Viva! By Ray Garcia

Esquire magazine Chef of the Year Ray Garcia’s lively take on Mexican cuisine is reflected in the colorful murals and wood and rope accents that characterize his restaurant in The District at Resorts World.

Viva! is a rarity among Mexican restaurants in Las Vegas in that it offers a three-course prix-fixe menu. It starts with a house-margarita with salt air foam. Guests can then choose a first course of a baby kale salad, chorizo taquitos or lamb ribs with red-cabbage slaw and move on to a choice of a vegetarian tamal or a shrimp, chicken or short-rib dish, finishing with churros.

You’d rather choose from the entire menu? Signatures include the Snapper Zarandeado, which is wood-grilled fish with citrus adobo and chili toreado. Or select carne asada (made from filet mignon, New York strip or bone-in ribeye), a familiar wood-fired chicken quesadilla, or steak tacos. For seafood, crudos include yellowtail or shrimp ceviche, or a mixture of aquatic delights.