14 Ways to Eat and Drink Your Way Through the NFR

Yeehaw! The Strip will be filled with belt buckles, 10-gallon hats and bow-legged cowboys who invade Las Vegas for the National Finals Rodeo. That means hungry guys looking for beer and beef. Check out these specials at Las Vegas restaurants made just for the NFR.

1) Tender Steak & Seafood
Where: Luxor
What: Cowboy-sized appetites get quelled with a pairing of the Tomahawk Chop and Crown Royal Flight priced at $95 per person. The Tomahawk Chop is a grilled 30-ounce Angus Beef rib-eye steak accompanied by roasted fingerling potatoes, exotic mushrooms and caramelized onions. The Crown Royal Flight includes pours of Crown Royal Whisky, Crown Royal Reserve and Crown Royal XR. The Tomahawk Chop and Crown Royal Flight also are available a la carte for $79 and $30 respectively. The restaurant also offers up the Game Meat Tasting Platter, priced at $55, with Wyoming range-fed American bison rib-eye served with maple-flavored baked beans and duck bacon; Colorado Rocky Mountain elk medallion accompanied by cranberry sauce and cherry fig chutney; and Texas Hill-Country wild boar spare ribs served with roasted crimini mushrooms in sherry vinaigrette.
Phone: 702-262-4852

2) Nove Italiano
Where: Palms
What: Chef Geno Bernardo ordered huge chops for the Italian Stallion dish only available during NFR. These long-bone rib-eyes weigh 32 pounds with the bone. Bernardo cuts it into six servings, each weighing about four pounds. The meat is prepared two ways with the top part of the bone treated like a short rib and braised for six hours. The meat itself is marinated in garlic, fresh herbs, cracked black pepper, and virgin olive oil. The steak is "alforno" meaning that is brushed with roasted garlic and then topped with parmesan cheese. The meal, which goes for $115, comes with four veal raviolis.
Phone: 702-942-6832

3) Brand Steakhouse & Lounge
Where: Monte Carlo
What: Jack Daniel's hosts a dinner at the restaurant on Thursday, Dec. 13, at 8 p.m. with master taster Jeff Norman hosting. The dinner is $50 per person. Guests receive gift bag with a Jack Daniel's memento, a gift from brand and a gift bottle of Jack Daniels Black Label signed by Jeff Norman. Rocky McDonald, the Jack Daniel's sponsored professional bull rider will sign autographs from 5 to 7 p.m.
Phone: 702-730-6700

4) Stack
Where: Mirage
What: Jack Daniel's bull rider Beau Hill sign autographs on Friday, Dec. 14, from 8 to 9 p.m.
Phone: 1-866-339-4566

5) 35 Steaks + Martinis
Where: Hard Rock Hotel
What: The restaurant has cider-braised pork shank with white bean ragout and caramelized apples and pears for $45, Cowboy Surf and Turf, a decadent 18-ounce bone-in rib-eye and a 16-ounce butter poached lobster tail, for $110 and barbecue-rubbed, cedar-wrapped salmon with grilled asparagus, tobacco onions and lemon dill honey for $42.
Phone: 702-693-5500

6) Public House
Where: Luxor
What: The restaurant created some special dishes for rodeo fans including a Cowboy Steak for $35; a hickory-smoked barbecue half-chicken priced at $20; and an oven-roasted pork tenderloin wrapped in Applewood bacon, glazed and roasted, priced at $25. All rodeo entrées feature honey and brown sugar baked beans, red bliss mashed potatoes, corn on the cob and home-style cornbread. Drink specials include PBR Tallboy beers for $5 and a PBR Tallboy beer and shot of Jack Daniel's for $10.
Phone: 702-262-4525

