☰
In the top four of today's gourmet Las Vegas buffets, the Bellagio spread was a sensation when it first appeared in 1996 (as part of the massive $1.6 billion hotel-casino). It had Steve Wynn written all over it, from the size and fanciness of the room, the quality, and quantity of the selections, and the central bar to the impressive prices and the bread pudding (from his mother Zelma's recipe, made famous decades earlier at the Golden Nugget).
The prices have gone up in the past 20 years, of course, but it's as popular as ever, as evidenced by nearly 4,000 reviews on Yelp, though it rates a collective three and a half stars, a half-star less than the Studio B Buffet at M Resort.
Kobe beef, ribeye, lamb, poke, king crab, salmon, tuna, etc..), Japanese (sushi/sashimi), calamari salad, beef tartar, prime rib, clams and mussels, this list goes on and on.
We see complaints about the self-serve beverages, especially at breakfast (where, for example, a mushroom, spinach, cheese, and crab omelet sits while the diner goes for a second cup of coffee), which is curious for a high-priced buffet.
This is the only buffet in Las Vegas that has a chef's table that seats up to 18. You bypass the line and are greeted by a chef or two, who review a specialty menu that uses the freshest seasonal products and can be adjusted by on guests' preferences and restrictions. You can also help yourself from the main buffet, of course.
And be aware of the bar play. Walk past the epic lines waiting to get in and see if there are any seats at the bar. If so, claim them! You pay the bartender at the end of the meal and your drinks are right there.
| Event | Hours | Price | Club |
| Weekday Brunch | Mon-Fri 8am - 3pm | $54.99 | n/a |
| * Line Fast Pass offered on Bellagio Buffet website. WARNING: It's $20-30 more expensive. | |||
| Weekend Brunch | Sat-Sun 8am - 1pm | $54.99 | n/a |
| * Line Fast Pass offered on Bellagio Buffet website. WARNING: It's $20-30 more expensive. | |||
| Seafood Dinner Buffet | Sat-Sun 1pm - 8pm | $74.99 | n/a |
| * Line Fast Pass offered on Bellagio Buffet website. WARNING: It's $20-30 more expensive. | |||
*Children 6 to 11 dine for half-price
*Children 5 & under dine for free
This buffet was re-reviewed in the February 2009 LVA; some of the information contained in the review may no longer be accurate.
Granted, this was a special “holiday buffet” ($40), but it gives you an idea of what this spread is capable of: king crab legs, barbecued duck, beef Wellington foie gras, Kobe prime rib, rack of lamb, quail, veal Marsala, African bluenose, grilled swordfish, sea bass, opa, calamari, lobster Thermidor, goulash, paella, eight kinds of pizza, and five pasta dishes. As usual, the unique counter play here saved us more than an hour wait time. Walk in and check the 12-seat bar for seats (the bartender was actually wading into the crowd outside, grabbing people to fill them)
This buffet was reviewed in the April 2006 LVA; some of the information contained in this review may no longer be accurate.
We received a report this month that the Bellagio buffet now serves “big king crab legs with drawn butter” every day for dinner. Assuming this meant hot crab, we checked it out. Nope! As at almost all buffets (except some specialty nights), the legs are cold. No matter: The legs are bigger than most, and this is one of the best buffets in Las Vegas, always a pleasure to sample. The best elements here remain the meats, salads, and vegetables, including asparagus, glazed carrots, and sauteed mushrooms, along with wild-rice pilaf, polenta, and potato strudel. Another stand-out is the chili, chock full of big chunks of beef. Lines are always a problem at this buffet, but showing up early on a weekday will beat them. From the 4 pm opening till about 5:30 when we left, the wait was about 15 minutes. And the little-known but super-powerful Bellagio buffet counter play is as good as ever. Simply walk past the lines and take a seat at the bar, where you can eat and pay (10 of 12 seats were vacant). The price for dinner Sun.-Thurs. is $26.95.
