Maggiano's Little Italy - Fashion Show Happy Hour. The Strip

Split two appetizers between two people. Maggiano's portions are oversized, so a $9 plate of calamari or mozzarella marinara plus another shared app feeds a pair as a real snack, and at $9 each it is hard to find better food value this close to the Strip. The meatballs alone are nearly a meal.

The pricing keeps it simple. Monday through Friday, 3 to 6pm, wine, cocktails, and appetizers are all $9. A glass of wine and a shared plate runs $18 for two items, and the cocktails are properly built rather than watered down.

This is family-style Italian-American with the predictable comfort that comes with it. The room is calm enough for actual conversation, which makes it a fit for couples, older crowds, or anyone tired of loud bar scenes. Maggiano's is in Fashion Show Mall on the Strip, connected toward Treasure Island, so you can reach it without crossing a casino floor, and the mall has its own parking.

Go during the week, since the deal does not run weekends, and the 3 to 6pm window bridges the gap between lunch and dinner nicely. Arrive in the early part of the window for a relaxed table. Order a round of drinks, a couple of those huge appetizers, and the garlic bread, and the final bill stays reasonable for what you put away.