Category: Dining

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Toca Madera — Dinner at Happy-Hour Prices

Toca Madera — Dinner at Happy-Hour Prices


Inspired by our experience at La Popular at the Palms, we checked out the happy hour at Toca Madera (literally “Touch Wood,” the Spanish way of saying “knock on wood”) at the Shops at Crystals. The original Toca opened in West Hollywood in 2015 and quickly made a name for itself for dishing up food from the “highest quality, sustainable, and organic ingredients.” A second location opened in Scottsdale; this one in Vegas dates back to late last year.

It’s a little hard to find, one of the reasons that the previous restaurant in this space, Eva Longoria’s Beso (renamed SHe by Morton’s), lasted less than two years. It’s located “at” the Shops at Crystals, but you have to exit through the back door on the way to Aria; from Aria, you also have to go out a side door. Then the sign is unobtrusive and the unmarked front door gives you pause. But once you’ve found your way inside, it’s a whole other world.

The interior is as classy and understated as the food is top-notch. The regular menu prices range from $18 for guacamole and $28 for ceviche to $48 for a truffle burger and $325 for a 40-ounce tomahawk with bone marrow. That’s why happy hours are the best way, hands down, to try these ultra-exclusive Strip restaurants.

The HH menu is much more manageable. Guacamole is $10, three short rib tostaditas $12, Caesar salad and sea bass tacos $14 each, and ceviche $18. Mexican bottled beer is $5, house wine $8, and margaritas $13. We weren’t drinking, so we had a pineapple juice for $5.

The quality of food was noticeable as soon as we dipped a chip into the salsa, just diced tomatoes and cilantro, but impeccable.

The sea bass tacos were so good, we almost couldn’t believe what we were tasting. And the short rib tostaditas were so plentiful and rich, we couldn’t finish them. The bill, with tax before tip, came to $33, not a bargain, but not bad either for what turned out to be dinner at the highest-end Mexican steakhouse in town.

The Toca Madera happy hour is Mon.-Fri. 4-6 p.m. It was wide open when we got there at 5, but pretty crowded by the time we left around six, with people filling up the bar stools and tables. And that was on a Tuesday evening. We’d bet that this place will make it in one of Vegas’ least accessible Strip locations.

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Yacht Club — Something about it

Yacht Club — Something about it


We’ve always liked Treasure Island.

Back in January 2018 after spending a weekend there, we wrote, “Though it’s often overlooked and under-reviewed, the TI is a fine place to stay and play and relatively inexpensive for a Steve Wynn-built hotel-casino right in the heart of the action.”

It’s still true, especially considering that parking is, and always has been, free. So when we heard that a new seafood restaurant opened there, we looked into it. And something about it — not exactly sure what; call it the vibe, maybe — intrigued us, so we gave it a try.

We’re glad we did.

Called the Yacht Club, it occupies the space that used to be the Seafood Shack. When we got there, we still couldn’t figure out what we saw in the place. It’s easy to find, right off the parking garage escalator and past the sports book on the way to the food court, but the entrance is marked by a couple of oversized bathtub-toy-type boats.

Inside, there’s not much atmosphere; trophy fish on the wall are about it.

The prices are reasonable, not notably expensive like most Strip seafood eateries, but not a bargain either. Appetizers start at $20 for crispy calamari and the mussels and go up to $25-$26 for crab cakes, tuna poke, Littleneck clams, and ceviche. Pastas run from $30 for linguine and clams to $41 for lobster mac ’n’ cheese. Chilled oysters, shrimp, crab, scallops, and lobster are market price; the seafood tower is $80/small, $130/large. Pan roasts are $53, the clam bake for two $95, fish and chips $27, salmon and snapper $45, chicken $29, and steaks $55. Catches of the day, specialty entrees (cioppino, seafood risotto, shrimp and grits), burgers, and sandwiches round out the menu. Sides, such as carrots, broccolini, fries, and potatoes, are $13.

When the food started coming, we finally realized why we were there. We tried an oyster shooter, Littleneck clams, cioppino, grilled trout, and broccolini and everything was excellent. The clams were plentiful and fresh.

