The Legends Oyster Bar

If you're looking for fresh seafood in a quiet neighborhood setting, it's hard to beat The Legends Oyster Bar, a small aquatic-themed restaurant in a Strip mall between The Lakes and Summerlin. "From oysters and pan roasts to steamers, boils and the best Clam Chowder in Vegas, this is a fantastic seafood joint off the Strip you should check out," raves food blogger Philip Tzeng.

The restaurant follows the vision of Jack Jarukasem, a Thai-born chef who formerly ran the culinary operation at the Rio (which once had the best seafood buffet in town). A meal works best when you begin with raw bar items, work in some fried appetizers (especially the calamari) and build from there. The Louisiana-style gumbo is served in deconstructed form with shrimp, crawfish, mussels, clams, sausage and chicken laid out on a plate with vegetables and rice. It's irresistible.