Analysis
We ran this poll to complement an ongoing survey that Anthony Curtis is conducting currently in the monthly LVA newsletter. Your voting feedback is interesting, and we'll list some additional comments below, but first we'll quote what Anthony wrote in the March LVA, where he takes issue with some of the results:
In our ongoing testing of Las Vegas’ lowest-priced breakfast buffets (all under $10), this month we tried Silver Sevens, Orleans, Main Street Station, Red Rock, and South Point, and came away with a couple of gems. It was also the subject of one of our bi-monthly online reader polls.
With more than 2,000 votes cast in the poll, the easy winner was Main Street Station, garnering 17% of the tally. The Orleans was second with 10%, followed by Gold Coast with 9%, and South Point, Red Rock, and GVR with 6% each.
We appreciate the power of collective public opinion, but this isn’t a result with which we can concur. Main Street is the only buffet we’ve tried so far where you can create a Hawaiian breakfast with poached eggs from the omelet station, Portuguese sausage, and rice, but there’s no way that it’s the best in town. Likewise, we put Orleans in the middle of the pack, with the standouts there being sausage & egg breakfast sandwiches and potato pancakes, but there’s not much else of note. Where we do find common ground with the poll results is in the others near the top, especially Red Rock and South Point.
Red Rock is tough to beat for just $6.99 after players card discount. There’re several different egg dishes and meats, including three kinds of hash (corned beef, prime rib, and chicken) and sliced ham and sausage at the carving station, along with the best selection of fresh fruit we’ve encountered so far. The biggest problem with Red Rock lies in a design oversight that you’d probably never consider without experiencing it. The lines for the omelet stations stretch in front of some of the good selections. If you want to get to them, you either have to wait in the line or cut through it, which can be awkward.
Best to date is South Point. This one’s also $6.95 with card discount. It’s big and has lots of selections, including a few unique elements. First, breakfast includes a fairly extensive selection of Chinese food, making it more of a brunch. Second, it has hard-boiled eggs, which none of the others has. Third, and this is what seals it, the buffet comes with Bloody Marys, (Yes, plural!) There’s a service bar near the front where the Marys are mixed and put up for the taking. Do you want two … three … four? All-you-can-drink Bloody Marys makes for a pretty powerful tiebreaker.
So, now that Anthony's gotten that off his chest, here's some of your feedback:
- "I don't eat at any of these particular buffets, but I DO eat breakfast at a buffet at least half of the days that I'm in Vegas. I like the all-day buffet deal at Excaliber/Luxor. If you eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner, then average the cost over all 3 meals, it's one of the best deals on the Strip."
- "I picked 'I don't eat breakfast,' simply because I can't get out of the room in time for the buffets. I have never understood why they can't still have some breakfast options after 10:30 or whenever they switch over to lunch. It's Vegas! Who goes to bed early enough to get up and go to eat so early?"
- "Orleans #1. Gold Coast is a close 2nd and Main St. probably would have been the best, but there is no free shuttle downtown. Hash House A Go Go is not a buffet, but 'split for two,' with extra sides or drinks, it's about $15 apiece -- a great value and a lot of fun!"
- "It's nice to see there are 'less-expensive breakfast buffets' still, but if you stay on the Strip, there is nothing inexpensive anywhere nearby. When we used to go to Las Vegas, eating was very inexpensive and the choices were wonderful. Now every place you eat is at a very high cost, with very little chance for bargains."
- "Years ago, you recommended the Orleans as one of the best breakfast buffets and this started my wife and I going there. You were right! We still eat breakfast there every time we're in Vegas. It's been downsized but is still a great place to eat."
