going to vegas baby

[daryn]

yup.. so a lot of people have been posting "going to vegas" posts lately and asking questions.. well it's my turn.

so i'm going to vegas. i will be there on the 11th, 12th, 13th, and 14th. a bunch of you guys are filled with great info on sin city.. anyone have any suggestions for a first time vegas goer? i'm really not that interested in poker to tell you the truth. i mean i can always play online or at foxwoods.. so what should a guy like me do? i will end up playing at the mirage or bellagio at some point or another, but i'm really talking about non-poker things to do. i rented a car so getting around isn't a problem

any restaurant suggestions? entertainment, etc? any responses would be appreciated. thanks in advance

[BottlesOf]

If you want a reeeeeeally expensive meal, Picasso (in the Bellagio) is the best.

[daryn]

what kind of food and how much per person?

[BottlesOf]

It's "contemporaty french," which doesn't mean snails and frog legs. It's prix fixe and about $80 a pop. It's also got millions of dollars of original picasso art on the walls, and a view of the fountain show. However, if this isn't your thing, just about every restauarant in the Bellagio is unbelievable.

You've also got Prime--incredible steakhouse, Aqua--best seafood, Le Cirque--basiacally the same as the restaurant in NYC. All of these are pricey though at least $60 a person, although these others are probably a tad cheaper than Picasso.

[scotnt73]

if you havent seen blue man group yet it is awesome if its still there. ride the bigshot on top of the stratosphere if you like thrill rides.

i tried to get my wife to do the star trek wedding there and she didnt think i was very funny. especially when i suggested i could even be a klingon. she said i already was.

[mike l.]

"However, if this isn't your thing, just about every restauarant in the Bellagio is unbelievable."

including the bellagio cafe which is UNBELIEVABLY awful!

will definitely check out picasso sometime though.. what's better? that or le cirque? somehow $80 doesnt seem that expensive for a great dinner seeing as it's normal to pay $20-$30 for a mediocre one.

[sleepyjoeyt]

1. Stay some place on the strip. If you don't want to spend the $ on some place nice, stay at someplace not so nice but IN A GOOD LOCATION. In my opinion, having easy access to the good casinos is the most important thing. On my first trip we stayed at Mirage, and it was perfect. Imperial Palace is right across the street. I've heard its not the nicest place around but if all you're gonna do there is sleep (a little) and shower than who cares?

2. Try the ice cream at Bellagio. I forget the name of the shop (licks? Scoops?) but it was the best ice cream i've ever had.

3. Pirate show at Treasure Island goes off every hour and a half (or something like that) is free, and is pretty cool if you've had 10 or 12 drinks.

4. Play poker at the Bellagio - nicest room I've ever played in, although I hear it can be busiest as hell at times nowadays.

5. Visit the Hard Rock or the Palms for the great night life (we never did this - I went with a bunch of guys who were just in it to drink and gamble) but supposedly this is where the beautiful people hang out - I'm an ugly F*ck.

Good luck.

[Six_of_One]

I think $80 is a bit low for Picasso...I haven't eaten there, but if I remember right they have one menu for $85 and another for $95, $50 or so more if you want a wine pairing with the courses. With tax and tip, you're looking at more like $200 each.

[BottlesOf]

This is absolutely correct. I was reffering to Zagat online when I posted that figure, but I don't think they factor in wine or tax or tip.

[BottlesOf]

I've never been to the le cirque in the bellagio, just le cirque 2000 in NYC--which is a great meal that I assume is equivalent to the one in the Bellagio.

However, Picasso is such a unique dining experience, I HIGHLY reccomend it as anyone's "nice next Vegas meal."

[FatLoser]

Bellagio café unbelievably awful...say what?

I think its the greatest place, just going there to have a snack, cocktail or whatever it was definitely my favorite place and best of all, it worked out great both to nurse a hangover and when one needed a break from the pokertables.

Not that it's the place for a fancy dinner but it was never intended that way right?

[daryn]

thanks for the info sleepyjoe, i am actually staying at the imperial palace.. the price and location were perfecto. i will definitely be hitting the palms most likely as well.

[daryn]

thanks for the info bottles, i will probably end up at Aqua as i dig the seafood.

[Ulysses]

[ QUOTE ]
thanks for the info bottles, i will probably end up at Aqua as i dig the seafood.

[/ QUOTE ]

Aqua is incredible. I haven't been to the one in Vegas, but it's an SF restaurant and everyone I know who has been says the Vegas branch compares very favorably. Aqua is one of my real favorites here in SF.

I highly recommend getting the tasting menu. It'll be about $100 without wine. In SF they do both a Chef's menu and a seasonal menu, both of which are great.

If you end up going ala carte, some of the real standout items are the ahi tartare, the foie gras trio, and scallops (apps) and for entrees I especially like the sole and bass. But you can't go wrong with any entree, so if something is a favorite of yours, just get it.

But you really should kick some ass at the tables so you feel good about splurging for the tasting menu and wine pairing.

