A nice trick, particularly if you are planning to be in town for a few days, is to buy a Vegas Dining card. You can pick one up at those half price ticket booths scattered up and down the Strip for $10. With it, you get discounts of from 20% (most common) to 50% off at a large number of popular eateries. The card is good for 7 days and you can use it as often as you like. It would not be difficult to save more than $10 on one meal in a number of these places and you could easily do that a dozen times. That’s more money for drinking and gambling! You can see a full list of restaurants on their website but they include a number of buffets, Oscar’s Steakhouse and House of Blues. It is a deal that is really a deal instead of a scam. Check it out!
Category: Food
Sixteen Candles?
No, we aren’t discussing Molly Ringwald tonight and you are going to need to have at least a few more candles than she did to take advantage of tonight’s trick. If you happen to be celebrating a birthday in Las Vegas, you may be able to get some free stuff. Of course, your mileage may vary but these are a few things to try. One that worked for me a couple of years back is a free ticket to the observation deck at the Eiffel Tower. Kind of fun and worth checking out if you are in the area. I have heard several reports that both Luxor and Excalibur will gift you some free play if you present your players club card at their customer service desk. It has been like $20 so not huge but I would take it! I have heard similar stories about the Orleans and other Boyd properties. Of course, if you have played quite a bit with any casino, it would be worth asking. The same is true with any restaurant. I know both Binion’s and Four Queens have a BOGO special for your birthday month. And, of course, many chain restaurants will also give you a little something and, if you join their loyalty programs, it might be a free meal. Tomorrow, one final trick!
Hungry For a Trick
Tonight’s Las Vegas trick is another oldie but it can still be a good one. The all you can eat buffet is about the most Vegas-y food option imaginable but it can get pricey, particularly for those fancy dinners. So here’s what some people do about that. Normally, the earlier in the day, the cheaper the buffet. Breakfast is cheaper than lunch (or brunch) and lunch is cheaper than dinner. So, if you want a cheap dinner, you go right at the end of the lunch and pay the lunch price. Then you wait around a few minutes for the dinner items to start coming out and enjoy them for the lower price. Of course there is a catch or two. (Isn’t there always?) First, this is going to mean eating at an odd time, maybe 3 or 4 in the afternoon. Second, the buffets are on to your game. Many now close between meals just to keep people from pulling this trick, so be sure to see if this might be the case with the buffet you want to enjoy.
Dinner For One
Eating alone when travelling can be depressing sometimes, particularly when everyone else is in a group. You can always do room service but what fun is that? But eating alone in Vegas is probably easier than in most other locations. The classic buffet is your best friend. No waiting around staring at the walls or your phone. You walk in, sit down and grab your grub. It can be faster than fast food (and sometimes cheaper) and some of the buffets are quite good. Another good idea when you are on your own is to see if your chosen eatery offers bar seating. Many times this will be the case and you may be able to score a spot, even at a very popular location, without a reservation. And you can always chat up other folks at the bar or make friends with the bartender. That being said, if you have your heart set on enjoying a spectacular meal at a gourmet restaurant, don’t let your solo status deter you. On those occasions that I have dined alone in high style, I have been treated very well by everyone in the place. Vegas has plenty of visitors there on their own and you should not and will not feel weird.
Alternative Buffets
When we think of Las Vegas buffets, we usually limit ourselves to the casino-based offerings but there are a few other options that might tempt your taste buds. For carnivores, the Brazilian steak house with its endless plates of rotisserie style meats is a great choice. There are a couple around the Strip. In the Miracle Mile shops, check out Pampas Churrascaria Brazilian Grille and just a few blocks east of the Strip on Flamingo is Fogo de Chao. For as Asian style buffet, try Makino Decatur, west of the Strip on Decatur Road. How about some Thai food? Well, I might as well send you to the world famous Lotus of Siam out on East Sahara. I should tell you that the true aficionado skips the buffet and orders off the menu, but you are still allowed to try it. For India food, a good option is Mount Everest India’s cuisine for lunch. It is out a ways on West Sahara. Finally, if what you really need is a taste of home, there’s always Golden Corral. The Vegas location is on the east side of town, on Lamb Road, just south of Charleston. If you actually go, please let me know.
Buffet Specialties
Once upon a time, you merely hoped the specialty of your buffet wasn’t food poisoning but now expectations are much higher. Tonight we talk about that. Looking for lobster and caviar? You know to hit up the Sterling buffet. In general, Aria and Rio have a pretty wide selection of seafood and Bacchanal has a reputation for a great selection of sushi. Most anyplace will do “prime” rib, shrimp and crab legs but those may only be featured at dinner. More of an alcoholic? Try Cravings at the Mirage where the buffet is all you can eat…and drink. Want a relaxing setting and just want a reasonably priced brunch? Consider the buffets at Flamingo or Mandalay Bay. Not great, but each with a beautiful view. Best themed buffet would have to be Paris. With stations appropriate to different regions of France and the feeling of being in a village, it is pretty cool. The food is just OK. Most buffets will have theme nights from time to time (at a premium price) so check any tourist magazine when you get to town and see if any of them appeal to you. Tomorrow, some buffets you never thought about!
