Las Vegas Restaurant News & Culinary Events

• Mr. Moto Pizza, the California-based chain known for its hand-tossed thin crust New York-style pies, has opened its first Las Vegas location. The 1,700 sq. ft. space is reminiscent of a classic New York-style pizzeria, with red brick and subway tiles and contemporary design elements such as neon details. The pizza combinations include Mamma Moto with burrata cheese, truffle oil, parsley and cherry tomatoes on a homemade garlic paste base; and Furious Diablo with garlic chicken, Buffalo sauce and homemade ranch. There are also gluten-free and vegan options; and stromboli, calzones, garlic knots,wings, salads, pasta dishes (such as chicken pesto penne) and desserts including tiramisu and NY cheesecake. Guests can serve themselves at a draft beer wall offering a range of local beers and the pizzeria’s own brand: Mr. Moto Blondie. Mr. Moto is open daily from 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. For more info and to view the complete menu visit mrmotopizza.com. Mr. Moto Pizza, 9270 S Rainbow Blvd. Suite #100, Las Vegas, NV 89139, 725-208-8252.

• Mikaya Wagyu Shabu House, the latest opening from Chubby Group (the team behind The X Pot and Chubby Cattle), has opened its first Las Vegas location in Chinatown. The menu offers three-tiered all-you-can-eat options, priced at $45, $55 and $78, which include domestic, Australian and Japanese wagyu. Each price point also includes a specialty dish appetizer (such as such as foie gras, sweet shrimp sashimi, wagyu nigiri, wagyu tartare and wagyu bone marrow), and your beef also comes with condiments of Thai chile, spicy soy sauce, sesame sauce, pasteurized egg, ponzu sauce, green onion and garlic. Four seasoned broths to cook your meat, veggies and seafood in a shabu pot at your table include sukiyaki, house ponzu, spicy-misu and Japanese tomato. The pots are conveniently divided into two sections allowing you to experiment with two different broths of your choice. Mikiya Wagyu Shabu House is open Sun.-Thu. noon-11:30 p.m. and Fri. & Sat. noon-2:30 a.m. Mikiya Wagyu Shabu House, 3930 Spring Mountain Rd., Las Vegas, NV 89102, 725-500-5664.

• Celebrity chef duo Susan Feniger and Mary Sue Milliken (creators of Border Grill) have opened their first-ever drive-thru and and first free-standing location of their quick-serve BBQ Mexicana. Located just north of the 215 Beltway at Sunset and Durango in Southwest Las Vegas, everything on the menu is fresh and made from scratch and features their acclaimed smoked meats, which are mesquite smoked for 14 hours and include pulled pork, mesquite smoked chicken and slow smoked brisket. Several burritos and tacos are offered, such as pulled pork with manchego cheese and crispy jalapeños, avocado chicken with crispy potatoes and cilantro coleslaw, smoked brisket with chipotle mayo and habanero bbq sauce and smoked tofu with charred corn relish and pickled vegetables. A kids menu has choices of fried chicken tacos, brisket taquitos, chicken tenders, black bean & cheese burrito and quesadilla. The restaurant is open from 11 a.m.-8 p.m. daily with indoor seating for 40. BBQ Mexicana, 8480 West Sunset Road Suite #200, Las Vegas, NV 89113, 702-552-0111.

• “Zorro,” made with Producer Mezcal, Guinness reduction, and chocolate, orange and tobacco bitters 
• “Seven Serpents,” an Old Fashioned made with Abasolo Mexican Whiskey, a 100% ancestral Mexican cacahuazintle corn, Nixta, bitters and demerara 
• “Night Fishing Taxi,” a margarita variation with Thai inspiration, made with rice and ginger infused Espolon Blanco, lime, thai-spice honey and Bangkok Betty Bitters 

