First time to Vegas! (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Szczesnk
- Start date
Hey Kevin,
So much to see and do in Vegas. I am sure you will have a great time!
If you don't use Uber or Lyft make sure to download the app as it makes getting around Vegas a breeze.
Make sure you bring some comfortable walking shoes. The casinos themselves and town is huge.
In general with food in Vegas you get much better prices and quality when you take the time to head off strip. I went to Gallaghers Steakhouse which is inside New York New York and it was pretty good.
I am more into food these days than gambling so these are the spots I would check out. Make sure to budget your money and don't blow it all gambling the first day!
Eggslut (for breakfast) huge line and it is located inside Cosmopolitan
Wicked Spoon (lunch or dinner buffet) inside Cosmopolitan
Peppermill Restaurant and Fireside Lounge - fun old school Vegas vibe with cool lighting. Huge portions and good prices
Fogo de Chao Brazillian BBQ is fun if you want tons of meat. Its off strip in stand alone restaurant
Ellis Island - very fairly priced ribs and beers (a bit off strip)
Rick's Rollin' Smoke BBQ - Downtown (aka old vegas) Real Texas style BBQ - stupid good.
Lindo Michoacan - offstrip, great Mexican food
There is also (apparently) awesome Asian restaurants in Las Vegas. These are places I haven't been to but heard are great.
Chin Chin
Lotus of Siam
Share some pics in this thread!
So much to see and do in Vegas. I am sure you will have a great time!
If you don't use Uber or Lyft make sure to download the app as it makes getting around Vegas a breeze.
Make sure you bring some comfortable walking shoes. The casinos themselves and town is huge.
In general with food in Vegas you get much better prices and quality when you take the time to head off strip. I went to Gallaghers Steakhouse which is inside New York New York and it was pretty good.
I am more into food these days than gambling so these are the spots I would check out. Make sure to budget your money and don't blow it all gambling the first day!
Eggslut (for breakfast) huge line and it is located inside Cosmopolitan
Wicked Spoon (lunch or dinner buffet) inside Cosmopolitan
Peppermill Restaurant and Fireside Lounge - fun old school Vegas vibe with cool lighting. Huge portions and good prices
Fogo de Chao Brazillian BBQ is fun if you want tons of meat. Its off strip in stand alone restaurant
Ellis Island - very fairly priced ribs and beers (a bit off strip)
Rick's Rollin' Smoke BBQ - Downtown (aka old vegas) Real Texas style BBQ - stupid good.
Lindo Michoacan - offstrip, great Mexican food
There is also (apparently) awesome Asian restaurants in Las Vegas. These are places I haven't been to but heard are great.
Chin Chin
Lotus of Siam
Share some pics in this thread!
Last edited:
Thank you for the reply and all of the pointers and recommendations! I will definitely add some photos!
Pippa
4 of a Kind
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Aria
MGM
Resort Word
Sahara was no bad for food and poker!!!
For tournaments
I was there last September
MGM
Resort Word
Sahara was no bad for food and poker!!!
For tournaments
I was there last September
Last edited:
Give my recent trip report thread a look, as I imagine it might be helpful:
Thread '2022 Vegas Trip Report. November 16th to 24th.' https://www.pokerchipforum.com/threads/2022-vegas-trip-report-november-16th-to-24th.96945/
Budget dependant, best place for daily tournaments is Wynn, in my opinion.
Two clear winners for best steakhouse: SW at Wynn and Bazaar Meats at Sahara. Although the steaks not quite as good as the ones I've mentioned, the old school vibe at Oscar's at The Plaza and Golden Steer make them a must, too.
Thread '2022 Vegas Trip Report. November 16th to 24th.' https://www.pokerchipforum.com/threads/2022-vegas-trip-report-november-16th-to-24th.96945/
Budget dependant, best place for daily tournaments is Wynn, in my opinion.
Two clear winners for best steakhouse: SW at Wynn and Bazaar Meats at Sahara. Although the steaks not quite as good as the ones I've mentioned, the old school vibe at Oscar's at The Plaza and Golden Steer make them a must, too.
trever
Flush
dmoney
Full House
Off the strip food:
Rincon De Buenos Aires : inexpensive DELICIOUS Meat, spare ribs, steak, short ribs, filet mignon, skirt steak, lots of sides.
