Question of the Day — 27 Dec 2021

Eating Las Vegas 2020, the last and final edition of John Curtas' restaurant guide, covered hundreds of restaurants. It's not possible in the QoD time allotment to check every one of them, but we did research the Essential 52, which was produced, exactly two years ago. 

The National Restaurant Association estimates that 30% of U.S. restaurants ultimately fail. Other estimates are much more dire; the one that's widely quoted is from a 2005 study by Ohio State University saying that 60% of restaurants don't make it past the first year and 80% go under in five years. Those numbers are in line with the generally accepted failure rate of all small businesses: 90% in the first seven years. Restaurants are even more vulnerable to market conditions. And it's no secret that the pandemic has accelerated the failure rate, especially of eateries.

All that said, in the past two years, only 11 of the Essential 52 in ELV closed (one moved and reopened). That's a 21% failure rate, which isn't bad compared to the averages. Of course, John's personally selected 52 are among the best, and therefore most popular and long-lived, Las Vegas restaurants, so one might expect fewer to close. Also, two of the 11 are at the Palms; they might very well reopen in the next few months with the hotel-casino. 

Here they are. 

bBds at Palace Station lasted barely a year. 

Boteco, a locals restaurant in Henderson

EATT Gourmet Bistro, way out on West Sahara

Estiatorio Milos closed at the Cosmopolitan, then reopened at the Venetian.

Hatsumi at Ferguson's Downtown

Mabel's Barbecue at the Palms (remains to be seen if it will reopen when the hotel-casino does)

Mordeo Boutique Wine Bar in Chinatown

Rooster Boy Cafe out in Desert Shores

Sage at Aria

Tatsujin X on West Flamingo near Arville

Twist by Pierre Gagnaire at the Waldorf Astoria (considered temporarily closed, but word has it that it won't return in the same form)

Vetri Cucina at the Palms (like Mabel's, we'll see if it reopens with the resort).