7) Tacos & Tequila
Where: Luxor
What: Monday through Friday from 2 to 6 p.m., NFR fans can land half-priced appetizers such as guacamole, queso fundido, nachos, quesadillas, chicken tamales and tostadas, beef flautas and corn on the cob. Drink specials include $5 Dos Equis, Jose Cuervo shots, well drinks, sangria and house red and white wine, in addition to $18 buckets of Sol. The restaurant also features $10 Coors Banquet beer and specialty Sweet Home Rodeo shots made with Southern Comfort, Plymouth Sloe Gin and orange juice.
Phone: 702-262-5225

8) Trevi
Where: Forum Shops at Caesars
What: The restaurant has chef Peter Scaturro's specialty dish osso bucco, a veal or pork shank that is slowly braised and topped with a veal demi-glace sauce. The dish, priced at $32.95comes with saffron and spinach risotto.
Phone: 702-735-4663
 
9) Central
Where: MGM Grand
What: The bar hosts the Crown Royal Gold Buckle Zone with a free party nightly. Activities include free concerts, live music, dancing, Bailey Hats Burlesque performances, drink specials, fashion shows and giveaways including a nightly drawing to win a saddle by Cactus Saddlery saddle. WNFR contestants, including nine-time All-Around World Champion Trevor Brazile, also will make nightly appearances.  Brazile will host his official World Championship After-Party Saturday, Dec. 15, starting at 9 p.m.

10) Mizuya Lounge
Where: Mandalay Bay
What: A nightly live viewing party of the WNFR, hosted by trick roper Anthony Lucia, will be held inside Mizuya Lounge. Lucia will offer commentary throughout the evening's performance which will include giveaways and drink specials provided by Bud Light and Jack Daniel's. Also on hand, concerts from Tony Marques on Thursday, Dec. 6, and Friday, Dec. 7; Fairchild on Saturday, Dec. 8, through Monday, Dec. 10; Vegas Twang on Tuesday, Dec. 11, through Wednesday, Dec. 12; and the Randy Brown Band on Thursday, Dec. 13, through Saturday, Dec. 15.

11) The Pub
Where: Monte Carlo
What: The 2012 Wrangler NFR performances will broadcast live nightly at The Pub at Monte Carlo as well as inside the Race & Sports Book. The Pub will offer guests a happy hour from 3 to
6 p.m. Monday through Friday featuring $1 wings and sliders, two-for-one select domestic drafts and well drinks, as well as a Bud Light and a shot of Jack Daniel's for $5. Also on hand, line-dancing lessons from 5:45 to 6:45 p.m. nightly. Additionally, the Bareback Riding contestants will make appearances, meeting rodeo fans and assisting with giveaways.
Phone: 702-730-7420

12) The Bougainvillea Café
Where: Terrible's Hotel and Casino
What: The Kickin' Bourbon barbecue ribs and Sizzlin' T-bone steak will be available for just $9.99 at the restaurant while guests can also land $1 PBR, $2 Crown Royal, $3 Patron Silver and $4 Crown Royal Reserve throughout the hotel.
Phone: 1-800-640-9777 or visit www.terriblescasinos.com.

13) Mr. Lucky's
Where: Hard Rock Hotel
What: Mr. Lucky's menu includes a 20-ounce grilled rib-eye with potato cheddar croquettes and Jack Daniel's sauce for $39; a Texas Chili Bowl with sourdough bread, cheddar cheese, scallion and sour cream for $10; a Cowboy Skillet with a barbeque flank steak, potato hash, two eggs, roasted poblano chile and jack cheese for $15; Barbeque Brisket Plate, slow cooked beef brisket with barbeque sauce, cheddar mac 'n' cheese, cole slaw and corn bread for $16; and butter pecan ice cream sundae for $8.
Phone: 702-693-5000

14) Señor Frog's
Where: Treasure Island
What: Now through Saturday, Dec. 15, nab Crown Royal drink specials and Tex-Mex food favorites. Rodeo fans can hear live country music while supping two-for-one Crown Royal shots and $10 Crown Royal specialty cocktails. Barbecue dishes include ribs, chicken and shrimp with a Crown Royal Maple Whisky-infused barbecue sauce.
Phone: 702-894-7777
Tender Steak & Seafood [Photo: Luxor]