22 Vegas restaurants named to Yelp Top 100 for the Southwest

Yelpers love Las Vegas.

On Thursday, Yelp announced its first Top 100 Places to Eat in the Southwest, and 22 Vegas restaurants made the list, the most of any city in the region covering Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado and Utah. Yelp created the rankings using several factors, including volume of reviews and strength of ratings (1 to 5 stars), for each restaurant.

Garlic Yuzu on South Durango Drive, at No. 2, is the top-rated spot in Vegas. Korean food anchors the restaurant, with Japanese, Chinese and other Asian cuisines contributing to the fusion.

“Amazing news,” said Kyung Hong, chef-owner of Garlic Yuzu, which also ranked No. 25 in Yelp’s Top 100 Places to Eat in the U.S. for 2020. With the announcement, “people come in more, and that’s really happy for me.”

Aroma Latin American Cocina in Henderson, the next highest rated, at No. 8, serves a signature gaucho sandwich built from a brioche bun filled with steak, grilled onions, tomatoes, greens and chimichurri.

No. 17, SoyMexican Veggie Vegan Eatery on South Maryland Parkway, adds to the city’s growing vegan options with soy- and plant-based tacos, taquitos, enchiladas, tortas and other dishes.

Milpa on South Durango Drive came in at No. 35. Milpa ranks among a tiny handful of Mexican restaurants in Vegas to make its tortillas from scratch using the traditional nixtamalization process.

Zenaida’s Cafe on East Tropicana Avenue, known for its American comfort food, made the Southwest list at No. 44. In January, the restaurant was also named to Yelp’s Top 100 Places to Eat in the U.S. for 2023.

EDO Tapas & Wine, the Spanish small plates restaurant from chef-owner Oscar Amador, is No. 90 on the list. Amador is currently a finalist for Best Chef: Southwest in the 2023 James Beard Foundation Awards, the Oscars of the food world.

The other 16 Vegas restaurants among the top 100 in the Southwest encompass fish and chips, tacos, sushi, Filipino food, breakfast and brunch, Hawaiian food (including a poké place), Italian, ramen, salads and sandwiches, French food and a brewery.

“I’m excited to see what’s in store for these local businesses in 2023 as people explore the list and discover new favorites and hidden gems,” said Kayla Rambo, community director of Yelp Las Vegas. Visit here for the full list.

Contact Johnathan L. Wright at jwright@reviewjournal.com. Follow @ItsJLW on Twitter.