No matter where you are on the Strip, you’re always close to somewhere to eat or drink in Las Vegas. But how do you choose? From decadent tasting menus to foodie favorites to quick snacks, we’ll help you pick in our guide to the kinds of dining on offer in Vegas. To make your next mouthwatering memory, we recommend:

"Vegas is one of my favorite cities to indulge in unique food experiences because the city has so many food and restaurant options that cater to various diet restrictions. No one in your group will ever leave hungry." –Senwhaa Lim, Hilton Team Member, Global Consumer Communications

There’s always a traditional, old-school steakhouse, as well as Italian and Chinese restaurants in Las Vegas. Sushi spots and gastropubs are also popular, and modern American menus always draw a crowd.

Think outside the obvious, and you’ll be rewarded with some fascinating fusion menus, like at Best Friend. It’s an adorable Korean-Mexican restaurant that’s made up to look like an L.A. bodega.

SushiSamba at The Palazzo blends Japanese and Brazilian flavors, and Black Tap has elevated bar food and the most over-the-top milkshakes imaginable.

There are food halls that favor smaller, elevated purveyors of fried chicken, donuts and nachos. You can find familiar favorites too, with major fast-food chains representing burgers to bagels.

Our tips to avoid waiting and salivating? There are two ways to beat the buffet queue: Get there very early or buy pre-arrival tickets – kind of like making a reservation for your place in line.

Find which buffet suits your need. Wicked Spoon is among one of the fanciest, with wood-fired pizzas and the like. Some Vegas buffets include alcoholic drinks, but check with individual venues.

Le Thai and its accessible Thai menu was one of the first restaurants to lead the Fremont Street revival, but others soon followed. Most of the restaurants here look like regular neighborhood diners. Playful places like Pizza Rock are typical, with its menus like vinyl record sleeves. Evel Pie has its motorcycle memorabilia and Siegel’s 1941 sells ersatz gangster chic. There’s a swath of well-loved Mexican outlets such as Pinches Tacos.

For Vegas vacation veterans, it’s fun to expand your culinary horizons. It doesn’t have to be a formal event: You can head to the impressively large, flagship outpost of Shake Shack on the Strip. Did you know that Las Vegas has its own Chinatown? There’s a three-mile stretch along Spring Mountain Road from Rainbow Boulevard east to Valley View Boulevard that has some of the most authentic Asian food in the country. Visitors love to try the hot pot at Chubby Cattle, the pho at Viet Noodle Bar or the ramen at Ramen Sora.

Tarantino’s Vegan has a full, plant-based Italian menu for healthy ‘meatball’ subs and delicious ‘chicken’ parm.

Paul Oswell is a British award-winning journalist and published travel author based in New Orleans, Louisiana in the United States. His books include Bucket List North America and The Great American Road Trip, as well as New Orleans' Historic Hotels. He has also been an editor of and contributor to several guide books/editions published by Dorling Kindersley (owned by Penguin), including New Orleans, Florida, Orlando, Los Angeles, California and The United States. His work has appeared in Conde Nast Traveler, Travel & Leisure (both of which he has written multiple online travel guides for) and The Guardian, as well as dozens of international newspaper and magazine titles, and inflight magazines for major airlines.