ZAGAT TRAVEL CAPSULE
RESTAURANTS
LAS VEGAS
Welcome to Las Vegas, one of the world s foremost vacation destinations. While there is much to do
and see in this desert oasis, this capsule guide is designed to give you the facts needed to make the
most of a brief visit, including advice on where to eat, shop, play and stay from thousands of savvy
locals, whose input forms the basis of the reviews on the following pages. To make your visit
manageable, we ve focused mainly on the city s famous Strip and included links to helpful Web sites.
Arriving
Most Las Vegas visitors arrive at McCarran
International Airport – the nation’s fifth-
busiest – located off the south end of the
Strip, and take a cab, shuttle, limo or rental
car to their hotel. California and Utah visitors
making the trip by car take Interstate 15,
while Arizona-based tourists favor Highway
93, skirting the Hoover Dam. The Greyhound
Bus Station is Downtown, on South Main
Street. There is no rail service to Las Vegas.
Getting Oriented
Navigating Las Vegas’ tourism corridor is a
cinch. Most major resorts are located on the
famed, four-mile-long Strip (aka Las Vegas
Boulevard South), which runs north to
south; running east to west are such major
thoroughfares as Flamingo Road, Sahara
Avenue, Spring Mountain Road/Sands
Avenue and Tropicana Avenue. The conven-
tion center as well as many restaurants and
non-gaming hotels lie on Paradise Road,
just east of the Strip. Lost? Get reoriented
easily by looking for the Stratosphere, the
city’s tallest building, which anchors the
Strip’s northern border.
Getting Around
You may not want to walk long distances in
Las Vegas (especially when it’s 112 degrees
outside) but there is plenty of public trans-
portation, so a car isn’t necessary. Trolleys
and double-decker buses service the Strip,
Downtown and adjoining areas, and a
monorail runs from the MGM Grand to the
Convention Center, with stops at many
resorts in between. Visit www.lvmonorail.
com or www.rtcsouthernnevada.com for
monorail or bus information; for the trolley,
inquire at your hotel.
Sightseeing
Many visitors to Las Vegas aren’t aware of
the spectacular natural sights just beyond
its borders. Among companies offering tours
Courtesy of Stratosphere are Gray Line (www.graylinelasvegas.com;
ZAGATSURVEY • www.zagat.com
NIGHTLIFE
800-634-6579), which goes to the Grand
Canyon, Hoover Dam and Lake Mead,
and Las Vegas Grand Canyon Tours
(www.lasvegasgrandcanyontour.com; 866-
218-3427), which offers bus, SUV and air
tours of those destinations as well as Death
Valley, plus river rafting, horseback riding
trips and nighttime air tours of the Strip.
Shopping
Maybe it’s all that money floating around,
GOLF
but shopping has become a major attrac-
tion in Las Vegas. Everything from exclu-
sive European designer boutiques to ultra-
high-end jewelers to Ferrari dealerships
can be found among the lavishly decorat-
ed promenades at the Bellagio, the
Desert Passage at the Aladdin/Planet
Hollywood, the Fashion Show Mall, the
Forum Shops at Caesars, the Grand
Canal Shops at the Venetian, Mandalay
Bay’s Mandalay Place and Wynn Las
Vegas. And more garden-variety chain
outlets and souvenir shops are also avail-
ATTRACTIONS
able for the budget-minded.
When to Visit
Las Vegas’ desert climate is most pleasant
during the spring and fall. Winters tend to
be chilly (though snow is very rare), but
that doesn’t stop revelers who pour into
the Strip on New Year’s Eve, one of the
biggest nights of the year. Boxing matches,
car races, rodeos and holiday weekends
also bring floods of visitors. For weather
information and a list of annual events, go
to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors
Authority Web-site, www.visitlasvegas.com.
Sites such as www.weather.com can help
you plan what to pack.
HOTELS
Call Ahead
Change is a constant in Las Vegas. While
we’ve done our best to provide accurate
phone numbers, addresses and other factu-
al details, it’s always wise to call ahead
before making plans.
Restaurants
ZAGAT TRAVEL CAPSULE

The Las Vegas dining revolution that began in the early ‘90s continues
unabated, and a town formerly known for its budget buffets now ranks
among the best restaurant cities in the country. While most of the buffets
have gone upscale, there still are bargains to be had (especially in the
smaller casinos), and the growing diversity in the area’s residents has
resulted in a broad selection of ethnic restaurants across the valley.
Regarding tipping, 15–20% is customary.
Courtesy of Tao

“MoMA-meets-Bacchus” “splurge” in the 24 22 22 $54

MOST POPULAR F D S C
25 27 24 $76
Aureole
Mandalay Bay Resort, 3950 Las Vegas Blvd.
S. (Mandalay Bay Rd.), 702-632-7401;
www.charliepalmer.com
“Book your bachelor party” in the “vaulted”
front of Charlie Palmer’s Mandalay Bay out-
post for a “super-sexy” “dining fantasy” com-
plete with “acrobatic” “angels” “on bungees”
“who fetch the good stuff” from the “extrava-
gant wine tower”, or let the “attentive” staff
usher you to the back for a “romantic dinner”;
either way, “bring your bank book”, as the bill
Bellagio (voted tops for Decor and Service as
well as Most Popular in Las Vegas); other
enticements include “perfect wines”, “gor-
geous flowers”, “a view of the dancing foun-
tains” and a “gracious” staff; of course it's
“expensive”, but “it still costs less than 15
minutes at blackjack”; N.B. closed Tuesdays.
Prime Steakhouse 27 27 26
Bellagio Hotel, 3600 Las Vegas Blvd. S.
(Flamingo Rd.), 702-693-8255;
www.bellagio.com
“Sink into the lavish seats” and “begin an
Mesa Grill
Caesars Palace, 3570 Las Vegas Blvd. S.
(Flamingo Rd.), 702-731-7731;
www.caesarspalace.com
Sure, “it would be nice if he were present”, but
even if he’s in NYC, this “impressive” Caesars
“offshoot” of the TV toque's “ultra-creative”
Southwestern flagship is “Bobby Flay’s place
from the time you enter to leaving”; “beautiful
$83
presentations” and “distinctive flavors” “restore
your faith in celebrity chefs”, and they’re
backed up by “personable service” in a “styl-
ish” yet “relaxing” space; “if you like a little
spice in your meal”, this “could become a regu-

RESTAURANTS
for the “sublime” New American offerings evening of delight” at the town’s No. 1 steak- lar haunt” because it’s “flay-bulous!”
“can rise as high as those lovely ladies” soar- house where Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s
ing for your vino. “pampering” staff serves “heaven on a plate 23 27 22 $82
Mix
24 19 19 $31 (and in a glass)”; “if the Rat Pack were still The Hotel at Mandalay Bay, 3950 Las Vegas
Bellagio Buffet around, they’d congregate here” for “mar-
Bellagio Hotel, 3600 Las Vegas Blvd. S. Blvd. S., 64th fl. (Mandalay Bay Rd.),
velous” meat, “martini-centric drinks”, “theatri- 702-632-9500; www.chinagrillmgt.com
(Flamingo Rd.), 702-693-8255; cal decor” and “fantastic” fountain views, “all of
www.bellagio.com “Dine in an egg-shaped pod” in a room
which scream ‘ring-a-ding Vegas’”; just “know
“Loosen your belt good” because “all anyone “straight out of a Kubrick film” with “hun-
that you'll be spending a ton” and you’ll “want
could want” to eat is “deftly prepared” and dreds of glass spheres hanging from the ceil-
to dress up” to dine among the “famous” folk.
“well presented” at the Bellagio’s “high-end” ing”, a “very hip bar” and “the best view this
Eclectic paean to “pigging out”; the “feast” side of a Vegas showgirl” atop The Hotel at
(from “unlimited cracked crab” and Kobe beef Mandalay Bay; the “outrageously decadent”
to “Asian specialties like congee” and “exotic experience extends to the New French–New
choices such as venison”) is so “fresh and fla- American fare, courtesy of über-chef/co-
vorful”, it “elevates the genre”, so despite owner Alain Ducasse and chef de cuisine
“hungry” “hordes” and a “banquet-hall” Bruno Davaillon, who “keep your bouche
atmosphere, gourmands ask “can I live here?” amused” throughout; all this and “mind-
blowing service” make for a “top-of-the-
26 23 25 $67
Delmonico Steakhouse world” “winner” – at “equally high prices.”
Venetian Hotel, 3355 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (bet.
Flamingo & Spring Mountain Rds.), 702-414-
3737; www.emerils.com Ratings & Symbols
“Everything Emeril touches turns to gold”, Ratings & Symbols
Hours: serves after 11PM
including this “hunk-of-meat heaven” in the View of Daniel Boulud, Courtesy of Wynn Las Vegas
Venetian; the beef is “impeccably aged” and Hours: closed on Sunday
serves after 11PM
M closed
closed on
on Monday
Sunday
“seasoned to perfection”, the wine list is to CELEB CHEFS F D S C
“drool over” and the sides are so “orgasmic”,
25 25 24 $74
Credit Cards:
Credit Cards: nocredit
no creditcards
cardsaccepted
accepted
“even the potato chips are divine”; what's Daniel Boulud Brasserie
more, the synchronized servers “know how to Wynn Las Vegas, 3131 Las Vegas Blvd. S. Ratings areon
Ratings are scaleofof00toto30.
onaascale 30.Cost
Cost(C)(C)reflects
reflects
put on a great show”, but the “dark, simple” (Desert Inn Rd.), 702-770-9966; our surveyors’ estimate of the price of dinner with
room could be less “noisy” and “more inter- www.wynnlasvegas.com one drink and tip. Surveyor Comments
comments are in quotes.
esting to match the quality of the fare” – book “No matter where Daniel opens restaurants, F Food D Decor S Service C Cost
the pricey chef’s table instead “for a feast to you can be assured” of an “exceptional”
23 9 13 $15
be remembered.” experience, as evidenced by this “magical”
New French namesake with a patio overlook- 0-9
0-9poor to to
poor fairfair 20-2520-25
veryvery
goodgood to excel-
to excellent
27 28 27 $102
Picasso ing the Wynn’s water wall; the “impressive 10-15 fair
10-15 fair to
to good
good lent
26-30 extraordinary to perfection
Bellagio Hotel, 3600 Las Vegas Blvd. S. dishes” (including the “famous” “burger
(Flamingo Rd.), 702-693-8255; stuffed with short ribs”) have the “innovative 16-19 good to very good low response/less reliable
www.bellagio.com yet traditional touches you would expect from For newcomers or
For newcomers or survey
survey write-ins
write-ins listed without
Just like the “beautiful” namesake originals on a Boulud eatery”, and the “chic” setting “is ratings, the price range is indicated as follows:
the wall, chef Julian Serrano’s “exquisite” consistent with the db mode”; “the service is
Spanish-inflected New French dishes are not perfected”, but “give them time”; N.B. no I $25 and below M
E $26
$41 to $40
$65
“meticulously honed” “masterpieces” at this children under five allowed. M $26 to $40 VE $66 or more

