Question of the Day - 18 August 2009

Here’s part two of the "hidden Vegas gems" poll results, as promised. We can’t possibly provide links to all of the suggestions, many of which most likely don’t even have a Website; however, Googling (or the equivalent) should generally yield a street address/phone number, if it’s a location that’s not listed on our site. While some of your suggestions are not exactly "hidden," we included most of them, especially as you often had a secret twist on making something extra special; we drew the line at including things like the Ellis Island steak special or 99¢ shrimp cocktail at the Golden Gate, since they’ve both been in our own Top 10 (listed on the home page and in the monthly newsletter) for years!

We split your feedback into groups according to type, leading off today with Food and Drink:

DINING

• Billy Bob's at Sams town has the best steaks at a reasonable price! I have never seen such a large piece of meat for 18 bucks. The same steak would be $55 at Delmonico. Nice casual steakhouse. Plus, it is in the Mystic Falls area. It gives you a nice view to boot."
• Polaris St Café. [Ed: Ah, yes! A great greasy spoon around the corner from the LVA offices (same road as the Sand Dollar Blues bar) and more than often the source of a desk-bound staffers breakfast/lunch. Much favored by construction workers (or it was, while there was construction work), this is indeed a hidden gem that serves massive portions at reasonable prices. Look! We’re even giving you their website, seeing as they’re our neighbor ‘n all ; )
• I don't normally espouse the "chain" restaurants on the Strip, but my wife and I have a solid bargain: Get a seat at the upper balcony at Flamingo's Jimmy Buffet Margaritaville restaurant, order the "Volcano Nachos" (for under $10!) and check out the view of the Strip below! At this price, order a specialty drink (or two, or three...) off the menu, and let the good times roll! It's people and strip-watching at its finest! Midsummer might be too hot for this, but we enjoy this break every time we go to Vegas!
• Chicago Joe’s (great Italian in the hood!); Frankie’s Bar (Polynesian favorite); and Valley Cheese and Wine (need I say more?) Fabulous wine and cheese and owners that know everything about them.
[Ed: They do regular wine tastings, too.]
• Build-your-own style burgers at 4 Mile Bar on Boulder Hwy.
• Jerry's Nugget has a shockingly good coffee shop. Many dishes are made from items created in-house and there're a number of attractive desserts. It is not the greatest neighborhood, being in North Las Vegas, but the reasonable prices and tasty fresh food make it a real find.
• My hidden gem that I tell everyone about is Battista's Hole in the Wall restaurant. There are a lot of great restaurants in Las Vegas, and a lot of Italian restaurants, but there’s something about Battista's, from the wine that’s included with the dinner and the lasagna that’s the best that this Italian boy has ever had. The atmosphere is great and you cannot experience dinner at Battista's without a serenade from Gordie and his accordion. If you’re looking for a great meal, great atmosphere, and at a good price, I would put Battista's at the top of my list."[Ed: This voter was not alone in making this their pick]
• My vote goes to Bootleggers. They have the best breakfast pizza and Italian toast.
• Eating at Outback Steakhouse [at Casino Royale] table 3 or 4, where you can watch the Mirage Volcano show with a perfect view. Also going up to the top of Paris’ Eiffel Towerat dusk and catching the Bellagio fountain show is awesome. Just a couple tips...
• May not seem like much to the people out west but for us, nothing is quite as special as In-N-Out Burger." [Ed: Au contraire! Was just voted "best fast food joint" by a bunch of our celebrity chefs!]
• While driving downtown from Suncoast, I stumbled upon POPS Cheesesteaks. I don't usually eat in LV what I can have at home but their cheesesteaks are darn close to the real thing."
• "We love the dim sum at Orchid Garden. Mostly Asian patrons, so it ensures authenticity. Great selections: Try the deep fried squid, the broccoli, shu Mai, har gow -- all your favorites. As good or better than any in San Francisco, LA, or other big city China Town (we’ve sampled in many major cities while travelling as coaching staff for a nationally ranked team)"
• Blueberry Hill restaurant on Flamingo.
• The Slammer at Binion’s Deli – best sandwich in Vegas."
• Has to be The Flame (Roberta's) at the El Cortez. I had fantastic lobster tails there with my MRB coupon back in March."
• El Cortez Meals on Wheels where any item on the MOW menu can be rolled up to your favorite machine so you don't lose any playing time!"
• Moco Loco breakfast at the California."
• One of our favorite things about Vegas is the Hash House restaurant. Better than momma’s cookin’." [Ed: Not to be confused with Hash House A Go Go.]
• "Hugo's Cellar in the Four Queens. Always surprised how many visitors do not know of this GREAT restaurant.
• "I voted "other" in your poll. I think one of the best hidden deals is at Market Café at the California. The Prime Rib special with all the trimmings, with salad bar, plus Cherries Jubilee, is terrific. We visit each trip we make to Vegas."
• "We have to name Ellis Island's Barbecue Ribs as a "have to take in" stop whenever we're in Vegas."
• "Must-eat EVERY trip to Vegas--Metro Pizza!!"
• "The outside deck at the Pink Bean Coffee Shop at the Flamingo."
• "Do I love LV, or what? "#1...The Lite De-Caf Cafe Mochas w/whip cream from Seattle's Best Coffee shop in Bill's Casino...they have the best whipped cream in the word!! "#2....Being able to find Anabelle's Rocky Road candy bars at random gift shops around town - nearly impossible to find in Chicago. "#3...The Venetian's Concierge level check-in service and perks at Venezia Tower. "#4....Jubilee!'s backstage tour at Bally's. "I could go on, but I won't, and I realize you probably can't use all these suggestions. Can't wait to get back in late August. LVA rocks!" [Ed: Thanks!]
• Freed’s bakery. [Ed: A former LVA Local Corner]
• "First of all, I'm hesitant to even mention this, as it is hard enough to get into the Victorian Room as it is, but it started at the Barbary Coast with these breakfast squares at the Victorian Room as an appetizer while waiting for breakfast. Years later they still have them at Bill’s Gamblin’ Hall & Saloon… It has brown sugar cinnamon & chocolate chips over a layer of cake..."
• "The grilled cheese and lobster sandwich at the Big Sur Oyster Bar at South Point."
• "I have been coming to Vegas for years, but just found out last December that there's a Chinatown! Great place to get a cheap Asian food fix." [Ed: Better late than never lol.]
• "Our favorite hidden gem is the pizza restaurant in the Imperial Palace. It is a small place, not fancy or expensive, good food and generally has seating available. A good place to get away from the action on the Strip for awhile.
• "Marché Bacchus at Desert Shores. Cool in the summer, lovely to sit by the lake and watch the ducks." [Ed: Good wine store, too]
• "Komol." [Ed: Aha! Yes, agreed. It’s another Thai restaurant in the same plaza as Lotus of Siam, and the current writer really rates it too. The décor is definitely nothing fancy, but the food is very good and there’s a full vegetarian/vegan menu. To survive across the parking lot from Lotus, it must be decent (and is a good back-up plan if you’re craving Thai food and Lotus is too busy to accommodate you)].
• "This is pretty lame, but my favorite relatively unpublished fun thing is the half-pound hot dog at Slots-A-Fun for 99 cents."
• "Breakfast omelet at Fremont's Paradise buffet."
• "Don't miss the grub at the seafood counter at Palace Station."

