Whether you visit monthly, quarterly, yearly or once a decade, Las Vegas always offers a new itinerary of options from restaurants and bars to suites and amenities. In this city of constant reinvention, there are recent openings within casino resorts and renovated properties. The local restaurant scene is hotter than ever, bringing top culinary talents with Strip pedigrees to the corridors surrounding the famed 4.2-mile stretch.
Whether the destination is walking distance from your room or a quick jaunt to a part of the city you never knew existed, Las Vegas strikes gold with a winning hand of experiences.
ON THE STRIP
Resorts World Las Vegas is the new kid on the block, having opened in June 2021 with dozens of new amenities to discover. And more has been unveiled since its debut, including the Resorts World Theatre, restaurants and a cigar lounge.
See a Show in a High-Tech Theater
Resorts World Las Vegas and Concerts West/AEG Presents unveiled the Resorts World Theatre, designed by Scéno Plus. The 5,000-capacity multi-level live performance venue is home to Carrie Underwood, Katy Perry, Celine Dion and Luke Bryan.
The seventh performance venue in Las Vegas designed by Scéno Plus, it’s the city’s largest and tallest stage. The furthest seat is only 150 feet away. LED screens and an immersive audio experience through more than 200 L-Acoustics speakers powered by L-ISA Hyperreal Sound technology bring you directly into the show, breaking down all barriers between the performer and the audience.
Indulge in Cigars and Spirits
From entrepreneur Giuseppe Bravo and celebrity attorney David Chesnoff, Clique Hospitality’s Eight Cigar Lounge is named for the luckiest number in Chinese culture. And throughout the space, discover numerous nods to the numeral. The lounge is separated into eight spaces, and eight sections divide the custom-built humidor. Personal lockers bear gold name plates and hold cigars and spirits for celebrity clients such as Michael Jordan and Luke Bryan.
On the menu, choose from more than 150 cigars, including Drew Estate, Arturo Fuente and Ashton that range from $18 to $1,500. The flavor profiles of cocktails and spirits match the premium tobaccos for optimal pairings.
Eight transitions from a daytime cigar bar to an indoor/outdoor cigar-friendly lounge in the evening, courtesy of the panoramic Strip-facing patio.
Try New Restaurants
In addition to Kusa Nori and Genting Palace, there are dozens of other casual-, fine- and vibe-dining options. In a city of grand steakhouses, the new Carversteak proclaims itself the largest in terms of square footage. Brought to life by DesignAgency, Carver features two private rooms known as The Knife Shop and Scotch Room, a 70-foot honed quartzite stone bar leading into the main dining room, a gallery of digital and traditional art pieces and a 3,500-square-foot terrace overlooking the Strip.
Chef Daniel Ontiveros puts together a menu of dry-aged American cuts, global artisan beef and Japanese-certified wagyu alongside creative dishes such as lobster Thermidor en croûte, caviar poppers and mini wagyu cheesesteak bites. Carver Road Hospitality (Carversteak’s parent company) vice president of beverage and hospitality culture Francesco Lafranconi adds his whimsical spin to every cocktail that crosses the bar with a focus on the Vesper and Gibson martinis.
A few doors down from Carversteak, Bar Zazu is a Spanish and European-style tapas concept from Jason Rocheleau and executive chef Nicole Brisson (the team behind sister Resorts World restaurant Brezza). The walls have eyes as the interactive digital artwork cycles through the Ladies of Zazu portraits, all of whom have corresponding cocktails on the menu. Are you Sophia, Heather, Isabella or Scarlet?
Decide that important question while tasting the pan con tomate; ceviche with leche de tigre; Creekstone steak tartare with capers, shallots, egg yolk and brioche; fried broccolini with Calabrian aioli and lemon; and the impressive bone marrow for two with trumpet mushrooms and pickled mustard seeds.
Other culinary additions to Resorts World include new food stalls at Famous Foods: Fuhu Cha Chaan Teng, a full-service dim sum and tea restaurant; Burger Barn, which has an Asian influence; and Harajuku Ramen, which features build-your-own bowls.
See Caesars’ New Makeover
At Caesars Palace, two renovation projects bring a new look to popular spaces. Nobu received redesigned accommodations and public areas from the Rockwell Group. The aesthetic is inspired by kintsugi, the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with gold epoxy, a style that creates cohesion with collage. Within the rooms, find a custom sofa made of patchwork upholsteries and a quartzite coffee table with a gold base and cracked kintsugi effect.