The trout was moist and grilled perfectly and the cioppino chock full of big chunks of fish with a broth among the best we’ve ever tasted. We got happier with each bite.

The bill came to $??? and we didn’t feel gouged.

Best of all, we got in the car and drove away — no ticket, no gate, no credit-card charge. The free and easy feeling of that on the Strip cannot be overstated.

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Luxor’s More Buffet—Good Spread, Too Bad Otherwise

Luxor Buffet—Good Spread, Too Bad Otherwise 5


When we eyeballed the Luxor and Excalibur brunch buffets a few months ago, both looked good enough to try, but Luxor’s was less crowded on a Saturday morning, is in a nicer room, and seemed to have a bit larger selection. So we determined to return and try it.

On a Wednesday at 1 p.m. the week before F1, we walked right in; not one person was in front of us. The cashier said there was a line from opening until around 12:30. Breakfast is served from start to finish (8 a.m. to 3 p.m.), but she said that it seemed to her that the crowds treat it as more of a breakfast buffet, so to avoid them, it’s better to get there around lunch time.

It offers plenty of breakfast fare: fruit and melons, French toast, waffles, pancakes, apple crepes, cheese blintzes, biscuits/potatoes and gravy, scrambled eggs, hash browns, bacon and sausage, oatmeal and grits, bread and bagel station with a toaster, donut bar, and an excellent omelet station.

The lunch menu includes a Chinese station with egg foo young, orange chicken, chicken and green beans, egg rolls, steamed and fried rice; Mexican nachos, rice and beans, paella, albondigas, chorizo and scrambled eggs, peppers and onions; five kinds of pizzas; mussels, shrimp, and crayfish; roast beef, turkey, ham, and sausage at the carvery.

Luxor Buffet—Good Spread, Too Bad Otherwise 2
Luxor Buffet—Good Spread, Too Bad Otherwise 3

For dessert, it’s pastries, croissants, cakes, muffins, torts, brownies, cream puffs, and soft-serve for dessert.

Luxor Buffet—Good Spread, Too Bad Otherwise 1
Luxor Buffet—Good Spread, Too Bad Otherwise

All in all, both the variety and quality are recommendable.

For the weekday brunch (Wed.-Thurs., closed Mon.-Tues.), it’s $30.99 before tax and tip. But — and it’s a big but: You have to add in $15 for parking, $20 on the weekend when the brunch is $33.99.

You could, conceivably, get in and out in an hour to avoid the parking fee, since the buffet is located close to the casino entrance from the parking lots. We kept an eye on the clock, but we were going back for thirds and hadn’t hit the dessert station when our hour was up. Besides, hurrying defeats the whole purpose of a buffet. Still, unless you’re walking in, you’ll be paying a mere $1 less for this buffet and parking than you would for the superlative seafood spread at South Point ($45.95 with a club card and free parking). Sorry, but for us, that simply doesn’t compute.

Bottom line: For a good-enough brunch buffet, we’d go to Westgate (LVA 4/23). Parking is free and Westgate also gives us a coupon.

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Rosati’s Pizza

Rosati’s Pub

For several years, we’ve had an MRB offer for $25 off at Rosati’s Pizza. It’s an excellent deal, but not one we sought out. Rather, it was brought to us by Rosati’s owner, a long-time LVA member. Though grateful, over all this time, we never went out to try the place, for two reasons. First is the location—Rosati’s Pizza Centennial Hills is located at 8001 N. Durango Drive, which is quite a ways from the Strip. Second is we keep hearing good reports from those who’ve tried it, so we didn’t feel the need to check it out. This month we did.

Rosati’s is another good pizza joint with Chicago roots. The pizzas are round, but the slices are cut in squares. There’s a choice of crusts—crispy thin, double dough, and Chicago-style—but what really stands out are the toppings, with a big selection of meats (pepperoni, sausage, Italian beef, Canadian bacon, meatballs) and fresh veggies. Large specialty pies come in at about $30.

We can easily recommend this pizza, but we were even more impressed with some of the other items we sampled, including excellent hot wings ($10.95/6), breaded mushrooms ($9.95), and a meatball parmigiana sandwich ($13.55) that’s one of the best we’ve had in town. There are lots of seats and an outdoor patio. The kitchen is open10 am to midnight. This is a terrific play with the MRB deal.