ZAGATSURVEY • www.zagat.com 1

24 23 22 $53
Olives
Bellagio Hotel, 3600 Las Vegas Blvd. S.
(Flamingo Rd.), 702-693-8255;
www.toddenglish.com
The terrace view “overlooking the water
show” is “magnificent”, though a seat in the
“open” interior of Todd English’s “remodeled”
Mediterranean is no booby prize; this Bellagio
outpost offers “original tastes, skillfully pre-
pared”, featuring “wonderful appetizers, sal-
ads and pizzas”, sided by “delicious olive
tapenade”, bolstered by a “wicked-good
cocktail” and chased by a “chocolate fallen
cake that will lift anyone’s spirits!” – even if
the service is “slooow.”
– – – E
StripSteak
Mandalay Bay Resort, 3950 Las Vegas Blvd.
S. (Mandalay Bay Rd.), 702-632-7414;
www.mandalaybay.com
Chef Michael Mina – primarily known for his
seafood, showcased at several Vegas venues
– has unveiled his first steakhouse, this glass-
fronted meat eaters’ dream between the
Restaurant Row and events center at
Mandalay Bay; look for Angus and Wagyu
cuts prepared on a pair of 12-ft. grills, com-
partmented to allow for the use of various
types of burning wood.
BUFFET SERVED F D S C
23 21 18 $27
Le Village Buffet
Paris Las Vegas, 3655 Las Vegas Blvd. S.
(bet. Flamingo Rd. & Harmon Ave.),
702-946-4966; www.parislasvegas.com
A “faux outdoor setting” resembling a “pretty
French village” in the Paris makes for a
“charming” atmosphere in which to indulge in
an “overwhelming array” of “rich” Gallic “spe-
cialties” like “artisanal cheeses”, “custom-
made crêpes” and “fresh crab legs”; some
gourmands grumble about the “long waits on
busy days”, but most claim this “excellent
value” is “très magnifique!”
26 19 23 $60
Sterling Brunch M
Bally’s Las Vegas Hotel, 3645 Las Vegas Blvd.
S. (Flamingo Rd.), 702-739-4111;
www.ballyslasvegas.com
Yes, it’s only open on Sundays (9:30 AM–2:30
PM), but for a “delightful experience” fueled
by “free-flowing Perrier Jouët”, this Bally’s
American brunch is “absolutely grand”; “feel
free to pile your plate five deep with grilled
lobster and top them off with good-quality
American sturgeon caviar”, finishing your
meal with a “decadent dessert”; just remem-
ber to reserve in advance, “bring a credit
card with a large limit” and be prepared to
deal with “crowds.”
– – – M
Tamba Indian Cuisine
Hawaiian Mktpl., 3743 Las Vegas Blvd. S.
(Harmon Ave.), 702-798-7889;
www.tambalounge.com
An Indian restaurant in a Hawaiian market-
place may seem odd, but is par for the course
in Vegas; naturally, this Strip subcontinental
serves dinner, but it’s especially popular for
the economical $12.95 lunch buffet, served
in a high-ceilinged room or on a terrace over-
looking a plaza area.
ZAGAT TRAVEL CAPSULE
17 12 14
Todai
Desert Passage at Aladdin, 3663 Las Vegas
Blvd. S. (Harmon Ave.), 702-892-0021;
www.todai.com
“All-you-can-eat buffets are common in this
town, but there aren’t many Asian ones”, so if
you’re hankering to pig out “without spending
a fortune”, this “cafeteria-style” chainster
offering “sushi galore” is your “economy” tick-
et when hoofing the Desert Passage; “it’s
great for kids” – “and people with no taste
buds” crab critics of the “average” cooking.
21 14 16
Village Seafood Buffet
Rio All-Suite Hotel, 3700 W. Flamingo Rd.
(bet. I-15 & Valley View Blvd.), 702-777-7943;
www.playrio.com
When you want “fish up to your gills” but have
“trouble committing to one type”, drop anchor
at this French-inspired seafood buffet in the
Rio All-Suite where “you have to take a num-
ber to get in line” and then endure “fast-food
decor” and a “frenetic” ambiance; though
many claim it “never fails to satisfy”, critics
carp that “mangled crab legs and microscopic
lobster tails do not a great buffet make.”
LATE DINING F D S C
20 20 19
Caf Bellagio
Bellagio Hotel, 3600 Las Vegas Blvd. S.
(Flamingo Rd.), 702-693-8255;
www.bellagio.com
“Even at 3 AM” when “you want to get back to
the tables quickly”, the casual New American
food is “fresh and plentiful” and the staff
“accommodating” at this around-the-clock,
“upscale coffee shop” that’s the “most reason-
able place to eat” in the namesake hotel; a
“lovely view” of the conservatory’s “ever-fabu-
lous”, ever-changing floral garden makes this
“quiet oasis” all the more “pleasant.”
Courtesy of Fix
20 13 15
Carnegie Deli
Mirage Hotel, 3400 Las Vegas Blvd. S.
(Spring Mountain Rd.), 702-791-7310;
www.mirage.com
As “obscenely large” as its “towering” Gotham
prototype, a skyscraping sandwich from the
Mirage’s deli offshoot “could literally feed
three”, if they had a “forklift” to handle it; the
corned beef and pastrami are “musts”, but the
soup is also “rich and steaming” and the half-
sours are “tart and plentiful”; even New
Yorkers who say “the original, it ain’t” concede
that “it does the trick.”
ZAGATSURVEY • www.zagat.com
$29 23 17 21 $29
Firefly
3900 Paradise Rd. (bet. Flamingo Rd. & Twain
Ave.), 702-369-3971; www.fireflylv.com
“Tasty little plates” of “easy-to-share” tapas
“keep on comin’” to your table thanks to “help-
ful” servers at this East Side Spaniard that’s
“nowhere near as stuffy or expensive” as its
Strip counterparts, and does without those
“ringing slot machines” too; decorwise it may
be a bit “blasé” inside, so “sit on the patio”
instead, where pitchers of “dangerous” sangria
go down easier.
$37
$28
RESTAURANTS
Courtesy of Fix
23 23 21 $57
Fix
Bellagio Hotel, 3600 Las Vegas Blvd. S.
(Flamingo Rd.), 702-693-8400;
www.bellagio.com
“Could the crowd or decor be any groovier”
at this “eye-catching”, dinner-only American
“hot spot” that opens onto the Bellagio casi-
no?; “sink into a deep booth” beneath an
“artistic, wooden” ceiling that’s “as curvy as
the hostess” and order up a fix of “brilliant”
“gourmet” comfort grub to “see and be
seen” with – though the “flash” of the “loud”
“bar scene blurs the palate”, a “damn-hot
staff serving great-looking”, “young” “bache-
lorette partiers” makes the “people-watch-
ing” a “total experience.”
23 19 22 $62
Smith & Wollensky
$22 3767 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (bet. Harmon &
Tropicana Aves.), 702-862-4100;
www.smithandwollensky.com
Dudes attending “bachelor parties” in the
“kitchen’s great glass-walled” chef’s table say
it’s “worth a few chips” to “sit at the bar and
enjoy a cigar after a fabulous filet and Caesar
salad” at this “classic” chophouse chainster that
might be Stripside but “looks, feels and acts like
NY”; “Tyrannosaurus rex would have loved” the
“big, big” beef servings and “giant martinis”, and
maybe the staff wouldn’t be as “pushy” with the
dino as they can be with diners.
2
 ZAGAT TRAVEL CAPSULE

SCENES F D S C fusion” fare; the “tranquil” garden setting is par-

ticularly “wonderful” for a “first date”, provided NotableMentions
24 21 23 $59
Joe s Seafood, you “come with your checkbook” and avoid it MOST POPULAR F D S C
Prime Steak & Stone Crab on “hotter-than-a-royal-flush” weekends when 26 24 25 $80
Bradley Ogden
Forum Shops at Caesars Palace, 3500 Las “noisy crowds” turn it into a sort of “bass-pump-
Caesars Palace, 3570 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (Flamingo Rd.),
Vegas Blvd. S. (Flamingo Rd.), 702-792-9222; ing nightclub.” 702-731-7731; www.caesarspalace.com
www.leye.com 26 26 25 $88
Le Cirque
“Miami surf meets Chicago turf” at this Forum Bellagio Hotel, 3600 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (Flamingo Rd.),
Shops collaboration by the Sunshine State 702-693-8100; www.bellagio.com
namesake and the Windy City’s Lettuce 27 24 26 $82
Michael Mina
Entertain You; “if you like stone crabs – and Bellagio Hotel, 3600 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (Flamingo Rd.),
who wouldn’t? – this is the only game in town” 702-693-8255; www.michaelmina.net
23 24 22 $42
for claws “as good as in Florida”, while the Mon Ami Gabi
“bone-in filet is a wow!”; “smart, trendy” and full Paris Las Vegas, 3655 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (bet. Flamingo Rd. &
Harmon Ave.), 702-944-4224;
of “Sex and the City types” (who “love the idea www.monamigabilasvegas.com
of half a piece” of Key lime pie on the menu), 23 19 21 $48
Spago
it's also “huge and loud, but [that's] what Joe’s Forum Shops at Caesars Palace, 3500 Las Vegas Blvd. S.
should be” – other than simply “delicious.” (Flamingo Rd.), 702-369-0360; www.wolfgangpuck.com

CELEB CHEFS
24 24 23 $57
Bouchon
Venetian Hotel, 3355 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (bet. Flamingo & Spring
Mountain Rds.), 702-414-6200; www.bouchonbistro.com
Emeril s New Orleans Fish House
23 19 22 $55
MGM Grand Hotel, 3799 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (Tropicana Ave.),
702-891-7374; www.emerils.com
Courtesy of Spago ..
– – – VE
Joel Robuchon
23 20 21 $52 MGM Grand Hotel, 3799 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (Tropicana Ave.),
Simon Kitchen & Bar 702-891-7925; www.mgmgrand.com
23 22 22 $56
Hard Rock Hotel, 4455 Paradise Rd. (bet. Postrio
Flamingo Rd. & Harmon Ave.), 702-693-5000; Venetian Hotel, 3355 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (bet. Flamingo &
Spring Mountain Rds.), 702-796-1110; www.wolfgangpuck.com
www.hardrockhotel.com
“Those pretty hardbodies flitting by on the way rm 20 22 20 $59

