The 38 Essential Restaurants in Las Vegas

"What started as a pandemic-era backyard burger joint has since evolved into a residency inside one of Las Vegas’s best dive bars. Now a destination in its own right, Stay Tuned Burgers at the Hard Hat Lounge offers a tight menu of just the one smash burger — and one vegan alternative. Smash burgers here have hand-ground patties, pressed to cook in their own juices until they develop a caramelized lacy crust, and then layered with sauce, pickles, and diced onions in a warm potato bun. Go ahead and make it double, plus add a side of crispy, craggy Tater Tots. The burger-tot combination keeps its heat and structural integrity whether diners order a meal to go or sit barside inside the 60-year-old Hard Hat Lounge." - Janna Karel