I used to go to Vegas 4-6 times a year for work so I started looking for 'other' unique places.
Been here twice now- very good http://bootleggerlasvegas.com/
Couldn't get into the Thai place he recommended as it opened later than I wanted to eat so at this local place for Sushi http://www.sushihousegoyemon.com/

Strip Hotel 'Chef' restaurants are usually very very good but also very pricey.  Just a few I have been to and would recommend.
Tao Las Vegas in the Venitian
Strip Steak in Mandalay Bay
Spago in Caesars 

Firefly is a cool tapas place just off of the strip.

Buffet @ the Bellagio is pretty awesome, but don't go when they're in the last hour before they change from lunch to dinner or breakfast to lunch.  Very impressive spread and it's not your average buffet food.  I shy away from buffets because of the selection vs. quality, but it's top notch.  They usually have Elk, Lamb, etc. on the weekends.

"Secret Pizza" at the Cosmopolitan is good & cheap NY style pizza (if you can find it.)  There's another place called Battista's Hole in the Wall behind the Flamingo.  Little Italian place--the food is ok, but Mr. Battista walks around the restaurant playing music with an accordion and improvising songs about your home city, job, whatever.  Sounds kind of corny, but it a neat place for a decent price. 

Once you get burned out on the expensive casino food, Capriotti's is a sandwich chain and has a dozen locations around LV.  VERY GOOD, can't wait until they open one around here. 

My wife and I usually stay at the Trump or Vdara, so we have a little kitchen.  We'll hit up off strip places or bring back take out to the hotel if we have the kids with us.  There was a really neat Japanese place we went to west of the strip off Tropicana or Harmon.  It was in a two story strip mall and was upstairs.  It had a ton of pictures on the wall, none of which was in English, so we just pointed at two dozen pictures and waited for the spread.  Some of it was fantastic, some of it was not my thing, but what an experience......and total bill, $50.

BTW, my favorite show there is a comedy show by a guy named Vinny Favorito.  He was at the Flamingo last time.  It's not really a set act, he just comes out and interact (and insults) the audience.  Make sure you wait a few hours after eating or you're going to risk losing it all.  Absolutely hilarious.

Roadfood is your answer.

http://www.roadfood.com/Restaurants/SearchResults.aspx?st=latlong&latlongid=923&ob=LatLon

For more results, join the forum and use the search feature for up to date trip reports.

The last time we were there I had without question the best steak of my life at C.U.T. in The Venetian: Snake River Farms American Kobe strip steak. It was absolutely insane. I ate with my eyes closed. Not a hole in the wall place, obviously. But a great experience that was worth every dollar.

Also, don't sell the buffets short. If you're a player, it is easy to get comps, and some of the food is fantastic. Bellagio and Wynn come to mind as a couple of the best. And even if you aren't a player, sometimes a comp buffet is included with the sign up for a card (like at The Wynn).

It's a buffet, but the Paris breakfast buffet is unbelievable 

I have eaten at least a dozen times at www.echoandrig.com and it's my favorite. The feature SRF products. Try the thick cut bacon &BBQ Sauce app  and the Rib-Eye Cap. All there salads are great!

Oh and Gordon Ramsey's burger place in planet Hollywood. 

Dyal_SC said:

I know it's somewhat trendy, but if get a chance, checkout Giada's restaurant. My wife and I got the Whole Roasted Chicken Caccitore for two.  Hands down the most delicious chicken I have ever eaten.  They use a combination of olive wood and oak for their wood burning oven.  The flavor is amazing.  

And we had awesome roasted chicken at Mon Ami Gabi inside Paris Paris. If anyone knows how to make a bird, it's the French.

msloan said:

one place I have eaten that I did not like at all was the Sammy Hagar Cabo Wabo Cantina......I will never go back there....food simply was just no good to my tastes buds.

I've heard that, too. I had the street tacos and they were okay. Not mind blowing, but certainly good.

The Mexican place in New York New York, Gonzalez y Gonzalez, is pretty bad: I call places like that tortilla joints: the filling is always the same, the tortilla changes. Corn, wheat, bowl, etc.

Prime Rib at Lowrey's

BizGreenEgg said:

I am not a fan of the strip and try to avoid it at all costs.  I prefer to be downtown on Fremont.  I have friends that are locals and they gave some great advice: Container Park is awesome and there are several places to eat/drink and get away from massive crowds - Cheffini's Hotdogs is great.  I also had one of the best margaritas ever at Nacho Daddy, just off Fremont.  There's also a decent little brewery right near Heart Attack Grill, Banger Brewing.

Non-food related, but I also totally recommend checking out the Mob Museum (Museum of Organized Crime and Law Enforcement).  Spent close to 3 hours there.  And you can take beers on the tour.

see.....I find that amazing to me.  I thought Freemont was really cool and I am really glad to have visited that area.....but the excitement and lights and stuff to do on the strip is what makes Vegas, well Vegas.  I have never understood why anyone wants to go to a place like that and not want to be in the middle of it all.  my wife and I want to be right in the middle of the mess so to speak....lol  

if I'm going to disneyland to ride rides then I certainly want to avoid the crowds.....but when I'm walking through a casino and all the tables are full and people are laughing and screaming and drinking it is just an electric feeling for us.  we love it!

If you want good Mexican then Viva Mercado's which reopened on West Sahara.  If you want bistro food then Marche Bacchus which is near Summerlin by Lake Mead Dr and Blvd and N Buffalo. If you want pizza and salad, Sammy's Woodfire. For middle eastern food, Paymon's which has two locations. I prefer the one on W Sahara. 

Raku
http://www.yelp.com/biz/raku-las-vegas

Make a reservation to sit at the bar at 10:00pm
Stay till 2:00am.
Call taxi.