 Downtown offers taste of old VegasSingle-deck blackjack, 99 cent shrimp cocktail, free entertainment among drawsBy SONYA PADGETT REVIEW-JOURNAL
But it also has $30 buffets, $300 bottles of booze and $100-plus concert ticket prices. If you want a taste of old Las Vegas, along with the price, downtown's the place for you. "Some of Vegas' absolute best deals are still down there," said Anthony Curtis, publisher of the Las Vegas Advisor, a monthly newsletter that keeps subscribers up to date on the latest news and best deals in town. Take an affordable shrimp cocktail; this deliciously cold and tangy snack that was so prominent and cheap only a few years ago can still be had on the Strip. Good luck finding it for less than $14, though. For the past 20 years, the Golden Gate, 1 Fremont St., has offered its shrimp cocktail for the modest price of 99 cents. You also can get a midnight breakfast special of New York steak and eggs for $4.99. Add a few dollars for the same meal on the Strip, not to mention the hassle of getting there, and one option starts looking much better than the other. Another old Vegas deal that virtually has vanished on the Strip in recent years is the prime rib dinner. Now, if you order prime rib on the Strip, you'll probably be in a top-notch steakhouse paying $30 or more for it. One of the best values in town can be found at the California, 12 Ogden Ave., in the coffee shop, Curtis said. A prime rib dinner complete with salad bar, potato and dessert costs $6.99. And you won't find deep-fried Oreos or Twinkies anywhere but at the Mermaid's Casino, 32 Fremont St. Overall, food is a better deal downtown than the Strip, even with gourmet restaurants, Curtis said. While the Strip boasts Michael Mina's StripSteak, the El Cortez, 600 Fremont St., is home to Roberta's Steak House, which Curtis calls one of the top steakhouses in town. Steaks are $20 and less at Roberta's and $35 plus at StripSteak. But food isn't the only deal you'll find downtown. Never mind paying hundreds to see big-name singers on the Strip, the Fremont Street Experience offers name talent at least once a month for an unbeatable price, said Jeff Victor, president of the Fremont Street Experience. "Entertainment is still largely free,"ÊVictor said, citing a country music concert in May. To coincide with the Academy of Country Music Awards last year, the Fremont Street Experience had a one-day festival featuring performers such as Gretchen Wilson, Montgomery Gentry, Trip Pony and others, Victor said. And it cost guests nothing. It was so popular, organizers plan to make it a two-day festival this year, he added. There will be free entertainment tied to other events taking place in town, such as the Las Vegas Grand Prix, National Finals Rodeo and others. Gambling is a better bet downtown, too, Victor said. "Try to find single-deck blackjack that pays three to two for a natural" on the Strip, Curtis said. "The El Cortez is one of the few places left in town." Downtown can even match Strip trends, Victor said. In recent years, the nightclub options have moved toward ultralounges on the Strip. For a similar experience, at least in terms of dancing and drinking,Êtry the Rush Lounge at the Golden Nugget, 129 Fremont St. or Beauty Bar, 517 Fremont St. "We don't have the velvet rope bouncer or $300 bottle of vodka at these places," Victor said. Two other attractions you can find downtown but not on the Strip: the Fremont Street Experience light show and the Globe of Death. The light show runs hourly and features 16 different programs. The Globe of Death is a new attraction featuring motorcycles and a giant globe. There was a time when you could see such a spectacle on the Strip, Victor said, but no more. "It's just very Vegas-y,"Êhe said. "Las Vegas also lacks a whole lot of neon but you can see it downtown. You get a very Vegas-y experience down here." |
<%@ include file="search.jsp" %>
Advertisement
|
|||
 |
|
|
|
|
|||
