The Trade Show Road Warrior’s Restaurant Review: Las Vegas

It comes with the territory. Being on the road means we either get to — or have to — eat in restaurants. So why not make finding a meal a little more fun and rewarding? I’ve decided to try something a little different in this blog every so often and give you some personal recommendations of restaurants in top trade show cities.

We’re starting off with Las Vegas, the real “City That Never Sleeps.”Welcome to Fabulous Downtown Las Vegas sign at Fremont Street

I hope to provide you with some ideas that will be good for taking a client out to dinner, taking the team out to celebrate after a long day in the booth, or just finding a place where you can take a break from it all and enjoy a great meal.

Intentionally, I’ve stayed away from Strip hotel restaurants, because they’re in a league of their own. They’re nice (some are extremely nice), but they also cater to tourists. I wanted to give you some off-the-beaten-track ideas of where to go, and even, in some cases, what you might want to try from the menu.

Lindo Michoacan
This laid back, lively and locally owned “joint” has three locations in the Las Vegas Valley (Desert Inn, West Flamingo and La Loma). I’ll focus my review on where I dined: the Desert Inn spot. It’s on Desert Inn Drive about three miles east of the Strip. If you’re looking for authentic Mexican food, and don’t want to break the bank, this is the place for you.

Entrees are between $10 and $20. There’s enjoyable live entertainment every night, as well as a full bar (with famous margaritas). I recommend their guacamole, prepared tableside. It’s worth the trip itself! The traditional Mexican menu is large and varied, with something for everybody, from eggs to fresh fish.

As I said, it’s locally owned, and they’ve been in the Las Vegas Valley since 1990. In 2014, they won the Las Vegas Review Journal’s “Best Mexican Food” honor. It’s not hard to see why, after you taste anything on the menu. Take out is available from all their locations. So even if you have to eat on the go, you can eat well.

Address: 2655 E Desert Inn Road, Las Vegas, NV 89121
Phone: (702) 735-6828
Hours: M-Th: 10:00AM-11:15PM, Sat: 9:00AM-12:15AM, Sun: 9:00AM-11:15PM
Website: www.lindomichoacan.com

Geisha Steak House (Geisha House Steak & Sushi)
Established in 1971 by Jimmy Nishiyama, Geisha Steak House was the first Japanese Hibachi restaurant in Las Vegas. Serving “Benihana” style teppanyaki dinners and tasty sushi, this hidden gem sits in an unobtrusive strip mall. What you won’t find here are the Las Vegas Strip prices.

The most you’ll spend here is about $38 for the steak filet, chicken, shrimp and lobster combination—which you’d easily pay $100-$150 for in any major resort. You’ll find great sushi, signature rolls and Japanese fusion cuisine, along with the “performance” style dinners served by showy chefs around the grill.

Their original location (where I ate) is at Desert Inn Drive and Sand Hill, and they’ve opened a newer location (Geisha House Las Vegas) on North Decatur, which features an outdoor patio. Never crowded, it’s easy to walk in and get a table anytime on a weeknight.

Address: 3751 E Desert Inn Road, Las Vegas, NV 89121
Phone: (702) 451-9814
Hours: M-Sun: 11:30AM-3:00PM/5:00PM-9:30PM
Website: www.geisharestaurants.com

Therapy
This place is located on Fremont Street in downtown Las Vegas, one block east of the Fremont Street Experience. Therapy is a gastropub, offering both small plates for sharing and full size entrees. It’s a newer entry to Vegas’s restaurant scene, but they execute meals flawlessly and serve great food quickly.

With high ceilings, an open kitchen and comfortable booths, Therapy is a great place to bring the team after a long day on the show floor, or any other reason to get out and enjoy good food and great cocktails. Their motto is “Savor. Sip. Share.” I highly recommend the Empanada Sampler with oxtail, chorizo and vegetarian empanadas.

The Fremont Street Experience is an area everyone should visit when they come to this city. Nicknamed “Glitter Gulch” in Vegas’s heyday, it has been transformed into a mall complete with musicians, street performers and dazzling overhead light shows. On an enormous arched screen 90 feet above the pedestrians-only street, 12.5 million LED lights put on a multimedia show every night. This area provides access to some of the city’s most iconic casinos, more than 60 restaurants, shops and retail kiosks, and brings in more than 17,000,000 visitors a year.

Address: 518 East Fremont Street, Las Vegas, NV 89101
Phone: (702) 912-1622
Hours: Sun-Th: 11:30AM-11:00PM, F-Sat: 11:30:00AM-12:00AM
Website: www.therapylv.com

It’s our intention to make every trade show you attend as successful and enjoyable as possible. A good meal goes a long way to make that happen. This blog has always been about making the experience of exhibiting profitable and hassle-free. That includes tips for finding the right exhibit at the right price from us here at American Image Displays, along with tips for making the rest of the trade show experience a success, as well. To learn more, call us at (888) 977-8076 or email [email protected].

Bon appetit! And please, if you have a convention city restaurant to recommend or caution about, please share!

 

Doing a show somewhere else? Check out our reviews of restaurants in San Francisco and Chicago.