Omelet House : That's the way it's spelled. inexpensive breakfast with HUGE omelettes (you could order the "baby" omelette and it's still huge).
Sushi Neko : Buffett and ala carte options of many favorite sushi items
CaliBombs : Fast food, serves a bloomin onion style appetizer that's good.
Egg Sammie : Just like Egg Slut but located off the strip
The Magic Noodle : Best ramen / noodle house I've been to in Vegas.
Juan's Flaming Fajitas : If you like Mexican food, they have everything here. EVERYTHING! Nice dinning inside and out areas.
Lo-Lo's : If you like soul food, THIS IS THE PLACE! They have these in Arizona also, but the Vegas location is best. Also fun fact, this location is owned and operated by a former NBA basketball All-star player!
On the strip food:
Giada's : Upscale, nice ambiance, pricey but delicious food
Gordon Ramsey's Steakhouse : Beef Wellington here is really good
Gordon Ramsey's Fish and Chips : A small grab and go spot on the Linq Promenade... super delicious shrimp, fish, and fries... a little greasy, and lately a lot more pricey.
Hash House a Go Go : This place serves HUGE portions of everything. If you're hungry, this is the place! I prefer the location in the Linq over the other two locations. Chicken and waffles is really a hit here... but honestly everything is pretty good. Long wait times depending on when you arrive.
Lobster Me : I think there is more than one location, but the one in Planet Hollywood next to Fat Tuesdays is a must stop. Delicious lobster rolls at crazy expensive prices.
Burger Brasserie : Sadly, I think this place might have closed down, as I was walking through Paris/Bally's in December and don't think I saw it in it's normal spot anymore. This was the best place to get a burger, wings, and 7 different types of french fries
Black Tap : 2nd favorite burger spot in Vegas, located downstairs in the Venetian. This place has gaudy burgers, shakes, and desserts.
Poker
If you decide to get a players card for Caesars properties, I'd say play at Caesars Palace. You get more rewards and tier points per hour.
I'd also check out Bally's since they've rebranded and have a new room, new chips, new vibe.
Aria is probably the most beautiful room to play in, tons of players, lots of stiff competition.
Golden Nugget is also a great room to play.
For tournaments I'd download an app called Poker Atlas which gives a nice rundown of what games are happening when and where. The Orleans typically has some nice guarantee tourneys.... I played a $200 / $40,000 GTD tourney there back in the summer and placed 38th.. very fun.
Other Notes
I would NOT recommend renting a car unless you plan on spending a lot of time off the strip. Normally I rent a car and would find plenty of free parking, but now the majority of lots charge $18 after the first hour... and if you don't have platinum or equivalent players card status then you cannot get the free valet parking. This last trip I spent way more on parking than I did on my previous trip using Lyft. Like 3x more.
Remember to bring your portable charger, or USB cable for your phone with you to the tables as most now have charging ports built into the tables.
You get free drinks while playing poker in most (if not all) of the poker rooms. Take advantage of this, and tip the servers! On one trip a server and a dealer invited me to an event happening that night at another venue, and it was a lot of fun!
Depending on where you're staying, check in times can be REAAAALLLLLY LONG at hotels on the strip. Try to get early check-in or do the check-in kiosks if they are offered at your hotel.
Have fun!
P.S. I've been to Vegas maybe 18-20 times in the last 4 years, so if you have any questions about shows or anything else let me know!
Rincon De Buenos Aires : inexpensive DELICIOUS Meat, spare ribs, steak, short ribs, filet mignon, skirt steak, lots of sides.
Omelet House : That's the way it's spelled. inexpensive breakfast with HUGE omelettes (you could order the "baby" omelette and it's still huge).
Sushi Neko : Buffett and ala carte options of many favorite sushi items
CaliBombs : Fast food, serves a bloomin onion style appetizer that's good.
Egg Sammie : Just like Egg Slut but located off the strip
The Magic Noodle : Best ramen / noodle house I've been to in Vegas.
