Eat: Recommended Restaurants

By James P. Reza

Old-school Las Vegans may conjure a different image of the hole-in-the-wall gang. But with all that mobster mess long buried in an Indiana cornfield (or a Utah cemetary), all we want to do now is eat. And to do it cheaply. Quietly. Without complications, ostentations or conflagrations. Capiche?

Broadway Pizzeria

850 S. Rancho Drive; 259-9002

$; Casual

"Hey, how you doin', chief?" Greeted thusly by the dough tosser the moment the door swings wide to this unassuming storefront, you know this is a good Nu Yawk pizzeria. Centrally located, Broadway Pizzeria has become the favorite Italian takeout joint for the Navigator moms from the nearby pricey 'hoods, as well as a hopping spot for the downtown lunch bunch. The deep dish is good, but we prefer the thin crust.

Coachman's Inn

3240 S. Eastern Ave.; 731-4202

$$; Casual

It doesn't get much more quintessential old Vegas than this little 24-hour eastside continental joint. Famous as much for its peanut butter pie as for the pedigree of its patrons back in the day, the Coachman's Inn remains the kind of relatively undiscovered hole into which the real Las Vegas disappears after dark. Some of the patrons have been coming here for years, still dressed in their black-and-whites while supping after work.

El Sombrero Cafe

807 S. Main St.; 382-9234

$; Casual

Since 1950, El Sombrero has been the archetypical Mexican hole-in-the-wall. A tiny storefront in a part of town most suburbanites ignorantly avoid, El Sombrero is still owned by the same bloodline that launched it. The food is classic Mex-American: cheap, good eats overflowing the plate. Weekday lunches are consistently busy.

Florida Cafe

1401 Las Vegas Blvd. South; 385-3013

$-$$; Casual

Shoehorned into the front of the Howard Johnson Hotel, this Cuban cafe does a good job of offering something for everyone. Breakfast is fairly standard; make certain you sample the Cuban bread and eggs with sweet plantains. At lunch and dinner, there are more Cuban specialties--chuletas empanizadas (breaded pork chops) and picadillo aceitunado (Cuban beef hash) among them--along with a tasty appetizer menu.

Frank & Fina's Cocina

5550 W. Charleston Blvd.; 878-8669

$; Casual

Located in a tiny, old A-frame building, Frank and Fina's family-run restaurant is popular with just about everyone: lunching secretaries, hip students on a budget, regular Joes and Josés, and, thanks to the vegetarian section of its menu, granolas. The guacamole is flavorful, and the chimichanga-style burritos stand out. There's only a limited liquor license, so margaritas are made with wine, which is just fine.

Huntridge Drug Restaurant

1122 E. Charleston Blvd.; 384-3737

$; Casual

Remnants of small-town Vegas are hard to find, but this family-run drugstore food counter puts those oversized discount store chains to shame when it comes to atmosphere. If you are accustomed to 1950s hybrid Chinese-American food (tomato chow mein, egg foo yung), then Bill Fong's unassuming diner is the place to get it.

Lotus of Siam

953 E. Sahara Ave.; 735-3033

$$; Smart Casual

Valley insiders know Saipin and Bill Chutima's Thai room is considered one of the best restaurants (and values) in Las Vegas, but even those in the know may be surprised to discover that it's renowned among global travelers too. Visitors tired of the gourmet rooms brave the Commercial Center for top southern Thai (pad Thai, satay), but stay for the northern specialties menu that includes Pla Dook Yang (charbroiled whole catfish).

Montesano's Italian Deli

3441 W. Sahara Ave.; 876-0348

4835 W. Craig Road; 656-3708

$; Casual

One visit illustrates why Montesano's has grown from a small storefront deli to a busy diner. The menu is a mishmash of New York Italian dishes; the pizzas are all delicious, and the sandwiches (including sliced-to-order egg salad) show why locals line up to buy fresh bread. Leave room to gaze at the fresh dessert case.

Skillet Cafe

3923 W. Charleston Blvd.; 877-9083

$; Casual

To call it a greasy spoon does it a disservice; a "classic small-town diner and lunch counter" would be more accurate. Breakfast is always busy and daily-made soups are a favorite of the Vegas old-timers, solo lunchers and residents from the nearby Westleigh and McNeil Estates who frequent the place. Burgers and sandwiches (try the egg salad on toasted sourdough) also come off well.

Tacos Mexico

3820 W. Sahara Ave.; 385-7673

$; Casual

Like something straight out of East L.A., this unassuming Mexican diner is located in a repurposed Googie-style fast food building. Open late and always busy, Tacos Mexico specializes in the real thing: tacos that taste so different you may think you have died and gone to Mexico. Why fast food taco joints still exist is a mystery, for this place does them immeasurably better and almost as cheap.

Thai BBQ

1424 S. Third St.; 383-1128

$; Casual

This longtime Vegas eatery has made a name for itself by satisfying the take-out urges of many a lunching downtown cube farmer, and is the place many in town savored their first taste of Thai iced tea and coffee. The namesake barbecue is tasty, the satay very good and the soup a nice alternative. Be careful what and how you order; this food can be hot.

James P. Reza is the dining editor of the 2004 Zagat Survey: Las Vegas. Haven't seen your fave nosh joint listed? Tip him off at jpreza@cox.net.