Las Vegas Market: 6 places to grab dinner after the convention

Downtown Las Vegas’ star continues to rise, and the dining in the area near World Market Center seems to get better every year. So if you’re looking for a bite after a day at Las Vegas Market, here are a few of the more interesting spots, some decades old, others barely past their first year. Keep in mind, however, that these aren’t the mega-restaurants of the Strip. Space is limited at many, so reservations are usually a good idea.

Old Soul: Get a preview of one of downtown Las Vegas’ most eagerly awaited restaurants right on the campus of the World Market Center. Chef Natalie Young, whose breakfast and lunch spot Eat is a downtown institution, has been working on this new venture for several months. She’ll open from 8 a.m. through 8 p.m. for breakfast, lunch and dinner during Las Vegas Market. The menu will mix the “approachable, simple food” she’s planning for the new spot with some favorites from Eat, served up in a large room that hearkens back to America in the years immediately prior to Prohibition. World Market Center, 495 Grand Central Pkwy., Building A, Suite 116, 702-534-4099, chefnatalieyoung.com

Flock & Fowl: Chef Sheridan Su was a semi-finalist for a James Beard Award, and many people attribute it mostly to Flock & Fowl’s signature dish: Hainan chicken served with rice. While this simple masterpiece is perfect on its own, the optional fried egg and Chinese sausage add-ons are worth the splurge. (Add both, and the dish still clocks in under $20.) Beyond that, the menu is limited, but fun to explore. Flock & Fowl is in the Ogden, downtown’s hippest high-rise, just a short walk from the heart of the Fremont East district. 150 N. Las Vegas Blvd., 702-272-2222, flockandfowl.com

Le Pho: Khai Vu is one of Las Vegas’ top off-Strip chefs, with three successful restaurants scattered throughout the valley. The specialty at this one, in the Juhl high-rise, is Vietnamese cuisine that goes beyond seven styles of the signature pho to include banh mi, rice dishes and assorted small snacks. Le Pho is just a mile from World Market Center. 353 E. Bonneville Ave., 702-382-0209, lephodtlv.com

Esther’s Kitchen: One of the most talked-about restaurants of 2018, Esther’s is fresh off its first anniversary. What’s had the place packed for most of that year is attention to detail. Chef/owner James Trees offers approachable Italian cuisine that’s more memorable for its quality and consistency than its originality. Dinner here is a great way to kick off an evening exploring the suddenly fashionable Arts District, centered less than a block away on Main Street. If you can’t get a reservation, they do save a handful of spots for walk-ins, although there are no guarantees. And pastas are half-off at the bar from 5-7 and 9-11 p.m. when you purchase an adult beverage. 1130 S. Casino Center Blvd. (entrance on California Avenue), 702-570-7864, estherslv.com

The Kitchen at Atomic: Near the eastern edge of the Fremont East entertainment district, but still less than two miles from World Market Center, you’ll find this culinary companion to the historic Atomic Liquors. But while the bar is old (the oldest in freestanding bar in town) and a little gritty, the restaurant is new and a bit upscale. High-end products and thoughtful preparation elevate its steaks, seafood and fried chicken a bit above most neighboring spots. And don’t overlook the burgers, or the Pork Belly PB&J sandwich. 927 Fremont St., 702-534-3223, kitchenatatomic.vegas

Chicago Joe’s: If you’re looking for a taste of old Vegas near the World Market Center, this classic is about a mile away. A dinner here feels like you’re eating in someone’s house because, until being converted to a restaurant in 1975, it actually was a downtown residence. While Italian-American red-sauce classics are the heart and soul of this place, the menu has a bit more depth. (Hint: Don’t miss the stuffed artichoke appetizer.) Pencil this one in for later in the week, since it’s closed Sundays and Mondays. 820 S. Fourth St., 702-382-5637, chicagojoesrestaurant.com.

Contact Al Mancini at amancini@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AlManciniVegas on Twitter.