LATE NIGHT-BITE: Best places to get grub

Night owls have their choice of diner-style hot spots, Japanese flavors, a British pub and sister restaurants serving tapas

Jacob Kepler/ViewJennifer Wurtz holds a plate of fresh fruit that is available at the Peppermill Coffee Shop and Fireside Lounge, 2985 Las Vegas Blvd. South. The Peppermill serves diner favorites and appetizer-style foods in the lounge late into the night. The Peppermill’s Fireside Lounge is decorated in purple and neon and features mirrored ceilings and a fire den with flames dancing on water.Jacob Kepler/View Looking for unconventional late night fare? Try a healthy alternative and order fresh fruit at the Peppermill Coffee Shop and Fireside Lounge.Jacob Kepler/View The Peppermill’s Fireside Lounge is decorated in purple and neon and features mirrored ceilings and a fire den with flames dancing on water.Jacob Kepler/View Advertisement

Late night dining spots aren't hard to come by in the southeast, but here are a few that are worth checking out.

Famous in Las Vegas for its $8.95 steak and shrimp not-on-the-menu special, Mr. Lucky's 24/7 in the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino is the perfect place to dine in the wee hours. Styled like an old-school diner complete with hardwood flooring, Mr. Lucky's offers patrons a full menu of items from smoothies and eggs benedict to club sandwiches and everything in between.

From 1 a.m. to 5 a.m. Monday through Friday, the restaurant offers Bone Yard Specials starting at $3.95, which diners enjoy while taking in the part vintage Las Vegas, part Hard Rock decor of the eatery. An oversized headshot of Jim Morrison looms over customers, while a Soundgarden concert poster lurks in the corner. An open grill offers curious night owls the chance to watch their favorites being cooked, and music from the casino booms throughout the restaurant. Mr. Lucky's is the place to go if you're looking for good food in a rock 'n' roll atmosphere.

For a more laid back late night bite, the Peppermill Coffee Shop and Fireside Lounge serves locals as a place to get away and hide from the rest of society. A Las Vegas institution since 1972, the Peppermill offers a blast from the past dining experience with its purple and blue neon-lined walls in the main coffee shop, which happens to be dotted with faux cherry trees.

For those who want to keep the drinks flowing, appetizer-style food is available in the Fireside Lounge, which is a little bit more dimly lit than its coffee shop counterpart. The Fireside Lounge's walls are lined with purple and red neon and the room is filled with red plush couches and chairs to provide patrons with a more intimate dining experience.

Both sections of the Peppermill have mirrored ceilings, but the lounge boasts a fire den where the flames dance on a pool of water. Music videos play all night long in the lounge, and waitresses donning the famous long, black Peppermill gown take your order. The Peppermill is located at 2985 Las Vegas Blvd. South.

Hamada of Japan, located at 365 E. Flamingo Road, caters to late-night sushi lovers until 4 a.m. every day and provides a chill atmosphere for winding down after clubbing all night. Hamada offers patrons four dining options, including a low-table tatami room, private dining, a sushi bar and a hibachi-style teppan grill, amongst the dark woods and deep reds of the restaurant.

"I think we are the only Japanese restaurant open late," said Mariko Hamada, senior vice president of the Hamada restaurant group.

The Japanese restaurant offers all the sushi standards, such as yum yum, California and Philadelphia rolls, in addition to more exotic tastes, such as shima aji. Each month Hamada is offering a different exotic fish from Japan, so patrons can branch out and introduce their taste buds to new culinary experiences, like this month's feature okoze, a white fish.

"Hamada of Japan is famous for the freshness of its sushi," Hamada said. "In our industry we have to constantly upgrade our food and our service."

Aside from sushi, the Japanese restaurant is featuring homestyle selections from Japan, in addition to tempura favorites, noodle dishes and teriyaki. Hamada of Japan has a Midnight Madness all-you-can-eat special for $19.50, that includes sushi, chicken teriyaki, barbecued short ribs and tempura. In addition, the eatery has an As You Wish special that includes two half rolls and four pieces of nigiri for $15.

"People feel comfortable to eat raw fish at Hamada," Hamada said. "It's not a hole-in-the-wall type of place."

Hamada of Japan, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, can be reached by calling 733-3005.

Crown & Anchor Pub, open 24 hours, gives southeast residents a taste of an authentic British pub, without having to travel across the pond. The bar is good for a late-night pint or a basket of fish and chips, and supplies 30 draft beers on tap, said June LeMay, manager. The food is what you would expect from a pub, but it hits the spot for late- night grub.

Crown & Anchor offers a midnight happy hour from midnight to 8 a.m. on Sunday through Thursday, with specials on draft beer and a choice of a chicken breast sandwich or hamburger for $3.95.

"It's a fun atmosphere; it's a great crowd," LeMay said.

The decor inside is styled after traditional British pubs, which means lots of worn wood, a huge bar and plenty of soccer fans to fill the room. During soccer and rugby season, the bar airs games live, which could mean fans lining up at 3 a.m. to watch an English rugby game.

Crown & Anchor Pub is located at 1350 E. Tropicana Ave.

The newest places to check out in the southeast are Firefly and Dragonfly, sister restaurants located at 3900 Paradise Road, situated next door to each other. Firefly is definitely the busier of the two. Dragonfly offers Asian food served tapas-style, and Firefly offers a full Spanish tapas experience.

The menu at Firefly includes tuna tartare, stuffed peppers, ham and cheese croquetas, empanadas and chorizo clams. The trendy eatery also offers a full dessert menu with tres leches cake and banana nutella sandwiches to pair alongside the restaurant's signature drinks like the three-day marinated sangria and an assortment of mojitos.

Dragonfly offers specialties such as tuna sliders, glazed swordfish and fried shishito peppers on its menu, along with sashimi, nigiri sushi and rolls.

When the weather is a bit cooler, Firefly offers a nice patio for outside dining. The restaurant is always busy and reservations are highly recommended. Dragonfly is a bit easier to get into, but there's no telling for how long.

Firefly is open until 2 a.m. Sunday through Tuesday, and until 3 a.m. Wednesday through Saturday. Dragonfly is open until 2 a.m. Sunday through Tuesday, and until 4 a.m. Wednesday through Saturday.