Welcome to the Big Dance, 64 college basketball teams duking it out in the NCAA Tournament for a chance to win the whole kit-and-caboodle. Will No. 1 seeds Kansas, Villanova, North Carolina and Gonzaga make it to the Final Four? Who will be the Cinderella(s) of the tournament? By the end of the weekend, the field is winnowed down to the Sweet 16 from that field of 64. And what better place to watch all the action than Las Vegas? Here, a look at five of the best places to cheer on your favorite team, eat great food and grab some good drinks to boot during March Madness.
Haute Top 5: Places to Watch March Madness in Las Vegas in 2017
1 Lagasse's Stadium
Chef Emeril Lagasse's palace for all things sports related gets into the NCAA Tournament with a kicked up menu and more than 100 HD televisions, including the main 9x16-foot screen, through the end of the tournament. Head to one of the luxury boxes or catch all the action at the plush stadium-style seating for fans to sit back.
2 Caesars Palace Race & Sports Book
3 B&B Burger & Beer
Sitting next to the sports book at the Venetian is Mario Batali and Joe Bastianich's ode the the burger, B&B Burger & Beer. Look for $7 beers or $28 for buckets of five beers, along with a Southwest barbecue burger made with fresh ground USDA Prime Black Angus beef topped with cheddar cheese, heritage bacon, house-made pulled pork and barbecue sauce finished with onion straws for $15, and Heaven and Hell Cheese Fries served waffle-style, seasoned and fried crispy, topped with a creamy smoked Gouda cheese sauce, crumbled goat cheese, fresh diced tomatoes and chives for $9.
4 Lavo Casino Club
5 Virgil's Real Barbecue
If barbecue is in the cards, head to Virgil's for an all-day drinking package for $150 (plus tax and tip). Basketball fans can watch the game on multiple big-screen TVs. The a la carte menu features authentic barbecue from the Southern regions. Doors will open 30 minutes before each game.
