Add all kinds of things here that are ribs to do when in Vegas

I can't verify this, but others here on wine.woot say it is true.
There is a wine bar in the basement of The Rio called The Wine Cellar that is supposed to be very ribs. They offer tastings of many different wines.

If you are a cigar lover, you have to go to Don Pablo's Cigars.
It's in a strip mall that runs east from the strip roughly across from Circus Circus. They have like Cuban old men in there rolling the cigars... It's great!
Don Pablo Cigar Co.
3049 Las Vegas South., #25

There's a sandwich place called Capriotti's near the north end of the strip near where the Sahara is/was, (I can't keep track of which properties have been imploded. Seems like The Sahara should have been imploded by now if it hasn't been.)
You go west on Sahara and cross over the Expressway and it's on your right.
Check out their website though cause it looks like they have a ton of locations in Vegas now.
Anyway, they have a sandwich called The Bobbie that is like taking everything on your Thanksgiving dinner plate and cramming it all in a sandwich. I didn't have it last time I was there, but I'm definitely having it this time. The sandwich I did have was out of this world!
Best Subs EVER!

Capriotti's
322 West Sahara
Las Vegas NV.
702-474-0229

Love Vegas. Thanks for those tips. We like this place calledl Blueberry Hill. Its a 24/7 place .. there are a few of them in Vegas. We go to the one on Flamingo just east of Maryland. The food is cheap and fresh. Their mashed potatoes are real. Not the comfiest seat, but good breakfasts too.

Every time my friend and I go to Vegas we take the public transportation bus downtown one night. Other than a couple of places, it's pretty run down and sleazy, but if you just hang out at the mega casinos on the strip, you don't get the real Vegas experience.
Our favorite thing to do down there is go to the Golden Gate Casino and in the back of the casino there's a small ............ I wouldn't call it a restaurant, but they serve food, and you can get shrimp cocktails for a buck and huge hot dogs for a buck and a huge, (probably 20 oz.) freezing cold glass of Old Milwaukee for a buck. We usually eat several of the shrimp cocktails. VERY Yummy!

Another mandatory stop for us is Slots-Of-Fun. This is a small hole in the wall kind of place that you would expect to find downtown, but it's on the strip just south of Circus Circus. The thing we love about this place is that they have cheap bottles of Becks, Heineken, Corona, maybe another one or two other imports that I can't remember. When we first started going out there they were a $1. We thought we had died and gone to heaven. I think 2 years ago they were up to $1.75....... still an incredible deal!

If you've only been there once a long time ago or you're going to go for your first time, you have to see the obligatory Bellagio fountains, Mirage volcano erupting, Treasure Island pirate ship sinking......... and the best part is they're all FREE.

EDIT: Also..... Lions at MGM Grand, White Tigers at The Mirage, Nature Area at The Flamingo, Forum Shops at Caesars...... also all FREE!

smlauren wrote:Another mandatory stop for us is Slots-Of-Fun. This is a small hole in the wall kind of place that you would expect to find downtown, but it's on the strip just south of Circus Circus. The thing we love about this place they have cheap bottles of Becks, Heineken, Corona, maybe another one or two other imports that I can't remember. When we first started going out there they were a $1. We thought we had died and gone to heaven. I think 2 years ago they were up to $1.75....... still an incredible deal!

That would be called Sluts o fun ... or as my aunt (who got me hooked into vegas and gaming) called it... slotto slots.

Yeah, I love the old, storied stuff. I haven't been to the Peppermill cocktail lounge, but have been to the coffee shop a few times.

Another great stop if you are into cigars is Casa Fuente Inside the Forum Shops at Caesars.
The beers cost about 7 times as much as they do at Slots-Of-Fun, but the entertainment value more than makes up for it. You can sit in a patio area in front of the store at tables and waitresses will bring you drinks while you basically smoke cigars right out in main walkway of the Forum Shops. You get the wierdest looks from people. First they smell the smoke and can't figure it out then they see a bunch of guys sitting there smoking and drinking and it's just priceless to see their reaction.

