I know some of you are thinking, what’s the big deal about a fast-food meal in Las Vegas? That isn’t the reason you come to this town. But this one is significant for several reasons.
First of all, McDonald’s pulled out of the D and the Plaza over the summer. There are no McDonald’s in the downtown area. Sometimes you just want a quick bite.
Secondly, Steak ‘n Shake is more short-order cooking than fast food. I’d rate it quite a bit better than the Burger King, McDonald’s, Checkers, etc. options.
Third, $5.99 barely gets you a cup of coffee in many places. So getting a full meal for $6 is quite a find.
Finally, the Fremont Food Hall is an attractive place to visit and eat, with other good choices for good quick meals.
As a bonus, if you’re downtown and don’t want to walk to the Downtown Grand via 3rd Street , you can cut through the Fremont casino, exit the north doors, and be very close to the Grand.
Don’t you just hate it when reality refuses to conform to Big Gaming’s preferred narrative? MGM Resorts International CEO Bill Hornbuckle sure does. That would explain the hissy fit he threw last weekend. Faced with a Las Vegas that was 9% down in visitation in December and off 6% in gambling grosses, Hornbuckle stuck with the ‘Happy days are here again’ mantra.
A few weeks ago, I wrote that in the hours shortly after New Year’s Eve midnight I was cruising downtown Las Vegas looking for slot attendants resetting machines. Due to the W-2G threshold changing from $1,200 to $2,000 effective January 1, most machines needed to be reset to make them lock up at $2,000 rather than $1,200. My search on January 1 was unsuccessful, as I reported.
One of my readers, Mike, suggested I was off base. The jackpot meters have nothing to do with resets. Well, yes and no. The meters are unrelated to each other, to be sure, but some games need to be reset whenever such a change is made — and a few are positive when this happens.
Most games, of course, don’t reset at positive levels. With Buffalo Link, for example, the meters reset to a value of 100. At this level, the game returns about 80% and only players oblivious to the meters will play. (There are a lot of such players.) But there are definitely at least two games that reset positively.
On January 17, I found one! Or rather, I found a circular bank of four slot machines which had all been reset. Not immediately before I got there, but not too long before. Maybe a day or two? I can’t be sure.
How do I figure? There were four identical machines with perhaps 40 different combinations of denominations and number of coins required. You could play it for as little as 50¢ per spin — to as much as $50.
The $50-per-spin games are pretty formidable. Although the player definitely becomes the favorite at the level these meters were at, these are gambling games with considerable variance. Losing more than $10,000 playing a positive game of this size isn’t that uncommon. The vast majority of players who frequent this casino are not in position to play games requiring such bankrolls. The smaller games on these machines, where anywhere between 50¢ and $20 was required to play each hand, had all been played and the meters were no longer attractive. Perhaps by one person who made a day of it. Or perhaps by several people.
But among the four machines, there were five playable games — three for $30, one for $40, and one for $50. I had some money on me, but quite a bit less than $10,000. There was no guarantee I had enough to play one game — let alone all five. Bonnie, however, was with me because we had gone out to dinner together previously using casino comps. As is often the case in such situations, we checked some machines before we went home. If I ran out of money, Bonnie could sit at the machine while I went where I needed to go to get some. We would make sure the machine displayed an unattractive meter amount while Bonnie quietly sat in front of it so anybody walking by would have no reason to challenge her for the chair. I told her about this possibility before we started, and she was fine with it. She was actually pretty excited about us making some “big money.” Regardless of whether the results would be plus or minus, we don’t split gambling results, and this would all be my money we were dealing with. But she’s my biggest fan. Plus, she gets to experience hitting big jackpots with no financial risk to her at all.
When I started playing, I didn’t know there were other positive games on the other three machines because they were occupied. I loaded the first machine with $2,000 before we started. Playing for $30 per pull, it took longer to insert the 20 Benjamins into this machine than it did afterwards to hit a jackpot of $3,700. It took 20 minutes to be paid. I would have shifted over to one of the other machines while I waited, except all three were being played by friends of each other — for either 50¢ or $1. When I hit the jackpot, the players on the other three machines scurried over to take look. They were excited because playing for low stakes, they rarely hit jackpots. One finally saw that I was playing $30 a hand — and even asked me if I knew I was playing for that much! I told her I knew.
Just as we were finished with our first game, (it was the only good one on that machine), one of the other machines opened up. I had Bonnie hold the current machine, without playing, while I checked all the games on the recently vacated machine. Had there been good games on it, I would have had Bonnie hold that chair while I finished off on the machine we were playing. When the third machine opened up, and I found two suitable games, Bonnie sat there until I was available — which came about rather quickly because I hit a jackpot for $2,100 and it was going to take awhile to be paid.
Over the next three hours, we took down all five games — and received a large number of W-2Gs along the way. We ended up ahead a few thousand dollars — but nothing major. It was a decent result — but nowhere near what it could have been. I figure that where we started on those five games, our average expected win for the five was more than $15,000. We got nowhere near that, but I’m still glad we checked those machines that day. Plus, we put thousands of points on both Bonnie’s card and mine and will likely result in bigger mailers in the not-so-distant future.
How am I so sure that these machines were reset only a day or so before I got there? Well, I’m not 100% sure. But close to that.
Consider this: In the previous three months, I have checked those same four machines several dozen times — and have found plays for $20 or higher twice. This time I found five such plays all at once. I figure these games were just too big for casual players and so they remained on the machines. At this casino, the larger denominations don’t get much play.
I’m recovering slowly, but must be getting better, cuz I’m writing this blog.
Our good friends at Rainbow/ Emerald Isle have a sweet promotion for February: two premium tickets to the Eagles at Sphere, eight winners, four each at Emerald and Rainbow. Drawings last two days of the month. Each ticket earned with 200 base points or $200 coin-in. Same for video poker. Not too shabby.
These casinos are a stacking gold mine, with so many opportunities I can’t even list them all. Gifts, food giveaways, wheel spins, etc. Frankly it’s HARD to play there when several promotions aren’t happening at once. Stack! Pick up the lists at either promo booth.
