I visited the Cake Boss’ restaurant in Las Vegas. My $80 meal tasted like it was cooked by an Italian grandma.

• I had dinner at Cake Boss Buddy Valastro’s Las Vegas restaurant, Buddy V’s Ristorante.
• The restaurant is located in The Venetian Las Vegas, and has both a regular and a prix fixe menu.
• My $80 meal, which included bread service, three courses, and a mocktail, was absolutely delicious.

While hunting for interesting spots to visit on a recent trip to Las Vegas, I stumbled upon Buddy V’s Ristorante, an Italian-American restaurant helmed by the Cake Boss himself, Buddy Valastro.

Valastro made a name (and earned a nickname) for himself on the TLC series “Cake Boss,” which followed him and his family as they ran Carlo’s Bakery, a long-standing New Jersey-based dessert shop.

The series ran for over a decade, and there are now Carlo’s Bakery locations — and cake-dispensing vending machines — throughout the world.

However, Buddy V’s is Valastro’s first restaurant venture, and it’s been open since 2013. Curious how the famous baker tackles savory food, I headed there for dinner.

Buddy V’s Ristorante is inside The Venetian.

Located on the Strip, The Venetian Las Vegas is massive — it’s home to hotel rooms, a casino, restaurants, shops, a convention center, canals complete with gondola rides, and more.

It can feel overwhelming to navigate, but I was glad to see plenty of helpful signage throughout the property directing me to Buddy V’s.

I found the restaurant with no trouble at all.

Buddy V’s Ristorante is located in the Grand Canal Shops, a retail area inside the Venetian. Perhaps unsurprisingly, it’s also across from a Carlo’s Bakery location.

Buddy V’s felt like the perfect mix of Vegas chic and cozy Italian restaurant.

As I approached the restaurant, I noticed the adorable “outdoor” seating area beneath an awning along the Venetian’s indoor walkways.

Immediately, I felt like I was in an old Italian neighborhood, walking up to a quaint eatery.

The restaurant’s bar and other dining areas seemed to lean into that Old World charm with its dark wood finishes and colored glass windows.

Still, the space felt distinctly Las Vegas with its dramatic light fixtures, opulent leather chairs, and neon sign.

The menu at Buddy V’s Ristorante features a variety of Valastro family favorites.

The menu at Buddy V’s is full of items that are special to Valastro and his family.

So many dishes felt straight from a family gathering, from My Mother-In-Law’s Linguine Shrimp Scampi to the Valastro Sunday Gravy, a sauce mixed with meatballs, sausage, lamb, and pork, atop a bowl of rigatoni,

There were also plenty of Italian-American staples, like carbonara, spaghetti and meatballs, and chicken Marsala.

As a non-drinker, I was also wowed by the alcohol-free options.

As someone who has been living an alcohol-free lifestyle for almost two years, I’m fine with ordering sparkling water or a Diet Coke when I go out to dinner.

Still, it’s always a special treat when a restaurant serves high-end mocktails and zero-proof cocktails to its sober guests.

I appreciated that Buddy V’s menu offered both mocktails, such as a strawberry-lime spritz, and zero-proof cocktails.

I chose a $14 Sinless Spritz, a take on Italian spritz made with non-alcoholic prosecco and a non-alcoholic aperitif. It was a delicious drink that made me feel like I was sipping my way through Italy.

For my meal, I ordered from the three-course, prix-fixe menu.

During my visit, Buddy V’s offered a pre-fixe menu that cost $48 per person during lunch hours and $58 per person at dinner.

My three-course meal included an appetizer, entrée, and dessert.

I selected Grandma’s Meatballs from the antipasto choices, which also included a Caesar salad or tomato soup.

For my entrée, I chose chicken Parmesan instead of the grilled salmon, chicken fettuccine Alfredo, or shrimp scampi. I struggled to decide between tiramisu and a cannoli for dessert, but ultimately went with the latter.

Dinner started with a complimentary bread service.

After I ordered, I was presented with a warm, herby piece of bread and a flavorful mix of olive oil and balsamic vinegar for dipping.

The bread was quite good, but I only took a few bites so I could save room for the pre-fixe feast I knew was coming my way.

My meatball appetizer was served in the most delicious red sauce I’ve had at a restaurant.

My appetizer consisted of three meatballs made from a mixture of beef, veal, and pork, served with a tangy tomato sauce and topped with Parmesan and fresh herbs.

The meatballs were tender and full of flavor, but the real star of the dish was the tomato sauce they’d been served in. The marinara was perfectly tangy and delicious — it was the best red sauce I’ve had at an Italian restaurant.

It was so delicious, in fact, that I found myself dragging each bite of meatball through the sauce, trying to soak up every drop.

The chicken Parmesan came in a huge portion size and was really, really good.

Buddy V’s chicken Parmesan was a heaping plate of breaded chicken topped with mozzarella and more of that delicious red sauce.

The golden-brown chicken breasts came with a side of spaghetti, also tossed in marinara and topped with Parmesan. I savored each bite of crispy chicken, flavorful red sauce, and fresh mozzarella.

I actually felt sad when I was full, as I’d have loved to keep nibbling at the delicious Italian dish all night.

I ended my dinner with a delicious cannoli.

The sugar-dusted cannoli shell was stuffed with sweet, creamy ricotta and had one end dipped in chocolate chips, the other in crushed pistachios.

It was delicious enough on its own, but the warm, melted chocolate dipping sauce served with it really took the flavors to the next level.

My $80 meal was well worth it, and I’d definitely return to Buddy V’s next time I’m in Sin City.

My meal at Buddy V’s was fantastic, with dishes that tasted like they’d been lovingly simmered in an Italian grandmother’s kitchen all afternoon.

For $80, I got bread service, an appetizer, a pasta entrée, dessert, and a mocktail. It wasn’t cheap, but the prices were on par with what I spent eating out in Las Vegas during my trip — most of my dinners cost between $75 and $100.

What set this restaurant apart for me, however, were the Vegas-chic-meets-Italian-kitchen vibes, the delicious food, and the impressive menu of non-alcoholic drinks.

All in all, the Cake Boss’ restaurant was a true highlight of my time in Las Vegas. I’d definitely return the next time I’m on the Strip to order plenty more dishes that involve that incredible tomato sauce.

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