I’m looking at a giant framed photo of Frank Sinatra holding a cocktail (black and white save for his eyes, which are, of course, blue). On my table are giant platters of classic red-sauce fare: meatballs, sauteed peppers, ricotta ravioli drenched in marinara. Through an archway of the dining room where I’m seated, a crooner is singing old standards with live piano accompaniment.

No, it’s not another hipster Italian restaurant masquerading as a throwback: This is the Italian American Club in Las Vegas, which has been a hub for the vibrant local Italian American community since its founding 65 years ago. Located in a 12,000-square-foot standalone building about 15 minutes off the Strip in Downtown Las Vegas, it's among the oldest Italian restaurants in town and still has that wise-guy swagger, from the days when Tony Spilotro and Frank “Lefty” Rosenthal were city fixtures.