Taste

These dishes really hit the spot after a long night out

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Murphy’s Law Round Reuben
Photo: Beverly Poppe
Jim Begley & Brock Radke

ROUND REUBEN (Murphy’s Law Tavern, 1590 E. Flamingo Road) So you’re craving a sandwich but you’re too tired to chew it. It’s happened to all of us. Leave it to Murphy’s to resolve our dilemma—by going ahead and pre-pulverizing a Reuben for us! The rye bread, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut and corned beef are literally ground together into hearty meatball-sized spheres, doused in housemade Bass batter, deep-fried and served with Thousand Island dressing. Who needs a Bass-O-Matic? –JIM BEGLEY

PHILLY CHEESESTEAK POTSTICKERS (First Food & Bar, inside Palazzo) First is the bar-food favorite, having practically invented sliders and chicken wings. It’s also one of the top destinations in which to wrangle your posse for a late-night nosh, as its menu is packed with fun snacks perfect for sharing. Philly cheesesteak potstickers taste just as awesome as they sound, a few bites of meaty-melty magic. The best part is the zing from the Sriracha-laced ketchup. That should wake you up. –BROCK RADKE

CHEESEBURGER (Tiffany’s Cafe at White Cross Drugs, 1700 Las Vegas Boulevard S.) This Downtown fixture is well known for its diner fare, of which its cheeseburger is the prime example. Don’t come looking for Burger Bar creations; these are good ol’ greasy-spoon staples. The real treat? Watching Louie, the graveyard short-order cook, tend to the masses as he grills seamlessly. Grab a seat at the counter. Between Louie’s artistry and the crowds spilling in from Dino’s, there’s no better late-night show in town. –JB

Roxy's Chilli Cheese Potato Bomb

ARTICHOKE “GUAC” (Holsteins, inside Cosmopolitan) This second-level Cosmo eatery offers a different twist on the burger joint, with a vast menu of sample-ready sliders and mini-dogs. One of the most interesting and delicious twists is the artichoke “guac,” which looks like chips and guacamole but is actually seasoned fried pita bread with an outstanding hummus dip of olives, ’chokes, peppers and capers. If you feel bad about eating healthy food after midnight, add the boozalicious strawberry cheesecake milkshake for an intoxicating dessert experience. –BR

CHILI CHEESE POTATO BOMB (Roxy's, inside the Stratosphere) The description of this beast of a dish on Roxy’s revamped menu—“two chili cheese stuffed potatoes”—does it no justice. Think more of deep-fried, reconstituted whole potatoes chock full of goodness (butter, sour cream, bacon and scallions), served atop chili and, yes, more sour cream, and smothered in cheese. The perfect complement to those late-night Downtown cocktails. And don’t worry, those Oldies-singing servers will be long gone before you get there. –JB

PANCAKES (Du-par’s, inside the Golden Gate) Forget about the fact that pancakes, spongy and sweet, may be the perfect booze-absorbing, brain-soothing treat. Forget about how cool and old-school it is to eat them at any hour at the counter in the oldest casino in the state. Once you get a mouthful of these supremely buttery, crispy-edged, barely-need-syrup champions, you won’t care about that other stuff. Du-par’s serves the paragon of pancakes, and they might just preempt your hangover. –BR

Fukuburger's Colin Fukunaga and Robert "Mags" Magsalin

BUTTER CORN (Ichiza, 4355 W. Spring Mountain Road) Straight out of anime comes the raucous atmosphere at Ichiza, continuing until 4 a.m. most nights. The butter corn—their loose take on tuna salad composed of tuna, corn, butter, mayo and cheese on wonton crisps—is the perfect foil for your oncoming hangover. Warning for the uninitiated: Prepare for a scavenger hunt; many of the best menu items reside on scraps of paper tacked to the walls. Trust me, the butter corn’s there somewhere! –JB

TAMAGO BURGER (Fukuburger truck, fukuburger.com) I can’t decide what’s better at 2 a.m., a perfect, juicy burger or some breakfast. Which is why I track down the Fukuburger truck and hammer a No. 2. The Tamago’s topped with a runny fried egg, just the right amount of late-night decadence, along with crispy fried onions and some tasty teriyaki. Plus, it’s fun; the Fuku experience is fine food and a bangin’ party in a cool red box with wheels. –BR

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