Hugo’s Cellar

Hugo's Cellar is a Downtown institution and one of the last places in Las Vegas where you can enjoy the rituals of traditional fine dining. It is inside the Four Queens on Fremont Street, a casino in operation since 1966, and it describes itself as synonymous with romantic dining and exquisite service. The appeal lies in the theatre of the evening as much as in the food.

The traditions start at the door, where women are presented with a long-stemmed rose on arrival. A tableside salad cart prepares salads to order, and the meal ends with complimentary chocolate-dipped fruit served with whipped cream. Those touches are part of what makes Hugo's a favourite for anniversaries, proposals and birthdays.

The menu is classic continental. A signature starter is the Hot Rock Specialty, in which beef, swordfish, chicken and shrimp are cooked on a hot granite slab at your table. Main courses include char-broiled steaks aged for 21 days, Australian lobster, Beef Wellington and rack of lamb. For dessert, pastries and cakes are joined by Bananas Foster and Cherries Jubilee, both prepared tableside. Menu items and prices can change, so check the current menu on the Four Queens website.

Dinner is served from 5pm to 10pm, and reservations are recommended; they can be made through OpenTable or by phoning the Four Queens. It suits couples above all, but small groups celebrating an occasion will also enjoy it. Prices are high by Downtown standards, but the experience is a full evening of fine dining. Smart dress suits the setting, and the pace is unhurried, so allow at least two hours.

Many diners treat a meal here as a step back in time to an older style of Las Vegas hospitality, with unhurried service and rituals that have largely disappeared from the Strip. It is one of the few places Downtown where dressing up for dinner feels natural, and the experience works best if you give it the whole evening rather than rushing to a show.

The Four Queens is at the heart of the Fremont Street Experience, so after dinner you can step straight out under the light canopy and watch a show, or walk a few minutes to the bars and live music along the street. The Mob Museum is a short walk away for an earlier visit, and taxis and ride-shares can drop off close to the hotel entrance.