Las Vegas has become a pilgrimage spot for celebrity chefs around the world to hang their shingle and make their mark against the millions of tourist masses that pass through each year. For famous chefs already in the collective consciousness, it can be a literal gold mine. For chefs known for coasting on their aging Michelin Stars, it can be a big slice of humble pie. These are chefs that came to Vegas for their celebrity status, and the restaurant that best exemplifies their talent.
Mesa Grill by Bobby Flay
The Iron Chef himself is one of the longest standing celebrities in the Las Vegas pantheon. An expression of his signature Southwest style, it delivers the same as his iconic New York venture. Mesa Grill is as “fine dining” as Flay gets, which is still fairly casual, with every item being a ground-up invention using almost exclusively the flavors of the Southwest.
Caesars Palace, 3570 S Las Vegas Blvd. (702) 650-5965 mesagrill.com
BurGR by Gordon Ramsay
Where most consider STEAK to be Gordon Ramsay’s premier restaurant, his greatest success in Vegas could easily be argued to be BurGR. While it isn’t exactly a steakhouse, they have accomplished what they set out to do in great ability. Where else could you expect to get a massive Mangalitsa burger for $18? Besides the burgers, unique dishes like cold soba noodles round out the menu.
Planet Hollywood, 3667 S Las Vegas Blvd. (702) 785-5555 caesars.com
CUT by Wolfgang Puck
Credit Jeff Green
The Man, the Myth, the Legend, and the face we see on soup cans and airports all over the country. Of his many Las Vegas restaurants, the finest is a transplant of his famous LA spot, CUT. His one steakhouse, it is a temple of the finest the city has to offer, with selections of Japanese A5 Wagyu and Snake River Farms beef brought out to display, and an extremely fine selection of wines.
The Venetian, 3325 S Las Vegas Blvd. (702) 607-6300 wolfgangpuck.com
Emeril’s Fish House by Emeril Lagasse
The TV chef from New Orleans has a few spots in town, with Delmonico being his fine dining steakhouse. Delmonico is amazing, but nothing really is as unique and exemplifies Chef Emeril’s work like his Louisiana gulf Fish House. With dishes like grilled oysters and his crawfish etoufee, and even dishes using alligator, they bring the cuisine in full light.
MGM Grand, 3799 Las Vegas Blvd. (702) 891-7374 emerilsrestaurants.com
Guy’s Vegas Kitchen by Guy Fieri
The polarizing caricatured Food Network character opened his restaurant last year, and to some great success. Specializing in the kind of over-the-top food that he’s known for, there’s massive burgers, meat filled sandwiches, and many lollipop’d wings. Love it or hate it, there’s a line out the door nearly every day.
The LINQ Hotel, 3535 S Las Vegas Blvd. (800) 351-7400 caesars.com
CarneVino by Mario Batali
The best steakhouses in the world are in America, the land of steak. The best in America are in Las Vegas, the city of steak. And the best steakhouse in Vegas is almost undoubtably CarneVino by Mario Batali, with an off site facility that dry ages their beef more than double the competition.
The Venetian, 3325 S Las Vegas Blvd. (702) 789-4141 carnevino.com
DB Brasserie by Daniel Boulud
Chef Daniel came back to Vegas amidst roaring applause, and the restaurant that would begin his second chapter was nestled right in the prime real estate of the Venetian’s restaurant row. They reimagine classic French bistro dishes, and bring along some dishes that made the chef a star, like the Boulud Burger. They pull from around the globe, but keep fun motifs like fresh terrines around to keep the visitors guessing.
The Venetian, 3355 S Las Vegas Blvd., (702) 430-1235 dbbrasserie.com
Twist by Pierre Gaganiere
This is a chef that is world renowned, but before Twist, he didn’t have a restaurant in the Western Hemisphere. His Michelin-Starred spots dot all over Europe and Asia with a variety of concepts, and his Vegas location is no exception. His style of experimental, far-out fusion cuisine rivals (and some would say, surpasses) that of Robuchon in its ability to jar and excite diners. Anything and everything can be expected, and it is always a truly amazing experience. If Michelin was still rating Vegas, smart money would be on this spot getting a perfect three.
Mandarin Oriental, 3752 S Las Vegas Blvd., (888) 881-9367 mandarinoriental.com
Giada by Giada de Laurentiis
Las Vegas was lucky enough to be the proving ground for this Food Network star, as her eponymous restaurant is also her very first. Going above and beyond, with nearly a blank check from Caesars, the spot is a gorgeous, stunning jewel on the Strip. The restaurant is always abuzz, with patrons and with chefs; nearly the entire east side of the restaurant is sort of a stage of chefs preparing, plating, and making fresh pasta and antipasti. This is Italian done to brutal perfection, with a very personal flare to every recipe.
The Cromwell, 3595 S Las Vegas Blvd. (702) 777-3777 caesars.com
Bardot Brasserie by Michael Mina
For a chef that has made his mark with many Vegas restaurants, from every end of the spectrum, the concepts of Bardot Brasserie is truly that much more of a remarkable accomplishment. 90% of the menu is pulled straight from the classic hotel fine dining recipes of the Belle Epoch of Paris, with classics like Chicken Roti and Lobster Thermidor. Along with one of the most beautiful dining rooms in town, and a weekend brunch that truly rivals Bouchon, Michael Mina’s newest restaurant is also his greatest.
Aria, 3730 S Las Vegas Blvd., (877) 230-2742 aria.com
