PSA -

Jean Georges @ Aria is a ginormous waste of time and money.

-Horrid service
-Horrible pretzel bread (didn't even know that was possible)
-Weak presentation
-Overpriced vs. Comparable competition
-too dark
-poor sear on steak

I can't even believe that meal happened and the place is still open. But the wine we had was good, so there's that.

First, thank you for taking the time for reviewing all these places for us. It's really a pleasure to read reviews on here, and I'd like to thank everyone for sharing their experiences.

But... I'm not sure we're experiencing the same restaurants here. Nobu is pretty unremarkable, and I've been to a few of them including Vegas. They don't cook their miso cod on a sweet potato unless they changed the recipe in the last year. Whoever gave you that info is very misinformed. I just feel that their food is just out dated and really hasn't been inspired in quite a while. Dessert is definitely an afterthought at the place, and it shows.

Olives has been one of my worst dining experiences in Vegas, and yes, I did have the carpaccio. Too bad Central by Michel Richard closed, because you could have tasted what was basically ripped off by Olives for their carpaccio, except for utilizing worse ingredients and less technique. Dessert here is once again not really cared for and really, you can find better Tiramisu at a Carino's.

I went to Olive's last week for lunch. The food was excellent but the bar area absolutely reeked of rotten oysters. Or some other type of stale shellfish.

I've never been to Chada (will change that in two weeks) but sent a couple of friends to LoS and they said it was their best meal of their life.

No real point here, but it seems you won't fail on LoS either.

Go to Nobu and get their new style salmon belly roll (off the menu) and I guarantee u will change ur mind.

not sure if lotus/chada belongs in fine dining thread but i did eat at lotus the other day and found it delicious but not as good as i remembered it being the other time i had it in 2011.

can't compare to chada tho because the night before chada said there was no wait for a party of 6 but 20 min later when we got there it was an hour and a half. we went to the asian bbq place in the corner of that shopping center and it was freaking incredible.

as for fine dining, also went to SW on tuesday night and loved it. split a porterhouse for two with my girlfriend and found it to be nothing above "really good". obviously, really good steaks are great but i've had plenty of better ones. the new york cut was fattier than i wanted and i wasn't expecting that. however, everything else about the place was awesome and i would 100% return back and be thrilled to order a different steak. also, the vegan creamed spinach is better than the real thing. no joke.

also got to go to kabuto last night and agree with everyone in the thread that there is probably not another sushi experience like it this side of the pacific ocean. do yourself a favor and go...and don't get anything less than the $120 option because my entire party agreed that if any of us had gotten a smaller option, we would have felt like we missed out on the full experience. definitely recommend going here and can't wait to eat here again when i'm back in vegas in a couple weeks

Couple of restaurants in the past week:

Kabuto. Finally went on Saturday night. There's no doubt that it's a very good meal and a decent enough value, but something about it left me underwhelmed. Might have been the sky-high expectations? Thought there was too much wasabi in the rice most of the time, which took some focus from the fish. Not one of the nigiri servings was bad or less than very good, but can't think of one that really wowed me either.

Cut. We were going to go to Chada (love that place) but got lazy after the Love show at Mirage and just went across the street for a steak. Sat at the bar (always like that better), split the Nebraska corn-fed ribeye, asparagus appetizer and mac and cheese. Steak was truly perfect. Wife had never been there, and commented that now she knows how a steakhouse can elevate themselves from all other expensive steakhouses. Cocktails also on point, they do very well there.

Bardot Brasserie. Second time there. I was on the fence after the first time (had steak tartare, perfectly fine but nothing too impressive), but I think this is a good option. It's completely in the class of Bouchon, DB Brasserie, the now-defunct Comme Ca. You won't get a very different meal between them and they're all overpriced (because Vegas). Still, the steak frites was a solid meal so if that's what you're looking for, they won't **** it up. The frites in particular were quite good.

Buzio's. Doesn't really belong in the fine dining thread but whatever. Ate here while on dinner break at WSOP. Your standard CET-empire ridiculously priced mediocre food lousy service place. Bartender didn't know how to make a martini. COME ON. Pasta was probably a bit better than Red Lobster/Olive Garden but nothing I couldn't do better at home, and at $26 I think it was the cheapest entree item. Food around me looked gross. I guess it was better than the poker kitchen. Good thing I didn't make day 2 of the tourney

Kerby,


Where are you from and what are the best sushi places you regularly go to?

Not attacking your opinion, just trying to calibrate it. Your statement will mean something very different if you regularly go to top places in like LA, NYC, or SF vs if you live in Kansas City or Tulsa or something.

I've eaten at Nobu twice at Atlantis and found it pretty mediocre - Olives is just lol in this thread - it should be in the "casual dining" thread for my money but won't nit-pick that point. Olives is better than your local Carrabas slightly but that's about it.

There was a segment on a Gordon Ramsey show in the UK about a place that served maggot cheese in London.

