Trip Report – Big, Big, Little!
Please forgive the length of this novel, as this is my first TR and I just got going and couldn’t stop. I hope the pictures add to the report because I always love reading those with pictures!
Vegas Pics
lauren from TX
Cast of Characters:
Lauren – me, Ross– my husband – we arrived in Vegas on Weds 12/14 and departed on Sat 12/24
Joe and Drew – 2 guy friends from home – arrived on Thurs 12/15 and left on Tuesday 12/20
Sherre and Zach – Mom and son who’s 22 – arrived on Saturday 12/17 and left on Weds 12/21
A little background so you don’t think us terribly strange! Ross and I work overnight at home; 7p-7a and the rest of the people are day-shifters, so we normally stay up at night even on our days off. Soooo if our times seem odd, they probably are to regular people, but to us, that’s normal!
Big, big, little is an inside joke with us, but it applies to this trip because we had BIG wins, big wins and LITTLE money to take home! We are also foodies, so I took a bunch of pictures of big, big and little food as well as other non-categorized meals! We mostly play video poker, blackjack and the occasional slot. Ross hit big time on WOF $1 slots this time, which is the only thing that kept us in the black for most of the trip. Ended in the red, but we always expect to donate! Should have left after the first day, but we know that now!
Day 1(Wednesday): Flights – Ross and I flew AA non-stop from DFW on Weds morning. Used the Parking Spot and had a quick shuttle ride to the airport and used the self-serve kiosk, in hopes of scoring a First Class upgrade. Alas, it was not to be! We sat in coach and ordered a few drinks…the F/A liked us so she comped us one! First freebie of the trip, I like it!
Arrived on time, claimed luggage pretty quickly and off to the cab stand. Our first night was at the Cosmo, since I had a booking credit which made it affordable. Long story, but the $170 Terrace One-Bedroom room cost us $93 out of pocket. We normally stay downtown, but thought what the heck, let’s try this place and we’re surely glad we did!
Walked in the Cosmo and were completely awed by the cool, modern décor – the lobby is amazing! We went right up to the clerk, slipped her a $20 and scored the best upgrade we have ever gotten. She was kind enough to place us in the Wraparound Terrace Suite, which was HUGE (1400 square feet or so). This suite was amazing – everything was remote controlled, it had a full kitchen, two bathrooms, a huge soaking tub and a balcony that rounded the corner and had 3 sets of patio furniture! Great view of the Bellagio fountains to boot! We were stunned and spent the first 30 minutes just walking around gawking at our cool room! We asked how much the room would be, should we wish to stay on Thursday too, and it was $750! In advance of our trip, I had contacted Candice, a concierge at the Cosmo, to ask about restaurant hours over the holidays, etc. and she was amazing! She provided me with the specific info requested and was so fast, I couldn’t believe it. She also tried to check the upgrade status for me, before we left; however, since we had booked via a 3rd party booking site, she was unable to help, which I completely understood! Kudos to Candice!
Went to sign up for our Identity card and had the choice of a free wheel spin, $10 slot credit or the ‘lose $100 we’ll replace it’ promos. We both selected the $100 deal….took me a while to lose mine – up to $500, down to $200, etc….finally lost it after probably 5 hours. Meanwhile, Ross comes up with his first BIG win of the trip - $750! We contemplated going to the front desk and booking our suite for another night with that ticket, but we weren’t intoxicated enough yet, so we just kept playing. Ross scored two more big wins, all on a Wheel of Fortune $1 slot machine, if you can believe that! Even got a W2G - WOOHOO! First ever for either of us!
After gambling, I was hungry, so we set out in search of the ‘Secret Pizza’ place. We walked the halls for about 20 minutes and I finally gave up. Ross is Mr. Persistent, so he sent me on my way to the room and found the silly place. They serve it by the slice or by the pie and have PBR in red Solo cups for purchase. He got us a HUGE pizza and a beer….nothing like sitting in a fancy suite, drinking PBR and eating pizza. This was typical NY style pizza – large slices with a thin crust you can fold and plenty of grease!
Cost $20
Rating – 4 forks
We then crashed for a few hours and went down to the Wicked Spoon buffet around 815pm. There was no line but the host advised us they were closing at 9pm so that may be why. I think most restaurants have different hours (or are closed completely) during this, the slowest week, so check before you go. Many items were pre-plated, so that was a welcome change from mounds of chicken in a tin pan. The selection included lots of salads, fresh fruits, breads and tons of entrees and side dishes. Main draw for Ross was their hot crab legs, which he said tasted yummy. I had a big salad (I’m a salad freak), some garlic bread, fried chicken (came in its own little silver pot, 2 pieces), mashed potatoes and green beans, creamed corn (single-serving again, amazingly good) and the macaroni and cheese bar. This is cool – you order what you want in your mac and cheese then they add it to a skilled, add some Béchamel sauce and melt it all together. They toss in the macaroni, and poof, you have your own personal serving! I opted for green peppers, 3 types of cheese and bacon. YUM! The dessert selection was rather extensive, and we tried a lot of them. The only downside (other than not having enough time to sample more items) was the waiter – only came by once for a refill (and I had consumed 2 big glasses of water and 1 of tea) and then dropped off the check and was gone into the night! Never saw him again. We were still there when they began closing the buffet and the girl at the bread/roll station just took HUGE trays of perfectly good food and tossed it into the trash – isn’t there some rule that says you can give it to homeless shelters without fear of litigation or retribution? There should be! What a waste ?