RESTAURANTS
Mandalay Place, 3930 Las Vegas Blvd.
to the pool as you enter” this “super-hip” Hard S. (Mandalay Bay Rd.), 702-632-9300; www.mandalaybay.com
Courtesy of Tao
Rock spot may not know “it's a sin not to try the
25 23 22 $64 desserts” (including “to-die-for cotton candy”) BUFFET SERVED
N9ne Steakhouse 18 19 17 $25
Palms Casino Hotel, 4321 W. Flamingo Rd. conjured by “whimsical” pastry chef Justin Cafe Lago
Caesars Palace, 3570 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (Flamingo Rd.),
(Arville St.), 702-933-9900; Nielson – that is, after first sampling “rising star”
702-731-7110; www.caesarspalace.com
www.n9negroup.com Kerry Simon’s “marvelous” American-Eclectic 20 18 17 $24
Cravings
Call it “celebrityville in Vegas”, call it “eye-candy dishes; the “MTV crowd” makes this “friendly” Mirage Hotel, 3400 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (Spring Mountain Rd.),
city” – no matter its moniker, “you'll feel like a joint “happening”, “hot” and “noisy.” 702-791-7355; www.mirage.com
movie star” dining at this “cool, cool, cool” “hot 20 15 18 $22
Gandhi India Cuisine
spot” for “the hippest steak” in town; with 4080 Paradise Rd. (Flamingo Rd.), 702-734-0094
“genius” fare, a “friendly staff” and “minimalist Lotus of Siam
28 12 21 $23
design”, the Palms Casino’s “chic” chophouse Commercial Ctr., 953 E. Sahara Ave. (bet. Maryland Pkwy. &
lures “loud, young people” for a “high-energy” Paradise Rd.), 702-735-3033; www.lotusofsiamlv.com
22 12 16 $25
meal “before hitting the clubs”; both “the hottie Makino
in the booth next to you” and the place itself 3965 S. Decatur Blvd. (Flamingo Rd.), 702-889-4477
775 S. Grand Central Pkwy. (Bonneville Ave.), 702-382-8848
“should be called a Ten.”
LATE DINING
20 24 18 $27
Agave
Pavilion Ctr., 10820 W. Charleston Blvd. (Hwy. 215),
702-214-3500; www.agavelasvegas.com
Beckers Steakhouse
– – – E
2400 N. Buffalo Dr. (Smoke Ranch Rd.), 702-216-2700
18 18 18 $29
Bootlegger Bistro
7700 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (Robindale Rd.), 702-736-4939;
www.bootleggerlasvegas.com
20 17 19 $19
Mr. Lucky s 24/7
Hard Rock Hotel, 4455 Paradise Rd. (bet. Flamingo Rd.
& Harmon Ave.), 702-693-5592; www.hardrockhotel.com
23 9 14 $25
Ping Pang Pong
Courtesy of Tao Gold Coast Hotel, 4000 W. Flamingo Rd. (bet. Valley View
Blvd. & Wynn Rd.), 702-367-7111; www.goldcoastcasino.com
– – – M
Tao SCENES
26 27 26 $114
Courtesy of Postrio at the Venetian Venetian Hotel, 3355 Las Vegas Blvd. S. Alex
Wynn Las Vegas, 3131 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (Desert Inn Rd.),
27 22 23 $71 (bet. Flamingo & Spring Mountain Rds.), 702-770-9966; www.wynnlasvegas.com
Nobu 702-388-8588; www.taorestaurant.com 22 19 20 $43
Chinois
Hard Rock Hotel, 4455 Paradise Rd. (bet. New York meets Las Vegas at this Pan-Asian Forum Shops at Caesars Palace, 3500 Las Vegas Blvd. S.
Flamingo Rd. & Harmon Ave.), 702-693-5090; import oozing Manhattan style from the circular (Flamingo Rd.), 702-737-9700; www.wolfgangpuck.com

www.nobumatsuhisa.com
“Be adventuresome and trust your waiter – he
won’t steer you wrong” at this east-of-the-Strip
outpost in Nobu Matsuhisa’s “unique”
Japanese-Peruvian empire, famed for “cutting-
portal lined with tubs of floating rose petals to Craftsteak 25 24 24 $70
MGM Grand Hotel, 3799 Las Vegas Blvd.
the candlelit interior with its statues of Buddha; S. (Tropicana Ave.), 702-891-7318; www.mgmgrand.com
supplicants sample sushi, Kobe shabu-shabu, Sensi – – – E
Thai fish hot pot and the ‘Harmonized Vegetable Bellagio Hotel, 3600 Las Vegas Blvd.
Feast for the Minor Gods’ until later in the S. (Flamingo Rd.), 702-693-8800; www.bellagio.com

edge sushi like you’ve never had before”, evening when the place transcends dining and 19 23 19 $45
VooDoo Cafe
“don’t-miss miso cod” and other “fabulous reaches nightlife nirvana. Rio All-Suite Hotel, 3700 W. Flamingo Rd., 50th fl. (bet. I-15 &
Valley View Blvd.), 702-247-7800; www.playrio.com

ZAGATSURVEY • www.zagat.com 3
Nightlife
ZAGAT TRAVEL CAPSULE

People-watching is at its best after dark in Las Vegas’ nightclubs, where

movie stars, rock singers and sports legends make the scene (many hired
to host special events) at swanky bars and ultra-lounges on and off the
Strip. If low-key is more your style, there’s plenty of that, too, in the city’s
typical something-for-everyone fashion.

MOST POPULAR A D S C
26 23 19 $13
ghostbar
Palms Casino Hotel, 4321 W. Flamingo Rd.,
55th fl. (Arville St.), 702-942-7777;
www.n9negroup.com
“Get decked out in your best designer duds”,
ride to the Palms’ 55th floor and “wait an eterni-
ty” to wade into a “diverse sea of eye candy”
rockin’ the dance floor at this “glamorous” club
with a “bird’s-eye view of the Strip”; “A-list
celebrities” mingle with “beautiful people” over
“expensive”, “creative” cocktails best enjoyed
on the “fabulous outdoor deck” whose transpar-
ent “plexi floor” will have you feeling like a ghost
floating above “the pool way below.”
22 23 18 $12
rumjungle
Mandalay Bay Resort, 3950 Las Vegas Blvd. S.
(Mandalay Bay Rd.), 702-632-7408;
www.chinagrillmgt.com
“It’s certainly a jungle” at this “exotic” Mandalay
Bay club (voted Most Popular in the Las Vegas
Nightlife Survey) that “visually stimulates” with
“waterfalls”, “fire walls” and “acrobatic women”
“flipping and flying across the ceiling” to “primi-
tive drum beats”; “get there for dinner to avoid
cover charges and lines” or “reserve a table to
people-watch” the “packed” “meat market” while
savoring a bottle from the 140-plus rum list; yes,
the “drinks are pricey here, but think of it as pay-
ing for the view.”
Courtesy of Light
downstairs” and “hot” hunks upstairs in the
“male revue” (Wednesday–Sunday); “everyone
goes home broke and happy” after this “quin-
tessential sybaritic” experience, since “the only
thing missing is a machine to turn you over and
shake the money out of you.”
Pure 27 26 19 $15
Caesars Palace, 3570 Las Vegas Blvd. S.
(Flamingo Rd.), 702-731-7873; www.purelv.com
“Big, brash” and “beautiful”, this “stunning
nightclub” in Caesars Palace (rated No. 1 for
Appeal in the Las Vegas Nightlife Survey) is
“smoking hot”, regularly “packing the who’s
who” of Sin City into its “minimalist”, multilevel
space containing “a variety of rooms”, “each

Light 24 23 19
Bellagio Hotel, 3600 Las Vegas Blvd. S.
(Flamingo Rd.), 702-693-8300;
www.lightgroup.com
“Dance, dance, dancing” divas descend upon
this “hip” club, “another impossible-to-get-into
Bellagio spot” where “beautiful” types decked
out in “designer duds” “hook up” and “boogie
down” to “fantastic music”; “have plenty of
$$$” on hand, though, to handle the “hefty
cover” and “top-shelf drinks” – provided you
can get by the “rude doormen” (“good luck if
you’re an unaccompanied male”).
24 24 20
Red Square
Mandalay Bay Resort, 3950 Las Vegas Blvd. S.
(Mandalay Bay Rd.), 702-632-7407;
www.mandalaybay.com
“Serious cocktail enthusiasts” salute Mandalay
Bay’s “red, red, red” restaurant bar whose
“kitschy” concept – “complete with Lenin stat-
ue” outside – draws “posh, sophisticated”
sorts to relinquish rubles, don “Natasha-style
fur coats” and head “into the freezer to taste
high-end vodkas” from a 150-plus selection
that's “the biggest this side of Moscow”; all in
all, this “Communist den” is “oh-so-cool”,
especially the “ice-topped bar” designed “to
keep your martini cold.”
Courtesy of Pure
$14
$13
Courtesy of Light
BACHELOR/BACHELORETTE
PARTIES A D S C
– – – M
Hogs & Heifers
201 N. Third St. (Ogden Ave.), 702-676-1457;
www.hogsandheifers.com
It didn’t take long for locals to discover this
Downtown knockoff of a Manhattan Meat-
packing District institution; almost from day
one, closet biker-bar denizens have been
ripping off their ties, banging on the vintage
Pac-Man and ordering cool ones from the
busty bartenders who jump up on the rail
and dance to raunchy country classics.
Olympic Gardens 23 14 20
1531 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (Wyoming Ave.),
702-385-8987; www.ogvegas.com
“It doesn't get more Olympian in size” than this
“monstrous” “coed strip club” on the Strip, a
“sleazy” “Greek-themed” “garden of delights”
offering “something for everyone” on “multiple
stages”: “luscious ladies” on the “large floor
NIGHTLIFE
with different music” (don't miss the “massive
upstairs deck” “overlooking the Strip”); “get
there early”, or “wait in line for a long time” to
reach the “less-than-friendly security staff” at
the “tough door.”
– – – VE
Tao
Venetian Hotel, 3355 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (bet.
Flamingo & Spring Mountain Rds.),
702-388-8588; www.taorestaurant.com
A popular Pan-Asian New Yorker has landed a
spin-off inside the Venetian, and locals say they
might as well change the name from Tao to
Wow; wind through the dark-red mazelike
space past sex-pot models, Buddhist monk
statues, a hook-up bar, a boogie-down dance
floor, exhibitionist restrooms and fully loaded
VIP sky boxes till you find yourself breathless
on the balcony overlooking the Strip.
Ratings & Symbols
Credit Cards: no credit cards accepted
Ratings are on a scale of 0 to 30. Cost (C) reflects
our surveyors’ estimated price of a typical single
drink. Surveyor comments are in quotes.
A Appeal D Decor S Service C Cost
23 9 13 $15
0-9 poor to fair 20-25 very good to excellent
$13 10-15 fair to good 26-30 extraordinary to perfection
16-19 good to very good low response/less reliable
For newcomers or survey write-ins listed without
ratings, the price range is indicated as follows:
I below $5 E $11 to $14
M $5 to $10 VE $15 or more

