Southwest Burger

Southwest Burger at Cafe Cortez

elcortezhotelcasino.com

B-

Confession: We are suckers for old school diners, and we are suckers for a chili size. And here we have a pretty damn good chili size at an old school diner, the cafe in the historic El Cortez in downtown Vegas. There's plenty of beef and beans in this chili (even if it does have a distinctly canned feel), and there's plenty of onions, jalapenos and shredded cheese on the chili, on the burger. The bun and meat patty are pretty standard stuff for a greasy spoon like this, but that's the point of a chili size ... that whole greater-than-the-sum thing.

Turkey Pastrami

Turkey Pastrami at The Beat Coffeehouse

thebeatlv.com

A-

There are five sandwiches on the regular menu at this hip new downtown hangout, but the turkey pastrami is not one of them. This was the daily special, but we may lobby for its permanent inclusion. Tender, spicy meat is topped with melted cheese, fresh arugula and wondeful pickled red onions. The soft, chewy ciabatta is the perfect foundation for these ingredients, made all the more impressive by the fact that the Beat gets its bread from Bon Breads. For us Vegas sandwich worshippers, Bon Breads is a holy entity.

Sin City Smashburger

Sin City Smashburger at Smashburger

smashburger.com

A

Enough with the burgers already, huh? Not when this sucker comes your way. Take note that this is the half-pounder, not the average third, which is why it looks like such a monster. It is a monster. A flavor monster.


The thing about Smashburgers is how the cooking process creates uncommonly juicy meat, loosely packed and full of dripping deliciousness. The Sin City version has smoked bacon, melty good American cheese, special sauce and a fried egg, but what really pushes it crazy is the onions. There are both grilled onions and crispy fried onion strings, adding a depth charge of flavor and texture. It's no wonder this relative new kid on the burger block is kicking ass.

The Gold Standard

The Gold Standard at Holsteins

holsteinslv.com

A

This is the best 17-dollar burger I've ever had.

Holsteins' flagship burger is made with 21-day dry aged beef, which sounds fancy but what does it mean? It means the cow on this bun has a bold, powerful, slightly mineral taste, and it may or may not be your thing, but it sure is different and interesting. I like it. I don't even think it needs as many toppings to complement the beefy flavor, but here's what you also get on the Gold Standard: smoky bacon, tomato confit, goat cheddar cheese, arugula and a tangy garlic-chive mayo. It's pretty perfect in terms of texture and bite-to-bite variation.

This is a fancy burger, but we are noticing that when you're at a fancy burger joint on the Strip, sometimes fancy goes bad. Frequently, actually. Not at Holsteins.

Ham & Cheese

Ham & Cheese at Sambalatte

sambalatte.com

B-

Look here: the reason I claim Sambalatte as my top neighborhood coffee shop is because they have tasty treats. A Starbucks sandwich never looks or sounds appetizing. Here, there are sandwiches and salads and bad-ass pastries, too, all perfect with a cappuccino.

This simple yet sizable meal is a stack of decent, salty ham with mini-slabs of creamy brie on a slightly crusty, chewy baguette. It could use a little frisee or some spicy mustard, but it's just fine on its own. Coffee bar food doesn't have to suck.

Pastrami Melt

Pastrami Melt

homemade

B-

It's real simple: You take some pastrami (in this case Boar's Head brisket cut) slices, throw 'em in a pan and sizzle 'em up, melt some provolone on that mess, and pile it on some toast. Gooey, melty, peppery, salty, beefy goodness. And it's especially good when you're using a nice seedy rye for your toast. Only thing is ... forgot the mustard. Rookie mistake.

Captain's Order

Captain's Order at Slidin' Thru HQ

slidinthru.com

B-

We've feasted on tons of mini-burgs from this Vegas food truck favorite, but these two Captain's Order sliders were the first thing we chomped at Slidin' Thru's new mini-restaurant out by the airport.

The Captain is one of the more refined tastes on a menu of straight-up slider fun. In addition to a cute little ball of angus beef, it's got bacon, feta cheese, sauteed onions, tomato and arugula. That's a lot to put on a baby burger. Plus, it's all sauced up with a balsamic reduction, bringing a little sweetness and strength. The balsamic and feta is a powerful combo, and adding crispy bacon and arugula are flavor upgrades. At Slidin' Thru HQ, you can also get these toppins on the Captain's Order superfries, which are fantastic.

Chicago Style Italian Beef Sandwich

Chicago Style Italian Beef Sandwich at Windy City Beefs N Dogs

windycitybeefsndogs.com

B

Don't know for sure, still ain't been there, but all evidence points to this being straight up Chicagoish.

This tiny but nice sandwich shop in my hood seems to have been several different businesses in recent years, under different ownership, yet always sandwich-oriented. It was originally a Togo's. But now it's Windy City, and it looks and feels pretty much like a big city shop, and hey, it was cold and windy the day we tried it out. So there ya go.

