Las Vegas go hard or go home thread

[MidTexHorn 822]

Can’t go wrong with Encore. Go to Absinthe if you want a show - funny raunchy version of a Cirque show. Best show in Vegas IMO. Too many good restaurants to mention at the Wynn complex or across street at Venetian/Palazzo. We’re trying Beauty and Essex at Cosmo on our upcoming trip. Get brunch at Bouchon for sure - it’s a must for us every trip. 

[bigup2dahorns 3,343]

[bigup2dahorns 3,343]

Planning a trip for late September/early October and was thinking one of the suites at Encore but haven't been in awhile (thanks Covid).  If you want to go medium baller style (not quite Chitown ville) where would you stay, what would you do?  What are the good shows to go to, restaurants, etc? Gambling is important but mainly only play craps and blackjack.  Spa for the wife is important.  Cabana at pool is important but we are 44 so don't need the debauchery at the super party pools. Appreciate any recommendations.

Check out Aria Sky Suites and Cosmopolitan suites with balcony Strip views. Wynn/Encore always nice for sure.

I like O at Bellagio for shows. Classic if you haven’t seen it.

Gonna need more specific questions on food recs, too many to just name random places.

[bigup2dahorns 3,343]

July 3rd

[Atxracer 797]

21 hours ago, MidTexHorn said:

Can’t go wrong with Encore. Go to Absinthe if you want a show - funny raunchy version of a Cirque show. Best show in Vegas IMO. Too many good restaurants to mention at the Wynn complex or across street at Venetian/Palazzo. We’re trying Beauty and Essex at Cosmo on our upcoming trip. Get brunch at Bouchon for sure - it’s a must for us every trip. 

Thanks. Will book Absinthe and Bouchon for sure.  Will try to narrow down meal types. 
 

15 hours ago, bigup2dahorns said:

Check out Aria Sky Suites and Cosmopolitan suites with balcony Strip views. Wynn/Encore always nice for sure.

I like O at Bellagio for shows. Classic if you haven’t seen it.

Gonna need more specific questions on food recs, too many to just name random places.

Checked out Aria and didn’t really fall in love with anything.  The Cosmo wraparound and bungalow look pretty cool so will add those to the list. Never been to O before either so will book that too.  Does Cosmo have Cabanas you can book for the day? Also, is the scene there more young and party balls or older and party balls like older people?

ideal situation would be upscale, not young party obnoxious crowd, good spa, pool with cabanas, room with a balcony or pool/hot tub and if it overlooks the fountains that would be a plus. 

[bigup2dahorns 3,343]

Checked out Aria and didn’t really fall in love with anything.  The Cosmo wraparound and bungalow look pretty cool so will add those to the list. Never been to O before either so will book that too.  Does Cosmo have Cabanas you can book for the day? Also, is the scene there more young and party balls or older and party balls like older people?
ideal situation would be upscale, not young party obnoxious crowd, good spa, pool with cabanas, room with a balcony or pool/hot tub and if it overlooks the fountains that would be a plus. 

Yes Cosmo pools have cabana rentals. That could be a winner. The party crowd usually goes to the daytime pool party, whichever pool is running that with a DJ and you can just do one of the other pools. It’s not overly young crowd from when I’ve been. At night, the Cosmo casino floor is definitely the younger party balls crowd.

It’s also possible your ideal place to stay is Bellagio with a room/suite facing front of the property/fountains. It’s upscale, they have a really nice pool setup and much calmer crowd and good location for restaurants nearby. Also think the spa at Bellagio is considered one of the better ones.

[Atxracer 797]

I’m going to dig into the Bellagio a little more. It used to be my favorite but was concerned it is getting dated.  

[bigup2dahorns 3,343]

I’m going to dig into the Bellagio a little more. It used to be my favorite but was concerned it is getting dated.  

You are correct, it absolutely was getting dated. They just did a refresh on some rooms and part of the casino floor too I think.

[Angry Gorilla 1,768]

Checked out Aria and didn’t really fall in love with anything.  The Cosmo wraparound and bungalow look pretty cool so will add those to the list. Never been to O before either so will book that too.  Does Cosmo have Cabanas you can book for the day? Also, is the scene there more young and party balls or older and party balls like older people?
ideal situation would be upscale, not young party obnoxious crowd, good spa, pool with cabanas, room with a balcony or pool/hot tub and if it overlooks the fountains that would be a plus. 