There are nearly 200 Rosati’s restaurants in the U.S., but as you’d expect, the Las Vegas version figures to be a bit different. Along with being a good place to eat, Rosati’s Pizza Centennial is also a 24-hour bar. And a good one. The TVs are all tuned to sports and there are specials on food and drinks during football and Vegas Golden Knights games (try a Petrifier if you dare). UFC PPV events are shown for free (call for a reservation).

Join the players club and get a play-$20-get-$10 sign-up bonus. The best game is 6/5 Bonus Poker (96.87%), but when we were there, every quad got a wheel spin. That’s something we haven’t seen before; it raises the return percentage above 98%. 

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Peter Luger Steakhouse (Caesars Palace)

Peter Luger Steakhouse (Caesars Palace)

We’ve been waiting for this one. Anthony Curtis has eaten at the original 136-year-old Luger Brooklyn several times and rates it as one of his favorite steakhouses. Naturally, he’s been waiting breathlessly for the Las Vegas version to arrive at Caesars Palace. There was a long delay following the original announcement, but Peter Luger Las Vegas has arrived, opening its doors in late October.

Two components make Luger Brooklyn such a treat: the food, of course, but also the ambience. The Brooklyn restaurant has been operating since 1887. It’s a red-brick standalone building located at the base of the Williamsburg Bridge in an old neighborhood with a whole lot of, let’s call it, “grit.” Inside are separate dining areas upstairs and down and wooden bars and tables. It’s simple, but people are dressed up and the vibe is something special. Sorry, but there’s just no way Caesars Palace could have replicated that. Give them credit for trying, though. The former Rao’s space has wood floors and a cool center bar. It’s not Brooklyn, but it’s not really Vegas, either. It feels good.

As for the food, it’s right on the mark. Similar to New York, the menu is minimal—steaks and some famous appetizers and sides. You can also order lamb chops, fish, shellfish towers, and a few other for-Vegas additions, but you go to Luger for steaks. Big porterhouses, to be specific. They’re dry-aged, brined, and cooked in garlic butter, then served cut in Luger’s distinctive style to dole out in portions. Fantastic!

Most famous of the sides is the salad, which comprises simply beefsteak tomatoes and slices of sweet raw onion with Luger steak sauce on the side that you drizzle on top. It’s a must. Luger is also known for its German potatoes and the plate of thick-cut bacon slices. There’s a good bread basket to start things off, the service is top notch — a delicious experience. It’s also expensive.

First, a comparison with prices in NY show about a 5%-9% mark-up at Caesars. “Single steak,” as it reads on the menu, is $71.95, but most order in multiples: steak for two is $148.95, steak for three $215.95, and steak for four $285.95. The tomatoes & onions side is $17.95. The bacon (three slices) is $24.95 and German potatoes are $14.95. Our bill for three was $582, but we did it up with drinks, including a bottle of wine. Realistically, you’re looking at about $120 to $150 per person before tip, depending on the drinks. Or are you? It was just a single sampling, but our steak for three was almost twice as much as we could eat. Unless you want the take-out, basic strategy appears to be to order one down—e.g., three in a party orders steak for two for a $67 saving. Or maybe a party of two orders a single steak and you’re out easily for under a buck-fifty total.

Luger Lunch

Another cost-saving strategy is to go for lunch and its two less-expensive options: the Luger burger for $25 and a steak sandwich for $30. We went back, tried them both, and were less impressed. The burger is just that, a burger on a bun with a slice of onion. No lettuce. No tomato. Heck, not even mustard, ketchup, or salt and pepper (we had to ask). Good burger, mind you, but we wouldn’t call it $25 good. The steak sandwich, however, was a disappointment all around. The bill for both specials, one slice of bacon ($8.95) and the tomato-onion side came to $90 (with tax, before tip). Whoa. If you go for lunch, you can order all the dinner fare discussed above; we don’t recommend it for the specials.

Luger Math

Don’t try to beat ’em on a portion premium. Usually, buying more of an item lowers the per-unit cost, but that doesn’t apply here. Following is the per-person breakdown for the steak options.

