Has anyone ever wondered why, on a typical date, the fine wining and dining occurs before the good-night kiss? The answer is simple: if the good-night kiss doesn’t pan out, at least there was the food. Given this fail-safe equation, it would behoove every couple in the world to visit Las Vegas, where the romantic cuisine is superb and incredibly accessible. But casanovas, beware: after such edible delicacies, that had better be one memorable kiss.
EIFFEL TOWER RESTAURANT 3655 South Las Vegas Boulevard, Las Vegas, NV 89109 (702) 948.6937
If a Paris getaway is out of the question this year, take that special Valentine to Eiffel Tower Restaurant at Paris Las Vegas for the finest modern French dining this side of the Atlantic. Chef J. Joho’s culinary handiwork includes marine Peekey toe crab salad with avocado and cucumber, tournedos Rossini with foie gras and truffle sauce, and white chocolate banana Elysee for dessert. The menu is a la carte but a seven-course meal can be advised by gracious waiters who attend every need. The most enchanting part? An eleventh floor view of the spectacular Bellagio water fountain show.
Estimated cost per person for dinner is between $75 and $125.
Alize At the Palms, 4321 W. Flamingo Road, Las Vegas, NV 89103 (702) 951-7000 Hours: open daily from 5:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Las Vegas has its share of top-of-the-hotel restaurants with tremendous views of the Strip and surrounding mountains, but none combine that classic romantic setting with truly gourmet French cuisine like Alize, which comes from local restaurateur Andre Rochat. Floor-to-ceiling windows and strategically placed booths allow diners to take full advantage of the scenery while sampling from Alize’s 1,200-bottle wine list. Fresh Dover sole is flown in daily and is a favorite entrée, as is duck stuffed with dates and wrapped in smoked bacon. Alize also is known for some of the best service in town. Price range average: $35 to $45 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.
Artem 4825 W. Flamingo Road, Suite 10, Las Vegas NV 89103 (702) 247-8677 Hours: open Tuesday-Sunday from 5 p.m. to 1 a.m. Closed Monday. If a warm, cozy environment and some truly hearty food is your idea of a romantic date, look no further than Las Vegas’ only Russian restaurant. Formerly known as Eliseevsky, Artem maintains its European lodge charms and now has an expanded menu. Don’t get too full from the long list of appetizers, including borscht with plenty of sour cream, pirogis full of spiced pork and vegetables and rich black rye bread. The beef strogonoff is beyond authentic. Another favorite is Tabaka, a crispy, garlic chicken dish pounded impossibly thin but full of flavor. Wash your exotic meal down with samples of infused vodkas or Russian beer selections. 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.
ALMAZA 9890 South Maryland Parkway, Suites #17 and #18, Las Vegas, NV 89123 (702) 450.1030
Almaza is all things Lebanese, amped-up and glossed-out in the style of modern Arabia. The restaurant serves amazing stuffed grape leaves and specializes in chicken, beef, and lamb kabobs. Lovebirds wishing for a little taste of everything can try the Almaza Mezza Sampler which includes hummus, baba gaboush, labne, tabouli, warak anab, and falafel, and for the particularly adventurous, there’s a hookah lounge where gourmet tobacco (smoked through a glass water pipe) is specially prepared by an on-site hookah chef. On weekends, DJ’s spin a mix of Lebanese-house beats to get everyone dancing, ensuring the provocative atmosphere continues into the wee hours.
Estimated cost per person for dinner is between $14 and $24.
DELMONICO 3355 South Las Vegas Boulevard, Las Vegas, NV 89109 (702) 414.3737
Delmonico, located in the Venetian, describes itself as an all-American steakhouse with Creole influences. It consistently ranks as one of Las Vegas’ best date spots and was voted “Restaurant of the Year” by Esquire. Of course, with Emeril Lagasse as executive chef and proprietor, it’s no wonder! For starters, try the pan-fried parmesan oysters Bienville or hickory-smoked mushrooms. The grilled pork chops with bacon-wrapped shrimp and 20-ounce New York strip steak as entrees are both phenomenal. After a dessert of Irish whiskey crème brulee, take an enchanting stroll among famous art masterpieces at the Guggenheim Museum, also located in the Venetian.
Estimated cost per person for dinner is between $75 and $150.