ZAGATSURVEY • www.zagat.com 4
 ZAGAT TRAVEL CAPSULE

DANCING A D S C ROMANTIC A D S C NotableMentions

Body English 26 23 21 $12 25 24 22 $13 MOST POPULAR A D S C
Fontana Bar 16 15 15 $11
Hard Rock Hotel, 4455 Paradise Rd. (bet. Bellagio Hotel, 3600 Las Vegas Blvd. S. Coyote Ugly
New York-New York Hotel, 3790 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (Tropicana
Flamingo Rd. & Harmon Ave.), 702-693-4000; (Flamingo Rd.), 702-693-7111; www.bellagio.com Ave.), 702-740-6969; www.nynyhotelcasino.com
www.bodyenglish.com “Old-world Vegas is alive” and well at this 25 20 17 $12
Drai s After Hours
The former club “Baby’s is all grown up”, with “classy”, “romantic” lounge in the Bellagio, Barbary Coast Hotel, 3595 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (Flamingo Rd.),
“great DJs” spinning “nutty rip-ups”, “plenty of where “slightly older” types with “cash to burn” 702-737-0555; www.barbarycoastcasino.com
celebrities to gawk at” and enough “crazy-hot” sip “pricey” specialty drinks like fresh-peach 21 20 18 $12
House of Blues
bartenders who “know how to pour a real Bellinis and glide “serenely” around the room to Mandalay Bay Resort, 3950 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (Mandalay Bay
drink” to make this “off-the-hook” Hard Rock “fantastic live music” by Dian Diaz and other Rd.), 702-632-7600; www.hob.com
revamp “hot, hot, hot”; “pretty people” flock to “solid” singers; for a particularly “stylish” experi- 20 19 17 $12
Studio 54
the downstairs dance floor “to shake their ence, head out to the terrace and “dance with MGM Grand Hotel, 3799 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (Tropicana Ave.),
702-891-7254; www.studio54lv.com
money-makers under the crystal chandelier” or the fountains.”
cruise the “fantastic” upstairs ultra-lounge – BACHELOR/BACHELORETTE
“with such eye candy, who can even remember PARTIES
the prices, and who cares?” 21 13 19 $10
Cheetah s
2112 Westen Ave. (bet. Sahara & Wyoming Aves.),
– – – VE 702-384-0074
Jet 21 21 15 $11
Mirage Hotel, 3400 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (Spring Club Paradise
4416 Paradise Rd. (bet. Flamingo Rd. & Harmon Ave.),
Mountain Rd.), 702-693-8300; www.jetlv.com 702-734-7990
Just touched down on the Strip with much fan- – – – E
Flirt
fare, this sweeping club in the Mirage with Rio All-Suite Hotel, 3700 W. Flamingo Rd. (bet. I-15 & Valley
three dance floors and four bars arranged over View Blvd.), 702-777-7777; www.riovegasnights.com

different levels boasts enough high-tech lights 24 19 21 $13

Spearmint Rhino
and positive energy to make it a magnet for 3340 Highland Dr. (Spring Mountain Rd.), 702-796-3600;
www.spearmintrhino.com
rock stars, jock stars, frock stars and A-listers
of all stripes; expect long, chaotic lines if you DANCING
– – – E
want to fly high at one of Vegas’ hottest hangs. Cherry
Red Rock Casino, 11011 W. Charleston Blvd. (Hwy. 215),
15 16 17 $16 Courtesy of Caramel 702-797-7777; www.mocbars.com
OPM Gilley s Dance Hall & Saloon
19 16 18 $7
Forum Shops at Caesars Palace, 3500 Las – – – VE
Mix Lounge Frontier Hotel, 3120 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (N. Pecos Rd.),

Vegas Blvd. S. (Flamingo Rd.), 702-369-4998;
www.o-pmlv.com
For “a change from the norm”, check out this
club “atop Wolfgang Puck’s Chinois in the
Forum Shops at Caesars Palace”; “primarily
frequented by the hip-hop crowd”, it also offers
a second dance floor where DJs “play good
music” of the R&B variety and big-name rap-
pers stop by from time to time; still, those who
find it “lame” proclaim “oh, puh-lease!”
Courtesy of Jet
Rain Nightclub 24 23 18
Palms Casino Hotel, 4321 W. Flamingo Rd.
(Arville St.), 702-942-7777;
www.n9negroup.com
“Packed to the rafters” with “beautiful people
and celebs”, this “high-energy” “hot spot” at
the Palms west of the Strip is “made even hot-
ter” by 14-ft. flames shooting above the dance
floor and a VIP level with “private skyboxes”
and cabanas; “great-to-watch go-go dancers”
and a water wall add to the “mesmerizing
effect”, though stormy sorts “wish it would rain
in the desert” to water down the “out-of-control
lines” and “overcrowding.”
NIGHTLIFE
The Hotel at Mandalay Bay, 3950 Las Vegas 702-794-8434; www.gilleyslv.com
21 19 16 $12
Blvd. S., 64th fl. (Mandalay Bay Rd.), Joint, The
Hard Rock Hotel, 4455 Paradise Rd. (bet. Flamingo Rd. &
702-632-7777; www.chinagrillmgt.com Harmon Ave.), 702-693-5000; www.hardrockhotel.com
Drink decadently at a dizzying height atop the 22 21 17 $13
Tangerine
Hotel at Mandalay Bay, where Alain Ducasse Treasure Island Hotel, 3300 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (Spring
and the China Grill team have unveiled this Mountain Rd.), 702-212-8140; www.treasureisland.com
spacious, high-style lounge, with low banquette
seating, a Clockwork Orange-esque bar, sculp- ROMANTIC
22 22 20 $13
tural drink stands ripe for voguing and a bal- Caramel
Bellagio Hotel, 3600 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (Flamingo Rd.),
cony that opens onto the night; given its wrap- 702-693-8300; www.lightgroup.com
around panorama of the valley, not only is a sip Curve
21 21 15 $11
of a signature cocktail a sky-high sensation, Aladdin Resort, 3667 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (Harmon Ave.),
but so is a trip to the loo. 702-785-5525; www.aladdincasino.com
25 22 20 $12
Top of the World Lounge
Peppermill Fireside Stratosphere Hotel, 2000 Las Vegas Blvd. S., 109th fl. (north of
21 21 22 $9 Sahara Ave.), 702-380-7777; www.stratospherehotel.com
Lounge – – – VE
2985 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (bet. Convention Tryst
Wynn Las Vegas, 3131 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (Desert Inn Rd.),
Center Dr. & Riviera Blvd.), 702-735-7635 702-770-3375; www.trystlasvegas.com
“Friendly bartenders” mix up “cheap, well-made
drinks” at this “cozy” Strip “classic”, a “roman-
tic”, “Rat Pack–style” outpost of the “old-
school” that “takes you back to a time when
the gin was cold and the cocktail waitresses
were hot”; “gigantic booths”, “glowing light-
filled” faux foliage and a “huge fire pit” make
it the “perfect place to chill out with friends”
while watching vintage Sin City performers on
the ubiquitous monitors.
$13
25 23 19 $11
VooDoo Lounge
Rio All-Suite Hotel, 3700 W. Flamingo Rd., 51st
fl. (bet. I-15 & Valley View Blvd.),
702-777-6875; www.riovegasnights.com
Set in a “nice location” on the 51st floor of the
Rio, this “fun and funky lounge” with an “incredi-
ble” two-story outdoor patio “overlooking the
entire Strip” boasts the “ghostbar view without the
wannabes” (or “the wait”); “less hype” makes for
an “interesting crowd” that's “a little mellower”, at
least till they sample the sounds of the “talented
house band” or the flair bartenders’ “unbelievable
cocktails” – “beware the Witch Doctor.”
Courtesy of Tryst

ZAGATSURVEY • www.zagat.com 5
Golf
ZAGAT TRAVEL CAPSULE

Golf is big in the desert. There are two championship courses right on
the Strip, but most other courses are farther afield, like those on the
Paiute Indian reservation to the north. There are also PGA Tour events –
such as the Frys.com Open, offering a multimillion-dollar purse each
fall – at the dozens of golf courses that dot the valley. For a complete list,
with locations and contact information, go to www.visitlasvegas.com.
Courtesy of Royal Links

GOLF COURSES C F S V $ Las Vegas

Paiute Resort,
Angel Park, V
Sun Mountain Y T
25 24 25 22 $169
17 19 18 19 $130
V
Mountain Y T 10325 Nu Wav Kaiv Blvd.; 702-658-1400;
100 S. Rampart Blvd.; 702-254-4653; 866-284-2833; www.lvpaiutegolf.com;
888-629-3929; www.angelpark.com; 7112/5465; 73.3/71.4; 134/125
6722/5150; 71.1/69.1; 130/114 With its “wide fairways” and other “forgiving”
“Take the whole family” and “warm up with a features, this Pete Dye design offers high-
wonderful putting course or fun par-3” track handicaps “the most fun of the three courses”
before tackling the “longer and more challeng- on the Paiute reservation where all the spreads
ing” of the two Arnold Palmer/Ed Seay sport “mountain and desert” “scenery that is
designs at Angel Park; besides “a few tough over the top”; from the “terrific” staff that
holes that require you to carry multiple haz- “makes you feel welcome” to the “excellent
ards”, it’s “forgiving and playable” with “wide- conditions, even in January”, this “classy
open, reachable par-5s” and “beautiful moun- operation” that is “not surrounded by housing
tain views”; just note, at prices that “won't tracts” is “worth the trip from Downtown”
break the bank” “by Vegas standards”, “it’s so especially at twilight rates that are “a deal.”
crowded that nobody goes there anymore.”

GOLF
Courtesy of Angel Park Mountain
Palm Y
Angel Park,V T
17 18 15 19 $130

100 S. Rampart Blvd.; 702-254-4653; Las Vegas

888-629-3929; www.angelpark.com; Paiute Resort,
6525/4570; 70.9/66.2; 129/111 26 24 24 22 $169
V
Snow Mountain Y T
Since it sits next to robust practice facilities 10325 Nu Wav Kaiv Blvd.; 702-658-1400;
just 15 minutes from the Strip, it’s no surprise 866-284-2833; www.lvpaiutegolf.com;
that this “flat”, “short” yet “tricky” track 7146/5341; 73.3/71.4; 125/117
designed by Arnold Palmer and Ed Seay (then “You don’t have to rob a bank to pay the
redesigned by Bob Cupp and John Fought) greens fee” at this Paiute Resort getaway full of
sees “lots of play” from Vegas vacationers “fine Pete Dye features” like holes that accentu-
looking for “a great deal of fun”; unfortunately, ate the “magnificent” “desert and mountain
there are so “many bad golfers” among them, views” and a “remarkable finish”; “the wind
“a six-hour round is not uncommon.” takes the bite out of the heat”, but when it
“howls”, “the course will win every time” – it’s a
happy concession, though, since it’s “always in
the best possible shape” and the “attentive” Courtesy of Bali Hai
staff makes it “one of the better Vegas values.”
Ratings & Symbols
Y
Symbols: V caddies/forecaddies
T
V Y carts
Tonly
guests only
V Y T restricted tee times
Courtesy of Royal Links (call ahead for public hours)
21 23 23 12 $325 Course, Facilities, Service and Value are rated on a
Bali Hai V Y T
5160 Las Vegas Blvd. S.; 702-450-8000;
scale of 0 to 30. Properties listed without ratings are
888-397-2499; www.waltersgolf.com; newcomers or survey write-ins.
7002/5535; 73/71.5; 130/121 Cost is the price per non-member or non-guest to
They spared no expense (and neither will you) at play 18 holes on a weekend in high season (excluding
this “artificially perfect” “tropical paradise in the the extra cost of a cart), i.e. the highest possible price
middle of the desert” with “elevation changes, of play
water features”, palm trees and volcanic rocks;
those required forecaddies “don't come cheap”, C Course F Facilities S Service V Value
and the “somewhat cramped” layout with “con- 23 9 13 18
stant airplane” “noise overhead” “would be con-
sidered marginal but for the superb location” 0-9 poor to fair 20-25 very good to excellent
right on the Strip where you can almost “feel the 10-15 fair to good 26-30 extraordinary to perfection
presence of Dean Martin.” 16-19 good to very good low response/less reliable
Courtesy of Bali Hai

