El Cortez in downtown Las Vegas has launched Alex Prime Steakhouse for dinner after an $8.5 million renovation, serving USDA Prime steaks and classic cocktails in a 1940s-inspired space.
El Cortez has thrown open the doors to Alex Prime, its new steakhouse, after pouring $8.5 million into a full-scale renovation of the casino’s longtime restaurant space. The property is doubling down on dinner service, aiming to keep guests on-site instead of losing them to other Fremont Street spots.
Alex Prime is described as a New York-style steakhouse, while Siegel’s 1941 has been reimagined as a daytime dining concept—both now operate as distinct restaurant directions within El Cortez.
Inside the renovation and design
Casino.org reports that El Cortez spent $8.5 million to gut and rebuild the restaurant. The result: a dining room with seating for more than 150, styled after the 1940s. Green banquettes, cognac leather, wood paneling, and gold accents set the tone. A new bar anchors the space and supports a wine and cocktail program that’s been ramped up for the relaunch. El Cortez brought in David Robins, a longtime Wolfgang Puck executive, as a consultant. Joe Swan now leads the kitchen as executive chef. The goal is to raise the bar for dinner, whether for locals or visitors.
Menu highlights and beverage program
The menu sticks to steakhouse roots. Diners can order New York strip, filet mignon, ribeye, porterhouse, tomahawk, and flatiron steaks. Prime rib is still on offer, a direct link to Siegel’s 1941. Appetizers include oysters Rockefeller, shrimp cocktail, escargot, and crab cake, plus French onion soup and wedge or Caesar salads. The kitchen branches out with rigatoni alla vodka, casarecce Bolognese, Sunday gravy meatballs, pork chop schnitzel, and chicken parmigiana. For dessert, there’s a Root Beer Float at $12, Warm Apple Pie at $13, and a Chocolate Chip Brownie Sundae at $14.
According to The NewsMarket, the launch of Alex Prime is part of a broader update to El Cortez’s restaurant concepts, coinciding with the property’s 85th anniversary and ongoing development under owner Kenny Epstein. Reports from Extra Super Big and The NewsMarket indicate that the opening was not accompanied by a large-scale public announcement, reflecting a phased approach to the restaurant’s debut rather than a single, citywide launch event.
Honoring a legacy and shaping downtown dining
The steakhouse is named for Alexandra “Alex” Epstein-Gudai, daughter of El Cortez owner Kenny Epstein. She worked at the casino for 15 years before her death in February 2026 at age 41. By splitting the space—Siegel’s 1941 by day, Alex Prime by night—El Cortez can serve a wider range of guests and keep more dinner business in-house. This approach is catching on with other downtown operators who want to compete with the Strip’s high-end restaurants.
For locals and visitors, Alex Prime brings another full-service steakhouse to the heart of downtown. The menu and setting are built to go head-to-head with established rivals. The timing fits a bigger trend: Las Vegas venues are investing heavily in premium dining, as seen in earlier coverage of how the city’s hospitality model is catching the eye of other markets.
El Cortez’s bet on Alex Prime shows how classic steakhouse dining still draws a crowd, especially when paired with a fresh look and a menu that respects both old and new. The property is looking to grab a bigger slice of the downtown dinner scene, and it’s willing to spend to make that happen.
