The Top List of Best Chinese Restaurants - Las Vegas, NV
Las Vegas is truly an international dining destination by Brock Radke
Las Vegas is truly an international dining destination these days, but no matter what trends are coming or going, authentic Chinese fare has always been plentiful at restaurants in and out of casino resorts. The city’s unique Chinatown district, master-planned and situated just west of the Strip along Spring Mountain Road, offers many Asian eateries to choose from, but it’s not the only spot for great Chinese food.
Joyful House 4601 Spring Mountain Road, Las Vegas NV 89102 (702) 889-8881 Hours: open daily from 11 a.m. to 3 a.m. This Hong Kong-style restaurant has long been a favorite of locals and tourists alike, but the tell tale sign is its popularity with the Vegas Asian community. The dining room is bright and simple and attention is usually focused on a blackboard containing the day’s unique specials. Fresh seafood dominates much of the menu, and diners also can try out the cook-it-at-your-own-table, shabu shabu-style experience. Price range average: $20 per person Holiday Schedule: New Year's Day-Open, Valentines Day- Open, Easter-Open, Thanksgiving- Open, Christmas Eve- Open, Christmas- Open, New Year's Eve- Open.
Pearl At MGM Grand, 3799 Las Vegas Blvd. South, Las Vegas NV 89109 (702) 891-7380 Hours: open daily from 5:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Live seafood, whether it’s steamed, braised or fried in traditional Cantonese methods, grabs the eye when looking over the menu at Pearl, the MGM’s upscale Asian dining experience. Spider Prawn Dumplings, Wok-Fried Sea Bass and Crispy Garlic Chicken are among the signature dishes. The dramatic space, designed in deep, bold colors, sets a rich yet comfortable tone, perfect when experiencing one of the restaurant’s tasting dinners complete with exotic teas and French pastries. Price range average: $50 per person Holiday Schedule: New Year's Day-Open, Valentines Day- Open, Easter-Open, Thanksgiving- Open, Christmas Eve- Open, Christmas- Open, New Year's Eve- Open.
Fin At Mirage, 3400 Las Vegas Blvd. South, Las Vegas NV 89109 (702) 791-1111 Hours: open daily from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. for lunch and from 5 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. for dinner The Mirage has added several restaurants and nightlife venues in recent years in an effort to regain its Strip relevance, and Fin, lead by chef Chi Choy, is the heavyweight champion of these new additions. The stunning design comes from trendy Toronto firm Yabu Pushelberg, but even more impressive is a menu stocked with classics. Shrimp and fried toast is a simple description for an extraordinary dish, like a fresh bite from the sea. The Fin four appetizer features chilled jellyfish, beef flank and octopus, and the Wok-Fried Lobster with spicy curry coconut sauce is nothing short of a treasure. Price range average: $40 per person Holiday Schedule: New Year's Day-Open, Valentines Day- Open, Easter-Open, Thanksgiving- Open, Christmas Eve- Open, Christmas- Open, New Year's Eve- Open.
Ping Pang Pong At Gold Coast, 4000 West Flamingo Road, Las Vegas NV 89103 (702) 367-7111 Hours: open daily from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. for lunch and from 5 p.m. to 3 a.m. for dinner For reasons unknown, Coast Casinos properties have always maintained delicious, authentic Chinese food at their restaurants, even their non-Chinese restaurants. Locals know the coffee shop at the Gold Coast serves great wonton soup and noodle dishes, but the gambling hall raised the stakes when it added Ping Pang Pong, which excels at many dishes not frequently found around the city. Ox Tail Soup and Minced Squab Lettuce Cups are solid starters, and sweet and tangy citrus-sauced pork chops are among the interesting entrees. Ping Pang Pong also serves up delicious Dim Sum for lunch all week long. Price range average: $15 to $25 per person Holiday Schedule: New Year's Day-Open, Valentines Day- Open, Easter-Open, Thanksgiving- Open, Christmas Eve- Open, Christmas- Open, New Year's Eve- Open.
Little Buddha At Palms, 4321 West Flamingo Road, Las Vegas NV 89103 (702) 942-7778 Hours: open daily from 5:30 p.m. to 11 p.m., until midnight Friday and Saturday Little Buddha is French-inspired Chinese restaurant as it’s a distant cousin of Buddha Bar in Paris. The hip factor is evident from the design, which features separate dining rooms, a famously huge Buddha statue and a candle-lit feeling. The cuisine strays from traditional Chinese – especially recently due to chef changes – as sushi and small plate tasting menus are available, but there’s no questioning the quality. For those willing to experiment, Little Buddha is at the top of the list. Price range average: $15 to $25 per person Holiday Schedule: New Year's Day-Closed, Valentines Day- Open, Easter-Open, Thanksgiving- Open, Christmas Eve- Closed, Christmas- Closed, New Year's Eve- Open.