Check your new MRB free wheel spin at Emerald. Just 100 points. $1 per point. That’s just $100 in.
Also, BOGO or 50%-off MRBs at both Emerald’s Grille and Rainbow’s Triple B Diner. And if, like me, you’re chasing the fantastic middle-of-the-night super multipliers (50X! 75X!), Emerald’s Grille is open 24/7.
Multipliers aren’t available on their highest multiline VP games, like 10/6 DDB, but plenty of games (9/6 JoB at the Rainbow bar or 8/5 Bonus Poker) when combined with multipliers are positive expectation.
Multipliers start at 25x and go up to 100x. Points are normally .067, so you’re adding 1.7% up to an incredible 5+% for 75 X. I’m not even including the two 100x periods as they only last 30 minutes. 25X-earning periods last up to 2 hours and there are LOTS of these.
You can play both casinos back to back for 50X an hour each, then 75X if you’re willing, like me, to play all night (2-5 a.m.). Then “eat your points” at Emerald Grille.
Summarizing: You’re earning wheel spins, gifts, and freebies, while earning tickets for the Eagles on base points, then multplier points can be used for dining combined with your MRB coupons. Sweet!
Anthony raves about Emerald Grille’s super breakfast special, while I really love Triple B meals and handmade milkshakes.
Here’s the kind of deals they have. Friday night at Emerald Grill: lobster AND filet mignon with a shrimp cocktail and salad. $25. That’s high end for them. Most entrées are low to mid-teens, breakfast specials less. With your MRB? Half-price. On points, free.
Oh, and the monthly mailer gives you a free meal every week at either diner.
Next!
Down on Fremont, Downtown Grand is slowly re opening Freedom Beat. Yay!
There’s a breakfast special you can get with one of their room deals and a double-burger deal on Thursday (now open 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday to Sunday). Or hop over to Magnolia at Four Queens with your MRB.
At the Plaza there’s been a rare downgrade to the Max Bingo prize, which is now $30,000 (was $50K). The bingo-and-room deal is still fantastic.
We reviewed Beso in October. At the time they’d just begun breakfast service on weekends and we mentioned it, but didn’t elaborate. We’ve since gone back and tried a few things. Served Saturdays and Sundays only, this is a laid-back brunch experience that costs about $20 per person. Our favorites are the sausage & eggs ($15) and the salmon Benedict ($17).
You can probably tell which is which. The sausage plate comes with a homemade ketchup. Both come with a batch of their breakfast potatoes. You’ll probably have leftovers to take out. Coffee drinkers, try the Americana. It’s just $4.
Beso is located at 4435 S. Buffalo on the west side of town. Read our first review here.
Shrimp Cocktail and Hot Dog Specials (Tuscany)
Tuscany has been promoting with a back-to-value stance, including a $3.99 shrimp cocktail and a $1.50 hot dog. That’s a good combo that can be done in tandem for under $6 and we gave it at try. Saturday around noon during college football seemed like a good time. First to the Toscana bar for the shrimp. Unfortunately, they were out. OK.
“So where’s the hot dog cart?
“It’s usually near the bar, but it didn’t show up today.”
Hmm. That review was scheduled for the January issue and obviously had to wait. We went back in January with better luck, both were available.
The Shrimp Cocktail
There are seven smallish shrimp served with cocktail sauce and a lemon. Not bad, but also not good. The cocktail sauce is bland. Whereas most specials like this take the tax out of the price, here you get a bill for 4.32. Not horrible, but also not cool.
The Hot Dog
The dogs are Hoffy brand and there are only packet condiments—mustard, ketchup, mayonnaise, and relish. The dogs are … filling. They’re advertised for $1.50 but they cost $1.60. Not horrible, but … you know. There’s also gelato for $3/$5, but we didn’t want to pay $3.25/$5.42.
It sounds like we hated it, but you can’t hate a $4.32 shrimp cocktail and $1.60 hot dog in the land of $20 shrimp and $12 dogs. We’re just going to the better options (Slots A Fun, South Point, Skyline, etc.).
Sumo Sushi AYCE
A third Las Vegas location of Sumo Sushi has opened in the strip mall at the corner of Decatur and Twain in the space that was formerly Jjanga. We’d heard good reviews about the other Sumos in random all-you-can-eat-sushi discussions, but had never tried it. There’s really not a lot that distinguishes one AYCE joint from another, and it often comes down to the vibe or just personal preference, but what does distinguish this one is the price: $19.95 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and 9 p.m. to midnight. It’s that later time slot that stands out.
The arrangement is the same as most AYCE’s, there’s tiered pricing with some premium choices restricted on the lowest tier. Unless you’re there for things like yellowtail collar and soft shell crab, you don’t need the upsell; almost all the nigiri sushi, rolls, grilled items, appetizers, soups, salads, and desserts come with the first-level price. Quality is AYCE good. The fish is cut in longer strips and comes with less rice, which we view as a good departure from the norm. The selection of crazy cut and hand rolls is large. We tried several and added a teriyaki beef bowl.
Another departure is there’s no seating at the bar, or at least there wasn’t when we were there. They claim to be waiting on a liquor license. As for that $19.95 price, we’re not sure how long it will last and we read an online comment saying it wasn’t honored on a weekend, so you should call ahead to confirm. It looks like the normal price is $28.95 for dinner, and our experience was good enough to pay that.
Kitchen Breakfast Buffet (Virgin)
Virgin Hotel has a buffet. It’s breakfast only, served daily from 6 a.m. to noon for $23.95 in Kitchen, the space that was Mr. Lucky’s when it was the Hard Rock. They opened the buffet quietly. So quietly, in fact, that we didn’t know it was there until a friend staying at Virgin tipped us off. Of course we checked it out immediately.
It’s a somewhat pedestrian spread, including scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, biscuits & gravy, potatoes, oatmeal, waffles, croissants, fruit, and a toaster for toast. No eggs Bendict, lox, or quiches. It’s probably not enough to justify the price for most, except for the saving grace, omelets-to-order with a heap of fixins to choose from. You can dig your money’s worth out with that.
