What to eat in Vegas? Here's some affordable dining options! 😍

Looking for Foodie Heaven on a budget?

Most people when they think of Vegas think casinos, gambling, and partying. When I think of Vegas: I think pools, art, and FOOD. Oh my gosh, the amount of crazy good food options in Las Vegas is actually overwhelming. When you’re in town for just a couple of days and super busy, how do you know where to stop? We’ve compiled a list of affordable options for when you find yourself thinking- what to eat in Vegas?

I ran into the same issue while planning for this trip. I knew we’d be busy, and had the extra concern of trying to only do outdoor dining. Neither of the resorts we stayed at had fridges or microwaves in the room (which is normal for Vegas Strip hotels). This limited our options in a good way! The added restrictions made it easier to choose things nearby that we could order and bring up to the room to eat at night, or slightly off-Strip that we could to drive to.

First time trying the Grand Lux Cafe and we were far from disappointed! 📷: Steph Lamar Photography

*Pro Tip for Dining in Vegas

Before you pack your bags for Sin City, be sure to plan some meals in advance. Especially nowadays, if you want to do a fancy brunch/dinner I would suggest booking a reservation before you get into town! If you are still wary about dining indoors but want to have a fancy meal, take a look at Prime (steakhouse) and Lago (Italian) at the Bellagio. These spots are both indoor/outdoor and have a spectacular view of the iconic Bellagio Dancing Fountains.

For our purposes- we were looking for reasonable prices, delicious food, and outdoor dining. Or in-resort food we could bring up to our room and not worry about reheating!

1. Nacho Daddy (Multiple Locations)

First stop upon landing? NACHO DADDY.

Okay, that is a lie. We went to Taco Bell. 😂 But ONLY because Nacho Daddy told us there was an hour wait to sit outside! So, at this point I’m beyond exhausted from the flight debacle (late takeoff, looney seat neighbors, tension headache, 6 hours from Newark and a time zone change, etc.), plus walking around in the 100+ degree heat. We needed to eat something and FAST or we were about to go to low-blood sugar level HANGRY.

But, Nacho Daddy is somewhere I have gone every single time I have been to Vegas! So, I was reluctant to accept defeat and put us on the wait list. Luckily, the Taco Bell Cantina was only a short walk away! We jetted on over, prepared to sit outdoors there, game plan, and eat something small while we waited for a table to be available at Nacho Daddy. But, you know what they say about the best laid plans. 😂

Well worth the wait for that dip 😍

Chip dipping into a melted queso dip in a black bowl with jalapeños on top — The Triple Dip had super melty queso heated with a little candle to keep it liquified! 📷: Steph Lamar Photography

No sooner than we got a Taco Bell burrito, I had a text pop up from the Nacho Daddy himself. Buzz buzz your table is already ready anddddd YA PLAYED YOURSELF. 😂 So now we are BOOKING it back down the street to get there before our window expires, masks in one hand, ravenously devouring a $3 burrito with the other right up until we physically sat down at this restaurant.

We were laughing uncontrollably at the absurdity of it all, but ended up getting a delicious app to share! We had the Triple Dip which included queso dip, guacamole, salsa, and tortilla chips. The service was phenomenal as well. Our waitress kept bringing extra water for us to hydrate and two different salsas for the table because we weren’t sure of the heat level!

2. Curry Pot (The Venetian)

This awesome quick-service Indian restaurant is located in the main food court at the Venetian resort and open 24- hours a day! Another spot I’ve been to more than once in Vegas, Curry Pot’s portions are huge and the food is perfectly spiced.

black To-Go container with a large portion of rice and Naan and two smaller portions filled with chana masala from Curry Pot Las Vegas — Not visually stunning by any means, but man does it make up for it in flavor!

Their menu has a ton of Vegetarian/Vegan options. This time around I ordered the Chana Masala Pot, which had garbanzo beans, onions, and ginger-garlic paste with sides of cumin basmati rice, Naan bread, and salad. All that for only $14 in a fancy resort?? Definitely a bang for your buck type of place!

3. LobsterMe (Multiple Locations)

Huge lobster fan over here! Even though I didn’t snag anything this time we went, I had to show this place to Stephanie. This was another spot I frequented with my mom when we first visited Vegas together!

Closeup of a lobster roll with a side of coleslaw and waffle fries, from LobsterMe in the Venetian Las Vegas — Are you more of a Connecticut or a Maine Lobster Roll fan??

Steph went for the classic: a hearty Connecticut Lobster Roll with waffle fries. Next time, I’ve already decided I have to try the Surf and Turf Philly, which has shaved Angus steak, caramelized onions, chunks of lobster and crab, all smothered in a lobster cheese sauce 😍. Yes please.

4. Born N Raised (Off Strip)

I already mentioned Born N Raised on my list of top moments from this Vegas trip, so you KNOW I was a big fan of this one! Definitely at the top of my list of things to do again next time. The service was stellar, the outdoor dining area was cool and quiet, and the food was beyond delicious.

