Chef Marc’s Trattoria

We are new in town and Unilocaled this gem of a restaurant, which has 4.5 stars and I can see why. We were greeted at the front door by friendly faces. Our server was Tracy and he was wonderful and attentive. The bread and Focaccia were perfectly baked. The menu was exquisite, full of items sure to please anyone’s taste in Italian food. We shared the escarole, cherry peppers and pancetta salad, omg. I had the Bucatini pasta and Oxtail, it was truly one of the best I’ve ever had. My wife and friend had the Black Linguini with lobster and shrimp in a fra diablo sauce… excellent! Actually, everything was excellent and high highly recommend this dining establishment

Some of the best Italian food I have eaten. Made even better when chef Marc comes out to tell u the specials and serve you personally.

We made reservations for my Birthday. It was a Sunday, and reservations might not have been necessary… at 7:00PM the restaurant was less than half full.
We have eaten at Chef Marc’s other locations… Parma was one of my favorites!
So naturally I had to have the Escargot for an appetizer… I was a little disappointed with this one… the toast was sitting in the oil and butter much to long, and was way to soft, not the crunch I wanted at all. Flavor was good, but with the soft creamy texture of the Escargot and the rich sauce, I really wanted the crunch of the french bread that I was used to getting previously at Chef Marc’s other restaurant.
My Pappardelle Bolognese was perfect! Really… simply perfect. The pasta was so fresh, absolutely homemade, and the sauce was flavorful and rich, without overwhelming the pasta. Loved it!!!
My husband had the beef short rib, the portion was a little on the small side, but he said it tasted great!

Cute place with class. Chef visited with every table multiple times BEFORE we ordered. Wonderful information and personal touch.
Homemade pasta. Yummy.
Portobello mushroom appetizer could be split between 4 – 6 people. Yummy
I ordered chicken riggies. Every bite an incredible journey. Yummy
Husband had spinach and cheese ravoli w/​pink sauce and pancetta. Yummy!
Our new go-​to place.

I’m glad to see Chef Marc at this new location. This is definitely a nice upgrade from his old Parma restaurant. The décor is nice and a lot more modern than his old place. His new menu has a lot of good options which makes the dish selection a lot easier. For our appetizer we got the the escargot. The presentation of this dish was appealing. The escargot was taken out of the shell and placed on top of a crunchy garlicky toast. You get 8 escargots for $ 12, which is a reasonable price. I was very happy with the taste and flavors of this dish.
For my main entrée I got the black pasta with shrimp scampi. The pasta was freshly made and the flavors were great. My only observation was the amount of olive oil in the bottom of the plate. Unfortunately, my pasta was swimming in a lot of oil which was not very appealing to me.
The service was great. Our server was very knowledgeable and attentive throughout the night. Chef Marc was very involved with his customers and all of his employees. So if you are craving some good pasta in the suburbs, this is a great local spot to try!

Yes, this is as good as it gets off of the strip for service and quality. I’m not going to tell you who I have dined here with because it is none of your business and get real, you are only here to hear about the food. Me, too.
Chef Marc is doing it big at his Trattoria. Fresh pasta, fresh bread, and hand picked ingredients from meat to veggies. When he talks I listen and drool a little. You can see and taste his passion with every dish. Nice touch was having Chef Marc call to confirm my reservations.
The staff is polished and actually appearing to not hate being at work. At no point in any of my meals did we feel rushed or processed. Our waiters remembered our names and used them throughout the service. The stealth busser quietly removed used wine glasses, plates, crumbs without any sign that she had been there which is how it should be.
The food: Oh my goodness. Every once in a while I will stumble upon a restaurant that pretty much ruins other restaurants for me. This is one of them. Now, when I crave Italian I cannot think of anywhere else I want to dine besides here. The Bolognese is complex and every chew brings a new welcoming flavor that stimulates my taste buds. The homemade breads are moist and garlicky. The fresh, homemade pasta goes down like BUTTA and doesn’t leave you feeling like you just ate a bowl of Elmer’s glue. The pancetta is worth every dimple it put on my thigh (shhhh). My latest love is the Limoncello cake. Nothing short of sensational. On all occasions the seafood dishes are a huge hit with the table. I wouldn’t know because of my shellfish allergy. See, I am human.
I am not saying if you have traveled all around the world or lived in Italy for 100 years that you will love this place. I’m not saying that because you could still be an uppity prick with no palate. What I am saying is if you enjoy food where every bite is made with love and the seasonings dance in harmony on your tongue and you just LOVE Italian cuisine than RUN to Chef Marc’s right now!