Cost $35 per person plus tax/tip
Rating – 4 ½ forks
Ross and I walked over to the Bellagio because I wanted to see their decorations but when we walked in, I spotted a VP bar and we snagged 2 seats right away. The bartender was an older gent, super-polite and made seriously the best drink I have ever had! I have no idea how a ‘Captain Morgan and Diet Coke’ can vary so much, but this was an amazing drink! He chatted with us while we played and he noticed our cigarette pack only had a few left, so he gave us another pack, with his compliments. WOW, you never see that anymore, do you? The atmosphere at Bellagio was more subdued, but we really enjoyed our time there. We wandered back to our room and crashed for the night.
Day 2 (Thursday): We woke up in the morning (wow for us), after securing a later check-out time. Ross called and spoke with a casino host, who quickly removed both the pizza and buffet charges. She gave him her cell phone number and asked him to call when he’s headed back. Guess they don’t realize he took more than he gave, eh?
Cost of Cosmo - $93 plus tips
Rating – 5 pillows
We opted to go to Paris, to Mon Ami Gabi, for lunch. Was a little chilly for the patio, but we got a good seat by the window. Had a very nice waiter and really enjoyed our lunch. Ross started with the raw oysters and quickly proclaimed them some of the best ever. We shared a carafe of their sangria, along with their homemade country pate. It was served with little sweet pickles, pickled onions, super spicy dark mustard and toasted bread. YUM! Ross then had the onion soup au gratin, which was better than good but not great. For his entrée, he selected the Quiche Lorraine and we both agreed the velvety texture was unlike any we’d ever had. The eggs were so lightly done, but not really fluffy….was creamy and delish and though it looked small, it was the perfect size. I had the peppercorn crusted burger and it was mediocre. It came with a side of peppercorn sauce that didn’t do much for me at all. The steak frites that everyone raves about were like a cross between a potato chip and a French fry – they were room temperature, needed salt and not all that. We were too stuffed for dessert, so we paid the tab and left.
Cost - $105 including tip
Rating –3 ½ forks
Today was moving day (the first of two) from the Cosmo to the Plaza. I had a free 2-night stay, but only Sun-Thurs, so we opted for a free night for Thursday. Took a cab downtown ($30 or so) and checked in. The smell here is AWFUL! It’s a cloying, baby-powder, sweet, sicky gross smell and because of it, we did not gamble here. It’s only in the casino, but they had better tone that down! We slipped the clerk a $20 and she upgraded us to a suite. As you know, they just remodeled and the furnishings are a lot nicer than the previous ones. Still, it’s the Plaza, so it still has the old, scratched wooded doors, the old bathtub and toilet, etc. For free, it worked!
Cost - $20 tip
Rating – 2 pillows
I also had a free stay at the 4 Queens, so we used that for my friends Joe and Drew, who were arriving on Thursday late night. (Our other friends Sherre and Zach also have reservations here, so we’ll all be nearby). Went to check in Thursday and the clerk advised (with the $20 trick) that their Jacuzzi suites are all on the non-smoking floors and would be $65 more per night. We opted to let them keep their standard 2 bed room for free. We went to the ABC store, purchased some booze and soda and chips and set them up in style! The room was very basic, no complaints and nothing special, just average.
Cost – free
Rating – 2 pillows
Later that night, our friends Joe and Drew arrived and took the shuttle to the 4 Queens. We went to the Chicago Brewing Company (I love this place) and the 4 of us shared 2 of their deep-dish Chicago-style pizzas – comes with pepperoni and sausage and is about $9.00 for one. Plenty of food for 4 of us.
Cost - $18 plus tip
Rating – 5 forks
Various and sundry gambling took place and since it was Drew’s first trip to Vegas, we showed him the ropes of blackjack, at the Golden Gate. Once he could stop looking at the hottie dealers, he pretty much got the hang of it! Jan, a long-time waitress there, was on the ball again – she had a fresh drink every time we turned around, which is good, because their drinks are microscopically tiny! We remembered Jan from our last trip, but she probably didn’t remember us!
Day 3 (Friday): Today, Ross and I are moving again. We truck over to the Fremont, where we each have 4 comp nights plus some slot credit. We check in, slip the clerk $20 and she advises us that the first 4 nights are full in suite-ville, but to check back. We did just that and got moved down the hall to a suite for the last 4 nights. Very nice to have the extra room. Every time we stay at the Fremont in a suite, it’s the same one….do they just have one? The standard room (1 king bed) is small, small, small and the bathroom is even worse. In this one, you had to close the door, then sit on the toilet – otherwise, you’d be stuck without toilet paper because it was behind the door! The shower head is still about 4’ high, so even I had to duck!
One of my pet peeves about the Fremont is that their buffet/café is closed the 2 weeks before Christmas, as is the Second Street Grill. This leaves Tony Roma’s or the Lanai Express, their quick-serve place. I normally LOVE the cold turkey sandwich at the Lanai Express; however, they WILL NOT serve it after 11pm…..you can get breakfast, a freaking cheeseburger but NO cold sandwich, for real? Every year, I ask, and they say NO without any reasoning behind it. One lady motioned with her hand as if to say ‘the turkey has left the building’….grrr…very frustrating and I mention it every year in my survey they send me! So, if you encounter a turkey sandwich after 11pm, please let me know!
Lanai Grill 1 fork, if they are lucky!
The three guys and I went to the Seafood Buffet at the Main Street Station around 8:30pm on Friday night. Joined the line and it probably took about 30 minutes to make our way to the front. Pretty decent selection, but the quality was very mediocre. Again, it’s quantity over quality in America and this is a perfect example. The service was average, with drink refills lagging, dirty plates not being cleared in a timely manner. I think maybe we’re just over the ‘gorge yourself with a thousand other people’ buffet type of dining now that we’re a little older.