  • Single steak $71.95
  • Steak for two $74.48 per person
  • Steak for three $71.98 per person
  • Steak for four $71.48 per person

You do better with a single steak than with two of the three multiple-person options, though maybe the presentation isn’t as cool.

Finally, unlike at the original Luger in Brooklyn, which is all cash, this one takes credit cards.

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South Point Seafood Buffet

South Point Seafood Buffet 7

The Friday night seafood buffet at South Point is so popular, the first time we tried to get in, the line was two and a half hours long. That got our attention. We also know an LVA member who goes to this buffet every week. Yes, every single week. Could it be that good? How good could it be? Recently, the opening time was bumped up from 4 p.m. to 3 and we heard that the wait time was cut in half. So we determined to find out for ourselves.

Now we know. But first, about the line.

When we arrived at 3 p.m. on the nose, the line was back to the escalators. It moves forward around 50 feet to the front of the buffet and another maybe 20 feet beyond it, then wraps around and comes back the same 20 to the cash registers. We expected the line to move quickly when the buffet opened, but it didn’t; at least it wasn’t around the corner and all the way back to the race book (another hour at least) like it was the last time we checked. From the escalators, it took 20 minutes to get to the front of the buffet (under the sign), then another 30 to make the turn and get to the head of the line.

At a bit before 4 after a 55-minute wait, there were plenty of available tables when we got in.

Meanwhile, the back of the line had moved up a lot. At 4 p.m., the wait looked to be perhaps a half-hour (and we’ve heard from others that’s usually the case). The bottleneck at the 3 p.m. opening is over and tables are still available. We kept an eye on the line and around 4:10, the end was well on the near side of the cashier, maybe 20 minutes long.

Anyway, once seated, plated, and reseated, it was exactly an hour from end of the line to food, glorious food.

And the verdict on how good it is: OMG! What a buffet!

There’s no lobster and that was just fine with us; with the immensity of the seafood selection, we didn’t miss it at all. Check out this line-up of ocean delicacies: steamed cracked crab legs, cold Dungeness crab claws, cold cracked snow crab legs, three kinds of salmon, oysters Rockefeller, clams, peel-and-eat and fried shrimp and shrimp ceviche, cioppino, swai, tilapia, fried cod, black-bean calamari, and more, plus live-action stations of shrimp tacos and build-your-own pasta with red and white clam sauces, and Manhattan clam chowder, which we can’t remember ever seeing at a buffet.

A line inside is always 10 deep for the big crab legs and if you want to see gluttony, even for a buffet, watch as people empty entire steam-table trays of crab on as many plates as they can balance. Meanwhile, the Dungeness crab claws are there for the taking, no waiting, and are as good as we could’ve wanted.

But it’s not just the voracious crowds and variety of seafood that astounded us. Check out the rest of the choices: fruit and melons; Caesars, potato, BLT, caprese, jicama, chicken, and spinach salads and four soups; beef broccoli, pad Thai, barbecue pork, sweet and sour, Chinese vegetables, egg rolls, fried and steamed rice, etc. at the Asian station; pizza, calzones, sausage and peppers, chicken parmesan, and the pasta station for Italian; the usual Mexican; house-smoked garlic salmon, maple-glazed salmon, ribs, rotisserie chicken, and prime rib at the carvery; even a Mongolian grill with beef, chicken, and shrimp and all the toppings!

After so much variety and so many good things to try, we were loaded down and had room only for one return trip for seconds, when we usually go back three or four times. All we had any room for again were the smoked salmon (excellent with horseradish sauce) and the crab claws.

For dessert, an action station serves warm apple strudel, along with a half-dozen pies, cakes and cheesecakes, brownies, eclairs, crème puffs, cookies, soft serve with toppings, the perfect choices to top off the pigfest.  

Oh, and did we mention you get two tickets? One ticket equals one drink (beer or wine) from the bar.

All that for $45.95 (plus tax and tip) with a club card, an insane value (especially considering that the marginal MGM Grand brunch buffet is only $9 less expensive).

On our way out at 5, the end of the line was all the way back to the escalators. By then, the buffet was completely full, people weren’t leaving, and when they did, it took some to clean the tables, so the wait was back to at least an hour.

