Simon Restaurant, Las Vegas

Out the window, the blue of the Palms Place pool sparkles; in the air, the smell of braised beef short ribs linger. This marriage of elegance and hearty food might not seem an intuitive one, but the man behind the recipe makes it sing. Celebrity Chef Kerry Simon, who Rolling Stone famously deemed "the Rock-and-Roll chef," has braved Iron Chef America's "Kitchen Stadium" and opened restaurants the world over. His Palms Place jewel, Simon Restaurant & Lounge, takes inspiration from his jet-setting ways—literally. "I call it designed from jet lag," Simon told the Las Vegas Sun. "It was a lot of stuff that, over the years when I traveled, I craved."

Luckily for guests, Chef Simon's cravings are varied. At the sushi bar, diners feast on specialty rolls and sashimi, with wok-charred edamame and ahi tuna tartare ready to accompany the hand rolls and tiny dishes of soy sauce. Mama Simon's meatloaf, made with beef and veal, goes toe-to-toe with truffled mac and cheese for the title of most comforting dish, while a 40-ounce porterhouse waits to test the depths of guests' hunger or the size of their cheek pouches. But it isn't all savory—the brunch menu boasts brioche apple-crunch pancakes crusted in Frosted Flakes, and Simon Junk Food platters, designed to be shared, let diners walk down memory lane with brownies, Rice Krispie treats, cupcakes, cookies, and cotton candy.