This is only about three inches of the Italian Beef by Windy City, a sliced Gonnella Italian roll absolutely stuffed with thin slices of roast beef drenched in au jus, melting mozzarella cheese and spicy giardinera veggie mix. We ordered, they asked if we wanted it dipped, we said yeah, and then they dipped the whole thing back in the jus for extra messy, extra salty, extra juicy fun. So remind me: why do I need to go to Chicago?

Varadero Cuban Sandwich

Cuban Sandwich at Varadero

varaderocubanrestaurant.com

A-

I'm not the only eater to call Varadero's version the best classic Cuban sandwich in Vegas. Tasty, chewy egg bread is pressed flat and filled with thinly sliced roasted pork and ham, melted Swiss cheese, bright pickles and mustard and mayo. (Of course, we go the no-mayo route.) The beauty of this sandwich is the perfect proportion between meat, cheese and bread ... it's not about stuffing as much meat as possible between two slices grilled bread, it's about balance. And this little Cuban neighborhood restaurant in northwest Vegas does it right. The only improvement could be a bit more spice in the mustard, but we're not complaining.

The Beautiful Contradiction

The Beautiful Contradiction

homemade

B+

Potato Bun. Boca Burger veggie burger patty. Dill pickle slices. Chopped barbecue pork. Red onion slices. Why would you do this? Why not?

Sandwich Sundays Presents: The Super Sunday Mini

The Super Sunday Mini Sandwich

homemade

B+

In lieu of the traditional chips and dips, chicken wings and pizzas, we did up the big game with a fat stack of meats and cheeses and a nice fresh bread selection. Yes, our old family-style Sandwich Sundays returned, with a vengeance, on the day the Packers took the Steelers down.

Here we have the first of several sandwiches consumed that day. It looks big in this photo but the Super Sunday Mini is only about five inches across, intentionally little so we could continue to feast throughout the day. This bread is a spherical loaf of rosemary olive oil Italian stuff, and it is pretty delicious all by itself. Under fresh veggies lettuce, tomato and red onion rests Boar's Head-brand hot cappy, pepperoni, pastrami, black forest ham and provolone cheese. It's kinda Italian deli meets New York deli meets Super Bowl.

The Original Italian

The Original Italian at Jersey Mike's Subs

jerseymikes.com

B

Jersey Mike's is one of those storied sandwich shops that became successful enough to spawn franchised versions all over the place. It is, in fact, from New Jersey, even if this version of the Italian sub might be a little more watered down than what you what get from the original location. Who knows? Who cares? It's pretty damn good, stacked with ham, prosciuttini, cappacuolo, salami and pepperoni, provolone cheese and veggie toppings "Mike's Way," which means onions, shredded lettuce, tomatoes, olive oil, red wine vinegar and oregano.

Compared to Italian sandwiches from other franchise shops, this sucker has way more meat. Spicier capacola would have been nice, but you can take the extra step and add some peppers if you need a bit of heat. The bread is a little too crusty and a little too dense to absorb the wonderful oil and vinegar seasonings, yet this is still a very juicy sandwich. They get pretty happy with vinegar, and there's nothing wrong with that. I guess that's Jersey style?

Chilean Dog

Chilean Dog at The Lunch Box

lvlunchbox.com

A

The cool owner of this cool little hot dog spot near UNLV was inspired by a student from Chile to create this tasty masterpiece, an interesting combination of spicy, creamy and savory. The Lunch Box guy gets his buns from the local Great Buns Bakery, and it's a fresh taste with a soft-but-firm-enough texture, just the right vessel to carry the all-beef Vienna Frank to your mouth. Things get crazy when the toppings come into play: yellow mustard and spicy mayo, fresh slices of tomato and avocado, and a sweet-and-sour, crunchy sauerkraut. I don't know if this is how they do dogs in Chile, but I'm glad they're doing them here. Next time we hit The Lunch Box, we'll sample a Tokyo Dog and a scratch-made Belgian chocolate chip waffle ice cream sandwich.

Manhattan

The Manhattan at Johnny McGuire's

johnnymcguires.com

B-

The subs at Johnny McGuire's continue to impress, buoyed powerfully by fresh baked rolls. This sandwich, the Manhattan, was ordered on a wheat roll, and it was just as chewy and delicious as the white ones. With toppings of corned beef, Swiss cheese, purple cabbage coleslaw, tomato, onions and green peppers with Thousand Island dressing, the Manhattan feels like it should have been a hot sandwich with the veggies tossed on at the end. But warmed up, it might have been closer to the shop's version of a Reuben.

Tamago Burger

Tamago Burger at Fukuburger

fukuburger.com

A+

We can't think of a more perfectly decadent topping for a juicy burger than a rich, oozy fried egg, the yolk mingling with the fatty juices from the beef. Actually, that sounds kinda gross described that way, huh? But we all know it's delicious. The Fukuburger version of the egg burger, like everything else on the menu of this Asian-inspired Vegas food truck, takes things to another level.

The Tamago Burger has the signature Fuku patty -- a wonderfully moist, juicy beef burger marinated in sake, mirin and yuzu, then grilled and finished with a slightly sweet glaze -- with our friend the fried egg, crispy onion strings, a dash of teryiaki and furikake and Fuku's special sauce, a Japanese spin on mayo. Besides the creativity, the most amazing feat is Fuku's tendency to cook each burger perfectly medium, which captializes on the bold flavors of those crazy toppings.

