Wondering where Las Vegas' insiders are eating and drinking? It's easy to spot lines out the door, but some underlying trends are harder to see.
We took a data-driven look at the question, using Yelp and SafeGraph, a dataset of commercial points of interest and their visitor patterns, to uncover which restaurants have been on the tips of diners' tongues this month.
To find out who made the list, we first looked at Las Vegas businesses on Yelp by category and counted how many reviews each received. Rather than compare them based on number of reviews alone, we calculated a percentage increase in reviews over the past month, and tracked businesses that consistently increased their volume of reviews to identify statistically significant outliers compared to past performance. Then we analyzed foot traffic data from SafeGraph to validate the trends.
Read on to see which spots have the momentum heading into springtime.
Pizza 108
Open since December 2019, this vegan and vegetarian spot is trending compared to other businesses categorized as "Pizza" on Yelp.
Citywide, pizza spots saw a median 1.9% increase in new reviews over the past month. Pizza 108 has seen strong initial popularity with a five-star rating out of 27 reviews on Yelp.
Here's more about the business from Yelp: "We have been strict vegetarians for over 25 years. That means no meat, fish or eggs whatsoever. We have a passion for spirituality, food, people and the environment. Oh yeah, let's not forget anything vintage."
What does this business focus on? "We are 100% vegetarian and vegan. No meat, fish or eggs here. We bring you nothing but the best possible Neapolitan-style pizza. All ingredients are fresh and handmade ... right down to the cheeses," its Yelp page states.
It's not the only trending outlier in the pizza category: Chicago Guys Pizza Co. has seen a 92.3% increase in reviews.
Located at 2013 S. Highland Ave., Pizza 108 offers vegan-vegetarian Italian-style sausage, chicken and cheeses as pizza toppings. Desserts include sweet dough with sugar icing and vegan chocolate.
Pizza 108 is open from 11:30 a.m.–2 p.m. and 4–10 p.m. on Tuesday-Thursday, 11:30 a.m.–2 p.m. and 4–11 p.m. on Friday, 11:30 a.m.–11 p.m. on Saturday and 11:30 a.m.–9 p.m. on Sunday. (It's closed on Monday.)
Montana Meat Co.
Whether or not you've been hearing buzz about Centennial's Montana Meat Co., the well-established steakhouse and traditional American spot is trending based on local foot traffic data.
While Montana Meat Co. stayed on par with the median 1.6% increase in new reviews businesses categorized as "American (Traditional)" on Yelp over the past month, maintaining a mixed 3.5-star rating, the number of visitors to Montana Meat Co. more than tripled over the same time frame, according to SafeGraph's foot traffic data.
Intrigued so far? Here's more about the business from its Yelp page: "Started by Vegas locals and longtime restaurant veterans, Montana Meat Co. has become the go-to destination for locals seeking a respite from the clubs and casinos of the Strip."
Here's more from the restaurant's Yelp page: "We serve a flavor-packed menu 24/7. We've got great drinks and great bartenders. And we've got games -- it's Vegas, after all."
The restaurant was established in 2005. Located at 6371 Centennial Center Blvd., Montana Meat Co. features lamb chops, pot roast, burgers, farm-raised salmon and crab-stuffed chicken breast. It also serves breakfast.
Montana Meat Co. is open 24 hours. According to SafeGraph, it's usually busiest at 11 a.m., noon and 2 p.m., and people visit Montana Meat Company most on Saturdays and Sundays. If you’re planning your visit, you may want to try its slower periods on Mondays.
Mimi's Bistro + Bakery
Mimi's Bistro + Bakery is also making waves. Open at 1121 S. Fort Apache in Summerlin, this outlet of the popular breakfast and brunch chain has seen an 8.7% bump in new reviews over the last month, compared to a median review increase of 1.4% for all businesses tagged "Breakfast & Brunch" on Yelp. Moreover, on a month-to-month basis Mimi's Bistro + Bakery's review count increased by more than 240%.
There's more than one hot spot trending in Las Vegas' breakfast and brunch category: AmeriBrunch Cafe has seen a 6.1% increase in reviews, and Pacific Island Taste has seen a 6% bump.
Mimi's Bistro + Bakery offers soups, salads, sandwiches and burgers, as well as eggs, bacon, french fries and cheesecake. Over the past month, it's seen its Yelp rating improve from three stars to 3.5 stars.
Mimi's Bistro + Bakery is open from 7 a.m.–9 p.m. daily.
This story was created automatically using local business data, then reviewed and augmented by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.