We say the play is to come right at 4 p.m. and hope for the best. But however long you have to wait, this buffet is all that and more.

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The Trip to Zippy’s

The Trip to Zippy’s


It’s no coincidence or accident that Zippy’s, the beloved 57-year-old restaurant chain with 22 locations on Oahu, Maui, and the Big Island, opened its first restaurant outside of Hawaii in Las Vegas, which is often called the “ninth island” for its popularity with island visitors and transplants. When it opened on October 10 at 10:10 a.m. (a long five years after the initial announcement) on Rainbow Blvd. just south of the Beltway, the pent-upness was so strong that management had to issue a set of rules for impatient patrons. We waited a month for the hoopla to die down to see what all the excitement is about; a few parking spaces were available in the main lot, indicating that things have quieted down since opening.

We can certainly see why islander tourists and transplants flock to Zippy’s — the aloha vibe, Hawaiian comfort food, and familiarity with the brand, named after the zip code, which had been recently introduced when the chain was launched in 1966. The 24/7 restaurant is known for its Hawaiian chili (the signature dish), fried chicken, oxtail soup, saimin, loco moco (white rice topped with hamburger, fried egg, and brown gravy), mahi sandwiches, and Zip Pac bentos (boxed lunch).

Frankly, we weren’t expecting much. We like the food in Hawaii, for its melting pot of Polynesian, Asian, and European origins and its focus on fresh local ingredients such as coconut, pineapple, seafood, and slow-cooked whole pig (kalua). But it doesn’t seem to transfer beyond the islands. And it didn’t at Zippy’s, at least for us.

We were disappointed to start by the unavailability of the loco moco and mahi sandwiches. We tried the signature chili, basically chili without any signature that we could find and the large bowl ($9) was more white rice than spicy beans. The $14.75 bento was, again, a lot of rice; the fried chicken was crispy and moist and the teriyaki beef was decent, but we’re not big fans of Spam and the hoki (breaded fish) was tasteless.

Zippy’s is also known for its “napples,” apple turnovers (the “n” is for the Zippy-brand Napoleon bakery, $3.99), and malasadas, plain round donuts rolled in sugar ($1.40). They were the perfect bland desserts for the nothing-special lunches.

Granted, Zippy’s says the menu has been purposely limited in order to iron out the kinks of the first location on the mainland, so we’ll watch to see if and when it changes for the better. Also, we can’t argue with the food-delivery system. A greeter outside the front door directs you to the correct line (right to eat in, left to take out; there’s also an eight-seat counter for quick dine-in). Both options are very fast and efficient.

For take-out, you order and pay at the cashier, then repair to the waiting area where a readerboard tracks the progress of your order. When it’s ready, the server checks your ID (good idea) and hands you your bag o’ food.


Our bill for the bento, chili, and baked goods came to $30.23, including tax. Definitely reasonable for the amount of food and another explanation why Zippy’s is so popular.

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The Sundry — Latest Overpriced Food Hall

The Sundry — Latest Overpriced Food Hall 4

The Sundry is the brand new food hall at the unfinished Uncommons, Las Vegas’ latest lifestyle center located just off the 215 Beltway and directly across Durango Road from the Durango, Station’s hotel-casino in the southwest valley.

Like Famous Foods Street Eats at Resorts World and Proper Eats at Aria, your first time here presents something of a challenge. When you walk in the front door, the big signboard directs you to the hostess, who seats you.

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Buffet Update – November 2023

Buffet Update – November 2023

Bellagio – The Buffet at Bellagio: The price for Friday Dinner went up $10. Making it the same price as Saturday Crab Leg Dinner at $79.99.

South Point – Garden Buffet: All buffet prices went up by $1. Breakfast is now $17.95, Lunch is now $20.95, Prime Rib & Champagne Brunch is now $29.95, and Prime Rib Dinner is now $29.95. The Seafood Dinner ft. Prime Rib Buffet stayed the same at $49.95 regular price, but the club members pay one dollar more than before at $45.95 now. The hours for the Seafood Dinner also changed, it is now one hour earlier at 3 p.m. to 9 p.m.