DRAI’S 3595 South Las Vegas Boulevard, Las Vegas, NV, 89109 (702) 737.0555
Hours of Business: Seven days a week, 5:30 – 10pm After Hours: Wednesday – Sunday, midnight – 8am
Drai’s should teach a college course called “dining made passionate”. Most eateries could learn something from what Gourmet Magazine hailed as “Las Vegas’ most romantic restaurant”, and most couples could learn something simply by eating there. Set in a richly-hued atmosphere, the medallions of Ahi tuna or cold California artichoke in mustard sauce arrive first and are followed by ravioli with Maine lobster or maybe crispy duck confit with orange sauce and celery root. Desserts are ever-changing, but the choices always complement the contemporary cuisine. One thing is certain: at Drai’s, food is savored and rhapsody ensues.
Estimated cost per person for dinner is between $30 and $45.
PICASSO 3600 South Las Vegas Boulevard, Las Vegas, NV 89109 (702) 693.7223
Hours of Business: Wednesday – Monday, 6pm – 9:30pm
It took Steve Wynn months to convince Chef Julian Serrano to come to work at Picasso in Vegas, but finally he consented, and the rest is delicious history. Serrano’s menu deftly changes with the seasons, so it could be Maine lobster, lamb roti, or roasted sea bass, but here’s a promise: it’s made to satisfy. Choose a four-course dinner or five-course degustation, but make the passion-fruit flan, molten chocolate cake, or banana tart with coconut ice cream priority either way. The namesake pays tribute to the more than $30 million of original Pablo Picasso artwork overseeing the fine food. Yes, lovers will swoon.
Estimated cost per person for dinner is between $90 and $120.
ROSEWOOD GRILLE & LOBSTER HOUSE 3763 South Las Vegas Boulevard, Las Vegas, NV 89109 (702) 792.9099
Hours of Business: Seven days a week, 5pm – 11:30pm
To qualify for Wine Spectator’s “Award of Excellence”, restaurants must have two things: an impressive wine list and a menu to match. The Rosewood Grille & Lobster has both, which explains the restaurant’s six-time win of the prestigious honor! Amid ambiance de l’amour, self-proclaimed steak snobs are jubilant over sirloin, New York strip, or ribeye in Burgundy sauce and onion confetti, and seafood aficionados delight in the lobster, served by the pound and smothered in drawn butter. The highlight starter platter is the scampi Villa Venice in garlic butter, and the preferred dessert is a refreshing strawberries au Cointreau over ice cream.
Estimated cost per person for dinner is between $25 and $40.
TABLEAU 3131 South Las Vegas Boulevard, Las Vegas, NV 89109 (702) 770.7100
Hours of Business: Seven days a week, 5:30pm – 10pm
Of Tableau, Max Jacobsen of Las Vegas Life exclaimed, “One of the top Ten Best new restaurants in Las Vegas! Everything is a revelation here!” In a soaring, atrium-setting alongside sparkling pools, sweethearts agree. Appetizers are American-style Kobe tartare, Dungeness crab ravioli, and prosciutto-wrapped Monkfish, caramelized duck breast, or organic roasted chicken for entrees. There is no printed confirmation of dessert until the night it is served, when it will most likely the one-time invention of a culinary mastermind. The offerings are ingredient-driven concoctions from Chef Mark LoRusso, another great food artist Steve Wynn recruited for his famous hotel.
Estimated cost per person for dinner is between $70 and $150.
THE MELTING POT 8704 West Charleston Boulevard, Las Vegas, NV 89117 (702) 384.6358
Nothing brings people together like fine cheese, superb bread and vegetables, and rich melted chocolate in a ceramic bowl. Just ask the French. Their way of centering people on the same focal point is called fondue, and The Melting Pot has made it an art form. Try this: spinach and artichokes with aged Emmenthaler and Gruyere cheeses, a beautiful Caesar salad, an entrée of New York strip, jumbo prawn, chicken breast, lobster-stuffed ravioli, beef tenderloin, and the endless vegetable medley dipped in cheddar, Swiss, Wisconsin trio, or fiesta cheeses. To top it off, the bananas Foster white chocolate does nicely indeed.
Estimated cost per person for dinner is between $40 and $60.
The Top List of Romantic Restaurants - Las Vegas, NV