For the first time in nearly two decades, Michelin’s culinary experts have officially weighed in on the best restaurants in Las Vegas. The Michelin Guide released its “Southwest selection” on August 26, highlighting dining experiences in Nevada, as well as Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. Las Vegas scored 24 collective designations between Michelin stars and Recommended or Bib Gourmand ratings.
Photo: e by Jose Andres/The Cosmopolitan
Las Vegas Has Michelin Stars Again for the First Time in 17 Years
The top Las Vegas honor went to Restaurant de Joël Robuchon at MGM Grand (French). It earned two Michelin stars and was the only restaurant anywhere in the four-state Southwest guide with that honor. Restaurant Guy Savoy at Caesars Palace (French), é by José Andrés at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas (Spanish contemporary), and L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon — the more casual but still upscale alternative to Restaurant de Joël Robuchon, also at MGM Grand — each earned one star. Salt Lake City’s Monte (contemporary American) was the only other restaurant in the guide to earn a single Michelin star.
China Poblano at The Cosmopolitan picked up a Bib Gourmand designation. Photo: China Poblano
Michelin also awarded “Bib Gourmand” distinctions, given to restaurants it considers to have high-end cuisine at a comparatively low cost. It’s often considered the younger sibling of the classic Michelin star. In Las Vegas, that distinction went to China Poblano at The Cosmopolitan, Esther’s Kitchen in the Arts District, and YEN Viet Kitchen on Decatur Boulevard.
Seventeen other restaurants in the city were rated as “recommended.” That includes Anima by Edo, Bouchon, Cote Las Vegas, Estiatorio Milos, Gymkhana Las Vegas, Kabuto, Kame Omakase, Lamaii, Michael Mina, Mott 32, Partage, Pho Ga Bac Bac, Ping Pang Pong, SoulBelly BBQ, Sparrow + Wolf, Stubborn Seed Las Vegas, and Wing Lei. Michelin separately gave its Outstanding Service Award to Sean Christopher of Restaurant de Joël Robuchon.
While the starred restaurants are all on the Las Vegas Strip, two of the Bib Gourmand destinations (Esther’s and YEN Viet) are off of the busy Las Vegas Strip. And many of the “recommended” restaurants, such as Kabuto, Kame Omakase, Lamaii, Partage, Pho Ga Bac Bac, and Sparrow + Wolf are independent restaurants in more local neighborhoods, rather than those that primarily attract tourists.
Sparrow + Wolf is one of several restaurants off the Strip to earn recognition in the 2026 guide. Photo: Sparrow + Wolf
The announcement is less a debut of the Michelin guide and more a noteworthy revival. The company published its first Las Vegas guide in late 2007 and gave Joël Robuchon the city’s only three-star designation. An update was published in 2009, but that ended up being the city’s last guide until now. At the time, a representative for Michelin told the LA Times that it was taking a break from new Las Vegas (and Los Angeles) guides due to the “economic environment.” A representative later told local Las Vegas News Channel 8 that “The MICHELIN Guide launched in Las Vegas in 2008, in the wake of the global economic crisis that occurred throughout this time. As a result, the Guide chose to remove the city from its list of destinations.”
Restaurant de Joël Robuchon at MGM Grand earned the region’s only two-star accolade. Photo: Restaurant de Joel Robuchon/MGM Resorts International
Michelin says its stars are awarded annually based on “anonymous inspections” and are re-evaluated each cycle based on the quality of the inspector’s visit. That means the new ratings are based on current restaurant standards, rather than taking into account any designations left over from the last editions. The most notable difference is Restaurant de Joël Robuchon, which previously held three stars. Still, it remains the highest-rated restaurant in Las Vegas, with a multi-course degustation menu starting at $525 per person. 