We ‘Have It Our Way’: How Cult-Favorite L.A. Kitchens Are Shaking Up the Vegas Scene
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Four L.A. restaurants have recently made their way to Las Vegas, bringing a taste of contemporary West Coast dining — and twists — to Sin City.
Vegas, you’re off to try something new, right? Yes, but maybe you get a little homesick over a long weekend — maybe you want to taste something familiar. Luckily, Vegas has something just for you (when does it not?). The sprawling city of vices of all types has no shortage of restaurant variety, but there are a few Southern California stalwarts that have made it there, pleasing both Sin City locals and visitors from all over the world. From a glitzy dinner and nightlife venue to a tastefully classy café/deli and a pair of more casual options, here’s a mouthwatering quartet to consider on your next Vegas trip and try in a whole new way.
St Felix Sin City
With its neon disco ball, Roberto Cavalli wallpaper and Italian marble accents, St Felix Sin City can feel like a movie set — which is apt for a brand forged in the heart of Hollywood. Since debuting in 2011, the original St Felix has become a beloved Tinseltown staple, serving award-winning cocktails and high-quality eats amidst a creative, edgy vibe. The 4,000-square-foot St Felix Sin City opened in December at The Bend in Southwest Vegas, alongside the likes of John Arena’s Metro Pizza Sliceteria and Chef Cory Harwell’s Butcher & Thief steakhouse.
“The Bend is the perfect location to serve Las Vegas locals and cater to service industry pros, but close enough to the Strip to appeal to those who are familiar with our brand,” said St Felix owner John Arakaki, who’s been dreaming of a Vegas dining/nightlife spot since his regular visits to the city in the early 2000s as a touring musician and rep for a pioneering energy drink brand.
St Felix Sin City marries contemporary Hollywood cool to what Arakaki dubs “the desert glam experience.” Its high fashion-forward yet timeless aesthetic includes a selfie-licious giant purple throne in the foyer; a vast Showgirls painting by an artist from Arakaki’s native Cleveland; and décor nods to everyone from Blondie to designer Paul Smith.
Created by Chef Jorge Arrendondo, St Felix Sin City’s culinary program features the likes of slow-roasted braised beef short ribs; the St. Felix Sample Platter (wagyu slider, veggie taco, Thai deviled eggs and more); and Malaysian-style steak skewers. Hollywood-approved specialty cocktails include the Stockholm Syndrome (rosemary, mint, strawberries, fresh lime and pomegranate juice, with Martin Miller Gin); Purple Reign (St Felix’s signature Butterfly Collins Botanical Spirit with fresh-squeezed lemon juice, Mariposa Magic Tea and Martin Miller Gin); and Desperado (crushed red bell pepper, mint, orange bitters, lime and Herradura 100% Blue Agave Silver Tequila).
Gjelina
Since the original Gjelina opened in Venice in 2008, it’s become much more than just a hugely influential, produce-forward restaurant. The iconic Abbot Kinney eatery, with its focus on local-sourced ingredients and exquisite pizza, expanded into a bakery, takeaway spot, retail store, grocer, florist, foundation and even a beach-adjacent hotel and event space. Over the past couple of years, Gjelina has spread its wings to New York and (appropriately, given its Venice roots) to The Venetian in Las Vegas.
Opened at the end of 2024, this latest Gjelina is twice the size of the mothership, with more than 200 seats, and serves cocktails as well as beer and wine. But that’s as far as any concessions to splurgy Sin City expectations go, with founder Fran Camaj otherwise staying true to the wood-fired pizzas, housemade charcuterie and comforting California mains that have earned a legion of L.A. regulars and helped shape restaurant cuisine across the city.
And, yes, Gjelina will still be using SoCal produce at its Nevada outpost, with two or three deliveries weekly from L.A.’s famed farmer’s markets ensuring a continuation of its singular ethos and flavor profiles. At lunch, enjoy nuanced salads, sandwiches, pasta and a delectable raw bar and charcuterie. Dinner boasts a generous selection of vegetable creations plus plates including crispy duck confit, 18-ounce prime bone-in ribeye, wood-roasted prawns and ricotta gnocchi. Catering to those Vegas late nights, breakfast/brunch is served until 3 p.m. and includes a trio of party-starting cocktails.
Howlin’ Ray’s
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Also at The Venetian is the first Howlin’ Ray’s outside of Greater L.A., which debuted last summer. The cult-favorite hot chicken eatery is tucked into the (also new) Via Via food hall, which reimagined an existing food court with hip, buzzy brands including Ivan Ramen, B.S. Taqueria and Turkey and the Wolf.
Influenced by Nashville’s storied hot chicken scene, Chef Johnny Ray Zone and his wife Amanda Chapman founded Howlin’ Ray’s as an L.A. food truck, which swiftly morphed into a Chinatown brick-and-mortar restaurant where long lines confirmed that hot chicken had truly arrived in Los Angeles and inspired a legion of imitators. The success of Howlin’ Ray’s was underlined by the opening of a Pasadena location in 2022.
A signature balancing of spicy, sweet and savory flavors alongside ambitious and imaginative marketing — including high-profile collabs with the likes of Post Malone, Adidas and Warren G — has kept Howlin’ Ray’s at the forefront of a very crowded and competitive niche, and Vegas is now discovering what all the fuss is about. The menu offers tenders and wings prepared with your choice of six heat levels, from “Country” (no heat) to the self-explanatory “Howlin’.” But the most famous Howlin’ Ray’s concoction, and perhaps the prime pick for first timers, is their legendary Sando: boneless chicken breast slathered in a creamy and tangy comeback sauce, pickles and slaw on a butter bun.
L.A. Brisket
The newest of a trio of newbies to make the leap from Los Angeles to The Venetian is L.A. Brisket, which opened at the sprawling resort’s Grand Canal Shoppes in October. Augmenting its original branch in Artesia are locations in L.A.’s Chinatown; in Honolulu, Hawaii; and now at the heart of the Sin City Strip. This casual West Coast concept serves all-natural smoked meat sandwiches comprising of brisket, pork or chicken enhanced with homemade rub and sauces; bowls centered upon these same distinctive meats; and delectable sides of sweet potato fries, elote, baked beans, slaw, truffle fries and seasoned jasmine rice.