It’s good enough, but the gouge is aggravating. The price was $21.95 when we went in early December, and by the time we posted this review it had already been raised to $23.95. Additionally, there’s a $3.95 “service charge” making the real price $27.90. Service charge for what? You’re seated when you walk in and someone picks up empty plates. That’s it. You get your own food and all the drinks are self-serve. Don’t hate the buffet, hate the playa. Come on Virgin.
Lawry’s
Lawry’s doesn’t change much. We reviewed it in 2015 and that 10-year-old review still paints a perfect picture, because … Lawry’s doesn’t change much. What does change, though, is the prices.
In 2015 the range went from $39 for the California cut to $61 for the beef-bowl double cut. That range is now $55 to $105 (and there’s now a Tokyo cut for $51). We had the $69 Lawry’s cut and the $105 beef-bowl double-cut. The beef-bowl is certainly bigger, but in our opinion not worth the extra cost, especially since these meals aren’t a la carte; they come with salad, mashed potatoes & gravy, and Yorkshire pudding.
Lawry’s CutBeef-bowl-cut
It’s the same fun presentation, with the spinning salad bowl and the carving from the prime rib cart both conducted tableside. The cart ritual is impressive. It transports multiple whole roasts to your table, where the carver slices off your cut to both size and cooking specifications. It’s one of the best parts of the meal. Sides are surprisingly low priced, most in the $10 range, which was the price of a good sauteed spinach.
Our bill for two, was $248, but you can almost cut that in half by sticking with the less-expensive cuts, given that they come with the extras. Lawry’s is located on E. Flamingo Rd., across the street from Tuscany.
Skyline (Shrimp, Prime Rib, Ham & Eggs)
We don’t get out to Skyline very often, so we tried a few things while we were there. The main reason for the visit, though, was to sample the shrimp cocktail. The Skyline shrimp cocktail first hit the Top Ten in March 2012. It was $1.49. Over the years the price has fluctuated—$1.99, $2.25, $2.95, $2.25, $1.50, $2.50, then $3.45 in 2023, and that’s when we said adios. Now the price is back to $2.50, so we gave it a try.
This is still a good one. It’s served at the bar or in the restaurant with cocktail sauce, lemon, and crackers. The shrimp are medium size with the tail on. We ordered two, and both had seven shrimp. It’s definitely a good deal, but is it worth the drive out to Boulder Highway? Probably not. Hence, while Skyline’s is recommended, we’re staying with Slots A Fun as the best deal on shrimp cocktail for 50¢ less and its convenient location on the Strip.
While there, we also tried the prime rib special and the ham & eggs. We’ve eaten many times at Skyline and it’s reliable, but both of these meals were better than we expected. The prime rib is $15.95, which borders on the best price for a bargain prime rib these days. It comes with choice of potato, including baked, and a roll. No salad. No vegetable. No problem. The prime rib portion is big enough to fill you up, along with the potato and the shrimp cocktail appetizer. It was cooked rare as requested. It’s not Lawry’s, but you can get four of them for the price of the Lawry’s cut with $5 to spare. The ham & eggs for $5.95 was also a winner, with two eggs, two slices of ham, hash browns, and biscuits & gravy. The total tally for prime rib, ham & eggs, and two shrimp cocktails was $28.73 after tax. Excellent service from personable waitresses to boot.
The prime rib is served daily 11 am to 10 pm, the ham & eggs all day. As a bonus, Skyline has good video poker schedules detailed here.
Stage Door is Back
One of Las Vegas’ best deals returns with the reopening of the Stage Door on Flamingo after the slot house had been closed for five months. Bucking the $10+ beer prices at the Strip casinos, Stage Door was a regular Top Ten selection for its $1 Budweiser in the bottle available 24/7. The question was, would they bring it back? And what about that $2 hot dog? Of course, we had to check it out.
The place looks just like it always did—two bars, TVs on the walls, adjacent convenience store, maybe a slightly cleaner look. That’s because the work done was on the innards: roof, plumbing, electrical. You still have to show ID at the door to get in. Fine. What about the beers and the dogs? Yep, it’s still $1 for Bud and Bud Light and the hot dogs are $2.17 after tax. The dog isn’t fancy, served wrapped in a napkin, but it’s big and it’s good. The condiments? Check out that collection behind the dog. You’re lookin’ at yellow mustard, Gulden’s mustard, ketchup, mayonnaise, relish, and the first chopped-onions packet we’ve ever seen.
So all is good? Yes, but only for a while, as it looks like the days of the $1 beers are numbered. We were told that they’d last only until the outside signage was changed and that the new deal woutd be $2 Heineken and Dos Equis. Not the worst trade ever. Note: Stage Door is also famous for its many deals on shots. With the pending changes, we figured we’d wait to see what shakes out there before listing them.
Roberto’s (Skip the Drive-Thru)
We’ve written about Roberto’s before (check the index), so we won’t go into how good the Wednesday taco deal is. Here we’ll simply explain why you don’t want to use the drive-thru at locations when it’s available. In this case were specifically referencing the Roberto’s at Arville and Spring Mountain.
For one, parking is ample and close to the door and service is fast inside, while sometimes cars line up for the window. But the most important reason is:
If you drive thru, you can’t access the condiments station. After ordering, help yourself to two good salsas and limes for your tacos or burritos, and also cucumbers, radishes, and marinated carrots to munch on while you wait. Baggies are provided to take out, and most do.
Oscar’s Steakhouse (Bar)
What can you do when you miss the free-parking deadline at the Plaza? A bite in the bar at Oscar’s will get you out.
True story. While expecting a quick in-and-out at Golden Gate across the street, we parked in the Plaza’s garage. You have to be careful with this play because the free-parking grace time is only 30 minutes. If you miss, it’s a flat $10 fee … unless the dreaded “event parking” is in place. We missed and you guessed it—event parking, $30 to get out. Now we had to validate. You can get validated a few ways at the Plaza, but putting $20 in a bar machine isn’t one of them. Eating at Oscar’s is. Good thing we were hungry.
