Yes, it's true and it's by far the greatest buffet non-comp "line pass" in Las Vegas.
You don't have to say a word to anyone. Just walk past the line, the cashiers, and the hostesses and check to see if there are enough seats for you and your party at the bar counter. If there are, sit yourself down and wait for the bartender to acknowledge you; he or she'll ask if you want something to drink. Alcohol is extra, of course, but soft drinks come with dinner. Once you're set up, it's off to the face-stuffing races.
You pay when you're done with the meal; the bartender brings you the bill and you settle up with him or her.
If there aren't enough seats at the time, talk to the bartender, who can tell you how long a wait you'll have. It's often way shorter than the wait outside. In fact, the bartenders, on ocassion, leave their post to wade into the crowd outside and grab people out of the line, in order to fill up the 12 seats at the bar. Only people in the know are aware of this counter play. And now you're in the know.
An LVA staffer took a date to the Bellagio buffet last December 30, the night before New Year’s Eve, at 6:30 p.m. He knew it was prime time on one of the busiest nights of the year and ordinarily, he would've shown up 90 minutes earlier, but they had extenuating circumstances for eating there just then. The line was 150 deep and he was praying for two seats at the bar.
He walked his hungry date to the end of the line, watching her face get longer and longer as they passed more and more people and got farther and farther from the food. He told her to stay put for the moment and took her coat. When he got to the bar, not only were two seats, but four were available and two other patrons were paying their bill. He claimed two of the vacant seats with their coats, signaled the bartender who gave him a thumbs-up, and went back for his date.
Instead of a 90-minute wait, they were eating within 90 seconds and boy, did she think he was a savvy Vegas stud. So did the bartender, who asked how he knew about the play. "It's my business to know these things," he said.
On the way out, the staffer and his date saw people still in line who were there on their way in.
The Mirage's Cravings Buffet also has a bar-seating option, which we haven't investigated. If anyone knows of any similar situations at other buffets, please inform us.
