My problem with Las Vegas Bikefest is Las Vegas. Don't misunderstand, I love Sin City. However, I find the Vegas Strip and Fremont Street are as much fun for riding a motorcycle as an oil slick convention in front of a broken glass factory. Between all the stop lights, heavy traffic, and the bad drivers comprising that traffic, the best part of riding in town is parking. Preferably at a casino with a good poker room.
Daytona is a motorcycle race with a party. Sturgis is a racing series and some concerts with a party. Vegas Bikefest is a party with a big custom bike show in it. There's nothing wrong with that; it's the nature of the venue. While Downtown Las Vegas is great for getting a little wild, it's not exactly known for its beach-adjacent race track or mountain twisties.
There are plenty of joints for grubbing in Sin City but if you're looking to do some actual riding, you'll want to head out to Mount Charleston for some road carving or into Arizona for the Grand Canyon. Here are some of my favorite grubberies for Vegas Bikefest, both inside and outside of the city.
The Pioneer Saloon: Twenty miles south of Vegas, seven miles east of I-15's Exit 12 to Jean, Nevada, lies what may be the nation's oldest standing stamped-metal building: The Pioneer Saloon. Constructed in 1913, the Pioneer may look brick in some places but its walls are actually patterned tin. If it looks familiar, you've probably seen it before. The joint moonlights as a location for movies and TV shows. The saloon's bar dates back to the 1860s when it was built by the Brunswick Company in Maine. In 1915, a gun fight broke out here over a poker game. The bullet holes are still in the wall.
Old West barbecue is the name of Pioneer's game. If you're a chilehead, the Ghost Burger is a must-try. Not only is it swathed in ghost pepper sauce, it packs jalapeno bacon for extra kick. If I'm here coming off of a Texas Hold 'Em win, I'll splurge and hit the Cook-it-Yourself menu. For a $50, you can cook anything from a hot dog to ribs or steaks, plus sides, charcoal included. Which, for half a Benjamin, it should be.
The Mad Greek Cafe: If you're riding into Vegas from So Cal, there's a good chance you're on Interstate 15. If so, there's a certainty you'll pass the hamlet of Baker, home of the World's Largest Thermometer (not to be taken rectally) and the Mad Greek.
Everyone has strong feelings about this place. You can't help it. The food is greasy (but tasty), the mood of the service staff varies greatly, and the bathrooms aren't winning any awards from Architectural Digest. Still, the gyro is one of the best I've ever eaten. Match it with one of their many flavors of milk shake to cool off after a day's ride in the desert. It's a great refresher either going into or out of town. There's also a second location at the California-Nevada state line in Primm.
Harley-Davidson Cafe: Yeah, it's pretty obvious. You get to town, you're on the Strip, and you can't get much more Harley-themed than a licensed bar and restaurant. This place is smothered in H-D memorabilia, with plenty of bikes inside and out.
Its menu is a blend of steaks, burgers, barbecue, and booze. There's no signature dish but the BBQ Slider Trio (chicken, brisket, and pork) is a personal favorite. H-D Cafe is great for setting the tone for Bikefest. And if you decide to get hitched during the event, Harley-Davidson Cafe even has a Chopper Chapel complete with Elvis minister.