You have to do the whole sit-down thing. You can eat at the bar and it’s kinda cool to boot, but it’s not cheap. We got a hamburger for $24 and a wedge salad for $16, split between two. Yes, a $24 burger is expensive, but this one is darned good.
So now the $30 parking fee had become $40, plus tax and tip. But that’s a better deal than pay-$30-and-go-get-lunch-somewhere-else, right? Oscar’s is pricey in general, but you can shave some off by going for happy hour daily from 5 to 7 p.m. for a plate of “No Nose’s meatballs” ($12) and $5 beers.
Back to the parking hack, in reality, you can just grab a beer at the bar and probably get validated at the hostess stand, but the best play is to get a drink at the Sand Dollar Downtown bar, where they also validate.
Herbs & Rye
Ask a local for a value-play for a steak dinner and Herbs & Rye will be on the list, if not at the top. We’ve eaten there for years, but it’s been a while, mostly because we discovered its sister restaurant, Cleaver. Both are excellent.
Steaks at H&R start at $41 for an 8-ounce flat iron. Or do they? You see, there’s a trick: Order the happy-hour items, which are discounted and include several steaks. For example, the 9-ounce filet listed at $64 is $35 on the HH deal, the 12-ounce New York strip for $56 is $29, and that $41 flat iron is just $24. When’s happy hour? The entire time the restaurant is open. So, yes, the price of the steak is really $24. Another good play is the double-cut pork chop, listed at $53, but actually $28. There’s a bit of a giveback on appetizers and sides, but you can navigate those. Two of us split a wedge salad ($17) and a garlic spinach side ($12) to get out for $90 before drinks.
garlic spinach sidedouble-cut pork chop
A glass of grenache was $13 and a King Crispy pilsner out of Oregon is just $6. This place also makes a wicked Moscow mule.
The vibe is laid back local. Eat at a table or at the bar. Herbs & Rye is located at 3713 W. Sahara, about three miles west of the Strip.
Tofu Hut (Korean)
We first tried Tofu Hut in 2008 and to this day it remains our favorite Korean restaurant in town. With a name like that, we might have never tried it, but we got the heads-up from a Korean friend who told us it was the best.
This is primarily an AYCE barbecue place, but the value is in the inexpensive entrées that come with the little appetizer bowls (banchan)—kimchi, radish, spinach, bean sprouts, mashed potatoes, pancake, cucumber; they change. If you finish one and want more, they’ll bring it. It’s a buffet of sorts. All Korean restaurants have this, but here it’s better than most.
The best play is the soup. There are several choices for $13.95.
It comes out boiling with a raw egg on the side to crack into it.
Talk about a late-night after-drinking play—or still drinking, they have Korean beers, soju, and makgeolli—no one will be hungry after this. Tofu Hut is located in Chinatown at 3920 Spring Mtn. Rd. and is open till midnight weekdays and 2 a.m. on weekends. Then they’re back at 8 a.m. for breakfast. Hangover soup, anyone?
Sapphire MNF Buffet
The big Monday Night Football parties are a thing of the past, with the exception of the Sapphire gentlemen’s club. Admission is $28 (after tax), but it comes with two drinks, raffles for swag throughout the games, and even $2 lap dances at halftime.
It’s a fun environment with the game playing on big screens and a big crowd in attendance. But the primary value is the buffet. On the day we were there the line-up was tri tip, two chicken dishes, pasta, two kinds of steamed vegetables, salad, and a charcuterie selection. There’s also the obligatory stadium food, including hot dogs and wings, and an assortment of desserts.
This buffet is better than many we’ve had at casinos in the past. It’s offered all game and you can refill as often as you like. Throw in the value of the drinks and this is a bargain play. BTW, if you don’t use the drink tickets you can give them to someone if you want. But by no means should you throw them away—there’s not expiration on the redemption period.
Chaz’ Gumbo (Brewskes)
Here’s another of our secret bar finds that we seek to make not-so-secret. Brewskes Bar & Grill is a local bar on the west side (3645 S. Durango Dr.) where you can get one of the best gumbos you’ll find in Las Vegas. It’s homemade daily by Chef Chaz from her secret recipe. It’s loaded with shrimp, sausage, chicken, and okra in a rich dark roux and served with rice.
This is a good one for $15 or get a cup for $7.50, and there are other Cajun dishes on the blackboard, plus a full menu of standard bar food.
Brewskes is another of our go-to bars with several of our favorite bartenders—Alicia, Amanda, Tabatha, and Lorina among them, and Chef Chaz is pretty cool, too. The kitchen is open daily from 9 a.m. to 1:45 a.m. For gambler’s, there’s a play $10-get-$10 sign-up bonus and a 200/20 deal Mondays through Thursdays.
Two Good Sips
You can pay $14 for a beer on the Strip or you can go the bargain routes that start with the $1 beer at Stage Door. That play is temporarily on hold with the Stage Door closed for repairs, but here are two excellent alternatives.
Way back when Station Casinos was promotion driven, they used to have 99¢ frozen margaritas available 24/7 at all their main bars. Someone went back into the playbook to bring this one back, albeit for a dollar more. But these days, that’s a heck of a bargain and good enough to snag the #10 spot in the TOP TEN. We didn’t think it would have much of a kick, but it does. It’s made with Sauza tequila and you can add another shot for $2. Even if they were lighter on the booze, these are about as refreshing as it gets with the thermometer still pushing 100. That’s two Station Casinos deals in the TOP TEN this month. We didn’t think it could happen with those guys, but give credit where credit is due.
The bloody Mary at Hennessey’s has always been one of our favorites. The thing comes with what looks like half a salad and, amazingly, is just $7.50. We get one (or two) whenever we’re downtown and have a minute. They’ll comp it if you’re gambling at the bar.
Sauerkraut Fish Soup (Fish With You)
We can guarantee that this won’t be for everyone. Fish With You is one of many restaurants in Chinatown’s Shanghai Plaza. It’s an international chain with more than 2,500 outlets worldwide, but unless you live in New York City or San Francisco, you probably won’t find one in your hometown.