DRINKING

• "We love the West End Lounge in MGM. Two-for- one drinks between 4 and 8 p.m. , quiet, and out of the way - at least it was the last couple of times we visited."
• "My favorite Vegas gem/secret tip is the amazing happy hour at Cafe Ba Ba Reeba in the Fashion Show Mall. We always see the same waitress/bartender Susanne who is just such a doll!! I long for our yearly trip so we can go out and indulge in their $3 appetizers and half-price Sangria. Best happy hour in Las Vegas!!" [Ed: Yes!]
• The Freakin’ Frog (4700 S Maryland Pkwy). Great beers (huge selection – tap and bottles) and burgers. Upstairs, there’s a whisky bar (Whisky Attic) that has any whisky you can think of – scotch, bourbon, Irish, Canadian, rye, etc. Great place! " [Ed: Yes again, to all that!]
• "I always stop at Sin City Brewing Co. at Planet Hollywood and have a few cold hometown brews :) [Ed: Thanks for the pics! We decided not to use, since no one else submitted photos, but we’ll keep them on file for some future use... No, we don’t mean blackmail ;)]
• "The Martini Bar at the top of the Stratosphere. First: Stop by the players club and pick up your fun books. Then: Bypass the lines and take the elevator to the bar. Finally: Pick your view of the Strip or downtown and have 2-for-1 martinis."
• "My biggest little secret is the Stage Door bar behind Bill's Gamblin’ Hall and right across from Bally’s. $1.50 beers, $2 shots: What more can one ask for?"
• "I love microbrews and I've found that LV and the surrounding areas have quite a few brewpubs. Two of my favorites are The 777 restaurant and brewery at Main Street Station and Big Dog’s (various around LV). Another good one is Boulder Dam Brewery in Boulder City. You pass it on the way to Hoover Dam" [Ed: You can find 'em all in our Pubs & Microbreweries section.]
• The bartenders at Bellagio’s pool – best drinks for the money in Vegas."
• "The Four Kegs sports Bar. Great atmosphere, laid-back super-friendly staff, great food (stromboli is out-of-this-world), cooooold beer! Off the beaten path...worth the trip! We go there each time we’re in town (at least once per year)." [Ed: A great place to run the risk of running into Anthony Curtis, who is another huge fan of their cooooold beers and great strombolis!]
• "I hope this is still there and plan to find out when I am in LV this weekend, but I LOVE Napoleon's Champagne Bar at Paris. They have free snacks, including hand-carved roast beef mini sandwiches, flights of Champagne, piano music, and couches for a really relaxing atmosphere. In the summer it is dark and cool--and just a step away from the gaudiness and noise of the casino."
• First of all we have to thank LVA for this one. We really enjoy going to Ellis Island and taking advantage of the free drinks at the bar by using the LVA coupon. We belly up to the bar and order a Heineken and a side glass of Grand Marnier. After several of these we enjoy their steak dinner. This sobers us up and then we do some gaming and then we drive downtown to our hotel/casino. We time this to arrive at Ellis Island around 4:30 p.m. and spend around 3/4 to 1 hour at the bar. What a real GEM."
• "Chicken Ranch, bar section – Pahrump." [Ed: You go to the Chicken Ranch for the drinks?! j/k]
• "Silver Miner Casino on Rancho and Vegas Dr. This place is fun and the bartenders are very generous. If you ever end up on that side of town on a Friday night, stop in and say hi to Teresa. Oh, and ask for ‘Teresa's Strawberry Pink’ drink (tell her Tanya sent you ; )" [Ed: This one direct from an LVA staffer.]
• "Get a table out front across from the piano player at the Petrossian Bar lounge in Bellagio and people-watch all night – best free entertainment in Vegas."
• "City Bar at the MGM Grand. Lisa makes the best drinks!"
• The cigar/brandy lounge upstairs above Andre's at the Monte Carlo...nothing like it in town. A second that many do not know about is the wine cellar and tasting room (lower level) at the Rio."

Many thanks again to everyone for sharing all these suggestions; we’ll be back tomorrow with the final part of this trilogy, with your tips covering transportation, entertainment, shopping, activities, and much more, so stay tuned!