Posted on: December 18, 2024, 03:26h.
Last updated on: December 18, 2024, 03:26h.
Las Vegas has come a long culinary way since the once ubiquitous $9.99 buffet. It is now a world-class dining destination where the most significant openings and closures make international news. Here are the dozen that we think had the most impact.
Grandest Openings😀
Bazaar Mar
The Shops at Crystals
Celebrated chef José Andrés brought his fifth restaurant to the Strip in August. Bazaar Mar specializes in seafood and tapas rooted in Spanish flavors, including Hokkaido sea scallops crudo, Maine lobster croquetas and tacos filled with jamon Ibérico de bellota.
Andrés began his Vegas career by opening Jaleo, China Poblano, and é by José Andrés simultaneously at the Cosmopolitan in 2010. He followed up with Bazaar Meat at the Sahara in 2014. And he made even more waves this year when he announced he would move Bazaar Meat to the more upscale Venetian next year.
Dominique Ansel Marché
Paris Las Vegas
Dominique Ansel launched his second Strip eatery in December. (The James Beard Award-winning French pastry chef opened Dominique Ansel Bakery at Caesars Palace in 2022.)
His new concept claimed the 5,000 square-foot space formerly occupied by JJ’s Boulangerie. Inspired by the sidewalk markets of France — “Marché” is French for market — it serves croissants, fresh fruit tarts and other expected sweet treats, but also goes savory with rotisserie chicken, sandwiches and flatbreads.
Bourbon Steak
Four Seasons
Celebrity chef Michael Mina’s take on the classic Las Vegas steakhouse opened Tuesday in the former Charlie Palmer Steak space on the 35th floor, which had been closed since the pandemic. The menu showcases Japanese A5 wagyu and prime angus, prepared using the restaurant’s signature slow-poaching technique in seasoned butter.
Gjelina
Venetian
Even before it opens on Dec. 26, this seafood-forward eatery has become the talk of Las Vegas. Founded in 2008 in chef/owner Fran Camaj’s apartment in Venice Beach, and named after her mother, Gjelina will offer vibrant, produce-forward dishes including orecchiette with beef cheek Bolognese and striped sea bass stew.
Pinky’s by Vanderpump
Flamingo
The third Las Vegas Strip eatery from reality TV star Lisa Vanderpump debuted in December with a menu of upscaled American classics including wagyu sliders. The $3.5 million restaurant occupies nearly 7,000 square feet in the former Purple Zebra bar space at the Flamingo.
The former “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” and “Vanderpump Rules” star, whose nickname is Pinky, opened the Cocktail Garden at Caesars Palace in 2019, followed by Vanderpump à Paris at Paris Las Vegas in 2022.
Ole Red
Grand Bazaar Shops, Horseshoe
Country singer Blake Shelton opened the fifth location of his barbecue joint and honkytonk in January. Ole Red, a reference to Shelton’s single “Ol’ Red” from his self-titled 2002 debut album, serves Southern-spun cuisine such as a lobster corn dog, grilled bacon-wrapped meatloaf, brisket sliders with chorizo, and pulled pork sliders with sauce and slaw. Each of its four floors sports balconies overlooks the Strip at Flamingo Road.
Fellow country singer Jason Aldean liked Ole Red so much, he opened a virtual carbon copy on the Strip in December.
Saddest Closures😢
Picasso
Bellagio
Picasso plated its final dish on August 16. Two-time James Beard Award-winning chef Julian Serrano presided over the elegant French restaurant, which received two Michelin stars, since Steve Wynn opened the Bellagio more than 25 years earlier.
The gaming giant claimed the restaurant closed because Serrano, 74, is retiring. However, back in May, Casino.org’s Vital Vegas brought up some intriguing inconsistencies concerning that claim. For instance, Serrano also oversees the kitchen at Bellagio’s Lago. Though the chef stepped away from that restaurant, it is still open. And, when you consider that Serrano will continue to run Julian Serrano Tapas at Aria, the retirement narrative crumbles.
The real story, Vital Vegas pointed out, seems to be that Serrano is not retiring but merely slowing down, and that Picasso was underperforming while Lago and Julian Serrano Tapas continued doing well. The writing seemed to be on the wall since 11 real Picassos, which were displayed around the restaurant, were taken down and auctioned by MGM Resorts for nearly $110 million in 2021.
Ocean One
Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood
Ocean One Bar & Grille, the hands-down cheapest restaurant on the Las Vegas Strip for nearly 20 years, permanently closed in November. The temple of frugality offered lunch for $5.99 and dinner for only a dollar more. In a note taped to property inside Planet Hollywood’s Miracle Mile Shops, Ocean One’s management claims that its lease expired and it’s searching for a new location.
That may be true, but we suspect it’s not the entire truth… Back in September, an eviction notice was taped to Ocean One’s door on a Friday, and the restaurant’s name was removed from Miracle Mile’s website. However, it reopened the following Monday as though nothing was ever amiss.
After it reopened, Ocean One raised its prices to $7.99 for lunch and $8.99 for dinner, which was still an incomparable deal.
It’s difficult to imagine how Ocean One continued serving half-pound sirloin burgers, Mexican wings, and tortilla salad for the price of a bottle of water at Harry Reid International Airport.
Crown & Anchor
1350 E. Tropicana Ave.
This British pub, beloved by ex-pats and locals for nearly 30 years, suddenly Brexited in July. Crown & Anchor opened in 1995, and was a favorite to grab a pint, lose money on video poker, and catch soccer (sorry, football) on the telly 24 hours a day.
A piece of rock n’ roll history also perished along with C&A, since the pub was where a 20-year-old Brandon Flowers of The Killers caught his girlfriend cheating on him. This shocking scene inspired “Mr. Brightside,” the band’s biggest hit and the 2003 song that Rolling Stone magazine ranked No. 378 in its “500 Greatest Songs of All Time” issue.
Another Crown & Anchor (referred to as “Little Crown & Anchor Pub”) remains open at 4755 Spring Mountain Road.
Margaritaville
Flamingo
The late Jimmy Buffett’s joint closed in June after 21 years at the Flamingo. Known for its “volcano” that spilled margaritas into two 300-gallon blenders, it was a favorite of Parrotheads and of civilians who don’t know the meaning of that word we just used.
Margaritaville didn’t waste away due to Buffett’s September 2023 death from skin cancer. Caesars simply declined to renew its lease/partnership. It figures it can do something more profitable with the 30K square-foot space, which includes five bars and two patios overlooking the Strip.
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
AREA15
When Lost Spirits Distillery at the AREA15 off-Strip entertainment complex closed in April, it took down with its ship this celebrated steampunk eatery inspired by Jules Verne. Chef Taylor Persh created a unique themed experience where 12 guests at a time sampled 16 exotic dishes, including uni crème brûlée and nori bonbons. The lounge was a replica of a submarine where fish with human faces stared through portholes.
Holsteins Shakes & Buns
Cosmopolitan
This popular burger joint, which opened along with the Cosmo in 2010, closed in July. It was beloved for its indulgent, over-the-top burgers like the Billionaire Burger and the Short Rib Burger, as well as its boozy milkshakes. According to Vital Vegas, however, it was the victim of a shakeup by new casino owner MGM Resorts, which will replace it with Amaya Modern Mexican in January. Fortunately for its many fans, Holsteins is relocating this spring — to 1216 S. Main St. in the arts district downtown.
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