• Happy Camper Pizza is now open at the Fashion Show mall. The decor captures both a feel of the outdoors and nostalgia, with disco balls, artificial turf, red neon lights, an actual vintage camper, retractable roof, heaters, hanging string lights, greenery, fire pits, cabanas and communal seating. The food menu includes queso elote dip; whipped feta; double smash burger; Baja fish tacos; ahi tuna poke bowl; and several non-traditional specialty pizzas like BBQ chicken, prosciutto & spinach, chicken ranch, Mediterranean and street corn. The beverage menu has cleverly-named concoctions like the Big Ass Lemonade (32 oz of pink lemonade & vodka) and Trailer Park Queen (prosecco, elderflower and lemon); and more than a dozen beers including the locally-made Able Baker Atomic Duck IPA, Bad Beat High Society Pilsner and Big Dog’s Tailwagger Wheat and Las Vegas Lager. To view the Happy Camper menu, click here. Happy Camper Pizza, 3200 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas, NV 89109, 702-737-8747.

• Clique Hospitality’s Bel-Aire Backyard at Durango Casino & Resort is now open. Spanning more than 65,000 square feet, the space features a sprawling deck and pool, two poolside bars, event and lawn space, lush greenery, cabanas and an oversized hot tub; and the Backyard Grill, a 96-seat restaurant and bar offering an expansive menu of breakfast bites, sashimi and sushi, flatbreads, burgers and more. Highlights of the menu include miso sea bass lettuce cups with baby gem lettuce, pickled veggies and crispy kataifi; sushi rolls such as the Durango roll with ahi tuna, BBQ eel, grilled pineapple, sweet soy and micro shiso; summer watermelon salad with cucumber, feta, pickled red onions and mint vinaigrette; lobster roll with herb aioli; truffle penne pasta with prosciutto and truffle cream; and grilled 10 oz Prime NY strip loin with bone marrow herb butter and au poivre sauce. The Bell-Aire Backyard is open daily from 9 a.m.-sunset and the Backyard Grill is open daily from 11 a.m.-sunset. Bel-Aire Backyard Grill, Durango Casino, 6915 S. Durango Dr., Las Vegas, NV 89113, 702-567-7893.

• Parry’s Sliceria & Taps is now open at the Waldorf Astoria on the Vegas Strip next to ARIA. Located in a separate building steps from the hotel main entrance, the restaurant and bar shares seating space with Whataburger, the fast-food burger chain’s first location on the Vegas Strip. The common seating features booths, banquettes and TVs throughout including a huge screen on the Whataburger side and several seats at Parry’s wraparound bar. Shareables include hand-bettered wings tossed with choice of more than a dozen sauces. Several NY-style pizza options include the likes of margherita, veggie, supreme, meat lovers and a white pie with ricotta and Italian sausage. The pizzas are matched with 84 beer taps from more than a dozen from local breweries including Able Baker, Bad Beat, Big Dog’s, CraftHaus, Lovelady, Mojave and Tenaya Creek. Fans of brown spirits are not left out, as the Parry’s Lounge, located one level above the sliceria, focuses mainly on bourbon and whiskey. Parry’s Sliceria & Taps, Waldorf Astoria, 3752 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Suite 180, Las Vegas, NV 89158, 725-201-9086.

• Wineaux, a “wine market, bar and escape” by James Beard Award-winning chef Shawn McClain, master sommelier Nick Hetzel and restaurateurs Richard and Sarah Camarota, is now open at the UnCommons urban campus. The 2,500 square feet of mixed retail and bar/lounge space is adorned with natural woods, stonework, lounge-style seating with tables, a 10-seat bar and 12-seat tasting table. The wine selection curated by master sommelier Nick Hetzel features hundreds of bottles of wine from all over the world that can be enjoyed at Wineaux or at home. Created by chef McClain, Wineaux’s food menu is a collection of shareables, snacks and small plates that pair well with wine. Highlights include chilled oysters with cucumber-kosho mignonette; beef tartare with salsa macha and horseradish; Dungeness crab roll served on brioche with stone-ground mustard aioli; foie parfait with a Bordeaux gelee, Asian pear and toasted hazelnuts; and a whimsical almond butter and jelly waffle. A takeaway counter offers charcuterie, cheese, smoked salmon, caviar and other luxuries. Wineaux, 6887 Helen Toland St. #110, Las Vegas, NV 89113, 725-527-6009.

