If you are a Francophile or a foodie (or both!) yearning for French dining, you don’t need to book a flight to France just yet. There are many French dining options right here in the U.S. In fact, if you’re already planning to go on to L.A. after reading the Franco-Foodie Adventures in Los Angeles, just take an hour-long flight from there and you’ll be in another city known for French restaurants: Las Vegas.
Las Vegas gets around 32 million visitors a year, and for good reason. The abundance of things to see and do makes it a place to be. While famous for casinos and entertainment, Las Vegas is also home to many restaurants and chefs with multiple culinary accolades. Here are some of the ones to make reservations at if you’re pining for “cuisine française”:
Bardot Brasserie
Aria Resort and Casino
3730 Las Vegas Blvd. S.
Las Vegas, NV 89109
Credit: www.aria.mgmresorts.com
The ARIA Resort and Casino is known to have one of the best poker rooms in Las Vegas, with its upscale ambience, modern amenities, and complimentary cocktail service. But after playing a round of poker (originating from a French game named Poque), take the escalators and follow the walkway to Chef Michael Mina’s Bardot Brasserie. Step past the entrance, and you’re at a Parisian sidewalk café with bistro-style tables and burgundy booths.
Credit: www.aria.mgmresorts.com
The food is French comfort with a twist, and the drink list has more than 700 choices of wine and 80-plus beers. Go for brunch and try the French toast with its vanilla mascarpone, almond brittle, and orgeat syrup. Have dinner and try the a four-course chef’s experience, or go ala carte and get the Escargot de Bourgogne or the Bardot Wellington (filet mignon, bayonne ham, duxelles black truffle pommes purée, sauce perigourdine).
Bouchon at the Venetian
The Venetian
3355 Las Vegas Blvd. S.
Las Vegas, NV 89109
Credit: www.venetianlasvegas.com
Renowned chef-restaurateur Thomas Keller, who owns two restaurants with three Michelin Stars, brings magic to the city with his Bouchon at the Venetian. With mosaic floors, floor-to-ceiling windows, and hand-painted murals, Bouchon beckons warmly from atop the Venezia Tower.
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Credit: @bouchon_bistro on Instagram
Bouchon is known for traditional French bistro fare. For brunch, you can have Poulet et des Gaufres (roasted chicken with bacon-chive waffle) or enjoy a variety of pastries from the Bouchon Bakery. Dinner offerings include Poulet Rôti (roasted chicken with sweet corn, hen-of-the-woods mushrooms, bacon lardons & Dijon chicken jus) and Truite Amandine (sautéed Idaho rainbow trout with haricots verts, toasted almonds & beurre noisette). Add to that an extensive French/American wine list complementing the cuisine, and you are in gastronomic heaven.
Le Cirque
Bellagio
3600 Las Vegas Blvd. S.
Las Vegas, NV 89109
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Credit: @lecirquelv on Instagram
The Bellagio – known for the dancing Fountains of Bellagio, the conservatory, and one of the best and most famous poker rooms in Vegas frequented by famous celebrities. The hotel is also home to another wonder: Le Cirque, an award-winning French dining restaurant with an upscale circus theme. With its mahogany panels, circus images, and multicolored silks resembling the big top, the ambience is opulent but fun.
Credit: www.bellagio.mgmresorts.com
The food is exquisite contemporary French. They have an 8-course tasting menu, vegetarian menu, and 5 course menu la tentation, with wine pairing options. Sink your teeth into decadent dishes such as Ricotta Gnudi (with consommé Royale and black winter truffles), or Japanese Wagyu loin (with black garlic pudding, caramelized onions, and Matsutake mushrooms). Or treat your sweet tooth to chocolate ball with smoked Chantilly cream, crème fraiche ice cream, and hazelnut streusel.
Joël Robuchon
MGM Grand Hotel & Casino
3799 Las Vegas Blvd. S.
Las Vegas, NV 89109
Credit: www.mgmgrand.mgmresorts.com
The Late Chef Joël Robuchon’s restaurant received three Michelin Stars and has been one of the top 40 restaurants in the U.S for multiple years. This is not a surprising feat for the chef once named “Cook of the Century”.
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Credit: @joelrobuchon.lasvegas on Instagram
This restaurant is striking with its black and plush purple palette, crystal chandelier, and indoor garden. The food matches the décor with the magical tableside carts. Every meal service starts with Bordier butter served tableside and presented with 17 different types of bread. They also have a cheese trolley, mignardise cart, and a herbal tea cart. You can have a tasting menu or order signature dishes a la carte, such as Le Cordon Bleu (Iberico Pork Ioin with mushrooms and creamy parmesan polenta). You can complement the meals with choices from their wine list of more than 2,500 labels.