EDIT: Since they have enacted their new smoking laws in Vegas, this patio area may have been closed, I don't know if it falls under the definition of an enclosed space........ like you can't smoke in bathrooms or restaurants there anymore. You can still smoke in the casino though.

Had a real fun experience the last time we were out there. We decided to take a small trip by free shuttle bus, to The Green Valley Ranch. It was about a 20 minute drive from the strip. If you have seen the TV reality series, American Casino, it was filmed here.
We had a great time there and played a bunch of Texas Hold 'Em. The employees were exceptionally nice. We are by no means high rollers, but while we were waiting for the shuttle back to the strip one of the employees volunteered to drive us back in a company Hummer! Pretty ribs!
Speaking of ribs, the BBQ kind, not c-o-o-l, while we were there we went to a restaurant on the grounds called Lucille's BBQ
If you like ribs, these are THE BEST I have ever had, you HAVE to go to this place. There was a long wait, but my friend dropped $20 on them and we had a table about an hour and a half faster than we normally would have. I think I'm looking forward to going back for those ribs more than anything else.

You are making it harder for me to wait until late July for my trip to Vegas! We are going for the Classic Games Enthusiasts Expo (www.cgexpo.com).
Thanks for all the good tips on where to go - my boyfriend loves staying at the Plaza and soaking in the downtown "ambience." :D

Here's just a little fun fact in case you didn't know.....
Most of the bars in the casinos have video poker machines built into the bar counter top so that you can continue to donate your hard earned money to them while you drink. Anyway, if you put a $20 bill in the machine, (maybe a $10 would work too? I don't know.), you drink for free. As long as you keep playing the game they will keep bringing you whatever you want to drink.
I think everyone knows this is true if you are playing table games or slots that periodically a waitress will come by and take a drink order for free, but I didn't realize you could sit at the bar and drink for free.
I remember the first time it happened to me and my friend, the bartender brings us our Coronas and makes a tear in the receipt and puts it in a glass in front of us and walks away. We were like, W-T-F was that?
What a great town!

Last time we were in Vegas 2 years ago we had lunch in the Aladdin at a place called Pink's. Pink's is a California hot dog institution, possibly just in L.A., I'm not sure, but I had heard of it and seen it on TV. Lots of Hollywood celebrities are hooked on their hot dogs. Anyway, I had like a spicy Polish I think and it was excellent!
Even as I speak.... type.... the Aladdin is turning into Planet Hollywood, but from the comment below that I found on a website, I think Pink's is still there.....

For a change of scenery and a bite to eat, take an escalator down from the main level to the Spice Market Buffet or venture upstairs and experience a famous Pink's hot dog, now served at Mezzanine Sandwich Bar.

smlauren wrote:Here's just a little fun fact in case you didn't know.....
Most of the bars in the casinos have video poker machines built into the bar counter top so that you can continue to donate your hard earned money to them while you drink. Anyway, if you put a $20 bill in the machine, (maybe a $10 would work too? I don't know.), you drink for free. As long as you keep playing the game they will keep bringing you whatever you want to drink.
I think everyone knows this is true if you are playing table games or slots that periodically a waitress will come by and take a drink order for free, but I didn't realize you could sit at the bar and drink for free.
I remember the first time it happened to me and my friend, the bartender brings us our Coronas and makes a tear in the receipt and puts it in a glass in front of us and walks away. We were like, W-T-F was that?
What a great town!

Yes, I did this at Isla (the tequila bar in TI, not sure if still there) and drank really good tequila and margaritas. They even had blackjack machines that let you bet $1 a hand, and the odds are fantastic. Highly recommended!

smlauren wrote:I can't verify this, but others here on wine.woot say it is true.
There is a wine bar in the basement of The Rio called The Wine Cellar that is supposed to be very ribs. They offer tastings of many different wines.

