With the Fourth of July this week, it seems like the right time to tell you about some of Las Vegas’ best places for barbecued, grilled and smoked food. This is just a smattering what you can find, so don’t rake us over the coals if your favorite isn’t here.
International Smoke (MGM Grand, 702.891.3922) is so named because it’s what it does. A collaboration between Michael Mina and Ayesha Curry, International Smoke features such items as wood-fired steaks, smoked Korean-style prime short rib, and smoked St. Louis-cut pork ribs, replete with spice and finished with sauces like American barbecue sauce and Korean sesame-gochujang, if you like the really spicy life.
Ribs are stars on the menu at plenty of other Vegas restaurants, like Mabel’s BBQ (Palms, 866.752.2236) and Saltgrass Steak House (Golden Nugget, 702.474.2588). At celebrity chef Michael Symon’s Mabel’s BBQ, find everything from brisket to chicken on the barbecue menu. Combos can feed you and your crew—the Overtime is comprised of a rack of ribs, pulled pork, chopped brisket and smoked chicken wings with sides. Saltgrass Steak House’s slow-cooked ribs are advertised as “fall-off-the-bone,” and you can get them alone or with grilled chicken or fried shrimp. The steakhouse has plenty of other options, inspired by an open campfire, so don’t feel like you’re roped into barbecue. As a side, think about the smoked mac and cheese.
Further along on Fremont Street, Circa Resort & Casino’s Project BBQ (702.726.5491) serves out of an actual food truck, with smoked barbecue ribs, of course, but also a plethora of other foods like hot link bites in Carolina BBQ sauce, the Project Platter, piled with brisket, pulled pork, barbecue chicken and sausages. Tacos are available in smoked pulled pork, barbecue chicken and chopped brisket. For something really decadent, get the Hundred $$Dollar$$ Sandwich with pork, chicken and brisket, barbecue, cheese and beer sauce. Bring a friend.
Galpáo Gaucho Brazilian Steakhouse (FSLV—Fashion Show Las Vegas, 702.602.0384), a chain with locations in multiple California cities, Charleston, S.C., and in Las Vegas, showcases spit-roasted and grilled meats. And this is quite an experience—the smoky fragrance from the fire permeates the dining room, and servers rotate past your table with beef, pork, chicken and more, 17 cuts in all. Plus, you get salad bar and sides included with your dinner. You can get the salad bar and sides separately, and if you are a vegetarian, that works out.
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