My wife and I enjoyed going to one of Chef Mark’s restaurants at a prior location on Lake Mead Blvd so we were happy to hear he had opened a new place on Sahara. We went on a Sunday night and had reservations which I strongly recommend. While they provide chairs outside to wait for a table when it’s 108 degrees outside even the awning above the chairs wouldn’t help. I’ve always enjoyed the pork chop El Chico which Mark tells me is his father’s recipe. I order it as a 3 on a 1 –5 hotness scale which gives it a hot/​spicy kick but you still know it’s a pork chop. It was excellent. I’m not a fan of polenta so I requested a side of pasta which was tasty but the noodles were a little overcooked/​soft for my taste.
My wife had the chicken marsala with mushrooms which she thought was excellent even the leftovers for lunch the next day.
The service was outstanding; very attentive without being overly obtrusive. We had a nice talk with Chef Mark reminiscing about the old place and it was good to see him again.
We had a really good dinner and would definitely recommend Chef Mark’s Trattoria except on nights we go as I don’t want to wait for a table.

Boooo… the appetizers were good… the osco buco tasted like the brown turkey gravy from a can… the chicken for Marcella was way over cooked… service was good. food bad.

Chef Marc’s is a great new place with a great staff, amazing food and a chef that is very passionate about what he does. It shows in every bite how much thought he puts into every dish. The prices are more than reasonable for how great the food is. Don’t miss the rum cake either. As well as the special pasta with pancetta and mushrooms is delicious.

As a frequent visitor to Las Vegas, I always knew that the best food was made by locals off the strip. On this trip my wife and I decided it would be a great idea to try a nice local place that would be a truly unique dining experience. After doing some research we found out about Chef Marc’s Trattoria located in West Las Vegas. In all my journeys to the city of slots, I had never traveled too far off the strip. Once we got in the taxi we started heading west, and the further we drove the further I wondered if we made the right decision. Once we arrived however, we were met by the friendly greeter who seated us where ever we desired. We immediately felt at home, and our waiter was very friendly and knowledgeable.
Appetizers:
Charred octopus: Soft and zesty, served with white bean.
Escargot: Prepared with a magnificent truffle butter garlic over crostini
Eggplant Parmesan (without pasta) nicely layered, traditional. Very authentic.
Main Dish:
Papperdelle Bolognese: Also very traditional. Chef Marc was so nice, he greeted us at our table and spoke with us a few moments. He mentioned that this was the first dish he learned to make and that he learned it Tuscany. It truly felt like a taste of Italy. The pasta is light and buttery, the sauce savory with soft sweet notes of the carrots. The flavors were so harmonious, we didnt want it to end.
Veil Chop (bone in) served over a creamy risotto. Hands down, the best veil Ive ever had. Very fresh, it fell off the bone. Very well marinated with garlic.
Dessert: Tiramisu: soft and creamy, with a sambuca it was the most proper digestif.
My next trip to Las Vegas will be centered around a vist to Chef Marc’s Trattoria, a fine and exemplary dining experience.

I loved Chef Marc’s old restaurant, but was underwhelmed by my experience here back in January. The breading on the calamari was a soggy, limp mess. Lettuce in the Caesar salad wasn’t dried properly making it a watery disaster. The malfiata/​deconstructed lasagna was unremarkable. The sauce was lacking in flavor and the whole dish wasn’t nearly as good (conceptually or taste-​wise) as a traditional lasagna. The special that night — mafalda with oxtail ragout — was the highlight of the night. I like the texture of the loosely cut pasta and the ragout was beefy and rich. Since my visit was shortly after they opened, chances are I’ll be back to give them another shot.

I have been a fan of chef marc since parma. It is still amazing service and food. If you get the chance do the chef’s table. He will surprise you with delicious food. The décor is great for dates or family dinners.

