Vegas's defining cut: a New York strip, dry-aged and seared at one of the Strip steakhouses (Bavette's, SW, Carversteak, Delmonico), plated bone-in or boneless with bordelaise on the side.
Where to eat it: 4 restaurants across 1 city.
The strip steak takes its name from New York's Strip District but became the canonical Las Vegas plate after the 1990s steakhouse boom. Steve Wynn's Bellagio opened in 1998 with a 200-seat steakhouse; Smith and Wollensky followed at the Venetian. By 2005 Bobby Flay, Charlie Palmer, Bradley Ogden and Wolfgang Puck all ran prime steakhouses on the Strip. The Vegas cut is typically dry-aged 28 to 45 days, seared at 800F in salamander broilers and served with bordelaise, peppercorn or Diane sauces on the side. Bavette's at Park MGM (Chicago, 2017), SW Steakhouse at Wynn (Alfred Portale) and Carversteak at Resorts World (2021) run the current category.
Tip from the editors. Dry-aged beef is firmer and drier than wet-aged; do not poke or flip more than once or you wash out the crust.
This is the TableJourney editorial recipe, modelled on the canonical bistro / counter version. The first place to try the dish in its city of origin is below.
Bavette's Steakhouse at Park MGM in Las Vegas is Brendan Sodikoff's Chicago import since 2017, a dim red-leather steakhouse with French flair and Chicago-style cuts.
Tip: The bar serves the full menu and accepts walk-ins; come at 17:00 opening for a counter seat.
SW Steakhouse at Wynn Las Vegas in Nevada is Alfred Portale's Forbes Five-Star steakhouse overlooking the Lake of Dreams, dry-aged prime cuts and patio seating for the nightly show.
Tip: Patio tables face the Lake of Dreams; the show runs every half hour from dusk until 23:30.
Carversteak at Resorts World in Las Vegas is the Sage Restaurant Group's modern steakhouse since 2021, a triple-height dining room with prime steaks and a deep wine list.
Tip: Daily 17:00 to 18:30 happy hour at the bar runs sliders and martinis at a lower spend; the dining room opens at 17:30.
Delmonico Steakhouse at the Venetian in Las Vegas is Emeril Lagasse's Strip room since 1999, a long-running steakhouse with Creole accents and bone-in dry-aged cuts.
Tip: Weekday lunch runs the full steak menu at a lower spend; the dining room is much quieter than dinner.
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