Check out the Lanai Suites at Cosmo. They are nice 2 story suites that have a small porch with a private hot tub. It also open late to the non pool party pool. You can rent cabanas there and it’s a little more laid back. The spa is also on the same floor in the hotel.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Angry Gorilla 1,768]

[Atxracer 797]

I checked that one out and the wraparound but wife wasn’t into the Cosmo. There is a lanai at the mirage that she liked but don’t see how to book that.  I am going to turn this and the show bookings over to AMEX now and let them earn their money. But, looks like it’s between the Bellagio or Encore unless AMEX comes up with some trick.  Will definitely do the two shows you guys recommended.  

[Angry Gorilla 1,768]

Encore>Bellagio IMO

[Angry Gorilla 1,768]

I’m going out July 10th weekend for the McGregor fight, staying in a bungalow in Cosmo. 

[Atxracer 797]

14 minutes ago, Angry Gorilla said:

Encore>Bellagio IMO

I agree and that’s probably what we will do baring any Amex tricks.  I love the Bellagio since that’s the place I started the first time I went to Vegas and learned how to gamble.  But, it still looks pretty outdated. 

 

16 minutes ago, Angry Gorilla said:

I’m going out July 10th weekend for the McGregor fight, staying in a bungalow in Cosmo. 

That sounds awesome. Would love to watch that cocky little fuck fight. 

[Tex48 840]

What's yalls take on Trump's Property?  The price point seems great but its a bit far from everything and there's no casino but Wynn and Treasure Island are a block away.

[bigup2dahorns 3,343]

What's yalls take on Trump's Property?  The price point seems great but its a bit far from everything and there's no casino but Wynn and Treasure Island are a block away.

Interesting question. I’ve never been inside the property but maybe only 10 min walk to Wynn/Encore.

[Lurch 5,931]

Fuck no. /take

[Francisco 2.0 32,395]

1 hour ago, Tex48 said:

What's yalls take on Trump's Property?  The price point seems great but its a bit far from everything and there's no casino but Wynn and Treasure Island are a block away.

It's a hotel.  Without a casino.  In Vegas.  Adjacent to the Strip.

If that's your thing, by all means.  But I think it would be tiring as fuck having to Uber/Cab to do anything (show, gamble, shop) plus it has 2 restaurants---total.  

Honestly, as far as Vegas strip properties go, it's pretty barren.  

[Gil Bang 25,961]

Just spent a night (just passing thru) at the Virgin.  I liked it a lot, and look forward to going back. 

[SizzleChest 8,284]

34 minutes ago, Gil Bang said:

Just spent a night (just passing thru) at the Virgin.  I liked it a lot, and look forward to going back. 

[RPM 26,322]

17 hours ago, Tex48 said:

What's yalls take on Trump's Property?  The price point seems great but its a bit far from everything and there's no casino but Wynn and Treasure Island are a block away.

[closetojumping 62,740]

18 hours ago, Tex48 said:

What's yalls take on Trump's Property?  The price point seems great but its a bit far from everything and there's no casino but Wynn and Treasure Island are a block away.

Neverminding some of the whiny answers that are inevitable because ... Trump, I can tell you that I stayed there once in 2015 during the summer. I’d “won” a 3 night stay at a silent auction and, outside of generally thinking Trump was a douche at the time, it sounded fun. I took my daughter and one of her girlfriends for their 21st birthday and we had a big ass suite. 

The poster above who said it is kind of pointless on the Strip had it straight. The suite was pretty fucking nice, but I prefer Aria’s. They have maybe the fastest elevator on the Strip, which has no point but it was ridiculous to the point that my brother and I were making fun of it as sort of “of course Trump would be like, ‘we need the fastest elevator in Vegas, I want that’” type absurdity. Also, they had hands down the best breakfast sandwich I have ever eaten. It was so fucking good, I had it on a second day. That’s about it. 

It’s so irrelevant and out of the way, I’ve never been back for the sandwich again. Given where the world has gone since 2015, it seems like it would be even more not worth anyone’s time versus all of the other choices. 