It was very, very ribs. Went on a Sunday night and it was pretty empty, so we had plenty of space as well as an opportunity to walk around and check it out. I wish I could remember what we tried -- a couple flights of Napa cabs -- but all I can remember was the Opus One and the Silver Oak. Good times were had nonetheless.

brinkmann0 wrote:

It was very, very ribs. Went on a Sunday night and it was pretty empty, so we had plenty of space as well as an opportunity to walk around and check it out. I wish I could remember what we tried -- a couple flights of Napa cabs -- but all I can remember was the Opus One and the Silver Oak. Good times were had nonetheless.

Excellent! I'm definitely going to stop in there in October then.
Did you do/see any other highlights worth noting?
How did your bankroll fare?

SM,

Now you have me pining for Vegas, and we aren't going til Labor Day.

We got married in Vegas. Our first anniversary is 5/21. We had a couple of ribs things that happened.

When I started calling around about a cake, I wanted a couple of things. I really wanted whipped cream and then some fresh raspberries in the filling. After searching around a lot, I found this guy, Mike Amato. His family had a NY bakery for years and he packed up and "retired" to Vegas a few years ago. His first stint was as exec. pastry chef at NewYork New York. Then he opened his own place again, and has small wholesale operation (makes specialty breads for some of the big hotels) and does wedding cakes on the side. He made me the greatest cake (whipped cream, with a bavarian creme and fresh raspberry filling). Sigh. It were quite tasty.

We had a party in our suite the night before the wedding, basically a getting to know you kind of thing. Mike offered to help me find some good food on the cheap. He hooked me up with a guy named Chris. Chris had been Exec Chef at the LV Hilton and "retired" after having a heart attack at 40 something. So, for something less stressful (tongue firmly planted in cheek), he opened up his own cafe called BooBoo's. He makes his own ice cream and all sorts of good stuff. Anyway, for 7 bucks a head, Chris does sandwiches, (on Mike the baker's baguettes), salads with homemade dressing and fruit.

We got married at the Orleans, in the pool gazebo, and had our dinner at Sazio's, the Italian place at the Orleans. Everyone had a marvelous time and we got rave reivews about everything. I honestly don't remember what wines were on the tables, tho with the cake they served Asti Spinelli as the sparkler. It was sweet, but really kind of tasty.

It was a most amazing day, all in all.

Oh, one lesson learned. Always ask for things. When we booked our suite for the week, I sent off a letter to the casino host about the wedding and had some obscure question about our slot club points. In the mail a week later, we got a rate change for our room and it dropped 75-100$/night. All they can do is say no.

Thanks for indulging my memories. I just giggle to think that I had the A team working for me all along.

lauratchi wrote:
Yeah, I love the old, storied stuff. I haven't been to the Peppermill cocktail lounge, but have been to the coffee shop a few times.

I LOVE the Peppermill. Real old-school. As soon as you step in there you feel like you used Peabody's WayBack machine to become a member of the Rat Pack. Nerve Magazine rated it is one of the top 10 "Make Out Bars" in the US.

One of the worst kept secrets on the strip is the $7.77 "Secret Steak and Shrimp Dinner" at Mr. Lucky's in the Hard Rock. It's not on the menu, but if you specifically ask for it, they will give it to you. I heard that they upped the price to almost $10, but still a pretty good deal - particularly at the Hard Rock. Mainly, though, you get to feel like Money for knowing the secret. And isn't that what Vegas is all about? (Unless you actually are a high-roller like Steve!)

one tip you might want to take into consideration.

whatever hotel you stay at use the $20 trick! vegas works by tips so when you go to check in, underneath your id/cc keep a 20$ bill but make sure its stick out just a little. After the person checks your room, ask them if there are any free upgrades, you'd really love a nicer room for you and your companion. If they find something, give them the 20$ if not you keep it.

if you're staying at bellagio/venetian/wynn you might want to use a 50$.

clayfu wrote:one tip you might want to take into consideration.

whatever hotel you stay at use the $20 trick! vegas works by tips so when you go to check in, underneath your id/cc keep a 20$ bill but make sure its stick out just a little. After the person checks your room, ask them if there are any free upgrades, you'd really love a nicer room for you and your companion. If they find something, give them the 20$ if not you keep it.

if you're staying at bellagio/venetian/wynn you might want to use a 50$.

