C/P from what a friend sent me last night
Good you have a car. Bally's is a GREAT hotel to stay in if you have a car b/c the lobby is right by a side street - very easy to get in and out. It's also smack in the middle of the Strip so it's convenient.
Shame you're leaving by the 5th - Vegas STREats Festival is Aug 6. All the local food trucks and a hell ton of music from 6pm to 2am in downtown Vegas.
your daily slif: culinary events: vegas strEATS festival
In order of "YOU MUST F*CKING GO"
1 - Raku on Spring Mountain Road (Chinatown)
your daily slif: raku (vegas)
Make reservations A WEEK AHEAD. I cannot stress this enough. Order the agedashi tofu. Order everything on the specials menu. If you want to hit up the sake menu - take a cab. And you will want to hit up the sake menu.
2 - Fukuburger
your daily slif: food cart madness - füküburger (vegas)
Their schedule is on their website (fukuburger.com) - their "Chinatown/Bank of America" stop is the closest to the Strip. Order the tamago burger, and whatever the daily burger special is. The later you go, the shorter the line. When I say later - I mean 1-2 AM. Either way, it's always a party where they are so the lineup isn't boring. Last time I went, 2 impromptu car meets were going on. And yes - that sh*t still happens down there.
3 - Thomas Keller's Bouchon at the Venetian
If you manage to stagger awake (or are STILL awake) at 8 AM - go here for breakfast. Last call is 930 I think? Wait for a patio seat. It's one of my favourite patios in the world. No reservations. Expect to wait upto 1/2 hour at times. Definitely a foodie/girlfriend stop. If you're with friends who aren't really foodies - I would skip.
4 - Lotus Of Siam
your daily slif: lotus of siam (vegas)
Best. Thai. EVER. It's located in a sketchy beyond all f*ck stripmall about 5 minutes off-strip. Order the garlic prawn, the musaman curry and 1 of the fried sea bass dishes. Then ask for recommendations. This is the place to be a bit more adventurous. The pricier dishes are usually worth it. If the waiter says you ordered enough food, REMOVE 1 dish from your order. Seriously. If you plan on going during prime dinnertime - make resos. If not, just walk in.
5 - Milos at the Cosmopolitan
Go there for lunch and lunch only. Sit outside on the patio (it's open air AND air-conditioned. Welcome to Vegas). It's the best value ANYWHERE for lunch. $21 for 3 courses. With the exception of the sandwiches (which split into 2 portions easily), everything on the prix fixe menu can be shared easily among 4 people so eat Chinese family style. Order the whole fish entree, and upgrade to the octopus appie. The meze (bread and dip) appie sounds boring, but it's lick-it-clean good. No reso needed.
6 - IF YOU MUST go to a buffet
Do The Wicked Spoon buffet at Cosmo FOR LUNCH. Don't do a dinner buffet - it's not worth the cash. Save room for their gelato. Blows Mario's and La Casa's out of the water, but nowhere near as awesome as Bella's (but who is?)
Now - since I think this is your first time - my best advice is walk the entire Strip. You need to check the whole place out the first time. Hydrate like a mother. It's going to be hot and dry as all f*ck. There's 2 WalMarts, 2 Targets and 1 Costco within 15 minutes of the Strip - buy water and booze if you don't bring some from LA. Do not buy any essentials from the Strip - you have a car!
Sign up for rewards cards at the 3 majors (Total Rewards from Harrah's, M Life from MGM, Club Grazie from Venetian). Doens't matter if you don't use them - the important thing is you have them.
And on that note - most hotels (Bally's included) let's you have priority valet when you have a Total Rewards card - meaning your car shows up first. When you leave the car, tip the guy $10 immediately. Then $5 every other time. Your car will be well-taken care of. Don't bother self-parking - it's too f*cking hot and you're staying such a short time - you dont want to waste it looking for parking and hiking through the disgusting parking garages.
Lastly - when you're inevitably stumbling back from a night of drinking - best place for carbs at 3 AM in the morning:
1 - Earl of Sandwich at Planet Hollywood. I personally love the Chinese Chicken wrap. There will be a lineup. It goes quickly enough.
2 - "Secret Pizza" at the Cosmo - head up to the 3rd floor where all the restaurants are - you will find a few sitting areas and a Kidrobot museum like thing. There will be a hallway with an inexplicable lineup. That's Secret Pizza. NY style pizza for $4 a slice. Expensive? A bit. But there's nothing better at 4 AM and when you're drunk and can't drive to Fukuburger or Slidin' Thru.
3 - Carnegie Deli at Mirage. I've never been - but how can you go wrong with a foot tall cold cut sandwich?