ZAGATSURVEY • www.zagat.com 6
 ZAGAT TRAVEL CAPSULE

Las Vegas Paiute NotableMentions

26 25 24 21 $219
Resort,VWolf Y T
10325 Nu Wav Kaiv Blvd.; 702-658-1400; GOLF COURSES C F S V $
866-284-2833; www.lvpaiutegolf.com; 27 24 26 19 $245
Bear s Best Las Vegas
7604/5910; 76.3/64.1; 149/119 11111 W. Flamingo Rd.; 702-804-8500;
This “Pete Dye monster” lurking in the “Las 866-385-8500; www.bearsbest.com;
Vegas hinterlands” is “Jekyll when calm and 7194/5043; 74/68.7; 147/116
Hyde when the wind gets going”, so “practice 29 29 29 18 $500
Cascata
your knockdown shot” on the “large grass 1 Cascata Dr., Boulder City; 702-294-2000;
driving range” before confronting its “undulat- www.golfcascata.com; 7137/5591;
ing” fairways and greens “built through 74.6/67.2; 143/117
arroyos”; “the most difficult of the three” 25 20 22 17 $225
Dragon Ridge
Paiute courses, this Wolf will sink its teeth into 552 S. Stephanie St., Henderson; 702-614-4444;
your game on holes like No. 15, a “longer, www.dragonridgegolf.com; 7039/5040;
harder version” of “the island green from 72.9/68.3; 143/118
Sawgrass”, but the bite will be “absolutely Falls at Lake Las Vegas
25 23 25 17 $285
unforgettable.” 101 Via Vin Santo, Henderson; 702-740-5258;
877-698-4653; www.lakelasvegas.com;
7243/5300; 74.7/68.3; 136/118
22 21 20 20 $155
Legacy, The
Courtesy of Rio Secco 130 Par Excellence Dr., Henderson; 702-897-2187;
888-446-5358; www.thelegacygc.com;
Shadow Creek V Y T
28 28 28 16 $500 7233/5340; 74.5/71; 137/120
3 Shadow Creek Dr., North Las Vegas; Reflection Bay at Lake
702-791-7161; 866-260-0069; 28 26 25 18 $295
Las Vegas Resort
www.shadowcreek.com; 7239/6701 75 Montelago Blvd., Henderson; 702-740-4653;
“Bring your camera, your A-game and a high- 877-698-4653; www.lakelasvegas.com;
limit credit card” because the MGM Mirage’s 7261/5166; 74.8/70; 138/127
Fazio “fantasy come true” – where stars like 23 22 21 20 $195
Revere, Concord
“Michael Jordan” play around waterfalls and 2600 Hampton Rd., Henderson; 702-259-4653;
creeks on “meticulously maintained” grounds – 877-273-8373; www.reveregolf.com;
is “the second coming of Shangri-La”, but at 7034/5306; 72.8/70; 126/119
a “ridiculous price”; still, considering that the 17 19 20 13 $239
Royal Links

GOLF
layout (which remains unrated by the USGA) 5995 Vegas Valley Dr.; 702-450-8123;
Courtesy of Rio Secco is “phenomenal”, “the condition of the driving 888-427-6682; www.waltersgolf.com;
range is better than most courses’ greens” 7029/5142; 73.7/69.8; 135/115
Rio Secco 25 24 22 17 $350 and “they pick you up in a limo” to play here, 19 20 21 21 $179
Siena
2851 Grand Hills Dr., Henderson; Nevada’s No. 1 Course, Facilities and Service 10575 Siena Monte Ave.; 702-341-9200;
702-889-2400; 888-867-3226; are a better value “than gambling.” 888-689-6469; www.sienagolfclub.com;
www.riosecco.net; 6843/4978; 71.5/68; 129/112
7332/5778; 75.7/70; 142/127
“Yikes” – “narrow valleys and long carries
over canyons and water” make this Rees
Jones “thrill” “extremely difficult”, and the
“tough-to-putt” greens “will leave you won-
dering which way is up”; don’t worry – “once
you've been humbled by the terrain”, you can
“take some lessons from Tiger's former
teacher”, Butch Harmon, whose school is
headquartered here; it’s “pricey”, but “gam-
blers staying at Harrah’s properties can golf
cheaply.”

Courtesy of Royal Links

Wynn Las Vegas V Y T

– – – – $500

3131 Las Vegas Blvd. S.; 702-770-3575;

888-320-9966; www.wynnlasvegas.com;
7042/6464
Crank the switch and blast the neon, because
Vegas showman Steve Wynn (of Bellagio,
Mirage and Shadow Creek fame) has unveiled
his eponymous Strip hotel and must-stay-to-
play golf course; with co-designer Tom Fazio,
the developer imploded the old, flat Desert Inn
formation and built this predictably jaw-drop-
ping, tight, rolling track blanketed with pines,
flowers and water features, including a 37-ft.
drive-through waterfall that backdrops the
closing green; N.B. the luxe layout has not
Courtesy of Wynn Las Vegas
been rated by the USGA.

ZAGATSURVEY • www.zagat.com 7
Attractions
Beyond gambling, dining and theatergoing, Vegas visitors can also: ogle
dancing fountains, Old Masters, meticulously restored antique vehicles
and live lions, tigers, sharks, dolphins and flamingos; ride a gondola or
roller coaster; play golf with Tiger Woods (or at least his wax double);
and explore an Egyptian tomb or the top of the Eiffel Tower. And they
can do all this without leaving the same street.
ATTRACTIONS A F S C
23 22 21
Eiffel Tower Experience
Paris Las Vegas, 3655 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (bet.
Flamingo Rd. & Harmon Ave.); 877-796-
2096; www.parislasvegas.com
“Like most of Vegas, it’s surreal” say those
who’ve zipped up to the top of this “impeccable
half-scale replica” of the Eiffel Tower, which offers
an “amazing 360-degree view of the Strip” and
the “best seat in the house” for “watching the
Bellagio fountains” – you can also see the water-
works “while enjoying a fabulous dessert” at the
11th-floor restaurant; however, “acrophobes” find
the ride up “overcrowded” and a “little dizzying”,
while purists pooh-pooh “Paris it’s not.”
27 23 18
Fountains of Bellagio
Bellagio Hotel, 3600 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (bet.
Flamingo Rd. & Harmon Ave.), 702-693-
7111; www.bellagio.com
“Hundreds of water jets shooting into the air”
complete with “musical accompaniment” in
the “middle of the desert” may be quintessen-
tial Vegas “decadence” to some, yet many are
“mesmerized” by the “fountains’ rhythm and
personality”; the premier attraction of the
Bellagio percolates daily from 3 PM to mid-
night and can get “crowded at night”, so “get
there early” or, better yet, “have a drink at the
lounge that overlooks the spectacle.”
Gondola Rides 22 23 23
at the Grand Canal
Venetian Hotel, 3355 Las Vegas Blvd. S.
(bet. Flamingo & Spring Mountain Rds.),
702-733-5000; www.venetian.com
Granted, you’re floating on a canal that winds
“through a crowded, brightly lit mall” at the
Venetian while “hundreds of strangers gawk” at
you, yet many enjoy this “fun, quirky adventure”
and it’s “a real bargain compared to Venice”
(and “better smelling” as well), which is why the
boats “sell out fast, especially for private trips”;
hecklers howl it’s “too hokey for words” and
“hardly worth the cost or wait”, but “charming,
witty” gondoliers help calm the turbulence.
Guggenheim
23 23 21
Hermitage Museum
Venetian Hotel, 3355 Las Vegas Blvd. S.
(bet. Flamingo & Spring Mountain Rds.),
702-414-2440;
www.guggenheimlasvegas.org
Adding “depth and culture” to the “Vegas
image of glitz and gambling” is this Rem
Koolhaas–designed gallery that showcases
“fantastic artwork” on loan from the various
ZAGAT TRAVEL CAPSULE
Courtesy of Stratosphere
Guggenheim collections around the world, the Madame Tussauds
State Hermitage in St. Petersburg, Russia, and 24 23 20 M
M Las Vegas
the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna; tick-
Venetian Hotel, 3355 Las Vegas Blvd. S.
ets are relatively “expensive”, and a few high
(bet. Flamingo & Spring Mountain Rds.),
rollers “wish the place were bigger”, but to afi-
702-862-7800; www.mtvegas.com
cionados it’s “worth the price of admission” to
“Take your camera” and “get a picture with your
savor “great art in the desert.”
favorite celebrity” like Shaq or J.Lo striking a
“classic pose” at this “enjoyable” offshoot of the
Liberace Museum 21 19 20 M
London original where an “excellent selection”
1775 E. Tropicana Ave. (Spencer St.), of “lifelike” wax figures makes you think you’re
702-798-5595; www.liberace.org “partying with the stars”; others say “TV has
“All the glitz of Liberace lives on” at this diminished the wonder” of viewing celebs up
shrine to the late pianist and crooner who close and giggle “it's amazing” to “see how tall
was a veritable “icon of Vegas”; the “impres- these famous people think they are.”
sive but weird collection of artifacts”, which
ATTRACTIONS
includes “his rhinestone piano and 100-pound
outfits” laden with “sequins”, is nothing if not
$0
“flashy”, so whether “you’re a fan” or just
“want camp”, it's “not to be missed.”
M
Courtesy of Madame Tussauds Las Vegas
Ratings & Symbols
Ratings are on a scale of 0 to 30. Newcomers or
write-ins are listed without ratings. Cost (C) reflects
Courtesy of Liberace Museum the attraction’s high-season price for one adult.
Surveyor comments are in quotes.
21 21 19 $0
Lion Habitat A Appeal F Facilities S Service C Cost
MGM Grand Hotel, 3799 Las Vegas Blvd. S.
(Tropicana Ave.), 702-891-1111; 23 9 13 I
www.mgmgrand.com
Feline fanciers will “rooooooar!” with “excite- 0-9 poor to fair 20-25 very good to excellent
M
ment” when the trainers offer treats to the 10-15 fair to good 26-30 extraordinary to perfection
“big kitties” at the MGM's “cool”, “freebie”
16-19 good to very good low response/less reliable
habitat, where an “informative” recording
plays as you “walk through the clear tunnel The price range is indicated by the following symbols:
with a drooling lion overhead”; while some
are “saddened” to see the “magnificent crea- $0 Free E $26 to $40
tures” so “tame and cute” in “captivity”, it I $10 or less VE $41 or more
should be noted that the cats spend most of
M $11 to $25
their time on a spacious ranch.
ZAGATSURVEY • www.zagat.com 8