Mayflower Cuisinier 4750 W. Sahara Avenue, Las Vegas NV 89102 (702) 870-8432 Hours: open daily for lunch from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and for dinner Monday-Thursday from 5 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., and Friday-Saturday from 5 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Closed Sunday. Instead of focusing on a region of China or a menu concentrated on one of the many styles of Chinese cooking, the talented chefs at longtime neighborhood favorite Mayflower have decided to combine delicacies and contemporary favorites into a mish-mash menu sure to please palates both simple and exotic. Fried rice takes on a healthful taste with some unique vegetable additions. Perhaps epitomizing the kitchen’s approach is the Thai shrimp scampi, a dish full of flavor and just the right amount of spicy heat. Price range average: $25 per person Holiday Schedule: New Year's Day-Closed, Valentines Day- Open, Easter-Open, Thanksgiving- Open, Christmas Eve- Closed, Christmas- Closed, New Year's Eve- Open.
Wing Lei At Wynn Las Vegas, 3131 Las Vegas Blvd. South, Las Vegas NV 89109 (702) 770-3463 Hours: open daily from 5:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Crystal crab straight from the coast of Australia, $99 per pound. Chilled sliced abalone, $88. Just a couple of items from the menu at Wing Lei let you know this is perhaps the most upscale Chinese restaurant in the city, but you don’t have to order the most expensive items to get a truly memorable meal here. The expected seafood dishes are peerless, but a simple and wonderful menu of noodles dishes, a five-course Chinese duck tasting dinner, and the crispy shrimp cake appetizer can’t be ignored. Even more stunning is the impeccably decorated dining room, one of the most beautiful – and expensive – in all of Vegas. Price range average: $40 per person Holiday Schedule: New Year's Day-Open, Valentines Day- Open, Easter-Open, Thanksgiving- Open, Christmas Eve- Open, Christmas- Open, New Year's Eve- Open.
Emperor's Garden 4215 Spring Mountain Road, Suite B203 Las Vegas NV 89102 (702) 889-6777 Hours: open daily from 8 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Emperor’s Garden is a locals’ favorite for a couple reasons. One, it’s located in the very heart of Las Vegas Chinatown, and in fact the owner, Alan Chen, is the son of the developer who built Chinatown Plaza. And second, it focuses on authentic Sichuan and Mandarin food, unique when most Chinese restaurants sample from Cantonese influences. Its upstairs, friendly dining room is the perfect spot to sample spicy Kung Pao Lobster or Tea- Smoked Duck. Beef, pork and poultry selections dominate the menu since the Sichuan province is land-locked. Interestingly, the restaurant also is open for a great breakfast that offers unique dishes like Pan Fried Onion Pie, Slicked Pork in Garlic and Fried Peanuts and Anchovies. Price range average: $20 to $25 per person Holiday Schedule: New Year's Day-Open, Valentines Day- Open, Easter-Open, Thanksgiving- Open, Christmas Eve- Closed, Christmas- Closed, New Year's Eve- Open.
Cathay House 5300 Spring Mountain Road, Las Vegas NV 89146 (702) 876-3838 Hours: open daily from 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Say Dim Sum in Las Vegas, and you’ll be told to visit the Cathay House, a Chinatown institution extremely popular for weekend family lunches and special events in one of a couple booked-up banquet rooms. The seemingly endless Dim Sum options of potstickers, dumplings, pork buns, noodle-wrapped shrimp and even chicken feet keep patrons satisfied, and the dinner menu ranges from traditional Hong Kong-style meals to Hunan-method cooking, rich, oily and full of spices. It’s no wonder Cathay House has been making an annual appearance in the Best of Las Vegas polls for close to 15 years. Price range average: $10 to $20 per person Holiday Schedule: New Year's Day-Open, Valentines Day- Open, Easter-Open, Thanksgiving- Open, Christmas Eve- Open, Christmas- Open, New Year's Eve- Open.
Empress Court At Caesars Palace, 3570 Las Vegas Blvd. South, Las Vegas NV 89109 (702) 731-7731 Hours: open Wednesday-Sunday from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. Closed Monday and Tuesday. Few Caesars Palace restaurants can claim to have survived the recent restaurant boom, but Empress Court, which was moved to an improved location in the monstrous resort, is one of them. Perhaps its longevity can be attributed to Vegas visitors’ appreciate of its classic, stunning dining room, complete with lazy susans on large tables to aid in sharing, or maybe it’s the consistency of its Cantonese cuisine. The delicacy Shark’s Fin Soup is always available. Other creative fare includes a savory Sauteed Scallops with Macadamia nuts or a braised Mandarin pork loin with fresh abalone. Price range average: $40 per person Holiday Schedule: New Year's Day-Open, Valentines Day- Open, Easter-Open, Thanksgiving- Open, Christmas Eve- Open, Christmas- Open, New Year's Eve- Open.
The Top List of Best Chinese Restaurants - Las Vegas, NV