Whatever Happened to Dinner in the Sky in Las Vegas?

I'm recalling a unique Las Vegas eatery-to-be (10-20 years ago?), "Dinner in the Sky." It may not have ever come to fruition or suffered a quick demise. The concept was similar to the tethered hot-air balloon ride, which did suffer an early demise when a storm (or something) destroyed it. Diners (capacity 8-12?) would board this upscale eatery from the ground. The whole place would be elevated by some sort of machinery, to give diners a high-up view as they ate and drank (and swayed in the wind?). Tuxedoed servers, linen tablecloths and napkins, gourmet meal, cocktails, etc. I remember seriously considering checking it out. Then, radio silence, no further word. Did I dream this up?

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Nope. You didn’t dream it up.

We remember it as well; as “Table in the Sky, it was featured on the cover of our March 2009 issue. We wrote a blurb on it: "On the cover of this month’s issue, is a photo of the 'table in the sky,' which hosted a Champagne toast by 20 celebrity chefs and Mayor Oscar Goodman 180 feet above the Strip. The chefs — including Paul Bartolotta, Hubert Keller, Michael Mina, Rick Moonen, Francois Payard, Carla Pellegrino, Kerry Simon, and Alex Stratta — were toasting an event sponsored by Bon Appétit called 'Vegas Uncork’d.'"

Next, a quick google found two Yelp reviews from August 2009 from people who experienced it when it was at a location on West Sahara Avenue right across from Palace Station.

Apparently, it didn’t last long, because the next we remember — and reported in the March 2013 issue — it was announced that it would reopen in May 2013 in a new location across Interstate 15 from the back of the Monte Carlo (now Park MGM). It was going to hoist groups of diners seated around two tables with 22 diners each, strapped to their chairs by six-point harnesses for safety, 180 feet into the air. There, they’d be served three-course meals plus dessert from a rotating cast of chefs, while taking in panoramic views of the valley, spending about an hour on the platform. Construction began on the T-shaped tower and the cost was announced at $290 per person.

Neither Anthony Curtis nor Deke Castleman remember that the second incarnation ever came to fruition.

But it is happening elsewhere. We went to the Dinner in the Sky website, which claims to be operating in 40 countries, though since Las Vegas remains on the list, we have to question how up-to-date the total is.

If anyone knows anything more about Dinner in the Sky, for example having experienced it somewhere in the world, we’d love to hear about it.

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O2bnVegas Jun-26-2019

memories

Might one of the celebrity chefs remember it, know what happened?

Or someone from the office of the Mayor, since Mr. Goodman was there?

Martyn Jun-26-2019

mvander

I dined in the sky once, at the Sahara location.  The crane was located in the back of a plaza.  You checked in at the office and then at the appointed hour you were led to the "dining table" under the crane.  The table was a rectangular contraption with a cut out in the middle. Customers sat on the outside of the table, strapped in roller-coaster style.  The wait staff walked in the middle.  All of the food was loaded into storage containers before the table was hoisted into the air.  The meal was similar to a wedding or banquet, you ordered your meal (chicken or beef, I think) in advance.  The food was good, but nothing special.  The whole event was a fun diversion for a group, but not a "must do".  I would try it again, if the opportunity arose, but in Las Vegas there are so many different choices for tourists.  I suspect the dinner in the sky would do better in other location   And one very important piece of information was to use the washroom before getting hoisted into the sky!

O2bnVegas Jun-26-2019

Thanks

Thank you, Martyn, for the first hand experience.  Were cocktails included in the price?

Question of the Day - 26 June 2019

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