Cost (for 4) - $80 plus gratuity
Rating – 2 forks
Day 4 (Saturday): This afternoon, our friends Sherre and Zach arrived – she rented a car, so we all squished in to go to the strip. The two of them had Blue Man Group tickets, so the rest of us were just going to wander. We had happy hour at some Mexican place in the Venetian - $5 drinks (were small, but pretty good) and you had to pay for chips and salsa. A few of us nibbled and we went out exploring while they enjoyed the show.
We visited the Flamingo, saw some of the birds outside, snapped a few pics, then moved on. Went through the Harrah’s Carnival Court but nothing caught our eye. Snapped a few more pics along the way and finally took a cab to the Fireside Lounge at the Peppermill. More drinks and BIG big little was true here. The fishbowl drinks were BIG and they packed a big wallop! Ross had a small drink and it packed a BIG punch too! Me, I stuck with Bailey’s and coffee!
Got back to Fremont Street and everyone went their own way and either crashed or gambled the night away.
Day 5 (Sunday): We all got dressed up and went to the brunch at Bally’s – the Sterling Brunch. Reservations are suggestions and we made ours for around 11a-noon (can’t recall exactly) and were seated after a short wait. The going price is now $95 per person, but I believe there’s a small discount if you hold even the most basic players card there. Our server was Duff and his personality really contributed to the overall enjoyment of the group. The glasses were never empty and they are currently serving Perrier Jouet champagne, which was a good choice for mimosas or for sipping by itself. The food this year included lobster tails, kobe beef sliders (perfectly cooked), various breakfast foods, sushi, caviar, salads, desserts galore and more. We enjoyed a two-hour repast and it was likely the highlight of our trip. Highly recommend everyone visit at least once – go hungry and leave ready for a nap!
Cost - $220 for Ross and I, including gratuity
Rating – 4 forks
Day 6 (Monday): Various gambling activities, nothing really special. I think we ate at the Chicago Brewing Company again – at least Ross and I probably did – we love their thin pizza, VP at the bar and good drink service.
At some point, we visited the Heart Attack Café in Neonopolis. For those not familiar, the ‘quirk’ of this place is that it’s like a hospital. You go in and MUST (no exceptions) put on a hospital gown (ugh, I work in a hospital; I already don’t like this idea!). The waitresses are in these cheap Halloween-looking sexy nurse outfits, then sit at your table and toss the menu at you. You have very few choices – the single, double, triple or quadruple-bypass burger, add bacon, toppings are only onions or tomatoes. No pickles, no lettuce. Drinks include a full bar, regular Coke (not diet) in bottles and bottled water. Oh, and fries.
Ross got the double with bacon, fries and a frozen margarita and I got the single with a bottle of water – tab for JUST that was $36.00 plus tip! WOW no way was it even close to being worth that, maybe ½ and that’s being generous. Very poor value for the food and the experience!
We did see a gent come in (he’s a quasi-regular I think), go right to the nurse, get on this huge scale in the middle of the room – lights go off, siren blares and it flashes his weight ‘360 pounds’ so he eats for free. Yuck, overall, just Yuck! Ross got a ‘butterfat shake’ just to try it and it was so sicky sweet and even had a full pat of butter on top – we each took a bite and tossed it. Waste of $7 again!
Cost - $42.00 plus tip
Rating – 1 fork
Day 7 (Tuesday): Joe and Drew will be leaving this afternoon, so we all meet for food as a last group meal. Breakfast/Lunch at Du Par’s at the Golden Gate (because I had heard they had great ‘crack cakes’). I got those and they douse them in melted butter then bring them to you – yum…..though not the best I’ve ever had. The turkey sandwiches two of us ordered were dry and flavorless, despite enough dressing on the sandwich. Chicken pot pie was big and Ross said it was good. Drew scored with the center ham steak, eggs and hash browns – it was huge and he couldn’t finish it all!
Cost - $10 per person plus tip (roughly)
Rating – 2 ½ forks
Sherre, Zach, Ross and I ate at the Flame at the El Cortez for dinner and it was ok – not great. Seems everything is priced ala carte now, and even the bread basket is quantity controlled as they don’t place it on your table any longer. The waiter comes by and offers you a choice of the two breads, then takes the basket away! Boo! Ross had the onion soup, which is always good there, and I had the Caesar Salad – again a pretty simple dish to get right. My entrée was the 8 oz. filet mignon, with an ‘accompaniment’ of béarnaise sauce. Very tasty, as always! Ross had the Porterhouse and he really enjoyed it. We used our restaurant.com coupon and the waiter was nice enough to remind us that the 18% gratuity was already added. Overall, bland service, nothing exceptional, just a nice dinner out with friends. I believe we also ordered an inexpensive bottle of wine to share between the four of us.
Cost - $150 for 4 of us, with the coupon
Rating - 3 forks
Day 8 (Wednesday)
Back to just Ross and I, so we piddle around, gamble a little, drink a little and don’t do much special! This night, he gets a craving for all you can eat sushi (yuck….I am a non-sushi, non-seafood eater). We have been to Todai and it was ok, but we wanted something else. Found Makino Sushi at the Premium Outlet Mall and took a cab. Not too long of a ride, about $21 each way, including gratuity. The outlet mall is like any other, with perfume stores, shoe stores, clothing stores, etc. I bought a pair of shoes and he got some really nice smell-good cologne for himself! I’m glad to see him spend $$ on himself instead of me or ‘us’ all of the time!
