Where to eat and drink
Chada Street: Find a diverse array of small plates (most dishes $6-$15) inspired by street food from Thailand, along with a charming wine bar atmosphere and an impressive list of 50 bottles under $50 (chadastreet.com).
Golden Tiki: You can't miss this gem — the giant wooden doors with tiki totems for handles stand out amid one of Chinatown's strip malls, and lead to a darkened tropical paradise complete with lanterns, thatched huts, water features and stars shooting across the ceiling (thegoldentiki.com).
PublicUs: The crafted coffee drinks — treated more like cocktails than typical lattes — run on the pricey end. But the one-of-a-kind specialty drinks at PublicUs are comparable in price with a simple black coffee purchased on the strip, while a superior cup at PublicUs is just $3 (publicuslv.com).
ReBar: At this Arts District watering hole, a portion of the cocktail prices ($6-$8) benefits local charities, and everything in the bar — from the vintage furniture to the antique knickknacks on the walls — is for sale. Yep, it's a thrift shop/pub mashup (rebarlv.com).
Sister's Oriental Market & Video: Tucked into an unassuming strip mall on the eastern end of Las Vegas' old Fremont Street, Sister's boasts cheap and authentic Laotian food (most dishes under $8) and an attached market selling Southeast Asian foods. (facebook.com/sisters-oriental-market-video).
Viva Las Arepas: Looking for a cheap breakfast not far from the strip? This Venezuelan shop is a must — the mouthwatering corn masa sandwiches range between $4.50 and $8 — add cheese (50 cents), a fried egg (99 cents) or avocado (99 cents) and a black coffee for $2 (vivalasarepas.com).
Velveteen Rabbit: From the outside, this cocktail bar, housed in a nondescript square building, appears closed, the windows boarded over. But inside, velvet furniture, twinkling chandeliers and delicate glassware set the stage for some of the city's best cocktails. There's a punch special for $6; other drinks range from $10-$12 (velveteenrabbitlv.com).
Yama Sushi: All-you-can-eat quality sushi for just $23.95?? It's true. Yama has two locations — in Chinatown and near the University of Nevada — and offers melt-in-your-mouth fresh fish with rare selections and precise cuts, along with many small dishes (yamasushi.net).
