Before moving to Las Vegas, my friends and I would set one night aside for fine dining (usually steak) on the Vegas Strip and another for a popular local restaurant during each trip. This gave us the best of both worlds when visiting Las Vegas.
In addition to broadening our horizons, eating at an off-strip saved a few bucks on dinner. This allowed us to stretch our trip budget a little more.
Since we traveled as a group, the transportation cost wasn’t very much. We ended up visiting Casa Di Amore because the restaurant, a few streets east of the Vegas Strip, offered free limo rides.
The limo was about 50 years old, but it worked! Amazingly, Casa still has free transportation as well as a solid happy hour with half-price food and drink.
There were, and still are, plenty of fairly priced bars and restaurants adjacent to the Vegas Strip. Most don’t include transportation, but groups can still find good food and drink at a fair price, even after including the price for a rideshare.
Last time we checked out inexpensive Vegas Strip Adjacent, it was to look at casinos. Today, we’re going to look at standalone bars and restaurants with fair and cheap prices near the Vegas Strip.
Cheap Steak At Herbs & Rye and Cleaver
Herbs & Rye is just west of the I-15 on Sahara. This cocktail bar and restaurant has been home to one of the best Happy Hour deals in Las Vegas for more than a decade.
In 2018, the owners opened Cleaver on Paradise. The closest casinos are Palazzo, Westgate, and Virgin.
Both restaurants offer deeply discounted steaks during happy hour from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., with Cleaver being more expensive. The $29 NY Strip at Herbs & Rye is a good steak for the price. That said, it will not make you weak in the knees. It’s fairly priced, and the vibe is great.
While the vibe at Herbs & Rye is better, I prefer Cleaver because it’s bigger and easier to get a table. Unfortunately, their prices are a little higher, and the NY Strip is $42. Cleaver’s website says they use “higher cuts of meat,” but the steaks seem to taste the same.
Old pal, Chris Kim AKA Vegas Adjacent says, “I like Cleaver over Herbs & Rye if only for the Farley portrait.” I concur!
Cocktail drinkers might prefer Herbs & Rye. The Sazerac is probably the best I’ve had in Las Vegas.
You can’t go wrong with either restaurant as long as you’re expecting an appropriate steak for the price.
The Arts District
The Arts District is located north of The Strat towards the Fremont Street Experience. It’s a quick rideshare from both parts of town.
You may remember that Movestro and I visited Holsteins in its new Arts District location a few weeks ago.
This is the only part of Las Vegas that feels like a real city to this former New Yorker. When walking around the Arts District, it feels like every door in the area alternates between bar and restaurant, with a retail shop thrown in every now and again.
What probably makes his feel like New York is that It’s a walkable part of town with plenty to do if you like to eat and drink or shop for vintage things.
There are plenty of deals as well as fair-priced restaurants in the Arts District. It’s amazing how prices are less expensive when rent is lower.
It’s as though the RJ knew I was going to write about this, and they shared some deals in the area. Here are a few:
- 18bin: $7 smash burger and beer; 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays
- SoulBelly BBQ: $5 cornbread slider with pulled pork and coleslaw; 2-5 p.m. Tuesdays- Fridays and 9-10 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays
- Bar Boheme: Hamburger avec frites $15 with the purchase of any cocktail, wine or beer at the bar; 9-11 p.m. daily
You’ll also find some of the best restaurants in Las Vegas with fair prices. Some notable options besides Holsteins include:
- Esther’s Kitchen
- Chicago Joe’s
- Soulbelly BBQ
I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention Vesta for coffee drinkers and Able Baker for beer drinkers. There are plenty of options for both, but those are my favorites. Eater has a decent list if you’re looking for some more places to explore in the Arts District.
Let’s Talk About “Chinatown”
Chinatown in Las Vegas is more like Lil Asia (not to be confused with Lil Sebastian). This three-mile stretch of Spring Mountain Road between I-15 and Rainbow Blvd. is home to more than 150 restaurants offering food from all over Asia.
Most of the restaurants are about 10-15 minutes west of The Palazzo, Wynn and Treasure Island. One of my secret cheap Macallan bars might be on this street but I’m not sure if it’s still open since I go to other locations.
I’ve said too much! Back to cheap eats!
The great thing about this area is that everything is either cheap or fairly priced. Similarly, the food is between good and great.
On the downside, I don’t eat too much Asian food. While I like ramen, it’s too damn hot most of the year to eat soup. Sushi isn’t my thing, and I’m allergic to shellfish. There are plenty of Thai restaurants in my hood so I rarely travel this way.
However, I’ve had some of the best Korean BBQ in Las Vegas at Hobak on Spring Mountain. There are plenty more, but that stands out. It shares a shopping plaza with the most unique coffee shop I’ve been to in Las Vegas – Gabi Coffee & Bakery.
A vegan friend took me to Ronald’s Donuts, and I loved it. It’s a classic donut shop with mediocre coffee and delicious sugary treats, but it’s not fancy. We spoke with whoever was working, and she explained they often sell out of donuts because vegan tourists come to town and buy dozens to have in their hotel room or at a convention.
The first restaurant I visited in the area when I moved to Las Vegas was Pho Kim Long. People obviously love the name, but it’s where I first learned that Vietnamese coffee is great for hangovers. Subsequent visits showed me that the food is good and cheap. Most dishes on the menu are under $10.
I like to write about places I’ve experienced, and unfortunately, I can’t do this area justice.
However, I’ve had so many great and cheap meals here that I highly recommend checking out restaurants in the area. Put this part of town on your checklist if you like Asian food. More research should turn up some gems like Mana Ramen when I first moved here more than 10 years ago.
Marc grew up on the mean streets of the South Bronx. He's the rare combination of Yankees and Jets fan which explains his often contrarian point of view. He learned about gambling at a young age working down the street from a bookie who took action on anything from the mainstream sports to the last three digits of the purse for certain horse races. Yeah, that's a thing. Today Marc is a freelance writer and social media consultant which allows him to work anywhere there's a wifi signal. This allows him to work from the sportsbook at Red Rock Resort or the food court at The Venetian where you’ll find fast and free wifi. Writing about steak, booze, gambling and Las Vegas is a tough job but somebody has to do it.
