Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Cheap [Good] Eats in Las Vegas

Las Vegas can get really expensive, really fast.  As much as I love going to Rao's, the Eiffel Tower Restaurant, and trying new yummy places, I also love fast, cheap eats.  They are everywhere in Vegas, if you know where to look.
  1. Tequila Bar and Grill, Bally's:  Try the perfectly seasoned and well prepared $2 tacos and $2 draft beers and margaritas.  From 11pm - 6 am, get 2 eggs any style with bacon or sausage, hash browns and toast for only $3.  Open from noon - 6am daily
  2. Nosh, Bally's:  We eat here almost daily when in Las Vegas.  Off to the side and near the Jubilee entrance, this sandwich shop has $2 Nathan's hot dogs.  Nothing fancy, just a nice big hot dog with your choice of ketchup, mustard or relish.  At $2, its a great snack during the lunch hour.
  3. New York Pizzeria, NYNY: Behind all the slot machines is a walkway of different fast food style shops (and it feels like you are walking on an old downtown street in NYC).  There lies New York Pizzeria.  For about $10, you can get a large draft beer and a huge slice of New York Style Pizza.  Trust me, after about 4 hours of bloody marys while sitting at a blackjack table, and you will think this is the best pizza in the world.  Coming from a true Chicagoan, that's a compliment!
  4. Victorian Cafe, Bill's Gamblin' Hall & Saloon:  This downtown-feel casino is actually right next door to Bally's.  From midnight - 6 am, they feature a Steak & Eggs Breakfast for $6.99.  My boyfriend and I have had this and thought it was surprisingly good.  Granted, it was 2 am and we were tired, drunk, and not ready to call it in for the night.  The steak is very thin, but moist, tender, and hit the spot.  The ambiance of the Victorian Cafe isn't much to be desired, it is a greasy spoon of a place where only your waiter, the cashier and the host/ess knows english, but it is everything you crave after a night of heavy gambling and drinking.
  5. Mr. Lucky's 24/7, Hard Rock Hotel and Casino:  This old school diner features amazing nightly specials.  I had been there for their famous $7.77 steak and shrimp dinner, which was a few years back.  Currently, their website is promoting a $3.99 burger and fries and a $4.99 Steak, eggs, hashbrowns and toast.  These new specials are good from midnight to 8 am, with your player's card. 
  6. La Salsa Cantina, Planet Hollywood in the Miracle Mile Shops:  Between Planet Hollywood and Paris Casinos is the Miracle Mile Shops.  Its large, techy, with bright lights and high ceilings, you will find La Salsa Cantina, who has a sign for a $3.95 breakfast special from 8 am -11 am.  I have not tried this, but I clearly remember the sign every time we go for a walk down there.  This restaurant is located close to the Stripper 101 class, and might be a perfect way to start the day, do some shopping, get your stripper workout on, and then travel back to the room for a shower and to get ready for the nitelife!
  7. Try Restaurant.com for amazing deals:  I signed up for the mailing list at restaurant.com before our last trip to Vegas.  Periodically, they send me coupon codes to get a $25 gift certificate for only $2.  There are lots of restaurants in Vegas that you can get $10, $25, and $50 gift certificates for on this site.  I love it, because if they have a sale, I might spend $4 bucks on a $50 gift certificate to an upscale restaurant at Mandalay Bay, but saving $50 on a tab that would have cost $90 is a great deal and well worth it.  I like to accumulate these throughout the year, and bring them with, they usually don't expire, and then depending on where we are or the mood we are in, I might be able to save us some $$ and enjoy a delicious meal.  Most gift certificates have a minimum order or they will add on gratuity, but its still a great deal if you wanted to try that particular restaurant anyway.
  8. Get your Groupon!  Groupon.com features daily deals in most major cities.  I have the Groupon app on my ipad, and I check Las Vegas deals daily.  Try checking the restaurants that seem like local establishments, like the pizzerias and call them first to see if they deliver to the hotels.  I love getting room service, especially when its a great deal like a $20 pizza for $10.
  9. Ask your concierge or the Players Club desk for a coupon booklet.  After we check in, I always go to the concierge desk to see if they have any coupons for my player's card/club.  Ballys and the Total Rewards players club usually will give us a coupon book that includes all the Total Rewards affiliated casinos.  Usually, you can find a half off burger or $5 off your $20 meal at a few great spots.  We will always use at least one coupon from the book each trip. 
HINT: All the hotels on the strip have etexsive websites, with all dining options available.  Most of the restaurants listed will have links to their menus, which can be invaluable.

No comments:

Post a Comment