Juan's Flaming Fajitas : If you like Mexican food, they have everything here. EVERYTHING! Nice dinning inside and out areas.
Lo-Lo's : If you like soul food, THIS IS THE PLACE! They have these in Arizona also, but the Vegas location is best. Also fun fact, this location is owned and operated by a former NBA basketball All-star player!
On the strip food:
Giada's : Upscale, nice ambiance, pricey but delicious food
Gordon Ramsey's Steakhouse : Beef Wellington here is really good
Gordon Ramsey's Fish and Chips : A small grab and go spot on the Linq Promenade... super delicious shrimp, fish, and fries... a little greasy, and lately a lot more pricey.
Hash House a Go Go : This place serves HUGE portions of everything. If you're hungry, this is the place! I prefer the location in the Linq over the other two locations. Chicken and waffles is really a hit here... but honestly everything is pretty good. Long wait times depending on when you arrive.
Lobster Me : I think there is more than one location, but the one in Planet Hollywood next to Fat Tuesdays is a must stop. Delicious lobster rolls at crazy expensive prices.
Burger Brasserie : Sadly, I think this place might have closed down, as I was walking through Paris/Bally's in December and don't think I saw it in it's normal spot anymore. This was the best place to get a burger, wings, and 7 different types of french fries
Black Tap : 2nd favorite burger spot in Vegas, located downstairs in the Venetian. This place has gaudy burgers, shakes, and desserts.
Poker
If you decide to get a players card for Caesars properties, I'd say play at Caesars Palace. You get more rewards and tier points per hour.
I'd also check out Bally's since they've rebranded and have a new room, new chips, new vibe.
Aria is probably the most beautiful room to play in, tons of players, lots of stiff competition.
Golden Nugget is also a great room to play.
For tournaments I'd download an app called Poker Atlas which gives a nice rundown of what games are happening when and where. The Orleans typically has some nice guarantee tourneys.... I played a $200 / $40,000 GTD tourney there back in the summer and placed 38th.. very fun.
Other Notes
I would NOT recommend renting a car unless you plan on spending a lot of time off the strip. Normally I rent a car and would find plenty of free parking, but now the majority of lots charge $18 after the first hour... and if you don't have platinum or equivalent players card status then you cannot get the free valet parking. This last trip I spent way more on parking than I did on my previous trip using Lyft. Like 3x more.
Remember to bring your portable charger, or USB cable for your phone with you to the tables as most now have charging ports built into the tables.
You get free drinks while playing poker in most (if not all) of the poker rooms. Take advantage of this, and tip the servers! On one trip a server and a dealer invited me to an event happening that night at another venue, and it was a lot of fun!
Depending on where you're staying, check in times can be REAAAALLLLLY LONG at hotels on the strip. Try to get early check-in or do the check-in kiosks if they are offered at your hotel.
Have fun!
P.S. I've been to Vegas maybe 18-20 times in the last 4 years, so if you have any questions about shows or anything else let me know!
Thanks for all the recommendations! I will definitely be downloading the poker atlas app. So excited to finally see what this place is all about!
You have mainly been running the strip naked…and smoke cigars
You need bravo app too
Uber and monorail is best way for transportation, besides walking
Where are you staying ?
slisk250
Straight Flush
WSOP I’m there. April?
Trump International. I downloaded the bravo and poker atlas apps. Definitely plan on using Uber as the hotel isn't too close to the action.
Food: There are so many great eateries in Vegas. Everyone has their favorite cheap eats and go-to steakhouses. Most of the time, you can't go wrong with all the different recommendations. But the one place that I always include in a Vegas trip is a meal at The Oyster Bar at the Palace Station casino. They don't take reservations, and it only has like 15 or 16 seats at the bar, so there's almost always at least a one hour wait. But if you go between 9:30am-11:00am, there's usually no (or very little) wait.
Poker: Get the Bravo App and call ahead to get on a cash game list. If you're going to be logging some hours playing cash games, then give them your players card or have them make one for you at the table (instead of trying to find the Players Desk elsewhere in the casino). It's nice to wrap up a couple sessions and realize you've banked enough comp dollars to pay for a slice of pizza or sandwich on your way out.