The menu is soups and appetizers. There’s tomato fish soup, lemon fish soup, beef soup, and vegetable soup, but the Chinese sauerkraut soup, in multiple variations, is the specialty.
We went with the staple hot-oil sauerkraut fish that serves two for $29.95 (single servings are $17.95-$19.95). You get to pick some things that go into it, such as wood ears (a type of mushroom), but it’s pretty much just go with the flow. Check it out.
The white pieces are fish. We were told the fish was “Asian white fish” so possibly haddock or halibut. There were probably 20 good-sized chunks, maybe more. The red pieces are chiles. If you avoid them the heat factor isn’t high. Yes, the soup is sour tasting. The fish is good. Would we do it again? Yes. Would most non-Asians? Probably not (we were the only non-Asians in the place). Do we crave doing it again? No. But it’s a cool thing to have on your culinary resume. Hours are 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. seven days a week.
Another Burger Deal (Wildfires)
The Wildfires are owned by Station Casinos, which currently has the $5.99 cheeseburger & fries special that’s #4 in the TOP TEN. This deal might be better. The following report comes from Conrad Stanley.
“I just had this double cheeseburger special at the Wildfire on Valley View. The burger & fries are $7, 24/7, 365. It’s huge and the best burger I’ve had in a long time. Also, I parlayed it with a happy hour pint for just $2.50. All drinks and all beers are half off daily from 4 to 7 p.m. and 11 p.m. to 2 a.m. A nice feature is that all the draft beers are the same price regardless of whether they’re domestic, craft, or import. They currently offer Bud Light, Mich Ultra, Modelo, Stella, Estrella Jalisco, Kona Longboard, and Mango Cart from Golden Road Brewing. There are also some $5 happy hour bites.”
In a follow-up, Conrad compares Wildfire with the special at the Station casinos:
“If the Station burgers are 1/4 pound, the Wildfire patties have to be double, so a full half pound. The burger is so big it was difficult to get my mouth around it. To add a second patty to the casino burgers is an additional $2.99. making that burger $9. At all Wildfire locations (I’m not certain it’s at all locations, but I can’t imagine it’s not) it’s $7, plus you don’t get $2.50 premium drafts at the full casinos. I also tried the wing special, which is also $7. Includes wings (8), fries, carrots, celery, and ranch, and comes with a 16-ounce draft beer (I had a Modelo).”
Tacos and Beer (Downtown Grand)
We’ve been glossing over it, but the if you’re not a hot dog fan, the taco option at the Downtown Grand’s snack bar is a good one. The TOP TEN lists the this deal at #5:
Hot Dog/Beer * Downtown Grand * Daily * $3
However, you can substitute a taco for the dog. Here’s a look at the two of them side-by-side, both with the PBR that comes with either one.
The taco is huge, made with three soft tortillas loaded with shredded chicken and cheese. Top the taco with salsa, onions, and jalapenos from the condiments area and you have a meal.
Which is better? Depends on your preference, but either choice gets one of the best deals in Vegas. The snack bar is located off the main pit near the front doors and opens at 11 a.m.
Palms Lobster Buffet Hack
8/1/25 – How do you make a good thing better? By being creative. The following report comes from Conrad Stanley, who’s about as creative as it gets.
My Member Rewards coupon was approaching 30 days [after printing it out], so I went to the lobster buffet and brought my tools. Those lobster shears worked great opening that whole lobster and pulling out the entire tail intact within seconds. I didn’t eat 22 tails like last visit, I only did 15 cuz I also had shrimp, ahi tuna, crab, and lobster mac ‘n’ cheese, as well as ice cream, some pineapple dole whip, and a Cannolli! I got there at 7:15 with no reservation, waited in the overflow line for 15 to 20 minutes, and got in. By 8:30 there was no line at all. They cut the line off at 10 p.m. and start pulling food at 10:30, so getting there at 8:30 is more than enough time.
The main reason for running this review was to highlight Conrad’s “tools.” Talk about enhancing an already good situation. He bought the set for $8.95 on Amazon and it comes with a drawstring pouch that holds the four implements. Nice.
Double Zero Pie & Bar
8/1/25 – As you’ve read in this issue, Double Zero was again named to the list of best pizzas in the U.S.
We wrote a detailed review of Double Zero here, so we won’t rehash everything regarding the unique Tokyo-style cooking. But here’s an update on quality and pricing. We went for a pepperoni pizza ($23) and the Caesar salad ($15) that we dubbed best in Vegas on our first try.
Pizza excellent, Caesar almost as good as the first time. We also tried the meatballs ($17), which were nothing special and we don’t recommend. A Trummer Pilsner was just $5 during happy hour that runs from 9 p.m. to close.
Located in Chinatown on Spring Mtn. Rd., the place has a cool vibe. The only disappointment is they’ve replaced the distinctive oven that you can see in the previous review. We’re told it couldn’t handle high demand. We thought it was essential to the style, but we honestly couldn’t tell the difference from the first.
Hot Dog Cart (South Point)
8/1/25 – It’s been a while since this hot dog from the sports book cart at South Point has been in the Top Ten, as it’s been kept out by the dog & beer at Downtown Grand, not to mention that South Point snubs LVA at every turn. But snub or no snub, we give credit where credit’s due, and it’s certainly due here.
It’s the same good Vienna beef hot dog, sold from the cart daily from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., still $1.50. Top it off with choice of mustard, ketchup, relish, onions, and kraut. Limit of three per person.
The dogs are loaded, so you can grab a seat in the sports book to eat. Or, our play is to eat it over one of trash containers because something’s gonna fall out of the bun.
There’s usually a line, but the servers hustle. We really do hate to love South Point, but this is one of many things there that’s too good to ignore.
Bonito Michoacan (Breakfast)
One of many Las Vegas Mexican restaurants with Michoacan in the name, Bonito Michoacan is a good one that’s located close to our office at 3715 S. Decatur Boulevard. It’s always been a solid choice for lunch (several specials), dinner, or a good Margarita after hours, and now it’s added breakfast, served daily starting at 7 a.m.
