Before Las Vegas casinos transitioned restaurant lineups from strictly the necessities—the stuff that would satisfy gamblers and tourists—to the marvelously multiplied Strip dining scene today, there were noodle bars.
A quick spot for a hearty meal between hands, these usually Chinese restaurants were easy and satisfying. They still are. Typically located right off the casino floor, noodle bars are holding strong despite the surge of many other Asian dining options. The newest are Ku Noodle at SLS and Yong Kang Street at Paris.
Why skip into a food court or gastropub for a fancy burger when you can do dumplings, noodles, and spicy, savory soups? Here are a few favorite Vegas casino noodle bars:
Noodles get pulled at Beijing Noodle No. 9.
Beijing Noodle No. 9 This is the classic. Some say BNN9 has fallen off over the years, but I beg to differ. Its all-white dining room is still one of the most striking and pleasant casual spaces on the Strip, and the menu is solid all the way through. Don’t miss the hand-pulled noodles available in a variety of dishes, including combinations with spicy XO sauce or Beijing-style pork wonton soup. Another must-eat: savory lamb pancakes. Caesars Palace, 877-346-4642. Daily, 11 a.m.-10:30 p.m.
Noodle Asia and Noodle Exchange These overlooked nooks offer some of the best Chinese food in the city. They’re in different casinos, one on the Strip and the other just west, but they’re both operated by Kevin and Karrie Wu, longtime local pros who know how to satisfy Asian visitors and local eaters alike. Venetian’s sports book-adjacent Noodle Asia specializes in dumpling soups and pan-fried noodles, while Gold Coast’s Noodle Exchange offers everything from familiar Chinese lunch specials to Hawaiian-style saimin to stir-fried shrimp and calamari rice noodles. At dinner, go for the traditional hot pot. Noodle Asia, Venetian, 702-414-1444. Daily, 11 a.m.-3 a.m. Noodle Exchange, Gold Coast, 702-367-7111. Daily, noon-11 p.m.
Bellagio's Noodles serves much more than noodles.
Noodles A perfect companion to Bellagio’s Chinese fine dining spot Jasmine, Noodles is cool and comfortable, and the menu samples from Japanese, Malaysian, Thai, Vietnamese and other cuisines. Check out the brisket-laden Mandarin beef noodle stew, and don’t skip the luscious Three Varieties of Joy meat sampler with roasted duck, barbecue pork and soya chicken. Bellagio, 702-693-8131. Daily, 11 a.m.-2 a.m.
Pho Vietnamese Somewhat hidden in Treasure Island’s coffee shop, this noodle bar offers unexpected and exotic flavors in a casino property that has become more and more mainstream in its dining lineup. Banh mi sandwiches, Chinese-American classics like honey walnut shrimp and kung pao chicken, fragrant Vietnamese beef noodle soup and even a little sushi round out the menu here. TI, 702-894-7111. Sunday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-11:30 p.m.; Friday & Saturday, 11 a.m.-2:30 a.m.
Mandalay Bay's Noodle Shop.
Red 8 Okay, this is more restaurant than noodle bar, but that’s the way Wynn does it. Ultra-rich oxtail soup, abalone and chicken congee, Cantonese pot stickers and sauteed pork and eggplant with cat ear noodles are among the highlights. Remember, the fancier the casino, the better the odds they have really crazy stuff on the noodle bar menu. Wynn, 702-248-3463. Sunday-Thursday, 11:30-midnight; Friday & Saturday, 11:30 a.m.-1 a.m.
Noodle Shop Did you even know Mandalay Bay had a noodle shop? It’s there, and it’s good—honey-glazed spareribs, shrimp and chive dumplings and spicy-crispy calamari start things off. Finish with sea bass wonton soup or preserved egg and shredded pork congee. Mandalay Bay, 702-632-6071. Sunday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-11 p.m.; Friday & Saturday, 11 a.m.-1 a.m.
