The Smash Burger Joint That Went Viral Is Expanding to Southwest Vegas
Owners Drew Belcher, Damian Ocampo, and Kevin Whelan leaned into their social media savvy to launch the burger brand, leveraging a combined 1.4 million followers across their two popular accounts, @unlokt and @hookedlv. They studied what made smash burger joints succeed in other cities, then tailored that formula for Las Vegas and marketed it with precision.
Their burgers are made for the camera and the crowd: fresh Black Angus patties get smashed on a hot griddle until a lacy crust forms, then stacked with melted American cheese, whisper-thin onions, and served on a soft potato roll. Even on weekdays, the line at their Centennial Hills location wraps around the strip mall. Alongside the burgers, the shop serves soft-serve custard dipped in nostalgic coatings like cherry and birthday cake. The southwest location at 8670 West Sunset Road, Suite H-110 promises more of the same — and likely, more lines.
Battista's Hole in the Wall Is Closed for a Little While
A self-proclaimed hole-in-the-wall tucked beside the Linq parking lot, Battista's Hole in the Wall is as much a Vegas institution as it is a kitschy novelty. Known for its fully prix-fixe menu and old-school charm, the restaurant closed on June 1 for renovations and will reopen on June 23. Its neighbor, the adjacent Stage Door Casino — famous for selling packaged liquor to Strip hotel guests 24 hour a day — will follow with its own renovation closure from June 23 to July 1.
The restaurant is fully prix fixe with Italian classics like spaghetti and meatballs, lasagna, and veal Marsala coursed with a starter of minestrone soup or salad, pours of house wine, sides of garlic bread and pasta, and a finale cappuccino. Battista's combines the red booth and heavy woods of other classic Vegas institutions, paired with a Buca di Beppo-style maximalism that calls for all manner of framed picture, glass bottle, wooden basket, garlic strand, and wagon wheel affixed to every wall, ceiling, and surface. It's not the best Italian food in Las Vegas. But between its 50-year tenure, popularity among the convention set, and the appeal of a multi-course meal that starts at $29.95, it's good to know this closure is only temporary.
Salt & Straw Finally Hits the Las Vegas Strip
Salt & Straw is headed to the Las Vegas Strip, with two new shops set to scoop up foot traffic. The cult-favorite ice cream brand — known for inventive flavors like honey balsamic black pepper, marshmallow-filled Pots of Gold & Rainbows, and a loaded Salted, Malted, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough — will debut its first location this fall at the Flamingo with a street-facing entrance next to Gordon Ramsay Burger, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports. A second outpost is planned for early 2026 at Paris Las Vegas, tucked into one of the Eiffel Tower's legs near Arc Bar.
When Salt & Straw made its Las Vegas debut at UnCommons in June 2023, co-founder and head ice cream maker Tyler Malek joked about developing an all-you-can-eat prime rib flavor. That particular scoop hasn't hit the menu yet, but with two Strip locations on the horizon, inspiration may strike.
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