So Vegas is a bit of a wonderland for me, where steakhouses rule the roost even to a greater degree than buffets. Not every hotel has one of the latter but almost every hotel has a shrine to the cow. Of course, not all steakhouses are created equally and they have not been immune to the relentless upscale march of amenities and prices that have gripped the city for the last decade.

That’s why finding a place like Roberta’s is quite a delight. Not only do they give good cow, they do it in a classic atmosphere at almost ridiculously reasonable prices.

Located in the recently rejuvenated El Cortez in the Downtown area, Roberta’s is the antithesis of the trendy, expensive, and loud restaurants on The Strip. The room is casual and done with a light touch – none of the dark clubby stuff that mars many older steakhouse experiences. Landscape murals adorn the walls, overlooking furnishings in muted sunburst colors. It’s comfortable; sort of like slipping on a favorite pair of slippers.

The menu, for the most part, will not surprise you although there are a couple of unusual items alongside the traditional. For instance in the appetizer section they have shrimp cocktail and crab cakes but they also offer a half-rack of baby back ribs with Jack Daniels sauce. Interesting. Sides include vegetables, creamed corn, and macaroni and cheese. And in the entrée section, alongside the shrimp scampi, prime rib, porterhouse, New York strip, filet, and lobster you could opt for a full rack of those baby back ribs or herb-crusted lamb with mint-infused jus.

But really, the standards on the menu are exactly why people come here and focusing less on dramatic experimentation allows them to do the basics well.

We sampled the roast prime rib, the filet mignon, and the shrimp scampi and everyone at the table agreed that while it may not have been the absolute best versions of any of the above, they were very good and plates were wiped clean. The steaks are offered with a variety of “enhancements” including a green peppercorn sauce that was out of this world. All entrees come with a choice of rice, baked potato, or steak fries included in the prices.

And about those prices… Only five of the twelve entrees on the menu are over $20 and two of those five are the filet and porterhouse for $21. You can even get combos like the filet and crab legs for around $35. Our entire table did wine, soup and salad, entrees, and dessert for under $100.

So fine food at good prices, what else do you need? Well, one of the things that I would be remiss in not pointing out is the service. A hallmark of most Downtown properties is the friendly, almost familial vibe of the places and nowhere is that more evident than at the El Cortez where many employees have made lifelong careers. Our server was celebrating her sixteenth anniversary as an employee at the hotel and said she couldn’t imagine a better job. Her passion for what she did was obvious and made the experience of eating there all the more enjoyable.