Disclaimer: we discuss adult entertainment in this guide. Proceed with caution if that’s not your thing.
Oh Las Vegas. The bouillon cube of American culture. A dizzying and overwhelming city that’s often too hot, too crowded and too gluttonous. I’ve been three times in my life prior to this past visit - the most recent being 18 years ago. I never really desired to go back. In fact, I tried to avoid it. However, my dear friend, Nicole Rupersburg moved out there 12 years ago and I couldn’t continue my stubborn avoidance on behalf of our wonderful friendship. Alas, I returned.
Nicole spent many years as a food writer in the Detroit area and can build a to-do/must-visit/top-spot list faster and better than the best of them. So naturally, I rolled into town sorta blind and allowed her to plan most things.
Getting there & accommodations
One great thing about Vegas is the proximity of the city to the airport. It’s brilliant. Touchdown-to-bag-in-your-room in record time. We opted to stay at the Four Seasons for a few reasons: 1. No smoking on premise. 2. No casino in the hotel. 3. The reputation. 4. 24-hour Room Service. 5. Quiet end of the strip.
I would say we were mostly happy with our stay. The staff was great. The pool service was fast and very hospitable. The bathroom and bedding were wonderful. The negatives were:
Kids everywhere. I like kids. But I thought there’d be a little less based on it being Vegas. But I suppose the Memorial Holiday break brought in lots of families. Not sure I’d ever bring my little kids to Vegas, but what do I know.
Only 3 elevators for 5 floors (35-39). So it could get insane waiting or cramming into a sweat box with strangers. The elevator experience alone would convince me to try somewhere else. Two of the three of the elevators even went down when we were there, I’m guessing because of the volume of people in town for BTS (K-Pop group), so I ended up asking a room service fella to take us down the service elevator. Which he obliged. Circa is the only adults only hotel/casino I’m aware of. I may give them a try if I go back, although it’s on Fremont Street, so you’d be in a much more hectic area. More on Circa later.
Itinerary
When we arrived the first night, we checked in and ate an immemorable lunch at Veranda in the lobby. No regrets! Our server was great and we were starving and they had champagne. But I wouldn’t seek it out specifically. We played a little blackjack at Mandalay and then jumped in a cab and headed to L’Aperitivo Bar at Eataly at Park MGM for some spritzes, where we met up with Nicole and her partner, Kyle. Park MGM is a favorite on the strip and lots of people suggested I go/stay there. It’s lively with tons of food and any place with an Eataly attached is worth a snack and a drink in my opinion.
Inside Park MGM is one of the more fun and delicious restaurants of the trip: Roy Choi’s Best Friend. Roy Choi has a reputation of being one of the most lovable and fun chefs on the west coast and his restaurant translates this perfectly. Korean/Cali/Vegas vibes with many famous dishes and flavors from his food truck (that inspired the movie Chef) with an “everything is delicious” menu.
Great music. No notes. Would go again. Loved it. Notes from Nicole: I can’t say enough good things about Roy Choi’s Best Friend. It occupies such a unique space in the pantheon of “celebrity chef restaurant inside a casino-resort on the Strip;” there’s really nowhere else like it and it’s just FUN.
After dinner, Nicole and Kyle had season tickets to the ballet so Sam and I opted for the raunchy gonzo circus experience that is Absinthe. It was fun and as dirty as you’d expect a Vegas show to be. If you’re thick-skinned and want to see a show, it’s a good option for you. Think: dirty jokes and heckling of the crowd with cocktail waitresses slinging $4,000 beers and drinks and a grab bag of jugglers and unicyclists and pole dancing.
After the show, we found ourselves in the dead center of the strip at 9pm on a Saturday…which, for me, is also called ‘hell’. I did see a cab dropping someone off on the sidewalk (which is apparently not allowed because of the volume of traffic) and I asked if I could jump in and he said ‘yes, hurry up.’ Apparently, cabs must report to the taxi stands at the hotels and casinos and not pick up riders on the street. This dude was cool and I learned my lesson. Tipped him well. We went to bed early.
The next morning, we got room service breakfast of fresh fruit, avocado toast, sparkling water and coffee. 24-hour room service is a fantastic perk of Vegas. We then spent a little time at the pool.
We met Nicole at the Punk Rock Museum for a small group tour with Todd Morse (H2O & The Offspring) & Cone McCaslin (Sum 41). This museum was cooler than I expected. The authenticity and history was very impressive. As a lifelong Social Distortion fan, it did not disappoint.
They even had the couch Kurt Cobain was photographed ‘napping’ 😬 on. I had to get a pic. The museum has a cool little bar attached to it so come early or hang afterwards for some beers and conversation. It’s on the edge of the arts district so feel free to walk around and bar hop/shop/snack after.
