Reservations: (877) 346-4642
Cuisine: Italian
Hours: Breakfast 6am - 11am daily
Dinner 5pm - 11pm nightly
Cost: $$$$

Rao's, the East Harlem legend that's served up joyful evenings of homestyle Italian food and camaraderie since 1896, is now open at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas!

Rao's is renowned for its jukebox, its quirky decor, its unmatched hospitality and most of all, the spectacular Neapolitan cuisine. It's also notorious for being one of the most difficult restaurants in New York in which to get a reservation. Year-long waits for one of its eleven tables are not uncommon. Madonna was notoriously turned away, and even Bill Clinton couldn't get a reservation on his own and had to "borrow" a table.

But what is it about this tiny, charming restaurant that makes it the most in-demand spot in the city night after night, year after year?

For decades Rao's existed as a neighborhood restaurant. Its local customers would fill the tables with such regularity that eventually they were given standing reservations, bookings that persevere to this day. When Rao's regular and famed sportswriter Dick Schaap passed away in 2001, Billy Crystal wondered aloud in his eulogy who would inherit Schaap's table. The speakeasy vibe of the place, the gracious hosts and the incredible food made Rao's the stuff of legend and the object of envy.

The Rao's phenomenon exploded in 1977, when New York Times food critic Mimi Sheraton gave Rao's a gushing, half-page, three-star review, splashing the city's best-kept secret in front of millions of readers.

Since Rao's NYC location only has eleven tables, and only one seating per evening, the resulting demand would have been overwhelming even if the tables weren't already spoken for. That the tables were "owned" like a condominium translated to almost no empty seats in the house, night after night.

At Caesars Palace, the authentic Rao's experience will now be accessible to a whole new generation. Two 10-table rooms duplicate the original Rao's saloon. Additional seating is available in the feast area, as well as on an outdoor patio, where you can sit at poolside and enjoy a game of bocce in between bites. Just stopping by to enjoy a cocktail in the restaurant's legendary ambiance? Tables in front of the restaurant are the perfect vantage point for people-watching and beverages.

Enjoy the warmth and comfort of this turn-of-the-century restaurant while feasting on gloriously simple, homestyle Italian favorites that have been passed down for generations. Rao's is a not-to-be-missed experience unlike anything outside that East Harlem street corner.

Also, visit Rao's for breakfast, 6:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m., offering danishes, biscottis and parfaits. Illy coffee, imported from Italy, and specialty coffee drinks using Torano syrups are also served.

For reservations, please call (877) 346-4642.