😋 New restaurants you can’t miss

⛳ Badlands Settled! (We Think)

City Council voted to approve a big-money settlement to end the long-running Badlands golf club dispute in Queenridge. Here’s the math: Vegas will buy the course for $636 million, sell it to Lennar Homes for $350 million, and give the remaining $286 million to Yohan Lowie’s EHB Companies to settle the matter once and for all — at least until it’s finalized in a few months (or when residents complain about Lennar building on the land). [KVVU]

• Need a simplified version of what the controversy is all about? Here you go. [City Cast Las Vegas 🎧]

🥃 Goodbye Whiskey Pete 😢

No official announcement yet, but it appears the days are numbered for Whiskey Pete’s, while another Primm casino, Buffalo Bill’s, limits hours to three days a week. [Vital Vegas]

• Meanwhile, the Delano hotel tower at Mandalay Bay is now officially The W Las Vegas. The big difference? A giant “W” at the top and rewards points for Marriott Bonvoy members. [KLAS]
• This are just a couple examples of how Vegas will look different in 2025. [Hey Las Vegas ✍️]

🏜️ Death Valley Landmark Revived

Can’t get enough of quirky, off-beat architecture in the middle of nowhere? Nearly a decade after it was closed due to flood damage, Scotty’s Castle is once again open for private tours in Death Valley. And guess what? They’re already fully booked. [KTNV]

It’s a season for holiday greetings … and holiday eating. We’ve already told you about some of this winter’s culinary pop-ups, the top restaurants for large parties, and where to get a good pie. But let’s dig deeper and highlight some of the hot new restaurants that opened their doors in recent months.

CC Speakeasy

CC Speakeasy, hidden behind the Arts District’s Craft Creamery ice cream shop, has what City Cast Las Vegas’ own Dayvid Figler calls one of the best cocktail programs in Vegas. (Just try the mezcal Old Fashioned with mole bitters to see why.) But this secluded, throwback lounge also has a great food lineup, including playful mashups like Birria Bao Buns and deconstructed Beef Wellington bites.

• Step inside to see more of this indulgent speakeasy. [Hey Las Vegas ✍️]

Chamanas Café

Dan Krohmer made Other Mama into a huge hit in the West Valley. Now, the chef is stepping back into the Vegas spotlight with Chamanas Café in the same plaza. The restaurant serves casual breakfast and lunch favorites with touches of Mexican inspiration. Even the grilled cheese is impressive, stuffed with baked lamb and jalapenos.

Ciao Vino

There are so many Italian restaurants in Vegas, it gets hard to keep track of ‘em all. Fortunately, Ciao Vino succeeds under the leadership of chef de cuisine Joel Myers, a veteran of Marc Vetri’s local culinary empire. Try the sausage, cheese, and onion rigatoni to be won over. The atmosphere is stylish, but approachable. In other words, perfect for the Summerlin crowd.

Diner Ross

Diner Ross (which sounds like “Diana Ross” with a thick New York accent) is the latest weirdness from Spiegel Word, the production company behind shows like “Absinthe” and “Atomic Saloon” on the Strip. Diner Ross is the counterpart of the ‘70s-themed “DiscoShow” at The LINQ, featuring upscale takes on meatloaf, patty melts, and other diner classics.

Dominique Ansel Marché

The man behind the Cronut (a trademarked croissant and doughnut combo) now has a second Strip restaurant, this time at the Paris casino. Dominique Ansel Marché serves the pastries you crave (and done right to meet European standards), but digs deeper into more savory options like rotisserie chickens (visible via a high-tech display window) and buckwheat crepes, made to order with — like everything here — an artistic touch.

Hao Chi by China Mama

It’s been a great year for China Mama, which just opened a new location in Palace Station and introduced Spring a few months ago, specializing in tableside spring wraps. Another new concept, Hao Chi by China Mama is now serving dumplings, soups, and pork-filled “big mouth” wraps in a casual setting near Charleston and Decatur.

Jive Turkey

Jive Turkey is here to make dive bars cool again in Downtown Vegas, although it’s almost fancy compared to the infamous Huntridge Tavern across the street. Play a game of pool, check out live music, and enjoy the kitschy vintage vibe while sinking your teeth into burgers, fries, and chicken nuggets. The $6 Wild Turkey Old Fashioneds are worth a visit alone during happy hour.

• The Huntridge Tavern is one of the most historic dive bars in Vegas. [City Cast Las Vegas 🎧]

Mokbar

Esther Choi brings Korean street food to the newly revamped Celebrity Food Hall at Caesars Palace with Mokbar. The fast-casual service counter has dumplings, ramen, fried chicken, and noodle bowls to enjoy, along with the heat of spicy house-made kimchi.

• Esther Choi has thoughts on the potential of Korean food on the Vegas Strip. [Hey Las Vegas ✍️]

Pinky’s by Vanderpump

Lisa Vanderpump knows what her audience wants, from stylish surroundings to jazzed-up comfort food favorites and photogenic cocktails. The TV personality and restauranteur’s latest Vegas restaurant, Pinky’s by Vanderpump, feels like a vintage super club, matching the historic identity of the Flamingo better than the hotel itself. Fans will be happy to see the menu has a variation on goat cheese balls (omnipresent on “Vanderpump Rules”), but $26.95 for a blood orange gin and tonic is pushing the limits, even for Vegas.

With Love, Always

Smashburgers done right, fries cooked in beef tallow, and high-butterfat soft-serve custard. Sometimes that’s all you need. With Love, Always is just one of the recent examples (along with La Casa de Juliette) of how Centennial Hills is finally building up its food scene.

What else was worth eating in 2024? 🤔 Giselle D’Souza of There’s Nothing to Do in Vegas and Nothing to Do LV Eats talks to City Cast Las Vegas co-host Sarah Lohman about her favorite meals of the year — on and off the Strip. [City Cast Las Vegas 🎧]