• Junior’s, the iconic Brooklyn, New York eatery that debuted in 1950, is now open at Resorts World and marks the brand's sixth US and first West Coast location. The new 300-seat venue offers full-service breakfast, lunch, dinner and late-night menus and its legendary cheesecake with two dozen flavors including original New York plain, strawberry, chocolate mousse, red velvet, pumpkin, key lime and Oreo. The breakfast menu features breakfast classics such as French toast, giant omelets and lox and eggs. The lunch and dinner options include seven steak-burger variations; deli sandwiches like pastrami, corned beef, chopped liver, brisket and baked Virginia ham; BBQ chicken and ribs; and chef specialties like Hungarian beef goulash and Romanian tenderloin steak. Complementing the fare is a curated cocktail program at its full-service bar. Special offers are the queen-cut Prime rib special served with mixed veggies, mashed potatoes and au jus for $39.95 Friday-Saturday; and a 20% discount Sunday-Thursday to Nevada residents with valid ID. Junior’s, 3000 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas, NV 89109, 702-676-6963.

• Kallisto Oyster Bar at Naxos inside Red Rock Casino Resort & Spa has relaunched as Red Rock Casino Oyster Bar and will bring the beloved dishes and recipes of Station Casinos' iconic original Oyster Bar to the Summerlin area casino. The menu showcases a selection of classic and original recipes made fresh to order, including freshly shucked oysters, homemade chowders, gumbo, pan roasts and seafood pastas. In addition to the menu transformation, the exterior has been modified to mirror the aesthetics of Durango and Palace Station’s Oyster Bars. “Our guests have expressed their desire for the distinctive Oyster Bar experience reminiscent of Palace Station, and we’ve listened,” said Lou Abin, founder of Naxos Taverna. “The Oyster Bar is a Vegas institution and we look forward to upholding that tradition of excellence.” The Oyster Bar is open Sunday through Thursday from 11 a.m.-11 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m.-1 a.m. Red Rock Casino Oyster Bar, 11011 W Charleston Blvd., Las Vegas, NV 89135, 866-767-7773, 702-797-7777.

• Celebrated chef and restaurateur Michael Mina has opened Orla at Mandalay Bay in Restaurant Row in the former space of Fleur. The décor features large olive trees, mosaic tile floor and hues of pink, blue, gold and orange like you would find in markets in coastal Mediterranean towns. The concept blends the flavors of the Mediterranean, Greece and Middle East and reflects Mina’s heritage and tastes he experienced growing up in Egypt. The menu features several gems from the sea, like lobster salad with blistered peppers, avocado and mango; salt-baked sea bream with shaved zucchini and oregano vinaigrette; and phyllo-crusted petrale sole with smoked dukkah, golden raisins and turmeric butter. An array of charcoal-grilled meats includes spice-roasted Rohan duck with smoked beet cream, freekeh and sour cherries; and black harissa-grilled lamb chops with yemista stuffed squash and roasted pepper. Complementing the fare is a list of more than 1,600 wines focusing on wineries throughout the Mediterranean region. Orla is open daily from 4:30-9:30 p.m. Orla, 3950 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas, NV 89119, 702-632-7777, 877-632-7800.

• In November 2023, the legendary Peter Luger opened at Caesars Palace in the former space of Rao’s. It is the first domestic expansion in more than 60 years for the restaurant which opened its doors in Brooklyn in 1887 as Carl Luger's Café, Billiards & Bowling Alley. USDA Prime beef cuts are dry-aged onsite for 30 days or more in a 4,000-square-foot space. The décor features an octagonal-shaped dining room with brick arches, hardwood flooring, bronze chandeliers, a high ceiling and photos detailing the restaurant’s history. The menu is the same as the one in NYC, but this location is the first to offer a raw bar. Steaks are served with clarified butter and natural juices. The lunch menu is the same as the dinner, with the addition of a steak sandwich and a ½ pound Luger burger comprised of USDA Prime ground beef and dry-aged steak trimmings. Dinner is served nightly and lunch is available Wed-Sun. Peter Luger Steak House, 3570 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas, NV 89109, 702-731-7110, 877-427-7243.