Hey Nomsters!  If you’ve been following us on instagram, you already know that we spent the holiday season in Nevada.  We had a blast exploring the city, but our favorite part?  Eating through Las Vegas, obviously.  We’re excited to kick off today’s post with Dirt Dog LV.

Dirt Dog:  Loaded Hot Dogs Done Right

They have two different locations in Nevada:  one on the Strip (The Grand Bazaar @ Ballys) and one on S Rainbow Boulevard.  We hit up the latter for a splurge-tastic lunch and had some seriously creative noms.

What to Order at Dirt Dog Las Vegas

We really enjoyed eating at Dirt Dog – the space was spotless, and it had a really cool casual vibe.  The menu was located on the wall near the entrance, and each listing had an accompanying picture (as you can see above).  Everything looked AND sounded ah-MA-zing, but we ultimately went with:

• The Mutt Dog ($6.25): half red dog, half green dog.  Red’s made with spicy tomato chile sauce + chipotle aioli, and Green’s made with chimichurri sauce + guacamole spread.
• The Elote Dog ($7.25):  made with corn, lime mayo, chili powder, cotija, cilantro and bacon bits.
• The Dirty Chili Dog ($7.25): made with house chili (all beef) and melted bacon cheddar.
• The Ranchero Dog ($7.25): made with a fried egg, tortilla strips, refried bean spread, and red salsa.

Nomsters, this is street food at its finest.  They wrap each and every one of their dogs in bacon (!!!) and top them with copious amounts of magical goodness.   Also, you can choose from 3 different buns:  traditional (white bread), portuguese (semi-sweet), and lobster (lightly salted/buttered and an extra 50 cents).  We went with traditional, but we’d be down the other ones next time!  Anywho, each combo was to die for good, but our favorite was the Elote dog. Talk about flavor explosion – whoever thought up this combo is a freaking genius.  Oh Dirt Dog, please expand nationwide.  We still have 6 more dogs to try!

Ermahgerd, the eloter dehrg…

…that was a play off the fancer feast meme – big ups to those of you who caught the reference, ha!

But for real though, just look at how good these look!  These are some seriously dirtttty dogs.

below:  double fisting the dirty chili dog (left) and the ranchero dog (right)

We didn’t think we got enough hot dogs (ha…hahaha) so we ordered a side of Carne Asada Fries as well.  The Filthy Fries and Dirty Chili Fries also sounded AMAZING, but if you’re craving something simpler, go with their seasalt & pepper fries.

Andddd we couldn’t leave without trying their corn. We got one flaming corn and one cheesy corn.  Both were nomtastic, but if you’d prefer not to get your hands dirty – haha, pun intended – get the Dirty Esquite.  It’s corn in a cup with cotija cheese, cilantro, and chili powder aka heaven in a glass.

What meal would be complete without dessert?  You guys can always count on us to indulge.  To finish our lunch off, we got deep-fried oreos (2 for $3.25) and horchata ice cream ($6.25) with a housemade churro.  Both were ridiculously yummy, but if you have to choose one, go with the ice cream.  It’s vanilla bean ice cream with house made horchata syrup, rice krispies and almonds.  The churro costs an extra $2, but it’s SO worth it.  It’s fried in house so it’ll come out piping hot.  Need we say more?

above:  a horchata sundae that’s def big enough to share || below:  oreo stackage

For those of you interested in trying Dirt Dog (aka this goes out to all of y’all), you can get your fix in Vegas or LA!  Definitely let us know what you think after trying their noms out.  Anywho, we were pretty full after lunch so we drove to the North Premium Outlets to walk our food coma off.

Saint Honore:  The Best Beignets We’ve Ever Had

Located off the strip on 9460 W Flamingo Rd, Saint Honore is so worth the drive out, like we guarantee their french quarter style beignets will be the highlight of your day, if not your trip.  You get 3 per order, and they’re super affordable.  There are four different kinds available so you have a hard decision to make:  original, churro, nutella or raspberry filled, and their seasonal, which happened to be apple cider.

