The Hideaway
Two hundred and fifty bottles, fifty of them by the glass, in a low stone room tucked off the Wynn casino floor. La Cave is the Strip's serious hotel wine bar disguised as a casual one. Michael Morton and Steve Wynn opened it in 2010, and executive chef William "Billy" DeMarco runs a small-plates menu built to feed a wine list, not the other way round. It is the rare Wynn room you can walk into for one glass or settle into for a two-hour dinner, and the bill scales with you.
The Wine & the Plates
DeMarco's menu is modern American with an international lean, sorted by where the dish comes from: From the Sea, Farm, Oven, Grill, Butcher. Order the jumbo lump crab lettuce cups and the fried eggplant flatbread first; the beef filet crostini and the wood-fired pizzas are the other plates that reliably land. Most run from $18, which is how a Wynn dinner here stays flexible: three or four plates and two glasses, or a full spread with a bottle off the 250-deep list. The wine programme is the real reason to come, fifty pours by the glass spanning the major regions, and the floor staff know it cold. Weekend brunch runs $54 a head if you want the room in daylight. Find it inside Wynn Las Vegas at 3131 Las Vegas Blvd S, off the Esplanade.
The Room
The room earns the "hideaway" name. Dark stone, low arched ceilings, warm light, and a layout that muffles the casino the second you sit down. It is intimate without being cramped: a bar for walk-ins and solo diners, banquettes along the back wall for anyone who wants to talk. Dress is smart casual, and nobody will blink at a jacket or a t-shirt. For a conversation that matters, ask for a back banquette away from the bar; for a solo glass and a few plates, the bar itself is the best seat in the place.
Best for Solo Dining and a Quiet Deal
Book La Cave for solo dining or a low-key deal because the format does the work: you can eat well off two or three plates without committing to a tasting menu, the wine list gives you something to talk about, and the back banquettes are quiet enough to actually negotiate. It is an easy first date for the same reasons, intimate and unintimidating, with a bill you control. Reserve through the Wynn site or OpenTable, ask for a banquette, and go on a weeknight when the room is calm rather than a Friday when the casino spills in.
Not For
Not for a big group or a proper sit-down dinner. La Cave is small plates and wine in a quiet, dark bar, not a steakhouse, and a loud celebration will feel out of place.
Frequently Asked
Is La Cave worth it?
Yes, if you treat it as a wine bar rather than a restaurant. The draw is the list, 250 bottles and 50 by the glass, with William DeMarco's small plates built to match. The cooking is good rather than destination-level, so come for a flexible Wynn dinner or a few glasses after a show, not for a tasting-menu occasion. On those terms it is one of the better-value rooms on the Strip.
How do I book La Cave, and where should I sit?
Book through the Wynn Las Vegas website or OpenTable; reservations are recommended but the bar takes walk-ins. Ask for a back banquette if you want a quiet conversation, or the bar itself if you are dining solo or just want a few glasses. Go on a weeknight when the room is calm; Friday and Saturday bring the post-show and casino crowd, and the hideaway feels less hidden.
What should I order at La Cave?
Start with the jumbo lump crab lettuce cups and the fried eggplant flatbread, then add the beef filet crostini and a wood-fired pizza. Most plates run from $18, so three or four make a dinner. Lean on the floor staff for the wine, they know the 50-by-the-glass list well, and pick a bottle off the 250-deep cellar if you are settling in for the night.
What does La Cave cost?
Small plates start around $18 and run to roughly $21, so a dinner of three or four plates plus wine lands in the moderate range for the Strip. Weekend brunch is $54 per adult. There is no tasting menu and no cover; you build the bill from plates and pours, which makes La Cave one of the more controllable Wynn tabs.
Is La Cave good for a date or a solo dinner?
Yes, it is one of the better Wynn rooms for both. The dark, quiet hideaway setting suits a first date, and the bar is built for solo diners who want good wine and a few plates without a production. Reserve a back banquette for a date or take a bar seat on your own, and go on a weeknight for the calmest version of the room.
Also in Las Vegas
Explore the full Las Vegas dining guide, and see the best restaurants to close a deal, first date, and solo dining occasion guides for more picks across the city.