Jump to content

Las Vegas go hard or go home thread

bigup2dahorns

By bigup2dahorns
in Food and Travel

 Share

Recommended Posts

  • Replies 4.9k
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Popular Days

Top Posters In This Topic

Popular Days

Popular Posts

ChiTownDoc
ChiTownDoc

So it was worth it.  We did two choppers and threw extra girls on a party bus. It was 2 hrs each way.  Chopper worth it.  Here’s a pic of the party bus at 9am.  

Angry Gorilla
Angry Gorilla

Just a heads up, you can't smoke on planes anymore

RPM
RPM

I!m shooting craps with TJMiller at El Cortez. We both  had good  runs throwing. I  walked away +$1000. We killed it.    20220410_050405.mp4

Posted Images

immamac

immamac 43715

Posted
Posted

I've always had such a weird relationship with Vegas due to various factors. I have only been to Vegas one time since my big time hookup left town (ex big wig - think COO/President/EVP operations of the strip megahotels) and it was for work.

Typically I only had to budget for how much I was willing to lose on the trip and that was it, now I feel like I have to worry about how everything is seemingly priced like you are stuck in an airport terminal with respect to markup. I've been all over the city and the surrounding area and have seen really cool things that aren't casino/gambling related, but it's not somewhere I'd choose to go anymore now that my family friends aren't in town.

What's the draw of Vegas over something like Detroit (with the MGM) or New Orleans (Harrahs)? because frankly I have a WAY better time in both of those cities while still being able to play $5 or $100/hand blackjack if I want or $10 min craps. I know during football season the answer is obvious: Sportsbooks, but the rest of the year? Vegas isn't the food mecca it once was in comparison to some cities and their culinary offerings now, the club scene is "meh" at best, getting drugs is harder in vegas than almost any other city IMO and the hookers aren't all that great and significantly overpriced vs other sextinations.

To be clear I'm saying that for the same $$ spent you can go way further in some other cities/metros that have casinos and Vegas really seems like it's creeped up in auxiliary expense around gambling and the quality has remained mostly flat, maybe I'm just doing Vegas wrong.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Incredulity

Incredulity 11732

Posted
Posted
2 hours ago, immamac said:

I've always had such a weird relationship with Vegas due to various factors. I have only been to Vegas one time since my big time hookup left town (ex big wig - think COO/President/EVP operations of the strip megahotels) and it was for work.

Typically I only had to budget for how much I was willing to lose on the trip and that was it, now I feel like I have to worry about how everything is seemingly priced like you are stuck in an airport terminal with respect to markup. I've been all over the city and the surrounding area and have seen really cool things that aren't casino/gambling related, but it's not somewhere I'd choose to go anymore now that my family friends aren't in town.

What's the draw of Vegas over something like Detroit (with the MGM) or New Orleans (Harrahs)? because frankly I have a WAY better time in both of those cities while still being able to play $5 or $100/hand blackjack if I want or $10 min craps. I know during football season the answer is obvious: Sportsbooks, but the rest of the year? Vegas isn't the food mecca it once was in comparison to some cities and their culinary offerings now, the club scene is "meh" at best, getting drugs is harder in vegas than almost any other city IMO and the hookers aren't all that great and significantly overpriced vs other sextinations.

To be clear I'm saying that for the same $$ spent you can go way further in some other cities/metros that have casinos and Vegas really seems like it's creeped up in auxiliary expense around gambling and the quality has remained mostly flat, maybe I'm just doing Vegas wrong.

There are so many different ways to "do Vegas" that it varies by person.

You want highroller no expense spared debauchery- yup.

You want $5 black jack and good cheap food- yup(sure as fuck ain't on the strip, but it's there)

 

Combine it all together and that's why Vegas is the choice destination for most.  That and the power of incumbency.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Armybrat

Armybrat 41040

Posted
Posted
14 minutes ago, Incredulity said:

There are so many different ways to "do Vegas" that it varies by person.

You want highroller no expense spared debauchery- yup.

You want $5 black jack and good cheap food- yup(sure as fuck ain't on the strip, but it's there)

 

Combine it all together and that's why Vegas is the choice destination for most.  That and the power of incumbency.

^^^^ give that man a cookie!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
JohnnyShotgun

JohnnyShotgun 34

Posted
Posted
On 10/11/2018 at 7:33 PM, fluff said:

Any new recs for a good Brunch?

Terrace Point Cafe at the Wynn is fantastic for brunch. Sit on the patio overlooking the pool and you won't be sorry. Bottomless mimosas and the huevos ranchero skillet were a great start to the day. Hash House a go go  was huge portions and good food. Very crowded and the wait was pretty long. They make killer drinks though, so there is that.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Landomatic

Landomatic 3813

Posted
Posted
21 hours ago, immamac said:

What's the draw of Vegas over something like Detroit?