20 21 19
Pharaoh s Pavillion
Luxor, 3900 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (Reno Ave.),
702-262-4000; www.luxor.com
With shopping, dining, IMAX experiences
and an arcade stocked with “simulator
rides”, this “dark, airy” atrium above Luxor’s
casino is a “fun” refuge where you can
“spend some time off the Strip and out of the
casinos”; fancy yourself on a “real trip back
to the wonders” of the Nile as you gaze at
“‘genuine’ [not!] artifacts” and a replica of
“Tut’s tomb”; but “egads” – did all those
“cheesy gift stores” exist in 1330 B.C.?
Courtesy of Madame Tussauds Las Vegas
24 25 22
Shark Reef
Mandalay Bay Resort, 3950 Las Vegas Blvd.
S. (Mandalay Bay Rd.),
702-632-4555; www.mandalaybay.com
“Hammerhead sharks” and “giant sea
turtles” exist “amid the glitz of Vegas” at
Mandalay Bay’s “cool” aquarium that offers
the illusion of “scuba diving without the oxy-
gen tank and wet suit” thanks to a “glass-
enclosed tunnel”; sure, it’s kind of “pricey”
and a “schlep” to reach its location “way
back in the hotel”, but overall it’s a “nice
change of pace.”
Courtesy of Madame Tussauds Las Vegas
Siegfried & Roy s Secret 24 25 22
Garden and Dolphin Habitat
Mirage Hotel, 3400 Las Vegas Blvd. S.
(Spring Mountain Rd.), 702-791-7111;
www.mirage.com
Siegfried & Roy’s “cute little zoo” in the
Mirage offers a “close-range” glimpse of
“frolicking” white tiger cubs, baby panthers,
lions, leopards and elephants in a “lush”,
“tropical atmosphere”, and there’s also a
huge tank that’s home to a family of bot-
tlenose dolphins; insiders advise “get there
early in the morning” when the animals are at
their “most active.”
ZAGAT TRAVEL CAPSULE
I
Star Trek:
The Experience 24 23 22 E NotableMentions
Las Vegas Hilton, 3000 Paradise Rd. (bet. ATTRACTIONS A F S C
Desert Inn Rd. & Sahara Ave.), 702-697-8700; 21 17 13 $0
888-462-6535; www.startrekexp.com Fremont Street Experience
425 Fremont St. (bet. 4th St. & Las Vegas Blvd.),
“Bring your imagination and some
702-678-5777; 800-249-3559;
Dramamine” and let Scotty beam you up www.vegasexperience.com
on “an amazing adventure” that’s “as close
to being in a Star Trek episode as you can Imperial Palace
22 17 16 I
get”; the Hilton’s “Trekkie mecca” may Auto Collection
“sound like a geekfest, but it’s surprisingly Imperial Palace, 3535 Las Vegas Blvd. S.
entertaining” to “see the memorabilia”, visit (bet. Flamingo & Spring Mountain Rds.),
702-731-3311; www.autocollections.com
the bridge of the Enterprise and chomp on
a “good Hamborger”, though some may be Manhattan Express
“freaked out” by those “hulking” “Cyborgs 23 20 18 M
Roller Coaster
walking around.” New York-New York Hotel, 3790 Las Vegas Blvd.
S. (Tropicana Ave.), 702-740-6969;
www.nynyhotelcasino.com
21 24 21 $ 0
Mystic Falls
Sam’s Town Hotel, 5111 Boulder Hwy. (Nellis
Blvd.), 702-456-7777; www.samstownlv.com
Red Rock Canyon
24 17 15 $0
National Conservation Area
Hwy. 159 (off W. Charleston Blvd.),
702-515-5350; www.redrockcanyonlv.gov
Wildlife Habitat
22 23 20 $ 0
at the Flamingo
Flamingo Las Vegas, 3555 Las Vegas Blvd. S.
(bet. Flamingo Rd. & Sands Ave.), 702-733-3111;
800-732-2111; www.flamingolasvegas.com
ATTRACTIONS
M
Courtesy of Stratosphere
Stratosphere
23 20 18 I
Tower & Rides
Stratosphere Hotel Tower & Casino, 2000 Las
Vegas Blvd. S. (Main St.), 702-380-7777;
800-998-6937; www.stratospherehotel.com
Those who are “afraid of heights” can
“hardly stand on the observation deck” of
M this 1,149-ft. tower where even the elevator,
which climbs three floors per second, ranks
among the “biggest tests of courage in
Vegas”; besides “unmatched” views, it
boasts a “rotating restaurant”, “cool shop-
ping” and “scary” rides like the Big Shot,
which “blasts you” up in the air (and makes
“your life flash before your eyes”), so “thrill-
seekers” consider it “a must.”
ZAGATSURVEY • www.zagat.com 9
Hotels
ZAGAT TRAVEL CAPSULE

Las Vegas hotel rates aren’t the bargains they used to be; as the city’s
resorts have gone upscale, so have prices. As a rule, you’ll find the best
rates at smaller, older properties on or near the Strip and at the non-
gaming hotels (many of them members of chains) a bit more removed
from the action. Be aware that rates generally go up on weekends –
especially holiday weekends – reaching their zenith on New Year’s Eve.
Courtesy of Stratosphere

R S D F $ Four Mandalay Bay

Bellagio
27 24 28 28 $359
Hotel
3600 Las Vegas Blvd. S.; 702-693-7111; fax
702-693-8546; 888-987-6667; www.bellagio-
.com; 3421 rooms, 512 suites, 9 villas
“Top-of-the-line in every respect”, this land-
mark is “as close to tasteful as one gets in Las
Vegas”, offering guests a “classic rather than
plastic” experience at a true resort, “not a
casino with rooms”; “plush” accommodations
– the fountain views are “well worth the extra
cost” – add to the “va-va-voom” factor, as do
the “outstanding” public areas with “spectacu-
lar” flowers, an “astounding collection” of
“first-class” restaurants and “fantastic shop-
28 28 26 27 $305
Seasons
3960 Las Vegas Blvd. S.; 702-632-5000;
fax 702-632-5195; www.fourseasons.com;
338 rooms, 86 suites
“A casino-free oasis of calm and elegance”
amid the “insanity of the Strip”, this “stunning”,
“concierge-class” “gem” on the top floors of
Mandalay Bay Resort is “supremely elegant”
with renowned eateries and “fabulous”, recently
renovated rooms featuring “stellar views” and
“lovely amenities”; fans say a “private lobby
entrance” and “secret casino” passage make
you “feel like a celebrity”, and that the “top-
shelf” staff has “pampering down to a science”;
if a few lament it’s “a little ways down from the
action”, insiders say its “above-it-all” location
24 20 24 26 $259
Resort
3950 Las Vegas Blvd. S.; 702-632-7777; fax
702-632-7328; 877-632-7000;
www.mandalaybay.com; 3200 rooms, 1120 suites
Popular with the “twenty- to thirtysomething
crowd”, this “classy” spot with a “non-Vegas”
feel is, paradoxically, “everything you want” in
a Sin City resort – “outstanding” bars, the “best
pools in town” and an “awesome spa”; though
it’s “a little too far from mid-Strip” for some, fans
say the monorail “makes transportation easy”
and the “array of restaurants” and activities
means you might “never venture outside the
property” (the newest hot spot eatery is Michael
Mina’s StripSteak); rooms are “ultra-contempo-

ping”; the newly renovated, 55,000-sq.-ft. spa
is “phenomenal”, and though critics complain
“check-in is always a nightmare”, the majority
sums it up in “two words: the best.”
Courtesy of Wynn Las Vegas
Caesars
21 19 23 24 $200
Palace
3570 Las Vegas Blvd. S.; 702-731-7110;
fax 702-866-1700; 800-634-6661;
www.caesarspalace.com; 3348 rooms
“The grand old” ruler “continues to satisfy”
with a “convenient” Strip location, “the pretti-
est pool in Vegas”, “to-die-for shopping” at
the adjacent Forum Shops and a “top-of-the-
line restaurant selection” that runs from “fast
food to superb”; voters say the newer
Augustus Tower rooms are “fit for a king” with
“spectacular” marble bathrooms and “better
amenities” than the “run-down” older rooms,
and while loyalists rave it “still manages to get
it right”, brutish types bemoan that this “too
crowded” emperor of Sin City is “riding on the
coattails of his past success.”
HOTELS
rary”, and those in the more upscale THEhotel
makes them feel “wonderfully excluded” from
tower offer “spacious suites with big-screen
the “unwashed masses.”
TVs”, so it’s “only the service that keeps it from
Golden Nugget becoming a world-class resort.”
22 21 18 21 $199
Las Vegas
129 E. Fremont St.; 702-385-7111;
800-846-5336; www.goldennugget.com;
1805 rooms, 102 suites
Undergoing a property-wide overhaul since it
was bought by the Landry’s restaurant chain,
this 61-year-old Downtown “jewel” of “old Las
Vegas” still manages to be a “fun change from
the Strip”; the rooms “can’t be beat for the
price”, and if “dining options leave much to be
desired”, that should change with the opening
of several new restaurants in fall 2007; other
improvements include a nightclub overlooking
the Fremont Experience, an expanded pool
area with a water slide and aquarium, plus a Courtesy of Postrio at the Venetian
newly refurbished spa.
Ratings & Symbols
Hard Rock Hotel
20 18 21 23 $429 = Children’s programs = Views
& Casino
= Exceptional dining = Golf courses
4455 Paradise Rd.; 702-693-5000;
= Historic interest = Notable spa facilities
fax 702-693-5010; 800-473-7625; = Kitchens = Downhill skiing
www.hardrockhotel.com; 583 rooms, 64 suites = Allows pets = Tennis
“Still the hippest place to stay in Vegas”, this
“stylish” “rock star paradise” attracts a “loud, The total number of rooms per hotel is followed by
young crowd” with its reputation as “the ulti- the number of suites, villas, etc., e.g. 20 rooms, 2
mate party destination”; while “ultramodern”
suites. Surveyor comments are in quotes.
rooms with “giant” plasma TVs add to the Ratings are on a scale of 0 to 30.
overall effect of “an ordinary motel on R Rooms S Service D Dining F Facilities
steroids”, it’s really all about “being seen” at
18 5 4 22
the “crazy” Circle Bar and the “sizzling” scene
around the “guitar-shaped” pool; though crit- 0-9 poor to fair 20-25 very good to excellent
ics dis the “cigar-smoking Generation Y B-lis-
10-15 fair to good 26-30 extraordinary to perfection
ters” and the “sea of fake boobs” that flood
16-19 good to very good low response/less reliable
the joint, they acknowledge some of “the
best” restaurants in town are here, including Cost ($) reflects the hotel’s high-season rack rate, i.e. its
the Japanese-Peruvian Nobu (rated No. 1 in asking price, for a standard double room. It does not
our Las Vegas Restaurants Survey). reflect frequent seasonal price changes and special rates.