Great tip....
Here's a website that documents the success of the $20 trick

Lookin for a good burger in Vegas?

Here's 2 places I've been hearing a lot about.
The first one is The Burger Bar at Mandalay Bay.
They have Angus beef and Kobe beef burgers. There's one burger made with the Kobe beef and sautéed foie gras and shaved truffles for $60. Doesn't sound tasty to me, but I'm definitely going to have a regular Kobe Cheeseburger when I'm out there in October. Here's the menu.
Wine list looks ok. Beer list looks very nice!

The other place just opened. It's called StripBurger. It's a Lettuce Entertain You establishment across from The Wynn. The menu looks awesome.
I will almost certainly be having the Hangover Egg Sandwich once or twice and the atomic spicy cheese fries.

Both places have Fat Tire on tap, one of my favorites!

burger bar is awesome. Its even more awesome when Mandaly bay gives you money for food =P

clayfu wrote:burger bar is awesome. Its even more awesome when Mandaly bay gives you money for food =P

How much do you have to lose to get them to give you some?

smlauren wrote:How much do you have to lose to get them to give you some?

i don't (that's a lie, since who doesn't lose.. but the money i spend (around 600-1,000 a trip really doesnt mean much to the casinos i'm usually at)). We're very good family friends with one of the big names in Vegas, so we get hooked up sick,.

clayfu wrote:i don't (that's a lie, since who doesn't lose.. but the money i spend (around 600-1,000 a trip really doesnt mean much to the casinos i'm usually at)). We're very good family friends with one of the big names in Vegas, so we get hooked up sick,.

Let me know if your family is looking to adopt.

we're poor.

Also if peopel are looking for food.. every Christmas week for about 2 days one of the master dim sum chefs from Hong Kong goes to Jade in bellagio and makes dimsum fresh.

Most amazing Dim Sum ever!

www.cheapovegas.com is a very fun website!

Here's a link to the 27th annual "Best of Las Vegas" compiled by the Review Journal, our local newspaper. I suggest taking advantage of the Review Journal Staff's recommendations; they are usually on the money. The readers choices have turned into who's who of the major national chains.
Here are some of my favorite places:

Thai/Asian Food
JASMINE THAI GOURMET The decor is simple but a cut above the usual and staff often wear traditional dress. I've been going here since they opened, maybe 9 yrs, or so. They just opened a small 4 table/take out place a few blocks from my home! Lucky me! They made the above mentioned RJ Staff list.

Wine Tasting/ Italian Food
Nora's Wine Bar (with the Enotech system for tasting). Fun, loud, good food at reasonable prices. The entire wine list is in pdf format on their site.

Kid Friendly Fun

The Springs Preserve We have annual passes and go at least once a month. The Wolfgang Puck Cafe upstairs has a beautiful view. Also live music in the evening, beautiful gardens to stroll, and a wild simulated flash flood of which the kids never seem to tire.

Other, to me, must see places: Red Rock Canyon, the free stuff smlauren mentioned, Goldwell Open Air Museum, for the more aventurous types the legal brothels in Pahrump, the Neon Museum .......
I realized I could go on and on and make a list a mile long. The valley here is small and it is easy to get from one end to the other.

aces219 wrote:Yes, I did this at Isla (the tequila bar in TI, not sure if still there) and drank really good tequila and margaritas. They even had blackjack machines that let you bet $1 a hand, and the odds are fantastic. Highly recommended!

