Filet Mignon, Wagyu, Rib Eye, oh my! STRIPSTEAK, Chef Michael Mina’s first steakhouse located in Mandalay Bay, opened May 8, 2008. Over a year later it is still one of our favorite restaurants in town. Having been voted “the Best Steak in Town” by Esquire Magazine, this meat-lovers mecca is known for consistent products and service. STRIPSTEAK uses only the highest quality fresh ingredients, all-natural meat and line-caught seafood. The menu offers three kinds of beef: Certified Angus Beef, American Kobe and 'A5' Japanese Kobe (aka Wagyu), each of which are slow-poached to enhance the flavor and tenderness.

Dinner starts with a complimentary serving of STRIPSTEAK’s famous duck fat fries (truffle, bbq and regular, each with a special sipping sauce). A spinach soufflé and truffled mac and cheese are the favorite side dishes, while the Heirloom tomato soup with lobster grilled cheese takes the cake for best appetizer. It’s impossible to say what their best entrée is- everyone has their own favorite cut of meat, and all of STRIPSTEAK’s options are beyond amazing. However, it was their butter-poached Bone-in Top Loin that Esquire Magazine voted Best Steak in America. Surely that can’t be a bad place to start.

The amazing drinks manage to hold their own next to the mouth-watering food. Creative cocktails pay homage to the classics while highlighting a changing roster of fresh ingredients. We personally recommend the refreshing Cucumber Cocktail or the “Modern Ward”- this drink is given star treatment with the addition of pomegranate molasses and orange bitters. If you prefer to keep it classy with a single malt Scotch, look out for the special 2-by-2-inch ice cubes made to slow dilution and keep your drink icy cold.

The interior is a revitalizing combination of comfortable arm chairs and clear glass partitions accented with frosted cubes. Adding to the visual ambiance is popular upbeat music regularly updates by a Los Angeles DJ. Between the food, the drinks and the ambiance, this is one culinary experience that is not to be missed. We found that STRIPSTEAK deserved the title it holds for Best Steak, making it a necessary stop for local or tourist foodies alike.

GetWize: Don’t let the economy keep you away from STRIPSTEAK: the restaurant offers a $55 3-course price fix menu for some serious recessionista value. For more information, or to see the full menu, check out the website here.