If you want the truly authentic, old-school restaurant experience, there’s a few different ways you could accomplish that: You could head to New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, or any of the other large cities that launched legendary restaurants; or you could head to Las Vegas, where several outposts of those famous restaurants have replicated, right down to the atmosphere and service you know and love.
One of the best examples of this has to be Bavette’s Steakhouse & Bar, an immediate hit when it opened, and still one of the top must-visit restaurants on the Las Vegas Strip. Originally opened in Chicago, this version has all the details you’ll look for in a high-end steakhouse—red leather booths, chandeliers, dark woods and even an antechamber where you’ll check in and wait for your table.
Adding to the luxurious atmosphere is an attentive waitstaff and a sound system playing Sinatra, Dean Martin and many more legendary performers. It just puts you in the mood to have a great time. Once you settle into your booth or table, start your evening right with a classic cocktail like the Old Raj Classic, made with Old Raj gin, Dolin Dry vermouth and chartreuse, and Bavette’s Punch, a delicious blend of El Dorado 3-year rum, maraschino liqueur and grapefruit.
The appetizers here are all equally tempting, but we recommend the tenderloin steak tartare, served with a slow-cooked egg and dijonnaise, the peppered duck and goat cheese terrine, which you can eat on toast, or the baked goat cheese, so flavorful and served with fine herbs and red sauce and a slice of garlic bread to scoop it all up.
At a restaurant like Bavette’s, odds are you want to try a steak, and whether it’s a 22-ounce, 42-day dry-aged ribeye or a 16-ounce bone-in filet mignon, you really can’t go wrong here (make sure to enhance whatever you order with roasted bone marrow or warm king crab Oscar). Plentiful side dishes include truffle mac and cheese, elote-style corn and maple-sweetened thick-cut bacon, practically a main course.
There’s also an amazing roasted chicken, served with an olive oil potato puree, and a short rib stroganoff, accompanied by button mushrooms and hand-cut fettucine. But there’s one other highlight here you might not expect—an 8-ounce griddled cheeseburger served with hand-cut fries. Add a farm-fresh egg and thick-cut bacon to really put this over the top.
The desserts here, just like Bavette’s itself, are all true classics. We recommend ordering several and sharing, as all are equally excellent, from the lemon meringue pie with an epically high meringue, chocolate cream pie and carrot cake.
Park MGM, 702.730.6700
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