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Sin City is home to a lot of restaurants and bars, but there are tons of hidden gems that the majority of Las Vegans aren’t unearthing. To help guide readers to these potential discoveries, Eater Vegas enlisted some of the city’s food players to share their recommendations for a feature dubbed Dining Confidential.
Scott Commings earned his Vegas stripes as the winner of season 12 of Gordon Ramsay’s Hell’s Kitchen, winning the head chef job at Gordon Ramsay Pub & Grill at Caesars Palace and a $250,000 prize. The former executive chef from Woodstock, Ill., beat out 19 other contestants on the show. Now he’s the executive chef of Freedom Beat, the 24-hour restaurant at the Downtown Grand. Commings shares some of his favorite places to dine and drink with friends in Las Vegas.
Do you remember your first trip to Vegas? What happened that was memorable?
My first trip was actually to look for a place to live following accepting the job at Gordon Ramsay’s Pub & Grill at Caesars Palace. Everything was memorable, from sitting pool side at Caesars to getting to know the city, to truly marveling at what Vegas is — bigger than life.
What made you decide to move to Las Vegas?
After a stint with Gordon Ramsay and Caesars, I really became fond of Vegas and the incredible transformation that this city does and is still doing. The growth on and off the Strip is truly amazing, with even more amazing chefs and individuals along the way.
Where do you like to eat breakfast in Las Vegas?
When not serving brunch at Freedom Beat, Border Grill at Mandalay Bay is fantastic. Chef Mike Minor, who runs the “ship,” is incredible.
What about lunch?
Jinya Ramen… truly great!
If you’re going out for dinner, which restaurants do you like to frequent? What makes them special? Any dishes you can recommend?
Pork neck bones at The Bootlegger Italian Bistro and the octopus at Sparrow & Wolf.
Where do you like to dine for a special occasion?
Hank’s Fine Steaks & Martinis at Green Valley Ranch
Let’s say you want to hang out with your friends after work. Where do you like to go?
After work or when family is in town Golden Tiki is always fun. Great drinks great people.
• All Coverage of Freedom Beat [ELV]
• All Dining Confidentials [ELV]
