Eating solo with a budget for 2

My wife and I will be staying at Bellagio on a Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday trip, arriving at lunch time Tuesday and leaving after breakfast Thursday.

She is there for a conference and is completely booked at meal times each lunch/dinner. The good news is, her work is picking up her tab.

So that leaves me with a budget for 2, but dining solo. Where should I go? I want places I can sit at a bar (or I guess a table for 1) and enjoy a great meal, but price really isn't an issue (not that I'm against an awesome cheap meal if it's good atmosphere).

I need 2 lunch spots and 2 dinner spots anywhere on the strip. Probably not heading downtown this trip.

 

Why not change the budget to one and use the rest for gambling or something else?

I guess your real question is - Good places for solo meals.


Olives at Bar is good place for lunch or dinner for that matter.
Bar at Ramseys steakhouse at Paris is pretty good.
There are a number of places at Aria with a large bar that would be good.

 

Gambling budget is all set. I really am just looking for a good restaurant with a bar and am not too worried about cost. I'll just as soon eat at Secret Pizza as I will at Carbone or Sinatra, but didn't want recommendations limited by price.

 

Since you are staying at the B, I vote for the Lobster Pot Pie at MICHAEL MINA. It is freaking awesome. They have good prix fixe menu(s) there as well.

 

Totally second TE Olives. I'm addicted to their beef carpaccio, and it actually feeds two as meal even though an appetizer...as one person you'll be stuffed.

Also, gorgeous ambiance if you like old world/dark woods and lots of detail. If you get Curtis at the bar, he's wonderful.

PS...maybe you can put their most expensive wine on your wife's expense report...59k!

 

Carbone, I've eaten at the bar twice and they have the full menu. Bartenders are great and the food is superb. Nice atmosphere and would have no problem eating there as a solo. Easy to get to Aria from Bellagio, I've eaten there every trip since they opened in October.

 

I like the bar/lounge area of Heritage Steak at Mirage. You can sit at a table and overlook the casino. The chargrilled octopus app is great and the steaks are very good.

 

@DFdetroit
One of my favorite lunch (or dinner) recommendations whether solo or couples would be Estiatorio Milos Greek restaurant next door at Cosmo, 3rd floor Eastside (pics and menus on Cosmopolitan's website) Stylish decor with great atmosphere inside or consider dining on the terrace with a view of the Vegas skyline, attentive service.

A great price fixe 3 course lunch menu around $25 (the unique tomato salad with feta cheese is sooo good). The dinner menu (more expensive) has so many excellent choices, seafood is fresh and excellently prepared.

Like others I also like Olives at Bellagio and Bouchon at Venetian for lunch.

Hope you will come back and let us know how you fared on your dining experiences! So many choices!

 

A lot of great options. Thanks everyone! I'm considering doing a live trip report, since I'll have a lot of solo time on my hands, but we'll see. I don't want to start one and leave everyone hanging if I get distracted.

If I manage to pull one off, I'll be sure to include some good food photos!

 

I 2nd Heritage Steak at Mirage. Right in the casino. Has a great bar area to sit at. Bartenders were cute and friendly. And you can spend some bucks.

 

I didn't really expect much from it, but I really enjoyed my meal at BLT. Food was excellent. (Unless you need to stick with mLife to earn points).

 

I'm going the third person to vote for Heritage Steak. I've eaten at just about every one of the vegas high end steak houses, and the steak at Heritage was the best.
My favorite solo lunch spot is Todd English PUB at Aria. God food and beer selection along with good service.

 

If my wife was at a vegas work convention I would embarrass her by dressing in khakis and collared white polo and a name tag I would create myself and go hang out in the back where all the food and drinks are laid out and get my fill for free and then run out of there and keep that budget money for me and her for somethin else special after she's done.

It's at the bellagio so I know I won't get caught by their red-vested security (remember? Have you seen oceans eleven ) they're doofuses lol.

 

So I just need a lot of balloons, a cowboy hat and an accomplice? I'll call it operation "balloon boy."

 

I like Le Cafe Ile St. Louis in paris.

Sit "outisde(casino floor)", and its great people watching. Great food and service.

 

All of these are great suggestions...I would also recommend The Henry at Cosmopolitan. The atmosphere is cool, there is a bar and the food is very good. Here is a link for some more info:

https://www.cosmopolitanlasvegas.com/restaurants/the-henry

 

You haven't stated a dollar amount. (or if you did, I messed it) Budget for "x" is extremely variable.

When I was 21-30, it was different than today. Nowadays, the amount of my tips for comped meals often exceeds what some people budget for food (yeah, I'm spending way too much, but I do because I can).

If you gave a dollar range, I could make better suggestions.

Here are a few "medium" priced selections, meaning, IF I was paying out of pocket, I'd go there.

1)Harrahs Oyster Bar
2)Wicked Spoon
3)Baccahnal Buffet
4)Wynn Buffet
5)Center Cut Steakhouse at Flamingo


the three buffets are primarily for the quality and variety.

 

Baccahnal buffet > wicked spoon > distant 3rd bellagio(only Buffett with steak tartare though)

 

Is that only on the weekend dinner menu? I love my primitive meat fix in Vegas....bone marrow at Wicked Spoon, beef carpaccio at Olives...Steak tartare would definitely round things out nicely!

 

I believe its any night but don't quote me on it. It's quite good there though imo