When we checked it out we were the only ones in the place, but breakfast service is brand new, so it will take some time to build. Like the other meals, the breakfast selection is vast. We tried the huevos rancheros for $15 (see below) that was good, but needed something. Asking for hot sauce took care of that. Meeting with higher approval was a mole omelette for $16. The servings are big. Coffee is $3.95. Especially with the current light crowds, this is a good place for a breakfast meeting. We’ll be back to sample other selections.
Prime Rib Night (Jackson’s)
We’ve written about the prime rib at Jackson’s, one of Vegas’ long-running local bars at 6020 W. Flamingo Rd. just west of the Palms. Jackson’s has an excellent 24-hour kitchen that takes particular pride in its steak deals and LVA has a primo instacomp in the Member Rewards Book for the ribeye special. We like this place.
Jackson’s used to do prime rib once a week, but since the pandemic, it’s only on spaced out prime rib nights, and they run less than once a month. There’s one this month, though. On July 18, Jackson’s will serve its prime rib special all day until they run out. It’s a 16-ounce cut with choice of potato and a vegetable for $25. Dine in or take out.
This is consistently one of the best prime rib deals in town. They use this as a perk for their top customers, so the place will be busy, but they’ll get to you. Say hi to Jade behind the bar.
Eureka Daily Special
Eureka, the slot house on E. Sahara, is running a good combo dining/gambling special. Purchase the daily special in Fat Choy Mon.-Thurs. from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and get $10 in free-play. There’s a different special each day running from $10 for tacos on Tuesdays to $15 for ribs on Thursdays and they come with a soft drink, including four versions of lemonade.
We tried the tacos that come with a choice of chicken, pork belly, shrimp, or fish, three to an order, in any combination. They needed a bit of spicing up, but it’s a meal with a drink for about 50¢ considering the value of the free-play.
You’ll need to have a players card, then take the receipt to the cage. Eureka has excellent video poker, as you can see here (scroll down to Eureka), though most of the best schedules are only on the floor.
If you’re there early, Fat Choy also has a good $7.99 steak & eggs special served every day from 8 to 11 a.m. We reviewed it here when it was $6. This restaurant has changed since it was opened by James Beard Award nominee Sheridan Su, who is no longer affiliated, but it’s still good and there’s a $9 hamburger that might be the best burger deal in town if you use your Member Rewards twofer. The MRB also has a play-$1,000-get-$25 bonus and Eureka has a $25 sign-up bonus for new club members.
Miller’s Bar and More from Detroit
Anthony went back to his hometown for a quick visit and dropped in on one of his favorite former haunts, Miller’s Bar in Dearborn. Here’s AC’s quick review.
Miller’s Bar on Michigan Avenue has been around since 1941. It’s always been known for its 7-ounce fresh ground round burgers, served with pickles and a thick slice of white onion on wax paper. This is the one I’ve used as a barometer to compare with other burgers and I’ve seen it on multiple best-burger lists, including one in the Wall Street Journal. Why more bars don’t adopt the formula I’ll never understand. The place has been sold since I was there and some of the touches are slightly different, but it’s still a classic for $10
Making things even better, I met up with my longtime buddy Gary Woronchak and his wife Vivian. Good times. Good burger.
Best of Detroit
Along with the Miller’s burger, if you find yourself in Detroit, AC recommends the following: One of the original Coney Islands (Lafayette, American, or Senate, though Vegas has an American Coney Island at the D, Kowalski lunch meats, and Sanders chocolates.
Roberto’s Wednesdays
We’ve referenced Roberto’s many times. There are dozens of them in Las Vegas and we’d rate their food above any Mexican take-out option in town. They’re open 24/7, so you can hit one anytime you get the urge. The major play, though, is chicken tacos on Wednesdays. They’re $1.59. Salsa and limes are free. Munch on free marinated carrots while you wait.
Limit is 12 and they heat up well so order up.
Player Promo at Sammy’s
The best non-Member Rewards instacomp (it’s hard to beat our MRB deals at Crown & Anchor, Jackson’s, and Sporting Life Bar) outside of the casinos is at 6500 Tavern, the bar adjacent to Sammy’s Woodfire Pizza at 6500 W. Sahara, where everything on the menu is half-price for players. There’s no specified amount you have to play and no restrictions on what you can order. You have to eat there, but you can take out leftovers.
This is NY-style pizza and our go-to tomato Angel hair pasta for a total bill of $17. And, of course, the drinks are comped. Sign up for the players card and get a play-$20-get-$20 bonus.
Whole Squid at District One
This is one of our favorite return-to dishes. It’s the whole grilled squid at District One Kitchen (3400 S. Jones).
You can get it fried or grilled. Go with grilled and squeeze the lime over it. Mix in some of those red peppers if you have a decent heat tolerance. It’s $20, up from $14.99 in 2021, but will feed two and warms up well (or good cold) if you take out the leftovers. Everything is good here. We also had garlic serrano chicken wings ($16) and egg rolls ($13).
Pho tai here is $20, but the place is known for its lobster pho. When the restaurant debuted in 2014 it was $29.95. In 10/21 it was $60. Today it’s … wait for it … $78. Now that’s inflation.
Breakfast at Mary’s Hash House
There are dozens of breakfast spots outside of the casinos. Everyone has their favorite. This is ours; the go-to when we have friends in town or want to impress at a business breakfast. This is chicken hash with grits.
Except for the hash & eggs dishes now starting at $13.95, nothing of note has changed since our review in LVA 10/19. Hours are 8 am to 2 pm (closed Thursdays).
Hard Hat Comparison
See the review of the Hard Hat smashburger below. Here’s the single and the double side-by-side. As expressed, the single for $10 will be enough for most. The double is $12.
We took a first-timer who commented, “This burger is legit!”
VGK Playoffs Special (Westgate)
Westgate has $1 chicken wings and $1 beer in the SuperBook for all Vegas Golden Knights games during the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The following report is from Conrad Stanley (no relation to the Lord Stanley).
