Everyone knows Las Vegas offers practically every type of cuisine imaginable, but there are some styles that the city really does well. And some of the destination’s strengths are a little more under-the-radar.
Japanese food is a terrific example. Over the last decade, Las Vegas has arguably become one of the best places in the world beyond Japan to experience the different dishes and time-honored techniques that make up this refined genre of food and dining, and this exciting evolution has produced just as many entries in local neighborhoods as it has on the Las Vegas Strip.
Iron Chef legend Masaharu Morimoto elevated the cuisine on the Boulevard when he opened Morimoto Las Vegas (702.891.3001) at MGM Grand in 2016. The elegant space is known for its brilliant sushi and sashimi selections but also offers an extensive menu including fresh oysters, pan-fried pork gyoza dumplings, Japanese A5 wagyu beef and hot stone bowl rice dishes prepared at your table.
If Morimoto is one of the newer Japanese institutions on the Strip, Yellowtail (702.693.8865) at Bellagio is one of the restaurants that has defined the category through the years. Chef Akira Back’s legendary fusion of his native Korean influences with traditional Japanese flavors remains one of Bellagio’s boldest strokes, evident in offerings like salmon tiradito, crispy rock shrimp with chili aioli, tuna tataki and miso-glazed broiled black cod.
At The Cosmopolitan, the modern restaurant brand Zuma (877.893.2001) is inspired by the traditional izakaya, a tavern-style establishment where it’s best to experience a multitude of dishes. Sea bass sashimi and fatty toro tuna with garlic chips and Fresno peppers bring new twists to familiar bites, and roasted lobster with shiso-ponzu butter or smoky scallop skewers cooked on a robata grill are ideal for sharing. Fresh flavors also await at Mizumi at Wynn (702.770.3320), where chef Min Kim arrived last year as part of a restaurant refresh. Don’t miss wild snapper tempura, wagyu beef fried rice and an extensive robatayaki menu with beef, chicken, lamb, seafood and vegetable options.
Las Vegas locals have a multitude of more casual Japanese restaurants to enjoy on a regular basis, depending on what we’re in the mood for. The Red Rock Resort’s Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar & Grill (702.797.7444) is a happy hour/post-work favorite for oxtail fried rice, creative sushi rolls and the legendary Blue Ribbon fried chicken served with wasabi honey. For a comforting bowl of ramen, try Jinya Ramen Bar (702.868.8877), which has two locations in the southwest quadrant of the valley and is dishing up some of the most richly flavored and imaginative noodle soups around.
For a truly one-of-a-kind sushi experience, seek out the serene and hidden Yui Edomae Sushi (702.202.2408), where acclaimed chef Gen Mizoguchi prepares a brilliant omakase meal piece by piece right in front of your eyes with product flown in regularly from small fisheries in Japan. Even the fanciest Strip restaurants cannot duplicate the singular sensation that is Yui.
Locals also love chef John Chien Lee’s pristine sushi and sashimi at Soho Japanese Restaurant (702.776.7778), but those seafood delights are only the beginning. Try kumamoto oysters layered with ikura and uni, cured Atlantic salmon with a poached quail egg and salmon roe, or the decadent combination of bluefin tuna and foie gras. Or ask for the omakase and leave the decision up to the chef.
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