Over the past couple of years, downtown Las Vegas has undergone major revitalization to make it a place of:

“…Inspiration, Entrepreneurial Energy, Creativity, Innovation, Upward Mobility, and Discovery…” – downtown project

The old Las Vegas is becoming new again and lucky for us the restaurants it’s attracting are fun, vibrant, and delicious. This past winter, my friends and I decided to check out the new old Las Vegas. On the hunt for coin machines and lunch we stumbled upon Carson Kitchen, a real hidden foodie gem in the downtown area, just a little shy of Freemont Street. When I say this is a hidden gem, it’s no joke, this place is really hard to find! The address has the restaurant listed on 6th Street, but the entrance is actually found in between 6th and Las Vegas off of E Carson Ave.

Carson Kitchen

124 S 6th St, Las Vegas, NV 89101

http://www.carsonkitchen.com

The place itself gives off a very eclectic hipster vibe.  There’s a communal table by the bar, rustic tables, exposed beams, semi-open kitchen, industrial lighting, and a rooftop patio. The plates are on the smaller side, meant to be more tapas style – sharable. Being that I visited the restaurant with a group of guys, it was safe to say that no one was interested in sharing. We did order one appetizer, the Wellington Empanadas, which were flaky and juicy, and then each person ordered their own entrée. The decision among the group was unanimous, everyone absolutely loved their food. The burgers were flavorful and juicy, the pizza crispy and balanced, and the mac and cheese was the perfect comfort food. The only thing missing were the coin slots, but it was nice to catch a little break from all the typical Vegas noise.