Additional add ons like salted caramel, seasonal preserves or dark chocolate sauce can be purchased for $1 each.  Their beignets are made to order to expect to devour warm noms.

You can’t go wrong with any of the aforementioned flavors, but we highly recommend the nutella if you have a sweet tooth.  If you want something a little less decadent, go with churro or original.  They also serve elaborate milkshakes and gourmet doughnuts that are perfect for the ‘gram, which is unsurprising because the interior itself is so aesthetically pleasing.

Lotus of Siam:  James Beard Award Winning Thai Food

Want to experience killer Thai food in Vegas?  Then you need to make a reservation at Lotus of Siam, and you need to do it at least 3 weeks in advance.  Owner and chef Saipin Chutima’s won a slew of awards including the James Beard award for best chef in the southwest so everyone and their mom knows her food is legit.  Must try dishes include her khao soi, crispy duck penang, and garlic prawns.   Don’t forget to ask for a spice tray if you want to spice things up!

Buddy V’s:  Delicious Italian Food with a View on the Strip

This was our second time at Buddy V’s, and it was even better than we remembered.  Although we’re re-featuring them on here, we got different dishes to review this time ’round so it’ll still be new content.  Alright, let’s get to it.

We kicked our meal off with their grilled octopus and their Toscano salad.  Served on a refreshing bed of arugula & citrus, their octopus had a nice char to it, and it was as tender as can be.  At $18, it was a bit pricy, but it’s the strip so that’s to be expected. The salad was a bit more affordable at $16, and it was big enough to share.  It also came with a generous amount of prosciutto, and they also threw roasted tomatoes and artichokes into the mix before dressing it with a light, tangy lemon vinaigrette.  They finished off the greens with an ample amount of pecorino because who doesn’t love cheese?

For entrees, the waiter recommended the osso bucco and shrimp scampi so that’s exactly what we got.  So, the moral of the story is, drum roll please,  always listen to your waiter at Buddy V’s because both plates were fire.  The pasta was extra garlicky, which we personally loved, and it came with 5-6 ginormous shrimpies that were as succulent as can be.  The osso bucco was melt-in-your-mouth delicious, and they gave us a fat piece that was bigger than our heads.  It came with creamy parmesan polenta, and it complemented the meat so beautifully.

As you can imagine, we were stuffed at that point, but we couldn’t leave without getting dessert so we got their nutella cake.  They call it nutella cake, but what it’s actually called is heaven cake because only angels could have made this magical goodness.  It’s stuffed with nutella and served with ice cream, and it’s basically one of the best desserts you’ll ever have.  You’re welcome.

Hamptons:  Where To Brunch in Las Vegas

Located on 440 S. Rampart in Tivoli Village, this fabulous restaurant offers new American cuisine that slays.  Everything from interior to service is on point, and the food is just as good as you’d think it’d be.  When you walk into their restaurant, your first thought will undoubtedly be, “wow.”

They have two floors and a gorgeous outdoor patio, which you’ll want to take full advantage of if weather permits.  We went for brunch and had a truly phenomenal meal.

After being seated, we sipped cocktails while perusing their menu.  We got the Scratch Margarita ($12) and Kombucha Guava ($11), and both were on point.  The margarita was made from scratch (like the name suggests).  We got ours on the rocks, and it contained silver tequila, fresh lemon juice, fresh lime juice, orange juice, and agave nectar.

They had three different kombucha concoctions available, but our fabulous waiter recommended guava so we went with that flavor.  Mule and strawberry were also available though! The guava drink came with mandarin vodka, fresh pineapple syrup, cointreau, ginger liqeur, angostura bitters, and guava kombucha.