[Landomatic 3,813]

18 hours ago, Tex48 said:

What's yalls take on Trump's Property?  The price point seems great but its a bit far from everything and there's no casino but Wynn and Treasure Island are a block away.

 

16 hours ago, Francisco 2.0 said:

It's a hotel.  Without a casino.  In Vegas.  Adjacent to the Strip.

If that's your thing, by all means.  But I think it would be tiring as fuck having to Uber/Cab to do anything (show, gamble, shop) plus it has 2 restaurants---total.  

Honestly, as far as Vegas strip properties go, it's pretty barren.  

I met a friend at the Waldorf for breakfast one morning when I was staying at the Aria. Right next door so quick easy walk. Pretty much the same experience. No casino, and like 2 total restaurants. Really nice, but damn I almost fell asleep walking through the place it was so barren. And that's a lot more near the middle of the action that Trump's joint, I think. I'd pick somewhere else if it were me.

[TXSooner518 2,438]

Last trip, we walked from Venetian to Planet 13 and walked by Trump. It's so weird being a pretty janky area then there's just this garish giant gold building. I remember back in my Hotwire days it was considered a 5 star, so if you were hunting for Vegas, you had to make sure any 5 star booking had the little CASINO icon to make sure it wasn't Trump.

[bigup2dahorns 3,343]

[Chewbacca 7,780]

3 hours ago, Landomatic said:

 

I met a friend at the Waldorf for breakfast one morning when I was staying at the Aria. Right next door so quick easy walk. Pretty much the same experience. No casino, and like 2 total restaurants. Really nice, but damn I almost fell asleep walking through the place it was so barren. And that's a lot more near the middle of the action that Trump's joint, I think. I'd pick somewhere else if it were me.

Yeah, I stayed at the Waldorf when it was still the Mandarin.  Really nice hotel, but I wouldn't stay there again.  Cool bar up on the ~20th floor, too.

[Francisco 2.0 32,395]

 

 

[bigup2dahorns 3,343]

As previously mentioned here, couple of pics on this feed

[Francisco 2.0 32,395]

16 minutes ago, bigup2dahorns said:

As previously mentioned here, couple of pics on this feed
 

 

Staying in late July for 5 nights.  Maybe we get one of the renovated rooms.

[Lurch 5,931]

I’ve never understood going to Vegas and being excited about the room. If I’m doing anything in there other than scoring, sleeping, shitting, showering, I’m doing Vegas wrong.

[Francisco 2.0 32,395]

2 hours ago, Lurch said:

I’ve never understood going to Vegas and being excited about the room. If I’m doing anything in there other than scoring, sleeping, shitting, showering, I’m doing Vegas wrong.

You raise a valid point; however, it would be nice to get the chance to christen a newly renovated room in Vegas.  Because we all know what kinds of deplorable acts have been performed in most, if not all of them at one time or another.

 

 

[MidTexHorn 822]

9 hours ago, Lurch said:

I’ve never understood going to Vegas and being excited about the room. If I’m doing anything in there other than scoring, sleeping, shitting, showering, I’m doing Vegas wrong.

I don’t know man, I love fancy hotel rooms. In Vegas and everywhere else. 

[bigup2dahorns 3,343]

Circa pool info:

[SydneyCarton 48,108]

13 hours ago, Lurch said:

I’ve never understood going to Vegas and being excited about the room. If I’m doing anything in there other than scoring, sleeping, shitting, showering, I’m doing Vegas wrong.

Yeah, well, get back to me when you're hungover AF and drunk AF at the same time after rolling out of bed and have a room with a shower sauna in it. Because that thing literally has given me a new lease on life more than once. 

[Landomatic 3,813]

13 hours ago, Lurch said:

I’ve never understood going to Vegas and being excited about the room. If I’m doing anything in there other than scoring, sleeping, shitting, showering, I’m doing Vegas wrong.

You seem poor.

4 hours ago, MidTexHorn said:

I don’t know man, I love fancy hotel rooms. In Vegas and everywhere else. 

This ^

I might even love it more in Vegas. Especially for the scoring part. Not to mention room service, breakfast in bed, etc. Cocktails while getting ready to go out. And if it's value you're after, you can get the best rooms for less money in Vegas than probably anywhere else in the world.

No, I think if you don't care about the rooms when in Vegas, you're the one doing Vegas wrong.

