Poll : 29 August - 11 September 2018

Analysis

Well, we were expecting Ellis Island to come out on top, but not by this much of a margin. Like its filet-cut sirloin, an LVA Top Ten staple for decades, the EI king-cut prime rib ($16.99) that comes with soup or salad, garlic green beans, and creamy mashed potatoes is best in class and fully 15% of the almost 1,000 voters agree.

The downtown casinos have long been known for their prime rib, as evidenced by the six of them in the top 10. The Four Queens in particular is a favorite PR stop in both the coffee shop and Hugo's Cellar. And Tony Roma's at the Fremont has a really good old-school prime rib special from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at $8.99.

Interesting coincidence that Primarily Prime Rib at South Point and the Prime Rib Loft at Orleans wound up in a dead heat; both were conceived by Michael Gaughan and Boyd wisely left the Loft alone when they took over the Orleans.

We were a little surprised that the three PR specials at Jerry's Nugget coffee shop didn't place a little higher. They've been a mainstay of the prime rib scene for decades. The meat is rubbed in Jerry's "secret marinade" and slow-roasted at 200 degrees for 10 hours, then served with soup or salad and white rice, corn on the cob, or choice of potato. And the three options are at bargain prices: $14.89 for the 8- to 10-ounce cut, $27.89 for 28-30 ounces, and $54.89 for the infamous 50-ounce Fred Flintstone slab that took first place for value in our prime rib survey lo these many years.

Beyond that, another 16 prime-rib-serving restaurants got a handful of votes each, showing that one of the classic Las Vegas loss-leader meal deals is alive and well and as popular as ever.