Jay Bogsinske, the director of Hamptons’ Culinary, astounded us with his creativity and presentation.  Each and every one of his dishes was perfection, and we can’t wait to show you guys pictures of everything.  Let’s start with apps:

• Overstuffed Bacon & Eggs ($6): deviled eggs, shaved celery, applewood smoked bacon, chives, sweet smoked paprika.
• Avocado Fries ($9): fried avocado slices with green goddess dressing and smoked tomato ketchup.
• Smoked Salmon Crepes ($14): arugula, heirloom cherry tomatoes, cucumber, chives, fried capers, lemon vinaigrette, caraway & black pepper creme fraiche.
• Apple & Ricotta Bruschettas ($12): granny smith apple, lemon ricotta, toasted pecans, brandy apple syrup, with fresh basil.
• French Onion Soup ($10): caramelized onions, beef broth, garlic, sherry vinegar, thyme, sourdough crouton, chives, with bubbling gruyère cheese.

Everything was tasty, but our favorites were the french onion soup, bruschetta and overstuffed bacon & eggs.  From our experience, chefs often overdo it with FOS (result = soup that’s wayyyy too salty), but Chef Jay’s was seasoned perfectly.

The bruschetta was almost (key word: almost) too pretty to eat, but we happily devoured it all.  The sweetness of the apple paired with creamy ricotta? A do on every level.  We also really enjoyed the brandy apple syrup!  We thought it was honey at first so we were pleasantly surprised by the flavor.

Last but not least, the overstuffed bacon & eggs.  Chef Jay told us that he DOUBLE stuffs them with filling because that’s the yummiest part, and you know what? We’re more than ok with that.  This dish is an absolute must-try – we honestly had no idea deviled eggs could be THAT good.

above:  delicious eggy goodness || below:  perfectly fried avo fries

above + below:  two different shots of our bruschetta app just because…

above:  soup goals || below:  salmon crepes

See what I meant about Chef Jay’s presentation? This is art on a plate.

Although we were stuffed at that point, we still got entrees because YOLO, ha:

• Little Havana Cubano Sandwich ($13):  duroc pork loin, country ham, applewood smoked bacon, cilantro, five-spiced pineapple, gruyère cheese, grain mustard, aioli, pickle, cuban roll.
• Country Chicken Sandwich ($13): buttermilk battered breast, apple & napa cabbage slaw, dill pickles, buttered hot sauce on a brioche bun.
• Seared Ahi Tuna Salad ($16):  toasted sesame seeds, cucumber, apple, carrot, cabbage, cilantro leaf, shaved scallion, ponzu sauce, chopotle lima crema.
• Wild Isles Salmon Mignon ($22):  roasted cauliflower, honey & garlic-braised carrots, rosemary cauliflower sauce, caper & raisin emulsion.

The Cubano was absolutely delicious – it was, hands down, one of the best paninis we’ve ever had.  The five-spiced pineapple elevated everything, and the meats were all SO fresh.  Definitely give this a try if you’re a fan of pork!  The Country Chicken Sandwich was also very good. If you’re into buffalo sauce, you’ll love this sammy.  Sidebar:  the spiral fries that come with both of the aforementioned plates were ridiculously yum.  They were super crispy and their seasoning was to-die-for good.

Also, Chef Jay got major bonus points for giving us smoked tomato ketchup!  Who knew ketchup could be gourmet?  The seared ahi tuna was super fresh, and the salmon mignon was quite possibly one of the most creative dishes we’ve had this year.  Chef Jay seared it JUST like steak, which gave the fish a unique texture that we adored.

above:  buffalo chicken all day, every day || below:  tuna lovers unite

Oh salmon mignon, we love you so…

Anddd last but not least, Chef Jay’s Banana Foster dessert.  Talk about starting AND ending strong.  There wasn’t a single moment in this meal that was weak.  Honestly, we don’t really even like bananas, but we finished this plate CLEAN.  The fruit was caramelized to perfection, and the sauce was straight up addictive.  So, what’s the moral of this post?  You and all your frands need to head to Hamptons STAT for an unforgettable meal that’ll leave your tummy oh so happy.

