American Restaurant
Readers' Pick:FOG CITY DINER
325 Hughes Center Drive
My, how this town has grown. This power diner from San Francisco drew more than three times the votes of second-choice Big Dog's. Does this substantial showing amid a crowded pack of 26 offerings mean that mu-shu pork burritos have replaced the video poker fare that used to typify American food in this town?
Our Pick:
POPPA GAR'S
1624 W. Oakey Blvd.
Trophy heads and fishing photos on the walls, chicken-fried steak -- not to mention buffalo, quail and venison -- on the menu. You can't get more American than this Las Vegas institution still supervised daily by 89-year-old "Poppa" Garland Miner. Pass the ketchup.
Bakery
Readers' Pick:SAHARA BAKERY AND CAFE
6382 W. Sahara Ave.
Considering there's still a "Grand Opening" sign hanging above the storefront, the blowout victory for this bakery tucked behind Big Dog's on Sahara Avenue makes us wonder if our ballot-stuffing police weren't off-duty. Perhaps voters were just intrigued by the fact that you can get exotic sandwiches such as the Dolmas (grape leaves stuffed with rice) and Kebbeh (beef shells) along with the usual pastry fare. Great Buns was a doughy second.
Our Pick:
GREAT BUNS
3720 E. Tropicana Ave.
There's a big sign on the window of this place declaring it's "Open to the Public." We know why they feel the need to make that clear: Step inside and you feel like you work there. Carts and aproned workers surround you as quickly as the smell of the loaves. If they don't make it here, it ain't made out of bread.
Bar Food
Readers' Pick:BIG DOG'S
1511 Nellis Blvd. 6390 W. Sahara Ave.
Wisconsin transplants will tell you there's no better cure for homesickness than a dose of bratwurst or walleye pike at one of these mutt-themed hangouts catering to Midwesterners. The Trap House snared second.
Our Pick:
KILROY'S
1021 S. Buffalo Drive 310 S. Decatur Blvd.
We could have gone any number of directions with this because video-poker bars have gone way uptown since the days of your basic burger-and-fries menu. We'll stick with Kilroy's another year for its dozen burger choices, its hand-patted patties, its ... OK, OK, we'll confess. It's because of all the neat stuff to read. We're journalists, all right? We like to read the menus, the place mats, even the walls, all of which have neat little jokes and trivia written on them.
Barbecue Restaurant
Readers' Pick:MEMPHIS CHAMPIONSHIP BARBEQUE
4379 Las Vegas Blvd. North
Mike Mills' "low and slow" philosophy -- just don't ask what's in the secret sauce -- has won a lot of fans since he brought his award-winning recipes to town two years ago. People line up for lunch outside the original restaurant, and Mills is still planning to open a long-promised new location at Warm Springs Road and Eastern Avenue in July. The chain of Tony Roma's -- A Place for Ribs came in second.
Our Pick:
TEXAS BAR-B-QUE
5301 W. Charleston Blvd.
If Joe Orduna isn't telling us a Texas tall tale, his little stand that pulls up a corner of the Plant World Nurseries parking lot on Charleston Boulevard is no longer such a well-kept secret: He's been there more than six years and claims to cook up 500 pounds of beef a day at his mostly to-go, 8-to-5 operation. By now Joe should be back in business after rebuilding when a fire shut him down for a couple of weeks. He has blueprints for a real indoor restaurant, but with two kids in college he says it's going to have to wait awhile.
Chinese Restaurant
Readers' Pick:PF CHANG'S CHINA BISTRO
4165 Paradise Road
Formula for a hit:
Replace those quaint place mats that say you were born in the Year of the Rat with upscale hardwood floors and a gorgeous, airy art-deco interior. Make your bar a place to see and be seen, pour some expensive wine and watch the crowds come in. This chain only opened in early October, but an almost suspicious number of votes made chop suey of 20 other nominees, which perhaps spread the remaining votes too thin. Pick Up Stix trailed at second.
Our Pick:
FULL HO
240 N. Jones Blvd.
While the people line up at PF Chang's, we'll be digging in at this modest eatery in a shopping center near the U.S. 95 interchange at Jones Boulevard. The beef, chicken and Lake Tung Ting Shrimp are consistently good, if not overly adventurous, and the people are friendly.
Coffee Shop
Readers' Pick:STARBUCKS
Multiple locations
Some of our categories are open to interpretation. This one drew votes for both the '90s definition of a coffee shop:
a place primarily to read the paper with a fresh-ground, high-octane gourmet brew; and the more traditional places (Blueberry Hill, Omelet House) to catch a plate of scrambled eggs and a cup of joe. The ubiquitous Starbucks triumphed; Jitters percolated to a distant second.