ZAGATSURVEY • www.zagat.com 10

MGM Grand
Hotel
19 17 22 22 $109
3799 Las Vegas Blvd. S.; 702-891-7777; fax
702-891-1030; 800-929-1111; www.mgm-
grand.com; 4254 rooms, 751 suites, 29 villas
“Conveniently located at the end of the
monorail” on the south end of the Strip,
the “biggest hotel in the world” (5,000
rooms and growing) provides “plenty of
upscale restaurants” and “many entertain-
ment options”, making it good for “groups,
gambling and partying”; rooms are “com-
fortable” and those in the new West Wing
have a “more intimate”, “boutique feel”,
plus “the river pool is great for lounging”,
but critics say a property so big you need
a “GPS to find your way around” makes
for “spotty” service.
Mirage Hotel 20 20 20 22 $499
3400 Las Vegas Blvd. S.; 702-791-7111; fax
702-891-1030; 800-627-6667;
www.mirage.com; 2770 rooms, 274 suites
“An oldie but goodie”, this “Vegas legend”
with a mid-Strip location “that can’t be beat”
might have “less zing or gimmicks than newer
hotels” but “it constantly strives to stay with
the times”; it has a “summery, tropical feel”
with a “refined, relaxing atmosphere”, a “gor-
geous lobby”, “an awesome pool”, the “per-
fect number of dining and entertainment
options” and a “polite and helpful staff”; while
the “somewhat upscale” rooms have “com-
fortable beds”, detractors say “tiny bathrooms
cause this old lady to show her age” – she
was “once the best, now one of the rest”; P.S.
regulars still “miss Siegfried & Roy.”
Palms Casino
Hotel 19 19 19 20 $199
4321 W. Flamingo Rd.; 702-942-7777;
fax 702-942-7001; 866-942-7777;
www.palms.com; 555 rooms, 150 suites
Swingers get a royal flush at this “singles
heaven” that hosts a “hip crowd”, a serious
“celebrity factor” and “the best parties in
town” – whether in one of the themed
Fantasy Suites (‘Erotic’ ones boast a dancer
pole in the shower), at the two acres of
swimming pools (well-lubricated with three
bars) or at the Playboy Club; along with the
usual gambling and spa-ing, guests can cut
an album at the recording studio or “get tat-
tooed in the lobby”; but party-poopers who
point to “mediocre” standard rooms proclaim
it “not worth going off the Strip” for, espe-
cially “if you’re over 30.”
Paris
Las Vegas 20 19 22 21 $109
3655 Las Vegas Blvd. S.; 702-946-7000;
fax 702-967-3836; 888-266-5687; www.paris-
lasvegas.com; 2621 rooms, 295 suites
With an “excellent”, “center-of-the-action”
location, this “good mid-tier alternative” may
not be “in the same league as Bellagio” but
amis say “French character without the atti-
tude” imbues it with a “classier vibe”; “large
enough to have everything, but small enough
not to get lost inside”, it offers some of the
Strip’s “best rooms for the money” beneath
a half-scale Eiffel Tower, as well as an “ooh-
la-la-vish” casino, “friendly” staff and “deli-
cious” dining that includes the “can't-miss”
Mon Ami Gabi bistro.
ZAGAT TRAVEL CAPSULE
26 25 22 20 $169
Renaissance
3400 Paradise Rd.; 702-784-5700; fax 702- NotableMentions
735-3131; 800-750-0980; www.renaissance- HOTELS R S D F $
lasvegas.com; 518 rooms, 30 suites
Accommodations at this “incredibly convenient” 19 16 18 19 $499
Aladdin Resort & Casino
business hotel within “walking distance to the 3667 Las Vegas Blvd. S.; 702-785-5555;
Convention Center” boast flat-panel TVs and a 877-333-9474; www.aladdincasino.com; 2423
“chic”, “‘50s-retro” “Rat Pack” decor; “excellent” rooms, 144 suites
business services, an “attentive” staff and the lack
17 16 15 16 $89
of a casino (“yay!”) give it a “less touristy”, profes- Bally’s Las Vegas
sional ambiance, and regulars say Envy steak- 3645 Las Vegas Blvd. S.; 702-967-4111;
house is both a “must for dinner” and a “cozy” 888-742-9248; www.ballyslasvegas.com;
2549 rooms, 265 suites
spot for drinks; a pool with “no afternoon sun” is
a small trade-off for those who “don’t want to be 14 15 13 17 $400
Flamingo Las Vegas
on the Strip” and appreciate being around others 3555 Las Vegas Blvd. S.; 702-733-3111;
who are “appropriate in attire and mannerism.” 888-308-8899; www.flamingolasvegas.com;
3305 rooms, 195 suites
Rio All-Suite
20 18 20 20 $120
Hotel & Casino Green Valley Ranch
25 23 20 25 $500
3700 W. Flamingo Rd.; 702-777-7777; Resort & Spa
fax 702-777-2360; 888-746-7482; 2300 Paseo Verde Pkwy., Henderson;
www.playrio.com; 2551 suites 702-617-7777; fax 702-617-7778; 866-782-9487;
With “floor-to-ceiling windows” and “beautiful www.greenvalleyranchresort.com; 325 rooms,
73 suites
views of the Strip”, the accommodations at this
all-suites, Brazilian-themed “value” are “some of
JW Marriott
the biggest” in town; the “staff is friendly and 25 21 18 24 $269
Resort & Spa
helpful”, and there are “many very good” food 221 N. Rampart Blvd.; 702-869-7777;
choices including a buffet that’s a “local fax 702-869-7339; 877-869-8777;
favorite”, but it’s the “24/7 carnival atmosphere”, www.jwlasvegasresort.com; 471 rooms, 77 suites
lively clubs and “wonderful shows” that keep
regulars coming back; though cutting-edgers Loews
22 22 20 25 $329
sniff “the party has moved on” since the place is Lake Las Vegas Resort
101 Montelago Blvd., Henderson; 702-567-1234;
“aging and sagging fast (the Chippendale fax 702-567-6103; 800-233-1234;
HOTELS
dancers notwithstanding)”, fans “totally recom- www.loewshotels.com; 454 rooms, 39 suites
mend” it as a “great place to stay and play.”
Luxor Las Vegas
18 17 16 19 $80
Venetian 3900 Las Vegas Blvd. S.; 702-262-4000;
27 22 25 26 $899
Hotel 888-777-0188; www.luxor.com; 3961 rooms; 447 suites
3355 Las Vegas Blvd. S.; 702-414-1000;
fax 702-414-1100; 877-283-6423; Monte Carlo 18 18 17 19 $299
www.venetian.com; 4027 suites Resort & Casino
Offering “magnificent” standard rooms (“the 3770 Las Vegas Blvd. S.; 702-730-7777;
nicest in town”), this “explosion of old-world 888-529-4828; www.montecarlo.com; 3002
rooms, 259 suites
Venice” in the “heart of the Strip” dazzles with
“all the amenities you could ask for”, including
New York-New York 17 16 18 20 $450
the “unbeatable” Canyon Ranch Spa, a “don't- Hotel & Casino
miss” Guggenheim museum, “wondrous” din- 3790 Las Vegas Blvd. S.; 702-740-6969;
ing (the newest is Thomas Keller’s Bouchon) fax 702-740-6700; 888-696-9887;
and “unbelievable shopping” options along the www.nynyhotelcasino.com; 1909 rooms, 103
Grand Canal (“with singing gondoliers”); still, if suites; 12 penthouses
critics cite “hot and cold” service or snipe that – – – – $509
you’ll need “roller blades” to get to the exclu- Red Rock Casino
Resort & Spa
sive Venezia Tower, supporters say their “top- 11011 W. Charleston Blvd.; 702-797-7777;
notch” “favorite” is “almost as nice as the real 866-767-7773; www.redrocklasvegas.com;
thing, though much glitzier”; N.B. a third tower, 367 rooms, 48 suites
Palazzo, is expected to open in late 2007.
Ritz-Carlton
Wynn Las Vegas 27 26 23 25 $339
Lake Las Vegas
28 23 26 27 $319
Casino Resort 1610 Lake Las Vegas Pkwy., Henderson;
702-567-4700; fax 702-567-4777; 800-241-3333;
3131 Las Vegas Blvd. S.; 702-770-7100;
fax 702-770-1510; 888-320-9966; www.ritzcarlton.com; 314 rooms
www.wynnlasvegas.com; 2108 rooms, 608 suites
This one-year-old, “worth-the-billions” “gem” Treasure Island
19 19 15 20 $99
Las Vegas
sets a “new standard” on the Strip for “undeni- 3300 Las Vegas Blvd. S.; 702-894-7111;
able luxury” with “huge”, “museum-quality fax 702-894-7414; 800-288-7206;
rooms”, “out-of-this-world” parlor suites and www.treasureisland.com; 2665 rooms, 218 suites,
numerous “top-notch” restaurants that create a 2 penthouses
“feast for the eyes and the stomach”; “perfect
for couples” and “well-heeled business travel- Westin Casuarina 18 15 10 14 $299
ers” (“not for kids”), it’s “more elegant and qui- Hotel and Spa
160 E. Flamingo Rd.; 702-836-9775; fax
eter” than other “mega-casinos” with “bold,
702-836-9776; 866-837-4215; www.westin.com;
fanciful” touches and a “breathtaking” golf 816 rooms, 10 suites
course; still, if critics grump it’s “overblown”
and complain of “sky-high prices”, regulars
retort this “work of art” “is a Wynner for sure.”
ZAGATSURVEY • www.zagat.com 11
 Las Vegas Map
Exi t 40 San Pe

do

d Tree
y
r.
r.

.
Scotland Ln.

San
Par

t
S
Cincinn ati Ave. St.

San

San
Northb ridge St. San Pab lo
Dr.

Ln.
Sahara Ave.
Sahara

Tamrich Dr.
Ave.

Rye St.
Sahara Ann ex St.

View

Teddy D r.
Alcoa Ave. Southb ridge

Comme rcial
Center Dr.

Market St.
TRAVEL CAPSULE

Van Patten St.

Lynnwood St.
Palace

Sherwood St.
ZAGAT St. Sahara

Kendale St.
Merritt Ave. Station Sut

Restaurants

.
El Conlon Ave.

Dr
t Ave er Sahara

State St.
Towers
Ct.
Clark
.

od
Kin Guinness

Valley
Kings Way

Karen Ct.
gs

wo
Yardley St.
Pr World of Records

Cabot St.

e.
Wa Av esid

Av
Museum

st
Piedmo nt Ave. y e. io

We

MONORAIL
1. Aureole

ern
Karen Ave.

i p"
Roseville Way Karen Ave. Lag

st
2. Bellagio Buffet Tam O'Shanter

Str

Joe W. Brown D r.
Tam O'Shanter

We
Wilming ton Way Re
Av d Oa .
3. Café Bellagio

Northam St.
e. k Dr

Dr.
Palm Sp rings Way

e
"T h
t Av e.

Sultana St.
Mo C ir on
4. Carnegie Deli O ak m

.
Jamestown Way lo cus

Rd
ka

ont
i Ln C ir
5. Daniel Boulud Brasserie Milo Way . cus Valley

ho

O ak m
Edna Ave. n Dr. Veg as

nc

Rd.
D r.

Augusta D r.
6. Delmonico Steakhouse

Ra
Algiers 29

ial
33 Star Trek:
7. Firefly Meade Ave.

st r
35 LV H il ton LAS VEGAS

.
Dr
Riviera Blvd. The Experien ce

u
Sheridan St.

8. Fix

Ind
59

Dr
55

Paradise
Riviera Las Vegas 54

Maryland
Bel Air D r.
COUNTRY CLUB
9. Joe’s Seafood, Steak & Crab

Rigel Ave.
Hilton

od

Pinehurst D r.
Stampa Ave.

Jo e W
wo

nd
10. Le Village Buffet (PRIVATE)

st

hla
Sirius Ave. Residence Inn .B

We

uth
ro w

H ig
11. Mesa Grill Conv. Center Las Vegas

So
Procyon St.

Polaris Ave.

n
LV Convention Center Visitor Information Center Bel Air Cir.
Capella
12. Mix Ave. Convention Center Dr.

Dr.
Capella Ave.

Channel 8 D r.
13. N9ne Steakhouse

Sadie St.

Dr.
D. Reynolds
d.
Regulus Las Vegas
Greek Marriot t

Blv

Pkwy.
Ave.

ir
14. Nobu Stardust Rd. Isles Suites Convention Center

lA
Courtya rd Pinehurst D r.

Be
15. Olives Desert Inn Rd. Super Arterial Convention Center

s
16. Picasso Desert Inn Rd. Super Arterial Desert Inn Rd.

a
New Frontier
Aldeba ran Ave.

Brussels
Veg

Swenson

Athens
Camb ridge
St.

