 · Quesadillas $11.50 · Chips, Salsa and Guacamole $5. Cold beer, wine, and signature cocktails at happy hour prices. There is also a Cocktail Claw Machine — yes, it is real, and yes, everyone wins. Watching your kids tackle the zip line two floors below while you play Donkey Kong with a $7 cocktail in hand is a specifically Las Vegas experience that does not exist anywhere else. This is a happy hour designed for parents who also want to have fun. It delivers.
Order this: $7 signature cocktail + Cheese Curds + a turn on the Cocktail Claw Machine. The view of the park from the bar is the real happy hour bonus — free of charge.
Where: 7980 W Sahara Ave, Las Vegas (West Sahara / Summerlin area)
Daily 3–6:30 PM · 5:30 PM close on Sundays · Two Las Vegas locations
Bonefish Grill calls their happy hour “Social Hour” and they mean it — this is one of the few happy hours in Las Vegas where the discounted menu is available at the bar, the dining room, and the patio. You pick where you want to sit. Same menu, same prices, anywhere in the restaurant.
Cocktails from $7 · Wine from $6 · Shrimp Toast $9 · Beef Cheddar Sliders $9. Two Las Vegas locations — Town Square near the Strip or the Summerlin location on the west side — means there is almost certainly one close to you. Both run the same menu at the same prices with the same upscale casual feel that makes this one of the most consistent happy hours in the valley. Fresh fish, cold drinks, real patio if you want one.
Order this: Shrimp Toast + a cocktail. The no-table-minimum, sit-anywhere policy is the hidden value here — come for drinks, stay for a proper happy hour meal without being cornered at a bar stool.
Where: Town Square Las Vegas (near the Strip) · Boca Park, Summerlin
The backstory matters here. Chef Ted Jung was the Master Sushi Chef at Nobu in Caesars Palace and then at Yellowtail at the Bellagio — two of the most recognized sushi programs in Las Vegas. He left to open his own place in a strip mall off the 215. That decision tells you something about the food.
Pier 215 specializes in high-quality seafood, sushi, and oysters at prices that have nothing to do with their Strip-level pedigree. The happy hour runs from 11 AM to 5 PM on weekdays — not a typo, and not a short window. The Waikiki Roll (Chutoro Carpaccio and Japanese Snapper Crudo) is $11 and was described by one HHV subscriber as “the bite that will set you free.” That is a strong endorsement and an accurate one based on what reviewers consistently say about the fish quality here.
Locals have known about this place for years. The Durango Casino opening across the street brought more traffic to the neighborhood. Easy off the 215, cool room, serious kitchen, all-day happy hour pricing that makes it worth building your afternoon around.
Order this: Waikiki Roll $11 · Spicy Tuna Roll (happy hour priced) · Ask your server what’s fresh. Chef Ted’s background means the fish sourcing is taken seriously — the answer will be worth following.
Where: 7060 S Durango Dr, Suite 101, Las Vegas · (702) 586-3311
Three Happy Hours This Week. All Air Conditioned. All Verified.
An adventure park bar with arcade games and a zip line view. A seafood chain that lets you sit wherever you want. A strip-mall sushi restaurant run by a former Nobu chef with an all-day happy hour. None of these require a reservation. All three are open this week. When it is this hot outside, a cool happy hour is not a luxury it is a plan.
The Happy Hour Vegas newsletter is free. No fluff, no filler, just curated deals, updated menus, and new finds from the team tracking 500+ happy hours across the valley. New issue with top 3 picks every week.
Henderson. Summerlin. Planet Hollywood. Three different neighborhoods, three different menus, one consistent idea: serious food and real drinks at prices that let you actually try the place. Happy Hour Vegas verified all three. Here’s what to order and why each one is worth the trip.
🇮🇹 Azzurra Cucina Italiana — Water Street District, Henderson
Mon–Sat 4–6 PM · 322 South Water Street
Azzurra Cucina is a 30-seat Italian restaurant on Henderson’s Water Street — owned by local architect Windom Kimsey and run by Chef Alessandra Maderia, whose kitchen is unambiguously serious. The room is modern and intimate, the patio does most of the work on a good evening, and the food is the kind that makes you wonder how you went this long without knowing about it.
The happy hour menu is built around Italian classics done correctly. Chef Alessandra’s Meatballs are $10. The Gnocchi Bolognese is $12. The Penne alla Vodka is $12. The Hanger Steak is $20 — a full entree portion at a fine dining price that makes no financial sense and every culinary sense. Pair it with a $8 glass of house red and you’re done. Well fed, well spent, no reservations required.
The full happy hour menu: 🍸 Cocktails (Perfect Negroni, The Sorrento, Captain Walter) $10 🍷 House Red $8 glass · $30 bottle · House White or Sparkling $7 glass · $28 bottle 🍺 Beer $5 🦑 Fried Calamari $10 🍗 Chicken Drumettes $10 🥩 Hanger Steak $20 🍝 Chef Alessandra’s Meatballs $10 🍝 Gnocchi Bolognese $12 🍝 Penne alla Vodka $12
Order this: Hanger Steak + a glass of house red. That’s a full dinner for under $30 at a chef-driven Italian restaurant. The Water Street District is worth the drive on its own — Azzurra is the reason to stay.