Makino Sushi bills itself as ‘The Original Gourmet Sushi and Seafood Buffet’ and it’s about $26 plus drinks and gratuity. They have a pretty limited selection of non-seafood/non-sushi items, so I had some chicken and some salad. I was disappointed then didn’t have those little dumplings that I can eat like 10 of! Their web page listed an almost endless recitation of entrees; however, I didn’t think there was that big a selection. Overall, I left hungry, Ross left full but not sated and we agreed probably not again!
Cost - $70 including gratuity
Rating – 2 forks, 3 forks if you like raw stuff
Day 9 (Thursday):
I had always wanted to visit the Triple George, so I took Ross on an official date. I wore my new shoes and by the time we walked the 2 blocks there, I had blisters on my heels – no bueno! I did have a restaurant.com coupon, but only for $25 or so.
We walked in the Triple George and were greeted and seated immediately. We scored a secluded booth and they immediately brought the wine list, took our drink orders and placed a relish tray on the table. We nibbled on carrots, pickles and other goodies as we perused the menu. The waiter brought my coffee and it was a big cup, perfect size and shape and the coffee was hot and very tasty.
We ordered the Baked Goat Cheese Marinara, and it was a log of soft goat cheese, floating in a bath of marina sauce, served with crispy garlic bread. Delish! Very similar to a dish we get back home at a local chain, if you can believe that!
Ross started with the French Onion Soup and I opted for the Caesar Salad. They put bacon in it, and that slightly detracted from the traditional taste, making it almost too salty. The waiter was quick with refills and the dirty dishes were cleared quickly.
For my entrée, I selected the Chicken Pot Pie – the phrase ‘sherry herb cream sauce’ grabbed me and wouldn’t let go! The dish was massive! It had a very flaky ‘lid’ (if you will) of pastry atop a large bowl of steaming pot pie. The chicken breast meat was in large, tender chunks, accompanied by baby onions, still-crisp peas and carrots and the occasional mushroom. The sauce was velvety and delicious – I was so disappointed I had no way to eat more or take it for later!
Ross ordered the porcini-crusted ribeye, with garlic mashed potatoes and veggies. His steak was just the right temperature, pan-seared and cooked perfectly to medium rare and had just enough of a spice to make any additional salt or pepper unnecessary. The potatoes were smooth and creamy, with a hint of garlic and the veggies were crispy and fresh.
We finished the dinner with Crème Brulee, which was the smoothest, most yummy rendition of this we’d ever had. The sugar top was perfectly caramelized and the custard was velvety and melted in your mouth.
This is seriously one of the better dining experiences we’ve had, both in terms of food quality and service, and it fits just about any budget. Definitely worth taking a side trip next time you’re in the area!
Cost - $95 with coupon, including gratuity
Rating – 4 ½ forks
Day 10 (Friday):
This day was filled with gambling, wandering around and trying to decide what else we have time to do before we go home! We gambled at the VP bar at the Four Queens before dinner and I had 4 Deuces on a DW game for $250 which was nice on our last night!
Ross and I ate at the Fremont buffet on Friday 12/23, for the seafood buffet. It was pretty pricey at $18 per person, plus tax/tip but we charged it to our room and the nice casino host later removed it. She said in the future, just ask a host or a pit boss to check our play (even slots/VP) and give us a comp if earned. Good to know. Anyway, this buffet was awful – worse than I remember. Ross saw a lady pick up some items with her hands, put it on her plate, then put it back….OMG thank goodness he waited until we were done eating to tell me that! I don’t eat seafood, so I had a small salad, a turkey sandwich I made myself (take that you turkey-keeping lanai people), a slice of turkey and a small helping of completely bland and tasteless mashed potatoes and lasagna. Dessert was horrible – limited selection and everything was dried out and gross. Drink refills were ridiculously slow in coming and our waitress never spoke to us, just plopped stuff on the table and moved away. NEVER again, I say, NEVER!
Cost $36 for 2 plus tax/tip (removed by host prior to check out)
Rating – 0 forks – don’t bother!
Day 11 (Saturday): Departure Day – squish in the stuff you forgot to do, right?
Today, we had a late checkout of 1pm, so we checked our bags with the bell desk and walked down to the Plaza, for lunch at the Hash House A Go-Go. Heard much about this over the years and we were glad to finally get the chance to try it.
Décor is interesting, and they bill themselves as ‘farm food with a twist’ or something like that. That translates into ‘everything we serve is so freaking big you won’t ever finish it, so just get over it’.
I ordered the BBBLT with a salad and could only eat the side salad and took the entire monstrosity of a sandwich on the plane ride home. Ross got the cheddar, avocado, and hardwood bacon-stuffed burger, with fries. HUGE and delish and he didn’t finish it all. Both sandwiches came with a huge steak knife stuck in the middle, guess to keep everything in place during transit. Overall, I’d go back – would like to try their breakfast next time.
Cost - $30 for both, including gratuity
Rating – 3 ½ forks
Got to the airport in plenty of time, swiped our card at the kiosk and WIN – scored first class seats for the return. Flying on Christmas Eve is weird – our male flight attendant made it known that he had 20 years seniority and was none too happy about having to work both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. I felt bad for him, but hey, we both work on Christmas overnight, so I guess it just is what it is.
Overall, good trip – maybe a little longer than most people would choose; however, with our two different groups of friends coming and going at staggered times, it didn’t feel like it got stale at all.
