The places in Las Vegas the guidebooks miss.
The places in Las Vegas the guidebooks miss. locals-only counters, after-hours rooms and the spots tourists walk past.
Soulbelly BBQ in the Las Vegas Arts District is Bruce Kalman's smokehouse since May 2021, plating salt-and-pepper brisket, Carolina pulled pork.
Why locals goJames Beard nominee Bruce Kalman left Pasadena's Union for this Arts District smokehouse; tourists never make it south of Charleston Boulevard.
TipOrder the salt and pepper brisket and the mac and cheese with pork parm crumbs (panko, parmesan, chicharrones).
Monta Ramen on Spring Mountain in Las Vegas is the 20-seat Chinatown shop since 2010, simmering tonkotsu broth in-house and turning out kaedama refills.
Why locals goTwenty-seat Chinatown shop in a strip mall that locals queue at; tonkotsu broth simmered the slow way since 2010.
TipGet on the Yelp waitlist before you arrive; tonkotsu with a kaedama noodle refill is the standard, the seasonal limited bowls go on the chalk wall.
Vintner Grill in Summerlin Las Vegas is the patio bistro at the back of a West Charleston office park, with a Mediterranean menu and a covered garden.
Why locals goTucked at the back of a Summerlin office park, the garden patio is one of the valley's best-kept Sunday brunch rooms.
TipSit on the garden patio if the weather holds; menu draws from Spain, France and Italy, the Mediterranean fish of the day is reliable.
Ferraro's on Paradise Road in Las Vegas is the family Italian since 1985, named Gambero Rosso Tre Forchette 2024 and pouring Italian growers in a wine bar.
Why locals goForty years of authentic Italian on Paradise Road, off-Strip behind Virgin Hotel; the wine bar pours growers most Strip lists ignore.
TipSit in the wine room not the dining room; ask for the Gambero Rosso Tre Forchette tasting menu.
Velveteen Rabbit in the Las Vegas Arts District is the Dylag-sisters cocktail bar since 2013, with rotating drinks built around house-fermented syrups.
Why locals goPamela and Christina Dylag opened this Arts District craft cocktail room in 2013, and it remains the off-Strip bar that Strip bartenders drink at after shift.
TipSit at the bar and let the bartender pour off-menu; the rotating cocktail menu changes every few months and ferments a few of its own syrups.
Lola's A Louisiana Kitchen in Summerlin Las Vegas is the Town Center Drive Cajun-Creole room, pulling Leidenheimer's New Orleans French bread for po'boys.
Why locals goSummerlin gumbo room on Town Center Drive that imports Leidenheimer's French bread from New Orleans for the po'boys.
TipSit on the patio Wednesday through Friday for the 16:00-19:00 happy hour; po'boys are served on Leidenheimer's bread, the roast beef with gravy is the order.
The Original Sunrise Cafe on South Eastern in Las Vegas is the two-decade locals' breakfast counter where weekend Benedicts and the Brisket Eggs Benedict.
Why locals goTwo decades of weekend lines at a South Eastern strip-mall counter, far enough from the Strip that no concierge sends you here.
TipWalk-in only, no reservations; ask for the Burnt Ends Brisket Benedict, the Crunchberry French Toast is the photograph but the savoury benedicts win.
Casa Don Juan on South Main in the Las Vegas Arts District is the family Mexican kitchen plating mole poblano enchiladas and chile rellenos to a backyard.
Why locals goSouth Main Mexican family restaurant since the 1990s, two blocks from the Arts District lights and still serving the original moles.
TipSit on the back patio if the weather holds; ask for the mole poblano enchiladas, the kitchen runs the chile rellenos heavy on Tuesdays.
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