Which is exactly what we did. First was Barter Beer + Mall. A vintage shop/bar where you can sip beer and shop and hang. Definitely worth a stop and I would’ve made some purchases if we weren’t on foot. I didn’t know Benji made a Christmas movie!
Then we popped into Viking Mike’s which is best described as “part alpine lodge, part nomadic yurt, filtered through a Scandinavian & Nordic lens. Wood, stone, fur and natural textures set a moody, transportive scene that nods to Viking escapism.” Food was a little forgettable but the vibes were top tier and we ate everything we ordered. Very relaxing and refreshing especially in peak heat.
Next up was The Dustland Bar. Possibly my favorite bar of the trip. Felt like a locals spot and they had Vegas Knights playing and people buying shots for everyone and delicious margaritas and cold Lone Star beers. It did not feel like Vegas specifically, but it definitely felt like a southwestern desert bar. Which I loved. 10/10. Would return.
That night, we had dinner at Sparrow + Wolf. Chef Brian Howard is a Michigan native who has recently received some James Beard attention for Best Chef: Southwest. The restaurant is over in Chinatown where each strip mall seems packed full of Korean BBQ, Ramen, Sushi and other delicious joints. If I was in town for a week I’d spend most my eating time in this neighborhood. The staff at Sparrow & Wolf were great and the somm and GM were awesome. Swanky dining room, semi-open kitchen, big bar, eclectic menu. It has a synergy with the upbeat nature of Vegas but also allows you have a chill dinner-for-two as well. It’s no surprise they’ve been at it for nine years and counting. We cabbed to the restaurant from the arts district but this neighborhood is easy to walk between spots.
After dinner we walked over to Golden Tiki and had some unnecessary but delicious drinks. Mai Tai. Painkiller. This bar was fun as hell and Nicole pointed out that this place is famous for all of the hidden penis art all over the restaurant. So you can always spend some time searching for those if you’re bored. They have a fun food menu and take reservations. If I go back I’d definitely make a night of it and hang out here.
Afterwards, we walked over to Play it Again, Sam’s. A small, overlooked strip club with video poker, comfy chairs and an old school charm. I’m a fan of slightly shitty strip clubs. I don’t like the TOOOO shitty ones. But I also don’t like them too nice. This place was fun. The girls were nice. It wasn’t crowded at all and everyone was friendly. Don’t recommend, really, but I also don’t not recommend. Would return.
Our next inevitable stop was the legendary Spearmint Rhino strip club. It’s a 24-hour establishment. Which is insane. But the hospitality is great. I even was drunk enough to forget my credit and ID there, which is a first for me. But they had it for me when I called the next morning because of course, they were still open! That was where our night ended. The ladies loved Sam and if you’re in town and like these kinds of places then I recommend a visit. Tell them I sent you. Just kidding, they’ll be like “who?”
The next morning around 8am I was delighted to learn there’s a few 24-hour ramen shops in town, so I Door-Dashed a spicy miso ramen from Shinjuku Ramen. It didn’t change my life but it definitely helped cure the pain. It was delicious. We had a slow and groggy morning of coffee and rehydrating and found ourselves back at the pool. A little iced tea and fruit and we were in decent enough shape to head to my favorite taqueria chain: Tacos El Gordo.
Originally from Tijuana in the ‘70s, El Gordo has grown quite a following. The Vegas location (based on some quick research after witnessing the operation) does about $60 million a year in sales. Which is insane! Good for them. Nevertheless, the tacos absolutely crush and I would eat there all the time if I lived in town. But I’d try to master the slowest time of day and sneak in then, ‘cause that line can get wild. Notes from Nicole: There are 2 other locations for Tacos El Gordo in Vegas that are off the Strip for those who want the tacos without the crowds. But the line is also kind of part of the experience for the location on the Strip!
After tacos, we decided to stroll around Old Vegas. First stop was a walkthrough of Circa Las Vegas. They have an insane pool/sports amphitheater situation and you could tell most people were either going to or coming from the pools. I didn’t partake but would definitely do so on a hot day in the future. At the top of Circa is a total gem of a bar, the Legacy Club.
On the 60th floor, the bar is beautiful and has an impressive view of all of Vegas. There’s outside access too if the weather is nice. Folks say it’s a great place for any night there’s fireworks. But I say: f*ck fireworks. They’re so unnecessary and damaging to our wild and domestic animal friends. Anywho. The beverage menu has something for everyone and it kind of has a throwback Mad Men vibe up there. I would definitely hang out there, especially if it wasn’t crowded.