Poker: Get the Bravo App and call ahead to get on a cash game list. If you're going to be logging some hours playing cash games, then give them your players card or have them make one for you at the table (instead of trying to find the Players Desk elsewhere in the casino). It's nice to wrap up a couple sessions and realize you've banked enough comp dollars to pay for a slice of pizza or sandwich on your way out.
I had a very enjoyable steak at Gallagher's in New York New York for my birthday back in early Dec.
krw17
Pair
I will second a couple of places already mentioned. Gallaghers has been my favorite steakhouse in Vegas for a while (value for price wise it’s great).
Hash House a go go is a cool place for breakfast, big enough portions you can skip lunch!
Hash House a go go is a cool place for breakfast, big enough portions you can skip lunch!
PhilLaFond
Straight
If you have time, and you like history, the Neon Museum is a must see. Also try and get down to Fremont Street - completely different vibe than the Strip.
Again, if time permits, or you're just in the vicinity, try to check out the Golden Tiki in Chinatown.
Again, if time permits, or you're just in the vicinity, try to check out the Golden Tiki in Chinatown.
TheYeti
Pair
Oooo....that isn't the most "walk-able" location. I'd have chosen something more center-strip for my first trip to Vegas. I can only assume they had the cheapest rates for a strip property (not really a strip property)...?
Steakhouses
-Bugsy and Meyers (Flamingo)
-The Steakhouse (Circus Circus)
-Andiamo (The D, Downtown Vegas)
-SW (the Wynn, very expensive but one of the finest places in Vegas)
Surprisingly, Eataly at Park MGM is phenomenal, with a huge selection of pastas, seafood, meat, pizza, and drinks. I ended up having one of the best Tomahawks I've ever had in Vegas.
For other places.
Hobak Korean BBQ (Off the strip. Fantastic)
The Golden Tiki (Off the strip, old school tiki bar, Great drinks.)
AlbinoDragon
Flush
Two off strip favorites, both over on Paradise.
Firefly. Spanish style tapas and small plates. Designed so you can order several times, eat until you are content and not miserable. Bacon wrapped stuffed dates are a must-have. Mojitos and sangria too. A nice and surprisingly affordable (by Vegas and Strip standards, at least as of last time I was there several years ago) place. Usually one of the first places I try to go when I get to Vegas.
Hofbrauhaus. Bavarian style beer hall. Lots of good food, beer in liter steins. Live band, big community tables and spankings. A bit more of a party vibe as you might imagine, but just a loud, rowdy and fun evening.
Firefly. Spanish style tapas and small plates. Designed so you can order several times, eat until you are content and not miserable. Bacon wrapped stuffed dates are a must-have. Mojitos and sangria too. A nice and surprisingly affordable (by Vegas and Strip standards, at least as of last time I was there several years ago) place. Usually one of the first places I try to go when I get to Vegas.
Hofbrauhaus. Bavarian style beer hall. Lots of good food, beer in liter steins. Live band, big community tables and spankings. A bit more of a party vibe as you might imagine, but just a loud, rowdy and fun evening.
krw17
Pair
Pre-COVID at least, there were a couple shuttle routes for nearby strip properties that would take you and drop you off at fashion show mall. I think Ballys and one other I can’t remember. The drop off was north side, basically across the street from the Trump hotel. Easy and free way to get up and down the strip.
links_slayer
4 of a Kind
It's great to have a plan and everything, but Sin City is a cruel, cruel mistress and it's best just to go wherever she takes you.
Yeah, my lady got it through something basically for free so that's why we are here. Uber is convenient to get wherever. Haven't had to wait more than a minute or two for a ride.
Played in a hyper turbo at MGM for my first tournament. Finished on the bubble, luckily we agreed to pay the bubble beforehand so broke even at least. Not impressed with MGM Grands poker room. Very dark, small tables for 10+ dealer. Not even sure what kind of chips we used. Felt like metal slug ABS....
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Eataly is great! +1
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