11 hours ago, Francisco 2.0 said:

You raise a valid point; however, it would be nice to get the chance to christen a newly renovated room in Vegas.  Because we all know what kinds of deplorable acts have been performed in most, if not all of them at one time or another.

Plus there's that ^

 

[Red Six 131]

15 hours ago, Lurch said:

I’ve never understood going to Vegas and being excited about the room. If I’m doing anything in there other than scoring, sleeping, shitting, showering, I’m doing Vegas wrong.

Scoring is a lot easier in Encore than Excalibur. No one wants window sex in a portal overlooking a construction Dumpster.

[bigup2dahorns 3,343]

[bigup2dahorns 3,343]

The Las Vegas brunch scene gets an LA favorite version this weekend when Catch at Aria starts serving. The Instagram-worthy seafood restaurant brings its LA brunch every Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The restaurant rolls out breakfast fare including cinnamon roll pancakes with brown sugar cinnamon swirl, candied almonds, and cream cheese frosting and a waffle tower created with maple, milk chocolate, and raspberry ice cream, chocolate ganache, raspberry jam, and toasted almonds. On the savory side of breakfast comes steak and eggs and an egg white omelet with turkey bacon, artichoke, arugula, caramelized onions, and goat cheese.

The restaurant even offers a tuna poke bowl and a coconut kale chicken salad, as well as some Catch classic dishes such as A5 Japanese Miyazaki wagyu, prepared table side on a hot stone; mushroom spaghetti with wild mushroom, snow peas, tomato, and Parmesan cheese; and crunchy rice cakes with tuna tartare, wasabi, and tobiko.

Seafood options include truffle sashimi with tuna, hamachi, chili ponzu, caviar, and black truffle purée; a tartare trio with salmon, hamachi, tobiko, and wasabi crème fraiche; the Catch Roll with crab, salmon and miso honey; the Hellfire Roll with spicy tuna two ways, pear, and balsamic; and the MRC Roll with seared tuna, shrimp, avocado, ponzu, and brown butter.

Bloody Marys, mimosas, Bellinis, and more make an appearance as well.

For reservations, call 877-230-2742.

https://vegas.eater.com/2021/5/28/22457519/catch-brunch-saturday-and-sunday

[MidTexHorn 822]

44 minutes ago, bigup2dahorns said:

The Las Vegas brunch scene gets an LA favorite version this weekend when Catch at Aria starts serving. The Instagram-worthy seafood restaurant brings its LA brunch every Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The restaurant rolls out breakfast fare including cinnamon roll pancakes with brown sugar cinnamon swirl, candied almonds, and cream cheese frosting and a waffle tower created with maple, milk chocolate, and raspberry ice cream, chocolate ganache, raspberry jam, and toasted almonds. On the savory side of breakfast comes steak and eggs and an egg white omelet with turkey bacon, artichoke, arugula, caramelized onions, and goat cheese.

The restaurant even offers a tuna poke bowl and a coconut kale chicken salad, as well as some Catch classic dishes such as A5 Japanese Miyazaki wagyu, prepared table side on a hot stone; mushroom spaghetti with wild mushroom, snow peas, tomato, and Parmesan cheese; and crunchy rice cakes with tuna tartare, wasabi, and tobiko.

Seafood options include truffle sashimi with tuna, hamachi, chili ponzu, caviar, and black truffle purée; a tartare trio with salmon, hamachi, tobiko, and wasabi crème fraiche; the Catch Roll with crab, salmon and miso honey; the Hellfire Roll with spicy tuna two ways, pear, and balsamic; and the MRC Roll with seared tuna, shrimp, avocado, ponzu, and brown butter.

Bloody Marys, mimosas, Bellinis, and more make an appearance as well.

For reservations, call 877-230-2742.

https://vegas.eater.com/2021/5/28/22457519/catch-brunch-saturday-and-sunday

Sounds delightful 

[Atxracer 797]

Ended up doing the a tower suite at the Encore.  For shows, booking Absinthe and O, any others I should consider?  I didn't see anyone cool people for residence at the beginning of October unless I am missing something.  For restaurants, doing Bouchon for brunch one day and have them working on Wolfgang Pucks, Hell's Kitchen, Joel Robuchon, Guy Savoy and Le Cirque.  Any of these I should skip and replace with something else? 