A year or so after the show aired, me and some mates went there to try it. Sadly when we get there it isn't on the menu, so we ask the waiter and he thinks we are taking the piss. Tells us he doesn't know what we are taking about.

We eat anyway and the food was good. Then this old dude who has been sitting at the bar rolls up and explains they can't sell it because of health and safety reasons. But they can give it away and we can tip.

So they bring it out and it looks ****ing rank. Now I was up for the job beforehand but having seen this rotten, harsh smelling, writhing mass. I just couldn't face it.

The guys I was with tucked in and both consider it the worst thing they have ever eaten.

Last night in Vegas, we randomly ended up @ the bar at jaleo. Unlikely spot for me as I'm from DC and have easy access to Jose Andreas, including jaleo.

Anyhow, we got upsold to the tasting menu, and I'm glad we did. At $55/head, we had, I think, 10 courses/bites - everything ranged from solid to crazy good.

Drinks there are crazy pricey imo, but a few were pretty worthwhile (I liked the vivador and some rum drink made with Mexican coke granita and some other crap).

Anyhow, highly recommend checking it out, just avoid the girl working the bar with a long braided ponytail. She was, literally, the worst waitress of all time. We originally were just going to order a few plates to split until we got upsold by this girl's boss. She was pretty pissy about having to change the order, but whatever. Unfortunately, she also got yelled at by aforementioned boss for being a bitch, and then spent the next 10 minutes profusely apologizing to us and explaining why she was up tight.

OK...on to dinner now. Nope! Not so fast. We apparently have a new BFF who wants to spend about 90% of our dinner time chatting us up about random bull****. Look lady, I know you realize you messed up and want to save your tip, but being insanely overbearing isn't the way to do it. When you and I have a five minute "conversation" that consists of me staring at my phone the whole time while you talk...take the hint and leave me alone to enjoy my meal.

lol sounds about right.
one of the things that tilts me (there are many but this is the relevant one) about Andrew Zimmeran bizarre foods is how he somehow loves EVERYTHING and literally rolls his eyes in orgasmic pleasure after every freaking bite.
there is just no way he can really think this stuff is that tasty and it makes the show a total joke as you can never trust a word he says.

I want a show like his but with an honest host so I could have a good idea what kindv insane foods I should actually seek out.

I'm curious to know the answer to this too, and for your take. I live in LA so eat plenty of good sushi, but have not graduated to the real high-end stuff. I've topped out at what's probably a $50-75 omakase. Where does Kabuto fall when compared to the medium and high end of west coast places?

Kansas City has very good sushi thanks tho

Since kabuto is packed and fully booked, what are my best sushis alternatives ?

if price is no concern bar masa in aria is pretty damn good.

Mostly asking eco74 (my favorite poster on 2p2) because I recall you saying Sage's cocktail program is off the hook. Any specific recommendations I shouldn't miss? I love gin and whiskey. Even though I just got home today I'm already planning my next visit.

Me and my wife at here this past weekend and both thought it was pretty good, but yeah def a little pricey. We also ate at Cut and I loved it. I got the Nebraska NY strip and her the American Waygu filet. Both cooked absolutely perfect. I preferred hers to mine and think I will order the American waygu next time im there.

Well we have something in common, I'm my favorite poster here too!

There are a handful of restaurant/bars in Vegas now where I trust everything they do behind the bar and know that they know what they're talking about, and Sage is still top of that list. I don't recall specifically what on their cocktail menu is the best ever, but they do make a fantastic Sazerac. They always have something barrel-aged, so if that looks interesting it will probably suit you well. They once had a barrel-aged version of a Last Word that was unbelievable. And if you're comfortable going off-menu, they'll go right there with you. A Vieux Carre is perhaps my favorite whiskey cocktails and is always a good test for a bartender.

It's good but I find it a bit overpriced.

We ended up testing Soho, which is a bit far from the strip, but was worth it. Not as good as Kabuto, but a decent alternative.

I find Zimmern pretty honest. He was not a fan of durian or stinky tofu from what I recall.

not exactly dining but I need to get someone a gift of nice whiskey.
I know nothing about liquor as I don't really drink so if someone knows a good place to buy good whiskey I'd appreciate it.

im assuming a regular liquor store is not gonna have fancy stuff.

paging El Diablo or other whiskey aficionados if you have a specific whiskey rec pls share.
and no I have no idea what he likes other than he has alot of high end scotch.

I'm a huge fan of Templeton Rye and it isn't particularly expensive. Would still be very pleased with it as a gift.

High West also makes a bunch of great whiskeys IMO.

ty.
any idea a good place to find nice whiskey in Vegas?
I'm staying in Henderson not have a car so wherever.

Go to any Lee's. Price range would help, and if you have an idea whether you would want to buy scotch, bourbon, rye, Canadian, Irish, etc.

And some regular liquor stores will have good selection but the prices will typically be higher.