Too Much of a Good Thing?
The latest and greatest development in the world of Las Vegas gluttony is the all day buffet pass. It is available, off and on, at a number of different hotels. I am pretty sure you can buy one at all the Boyd properties like Orleans and Gold Coast. The last I checked, you could pick up a pass to both the Luxor and Excalibur buffets for one price, from 7 AM to 10 PM. The price varies depending on whether it is the weekend but is around $40 for adults and less for a child. The Granddaddy of them all is the Caesars buffet of buffets, giving you access to six different buffets for 24 hours at one price. Enjoy the Flamingo, Harrah’s, Paris, Planet Hollywood and Rio. There’s a $25-$35 upcharge to add the Bacchanal Buffet at Caesars. The cost goes from $60-$75 with a $10 discount if you show your Total Rewards card. There are two issues. First, these are mostly average to below average buffets. Why you want to try all of them is beyond me, unless it is just a stunt. Second, how much freaking food can you choke down anyway? One buffet in a day is a lot to stomach. But trying to eat at three to six of them (and you need to do for it to be a good deal) is pure madness. Maybe if you are a competitive eater? Otherwise save your money and your health and just pick one good one!
The Frugal Buffet
The days of the truly awful buffet are behind us. Such purveyors of fine slop as the Riviera, Boardwalk, Imperial Palace and Fitzgeralds are now but a memory. And while a bad meal or some questionable dishes are possible at most of lower priced Strip buffets, most every place now serves serviceable and mostly palatable food. What would have been thought of as as outstanding spread a generation ago is now mostly standard fare. Sadly, they are priced that way with $20 a starting price point, even at breakfast or brunch. To get the best values, you’ll need to get off Strip a bit. Downtown, it is hard to top the Garden Court buffet at Main Street Station. It’s pretty darned good, has a beautiful setting and the regular dinner tops out at $12.99. For purely functional food, it is hard to beat the value at the Gold Coast. How about a hearty breakfast for just $7.99? And it’s just a mile off the Strip next to the Palms (which also sports a good value buffet.) If you have a car or a sense of adventure, you can do better. The Feast buffet at either Green Valley Ranch or Red Rock Resort is actually very, very good and, get this, ranges from about $10 to $20. Of course, prices and quality can change over time but these are some of the least expensive options for good food and a lot of it. Tomorrow we ask how much is too much!
Best of the Best
Buffet week continues with an entirely predictable list of the top buffets in town. They include some places that have steakhouse prices but also a few that are a terrific value. Any list has to begin with the Sterling Brunch buffet at Ballys. Served only on Sundays and clocking in at over $100, this place is not for everyone. Unless you love seafood (and lobster in particular,) it probably won’t be worth it to you. Of course there is a carving station, an omelet bar and some decadent desserts but you can find those in most high end spots. There is also pretty good champagne. If interested, reserve a spot as far in advance as you can. The Bacchanal Buffet at Caesars is my personal favorite, both for the quantity and quality of the offerings. Still averaging over $50, it isn’t a great deal but it is a great gastronomic adventure. Close in both style and substance is the Wicked Spoon at Cosmopolitan. Want some bone marrow? It is one of their specialties. Again, it is expensive but you’ll find lots of small plates to try that will delight your taste buds. If you are looking for terrific food at a less horrific price, you’ll want to head off Strip. Normally ranked among the best is the Studio B buffet at the M resort. Only about half the price of the other spots, it has a great setting and free beer and wine. Tomorrow we’ll discuss some more great buffet values, because good food doesn’t have to empty your wallet.
Beginners Buffet Guide
If you’ve never been to one of the many Las Vegas buffets, you must go. Along with a bit of gambling and a tour of the Strip at night, it is practically a requirement for a first time visitor. Here’s what to expect. First, not all hotels have a buffet. The Venetian, Linq, Bally’s, Park MGM, New York New York and Cromwell do not. In addition, not all buffets are open throughout the day. Some only serve breakfast/brunch some days and others may only offer dinner. All close in the evening so don’t expect to try one at 3 AM. Prices can change dramatically throughout the week. Weekend dinners or brunches are always more expensive than ones during the week. Drinks are included but many locations are making them self serve. Those drinks are generally non-alcoholic unless noted otherwise. Also, many buffets offer a better price for their player’s club members so be prepared by acquiring one first. Finally, a small gratuity is generally expected. Most people just leave a few dollars but you might want to increase that at the more expensive spots or if service is exceptional. Tomorrow we will discuss some of the biggest and best buffets in town.
Vegas Tips and Tricks 