Rex66,
Thanks for the address on Lotus, I've been meaning to check them out since I read that article.
You may be a gold mine of information to the folks here. So where else do the locals like to go?

Well OK, since you asked...
Since we kind of started on Thai restaurants, this one is the local newspaper readers pick for "Best of Las Vegas" (From the LV Review Journal):

Thai Spice Restaurant
4433 W. Flamingo Road
Las Vegas, NV

"Spice puts the life in Thai cuisine, so no wonder readers like Thai Spice, which knows how to fill out the flavor. Special touches elevate Thai Spice above many of the valley's other Thai restaurants, such as the use of rice crepes in its egg rolls and dishes such as Siamese duckling, which is marinated in ginger, onion and soy and baked to a perfect crispness. The considerably spicier Lotus of Siam finishes a distant second."

Lotus of Siam is excellent and rightfully gets plenty of kudos, but this place is phenomenal. One thing it doesn't have is much of a wine program, which is the one thing LoS has in it's favor, especially among those on this BB. Komol, coincidentally in the same stripmall as LoS, also has excellent Thai food. My buddy, who's half Thai, says their food is more like what his mom cooks; more rustic, whereas LoS is more polished.

For Italian, I like a place called Carmine's Little Italy. It's really a sports bar/video poker joint, but the food is great! Friday's special is Osso Buco--going there tonight as a matter of fact, along with a bottle of '95 Banfi Brunello. No corkage!

Mneely- Zufferino's in Venetian. I've had dinner and lunch and both were excellent.

For lunch our waiter suggested an excellent red by the glass. Sorry didn't take notes and the visit was in Jan. Food and Wine will not break the bank. Food and service are excellent.

Also went to Bobby Flay's, Commander's Palace and Valentino. Most places are getting very pricey. I suggest to call ahead and check out corkage. Most run 25-35. Good luck !

I recently dined at Guy Savoy. Top notch service, excellent food and a wine list that is pretty comprehensive if somewhat weighted to old world, especially burgundy. They bring out a large wooden stand to hold it.

Not really QPR though. About $300 per person with a medium priced bottle of wine. The 96 Leoville Poyfere was around 175.

If you choose the 9 course meal, it's 290 without wine.

Im going to Vegas and already have my eyes set on the wines-by-the-glass list at Aureole. Ive been to Vegas 3 times in the past 2 years, and every time I eat at Bouchon at the Venetian. Top notch food and wine. Thomas Keller's staff does a terrific job and the wine list is outstanding. I would consider this a medium-high end restaurant.

The grill at Valentinos is fabulous as well. Also at the Venetian.

Il Mulino at the Shops at Cesars is great as well. Fabulous food.

Im personal friends with Brian Ogden(chef de cuisine and son of Bradley Ogden) so I have to recommend Bradley Ogden at Caesars.

Finally, check out some of the lesser known restaurants at the Paris such as Mon Ami Gabi, a traditional old world brasserie and Eiffel Tower - ran and partially owned by Jean Joho (Everest fame in Chicago)

Last time I was in Vegas, I ate at DB Bistro Moderne at the Wynn. It was fabulous with a great wine list! The view of the waterfall and the dancing frog who lipsyncs to Louis Armstrong's "What a Wonderful World" is great!

Hope this helps!

Fleur de Lys in the Mandalay and Valentino at the Venetian. We thought that the Vegas Valentino was better than the original in Santa Monica. Fleur de Lys is a beautiful place with great food and a top chef, Laurent Pillard.

I have to mention that many places are way-overpriced and inconstent. I visited these restaurant during summer time...

Bartolotta Ristorante Di Mare

Just skip so-so and overpriced appetizers. I was looking for something that is very inventive, but all of food were very common..But their seafood risotto and all pasta were very italian and I had a wonderful crispy guinea hen. Just order main meals..

Nobu

As a very experineced eater in Japan,I don't really understand why this place got very popular.Of course, some of food were very creative and interesting to try. Believe me, I can find much better Japanese restaurants in CA or so. The quality was good but it didn't meet my expectation for what I've paid for. The portion is so tiny and a lot sauces were based on too much soy sauce. But sushi was good not that great.Just right balance..

Shanghai LillyMandalay Bay

This is joking. I ordered peking duck but it wasn't authentic at all. It's more like "fried chiken" style for ridiculous $60. Some were okay some weren't. No BYOW, and their wine are really overpriced. Nothing special but big price.

DB bistro at Wynn

I enjoyed there. Great wine service and lists. Their food was very neat and sophiscated. I had braised beef ribs and was very flavorfull. I like their style to draw out natural flavors without too much manipulation.

Jean-Philippe Patisserie Dessert

Very French. Almost closer to Paris's top place. But, I wish they would put just slightly less sugar on icecream,breads,cake...Little sticky and little sweet for my taste.

Next time, I'll visit French restaurants like Guy Savoy,picasso..when the weather is cool enough to wear jacket..I hope I'll be able to enjoy more on next time...

Well, got back from Vegas a couple days ago. We did visit Battista's and had a good meal. It reminded me alot of a good Italian chain called Buca Di'Beppo. Staff was friendly as heck, but as my wife did not have her Prilosec with her, I declined the complementary "red or white" wine caraffe.
The only other place of note that I visited was the "55 degrees" wine bar in Mandalay Bay. Very interesting "2001:A Space Odyssey"-ish look; everything white molded plastic with small alcoves in the walls for featured bottlings. Interestingly, their Washington section was nearly a mirror of my own cellar. Prices were about 1.75-2 times regular retail from what I could see.
FYI, I had a nice Burgundy and Amarone by the glass, though the cost was $21 for the two 2-ounce tastings. And the pourer was much too interested in a hot chick at the bar to offer much service to the other dozen people in the place.

Aureole - Mandalay Bay
Mix - Mandalay Bay
Prime - Bellagio

As good as dining gets.