Our Pick:
PEPPERMILL INN
2985 Las Vegas Blvd. South
This coffee shop is more colorful than the term usually implies -- albeit in a '70s sort of way -- making it seem a step up from some of the chains or institutional casino rooms. Most servings are huge enough to satisfy the Jethro Bodine in your family, and the mid-Strip setting makes it a colorful, quick stop before or after a show.
Deli
Readers' Pick:MR. GOODCENTS SUBS & PASTA
4550 S. Maryland Parkway 6820 W. Flamingo Road
Modest response and 22 nominees to spread the voting like so much mayo resulted in a not-so-impressive victory for this Kansas-based chain. As the name suggests, the basic menu of subs shares the billing with lasagna and mostaccioli. Value pricing and a daily special may have helped with the edge over second-place Schlotsky's, another chain.
Our Pick:
MAX C'S PLACE
605 Las Vegas Blvd. South
Outspoken Max Corsun has been keeping local politicos honest -- or at least well-fed -- for three decades, including eight years in this cozy downtown location. Sample among 50 sandwiches, many named after local judges and elected officials, before your next trip to the voting booth.
French Restaurant
Readers' Pick:CREPES PIERRETTE
4794 S. Eastern Ave.
Anything French in this town used to be accompanied by the following symbols: $$$$. By lowering the tab, the authentically French owners took their country's cuisine out of the price range of gourmet rooms such as Andre's -- a perennial winner now bumped to second place -- and handed it down to the rabble. Let them eat crepes!
Our Pick:
CREPES PIERRETTE
Hey, this was supposed to be our little secret. Do you think journalists could have afforded French food before this restaurant came to town? Crepes Pierrette recently expanded beyond its original crepes-and-more-crepes menu to offer a more diverse bistro concept and fully themed dinners or winemakers' showcases.
Gourmet Restaurant
Readers' Pick:NICKY BLAIR'S
3800 Howard Hughes Parkway
If it's good enough for Frank -- make that Mr. Sinatra -- it's good enough for you, bub. The proprietor is a colorful character who used to cook osso buco for all the big Hollywood stars, until he loaded up the truck and moved from Hollywood to the Hughes Center. A few months in Las Vegas have been enough to let him slip past second-place Ferraro's and the more traditional contenders.
Our Pick:
PAMPLEMOUSSE
400 E. Sahara Ave.
Speaking of traditional contenders, Las Vegas doesn't have much in the way of noncasino dining to call its own. But longtimers -- and more than a few conventioneers with expense accounts -- consider a special-occasion French dinner in this romantic little house just off the Strip one of the unique pleasures of living here.
Italian Restaurant
Readers' Pick:EAST SIDE MARIO'S
6750 W. Sahara Ave. 2031 W. Sunset Road
If honking cab sounds make you homesick, join the crowd who gave a decisive victory to this high-concept (New York street scene) franchise -- developed by the Pizza Hut gang and recently sold to the Marie Callender's folks. Two other rapidly mutating chains, Macaroni Grill and (last year's winner) Olive Garden, pulled into second and third respectively.
Our Pick:
FORTUNATO'S ITALIAN RESTAURANT
3430 E. Tropicana Ave.
This charming little strip mall hideout is cozy and low-key, with those little candle lamps on the tables. The food, however, is delicious and reasonable. Leftovers are inevitable. The adventurous can check out the seafood dishes. The not-so-adventurous can stick with pizza, and everyone will leave happy from this relaxed family place.
Japanese Restaurant
Readers' Pick:OSAKA JAPANESE RESTAURANT
4205 W. Sahara Ave.
An old favorite holds its own with a decisive victory over 11 other choices in this ever-more cosmopolitan desert of ours. The popular sushi bar is as close as you'll get to the ocean around here, though last year's winner, Hamada of Japan, and Hakase Japanese Cuisine, remain viable second and third choices.
Our Pick:
KABUKI JAPANESE RESTAURANT
1150 E. Twain Ave.
Yes, we're getting boring in our yearly selection of this value-conscious (see our French selection above) favorite, which we'll sushi in to a fourth-straight staff pick. Check out the combination dinners before sharpening those knives and coming after us for bad punmanship.
Mexican Restaurant
Readers' Pick:CHEVYS MEXICAN RESTAURANT
Multiple locations
This Pepsico-owned franchise kept a low profile among locals during its three years on the Strip. (You ever try making a left into that place?) But it shot to a firm victory after opening second and third locations in more easily reached 'burbs. Viva Mercados, which we've long championed in our staff picks, finally caught on with readers enough to pull down second place.
Our Pick:
CHEVYS
We'll agree. Not only does Chevys sport that franchised bric-a-brac look so important to Las Vegans ("Hey, this looks just like the one back home!"), but the menu choices go beyond the tacos and cheese enchiladas to reflect an adventurous spirit. Spinach wraps? Honey-Dijon mustard?
