Social House has become something of a dining institution on the Las Vegas Strip, always a hip place to meet with friends for flavorful food and inspired cocktails in a soothing yet celebratory environment. Originally opened in 2006 at Treasure Island, Social House has always lived on the cutting edge of modern Asian cuisine and always attracted an energized crowd. In 2010, it relaunched at The Shops at Crystals, adjacent to the Aria resort on the southern side of the Strip, and in this sleek location Social House has continued its natural evolution. The food now leans mostly Japanese with no shortage of innovation or creativity, and a reinvigorated focus on small, shareable plates has made this beloved destination even more, well, social.

Spend some time at the sexy bar and lounge area becoming more familiar with your favorite sake or sampling signature cocktails such as the Smoked Apple—whiskey, green Chartreuse and Laird’s applejack brandy served in a smoky snifter—or a twinkling twist on a traditional mint julep sparked with fresh ginger. Allow yourself to be seduced by the prospects of wasabi cream-topped salmon tartare, Kobe beef sliders or the spicy angry tuna roll as indulgent snacks before finding your way into the peaceful, lush dining room for a truly memorable meal.

Social House has always been one of the Strip’s sushi and sashimi hot spots. Iconic dishes such as yellowtail jalapeño are presented with fresh perspective, in this case augmented with crispy slices of the green chili, garlic dust, micro-cilantro and calamansi soy sauce. Rich, raw toro (fatty tuna) is majestically matched with pineapple miso, tangy ponzu sauce and savory togarashi sprinkles. If you prefer your fish rolled with rice, you can’t go wrong with the soft shell crab-filled samurai roll, the beautifully layered sun-kissed roll with salmon, crab, asparagus and avocado, or the aptly named ultimate roll decked out with king crab, Kobe beef tenderloin, lobster, scallop and much more.

Be sure your table has plenty of “social plates” designed to be passed around, including mixed vegetable tempura, sour and salty Thai beef salad delivered in lettuce wrap form, steamed buns filled with roasted duck and hoisin sauce, and tiny tacos of beef, tuna or lobster with mango salsa. Seemingly simple vegetable sides like bronzed broccoli sprinkled with garlic or wild mushrooms plated with a swoosh of coconut-taro purée also deliver in the flavor department. If your group needs something more substantial to achieve satisfaction, go for the crispy pata, Filipino-style pork shank with house-made pickles and garlic-sili vinegar sauce, or share decadent braised beef short ribs slow cooked in miso and port sauce.

Social House is that restaurant where the overall experience is so much fun, it’s hard to decide which part you like best, or which delicious dish will stand out most. It’s just as great as the sum of its parts, which explains why it’s such a favorite after all these years.

The Shops at Crystals Noon-10 p.m. Sun.-Thurs., noon-11 p.m. Fri.-Sat. 702.736.1122