If you have to ask, you probably can't afford it.

In all seriousness though, it's a few different factors.  One is the number of options available in Vegas vs those other cities.  Each of the things most people consider going to Vegas for (clubs, pools, restaurants, shopping, gambling, rooms, etc.)...Vegas has 100 options and those other cities with 1-2 casinos has maybe 5.

Plus, flights and rooms are generally considerably cheaper for Vegas than other cities.  I can jump on a $60 direct Southwest flight just about any time any day (with enough advance booking) and get a badass suite for under $200 a night and you triple that for most other cities.  Especially cities that have similar offerings in the way of restaurants, nice hotels, shopping, etc.

But more than anything, the opulence and luxury and magnitude and energy...just the pure over-the-top-ness of Vegas is magical.  It's hard to find anything close in any other city in America.  New York?  Sure, but again your costs go up considerably.

There are reasons to visit both types of places, but comparing Vegas to just any major city in America that has a nearby casino is comparing apples and oranges.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
PorscheGuy

PorscheGuy 127

Posted
Posted
Terrace Point Cafe at the Wynn is fantastic for brunch. Sit on the patio overlooking the pool and you won't be sorry. Bottomless mimosas and the huevos ranchero skillet were a great start to the day. Hash House a go go  was huge portions and good food. Very crowded and the wait was pretty long. They make killer drinks though, so there is that.

Second for Terrace point cafe at the Wynn.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Link to comment
Share on other sites
lonestar3

lonestar3 274

Posted
Posted
On 10/10/2018 at 4:01 PM, closetojumping said:

We'll be at Aria the weekend after Halloween. Last year, SydneyCarton decided to stay out all night on Friday night and was a belligerent wildebeest in the Aria sportsbook the following Saturday as we watched football all day. The last thing I saw of the guy, after the Texas/KSU game ended, was him heaving over a trash can by the horserace betting area, waving off security and staff as he did so, like a bear being attacked by bees. I'm sure he'll pull a similar stunt this year, so if you're in Aria that Saturday and want to stop by the sportsbook and say hello, just look for someone in burnt orange making a mockery of social decorum and being generally loud and offensive. SydneyCarton will be there with me. 

That's awesome and we will be in town this weekend. I've got a buddy who is playing in the TopGolf finals, but I hadn't yet decided on plans for the Texas game.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
closetojumping

closetojumping 63663

Posted
Posted
5 minutes ago, bigup2dahorns said:

For the folks going to Aria, the restaurant Catch just opened there.

https://www.aria.com/en/restaurants/catch.html

Will have to hit that next time. We're doing Lotus of Siam and Bavette's for TH-FR dinners and Mon Ami Gabi for breakfast on Friday. MAG is fucking awesome for those who've never done it. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
bigup2dahorns

bigup2dahorns 3343

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Park MGM update:

MGM Resorts is eagerly looking forward to the last few months of the year as their major revamp project converting the old Monte Carlo to Park MGM nears completion.

The project that has caused significant disruption to business at the property since December 2016 — as crews remodeled the entire 22-year-old Strip property — is on schedule and set to be complete by year’s end, the company announced in its third-quarter earnings call.

“It’s really quite remarkable,” said Jim Murren, MGM Resorts CEO. “We’ve done a lot here.”

All 2,700 Park MGM room revamps are complete, with the remaining elements opening in stages throughout the next few months.

The final pieces of the changeover began to fall into place earlier this month with the opening of the NoMad Las Vegas. Comprising the top four floors of Park MGM, NoMad celebrated two of its four floors opening Oct. 12, along with the NoMad Bar and high-limit table games area, which are located at ground level.

The two remaining NoMad floors are slated to open Nov. 10, with the NoMad Restaurant kicking off Nov. 14.

In December, the front entrance of Park MGM, which faces Las Vegas Boulevard, will open to pedestrians.

The last two eateries will open in December as well, with Los Angeles restaurateur Roy Choi’s Best Friend opening on Dec. 15 and Eataly — featuring market cafes, to-go counters, restaurants and a pizza and bakery — on Dec. 27.

On the Record, Park MGM’s nightclub venue, opens Dec. 28, coinciding with the start of Lady Gaga’s residency at Park MGM.

Additionally, at Park Theater, two other major acts begin residencies in 2019: Britney Spears in February and Aerosmith in April.

“Going into next year literally everything will be done,” Murren said of the remodel. “It’s been a long, arduous process, but it’s worth the effort.”

Link to comment
Share on other sites
bigup2dahorns

bigup2dahorns 3343

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Palms update (LVRJ):

The Palms has revealed Shark as the name of Bobby Flay’s seafood restaurant, which is scheduled to open in March. The restaurant will serve extensive sushi and raw bar offerings and a menu “heavily influenced by ingredients from South America, Mexico and the Mediterranean.”