Other Ethnic Restaurant
Readers' Pick:GANDHI INDIA'S CUISINE
4080 Paradise Road 3250 N. Tenaya Way
If a lunch buffet-load of Gandhi's tandoori chicken won't make you a pacifist, it's a harsh world indeed. The original, lunch-oriented location near the Hughes Center now has a smaller partner in the more residential Northwest area, which should keep Indian food a viable alternative to prime rib for the foreseeable future. Habib's Persian Cuisine finished second.
Our Pick:
HABIB'S PERSIAN CUISINE
4750 W. Sahara Ave.
This cozy little Middle Eastern place is tucked away inside the Sahara Pavilion shopping center. Be prepared to take your time, but Habib's a friendly fellow who will come visit your table, and a belly dancer often is on duty to take your mind off the wait. A diverse menu that includes chicken kebabs, salmon and more exotically marinated meats should satisfy a quest for something different.
Sandwich Shop
Readers' Pick:SCHLOTSKY'S SANDWICH SHOPS
Multiple locations Let's guess? It's the bread, right? Even if the old ad jingle doesn't ring in your head, seeing a Scholtsky's at a shopping-mall food court brings instant relief to a heart quavering in fear from the deep-fat fryers all around. The ubiquitous Port of Subs surfaced at second, leaving Celebrity Deli as a local underdog at third.
Our Pick:
CAPRIOTTIS SANDWICH SHOP
324 W. Sahara Ave. 3981 E. Sunset Road
To spend four years in a barely noticeable, hard-to-reach storefront just off the Strip (You ever try making a left into that place?) you'd better make a mean sandwich. But Ann Gwinn's family runs a dozen of these places back East, and they know how to pile on the turkey. Those more impressed by the delivery than the decor will be happy to know there's now a second, more dine-in friendly location at 3981 E. Sunset Road.
Seafood Restaurant
Readers' Pick:LANDRY'S SEAFOOD HOUSE
2160 W. Sahara Ave.
Whether its the punny sayings on the marquee -- always a welcome relief to shark-eat-shark traffic at Sahara Avenue and Rancho Drive -- or the Southern-leaning menu at this New Orleans-themed franchise, Landry's swamped the competition. Red Lobster -- winner for the past two years -- swam to second place.
Our Pick:
THE HUSH PUPPY
1820 N. Nellis Blvd. 7185 W. Charleston Blvd.
No piped-in Dixieland music or theater marquees here. In fact, the glassed-in rock garden is about the only thing that passes for atmosphere at the many-times-added-onto ranch house location on Charleston Boulevard. But walk in with a $20 bill on a Monday night, and the all-you-can-eat crab legs will make you believe you live by the sea -- or in the deep South, if it's catfish and fried green tomatoes you crave.
Southern Cooking
Readers' Pick:BIG MAMA'S COOKING
3765 Las Vegas Blvd. South
Funny how we define our Southern geography here, with a variety of cities and states drawing votes: The Oklahoma Kitchen and Bakery, Championship Barbeque and Z Tejas Grill among them. In the end it was Big Mama's, which would be at home in any of those places, capturing the honor over the now-defunct Cousin's Cafe.
Our Pick:
BIG MAMA'S COOKING
We're not big on the atmosphere (plastic tables) or the location (You ever tried making a left -- OK, enough already), but there's a number of reasons this place has held on for five years: Fried chicken is one. Catfish is another. Then there's ribs, gumbo, jambalaya. ...
Steakhouse
Readers' Pick:OUTBACK STEAKHOUSE
Multiple locations
It may be difficult to clone a sheep, but this franchise found an easy formula for replicating itself all over the valley:
A casual Australian theme, good values on spicy beef or ribs and a wicked shrimp on the barbie as a red meat alternative. Dotty's, a comparative sleeper, was the second choice of carnivores.
Our Pick:
HUNGRY HUNTER
2380 S. Rainbow Blvd.
Maybe we're just surprised there's one franchise that hasn't cloned itself all over town. But we think it's worth the drive for this eatery that reflects its California ownership with understated hardwood decor, soup and salad for variety and value with meals, and dependable, reasonably priced cow.
Thai Restaurant
Readers' Pick:TANYA RESTAURANT
210 W. Sahara Ave.
Tanya is the queen of a small country, judging from how few of you voted in this category. It didn't take many votes for this pick just west of the Strip to reclaim the crown last held in 1994 from Thai Spice, winner for the past two years.
Our Pick:
THAI SPICE
4433 W. Flamingo Road
What the heck, we'll keep this elegant little taste-bud scorcher in print, even if our little ink-stained pocketbooks are smarting from that increase in the lunch special price, from $4.95 to $5.50. It's still a small price to pay for tablecloth atmosphere and service that's fast with the water when you need it -- and you need it often.