Please forgive the length of this novel, as this is my first TR and I just got going and couldn’t stop. I hope the pictures add to the report because I always love reading those with pictures!
Vegas Pics
lauren from TX
Cast of Characters:
Lauren – me, Ross– my husband – we arrived in Vegas on Weds 12/14 and departed on Sat 12/24
Joe and Drew – 2 guy friends from home – arrived on Thurs 12/15 and left on Tuesday 12/20
Sherre and Zach – Mom and son who’s 22 – arrived on Saturday 12/17 and left on Weds 12/21
A little background so you don’t think us terribly strange! Ross and I work overnight at home; 7p-7a and the rest of the people are day-shifters, so we normally stay up at night even on our days off. Soooo if our times seem odd, they probably are to regular people, but to us, that’s normal!
Big, big, little is an inside joke with us, but it applies to this trip because we had BIG wins, big wins and LITTLE money to take home! We are also foodies, so I took a bunch of pictures of big, big and little food as well as other non-categorized meals! We mostly play video poker, blackjack and the occasional slot. Ross hit big time on WOF $1 slots this time, which is the only thing that kept us in the black for most of the trip. Ended in the red, but we always expect to donate! Should have left after the first day, but we know that now!
Day 1(Wednesday): Flights – Ross and I flew AA non-stop from DFW on Weds morning. Used the Parking Spot and had a quick shuttle ride to the airport and used the self-serve kiosk, in hopes of scoring a First Class upgrade. Alas, it was not to be! We sat in coach and ordered a few drinks…the F/A liked us so she comped us one! First freebie of the trip, I like it!
Arrived on time, claimed luggage pretty quickly and off to the cab stand. Our first night was at the Cosmo, since I had a booking credit which made it affordable. Long story, but the $170 Terrace One-Bedroom room cost us $93 out of pocket. We normally stay downtown, but thought what the heck, let’s try this place and we’re surely glad we did!
Walked in the Cosmo and were completely awed by the cool, modern décor – the lobby is amazing! We went right up to the clerk, slipped her a $20 and scored the best upgrade we have ever gotten. She was kind enough to place us in the Wraparound Terrace Suite, which was HUGE (1400 square feet or so). This suite was amazing – everything was remote controlled, it had a full kitchen, two bathrooms, a huge soaking tub and a balcony that rounded the corner and had 3 sets of patio furniture! Great view of the Bellagio fountains to boot! We were stunned and spent the first 30 minutes just walking around gawking at our cool room! We asked how much the room would be, should we wish to stay on Thursday too, and it was $750! In advance of our trip, I had contacted Candice, a concierge at the Cosmo, to ask about restaurant hours over the holidays, etc. and she was amazing! She provided me with the specific info requested and was so fast, I couldn’t believe it. She also tried to check the upgrade status for me, before we left; however, since we had booked via a 3rd party booking site, she was unable to help, which I completely understood! Kudos to Candice!
Went to sign up for our Identity card and had the choice of a free wheel spin, $10 slot credit or the ‘lose $100 we’ll replace it’ promos. We both selected the $100 deal….took me a while to lose mine – up to $500, down to $200, etc….finally lost it after probably 5 hours. Meanwhile, Ross comes up with his first BIG win of the trip - $750! We contemplated going to the front desk and booking our suite for another night with that ticket, but we weren’t intoxicated enough yet, so we just kept playing. Ross scored two more big wins, all on a Wheel of Fortune $1 slot machine, if you can believe that! Even got a W2G - WOOHOO! First ever for either of us!
After gambling, I was hungry, so we set out in search of the ‘Secret Pizza’ place. We walked the halls for about 20 minutes and I finally gave up. Ross is Mr. Persistent, so he sent me on my way to the room and found the silly place. They serve it by the slice or by the pie and have PBR in red Solo cups for purchase. He got us a HUGE pizza and a beer….nothing like sitting in a fancy suite, drinking PBR and eating pizza. This was typical NY style pizza – large slices with a thin crust you can fold and plenty of grease!
Cost $20
Rating – 4 forks
We then crashed for a few hours and went down to the Wicked Spoon buffet around 815pm. There was no line but the host advised us they were closing at 9pm so that may be why. I think most restaurants have different hours (or are closed completely) during this, the slowest week, so check before you go. Many items were pre-plated, so that was a welcome change from mounds of chicken in a tin pan. The selection included lots of salads, fresh fruits, breads and tons of entrees and side dishes. Main draw for Ross was their hot crab legs, which he said tasted yummy. I had a big salad (I’m a salad freak), some garlic bread, fried chicken (came in its own little silver pot, 2 pieces), mashed potatoes and green beans, creamed corn (single-serving again, amazingly good) and the macaroni and cheese bar. This is cool – you order what you want in your mac and cheese then they add it to a skilled, add some Béchamel sauce and melt it all together. They toss in the macaroni, and poof, you have your own personal serving! I opted for green peppers, 3 types of cheese and bacon. YUM! The dessert selection was rather extensive, and we tried a lot of them. The only downside (other than not having enough time to sample more items) was the waiter – only came by once for a refill (and I had consumed 2 big glasses of water and 1 of tea) and then dropped off the check and was gone into the night! Never saw him again. We were still there when they began closing the buffet and the girl at the bread/roll station just took HUGE trays of perfectly good food and tossed it into the trash – isn’t there some rule that says you can give it to homeless shelters without fear of litigation or retribution? There should be! What a waste ?