Overall, the deal at Westgate is pretty good. The $1 wings were crispy like I like them. They don’t include carrots or celery, but they do include a nice size sauce. I opted for ranch and when I picked up my order I asked for an extra and was obliged. Order and pick up the wings from Drafts Sports Bar & Grill in the SuperBook. The $1 beer is a draft from the sports bar bar. They’re small (10-ounce cups), but they pour to the rim. Being in the beer biz for years, if it’s a 12-ounce cup and there’s any foam/head at all, you’re getting 10 ounces of beer, if that, so no problem. This is a good deal in a great place to watch the games.
The VGK are on the verge of winning their first-round series against the Minnesota Wild, so this deal should be running for another set of games.
Pho Thanh (Lunch Special)
From Tim S.:
This placehas a lunch special for $16. It’s any pho soup with all the fixings, two egg rolls and a drink. It was very good and generous portions.
My wife had pad thai and they gave to her for half price for lunch. The address is 5150 Spring Mountain.
If you eat pho in different places, you know that the recipes can vary quite a bit. We’d already sampled Pho Thanh before getting this suggestion and weren’t phans of the pho that has a sweeter broth and lots of white onions. But given that the going price for pho in Chinatown is about $16, the add-ons make this a deal for the price and we went back to try the special (note that we didn’t investigate the potential discount for other items).
There were problems from the start. The special isn’t advertised anywhere and the waitress didn’t volunteer the information. When we asked about it, she acknowledged that it was available. The soup came, but no egg rolls for 10 minutes. Our assessment of the pho didn’t change, and we’re not exactly sure what was in the egg rolls that had a mushy consistency. So the food wasn’t to our liking, but to each his own on taste (Tim S. liked it). When we went to the cashier, a man who appeared to be an owner or manager handed us a bill that charged for each item individually. When we said no, that it was supposed to be one price for all, he ran to the back shouting, then returned and adjusted the bill. Get it straight Pho Thanh people.
$1.99 Burger (The Composers Room)
We’ve been talking a lot about hamburgers lately, as we continue to search out and try every one we can find that’s $10 and under. Station has its $5.99er, which is tough to beat these days. But $1.99? No, this isn’t a slider. It’s a quarter-pounder with the works. The catch? It’s a gambler’s special, so you have to be playing a machine in the bar at TCR to get the $1.99 price (regularly $10). The deal is offered daily from midnight to 3 a.m. and noon to 3 p.m.
This is a legitimate burger, topped with lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and pickles. It doesn’t come with anything on the side, but it doesn’t need to. It will fill you up.
Since you’re gambling, the drinks are free, so it’s really a burger and a beer (or whatever you drink) for $1.99, plus the expected loss from playing. The best game is 6/5 Bonus Poker (96.87%).
The Composers Room is the entertainment complex that’s been open for a year in Commercial Center at Maryland Pkwy. and Sahara. They’re trying hard there and have been able to make it a year where similar attempts have failed. There’s a lot to this place, which we’ll be reporting on in the future. For now, check out the deal while you take a look around both TCR and the iconic Commercial Center and the diverse restaurant line-up that’s soon to be augmented by the return of the original Lotus of Siam.
Smash Burgers at Hard Hat
The Hard Hat Lounge, located at 1675 Industrial behind The STRAT, has gone though several dining incarnations—Burg sandwiches, Detroit-style pizza, barbecue, even sushi for a minute. Now it’s smash burgers. The smashers come with cheese and are topped with pickles, chopped onions, and some kind of special sauce for $10. Your can make it a double for $2 more, but a single will be enough for most.
Maybe it should be called a slather burger — this is a messy meal. But these burgers are good and it’s a quick turn at the counter that’s open noon to 3 a.m. daily.
An extra bonus is the bar itself. Operating as a restaurant or bar since 1958, the Hard Hat is considered to be the oldest dive bar in Las Vegas and is famous for the giant mural (pictured below) that’s survived every redesign of the joint.
There’s a play-$20-get-$20 sign-up bonus, which means you can get a burger and beer and walk out with more money than you came in with.
Steak & Eggs Special (Jackpot Bar & Grill)
Jackpot (4485 S. Jones) has a pretty good kitchen, so we were expecting good things with the $8.88 steak & eggs special that’s regularly $12.99. It’s served daily from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. and again from 10 p.m. to midnight and comes with two eggs, the steak, and tater tots. Toast isn’t included, but we were told we could have a slice when we asked.
The steak is advertised as a 6-ounce top sirloin, but ours was bigger. Quantity isn’t a problem—this breakfast will fill you up—but the steak is sub-par and the breakfast overall is pretty much a snore. The Jackpot Burger ($15.49) is one of the best in town. The bar often has video poker bonuses a couple times a week, see the “Changes as They Happen” blog. There’s a play-$100-get-$20 sign-up bonus.
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With Super Bowl week approaching, all eyes are on game-day viewing (and betting) across Las Vegas. But before Super Bowl Sunday pricing, crowds, and limited menus take over, there’s still time to take advantage of weekday happy hours at sports bars and sportsbooks around town.
Curated by the team at Happy Hour Vegas, these five sports bar happy hours offer solid food and drink deals any day of the week except Super Bowl Sunday, when most venues suspend happy hour in favor of special event pricing.
If you want a deal on food, drink and sports, here’s where to go…
1) The Front Yard at Ellis Island
Where: Off Strip — 4178 Koval Lane, Las Vegas, NV 89109 Happy Hour: Monday–Friday, 4:00 PM–7:00 PM (no weekends)
What is The Front Yard? Front Yard is a two-story indoor/outdoor sports bar featuring an 18-foot big screen, multiple HD TVs, and a second-floor atrium with Strip views. The venue serves craft beer from its on-site Ellis Island Brewery and offers bar-top gaming with clear sightlines from nearly every seat.