Bagels
Readers' Pick:EINSTEIN BROTHERS BAGELS
Multiple locations
It must be hard to taste-test every bagel joint in town these days. But well-chosen locations and eye-catching graphics, along with fancy-pants accessories such as black-cherry cream cheese, helped Einstein's theory of bagel-making roll away from the pack, including Bagel Bistro and Bagel Bagel, neck-and-neck at second and third respectively.
Our Pick:
BIG APPLE BAGELS
2570 E. Desert Inn Road
There's more than bratwurst in Wisconsin, if the Green Bay memorabilia reveals the origins of the bagelmeisters who try to confuse things with their New York-sounding name. Cappuccino and yogurt sweeten a retail visit for a place that offers wholesale prices for volume sales of their fresh-daily bagels.
Cappuccino
Readers' Pick:STARBUCKS COFFEE
Multiple locations
The McDonald's of cappuccino triumphed. Mom and Pop places can grumble, but if it weren't for Starbucks we'd still be getting our jolts at 7-Eleven, wouldn't we? Cafe Sensations down Green Valley way came in second.
Our Pick:
ENIGMA
918 S. Fourth St.
We have a confession to make. For all those little ground beans that we chug around here, we have a hard time telling one cup of the foamy stuff from the other. But we can buy into the Fourth Street dream these hipsters are forging: Dreams of an avenue lined with funky, boho retro clothing shops; foreign movies; antiques; and cappuccino. Yes, cappuccino.
Cheesesteak Sandwich
Readers' Pick:STRAIGHT FROM PHILLY STEAKOUT
Multiple locations
This high-cholesterol delicacy is a crap-shoot at most video-poker hangouts -- buried in the menu and likely tough, stringy meat under that gooey cheese. But the policy of doing one thing and one thing right has paid off for these rapidly multiplying stands -- 10 of them in the phone book now -- that pummeled second-place Rocky's Philly Cheese Steak like Apollo Creed whupped on Sly in the first movie.
Our Pick:
STAKE OUT
4800 S. Maryland Parkway
Names can be confusing, but this one-time party bar for college students brought the focus more onto its wicked cheesesteak after it toned down its act and started emphasizing food over frivolity a few years ago.
Chicken Wings
Readers' Pick:COUNTRY STAR AMERICAN MUSIC GRILL
3724 Las Vegas Blvd. South
A man's or woman's chicken wing can be a mighty personal choice, if you figure that votes came in for 26 different places that slap on the hot sauce. From Pizza Hut to the Lakes Lounge, from Hooter's to Pete's Place, the contest was hot and greasy. The pile of bones came up the highest at the otherwise dapper Country Star, the Strip's glitzy paean to Nashville. Buster's Bar-B-Que, though shorter on video screens, can claim braggin' rights for second.
Our Pick:
O' ACES BAR & GRILL
3003 N. Rainbow Blvd.
We spanked these characters last year for what seemed like a bit of ballot stuffing -- all those votes for "Best Place to Impress Your Mother-in-Law" gave us extra incentive to dump that category this year. But dang it if our snooping around didn't lead us inside to roll up our sleeves and get our faces all messy on some mighty good chicken wings. As a result, we'll give them an honest, if greasy, thumbs up this year.
Specialty Coffee
Readers' Pick:STARBUCKS COFFEE
Multiple locations
Working the Sahara showroom recently, venerable comedian Jackie Mason offered an interesting slant on Starbucks' formula for success: Open a stark place with uncomfortable seating, sell "burnt coffee" in paper cups with no change back from a bill, charge people for refills and post written instructions on how to do your own cleanup when you're finished. Jitters finished a respectable second.
Our Pick:
STARBUCKS COFFEE
Hey, it was a joke, right? Like another comic sage, Kramer on "Seinfeld," Starbucks has made us a nation of jittery latte junkies who know better than to bite the hand that feeds us.
Desserts
Readers' Pick:KENYA'S GOURMET BAKERY
6400 S. Eastern Ave.
Business has been good for Gladys Knight's daughter; we hear she's moving her location away from the noisy airport flight path to a larger store on Patrick Lane. Readers will have to get their sugar fix at second-place Jerry's Nugget while awaiting the return of specialty delicacies named after R&B stars such as Patti LaBelle and Natalie Cole.
Our Pick:
RENATA'S
4451 E. Sunset Road
The delicacies served down Green Valley way are a lot easier to eat than they are to say ... or spell. The extensive menu includes old favorites such as creme brulee, raspberry filleuette -- a puff pastry with chamboru zabaglione, if you had to ask -- chocolate truffle marquise, and apple tarts with ice cream and caramel sauce. There are nightly specials for those not already salivating.