Circa is at the end of Fremont and Fremont Street speaks for itself. It’s kinda like Bourbon Street but with a few dashes of your local Walmart. Politely. There’s lots to do and they have free outdoor concerts occasionally. It’s a good place to people watch and kill time. But not something I would visit much. Notes from Nicole: The Fremont Experience has live music across its 3 stages almost nightly, featuring local bands, DJs, and cover acts. The “Downtown Rocks!” summer concert series also brings in ‘90s and ‘00s touring bands and the shows are always free, but it gets CRAZY crowded for these shows.
At the far end of Fremont you’ll find Atomic Liquors. This is an institution. Sam took me there because my only request on the trip was to see the bar where Joe Pesci stabs the guy in the neck with a pen in Casino. Well, it was at Atomic Liquors. Dimly lit. Cold beer. Fun history. Anthony Bourdain famously visited there. It’s a good dive on a funky end of town. Loved it.
Nearby, we walked through El Cortez Casino and Hotel. If I was in town with a few friends for a getaway I could see myself gambling and drinking beers here. It’s restored enough to be charming but seasoned enough to handle a little bit of spice and crust. If I spent enough time there I’d probably take up smoking though. And lose money.
Fergusons Downtown is at the far end of Fremont by Atomic Liquors. It’s an old motel that has been repurposed as a little shopping area. Mothership Coffee is adorable and a great spot to recharge. I loved seeing the new life at one of the classic old motels reimagined.
After our afternoon on Fremont, and still nursing the remnants of a hangover, there was only one thing to do: In-N-Out. It was Sam’s first time. If you haven’t been, yes it’s a perfect fast food spot. Cheap. Fast. Delicious. Made to order. It’s controversial to say, but I think the fries could be improved. But the burger is top tier. Double double animal style with chopped peppers, please. And I still order the fries.
Nicole and Kyle dropped us off at our hotel and we said our goodbyes. They were great hosts and Nicole did such a great job showing me the Vegas I didn’t know existed (more recommendations from Nicole below!). Just love her!
Sam and I went to the room, napped a little, showered and headed out to Maroon, Kwame Onwuachi’s new Caribbean Steakhouse concept in the Sahara. It’s a beautifully designed restaurant featuring a Grill Works outfitted kitchen in the center of the restaurant designed after the barrel drums Jamaican jerk is famously cooked on. The menu was very exciting and the wine list stacked. We enjoyed a bottle of champagne, the piri piri salad, jerk chicken and grilled prawns. I would’ve ordered more but we were feeling the effects of our 3-day binge. The playlist was fantastic, the dining room beautiful and moody and the place was packed. It was great to see a restaurant focused on creating space for the black community as well. It seems like that’s not extremely common in Vegas. But Maroon is doing it beautifully. It was a great ending to our day. Would return for sure.
On our last day we got up, checked out of the Four Seasons and had some delicious breakfast Guinness’ and a couple of ok plates of food at Ri Ra’s in Mandalay and headed to the airport.
More recommendations from our friend, Nicole…
Silver Stamp for one of the best beer bars in the country and the feeling of being back in Michigan in someone’s basement.
Any of Chef James Trees’ Arts District restaurants — Bar Boheme, Ada’s, or Esther’s. I’m crushing extra hard on Bar Boheme right now, but I definitely regret not hitting at least one of these places because James’ and Sam’s Vegas experience was really incomplete without it. We just can’t eat like we used to!
SO many other badass dive bars but especially Dino’s for karaoke—that place is legendary and I feel I failed James here.
SO many badass cocktail bars in the Arts District but especially Nocturno (on the high-end side of the spectrum) and Liquid Diet (on the grungy side).
The Neon Museum. I recommend this to everyone. Go at dusk and stay until it’s fully dark. Very cool and a uniquely Vegas experience!
The Sphere! Which ironically is how all this started and we ended up not even going there, lol. Yes, it is every bit as mind-blowing inside as it looks in videos.
We live downtown and are extremely DTLV/Arts District-biased, but Chinatown and the greater Spring Mountain corridor is well worth taking several days to explore. Honestly, you could spend a whole week there without leaving the area and barely scratch the surface of all the great restaurants and coffee shops and boba shops and bakeries and karaoke bars, etc. Chinatown is still one of the most underrated, under-hyped areas in Las Vegas, and it is a local gem.
Clearly James and Sam just need to come back, amiright????
Bring Vegas to you…
Watch Casino, the greatest film depicting Vegas.
Listen to the ‘You Must Remember This’ podcast season about Sammy and Dino. Fascinating!
Play Vegas Dream on NES (where Chef James learned how to gamble at 8 years old)
Read Hunter S. Thompson’s Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.
Watch Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations Vegas episode.
As always, feel free to follow along when you’re there with our Google map.
XOXO
MGTG