Cost $35 per person plus tax/tip
Rating – 4 ½ forks
Ross and I walked over to the Bellagio because I wanted to see their decorations but when we walked in, I spotted a VP bar and we snagged 2 seats right away. The bartender was an older gent, super-polite and made seriously the best drink I have ever had! I have no idea how a ‘Captain Morgan and Diet Coke’ can vary so much, but this was an amazing drink! He chatted with us while we played and he noticed our cigarette pack only had a few left, so he gave us another pack, with his compliments. WOW, you never see that anymore, do you? The atmosphere at Bellagio was more subdued, but we really enjoyed our time there. We wandered back to our room and crashed for the night.
Day 2 (Thursday): We woke up in the morning (wow for us), after securing a later check-out time. Ross called and spoke with a casino host, who quickly removed both the pizza and buffet charges. She gave him her cell phone number and asked him to call when he’s headed back. Guess they don’t realize he took more than he gave, eh?
Cost of Cosmo - $93 plus tips
Rating – 5 pillows
We opted to go to Paris, to Mon Ami Gabi, for lunch. Was a little chilly for the patio, but we got a good seat by the window. Had a very nice waiter and really enjoyed our lunch. Ross started with the raw oysters and quickly proclaimed them some of the best ever. We shared a carafe of their sangria, along with their homemade country pate. It was served with little sweet pickles, pickled onions, super spicy dark mustard and toasted bread. YUM! Ross then had the onion soup au gratin, which was better than good but not great. For his entrée, he selected the Quiche Lorraine and we both agreed the velvety texture was unlike any we’d ever had. The eggs were so lightly done, but not really fluffy….was creamy and delish and though it looked small, it was the perfect size. I had the peppercorn crusted burger and it was mediocre. It came with a side of peppercorn sauce that didn’t do much for me at all. The steak frites that everyone raves about were like a cross between a potato chip and a French fry – they were room temperature, needed salt and not all that. We were too stuffed for dessert, so we paid the tab and left.
Cost - $105 including tip
Rating –3 ½ forks
Today was moving day (the first of two) from the Cosmo to the Plaza. I had a free 2-night stay, but only Sun-Thurs, so we opted for a free night for Thursday. Took a cab downtown ($30 or so) and checked in. The smell here is AWFUL! It’s a cloying, baby-powder, sweet, sicky gross smell and because of it, we did not gamble here. It’s only in the casino, but they had better tone that down! We slipped the clerk a $20 and she upgraded us to a suite. As you know, they just remodeled and the furnishings are a lot nicer than the previous ones. Still, it’s the Plaza, so it still has the old, scratched wooded doors, the old bathtub and toilet, etc. For free, it worked!
Cost - $20 tip
Rating – 2 pillows
I also had a free stay at the 4 Queens, so we used that for my friends Joe and Drew, who were arriving on Thursday late night. (Our other friends Sherre and Zach also have reservations here, so we’ll all be nearby). Went to check in Thursday and the clerk advised (with the $20 trick) that their Jacuzzi suites are all on the non-smoking floors and would be $65 more per night. We opted to let them keep their standard 2 bed room for free. We went to the ABC store, purchased some booze and soda and chips and set them up in style! The room was very basic, no complaints and nothing special, just average.
Cost – free
Rating – 2 pillows
Later that night, our friends Joe and Drew arrived and took the shuttle to the 4 Queens. We went to the Chicago Brewing Company (I love this place) and the 4 of us shared 2 of their deep-dish Chicago-style pizzas – comes with pepperoni and sausage and is about $9.00 for one. Plenty of food for 4 of us.
Cost - $18 plus tip
Rating – 5 forks
Various and sundry gambling took place and since it was Drew’s first trip to Vegas, we showed him the ropes of blackjack, at the Golden Gate. Once he could stop looking at the hottie dealers, he pretty much got the hang of it! Jan, a long-time waitress there, was on the ball again – she had a fresh drink every time we turned around, which is good, because their drinks are microscopically tiny! We remembered Jan from our last trip, but she probably didn’t remember us!
Day 3 (Friday): Today, Ross and I are moving again. We truck over to the Fremont, where we each have 4 comp nights plus some slot credit. We check in, slip the clerk $20 and she advises us that the first 4 nights are full in suite-ville, but to check back. We did just that and got moved down the hall to a suite for the last 4 nights. Very nice to have the extra room. Every time we stay at the Fremont in a suite, it’s the same one….do they just have one? The standard room (1 king bed) is small, small, small and the bathroom is even worse. In this one, you had to close the door, then sit on the toilet – otherwise, you’d be stuck without toilet paper because it was behind the door! The shower head is still about 4’ high, so even I had to duck!
One of my pet peeves about the Fremont is that their buffet/café is closed the 2 weeks before Christmas, as is the Second Street Grill. This leaves Tony Roma’s or the Lanai Express, their quick-serve place. I normally LOVE the cold turkey sandwich at the Lanai Express; however, they WILL NOT serve it after 11pm…..you can get breakfast, a freaking cheeseburger but NO cold sandwich, for real? Every year, I ask, and they say NO without any reasoning behind it. One lady motioned with her hand as if to say ‘the turkey has left the building’….grrr…very frustrating and I mention it every year in my survey they send me! So, if you encounter a turkey sandwich after 11pm, please let me know!
Lanai Grill 1 fork, if they are lucky!
The three guys and I went to the Seafood Buffet at the Main Street Station around 8:30pm on Friday night. Joined the line and it probably took about 30 minutes to make our way to the front. Pretty decent selection, but the quality was very mediocre. Again, it’s quantity over quality in America and this is a perfect example. The service was average, with drink refills lagging, dirty plates not being cleared in a timely manner. I think maybe we’re just over the ‘gorge yourself with a thousand other people’ buffet type of dining now that we’re a little older.
