Italian on or near the Strip

Looking for reasonably priced Italian food dinner suggestions on or near the strip. We are a laid back crew looking for a spot with good wine and good food without spending $25 for spaghetti.

 

It’s a somewhat divided opinion but Battista’s may be a good choice for what you’re looking for.

 

You're in Vegas Son.... Enjoy

https://bootleggerlasvegas.com/menus/dinner-menu/

you won't be sorry.

 

Bootlegger is great.
So is Chicago Joe.

One of my personal faves is Trevi at Caesars, but that's in the "$25 for spaghetti" class when you include nuisance fees and tips.

There's always Battista's! {ducking, running, looking for a place to hide}

 

Battista's can be a fun experience if the strolling entertainer is good. Food is average at best. Think Stoufers frozen. Bootlegger is a much better choice. Solid food. Another I haven't been to in years is Nora's cuisine. On west Flamingo if I remember correctly. Good food, good prices.

 

Il Fornaio in NYNY is really nice and very affordable.

 

LOL, I'm assuming it's the same guy.

The thing about Battista's is that they include AYCD red and white house wine with each adult dinner. It's not prime vintage by any means, but you can get pleasantly silly on it. (Also a good way to bury EtOH on your expense report, but far be it from me to do such a thing.)

I think those who diss Battistas are mainly disappointed 'cuz they did not get what they expected and were familiar with. If you love those legacy family-owned small-town-Jersey Mom-n-Pop red-sauce places where Pop is in the kitchen and Mom is seating customers (or vice-versa) and the kids are taking orders and bussing tables, you will like it. If you are looking for more contemporary Italian or Italian fusion, you will probably hate it.

It's not one of my regular places, but over several decades now I've never had a bad meal there.

 

Buddy V's at Palazzo is pretty solid and reasonably priced.

 

It depends on what you like, and how define Italian food.

I prefer Calabrian and Sicilian, so the choices are limited, and it requires a drive. I’d also maintain, especially and specifically in Las Vegas, most places highly rated are Americanized and not really traditionally Italian.

If I knew more specifically what you prefer, I can give you some places.

FWIW, you can either favor Batista’s, or hate it, but most of the commentary about the actual food one sees is highly uninformed. And I’ve been to Italy, Sicilian and Calabria on an annual basis for years. The same goes for Martoranos. Neither place is the greatest, but the criticisms of both lead me to believe that the commenters want an Americanized version of the food. The food in Italy is highly regional, and can vary from town to town within a very short distance. The Italian American Club is the same way. People are largely disappointed, but to post comments stating it is bad Italian food is to be willfully ignorant.

eta, I don’t care for the way Branzino is usually prepared in America, nor lamb, but they are both staples of Calabria, albeit bastardized by most restaurants here.

 

My grandparents were German, but grandma could make real Italian food. Battista's can't do that. I wondered how long this chain would go before this place got brought up! (It was in the first response.) The only thing worse than their food, is their wine. It's all you can drink for a reason - no one can drink very much of this stuff. For giggles, I just looked at their menu. If you don't like their house wine, you can upgrade to Barefoot Moscato, or even Riunite Lambrusco. Wow, just wow. That tells you everything you need to know. I've been here 3 times, because the last two times the people I was with insisted (and paid) for the meal. I won't go again, even if it's free. The atmosphere is an accordion player who is ancient even by biblical standards. Some would call this authentic, I'd just call it sad.

 

“Upgrade to Barefoot Moscato”

There’s a phrase I don’t hear every day...

 

If you like family style, Carmine’s in the forum shops at Caesars is excellent. We also ate at Trevi in August and enjoyed it.

 

If you go west of the Strip on Flamingo, Pasta Mia West and Nora's are two places that might be exactly what you are looking for.

 

Agree with Bootleggers and Chicago Joe's

 

Casa Di Amore They will even come to your hotel in a limo and take you to the restaurant
Old school italian.

 

Ferraro’s!

 

2nd for Casa Di Amore. Great food good old style Vegas vibe, and a pretty nice musicians playing. Price is pretty good also. Just a mile or so east of the strip on Tropicana.

 

Chicago Joe's