Italian in Vegas

[fromtheD]

Hi - I will be in Vegas this weekend and am thinking of Italian. Any recommendations? I will be staying on the Strip and will not have a car. Thank you!

[PitLab]

Take a cab to The Pasta House. Off the strip. No BS celebrity chef. Reasonable prices. Good wine. But, you could eat at Valentino's and pay 5 times as much for a plate of mediocre food served by a pretentious wait staff.

[climberdoc]

The OP said he wants to stay on the strip and made no specifications on price or even authenticity. The strip has some fantastic Italian food. Celeb chefs became who they are for a reason. I find it interesting how locals bag on the strip when in reality there would be no urban sprawl for them to live in without it.

I enjoy Enoteca San Marco for a casual meal. That said, casual in vegas has different implications than elsewhere pricewise, Check out the online menu. Mario Batali is the executive chef and has some very creative and interesting fare along with some traditional offerings.

On the "higher-end" I've really enjoyed Sinatra at Wynn. A beautiful restaurant with food, service and price to match. It really has a "Vegas" feel with pics of Frank and his actual Oscar displayed at the entrance. If you like osso bucco this is the place to get it.

On the "hip" end, I enjoy Fiamma at MGM. The food is quite enjoyable with the shortrib ravioli being the most memorable.

There are a dozen more strip Italian venues, but this should get you started.

[kjs]

I'm a fan of Rao's - luv da meatballs !!

never took to Valentino's, haven't been to B&B in over a year ( too many damn places to go too ! )

Been to Enoteca twice in the last year - i like the place and decent people watching . Went on restaurant.com coupons - not sure if they still have them.

Happy Eating !

[maestrette]

Enoteca San Marco always reminds me of eating at a little restaurant overlooking Piazza Navona in Rome. Doesn't get much more Italian than that. And yes, they are still on restaurant.com, making them a very good value. Just don't expect spaghetti and meatballs ala Olive Garden, although the veal and ricotta meatballs with polenta are yummy.

[QAW]

If you are having trouble making a decision, here is another possibility - in fitting with their theme, the Venetian/Palazzo complex created a wide array: (alphabetically) B&B, Canaletto, Carnevino, Dal Toro, Enoteca San Marco, Tintoretto, Trattoria Reggiano, Zeffirino and Valentino. Those options run the gamut from casual to upscale, red sauce to eclectic, and cover the full range of price points. Within about 20-25 minutes you could check out the menu (particularly check for specials on weekends) and ambience at each one, and you just may find exactly what you want. And perhaps even a mix & match evening, having appetizers at one, pasta or an entree at another, and then a dessert at a third.

[someyoungguyy]

IMHO, try the bootlegger italian bistro, aways down the strip past mandalay bay near the outlet mall, open 24/7, full bar, great "rat pack" atmosphere, good homemade food, resonable prices, never a wait. plenty of parking. bootleggerlasvegas.com

[Dmnkly]

Perhaps the OP should specify whether s/he is seeking Italian or Italian-American?

[bennycheeks]

we LOVED al dente, in ballys. admittedly we have not been there in a while, but this was a good, moderate to expensive, centrally located resto.

[atdleft]

Try Stratta at Wynn...

http://www.wynnlasvegas.com/#dining/Stratta/

The menu has great options, and the prices are actually pretty reasonable. The eggplant parm is really fantastic!

http://www.encorelasvegas.com/#/dinin...

If you're in the mood to splurge a little, do Sinatra at Encore. The decor is amazing, the service is quite friendly, and the food is simply superb!