[RPM 26,322]

Just now, Atxracer said:

 For shows, booking Absinthe and O, any others I should consider?

If Love is open, I highly recommend. Might be Cirque overload, though.

[Agent 13 314]

1 hour ago, bigup2dahorns said:

The Las Vegas brunch scene gets an LA favorite version this weekend when Catch at Aria starts serving. The Instagram-worthy seafood restaurant brings its LA brunch every Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The restaurant rolls out breakfast fare including cinnamon roll pancakes with brown sugar cinnamon swirl, candied almonds, and cream cheese frosting and a waffle tower created with maple, milk chocolate, and raspberry ice cream, chocolate ganache, raspberry jam, and toasted almonds. On the savory side of breakfast comes steak and eggs and an egg white omelet with turkey bacon, artichoke, arugula, caramelized onions, and goat cheese.

The restaurant even offers a tuna poke bowl and a coconut kale chicken salad, as well as some Catch classic dishes such as A5 Japanese Miyazaki wagyu, prepared table side on a hot stone; mushroom spaghetti with wild mushroom, snow peas, tomato, and Parmesan cheese; and crunchy rice cakes with tuna tartare, wasabi, and tobiko.

Seafood options include truffle sashimi with tuna, hamachi, chili ponzu, caviar, and black truffle purée; a tartare trio with salmon, hamachi, tobiko, and wasabi crème fraiche; the Catch Roll with crab, salmon and miso honey; the Hellfire Roll with spicy tuna two ways, pear, and balsamic; and the MRC Roll with seared tuna, shrimp, avocado, ponzu, and brown butter.

Bloody Marys, mimosas, Bellinis, and more make an appearance as well.

For reservations, call 877-230-2742.

https://vegas.eater.com/2021/5/28/22457519/catch-brunch-saturday-and-sunday

I gained 10 pounds just by reading all that.

[Landomatic 3,813]

2 hours ago, Atxracer said:

Ended up doing the a tower suite at the Encore.  For shows, booking Absinthe and O, any others I should consider?  I didn't see anyone cool people for residence at the beginning of October unless I am missing something.  For restaurants, doing Bouchon for brunch one day and have them working on Wolfgang Pucks, Hell's Kitchen, Joel Robuchon, Guy Savoy and Le Cirque.  Any of these I should skip and replace with something else? 

Unless you’ve been there done that on all the places at the Wynn/Encore and are just over them, I’d scrap a lot of those dining places on your list and just eat at the Wynn/Encore equivalent. I really only ever go off property for 1...maaaaaaybe 2 meals when I’m there. Whatever Wynn/Encore has is likely better than the equivalent elsewhere.

Edited May 28, 2021 by Landomatic

[Atxracer 797]

1 hour ago, Landomatic said:

Unless you’ve been there done that on all the places at the Wynn/Encore and are just over them, I’d scrap a lot of those dining places on your list and just eat at the Wynn/Encore equivalent. I really only ever go off property for 1...maaaaaaybe 2 meals when I’m there. Whatever Wynn/Encore has is likely better than the equivalent elsewhere.

Thanks for the input. Will check them out then. I feel like a newb since I haven’t done Vegas in awhile. 

[Francisco 2.0 32,395]

 

 

 

 

[bigup2dahorns 3,343]

[Blotto 23,525]

did cabs disappear from the Vegas airport? Ive been there for some pretty busy weekends,  and that cab line moves pretty quick, but its been  a couple of years.

[TXSooner518 2,438]

did cabs disappear from the Vegas airport? Ive been there for some pretty busy weekends,  and that cab line moves pretty quick, but its been  a couple of years.

We went in late April and walked right into a cab.

[closetojumping 62,740]

1 hour ago, TXSooner518 said:

We went in late April and walked right into a cab.

Same in early May. I think they use Uber as a proxy for cabs when they report this stuff and that’s not currently a good method. 

[closetojumping 62,740]

Also, guy upthread asked about Le Cirque. If it is open and you want to spend the money, go. There isn’t a “Wynn equivalent”, sorry. I’ve been to Michelin rated restaurants all over the US and Europe and that place is as good as any of them and anyone arguing otherwise is simply ignorant or full of shit. Careful though, if you’re going to do it, do it right. Assume a min $500ppa and I’ve never left under $800ppa.