The Original Double 'n Cheese

The Original Double 'n Cheese at Steak 'n Shake

steaknshake.com

B

Let's not argue. The Steak 'n Shake in Las Vegas is still a Steak 'n Shake, okay? If this is not the steakburger you remember from your Midwest roots, it's not because we're in Vegas. It's because times have changed and so have fast food outlets, even if when they first opened, there was no such thing as fast food.

This is a damn good cheeseburger, with all the traditional fixings. Veggies are fresh, everything is in proportion, and the meat is juicy and delicious. Vegas-wise, it's very close to a much newer franchise, Smashburger, which also is new to Vegas. It's also pretty close, stylistically, to the In-N-Out double-double. This is a classic, and very satisfying.

Whitefish Salad

Whitefish Salad Sandwich at Bagel Cafe

thebagelcafelv.com

A+

Writing this mini-review of this sandwich, in all seriousness, is making me angry right now because it makes me want to eat this bitch right now. I don't know if you can make a more perfect sandwich. I love you, Bagel Cafe. I love you and I am in love with you.

So I choose their homemade rye for this sandwich, not toasted even though it might hold together better if was toasted. But with soft bread, the rich, creamy, smoky whitefish salad will spill out every few bites, and I like that because I'm going to eat it all anyway and it doesn't matter if I have to use a fork to finish my sandwich. Fresh lettuce, red onion and ripe tomatoes are a wonderful complement but there's no stealing the spotlight from the fish, so moist with some celery and onion tossed in for a satisfying mini-crunch. There are few delicatessens of Bagel Cafe's category in Las Vegas but nothing that offers as much variety on the menu, and they make damn near everything themselves. So, yeah, there is no competition.

The Rising Sun

The Rising Sun at Holsteins

holsteinslv.com

A

 A brand new, fancy-ass casino resort opens on the Las Vegas Strip, and what do we do? Head straight for the sandwich, of course. Would you expect anything less? The only restaurant in the shiny new Cosmopolitan with already established Vegas ties is Holsteins Shakes and Buns, a burger palace from the makers of the decent LBS joint at the Red Rock Resort. But as you must do when you hit the Strip, these guys stepped their game up. The Holsteins menu is impressive, even stacked up against the never-ending cavalcade of fancy gourmet hamburger restaurants lining Las Vegas Boulevard. Interesting appetizers and cute sample-size mini-burgers and mini-dogs abound, and the selection of full-sized burgers is diverse and tempting.

I opted for one of the Asian-influenced burgers, the Rising Sun, which boasts Kobe beef with a teriyake glaze, a sprinklin' of furikake (dried ground fishy flakes with sesame and seaweed), thin strings of crispy fried yam, a slab of tempura avocado, and a spicy mayonnaise sauce. Took a bite, wow. I have enjoyed some great Asian burgers in town recently, from Bachi Burger to Fukuburger, and this one is right up there with the best. The meat is simply outstanding, juicy and beefy-fabulous and cooked perfectly medium, and complemented nicely by the sharp if slightly-too-sweet glaze. I couldn't detect the nori furikake and didn't pick up anything but a little saucy texture from the mayo, but that's because the flavor of the beef and the nice crispy texture of the yam frites is all you need. The avocado lends a nice, creamy touch, but this baby is all about the cow. It's a very impressive burger. In fact, it's good enough to merit a return to Holsteins, which is a substantial statement considering all the delicious food waiting to be eaten at the Cosmopolitan.

Christy Special

Christy Special at B&B's Pickle Barrel

Pickle Barrel website

B

Every college town should have a Pickle Barrel nearby, a laidback spot with a chalkboard full of great food, a bar, and a giant, somewhat unsanitary bin of grab-your-own pickles from which to snare a salty delight. Getting used to the veggie friendly style of Fort Collins, I opted for a meat-free experiment on my first visit to this beloved shop, and munched down on the Christy Special. Among the grilled mushrooms and onions, fresh tomatoes, lettuce and avocado, and tangy vinaigrette, please note the mound of melted havarti cheese. Havarti really ought to appear on more sandwiches, as its smooth, creamy, almost buttery Danish goodness stands up well against sharp dressings and pickled or vinegary vegetables. I don't know who this is Christy is, or why she likes havarti cheese so much, but I appreciate her good taste.



Banana-Nutella Sandwiches

Banana-Nutella Sandwiches at Firefly

fireflylv.com

A+

Ladies and gentlemen, we now present one of the greatest dessert sandwiches of all time. Coming to you from Las Vegas' most loved, most popular, most cool neighborhood restaurant (Firefly), these are banana-nutella sandwiches. They are perfectly sized little bites of grilled bread filled with everyone's favorite choco-hazelnut spread and warm, gooey banana, topped with more nutella, strawberries and powdered sugar, and served with nutella cream dipping sauce (which is really just more nutella). So simple. So rich. So awesome. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the first sweet treat to the allsandwich A+ list.