The bartenders will watch you though and if you are only playing a quarter a time, you only get 1 drink, not all you can drink. We stayed at Excalibur a few years back and they would serve you if you were just watching people play blackjack which was nice if a buddy was on a roll and you had lost your daily allowance. I drank a LOT one night doing that. They were also serving a girl at the table double crown royals neat, with a heineken chaser, so they weren't stingy on the booze.

The Cellar at Rio is a fun place to spend a few hours. Nice and quiet.

Sportsbook at Mandalay. Go place a few bets $10 each, or around that and they will give you a drink ticket for the waitress. Go up to a different window and tell them "I didn't know I was supposed to get a drink ticket" and they will give you another. Repeat as much as you want.

Repeat from smlauren's list - go see the Bellagio fountains. 5-10 minutes of ooh...ahh. Really pretty and it's totally free.

smlauren wrote:Great tip....
Here's a website that documents the success of the $20 trick

Thanks! I'll be using the $20, or maybe the $50 trick to make sure I get something good! I love the Bellagio!

Bumping this thread since a bunch of you have been here recently, and I'm going in March.

Hotel rates have beed dropping like crazy. Make sure you check your hotel before you go and get a cheaper rate if you can. Case in point, friends are going out with an organization for a meeting. the room prices have dropped 30% since the meetings were announced.

Ask for free upgrades at check in. All they can do is say no.

The buffet at the Wynn is great. I like it better at lunch. Quality is great.

While the Palms is known for being one of THE cool places in town right now, it also has great video poker.

lauratchi wrote:Hotel rates have beed dropping like crazy. Make sure you check your hotel before you go and get a cheaper rate if you can. Case in point, friends are going out with an organization for a meeting. the room prices have dropped 30% since the meetings were announced.

Ask for free upgrades at check in. All they can do is say no.

Too bad the prices at Paris haven't come down. They're actually going up, in every price range. But they still have rooms available all next week, so it won't hurt to try for an upgrade. What the hell, we're only running off to Las Vegas to get married once, might as well make sure it's nice, so we've already booked one of their nice new red rooms.

ddeuddeg wrote:Too bad the prices at Paris haven't come down. They're actually going up, in every price range. But they still have rooms available all next week, so it won't hurt to try for an upgrade. What the hell, we're only running off to Las Vegas to get married once, might as well make sure it's nice, so we've already booked one of their nice new red rooms.

And many congrats as well. Joel and I got married in Vegas and felt we had a really nice wedding. Just enjoy yourselves. Lots of people like to lunch at Mon Ami Gabi on the terrace and look at the Bellagio fountains.

We're staying at the Luxor. For flight, 4 nights, and category one Cirque du Soleil tix (your choice of show), it came to about $900 for the two of us. Flying out of Hartford, which is always more expensive than the other airports. We got a pretty good deal, the Circ tix alone cost over $300. Good luck with your wedding!

darlenee1 wrote:We're staying at the Luxor. For flight, 4 nights, and category one Cirque du Soleil tix (your choice of show), it came to about $900 for the two of us. Flying out of Hartford, which is always more expensive than the other airports. We got a pretty good deal, the Circ tix alone cost over $300. Good luck with your wedding!

Thanks! Sounds like a pretty good price to me. I hear that there's a place on the strip where one can buy discount tickets to various shows for later that night. I really want the see "O", another Cirque show. My niece and her husband saw it and loved it!

bahwm wrote:Thanks! Sounds like a pretty good price to me. I hear that there's a place on the strip where one can buy discount tickets to various shows for later that night. I really want the see "O", another Cirque show. My niece and her husband saw it and loved it!

I think finding discount tix for "O" is next to impossible. That and Ka were my top two choices, and my hubby preferred Ka. However, check out the link someone sent above for tix4tonite. I saw a few Cirque shows on their website as possible offers.