Where: 322 South Water Street, Henderson · 702-268-7867
🌶️ Hot N Juicy Crawfish — Planet Hollywood (The Strip)
Mon–Thu 3–7 PM
Most of the regular menu is half-price at happy hour, including the margaritas and pitchers of draft beer. That alone makes Hot N Juicy worth knowing. But the detail that sets this happy hour apart is the green mussels — which, as far as Happy Hour Vegas can confirm, don’t appear on any other happy hour menu in Las Vegas. If you’ve seen them elsewhere, let us know. Until then, this is the move.
Hot N Juicy is a Cajun seafood concept with five Las Vegas locations. The Planet Hollywood location has the Strip energy to match the menu. It’s loud, it’s messy, and the food is built to punch back. The Cajun mozzarella sticks, no-head shrimp, green mussels, and a margarita runs approximately $35 total — a full table of food on the Strip for the price of two cocktails at a resort bar next door.
Order this: Green mussels + Cajun mozzarella sticks + no-head shrimp + margarita. ~$35 total. The mussels are the reason you’re here — order them first.
🍷 Two Italians and a Cajun seafood spot — and there are 500+ more where these came from. Get the best ones verified and in your inbox every week →Free signup here
🍕 Ai Pazzi Pizza — JW Marriott, Summerlin
Daily 4–6 PM · 221 N Rampart Blvd
Fabio Viviani is a Top Chef alum with 40+ restaurants and a Florentine culinary background. Ai Pazzi is his first Las Vegas location — and he opened it in Summerlin, inside the JW Marriott, where it debuted to a 4.4-star rating before most people knew it existed. The happy hour is how you try a celebrity chef’s restaurant without committing to the full dinner tab.
Ten items on the menu. Nothing over $13. At a 5-star resort. The Pesce Fritto — rockfish and shoestring fries — is $13 and is the most complete dish on the list. The Sausage & Peppers Panini is $10. The Truffle Mushroom pizza with parmesan cream and mozzarella is $10. Add an Italian Spritz at $12 and you have a proper afternoon for well under $30.
The Resort at Summerlin runs a “Happy Hour Hopping” program across multiple restaurants in the building — Ai Pazzi is the newest addition and the one with the most immediate name recognition for anyone who watches food television.
Order this: Pesce Fritto + Italian Spritz. Rockfish and fries with a proper Aperol drink at a Top Chef alum’s restaurant in Summerlin for $25. That’s the play.
Where: JW Marriott Resort, 221 N Rampart Blvd, Summerlin
Three Happy Hours. Three Neighborhoods. All Verified.
Henderson’s Water Street. The Strip at Planet Hollywood. The Resort at Summerlin. None of these require a reservation. All three are open this week. Happy Hour Vegas tracks current menus and hours across 500+ venues. What you see here is confirmed and current (Jun 2026).
There are a few old-time joints in Vegas. The Bootlegger Italian Bistro is one of them. The original Bootlegger opened in 1972 at Tropicana and Eastern and moved to 7700 Las Vegas Blvd. S. in 2001, about two miles south of the Tropicana corner, where it still operates today. Through the years, this place has been a go-to for food, live music, and good old-fashioned people watching. Lots of names have been through the doors and every once in a while you see one.
The Food
It’s a big menu. A little pricey and we wouldn’t rate it the best Italian food in town, but it’s good. Certainly different, based on northern Italian family recipes. The minestrone, for example, contains a generous ration of cabbage and beans, more than most. It’s $12 for a big bowl. Basic pastas are in the $20s, seafood pastas in the $30s, Veal parm is $40. Lunch dishes are $18-$25 and there are slight discounts if you’re gambling at the bar (see below). While waiting for the food you get a plate of warm bread knots with marinara for dipping.
Neck Bones
Then there’s the neck bones. Years ago, one of Las Vegas’ busiest non-casino restaurants was Venetian Ristorante. It was located on W. Sahara where Herbs & Rye now stands. The Venetian was famous for one appetizer that no place else served: neck bones. They were braised pork bones served in a broth with bread meant for sopping it all up. Anthony Curtis recalls trying them for the first time and wondering what the fuss was all about, but everyone ordered them. When the Venetian closed in 2003, he never saw them again until they appeared on the menu at Bootlegger ($25). Nostalgia comes in odd forms. After quizzing a bartender, we learned that the owners of the two restaurants are family; hence, the recipe travels.
Music
There’s live dinner music in the restaurant and an attached music venue where some of Las Vegas’ top bands play, currently Santa Fe and the Fat City Horns, on Monday nights with admission starting at $10. Call 702-609-3390 for details.
Video Poker
There are machines at the bar and the best schedule is better than most Las Vegas bars, 7/5 Bonus Poker returning 98.01%. If you play you can get a $11 Peroni comped, or a house red with your pasta. There’s also a play-$20-get-$20 bonus every Friday if you’re signed up with Gambler’s Bonus (ask the bartender).
Lieutenant Governor
The daughter of the founders, Lorraine Hunt, was an accomplished casino-lounge performer. She entered politics and was elected Lieutenant Governor of Nevada in 1998.
The Verdict
This place is too old-style cool not to like. We said it’s “pricey,” but not egregiously so. Consider that you’re paying a little more for the ambience and vibe, which is present in abundance. It’s something of a must-do at some point in your Vegas exploration.