Doughnuts
Readers' Pick:CARL'S DONUTS
501 S. Martin Luther King Blvd.
Hurry if you want to visit this 30-year institution in its current form -- it won't be here long. But that's good news for owners Amiel and Lynn Curnutt. They're taking over a grocery store site at Washington Avenue and Decatur Boulevard and setting up a larger, more automated factory that will supply local 7-Eleven stores. The longtime location at Martin Luther King Boulevard and Alta Drive will be demolished and replaced with a more retail-friendly shop. The chain of Dunkin' Donuts shops was dunked to second place.
Our Pick:
FRIENDLY DONUT HOUSE
609 N. Nellis Blvd.
A donut's a doughnut, no matter how you spell it. Yep, that's what we thought, until we stumbled onto a hard-to-trace, yet slightly unique flavor while biting into the fresh and light offerings at this always busy, family-owned bakery and coffee hangout.
Hamburgers
Readers' Pick:THE STILL
9495 Las Vegas Blvd. South
We remembered when it seemed as though you were driving into south Arkansas to get a heapin' helping of the Jethro Burger. Civilization, or at least a few outlet malls, have now reached out to the piney woods where this 18-ounce (precooked) monstrosity out-wrassles 20 contenders in one of the most popular food categories (in numbers of votes cast). In second place was perennial favorite Fatburger.
Our Pick:
FATBURGER
Multiple locations
Sometimes we like to dress up and impress our dates by eating our burgers with fancy toppings -- even using a fork on certain occasions. Hence, Kilroy's as our "Best Bar Food Pick." But more often, we fear, we eat our burgers straight from a greasy piece of paper. These hamburgers haven't changed much since the first Fatburger opened in 1952. Neither, perhaps, have we.
Hot Dogs
Readers' Pick:HOT DOG ON A STICK
Multiple locations
Don't lie: It's the hats, right? You love the hats. Even if the uniform -- the ultimate in mall food-stand attire -- is what gets you there, those freshly dipped, deep-fried corn dogs are what keep you coming back to four out of five area malls. Nathan's had enough mustard to finish in second place.
Our Pick:
COSTCO WHOLESALE
222 S. Martin Luther King Blvd. 1080 W. Sunset Road
No offense to these fancy New York doggeries, but if lunch is going to set us back five or six bucks, we try to do better than hot dogs. When payday is so far away that our wallets declare it's weenie time, we head to our favorite wholesaler, where $1.61 fetches both a dog and a drink. The Sunset Road location even sells hot dogs outdoors, which means you don't have to join the club.
Ice Cream/Frozen Yogurt
Readers' Pick:LEATHERBY'S
577 E. Sahara Ave.
Readers are at least thinking big here. This former steakhouse next door to the Eureka casino is so big they rope off part of their square footage for special events. The menu is big as well, with some of the ice cream "Special Creations" costing as much ($5 or more) as the lunch specials ($4.49 and $5.50). The Chunky Monkey fans gave Ben & Jerry's Scoop Shop second place.
Our Pick:
DANIELLE'S CHOCOLATES & ICE CREAM
4760 W. Sahara Ave.
The sign in front promises "homemade," and if you don't believe it from the sheer amount of industry going on a few doors down from Applebee's in the Sahara Pavilion, the ice cream makes us believe it. It's light, not overpowering, with that smell and texture that makes us flash back to rock salt and hand-cranked freezers on the Fourth of July at Grandma's house.
Pizza
Readers' Pick:THE COOK'S SHOP PIZZERIA
3375 E. Russell Road
Readers do get around when it comes to getting a piece of the pie. The franchises drew their share of votes, but pizza is one category where independents fared as well or better among the 27 places to spread the dough. We're not sure why this corner store in a shopping center at Russell and Pecos roads did better than any of the other storefront joints that hang fliers on your doorknob -- maybe it's that website. But the slices spill over a paper plate at this place that instructs you to "Eat real pizza," and you can't get more real than a special of two slices and a 16-ounce drink for $2.79 (toppings extra). Villa Pizza delivered a second-place finish.
Our Pick:
PIZZERIA UNO CHICAGO BAR & GRILL
2540 S. Decatur Blvd.
The slight air of anti-franchise snobbery you might detect in some of our staff picks ends behind the green door of this distinctive chain, where a pie is more literally like a pie, with a flaky crust and a creative choice of toppings to go with the high-end beers.
Rotisserie Chicken
Readers' Pick:BOSTON MARKET
Multiple locations
Nobody had heard of this place a few years ago, let alone mentioning it in the same sentence as that dude who croons "The Gambler." Now there are plenty of places -- OK, five in our readers' poll -- where the birds tempt the taste buds as they turn on the spit. This year, Boston Market bested Kenny Rogers' Roasters by a slight margin. Next year: "The Gambler Returns"?
