You're in luck. We have four suggestions.
One first and foremost romantic downtown restaurant that has been around forever and has never flagged in quality or romance is Hugo's Cellar in the "basement" of the Four Queens. Down a few stairs off the pit is another world; you'll quickly forget that you're mere steps away from the casino carnival of downtown Las Vegas.
The dimly lit old-school gourmet room is romantic from start to finish. The waiters all wear tuxedos. The last time we went, we asked ours how long he'd worked there. He said, "Well, I'm one of the new guys. I've only been here seventeen years."
Every lady is presented a rose on the way in (and Steve Friess, author of our new book Gay Vegas, says that boys can have a rose, too, if they ask).
The wine list is extensive and award-winning (from Wine Spectator and Zagat) and a sommelier is present to help you decide on the best pairing with your meal.
The menu consists mostly of steakhouse items, but with a fancier flair. Table water is mountain-spring bottled. The bread basket comes with baked lavosh-n-cheese, melba, rye, and a crusty French loaf.
Appetizers include lobster bisque, escargots, shrimp cocktail, scampi ($12 each), and Hugo's signature Hot Rock Specialty (minimum order for two; $24): tenderloin medallions, marinated swordfish, breast of chicken, and jumbo shrimp served on a sizzling slab of granite, cooked and seasoned right at your table.
Your entrée comes with Hugo's renowned salad, prepared tableside from a rolling salad cart: romaine leaves, tomato wedges, bay shrimp, chopped eggs, sliced mushrooms, marinated artichoke and hearts of palm, cubes of bleu cheese, roasted pine nuts, croutons, and grated parmesan cheese, topped with your choice of Caesar, honey-orange-walnut vinegarette, or the house pepper dressing.
Between your salad and entrée, there's an intermezzo of palate-cleansing sorbet.
Entrées include steaks ($27-$49), prime rib ($36-$49), veal ($40-$42), lamb ($38), duck ($32), seafood ($33 to market price for lobster and crab), and an interesting variety of chicken ($29). Accompanying your entrée are fresh vegetables and a choice of wild rice, red parsley potatoes, or the chef's selection.
Desserts are presented from a cart and are only $5; the bananas Foster and cherries Jubilee are flambéed tableside for $12 each (minimum two). But all tables receive a tray of light and dark chocolate-dipped fruits served with fresh whipped cream. Great touch.
With the bread, sides, intermezzo, and tray of chocolates, Hugo's turns out to be a much better value for your money than the fancy nouveau eateries on the Strip, which charge in the $40s for entrées, but everything else is à la carte.
Our second suggestion is Andre's. It's not quite on Fremont Street, but it's nearby at 401 S. Sixth, one block from Las Vegas Boulevard. This is the oldest French restaurant in Las Vegas (1980) and one of the most revered eateries in town. It's housed in one of the city's oldest residences, built in 1930; converted into a country French restaurant, it's made up of multiple dining rooms and an outdoor patio under a canopy of a large fruitless mulberry tree that's très romantique.
Appetizers run from $14 for escargots to $24 for the duck foie gras, with a trio-of-seafood ceviche, smoked-fish platter, scampi, and quail in between. The French onion soup ($12) is renowned. Salads are $10-$16 and a sorbet of the day is the entr’acte. The menu changes seasonally, but typical selections include wild salmon ($39), Dover sole ($65), and live Maine lobster (market price); chicken ($33), duck ($36), filet ($48), lamb ($52), and veal ($45). Desserts are $12 and a cheese platter is $16. There's also a large wine list, a tasting menu, and French coffees.
The Second Street Grill at the Fremont is a lo