Chef Marc has been the go-​to guy for great off-​Strip Italian. His previous endeavor, Parma, was a favorite of mine for lunch and now his great pasta dishes are back for dinner at Trattoria.
PORTABELLA APPETIZER: This is a must-​get dish. Spinach and mushrooms in a creamy, cheesy sauce. What’s not to love?! It’s an indulgent start to your meal or potentially a vegetarian entrée.
MUSSELS IN FARRO: fresh-​shelled mussels in farro with beans, decently made with a garlicky broth, no different than other mussels apps elsewhere but good.
PAPPARDELLE WITH ROASTED CAULIFLOWER: Add the proscuitto for $ 4 to make this better. The ribbons of fresh pasta are wonderfully delicate and have perfect cook and texture. Sauce is light and buttery, the cruciferous vegetable and fatty ham work well together.
FEGATINI DE POLLO: Think comforting spaghetti dish, but with chicken liver and a mushroom sauce, plus green beans and speck. It’s hard to picture but was our favorite dish on our first visit.
RUM CAKE: Light and moist with a frosted edge and fresh berries. The description provided by our server was a bit vague but this was a great pick over the usual (but well-​executed) tiramisu or crème brûlée.
The food is awesome. Worth waiting for, but better if you make a reservation. Prices are great for the quality and portions. As others have said, they could use an extra server at times, but Marc himself checks in on diners and ensures that things go smoothly.

Everything about Chef Marc’s is just as it should be. A charming locale on the intimately small side in a quiet location off-​Strip. Fresh, expertly prepared menu. Wonderful service, including having Chef Marc checking in with our table during and after the meal. So far, my favorite Italian restaurant in Las Vegas.

I was to Chef Marc’s Parma a couple of times and visited two of his pizza places. After all closed, I was waiting to see what would happen. Then I heard that he had opened a new trattoria in the Lakes which is fairly close to where I live.
I made a reservation and entered just before the reserved time at 5:15. I was shown to a two top table around the wall from the entrance with a view of part of the restaurant. In a short time, the waiter brought water, took my order for iced tea, and while this was going on, Chef Marc came to the table to greet me and to talk about the new place and then the specials for the night and he was talking up some of the dishes on the menu.
I ended up ordering the charred octopus to start. It’s served with white beans, celery, and lemon juice. The octopus was nicely charred and the pieces were very plump and juicy. In order to try both a pasta and a main course, my server, Donny, suggested the kitchen would make me a smaller portion of pasta. I decided to get the small portion of wild mushroom ravioli with a truffle butter and parmesan cheese sauce. The server added extra grated cheese. The parmesan cream sauce was a perfect compliment to the ravioli and the smaller order was a generous portion but not enough to fill one up for the main course.
For the main, I ordered Scottish Salmon which was one of the two fish of the day selections. The salmon had a coating of red and black pepper for a spicy taste and it was cooked perfectly. Accompanying the salmon was a small amount of mashed potatoes and some glazed carrots. I didn’t think anyone served glazed carrots anymore but there they were. While I would rather have had something else, they were OK and they gave a good counterpoint to the salmon’s spicy topping.
For dessert, I got Italian style cheesecake and a double espresso. Both were a good finish to a pleasant meal.
Service was excellent. The staff was on everything immediately. My only problem was with the sound. The evening started with few customers and you could hear Sinatra singing. Later, as more people came, the place got very loud from peoples’ talk. It just reverberated around the relatively small place. I was glad they didn’t turn up the music to try to make up for the loud talking.

Located in The Lakes off of Sahara & Durango, it’s pretty much behind the Best Western or just east of. You can easily miss it as it is a huge center. Parking is super easy as there were plenty of spots available.
Restaurant is closed Monday’s and Tuesday’s so make sure you pay attention, do make a reservation as it can get packed. The restaurant is already fairly popular on this side of town, there’s plenty of buzz about it. The ambience is pretty classy. I’d say dress formal, I know it’s Vegas but it’s in a nice area and has more «mature» crowd.
I like to have a few drinks by the bar before I sit, they have a good house cab and offer beers. The pasta fagiole is awesome, please try it if you like soups. The chicken parm is perfection, just enough cheese where your not drowning in it and definitely plentiful.
The service was impeccable, I’ve been here 4 times already and they always offer something new or different. Chef Marc is very detailed and descriptive, the way he talks about his process shows how passionate he is about his food and restaurant. I’m from back east and there aren’t to many Italian joints off the strip than can compare to this joint, won’t disappoint.