What is Happy Hour At The Front Yard? Happy Hour Drinks
$5 Ellis Island Brewery draft beers
$7 Cocktails & Wine
Happy Hour Food
$7 Bites Menu (examples include Bacon Mac & Cheese and Smoked Pulled Pork Sandwich)
Super Bowl Sunday note
Super Bowl packages with open bar, bites, and reserved seating start at $175 per person (happy hour not available that day)
Why it’s worth it Portion sizes on the bites menu are generous, making this one of the few places where you can eat and drink well for under $15 during happy hour. $5 craft drafts paired with $7 food options make it a strong pre–Super Bowl week value play.
What it is Located inside the new Durango Resort, The George blends vintage Vegas energy with a modern sports-lounge setup. Indoor dining is paired with a lively outdoor patio featuring wrap-around LED screens, and it sits right next to the sportsbook.
What you get Happy Hour Food — $7 each
Truffle Fries
Buffalo Chicken Dip
Shishito Peppers
Hummus Duo
Happy Hour Drinks
$6 well cocktails
$5 beers (Coors Light, Pacifico, Modelo)
Why it’s worth it Upscale food, big screens, free parking, and sportsbook proximity make this an easy win. With $7 food and $5–$6 drinks, you can comfortably keep your tab under $20 in a polished, high-energy setting.
Where: Park MGM — The Strip Happy Hour: Daily, 7:00 PM to close
What it is A more relaxed sportsbook bar on the Strip, BetMGM offers comfortable seating, large screens, and a late-night happy hour that’s easy to time with evening games.
What you get Bar Bites — $7.77
Stadium Hot Dog
Cheesy Nachos
Cheesy Quesadilla
French Fries
Sweet Potato Fries
Beers — $7.77
Bud Light, Coors Light, Heineken
Miller Lite, Dos Equis Amber, Pacifico
Upgrade option
$20 combo: full-size burger, fries, and a beer
Why it’s worth it A 7 PM daily happy hour is rare on the Strip. The $7.77 pricing is easy to remember, and the $20 burger-and-beer combo delivers clear value compared to standard Strip pricing.
Where: Ahern Hotel — The Strip Happy Hour: Daily, 2:00 PM–5:00 PM
What it is A straightforward sports bar focused on classic American comfort food with wall-to-wall TVs. Expect jumbo wings, loaded nachos, and casual game-day energy without Strip pricing.
What you get Happy Hour Food
$3 fries
$10 loaded nachos
Eight additional items priced between $3–$10
Drinks
Drink pricing not currently published
Why it’s worth it While drink pricing isn’t clearly listed, the low-cost food menu makes this a solid early-afternoon option. It’s an easy place to post up, grab inexpensive bites, and watch multiple games without committing to premium packages.
Where: 1508 South Main Street — Arts District Happy Hour: Monday–Friday, 4:00 PM–6:00 PM
What it is With 23 giant screens and a true neighborhood sports-bar vibe, The Stadium delivers big-game energy outside the Strip. The menu leans into elevated ballpark-style food with strong drink pricing.
What you get Happy Hour Food
BBQ Chicken Flatbread Pizza — $10
Pepperoni or Cheese Flatbread — $10
Ballpark Nachos — $9
Mini Pretzels with queso — $6
Happy Hour Drinks
Specialty cocktails — 50% off
Wines — $2 off
Well drinks — $4
Select beers — $3
Why it’s worth it A $3 beer paired with a $10 flatbread makes this one of the best under-$15 happy hours for sports fans. It’s casual, affordable, and built for watching games without Strip crowds.
Most sports bars suspend happy hour pricing on Super Bowl Sunday and move to fixed packages or premium menus. These five sportsbars offer a consistent happy hour when it’s not Super Bowl:
Weekday value
Clear food and drink deals
Plenty of screens
Lower commitment than game-day specials
If you want to know the deal before you walk in, these happy hours are the smart play. Also, check out the full line up of Happy Hour Sports Bars in Vegas….There are 43 of them listed at Happy Hour Vegas.
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Naughty Patty’s is an original eatery from the feverish imagination of the the food and beverage department at Cosmopolitan; it’s an addition to Las Vegas’ first food hall, Block 16, in Cosmo’s second floor.
It’s high smashburger concept: Patty’s a pinup, “bold and not here to behave.” She “breaks the rules, a little sinful and unapologetically indulgent, making mouths water and pulses race, with buns that won’t quit and sauces worth spilling.” Slogans around the old-diner-style joint include “Cookin’ up Heaven While Raisin’ Hell,” “Let’s Meat Up,” and “You Can’t Spell Juicy without ‘You’ and ‘I.’”
It’s cute and all and the Naughty smashburger is pretty good — well seared, fresh toppings (lettuce, tomato, onion, special sauce, crinkle dills, slice of American cheese), served on a potato roll. The big flat burger spills way out from the smallish bun; we had to use the (plastic) knife and fork to trim it, so we could pick it up.
They also serve two hot dogs, plain ($11) and dirty with “not-quite chili” ($15), grilled cheese ($11), and fries, naked or seasoned ($6) and with chili ($11). Concretes, super-thick frozen custard blended with milk n’ cookies or strawberry shortie, are $10 and draft root beer is $7, regular draft beer $12.
We also tried the root beer, which is made from scratch: several pumps of syrup, then soda, then ice. It turned out exactly how we like it, more beery than rooty, not too sweet and nicely flavorful.
Then … you look at the bill. For the Patty Meal (smashburger, fries, root beer, and tax), we shelled out $28.15. A fast-food price? Hardly. Remember, this is the center Strip, where the meal might be fine (it was), but the tab will give you indigestion. And that was without paying for parking, since we walked in. Add the $20 fee and you’re talking about about nearly $50 for a fast-food burger, fries, and drink. Urp.
Let’s make one thing clear: Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine (R) isn’t a bad guy. During the Covid-19 pandemic, for instance, he stood firm for science at a time when quackery and superstition dominated the public discourse. However, when it comes to sports betting, he’s got some odd policy ideas. Right now, DeWine is taking his final bows before leaving office and the farewell tour has one recurring theme. Namely, that where OSB is concerned, DeWine is in serious danger of becoming DeWhine.