Cost (for 4) - $80 plus gratuity
Rating – 2 forks
Day 4 (Saturday): This afternoon, our friends Sherre and Zach arrived – she rented a car, so we all squished in to go to the strip. The two of them had Blue Man Group tickets, so the rest of us were just going to wander. We had happy hour at some Mexican place in the Venetian - $5 drinks (were small, but pretty good) and you had to pay for chips and salsa. A few of us nibbled and we went out exploring while they enjoyed the show.
We visited the Flamingo, saw some of the birds outside, snapped a few pics, then moved on. Went through the Harrah’s Carnival Court but nothing caught our eye. Snapped a few more pics along the way and finally took a cab to the Fireside Lounge at the Peppermill. More drinks and BIG big little was true here. The fishbowl drinks were BIG and they packed a big wallop! Ross had a small drink and it packed a BIG punch too! Me, I stuck with Bailey’s and coffee!
Got back to Fremont Street and everyone went their own way and either crashed or gambled the night away.
Day 5 (Sunday): We all got dressed up and went to the brunch at Bally’s – the Sterling Brunch. Reservations are suggestions and we made ours for around 11a-noon (can’t recall exactly) and were seated after a short wait. The going price is now $95 per person, but I believe there’s a small discount if you hold even the most basic players card there. Our server was Duff and his personality really contributed to the overall enjoyment of the group. The glasses were never empty and they are currently serving Perrier Jouet champagne, which was a good choice for mimosas or for sipping by itself. The food this year included lobster tails, kobe beef sliders (perfectly cooked), various breakfast foods, sushi, caviar, salads, desserts galore and more. We enjoyed a two-hour repast and it was likely the highlight of our trip. Highly recommend everyone visit at least once – go hungry and leave ready for a nap!
Cost - $220 for Ross and I, including gratuity
Rating – 4 forks
Day 6 (Monday): Various gambling activities, nothing really special. I think we ate at the Chicago Brewing Company again – at least Ross and I probably did – we love their thin pizza, VP at the bar and good drink service.
At some point, we visited the Heart Attack Café in Neonopolis. For those not familiar, the ‘quirk’ of this place is that it’s like a hospital. You go in and MUST (no exceptions) put on a hospital gown (ugh, I work in a hospital; I already don’t like this idea!). The waitresses are in these cheap Halloween-looking sexy nurse outfits, then sit at your table and toss the menu at you. You have very few choices – the single, double, triple or quadruple-bypass burger, add bacon, toppings are only onions or tomatoes. No pickles, no lettuce. Drinks include a full bar, regular Coke (not diet) in bottles and bottled water. Oh, and fries.
Ross got the double with bacon, fries and a frozen margarita and I got the single with a bottle of water – tab for JUST that was $36.00 plus tip! WOW no way was it even close to being worth that, maybe ½ and that’s being generous. Very poor value for the food and the experience!
We did see a gent come in (he’s a quasi-regular I think), go right to the nurse, get on this huge scale in the middle of the room – lights go off, siren blares and it flashes his weight ‘360 pounds’ so he eats for free. Yuck, overall, just Yuck! Ross got a ‘butterfat shake’ just to try it and it was so sicky sweet and even had a full pat of butter on top – we each took a bite and tossed it. Waste of $7 again!
Cost - $42.00 plus tip
Rating – 1 fork
Day 7 (Tuesday): Joe and Drew will be leaving this afternoon, so we all meet for food as a last group meal. Breakfast/Lunch at Du Par’s at the Golden Gate (because I had heard they had great ‘crack cakes’). I got those and they douse them in melted butter then bring them to you – yum…..though not the best I’ve ever had. The turkey sandwiches two of us ordered were dry and flavorless, despite enough dressing on the sandwich. Chicken pot pie was big and Ross said it was good. Drew scored with the center ham steak, eggs and hash browns – it was huge and he couldn’t finish it all!
Cost - $10 per person plus tip (roughly)
Rating – 2 ½ forks
Sherre, Zach, Ross and I ate at the Flame at the El Cortez for dinner and it was ok – not great. Seems everything is priced ala carte now, and even the bread basket is quantity controlled as they don’t place it on your table any longer. The waiter comes by and offers you a choice of the two breads, then takes the basket away! Boo! Ross had the onion soup, which is always good there, and I had the Caesar Salad – again a pretty simple dish to get right. My entrée was the 8 oz. filet mignon, with an ‘accompaniment’ of béarnaise sauce. Very tasty, as always! Ross had the Porterhouse and he really enjoyed it. We used our restaurant.com coupon and the waiter was nice enough to remind us that the 18% gratuity was already added. Overall, bland service, nothing exceptional, just a nice dinner out with friends. I believe we also ordered an inexpensive bottle of wine to share between the four of us.
Cost - $150 for 4 of us, with the coupon
Rating - 3 forks
Day 8 (Wednesday)
Back to just Ross and I, so we piddle around, gamble a little, drink a little and don’t do much special! This night, he gets a craving for all you can eat sushi (yuck….I am a non-sushi, non-seafood eater). We have been to Todai and it was ok, but we wanted something else. Found Makino Sushi at the Premium Outlet Mall and took a cab. Not too long of a ride, about $21 each way, including gratuity. The outlet mall is like any other, with perfume stores, shoe stores, clothing stores, etc. I bought a pair of shoes and he got some really nice smell-good cologne for himself! I’m glad to see him spend $$ on himself instead of me or ‘us’ all of the time!
