Emmitt’s is named for its founder and major partner Emmitt Smith, the National Football League’s all-time leading rusher and touchdown scorer. This restaurant was a long time coming to the Fashion Show Mall. But it finally arrived in March and ever-curious, we stopped off during “social hour” (4-6 p.m. daily) to see what it’s all about.
The main challenge is finding the place. It’s at, but not in, the Fashion Show and no signs direct you there. Located in the very front of the mall, it borders the Strip sidewalk and you have to go outside to access it. (Follow the signs to Abercrombie and Fitch; from there, follow signs to Plaza/Las Vegas Blvd., then go out the door and down the stairs. The Blue parking lot in the garage underneath is closest.)
The restaurant seats 105, with a private back room for 36 and 10 tables on the front patio. Everything revolves around the central 22-seat bar and the nearby wine fridge holds 1,000 bottles. The menu is described as “new American classics with traditional steakhouse offerings and sushi,” but it seemed to us that sushi dominates the actual menu, which is different than the virtual one online, indicating more of a steakhouse. Also, lunch was announced and offered for a while, but discontinued. Social hour is advertised as 3-6, but Emmitt’s doesn’t open till 4.
And though the reviews are uniformly laudatory, when we were there on a Wednesday evening from 5:30 to 6:30, the place was empty, except for us and three other people at the bar.
We weren’t there for dinner, which is as expensive as you’d expect from a restaurant right on the Strip, just the social hour, during which the choices are a burger and fries ($11), hanger steak and fries, and a tuna and California roll with edamame ($22); seven draft beers, including Heineken, are $4 each and wine by the glass is half-price.
We tried the burger and were allowed to substitute a Caesar salad for the fries. Gracious, especially for a happy hour. The big fat patty, cooked to perfection, comes with lettuce, tomato, pickle, and caramelized onion on a toasted brioche bun — an excellent advertisement for the food at Emmitt’s and a great deal on its own. That, the salad, and the Heineken came to all of $17.34 with tax and we walked away satisfied and impressed.
Though the scene at Emmitt’s is somewhat sparse (a number of online reviews comment on the lack of patrons) and the changing menu and hours are a bit mystifying, when this place settles down and grows into itself, it should do well —if it lasts that long. While it’s there, the social hour is definitely worth doing.