Las Vegas is home to the top-grossing restaurant in the country, Tao, along with 12 others from our ranking. Newcomer Beauty & Essex opened a Vegas location that mirrors the original in New York City.
The Buzz: Membership in Tao Group's Suite Sixteen club at Madison Square Garden, opening in October 2018, costs $400,000 (Rangers and Knicks tickets included).
The Buzz: The cafe has a new Secret Sushi menu from chef Takashi Takahashi, featuring items such as Hamachi & Salmon Carpaccio and Dynamite Rainbow Rolls.
The Buzz: Emeril Lagasse's Creole steakhouse "brings back a time when lunch was an event, cocktail hour was not to be missed and dinner with friends was a celebration."
Behind the Menu: The fast-casual poké concept pivoted from an all-raw menu without losing focus on flavor, scratch prep and its California-Asian pedigree.
The National Restaurant Association's annual State of the Industry report offers cautious optimism, but said last year's traffic challenges are expected to remain in play. Only 42% of operators said they were profitable last year.
Six in 10 operators plan to invest in tech that will improve the customer experience, according to a National Restaurant Association survey. Customers may have other priorities.
The fast-food chain thrived in December after its introduction of the Spongebob Movie Menu, and then customers kept coming back. The company has big plans for 2026.