Makino Sushi bills itself as ‘The Original Gourmet Sushi and Seafood Buffet’ and it’s about $26 plus drinks and gratuity. They have a pretty limited selection of non-seafood/non-sushi items, so I had some chicken and some salad. I was disappointed then didn’t have those little dumplings that I can eat like 10 of! Their web page listed an almost endless recitation of entrees; however, I didn’t think there was that big a selection. Overall, I left hungry, Ross left full but not sated and we agreed probably not again!
Cost - $70 including gratuity
Rating – 2 forks, 3 forks if you like raw stuff
Day 9 (Thursday):
I had always wanted to visit the Triple George, so I took Ross on an official date. I wore my new shoes and by the time we walked the 2 blocks there, I had blisters on my heels – no bueno! I did have a restaurant.com coupon, but only for $25 or so.
We walked in the Triple George and were greeted and seated immediately. We scored a secluded booth and they immediately brought the wine list, took our drink orders and placed a relish tray on the table. We nibbled on carrots, pickles and other goodies as we perused the menu. The waiter brought my coffee and it was a big cup, perfect size and shape and the coffee was hot and very tasty.
We ordered the Baked Goat Cheese Marinara, and it was a log of soft goat cheese, floating in a bath of marina sauce, served with crispy garlic bread. Delish! Very similar to a dish we get back home at a local chain, if you can believe that!
Ross started with the French Onion Soup and I opted for the Caesar Salad. They put bacon in it, and that slightly detracted from the traditional taste, making it almost too salty. The waiter was quick with refills and the dirty dishes were cleared quickly.
For my entrée, I selected the Chicken Pot Pie – the phrase ‘sherry herb cream sauce’ grabbed me and wouldn’t let go! The dish was massive! It had a very flaky ‘lid’ (if you will) of pastry atop a large bowl of steaming pot pie. The chicken breast meat was in large, tender chunks, accompanied by baby onions, still-crisp peas and carrots and the occasional mushroom. The sauce was velvety and delicious – I was so disappointed I had no way to eat more or take it for later!
Ross ordered the porcini-crusted ribeye, with garlic mashed potatoes and veggies. His steak was just the right temperature, pan-seared and cooked perfectly to medium rare and had just enough of a spice to make any additional salt or pepper unnecessary. The potatoes were smooth and creamy, with a hint of garlic and the veggies were crispy and fresh.
We finished the dinner with Crème Brulee, which was the smoothest, most yummy rendition of this we’d ever had. The sugar top was perfectly caramelized and the custard was velvety and melted in your mouth.
This is seriously one of the better dining experiences we’ve had, both in terms of food quality and service, and it fits just about any budget. Definitely worth taking a side trip next time you’re in the area!
Cost - $95 with coupon, including gratuity
Rating – 4 ½ forks
Day 10 (Friday):
This day was filled with gambling, wandering around and trying to decide what else we have time to do before we go home! We gambled at the VP bar at the Four Queens before dinner and I had 4 Deuces on a DW game for $250 which was nice on our last night!
Ross and I ate at the Fremont buffet on Friday 12/23, for the seafood buffet. It was pretty pricey at $18 per person, plus tax/tip but we charged it to our room and the nice casino host later removed it. She said in the future, just ask a host or a pit boss to check our play (even slots/VP) and give us a comp if earned. Good to know. Anyway, this buffet was awful – worse than I remember. Ross saw a lady pick up some items with her hands, put it on her plate, then put it back….OMG thank goodness he waited until we were done eating to tell me that! I don’t eat seafood, so I had a small salad, a turkey sandwich I made myself (take that you turkey-keeping lanai people), a slice of turkey and a small helping of completely bland and tasteless mashed potatoes and lasagna. Dessert was horrible – limited selection and everything was dried out and gross. Drink refills were ridiculously slow in coming and our waitress never spoke to us, just plopped stuff on the table and moved away. NEVER again, I say, NEVER!
Cost $36 for 2 plus tax/tip (removed by host prior to check out)
Rating – 0 forks – don’t bother!
Day 11 (Saturday): Departure Day – squish in the stuff you forgot to do, right?
Today, we had a late checkout of 1pm, so we checked our bags with the bell desk and walked down to the Plaza, for lunch at the Hash House A Go-Go. Heard much about this over the years and we were glad to finally get the chance to try it.
Décor is interesting, and they bill themselves as ‘farm food with a twist’ or something like that. That translates into ‘everything we serve is so freaking big you won’t ever finish it, so just get over it’.
I ordered the BBBLT with a salad and could only eat the side salad and took the entire monstrosity of a sandwich on the plane ride home. Ross got the cheddar, avocado, and hardwood bacon-stuffed burger, with fries. HUGE and delish and he didn’t finish it all. Both sandwiches came with a huge steak knife stuck in the middle, guess to keep everything in place during transit. Overall, I’d go back – would like to try their breakfast next time.
Cost - $30 for both, including gratuity
Rating – 3 ½ forks
Got to the airport in plenty of time, swiped our card at the kiosk and WIN – scored first class seats for the return. Flying on Christmas Eve is weird – our male flight attendant made it known that he had 20 years seniority and was none too happy about having to work both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. I felt bad for him, but hey, we both work on Christmas overnight, so I guess it just is what it is.
Overall, good trip – maybe a little longer than most people would choose; however, with our two different groups of friends coming and going at staggered times, it didn’t feel like it got stale at all.
