Eating in Vegas is NOT cheap. But, the choices are endless and we enjoyed every meal we had! We walked so much that we only gained 1/2 a pound. 😉
Read on for more about Hell's Kitchen, Heart Attack Grill, Bacchanal, Maxie's, Crack Shack, Hash House A Go Go, Uno Mas & Chinitas.
❗TIP -> we recommend making reservations in advance, especially for the places on your bucket list.
We booked 2 months in advance for Hell's Kitchen and could only get a lunch reservation for Jeff's birthday. We landed at the airport at Noon, took a taxi to our hotel to drop off our luggage and went straight to the restaurant.
(on the Las Vegas Strip @ Caesars Palace)
Everything about this meal was top-notch, from the food to the service, to the view, to the tableware - it was an experience! Jeff is a chef and a big fan of the show, so eating at Hell's Kitchen was #1 on his birthday wish list.
Jeff ordered the prix fixe menu which is a great deal @ $65.95 for lunch (three courses). The beef wellington individually is $63.95. I ordered the lobster risotto. Jeff shared the pan-seared scallops & sticky toffee pudding with me and it was the perfect amount for 2 people.
Jeff treated himself to a drink, Notes from Gordon: Plymouth Dry Gin, green tea, lemongrass, peach, lemon, “message from Gordon” (over 35 different messages)
His message said: 'you've put so much ginger in this, it's weasley!'
Check out the Santos Bros Eat podcast about Hell's Kitchen. Jeff and his brother Kenny talk about 'Food Worth Mentioning.'
If you want an EPIC Buffet, check out Bacchanal in Caesars Palace. It's the largest buffet in Vegas with over 25,000 square feet to indulge in flavours from around the globe. It's pricey, but worth the experience. Brunch fr. $54.99 * Dinner fr. $74.99 *Reservations recommended
Consider signing up for Caesars Rewards. It's free and you can earn points even if not staying at Caesars Palace. Members earn big when dining at any of over 25,000 restaurants including Hell's Kitchen & Bacchanal.
Buffets used to be the way to go in Vegas. But, prices have increased over the last couple of years; Vegas Buffet Comparison Chart by Vegas Food & Fun.
There are still great deals in Freemont St. /Downtown Las Vegas. But, you need a car or can take The Deuce (bus) or ride-share to get there. More about Freemont St. in our next post.
Heart Attack Grill Fremont St. This was another awesome experience! From wearing a hospital gown (mandatory) to the food, theme, and the spanking you get, if you don't finish your meal. Yes, you read that right!
Jeff got the Coronary Dog and I got the Single Bypass with bacon. Again, it was more than enough for the 2 of us. We find US food portions quite large and often share a main. We wanted a milkshake but the machine was down, so we had a mango Dole Whip drink instead. Everything was really good, even the chilli sauce, which wasn't spicy. There's a wine IV, but it was a little too early for us. You even get a complimentary postcard with your picture. Additional pics for a fee.
❗IMPORTANT: they only take cash
If you are looking for a quick, reasonably priced meal near the south end of The Strip (Park MGM) try the Crack Shack. You order as you enter the restaurant, so there's no table service, but this is good -> keeps the cost down. Jeff had The Hangover and I had the BAE. The yummy food, restaurant theme and view of The Strip from the patio were worth it!
Maxie's is on the LINQ Promenade and we had to try their World Famous Benedict Box. It didn't disappoint. Jeff had the BBQ Pork Benedict Box and I had the Hawaiian Omelet. There was a 1-hr wait for a table in the restaurant so, we ordered take out and they let us sit on the patio to eat - great view!
The LINQ Promenade... you can find the Higher Roller (Tallest Observation Wheel in North America) and Ice Bar here. There are lots of shops, attractions and restaurants. For a treat, we shared a Mint Sundae from Ghiradelli - heaven!
Hash House a Go Go - has 5 locations in Vegas. We ate at the one in the LINQ. Another amazing breakfast - great theme, food & service!
Jeff had Andy's Sage Fried Chicken & Eggs w/homemade strawberry jam. And, I had the Griddled French Toast dipped in banana cinnamon cream with candied pecans, grilled banana, and syrup - eggs & bacon on the side. Yummy! 😀
❗TIP -> Make sure to tip your servers well in the US. They are usually paid less than minimum wage and your tip makes a big difference!
This restaurant is inside The Sahara at the North end of The Strip (the last stop on the monorail). You order from a menu at the table; scan the QR code and they bring it to you. We shared 3 street tacos & Al Pastor Fries. The tacos were amazing, the fries, not as much. The decor made up for it.
Chinitas in Henderson is a 20 min drive from Vegas. We stopped here for dinner on our way back from the Grand Canyon. They do tapas and sushi and did not disappoint! We sat on the patio, listened to live music and shared the beef bulgogi tacos & Wagyu Sliders. Jeff had the Shishito Daiquiri - I was driving.
Places we want to try next time:
Mon Ami Gabi - patio has a view of the Bellagio Fountains - read Vegas Pt 1
Tacos El Gordo
The X Pot
The Tipsy Robot
SW Steakhouse
We stayed at the Ahern Hotel and Event Centre. I choose it because it was small compared to Vegas hotel standards (approx. 200 rooms), the rate was decent ($145 CAD/night incl. taxes) and there were no resort fees. It was a 13 min walk to the Sahara monorail station; the last stop at the North end of the monorail line. But, when it's 30 degrees+, it felt like a lot further! We discovered that we could walk through The Sahara hotel/casino and it kept us out of the sun for most of the walk. And, it felt safer at night. It was a bit 'rough' north of Sahara Ave. We were observant during our walks and had no issues. But, next time we will book a hotel that's closer to the monorail/strip and pay a little more.
Resort fees are a BIG thing in Vegas. Be careful when checking hotel rates. The resort fee is on top of the nightly rate and most resort fees are between $30-$45 USD per night. Here's a list.
Fun facts:
there are approximately 161,953 hotel rooms in Vegas. It would take 288 years to stay in every hotel room in Las Vegas.
Las Vegas has more hotel rooms than all of Europe put together!
the largest hotel in Las Vegas is the MGM Grand with 6,852 rooms
Hotel Pics
Our room was on the 7th floor and faced The Strat/mountains. Unfortunately, the parking garage blocked most of our view, but it was beautiful to watch the sunrise from our bed. The hotel has free parking.
There wasn't a coffee maker in our room which was a big miss on my part. My 1st coffee of the day is essential! There was a small cafe (Aroma) onsite in the event centre (connected by a walkway). But, it was quite expensive; $8 USD for 2 coffee.
Unfortunately, the pool was under maintenance. It was HOT so, we hung out at a couple of other hotel pools, including swimming with the sharks @ The Golden Nugget. More about that soon...
We hope this inspires you to go out and explore!
Until next time, Diana & Jeffy #adventureswithDianaandJeff
** All images posted are copyrighted by Diana Johnson-Santos **