[Philuva]

I use to live in NYC and ate at probably 10 to 15 of the best restaurants in the world. Picasso was as good as if not better than most of those meals. After you factor in wine, tax and tip, you are probably looking at $125 to $150/person but I thought it was well worth it.

[sleepyjoeyt]

if that picture that comes up with your posts is really you, they'll never let you in the Palms. You're even uglier than I am.

[Boris]

Go West on Charleston for about 20 miles and you will come the Red Rocks area. It's a really cool 13 mile loop and you can get out an hike around a bit in the sandstone formations and canyons. The weather in the desert this time of year is usually pretty nice. It is a nice nature break from LV proper.

[J.A.Sucker]

The blueberry pancakes at the Palms coffee shop are quite tasty. Best eaten piping hot off the inner thigh of a buxom blonde by the pool.

BTW: Call me old-school, but I still like eating at Drai's in the basement of the Barbary Coast. Quite good, and an extensive wine list.

EDIT: Another good food tip, one that frankly surprised the hell out of me. If you like Chinese, go to the Noodle Bar at the Mirage (it's attached to the coffee shop). I know it sounds ghetto, but it's authentic Hong Kong Chinese. I went with a friend who grew up in HK and she agreed - the poached chicken (I don't relly know what it's called, but that's the style) was excellent, as is the Dim Sum. Realize that I live in the Bay Area, home to excellent Chinese food, and this is as good as anywhere out here. Get the rice cakes with crab, for sure. They are excellent. There is spendier Chinese in Vegas, but none better, IMO.

[Ulysses]

[ QUOTE ]
BTW: Call me old-school, but I still like eating at Drai's in the basement of the Barbary Coast. Quite good, and an extensive wine list.

[/ QUOTE ]

I haven't been there in about a year, but Drai's as of a year ago had by far the best late-late night scene. After midnight or so, it turns into an after-hours lounge/club. Nobody goes 'til 2 and it doesn't get really good 'til 4. But there was no better place to hang out from 4a to 8a. The crowd was always better than the crowd the Ghostbar (probably the most hyped place in town right now) currently gets. You should ask around and see if Drai's is still hot. If so, find a couple of hot chicks to bring with you so you can bypass the line at Drai's. If you want to check out the Ghostbar, figure out a way to get on the list (gambling a lot at the Palms and getting a host there is the best way). It's absolutely not worth waiting in line for, but if you can get upstairs quickly and check it out, it's definitely pretty cool.

[NoChance]

I'll expect a trip report when you get back. I'll be headed to Vegas Feb 5th - 8th. It will be my 5th time but first time since taking up Hold Em. First trip was for spring break on my 21st birthday and I didn't have much money to gamble with. I was just excited to go. Second trip was with the parents and family so I didn't get to do much but see the sights as my mom wanted to walk through every casino on the strip. Third trip was with my brother and his wife. She has a sister out there so we spent alot of time doing what she wanted. Fourth trip I went alone but was most interested in Blackjack and Craps at the time. This time I am going alone and strictly for Hold Em.

I'll be staying at the Stardust for the first time. It has always been my favorite because of the sportsbook. I was big into betting on sports in my college days.

[stantheman]

Nothing beats Drais after hours. I'd skip Rain, Ghostbar and Ra, take a long nap (or jump in the Mirage 10/20 for a couple hours) and head to Drais around 2am. Nice place, great mucic, SICK crowd.

[daryn]

i don't get to fancy restaurants much... OK never. what does tasting menu etc. mean? /images/graemlins/grin.gif

[daryn]

you mean to tell me you don't recognize your own mother's picture?

[James282]

Hey Daryn, if you don't do fancy dining, do what I did and go to Quizno'son the strip. Mmm! 10 bucks and a toasted sub with a drink. I also ate at the pink taco in the Hard Rock Hotel which was pretty tasty IMO. I am not much of a restaurant connoiseur, though. The Rumjungle at Mandalay Bay was fairly nutty when I went in there. And you really should play cards, the games I played were pretty incredible.
-James

[Ulysses]

[ QUOTE ]
i don't get to fancy restaurants much... OK never. what does tasting menu etc. mean? /images/graemlins/grin.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Even more the reason to go for the tasting menu. It's a nice splurge. Instead of ordering an appetizer and entree or whatever, they'll bring you out lots of courses so you get to taste lots of different stuff that the chef thinks you'll like. And another benefit is you don't have to make any decisions. Just sit back and enjoy. It's a little more expensive than ordering normally, but hell, you're in Vegas and you've won a ton of money at poker anyway.

Wine pairing is a similar idea. Instead of ordering wine by the glass or bottle, they'll bring out wine w/ each course that they think goes well with the food. If you're not much of a wine drinker, the wine pairing might not be the best deal for you, since you often end up getting more wine than you might order otherwise.

But if you're into great food, tasting menus at fancy restaurants are a great treat.

[CrackerZack]

I'm jealous.

May the flop be with you.