St.
17. Prime Steakhouse Pinks 66

Rome St.
Pl.
Fashion Sh
ow

Country Club
D r. 5 Renaissance
18. Simon Kitchen & Bar

Las
Lisbon St.
Pollux
.
Rd FASHION SH OW Wynn Las Vegas
19. Smith & Wollensky Ave.
MALL
Sierra Vista Dr. Sierra Vista Dr.

Sq.
Wilson
69 Best Western
20. Sterling BrunchSpring Mountain Rd.

St.
43 Ma rdi Gras

St.
THE WYNN

St.
Emerson
Polaris Ave.
Procyon St.

21. StripSteak

Holmes
Exi t 39 Ave. GOLF CLUB Dumo nt Blvd.
l
ria

Edison Cir.

Burbank Ave.

Ln.
22. Tamba Indian Cuisine Treasure
Vegas Plaza

Black Crest BO
ust

Island Embassy Suites-

Canyon Ave.
Ind

Sirens of TI Convention
Dr.

23. Tao
Blvd.

Royal
Center

Cir.
Dr. 68
24. Todai Twain Ave. The 6 Elm D r.
d
lan

30 604
Venetian 46 Cou ntry Club Ln.
25. Village Seafood Buffet
gh
View

Palos
23 Grand Canal Shoppes Sands Ave. Las Vegas
Hi

Mirage

Nightlife
40 Chamber of Commerce
Twain Ave.
Ln.

53 Volcano Guggenheim

Royal Crest St.

4

Manhattan St.
63

Ce
15 50 Hermitage Twain Ave.

Hazelwood St.
White
Valley

nt
Scripps D r. Casino
Dolphin Museum

ral

Verdes
Paradise
Pk wy.
Tiger Royale
der

Habitat

Park D r.

Daisy St.
Habitat 47
26. Body English
C in

Katie

Ln.
Viking Rd. The Forum Shops Har rah's
27. Fontana Bar Harrah’s/ Westchester
9 34 Imperial Imperial Palace Dr. Corpo rate Dr. North Cir. North rop Ave.

St.
28. ghostbar 7
"The Strip"

Palace Ida Ave.

Swenson

Camb ridge
64 W Kolson Cir.
29. Hogs & Heifers Auto Viking D r.

Maryland
in

LAS VEGAS MAP

Koval
Collections n ick Ave.

Voxna St.

Visby Ln.
Torsby Pl.
The Colosseum

Rd.
13 Calcaterra Cir.
30. Jet Rio Caesars 36 Flamingo
Palace Las Vegas Flamingo/ McKellar Cir.
31. Light Gold Coast 28

d
Caesars Palace

war
57 Bill’s Bourbon Albert Dr.
32. Mix Lounge 37 Gambling Westin Hughes Residence Inn Ave. Fred rika

Ho
Exi t 38 11

St.
Flamingo Rd. Street

St.
Hall and Casuarina Center Dr. Hughes Center
33. Olympic Garden Flamingo Saloon Rd. Flamingo Rd.
Platinum
34. OPM 27 45 20 Terrible's

Claymo nt St.
Bally’s Las Vegas Condominium
Blvd.

67 31 Fountains Charlot te Dr. Hotel

Resort Hotel Clarion
35. Peppermill Fireside Lounge Bellagio of Bellagio Eiffel Tower & Spa
Fredda St.

Emerald Springs Maryland

25 3 44

Pkwy.
36. Pure 56 Experien ce Days Inn Cir.
41 2 65 10 Bally’s Town Hall Holiday Inn
37. Rain Nightclub Bellagio & Paris Crowne Plaza Cottage G rove Ave.
Aud rie St.

Paris-Las Vegas

St .
Galle ry of Rochelle Ave.
D eb
View

38. Red Square Cavaretta C t.

8 Fine Art
La Cienega St.

Sadie St.

Salton St.
Deckow Ln.
Las
Aldeba ran Ave.

b ie

Wa 26
Ln.

39. rumjungle Business 17 15 16 y

Ave.

MONORAIL

Aladdin 60 Judy Bay

Valley

Swen so n
40. Tao
Ln.
24
UNIVERSITY OF
Rd.

Hard Rock
Vegas

Desert
Koval

NEVADA-LAS VEGAS
Kishner

41. VooDoo Lounge Harmon Passage Lana Ave. 18

Ave.
(UNLV)
Dr.

14

Golf
Harmon Ave.
Harmon
Polaris

Blvd.

Ave.
Alexis Park
Indust rial

Resort St. Tropez AmeriSuites Lied Library

La Mar Cir.

Naples Dr. 22
Monterey Cir.

42. Bali Hai Naples Dr.

South

Grand D r.

A
Gym
St.

43. Wynn Las Vegas Thomas & Mack

Parad

Monte Carlo

Attractions
Tomp kins Ave. Center
Cox
Procyon

Tomp kins Uni versity Rd.

Pavilion
Blvd.

ise

M&M's World Ave.

D r.

Brussels St.
Rue de Monte Carlo
Deckow Ln.

Game Works Thom as & Mack

Rd.
Palms Center 19 Dorot hy
44. Eiffel Tower Experience Dr. MGM G rand
New York- MGM
Rd.
View

45. Fountains of Bellagio New York Grand Embassy

Wild Wild West 62
Exi t 37 49 Suites Airport
46. Gondola Rides-Grand
Tropicana Canal Ave. Tropicana Ave. 48
47. Guggenheim Hermitage Museum Howard Johnson Best Western
Ln.

Bock

Shirley St.

Wilbur
Valley

Island
Way

Plaza Hotel Tropicana McCarran

48. Liberace Museum Excalibur
Legend
Palo

Sage Ave.
Duke Elling ton Way

St.

49. Lion Habitat Bell Dr. Casino

Restaurants
Verd

Legends
Swenson

Radkovich Ave.

Young St.
Koval

50. Madame Tussauds Las Vegas Hall of Fame St.

e

Bell Dr. Lulu Ave.

RESTAURANTS
Frank Sinatra

Lulu Ave.
Rd .

Turner
Nightlife
St.
51. Pharaoh’s Pavillion
St.
Boyer
Durante St.

Reno Ave. Toni Ave.

52. Shark Reef Reno Ave.
NIGHTLIFE Colby Ave.
Laramo re Dr.

Golf
IMAX

Maryland
Howard
Ln.

Ln.

Ln.
Ln.
Haven

Dr.

53. Siegfried & Roy’s

St.

Luxor Johnson Dalton D r.

51 Centu ry Cir.
St.

54. Star Trek: The Experience

Ali Baba Ln . SHOPPING Garden D r.

Attractions
Ali Baba
Dr.

Reeder

De Met Dr.
Garden
Golden
Rent a Car Rd.

Greene

Jan is Ln .
Gray

•
55. Stratosphere Tower & Rides King Tut's Ln.
Tomb &
St.

ATTRACTIONS Moni ka Way

Hotels
Museum

Hotels
Hacienda Ave.
Hacienda Ave.
21 Hacienda Ave. CourtesyTish
HOTELS
Danville Ln.
Bethel Ln.

12 1 Westmins ter Ave.

Rd.

Pkwy.
St.

Giles

Mandalay Bay Kitty Hawk Way

56. Bellagio Hotel 32 Cou nt Wutzke Ave.
Ave.

Shark Reef 38
57. Caesars Palace 39 King Richard Ave. Carlso n D r.
Procyon

15
p

St.
Londonde rry
Lo o
St.

t
un

58. Four Seasons Four Seasons

St .

52 Terminal 2 Aud rey

Visco
ton

Lady Marlene
Indust rial

61 Hotel (Intern ational Arri vals &

59. Golden Nugget Ave. Ave.
Haven

Charter Carriers) R
Frank Sinatra

Wilb u r
Ne

58 604
60. Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Duke Johnson Ave.
e
Polaris

Diablo D r.
ay

Diablo D r.
W

61. Mandalay Bay Resort Sir Patrick Ave.

G
62. MGM Grand Hotel MCCARRAN
Procyon St.

Dewey Dr. Dewey Dr.

63. Mirage Hotel
D r.

INTERNATIONAL
Las

Rd.
64. Palms Casino Hotel A Gates sell
Russell Rd. AIRPORT Rus
65. Paris Las Vegas
Vegas

Exi t 36
66. Renaissance PA
Kelley Ln.

Terminal 1
67. Rio All-Suite Quail
Hotel & Casino
Ave.
Blvd.

68. Venetian Hotel 42 0 0.25 0.5 mi

69. Wynn Las Vegas Oquendo Rd. Oquendo Rd.
B Gates
South

0 0.25 0.5 km
Monorail Tram
Procyon St.

Ponde rosa Way C Gates 12

D Gates

courtesy of Bar Americain

About
ZAGAT TRAVEL CAPSULE

ZAGATSURVEY
Tim and Nina Zagat established Zagat Survey® in 1979 by inviting avid
®

diners to rate and review the restaurants they visited. The Zagats applied za • GAT’, n
a unique premise: that rating a restaurant on the basis of thousands of
1. best-selling paperback
experiences was inherently more accurate than relying on one reviewer.
guides, pocket-sized and
Starting with the first Zagat NYC Restaurant Survey, that premise has often burgundy in color
proven true and Zagat Survey has continued to expand worldwide. The 2. democratic ratings and
company now offers dining guides for hundreds of cities, as well as guides reviews that are honest
for hotels, resorts and spas worldwide, family travel, attractions, shop-
and accurate 3. by popu-
ping, nightlife, movies, music and golf.
lar vote, the most com-

ABOUT ZAGAT SURVEY

Zagat Survey’s unique approach uses a 30-point scale to rate the distinct plete, reliable, useful and
qualities of restaurants (Food, Decor, Service and Cost), hotels (Rooms, fun guides ever published
Service, Dining and Facilities) and other leisure-related establishments. 4. aka “The Food and
Zagat Survey’s format allows people to search for and find the best places
to meet their individual needs based on a variety of criteria. That breadth
Travel Bible” 5. rhymes
and depth of information has made Zagat Survey a name that consumers with “the cat”
can trust — even if they aren’t sure how to pronounce it.

RESTAURANT GUIDES Philadelphia WEB & WIRELESS

America’s Top Restaurants San Francisco ZAGAT TO GOSM for handhelds
Atlanta Seattle ZAGAT.com subscription
Boston Texas
California Wine Country Tokyo
Cape Cod & The Islands Toronto (best of) RESTAURANT MAPS
Chicago Vancouver (best of) Chicago
Connecticut Washington, DC/Baltimore Los Angeles
Europe’s Top Restaurants Westchester/Hudson River Valley New York City
Hamptons (incl. wineries) San Francisco
Las Vegas (incl. Nightlife)
LIFESTYLE GUIDES
London America’s Top Golf Courses HOTEL AND
Long Island (incl. wineries) Movie Guide TRAVEL GUIDES
Los Angeles/Southern California Music Guide Top U.S. Hotels, Resorts and Spas
Miami Beach NYC Marketplace
U.S. Family Travel
Miami/South Florida NYC Shopping
World’s Top Hotels, Resorts
`

Montreal (best of) and Spas

New Jersey NIGHTLIFE GUIDES
New Jersey Shore Las Vegas (incl. Restaurants)
New Orleans (best of) Los Angeles
New York City New Orleans (best of)
Palm Beach New York City
Paris San Francisco

Available wherever books are sold or at ZAGAT.com

To use customized Zagat guides as corporate gifts or marketing tools, call 800 540 9609

ZAGATSURVEY • www.zagat.com 13