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FIRST Food & Bar Brings the Neighborhood Concept Into the Heart of The Las Vegas Strip

It’s “the” neighborhood bar. The one with the burgers and fries that taste like heaven at 2 a.m. The joint with the great playlist and your favorite beer on tap. The one that’s a little bit rock ‘n roll, but didn’t scare away your folks when they stopped in for a visit last month. It’s a late-night institution that makes you want to stay up just a little bit later. It’s “that” bar…and that bar is FIRST.

Set to open in spring 2009 inside The Shoppes at The Palazzo, FIRST Food & Bar brings the authenticity and character of the neighborhood bar and diner concept back to life, minus the kitsch. This hip, yet comfortable restaurant and lounge is set in the heart of the Las Vegas Strip and has the vibe of a late-night spot blended with the casualness of a local eatery. FIRST caters to those who stagger in to feed their late-night cravings, as well as those looking for an early breakfast or mid-day business lunch.

From the high, open ceilings to the tribal tattoo imagery embedded in the floor, FIRST reflects an industrial, urban design. The furniture mashes up styles that are modern, vintage and gothic set to a palette of dark, warm colors making the more than 10,000 square foot restaurant feel intimate and edgy.

From breakfast to late…really late-night, the menu features American eats and drinks created by Executive Chef Sam DeMarco. Delicious, affordable and familiar are on the menu year-round.

“You can build restaurants and have great food, but you can’t buy it a soul. It’s about the people, the culture and the fiber of the neighborhood. We’re in the heart of The Strip, so our “neighborhood” leaves room for interpretation and allows for creativity with my menus,” says DeMarco.

No stranger to creating a late-night destination, DeMarco put industry dining on the map in the ’90s with the opening of First in New York. The restaurant was a mecca for NYC society from Mayflower Madam Sydney Biddle Barrows and Judge Ed Koch to famed chefs including Wolfgang Puck and Charlie Trotter. They came for his chicken wings and mini burgers and stayed for the after-hours action. FIRST Food & Bar will pay homage to those original ideals and create an undeniably revolutionary vibe on The Strip.