Our Pick:
SONIA'S CAFE & ROTISSERIE
3900 W. Charleston Blvd. 1243 E. Sahara Ave.
Rebounding from our one-category lack of allegiance to locally operated underdogs, we stand by the past two years of loyalty to Sonia, who has made enough Las Vegans see things roasted her way to open a second location since last year's poll.
Salsa
Readers' Pick:CHEVYS MEXICAN RESTAURANT
Multiple locations
One reason the doggie bags walk out of this place might be the bowls of salsa that get spooned up on chips before the entrees ever arrive. A dozen other contenders lend some credence to that talk of salsa replacing ketchup as the country's favorite condiment. Viva Mercados scooped up a solid second place.
Our Pick:
BAJA FRESH LAS VEGAS
4760 W. Sahara Ave.
What we used to indifferently squirt from little foil packets now is the topic of serious debates over freshness and bouquet. The salsa bar at this hit Sahara Pavilion arrival doesn't strain our short attention spans with choices, but the limited offerings are all winners. Pay special attention to that one that's almost black.
Takeout
Readers' Pick:MEMPHIS CHAMPIONSHIP BARBEQUE
4379 Las Vegas Blvd. North
We thought "to go" were the most frequently uttered words in this day and age, but most of you must have been too busy cooking your five-course dinners at home to vote in this category. The meager voting was spread thin, but the winner -- a one-vote victor over the Olive Garden -- is a logical choice: You had to cart these sandwiches home from convenience stores when the owners first came to town.
Our Pick:
CHICKEN QUICK
Multiple locations
We're not so sure about the name. "Quick" doesn't seem to be the operative word at these tandoori takeouts, but you're best taking it with you than dining on plastic patio furniture. The chicken and garlic Nan bread are worth the wait once you get them home -- assuming you're not tearing into them while still in the car.
Tacos
Readers' Pick:ROBERTO'S TACO SHOP
Multiple locations
There are a few good things about the California-zation of Las Vegas, the proliferation of these "real" tacos over bland fast food among the best of them. Quality control varies from location to location, but readers still gave Roberto's the nod over second-place Taco Bell, which is certainly more consistent among its outlets.
Our Pick:
LA TAQUERIA
1710 E. Charleston Blvd.
The Jara family from San Francisco's Mission District immodestly claims to serve "the best tacos and burritos in the world," but their 25-year track record in that food-finicky city makes the claim worth investigating. The $2.25 you'll pay for a taco buys you "choice or better" beef, chicken breast or beef tongue, and there's even a veggie burrito for the politically correct in your crew.
Teriyaki
Readers' Pick:MIKADO EXPRESS
845 S. Rainbow Blvd.
Teriyaki must be the small business restaurant phenomenon of the late '90s. It seems you see one in every shopping center, although voters were slow to jump on the bandwagon. The MSG-free Mikado, with its sunny view of cars passing within a chopstick's length on Rainbow Boulevard, is almost a fixture by now and topped Teriyaki Bowl in a light-response category where product may exceed demand.
Our Pick:
MIKADO EXPRESS
And we thought we were being different by getting back to a staff pick from 1994, after putting the spotlight on different places the past two years. Who can argue with a varied menu that peaks at $5.25 for the Phad Thai noodles, and offers teriyaki chicken for $2.95 and sushi for $3.45?
Vegetarian
Readers' Pick:WILD OATS COMMUNITY MARKET
3455 E. Flamingo Road 6720 W. Sahara Ave.
Yes Virginia, you can walk into Wild Oats and chomp down on a roast beef sandwich. But this place tries hard to convert you to its squash enchiladas, tofu barley salad and veggie lasagna. The lower-profile Dosa Den and veggie granddad Rainbow's End placed second and third respectively.
Our Pick:
WILD OATS COMMUNITY MARKET
Our minds are again in harmony, perhaps locked into a wheatgrass-juice vibe. We can't argue with the accessibility of Wild Oats (It's a store! It's a restaurant!) in a city where vegetarians usually have to play menu detective.
Wine Selection
Readers' Pick:COST PLUS WORLD MARKET
3840 S. Maryland Parkway 2151 N. Rainbow Blvd.
We didn't think about retail places in this category, but didn't expressly forbid them either. These eclectic stores, where the inventory changes frequently, stomped the grapes out of nine restaurants, two other retailers (Trader Joe's and Costco) and one winery (Pahrump Valley Vineyard, the only one around these parts). O'Rosie's, a Northern California-flavored restaurant where wine bottles surround the entrance, finished second.
Our Pick:
ANDRE'S FRENCH RESTAURANT
401 S. Sixth St.
Next year may be a horse race with the arrival of the Rio's Napa Restaurant and its $5 million wine cellar. But these picks look back a year, and when money is no object there has been no serious competition for this downtown institution. It houses a good 10,000 bottles in its cellar and includes 800 names on its wine list. You'd be thirsty by the time you made a choice.
