These days, capturing food and décor photos for your Instagram is as much a part of the dining experience as actually enjoying the cuisine itself. While the platform seemingly has no end of envy-inducing eats and dreamy design inspiration, there’s one way to make your feed stand out: take a trip to Las Vegas and document some of the city’s most photogenic restaurants.
This glittering entertainment capital is a smorgasbord for the senses. The destination not only delivers on fun, but it also boasts one serious foodie scene that’s worth its weight in visual gold. From a Korean coffee shop with picture-perfect rainbow pastries to a cocktail lounge that garnishes drinks with cotton candy, here are the most Instagram-worthy (and delectable) hotspots on and off the Strip.
Mizumi
The Japanese eatery Mizumi at the Wynn Las Vegas hotel is a feast for the eyes and the tastebuds. The main dining room is a vivid sea of red and gold decked out with traditional theater masks, obi sashes and hand-painted Japanese fans. But the real draw here are the gardens: a lush oasis complete with a koi pond and a 90-foot waterfall. The restaurant’s extensive menu includes teppanyaki, robatayaki, and inventive entrees such as 72-hour braised American wagyu short rib with a panko-fried sweet pea and lobster rice cake.
Bardot Brasserie
Inside the ARIA Resort & Casino, Bardot Brasserie transports you from the Strip straight to the streets of Paris. Step inside the sultry 1920s-inspired restaurant and enjoy a drink at the brass-clad bar, or opt for the cozy outdoor café seating overlooking Aria’s second-floor promenade, which feels like you’re people-watching along the Champs-Élysées. With a French brasserie-style menu created by James Beard award-winning chef Michael Mina, Bardot Brasserie takes classic French bistro fare to mouthwatering new heights. Try the steak frites cooked over an oak-wood-and-charcoal grill with beef fat fries. C’est magnifique.
Greene St. Kitchen
Greene St. Kitchen in the Palms Hotel & Casino combines an upscale restaurant with what’s essentially a gallery space. An homage to New York City’s Greene Street and its gritty-meets-artsy vibe, the space is a haven for modern art lovers. An old-school arcade leads to a vintage vending machine that serves as the door to the restaurant. Inside, you pass a graffitied hallway by New York artist CES on your way to the dining area. Large-scale murals by painters including Los Angeles-based Kenny Scharf line the walls, but the pièce de résistance is Smiley Coppers Panel I (2002) by elusive street artist Banksy. The hotel had it chiseled off the side of a building (door and all) and installed under glass. The Asian fusion menu features shared plates like spicy crispy shrimp and mains including stuffed lobster filled with lump crab and Ritz cracker stuffing.
Vanderpump Cocktail Garden
Fans of Vanderpump Rules and The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills may flock to Vanderpump Cocktail Garden at Caesars Palace for a glimpse of the grande dame herself, Lisa Vanderpump, or a snap of her scene-stealing pup Giggy, but there’s more to this bar than its famous name. The sumptuous night garden oasis is every bit as glamorous as its owner and her Los Angeles restaurants. From the plush velvet walls and hanging greenery to the flickering candlelight and romantic chandeliers, Vanderpump Cocktail Garden delivers the decadence and the photogenic cocktails—like Puff The Magic Dragon, a blend of mezcal, dragon fruit, lemon, orange bitters, firewater bitters, jalapeño, and tajín.
Mott 32
Named for New York City’s first Chinese grocery store, Mott 32 brings a taste of Hong Kong to The Palazzo at The Venetian. The menu is a tantalizing mix of Cantonese, Szechuan, and Beijing dishes, each with its own opulent touch. Try the incredibly crispy-yet-moist 42-day applewood-roasted Peking duck served on a golden platter with peanut-butter-hoisin sauce and sliced tableside, or the perfectly plump hot-and-sour Ibérico pork soup dumplings—each one comes in its own individual basket for easy sharing and eating. Before digging in, be sure to appreciate the crimson and gold furnishings, boa-draped chandeliers, and vintage roulette wheel.
