Best Real Food for the Least Money?

We will be traveling to Las Vegas this month for a conference and while we normally look forward to eating at high end restaurants since we live in a small town without great eats, but we just bought a house that required a lot of renovations, so we are very poor for this trip.  We will be there over a week, so we need some good suggestions for quality food, without the huge price tag.  We did purchase our coupon books here and our membership so we have the AYCE coupons - which we can't wait to try, but we are looking for other options to eat on the cheap. We will have less than 20% of our normal Vegas budget for this trip and we will be there 3 more days than normal - pray for us! 

First of all, will you have transportation? If you do, you'll have all sorts of options. What general area of town?

In the past, I've eaten just about all of my meals at Emerald Island in Henderson (great food and soooo cheap), Magnolia's at the 4Q (easy comps), and South Point (lots of great choices, reasonable prices). I also hit Ellis Island for the steak special and/or the BBQ.

Sad to say that 99 percent of the cheap food options are gone (Vegas used to have the best and cheapest options in the country), but there are still bargains to be had. Fill us in on the details of your trip, how many will be dining, food preferences, etc.

Grand Lux Cafe (Venetian and Palazzo)

America (NYNY)

Earl of Sandwich (Planet Hollywood, Palms, and Fashion Show Mall)

Ocean One (Planet Hollywood)

Ellis Island (Koval Ln.) (Use LVA Coupon)

Palms Buffet  (Use LVA Coupon)

Maggiano’s (Fashion Show Mall)

Seigel’s Bagelmania (Convention Center Dr.)

Greenberg’s Deli (NYNY)

Blueberry Hill (various off strip locations)

Marilyn’s Café (Tuscany Casino) (East Flamingo Rd.)

None of those places, aside from where you can use LVA, are even sort of inexpensive. Marilyn's does have some specials.

Download the coupon book from Planet Hollywood's Miracle Mile and get 50% off lunch at Pampas Brazillian Steakhouse. It's all-you-can-eat, I think that will run you about $18 each, and I'm guessing you probably won't be hungry for dinner. Just watch out for the $$$ upsells; bottled water, dessert.

https://miraclemileshopslv.com/coupon-book/

Share/split meals, especially lunches.  They serve huge sandwich portions in Vegas.  We often could have shared one sandwich/fries meal, regretted having ordered a meal each. 

We would tell the server up front we were going to share.  No problem, never was told there would be a surcharge, which still would likely be a savings if there was.  Or one can order the meal, one can order just a side or salad, two beverages or even just water.   Limit alcoholic drinks to special times, budget killers. 

At your evening/special meals, consider appetizers in lieu of expensive entrees.  IMHO they can be better than a high priced entree.  The bread basket will fill you up.  

Watch for those sneaky 'extra service' charges some places have been known to add to your ticket, hoping you won't notice.  If something unusual other than the tax appears on a bill, ask what it is.  You can contest it--maybe successfully.  Just say "please remove that charge, thank you."

Since you will be in Vegas for a conference, fill up on their morning and break-time appetizers/snacks as much as you can.

Good luck!

Candy 

Thanks for these suggestions.  We are staying at Harrah's and we will using local transportation - we normally use the tram and monorail along with Uber for longer treks. There are just the two of us, but fortunately we eat just about anything and love all types of food. 

The Miracle Mile Shops inside Planet Hollywood have at least two, and possibly three, breakfasts for around $6. La Salsa Cantina is the one that comes to mind. You'll also be within walking distance of Ellis Island and Palms, so deploy your coupons. And while I wouldn't call it a budget option, Tacos El Gordo is killer, and right near you.

Palms during April after you put on 500 points I believe tier you get two brunch coupons for Monday thru Friday if your already gambling there. Maybe use just one card as you get two brunches. Watch the slot machine as it only notifies you this way the brunches are on your card.

Tuscany also has a promotion on Mondays for $20 dining credit at Marilyn's or the Pub.  It was like 50 pts to get $10 off, 100 pts. to get $20.