"Best" of Vegas?

Every year when the Review Journal's Best of Vegas comes out, I have to just wince in the horror of what people vote for.  It's like a long list of chain restaurants that everyone all over the country have been to.  Here are my personal "best" of the Best, and the "worst" of the Best List this year.

Best Chinese Restaurant

Good Chinese food always seems like it would be easy to find.  There were tons of places back home that I knew I could go to and it would be super yummy.  Not so much here.  I've had nothing but undercooked rice and limp beef, and it's a sad thing when I get a craving for Orange Chicken that I go straight to the Cheesecake Factory.  This year PF Changs won out, I place I personally find overpriced for what you actually end up getting.  I've never finished a full meal there myself, I always take my leftovers for someone else to eat later.  The fact that we actually have a Chinatown in our city with no good Chinese food makes me sad.  And the LVRJ seems to agree, as they choose a Dim Sum place that I've never heard of.  Mostly because I don't actually wake up in time for lunch.

Best Italian Restaurant

This kills me.  There are so many Italian places here in Vegas, and most of them are pretty good.  I haven't been to one that I didn't like.  Except maybe the winner, The Olive Garden.  TV Shows have been making jokes about the Olive Garden since the 80's, and for good reason.  Everything there is pretty bland and boring, and I'd never vote for something just because they happen to have yummy soup, salad and breadsticks. 

Best Japanese Restaurant

Maybe it's just because people seem to stick to the places they know to be boring, but good.  Like Starbucks.  Maybe that's why Osaka keeps winning in this category.  Not that it's not a good place, but there are tons of amazing places like Goyemon or Oyshi or Xtreme to go to.  I think that the people who vote are the people who don't like to go out much and try new things.

Best Seafood Restaurant

Red Lobster, are you kidding?  With Joe's Crab Shack following behind?  I don't want to live in this town anymore.

Best Coffee

Speaking of Starbucks...RJ's pick of Sunrise is a much better pick.

Best Hot Dog

I was floored when I read that the winner was Costco.  I guess that's why the Wienerschnitzel on LVB closed, huh?

Best Tapas

Firefly is a really good place, I'll give you that. However so many other places have rose up in the last few years that are also great at Tapas.  Go out there and find one.

Best Museum

I must have been the only one to dislike the Mob Museum.  It was like reading a really long book on a subject that wasn't exactly made interesting.  The Nevada Museum in Springs Preserve is easily the best museum. 

Best Place to take Out-of-Town Guests

Red Rock won out.  So, basically take them as far away from the strip as possible.  It's the only way to go.