NoMad Restaurant
Inspired by the Royal Portuguese Cabinet of Reading in Rio de Janeiro, NoMad Restaurant delivers dramatic old-world flair, with a dining room set inside a library housing over 20,000 tomes. A handsome spiral staircase, an antique fireplace from France, and custom-crafted, three-tiered chandeliers set the tone for the restaurant. In other words, there’s no shortage of possible Instagram moments here, including the filet mignon tartare prepared tableside. No visit to NoMad would be complete, however, without chef Daniel Humm’s famous signature roast chicken for two, stuffed with a combination of foie gras, black truffle, and brioche, it’s no ordinary bird.
Chandelier Bar
A whopping 2 million crystals form the massive chandelier that cascades like a waterfall down the three levels of Chandelier Bar at The Cosmopolitan resort. Though you might be tempted to come just for the shimmering photo-op, you’ll want to stay for the expertly crafted cocktails, which vary from floor to floor. And while you’re at the hotel, why not hop on over to the Ghost Donkey speakeasy, cleverly hidden behind a nondescript door (hint: there’s a donkey on it) at the back of Block 16 Urban Food Hall. Here, you can sip on an extensive array of mezcals and tequilas and devour the best nachos on the Strip.
Eataly
Part Italian market, part upscale eatery, and part wonderland for the food-obsessed, Eataly at the Park MGM takes you on a culinary tour from Turin to Sicily with an array of authentic offerings to nosh on as you meander. Neapolitan-style pizza with a beautifully burnished crust, creamy Sicilian cannoli, homemade pasta, perfectly cooked fresh fish and sustainable meats, and glorious Italian cheeses tempt at every turn. Two restaurants, three bars, and a Cucina del Mercato (or “kitchen of the market,” with six food counters) mean there’s something delicious for everyone and plenty of great vino to wash it all down.
Best Friend at Park MGM
Don’t let the kitschy bodega entrance fool you. Behind the door is Best Friend restaurant by Roy Choi, the Los Angeles chef and food truck pioneer. You’ll find yourself in a Koreatown-meets-Downtown-L.A. joint set amid murals featuring celebrity caricatures, dangling topiaries, and servers donning bright green tracksuits. The menu is a melting pot of the finger-licking-good flavors Choi is known for. Dig into Korean barbecue, such as spicy pork belly and shoulder with gochujang, kimchi fried rice bowls, and hoisin-chili baby back ribs with green onions and sesame seeds.
Juniper Cocktail Lounge
Juniper Cocktail Lounge at Park MGM Las Vegas not only boasts the largest gin collection in Las Vegas—with more than 80 different varieties on the menu—but also offers some of the most creative cocktails on the Strip. Meet the Carnival, a blend of Tanqueray, lime, and St. Germain topped with a cloud of cotton candy. Or try A Little Birdie, which combines gin, strawberry purée, dry vermouth, and fresh lemon in a bird-shaped glass with the most elaborate garnish “tail.” If this drink is any indication, Juniper is the perfect place to go for Instagram gold.
Gäbi Coffee & Bakery
Gäbi Coffee & Bakery takes its cue from 1920s Korean coffee culture. Behind the unmarked antique door is an industrial warehouse that’s anything but utilitarian. Central to the design is a greenhouse where all the roasting and baking happens. Kick back on the eclectic array of mismatched seating (including a block of wooden bleachers) amid tall trees, hanging Edison bulbs, and woven chandeliers. The coffee and pastries here are as enticing as the surroundings. Try The Gabi, a cappuccino sprinkled with dry coffee and raw sugar, with one of the bakery’s tempting pastries, such as the eye-catching rainbow roulade or the lychee rose cake with its beautifully browned meringue rosettes.
Black Tap
Though it was built on craft burgers and beer, Black Tap, inside The Venetian, went viral because of its spectacular Crazy Shakes. Each of these larger-than-life concoctions are so much more than a milkshake and decadent enough to be a meal unto itself. Take, for example, the Bam Bam Shake, which features a fruity crispy marshmallow treat, strawberry pop tart, taffy, whipped cream, and a vanilla rim frosted with fruity cereal. And if you still need more, you can even add a shot of Grand Marnier.
