Bootlegger Bistro   

Hundreds of Italian restaurants have opened and closed since the Bootlegger opened under new ownership in 1972, but Chef Maria's family recipes have kept a loyal clientele coming back to the Bootlegger for more than 30 years. In 2001, the popular eatery moved out of its strip shopping center location and into a beautiful new building, with a colorful brick exterior reminiscent of a quiet village on the Mediterranean. There's a large mahogany horseshoe bar as well as a quiet, comfortable dining area with stone walls, wood paneling and photographs of the family that founded the restaurant. The menu boasts an impressive selection of chicken and veal dishes, but there are diners who have frequented the Bootlegger for decades and still haven't ordered anything besides their classic spaghetti and meatballs. You never know who you'll see on stage at the Bootlegger Bistro -- one night it could be jazz legend Carl Fontana, the next, Clint Holmes, one of the Strip's hottest stars. Even bistro owner Lorraine Hunt has been known to ham it up onstage on weekend nights (as did her husband Blackie before he sadly passed away in early 2004). As a former lounge singer, Lorraine, who happens to be Nevada's lieutenant governor, can hold her own in the spotlight with the rest of them. In addition to its great entertainment lineup, the Bootlegger is a long-celebrated family restaurant, first opened by Lorraine's mother, Maria Perry. Perry still serves as executive chef; the veal dish, saltimbacca alla Blackie, is one of her specialties. The old-style lounge is one of Vegas' best-kept secrets, offering visitors all the comforts of home -- great food and great friends.