Delmonico Steakhouse at Venetian is a Cut Above

Las Vegas has so many great steakhouses, it’s sometimes difficult to choose between them.

Solution: Try them all.

Delmonico Steakhouse
Let’s Delmonico! Which, we admit, up to this point, hasn’t really been a verb.

Delmonico Steakhouse at Venetian is one you’ll need to visit at some point, because it exemplifies many of the things a Las Vegas steakhouse should provide: Outstanding food and world-class service.

Delmonico Steakhouse at Venetian is owned by Emeril Lagasse, one of the few remaining celebrity chefs without a sex scandal.

Delmonico Steakhouse
You don’t need a slick exterior when you have such good cocktails on the interior.

Delmonico opened in May 1999, and while it doesn’t get the buzz of its flashier counterparts, we found the restaurant to be top-notch, with steaks that stand out from much of the competition.

Hint: It’s the rub.

The superb quality of the steaks might also be because they’re dry-aged, in-house. But mostly the rub thing. The steaks are lovingly massaged with Creole seasonings, then get a healthy (so to speak) dab of butter to ensure your meal is memorable.

Delmonico Steakhouse
Get in our belly.

Beyond the exceptional steaks, the service is pure old-school pampering. Expert waiters guide guests through the menu and a wine list with 2,300 selections. And boy are our arms tired.

You know you’re in a fancy joint when they make your Caesar salad tableside.

Delmonico Steakhouse
To get a fresher salad, you’d need to be in a field gnawing on lettuce while it’s still in the ground. If you go that route, please send photos.

You may never go back to ordinary salads.

Delmonico Steakhouse
Yes, we actually ate a salad. Peer pressure.

Don’t forget the sides. They run the gamut from Country Smashed Potatoes (pictured below), steak fries and Duck Fat Fingerling Potatoes to creamed spinach, sauteed garlic mushrooms and Baked Anson Mills Grits, whatever grits might actually be.

Delmonico Steakhouse
We tend to stick with foods we can pronounce.

Delmonico Steakhouse also boasts some delicious signature cocktails. You knew we’d get around to those, eventually.

Our waiter recommended the New Orleans Nectar. We do not remember what was in this cocktail, which leads us to believe it was fantastic.

Delmonico Steakhouse
You might as well just order these by the dozen.

You can check out the lunch, dinner and dessert menus, as well as the specialty cocktail and beer menus, at the official Delmonico Steakhouse site.

The decor at Delmonico Steakhouse is understated by Vegas standards. There are vaulted ceilings and glass French doors, among other flourishes.

Delmonico Steakhouse
It’s not cheap, but you’re worth it. Yes, we’re suddenly a L’Oreal commercial.

Delmonico Steakhouse gets its name from another Emeril Lagasse restaurant in New Orleans, Emeril’s Delmonico.

It’s fancy without being snooty, and tends to be full of businesspersons with company credit cards.

While there’s no dress code, keep it classy. The restaurant’s Web site says, “We recommend business casual attire. However, smart-casual attire is completely acceptable. We ask that gentlemen not wear sleeveless shirts.”

Good luck trying to figure out the difference between “business casual” and “smart-casual.” Translation: Don’t be a schlub, you’ll be good.

Delmonico Steakhouse
We trust those are the vaulted ceilings. We are a blog, not Architectural Digest.

Great food, excellent service and extraordinary company results in a quintessential Las Vegas steakhouse experience at Delmonico Steakhouse in the Venetian’s restaurant row.