Biwon:  All You Can Eat Korean BBQ & Sushi

Now, you’re probably thinking, “how are they going to eat again after their ginormous brunch at Hamptons?” Oh don’t you worry, Nomster.  We went to Red Rock to hike and burn off calories so we were actually hungry by dinnertime.  We were craving asian so we went to Biwon for AYCE KBBQ.

Located on 2721 W Sahara Avenue, this restaurant’s only about ten or so minutes away from the city, and they have their own private parking lot so you don’t have to worry about finding street parking.  The joint’s open from 11 AM to 3 AM so if you’re looking for a place to eat your heart out post partying, hit Biwon up.

We’re not gonna lie, their AYCE deal was pretty sweet.  At around $24, you can get pretty much whatever your heart desires, BUT exercise self control because they charge you for leftover food.  This may seem annoying, but it’s to prevent wasteful ordering so it’s actually a good thing.

If you’re a fan of sushi/rolls, you can get AYCE rolls as well for a few extra dollars.  We recommend sticking with the meat though!  In our opinion, that’s their forte.  Their proteins were surprisingly high quality, and you’ll see that later on in our photos.

above:  delish pork belly || below:  rolls with tempura shrimp

In addition to different meats and rolls, there were 15+ sides and appetizers to choose from (all included with the AYCE deal mentioned above).  Our favorites were the edamame, veggie tempura (included fried onion, zucchini, sweet potato, and carrot), corn cheese (pictured below), steamed egg, pickled radish wrap (for the meat), sliced garlic and jalapeño (again, for the meat), and shumai.

Pro tip:  take a piece of meat and put it in your radish wrap (or fresh lettuce if you wish), put a slice of garlic or jalapeño inside (if you can handle the heat), a smidgen of gochujang, and enjoy.  The radish has a really nice texture to it so we liked that much more than the lettuce, but try both to see what you prefer.

above:  we don’t mess around when it comes to cheese pulls || below:  shumai

There were a variety of proteins to choose from, but our favorites were beef brisket, pork belly, sirloin, and ribeye.  We tried the spicy baby octopus as well, but the meat was definitely better.  We recommend going with the beef/steak options, but that’s just us.  We always tend to skip pork and chicken when we hit up AYCE meat joints!

above + below:  baby octopus sizzling

Here’s a shot of the ribeye we were talking about!  Each person is allowed to order ONE so definitely take advantage – just look at how fresh it is!  This was by far our favorite protein at Biwon. Cook it however you please on your grill and enjoy it with rice.  Ask for veggies & garlic slices and cook them with your meat for a healthy, nomtastic side.  We absolutely LOVED that they brought out Korean sweet potato (aka gogoma) as a veggie.

We wanted to end our dinner on a sweet note so we got two Korean popsicles (not included in the AYCE price, $2 each):  a melon bar and a chocolate crunch bar (pictured below).  Both were yummy, but the melon bar was definitely the more unique option out of the two.  It’s SUPER melon-y though so you really gotta like cantaloupe and honeydew in order to enjoy this ice pop.

Prices go down after 11PM so if you’re looking for a yummy but affordable place to hang/stuff your face with your friends, give Biwon a shot.  For parties with 6+ people, they add a 20% service charge to your check so heads up.  The waitstaff does a TON though so the fee’s definitely warranted.  We had one main waiter who took our order, but tons of other people came around to check on us and change our cooktop. Props to them for the A+ service they provided.  We’d definitely recommend this place to our meat-loving friends!

And that’s a wrap for today!  We hope you enjoyed today’s latest guide featuring the best restaurants in Las Vegas.  We’re planning on doing a lot more traveling this year so stay tuned because we may be hitting up YOUR city in the near future.  Tell us, Nomsters – where should we go next?