Place for Breakfast
Readers' Pick:JAMMS RESTAURANT
1029 S. Rainbow Blvd. 2227 N. Rampart Blvd.
Voters didn't specify the location, but it's worth noting that these two locations are now separately operated, so you may prefer one over the other. All-day breakfasts at the Rainbow Boulevard location guarantee a steady supply of blueberry pancakes, biscuits and gravy, or diced steak and bearnaise sauce omelets, all served by friendly folks in a country-kitchen atmosphere. Blueberry Hill and Denny's were close finishers for second and third place.
Our Pick:
ORIGINAL PANCAKE HOUSE
4833 W. Charleston Blvd.
The curse might be broken at this once-doomed location. Semihidden by a weirdly elevated perch at Charleston Avenue and Decatur Boulevard, the plain-Jane restaurant now clatters with the sound of customers on weekend mornings and cranks out an amazing array of pancakes. Try the buttermilk, the potato or the slightly healthier Dutch Garden -- a baked pancake (almost a quiche) full of cheese and veggies.
Place for Brunch
Readers' Pick:APPLEBEE'S NEIGHBORHOOD GRILL & BAR
Multiple locations
A Sunday a la carte menu with no item more than $6 at these popular franchises proved a winning alternative to casino buffet feed bags. They offer four varieties of eggs Benedict, three "skillet scrambles" and the ever-dependable omelet. Kids eat for a buck on Sundays. Marie Callender's Restaurants & Bakeries served up a respectable second place.
Our Pick:
TGI FRIDAY'S
1800 E. Flamingo Road
Friday's on Fridays may be under siege from new competitors as a singles market, but it has less competition in this category. Most brunches in this town are in hotels, leaving Friday's as one of a few valid nonhotel choices for a three-layer omelet, stuffed French toast or eggs tenderloin on a sunny Sunday. A new location opens in the Wow Store parking lot on West Sahara Avenue March 31, but no word yet on whether it will offer brunch.
Cheap Eats
Readers' Pick:TACO BELL
Multiple locations
This category drew the poorest response of all 48 in the Eat & Drink division. We had no ideas our readers were so affluent! Either there's a distinct lack of interest in stuffing this category, or everyone was in line at Taco Bell. The silent majority can't argue with the few who bothered to voice their support for this fast-food wonder, where many a menu item still comes in under a buck. Latte Express trailed at second.
Our Pick:
SALVADORENO RESTAURANT
720 N. Main St.
If you're not made of money, perhaps you'd best familiarize yourself with the word "papusa." It's cornmeal pounded into a patty with cheese, beans or both in the middle, cooked like a pancake on a griddle and topped with diced cabbage and hot sauce, all for $1.55. The rest of the Salvadorean menu is pretty reasonable as well.
Children's Menu
Readers' Pick:SIZZLER
307 S. Decatur Blvd. 3553 S. Rainbow Blvd.
Many places still confuse children with Munchkins and consider them every bit as annoying. Not so at Sizzler, where the wee folk have their own little hangout, a "children's cart" full of chicken tenders, macaroni and cheese, cookies and other goodies. It's currently on special for 99 cents, but the regular price is only $1.99. McDonald's and Applebee's were nearly tied for second; Mickey D's edged ahead with one vote.
Our Pick:
SIZZLER
Our lack of an imaginative alternative perhaps betrays the preponderance of single people on our staff, but it sounds like a deal to us.
Family Restaurant
Readers' Pick:MARIE CALLENDER'S RESTAURANTS & BAKERIES
Multiple locations
Maybe it's the home cooking -- nothing like a hot turkey sandwich to remind you of home, hearth and holidays. Maybe it's the antiquelike interiors and the smell of hot pies. Nothing says "family" more than Marie Callender's to Las Vegans -- although Applebee's came pretty close.
Our Pick:
CHILI'S GRILL & BAR
Multiple locations
It's hard for a family to find something to do together in these fragmented times. That's why we tried to think of places where kids are welcome, parents can get a beer and everyone can meet in the middle without fear of skee-ball, happy clowns or carnival rides.
Happy Hour
Readers' Pick:RIBS-N-RITA'S
8245 W. Sahara Ave.
Perhaps nothing symbolizes the growth of Las Vegas more than this category, in which runner-up TGI Friday's -- five years ago the place singles would mingle after work -- was dethroned by this Mexican restaurant newcomer. They offer attitude adjustment with two-for-one well drinks, call drinks, draft beers, house wines and margaritas to wash down a half-price appetizer menu, all from 4 to 7 p.m. seven days a week.
Our Pick:
PEPE MULDOON'S
4341 N. Rancho Drive
We had a tough time with this one. As the city grows, there's no longer just one or two places where everybody knows your name. After some extensive field research, we finally opted for Pepe Muldoon's, another relative newcomer, because of its dollar drinks and free buffet of chicken wings, Swedish meatballs and other goodies each Monday through Thursday from 4 to 6 p.m. Weekends are happy enough for Pepe to pull his free eats, but there's still more than 20 beers are on tap ranging from $1.75 to $2.50.
