We couldn't possibly narrow it down to three or four! Steakhouses are the longest-lasting restaurants and, probably, the most crowded cuisine category in this traditional meat-and-potatoes town. But the thumbnails of the following 10 steakhouses will narrow it down for you and point you in a direction that you can pursue.
Old Las Vegas
Bob Taylor's Original Ranch Steakhouse is about 15 miles north of the city (take US 95 to Ann Road, go west for a half-mile, and turn left on Rio Vista; it’s three-quarters of a mile at 6250 Rio Vista St., 702/645-1399), but it’s been in the same location since 1955. It’s famous for its mesquite-grilled steaks, ranch-style dining room with Old West memorabilia and movie posters, and a 32-ounce New York strip; if you finish it, your dessert’s on the house.
The Golden Steer isn't much younger; it opened on West Sahara just west of the Strip (look for the big gold bull on the sign) in 1958, 702/384-4470. Although you won’t know it from the outside, the Steer is cavernous; lots of small intimate rooms break up the space. It features a Rat Pack look: dark-wood interior, red leather booths, and stained-glass. Steak, ribs, and game are the mainstay of the huge menu. The food is huge too -- and not as expensive as most.
The Steakhouse at Circus Circus, 702/794-3767, is a big surprise. After muscling through the madness of kids, clowns, and casino, you enter the cool, quiet, and dark restaurant; it's one of the most extreme and immediate transitions in Las Vegas. Everyone raves about the steaks here: They're aged in a glass-enclosed walk-in for 21 days, then grilled over mesquite in the open kitchen. And the prices are good.
Non-Strip Casinos
Two LVA staffers recently ate at T-Bones Chophouse at the Red Rock Resort, 702/797-7595, and loved it; they weren't surprised, since this place is garnering rave reviews both public and private. In fact, they liked it so much they closed the place! You can sit at the piano bar, on the outside patio complete with a firepit, or in the main dining room. T-Bones is already known for bone-in steak (with a 48-ounce T-bone option), but there's also lamb and seafood; the wine list is monumental.
At the other end of the spectrum, the coffee shop at Ellis Island (on Koval at E. Flamingo, 702/733-8901), isn’t a steakhouse, but it serves the best steak in Las Vegas for the money: $4.95. It’s a 10-ounce filet-cut sirloin (thick), grilled to order and served with a big house salad, garlic green beans, potatoes, and rolls. This is a $20 meal, at least, anywhere else in the country.
The Ranch Steakhouse at Binion's, 702/382-1600, fits in a number of categories, actually: venerable, view, and quality. It's been around forever; it was in the original casino, then moved to the top of the old Mint tower when the Binions took over the Mint in 1988. The steaks and prime rib here are huge.
N9NE at the Palms, 702/933-9900, is where publisher Anthony Curtis winds up, more often than not, when he has a taste for a good steak. It can be noisy, but the filets and ribeyes are renowned; you'll also like the Garbage house salad (a little bit of everything) and lobster mashed potatoes.
Strip Casinos
Charlie Palmer Steak, 702/632-5123, is in a nice room off the lobby of the Four Seasons Hotel in the Mandalay Bay building. Palmer is known for searching far and wide for the best and freshest ingredients. All the beef here is black Angus, dry-aged for 21 days. He's also known for signature potato creations, such as steak fries, baked truffle potato, Yukon Gold potato purée, and three-cheese potato gratin.
Prime at Bellagio, 877/234-6358, decorated like a 1930s-style speakeasy, is located lakeside with views of the fountains. The menu is changeable and small (for example, a veal chop, lamb chops, a filet, and a porterhouse in the meat department), but whatever they’re cooking, you can be sure is the among the best in town.
And finally, there’s Delmonico’s at the Venetian, 702/414-3737, has a big rep, thanks to the fame of executive chef (and owner) Emeril Lagasee’s ubiquity on th Food Channel. The signature dish is a bone-in prime-rib 22-ounce steak for $48. No sides, just the slab. This place is expensive, but from everything we can tell, worth it.
As mentioned above, this is just a sampling. Let us know if you have a favorite steakhouse (and favorite steak there) and, as usual, we’ll post the feedback in an upcoming QoD.