You don’t have to go to The Strip for great Italian food at crazy prices. This place is fantastic. Fresh pasta and many many unique dishes. In a small mall in a location that was a restaurant that didn’t make it previously.
Open Wednesday thru Sunday for dinner only. You will love this place guaranteed.
Full bar and nice décor

Having only enjoyed Chef Marc’s wonderful cuisine through special events, I was excited to finally try some of his traditional Italian fare. His passion for cooking is felt by anyone he interacts with. That enthusiasm is easily transferred because I was ready to order everything after listening to him go over the specials on a recent Friday night.
Burrata is to mozzarella as toro is to tuna. Buttery, creamy, rich and dare I say eggy; it was excellent with just a touch of aged balsamic, but even better with the fresh tomato and greens. I am sure their caprese salad is very good as well, but this is worth the extra $ 4.
«Fruiti di Mar» was fruits of the sea indeed! The entrée was filled with a more than generous helping of mussels and clams along with shrimp and calamari. My toes tapped to a seafood symphony that only I could hear in my head. Substituting the linguine for Marc’s freshly made black pappardelle was an outstanding decision by me. «Pappare» means «to gobble up» in Italian. That shit was pappared!
More casual than fancy in atmosphere, this restaurant makes for a terrific neighborhood spot that hopefully sticks around for the long haul. I’d gladly choose this over the other trattoria’s in Summerlin.

Our visit started off rocky and ended with «meh». We had a reservation but upon arrival we were told there was a wait. Okay, a few minutes, I can understand. But after about 10 minutes the host wanted to seat us at a high top near the bar. We asked if we could sit at a regular table, but because it was set for four, the host didn’t want to seat us there :/​ (although there was another table of 2 sitting at a 4-​top). He ended up seating us there but it didn’t leave us with a good first impression.
Onto the food…
Calamari — not good, very little flavor. A little salt in the batter would’ve made a big improvement. The marinara sauce was good so it made the dish edible, but without it, the calamari would’ve been tasteless.
Wild Mushroom Ravioli — outstanding! Perfectly cooked and seasoned with a hint of truffle.
Shrimp Parmesan — not what we were expecting, it’s like chicken Parmesan but with shrimp. The shrimp is battered and fried with melted cheese on top.
Gnocchi Bolognese — again, sauce was good but the gnocchi had no flavor. Maybe they ran out of salt in the kitchen? I asked my husband if he tricked me by taking me to a «healthy» restaurant (read: no salt, no flavor). The gnocchi was cooked well, but I was disappointed.
Service was a little slow, but the restaurant was busy. I don’t think we’ll be back, unfortunately.

Last night I came to dinner here w/​a friend of mine who has known Chef Marc for many years. Chef Marc is a personable and talented man who has absolute passion for cooking and happiness of his customers.
Better if you can believe it, than what I recall of his former restaurant Parma, I had the pleasure of tasting Marc’s delicious Italian cuisine at his brand new restaurant located in a small strip center @ SW corner of Sahara & Durango, behind Lakeside Charlies.
Shared appetizers were delicious…
*Mozzarella en Carozza – Fresh mozzarella wedged in thin bread then fried, w/​tasty marinara dipping sauce.
**Cold Seafood Salad – Wild shrimp, mussels, calamari, imported provolone, hot cherry peppers.
My entrée was delicious… Barbershop Bone-​in Chicken Scarpariello… roasted w/​Italian sausage over polenta. A bit of a challenge w/​bone-​in, but managed to act like a surgeon and savored the perfectly cooked juicy, tender organic chicken meat. Sausage had a nice tangy flavor. Polenta was very good. Green beans were al dente and excellent.
Dessert was delicious… Crème Brulee that was torched tableside by Tracy, 1 of Marc’s friendly servers. Sweet & flavorful w/​fresh berries.
Nicely decorated upscale restaurant w/​cool wall décor, nice lighting & furnishings, and the sounds of enjoyable Ratpack background music that was a classy touch around this time of what would be Frank Sinatra’s 100^th birthday.
Service was impeccable by our friendly server Lino, originally from Italy. And once again, Chef Marc is a true restaurant entrepreneur w/​passion and talent for his Italian cuisine. I highly recommend dining here!
See 8 photos below…
Unilocal 300 CHALLENGE 2015: #296