This visit, we got the Prime Rib Dip and Buffalo Chicken Sliders along with a Chicken Caesar Salad to share. It was plenty of food for the two of us, but this is the type of place where you wish you could try one of everything on the menu!

plates of food at a restaurant in Vegas, two plates with sliders, two small white bowls with chicken Caesar salad — Which sliders would you want to devour most? 📷: Steph Lamar Photography

5. Grand Lux Cafe (The Venetian)

You may not have heard of the Grand Lux Cafe before, but you definitely have heard of its’ founders other notable restaurant venture- The Cheesecake Factory! This location was actually the very first Grand Lux to open, and now there are 14 nationwide.

Not quite as big a sensation as The Cheesecake Factory, but a very similar menu filled with delicious food and excessive portions. Since it was open late night with an extensive menu, this was definitely a good find for us!

Our first round dinner is featured at the top of this post. I got the Madeira Chicken (also quite similar to the Cheesecake Factory version)- chicken breast sautéed with asparagus and mashed potatoes, covered with a mushroom-madeira sauce and mozzarella cheese. Steph went with the Roast Turkey and Brie Sandwich with apples, arugula, sun-dried cherries and apricots!

Round 2 at Grand Lux Cafe! 📷: Steph Lamar Photography

Our second meal from here (pictured above) was actually just me eating dinner alone, at midnight, per usual 😂. Steph is def not a huge meal in the middle of the night type gal, but here I am about to dig into my Buffalo Chicken Rolls and Chopped Salad! Both were phenomenal, to the point that I ate way too much in an effort not to waste any!

6. Pinkbox (Off Strip)

Pinkbox Donuts in Vegas, a pink box filled with six gourmet donuts of varying colors and flavors — Once we left Vegas, it was a “beat the clock” to get these babies back indoors and safe in Death Valley before they melted!

Alright. If you put up a huge billboard that screams BEST DONUTS IN VEGAS 3 YEARS RUNNING, OPEN 24 HOURS A DAY, I’m obviously going to go to it. That’s just inevitable.

The online menu looked nuts, and the array of fresh donuts awaiting us was just as tantalizing. I needed help from both the employees and Steph to narrow it down to these six to try!! There were just too many delicious-looking options.

Overall, the donuts were AWESOME and I would absolutely go back to try more on my next trip. My favorite was the Butterface DoughCro, which was a half donut/half croissant frosted with chocolate and peanut butter swirl. I love a good chocolate peanut butter combo and the pastry texture was just out of this world!

Our group rankings differed slightly, but the least fav was definitely that pink one! We thought it would be a soft, strawberry frosted one, but it was not 😬. From Worst to Best (in my opinion)- Pink Rainbow Ring, Maple Ol’ Fashioned, Crumb Bun, The Big Samoan, Blueberry Glazed, and Butterface DoughCro.

6 gourmet donuts on a bright green cutting board — Had to cut these up to do a big taste test!

7. Chica (The Venetian)

Chica seems to be a new-ish arrival at the Venetian hotel that I had not noticed on my previous trips. I’d walked by this exact spot before (somewhere between Yardbird and the Dorsey Cocktail Bar).

The regular menu looked superb, and this was certainly the best of the options to snag a complimentary breakfast at our hotel! Pictured below is the Avocado Toast, which came with pomegranate, pumpkin seeds, and Fresno chile, and a Breakfast Sandwich complete with a weird-looking egg (which tasted fine despite the odd texture), bacon, cheese, and a specialty sauce!

We ate here twice (Coconut Chia Granola Bowl and Buñuelo Donuts the second time), but I am not a big breakfast person so it’s not something I would likely get again. Would most certainly NOT recommend the coffee though- if you get the breakfast included with your stay, go for the iced tea. 😂

Avocado toast with onions and chilis in a white box alongside a breakfast sandwich filled with cheese bacon and egg. Takeout breakfast from Chica in the Venetian Vegas — One of our complimentary breakfasts from Chica in the Venetian!

8. In N Out (Multiple Locations)

There are two major camps when it comes to In N Out, the “overrated and meh” group and the “obsessed and lining up for more” group 😂. I would say I fall somewhere in the middle. I LOVE In N Out, but you will only catch me going there for a Double Double Animal Style. Insanely good, filling meal- and the company actually pays their employees without having to overprice their food.

If you are looking for affordable and filling, this is a great drive through option that’s exclusive to the west coast! Don’t believe me? You can get a hamburger here for $2.85 and a cheeseburger for only 30 cents more! Can’t argue with those numbers. 😎

close up of two burgers (Double Double and a hamburger) from In N Out in Las Vegas — In N Out haul! Round one of three 😂

There were a couple other amazing spots on my “what to eat in Vegas” Yelp list that we didn’t make it to. But, hopefully those will be my first stops next time!! Shoot me an email or comment below if you have any “must-try” places for me to add! I’m already planning a return trip to my favorite place in the desert. 😏