An important feature in Las Vegas hospitality spaces, the custom carpet dons eggplant hues and abstract florals overlaid with gold cracks. In the corridors, koi fish cluster at each door and the inset lobby carpet shows slabs of marble and agate with gold veining. The iconic resort entrance also had a facelift with a high dome ceiling, a 15-foot-tall Caesar statue, two refreshed gaming areas and a new lobby bar.
Stay in Lavish Suites
Reinventing the Strip’s luxury accommodations, Five-Star ARIA Sky Suites revamped seven SKYVILLAS and 420 Sky Suites. The SKYVILLAS, designed by KES Studio, have a major dose of glamour, furniture made of plush fabrics and undulating forms are positioned to soak in the views of floor-to-ceiling windows and frame the opulent bedrooms and bathrooms. These villas are prime for entertaining. If you love cigars, select from a personalized cart delivering hand-rolled masterpieces, and foodies savor custom-made chocolates or freshly baked mesquite bread, among other treats.
The Sky Suites showcase mid-century modern vibes in their design by Rottet Studio. One- and two-bedroom accommodations feature a cream, gray and beige color scheme with whimsical art and lighting fixtures. Expect nightly turndown amenities like game kits with backgammon, checkers and chess; custom-designed drink coasters by local artists; or handmade truffles from the pastry team. (Read more on the renovated suites here.)
Enjoy Unusual Dinner and a Show
Dining and drinking disruptor Superfrico in The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas is the new pre-game spot before seeing Spiegelworld’s Opium, which plays in the adjacent theater. At Superfrico, the sky’s the limit on fun, and Italian American “psychedelic fare” comes with surprises, wild art and a party atmosphere. Explore the Artery main dining room; the Studio for dinner or drinks with a DJ spinning vinyl; and the Ski Lodge, an après-ski cocktail bar in the desert with a roaring fire and kitsch from winter ski destinations.
All-stars back Superfrico: pizza czar Anthony Falco, executive chef Mitch Emge and mixologist Leo Robitschek. Forget appetizers and start with pizza, whether it is round, Neapolitan-style or square pizzas with crispy, cheesy “frico” edges — a must-try is the pistachio mortadella. The chicken parm is marinated in yuzu-based ponzu sauce and coated with a mix of Japanese panko and housemade sourdough breadcrumbs. Showgoers can also have personal pizzas and cocktails delivered to their seats.
There’s also art at Superfrico — it features more than 20 original works. At the center of the collection is Adehla Lee’s Psycho Pop Party, a candy-colored acrylic painting. Also take note of 20-plus action figures created by Morgan Philips, also known as The Sucklord, based on the Opium characters, who regularly party-crash the restaurant.
OFF THE STRIP
Go 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea for Dinner
In 2020, Area15 debuted an out-of-this-world experience outside the resort corridor. Adjacent to the Strip, it offers immersive art-and-music-filled amusements such as Meow Wolf’s Omega Mart, Wink World and Museum Fiasco, among many other attractions. Adding to the compendium, Lost Spirits distillery opened a dreamscape of tasting rooms for its bespoke spirits line, including a 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea-themeddinner, with a 16-course menu by Taylor Persh, show tickets and strong drinks.
Sit in a dining room inspired by pioneering director Georges Méliès and tuck into dishes such as uni crème brûlée and nori bonbons. The long 12-seat table inside the dining room transports you under the sea. Pre-dinner, enjoy the performances within Lost Spirits with acrobats, burlesque, jazz singers and clowns.
Savor a Live-Fire Meal
In the downtown neighborhood of East Fremont, Peyote, inside the revamped Fergusons dining, shopping and entertainment collaborative, tapped chefs Daniel Arias and Isidro Marquez-Castillo helm the city’s first live-fire restaurant. From Calexico, Arias trained in Europe before coming to Las Vegas to work in the kitchens of Joël Robuchon and José Andrés. Marquez-Castillo was raised in Tehuacán, Puebla, in central Mexico, harvesting corn, chiles, tomatoes and cilantro and spending hours with his family making moles. He then trained with Luciano Pellegrini in Las Vegas at Valentino and in 2011, he joined Andrés’ ThinkFoodGroup inside The Cosmopolitan, where he became a master cook at China Poblano and Jaleo.
Arias met Marquez-Castillo at the ultra-exclusive é by José Andrés and they remained close friends over the years. In the summer of 2021, the pair opened The Black Pearl at Vegas Test Kitchen, adjacent to Peyote, where they served ceviche and tacos before heading next door to revamp the dinner and brunch menus.
Don’t miss the chorizo margarita, Veracruz-style grilled octopus, skirt steak asada with chimichurri salsa and cheese-stuffed Anaheim chile. For brunch, try shrimp ceviche, shrimp tacos, chilaquiles and challah French toast.