Place for a Power Lunch
Readers' Pick:COFFEE PUB
2800 W. Sahara Ave.
An interesting choice that perhaps reflects changes in the workplace, if you consider a menu and interior that appeal to the feminine side. Those less locked into gender stereotyping might just figure this West Sahara favorite is near a lot of offices. Either way, it snatched the deal from 30 bidders. Big Dog's finished a distant second.
Our Pick:
FOG CITY DINER
325 Hughes Center Drive
The Hughes Center was never going to make it as the white-collar downtown that Las Vegas never had as long as people kept having to cross Paradise Road for a power lunch. The San Francisco import immortalized in a credit-card commercial could alternatively spell its name Y-U-P-P-I-E, but it's a good place to beat up on an expense account.
Late-Night Dining
Readers' Pick:RENATA'S
4451 E. Sunset Road
Since the upscale dining room closes at 11 p.m., readers must be talking about the more casual lounge side, where the 24-hour menu includes the usual burgers and breakfast specials, along with a few surprises such as steamed clams. Ruth's Chris Steak House was the second-place choice.
Our Pick:
TAP HOUSE
5589 W. Charleston Blvd.
Longtime readers knew we'd sneak it in somewhere. The recently remodeled Tap House is a traditional newsroom haunt and they'd probably cut off our credit if we left them out. But, more important to all you nonjournalists out there, the pizza and chicken wings are half-price after midnight.
Patio Dining
Readers' Pick:CAFE MICHELLE
1350 E. Flamingo Road
We're guessing you meant the original Flamingo Road beautiful people hangout, since the patio at the separately owned location on West Sahara Avenue is used mostly for wedding receptions and the like. The parking lot view from the eastside Michelle bested the walled-in patio at Cadillac Grille.
Our Pick:
BERTOLINI'S
3500 Las Vegas Blvd. South
Technically it's not outside, but there are comparatively few days in Las Vegas when you want to be outdoors anyway. The fake sky inside the Forum Shops at Caesars is more fundamentally Vegas, and the fountain outside Bertolini's is as soothing as the people watching is captivating.
Romantic Restaurant
Readers' Pick:KIEFER'S ATOP THE CARRIAGE HOUSE
105 E. Harmon Ave.
You ever try finding a room with a view in this flat desert? The new Rio hotel tower will offer some high-profile competition, but readers find the combination of piano bar and penthouse view a winner at this Carriage House perch. The less spacious Pamplemousse finished second and Mount Charleston Inn was third.
Our Pick:
MANHATTAN OF LAS VEGAS
2600 E. Flamingo Road
What's in a name? The owners are from La Jolla, Calif., a seaside town possibly even more romantic than Manhattan itself. They spared no expense turning the former Huey's into a dreamlike atmosphere complete with an etched-glass skyline of New York City and a stained-glass ceiling in the foyer. The sunken dining room includes floral designs and artwork, chandeliers and candle fixtures on every linen-topped table. Woody Allen may not be impressed, but your date will be.
Salad Bar
Readers' Pick:WILD OATS COMMUNITY MARKET
3455 E. Flamingo Road 6720 W. Sahara Ave.
Maybe it's the fact that the salad bar is truthfully advertised as "virtually organic." Whatever that means, it was enough for readers to give Wild Oats the nod over Smith's Food & Drug Centers and Wendy's.
Our Pick:
SOUPER SALAD
4020 S. Maryland Parkway 2051 N. Rainbow Blvd.
Perhaps the defunct Soup Exchange was merely an idea ahead of its city. We always liked the idea of buffet selection without having to park at casinos and stand in long lines. These bright, smartly decorated places have come along to take the place of the old Exchanges (coincidentally, they're even on the same streets), and seem to be instant hits. The salad bar boasts more than 60 items and a choice of soups that include a killer vegetable beef every day.
Senior Special
Readers' Pick:JAMMS RESTAURANT
2227 N. Rampart Blvd.
The Rampart Boulevard location of the two Jamms offers a senior's card with a 15-percent discount on all purchases. Beyond that, there are 12 specials with scaled-down portions that are targeted to seniors, but don't shut out younger folks with smaller appetites. An old favorite by the name of Denny's finished second.
Our Pick:
DENNY'S RESTAURANT
Multiple locations
This one was a challenge, partly because demographics experts tell us that aging baby boomers don't see themselves as "seniors," and party because casino competitors offer loss-leader specials that appeal to seniors without excluding anyone younger. That said, we'll honor that elder statesman Denny, who continues to treat his 55-and-older fans to a special menu.