In other Palms restaurant news, we’re told Michael Symon is planning a sort of restaurant-within-a-restaurant at his local outpost of Mabel’s BBQ. It will be called Sara’s, and the chef is referring to it as a “meateasy,” an apparent play on the cocktail world’s speakeasies. Both are expected to open in December.

Speaking of speakeasies, we’re still awaiting details on barman Francesco Lafranconi’s new Palms project. And while nobody is referring to it as a speakeasy per se, it will be a “hidden bar” somewhere in the resort. More details, like a name and opening date, are being kept under wraps.

In other Palms food and beverage news, the high-end Italian spot Vetri Cucina will open in the former Alize space on Nov. 19. And a local outpost of the Michelin-starred dim sum restaurant Tim Ho Wan is still on track to debut sometime next year.

As for the real estate that was being developed by Chris Santos as a local incarnation of his Vandal concept, there’s no word on what will become of it now that Tao Group and the Palms have parted company.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
bigup2dahorns

bigup2dahorns 3343

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Wynn Vegas update:

Wynn Las Vegas will abandon its Paradise Park lagoon project and restore its 18-hole golf course.

Wynn CEO Matt Maddox confirmed plans for Las Vegas and Macau in Wednesday’s earnings call.

In early descriptions of the project, Former Wynn Chairman and CEO Steve Wynn described a lagoon surrounded by new convention facilities, new restaurants and retail, a hotel room tower, a white-sand beach and a boardwalk.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
JimmyHoffa

JimmyHoffa 1188

Posted
Posted
On 11/2/2018 at 8:11 AM, bigcigar said:

Does anyone really go to the Palms? I checked it out once and it was dead.

 

 

Back when the Maloof's were printing money and everything they touched turned to Gold. allowing MTV to film a Real World season there (the first one) was genius and helped it become the it place for so many young people going to Vegas in the early to late 2000's. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Landomatic

Landomatic 3813

Posted
Posted
3 hours ago, bigup2dahorns said:

Wynn Vegas update:

Wynn Las Vegas will abandon its Paradise Park lagoon project and restore its 18-hole golf course.

Wynn CEO Matt Maddox confirmed plans for Las Vegas and Macau in Wednesday’s earnings call.

In early descriptions of the project, Former Wynn Chairman and CEO Steve Wynn described a lagoon surrounded by new convention facilities, new restaurants and retail, a hotel room tower, a white-sand beach and a boardwalk.

Well that fucking blows.  That was pretty much the only thing there was to look forward to with that property.  They’ve become so damn bottom line driven, they’ve lost sight of what’s driving the bottom line.  One of the many things Steve was great at that’s now sorely missing.  He knew if he did it and did it right, it would pencil out.  Fuck Matt Maddox’s thirty something year old, inexperienced ass.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Francisco 2.0

Francisco 2.0 32442

Posted
Posted
3 hours ago, bigup2dahorns said:

Wynn Vegas update:

Wynn Las Vegas will abandon its Paradise Park lagoon project and restore its 18-hole golf course.

Wynn CEO Matt Maddox confirmed plans for Las Vegas and Macau in Wednesday’s earnings call.

In early descriptions of the project, Former Wynn Chairman and CEO Steve Wynn described a lagoon surrounded by new convention facilities, new restaurants and retail, a hotel room tower, a white-sand beach and a boardwalk.

Translation:

Concerns about being able to finance this project down the road plus finance the hotel they want to build across the strip on the land they acquired about a year ago.  And they don't have the allure of Wynn himself any longer to help out with that.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 1 month later...
bigup2dahorns

bigup2dahorns 3343

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Hard Rock update (Las Vegas Review Journal):

 

Hard Rock Hotel’s 2020 vision is to close for a time, take care of the employees, and then party.

 

HRH has sharpened its timeline in its efforts to evolve into Virgin Hotel Las Vegas. The re-launch and renaming of the property should take hold in the first half of 2020 — and only after an eight-month renovation during which the resort will be closed for four months.

 

Renovations, at a reported cost of about $150 million, begin in earnest in the late summer/early fall of 2019, and will likely continue through the spring of 2020. The hotel will shut down over the final four months, then return to business with a splashy reopening party, during which the name will officially turn over to the Virgin brand with the giant, red “V” brand.

 

HRH staff members are being encouraged to stay with the company through the changeover, with the “I”ll Stick Around And Come Back” program, which calls for compensating all employees and allowing them to return to work in their current positions without having to reapply for their jobs.

 

Employees began learning of the hotel’s changeover strategy in a series of meetings Wednesday afternoon at The Joint, headed by Richard “Boz” Bosworth, president and CEO of hotel ownership group J.C. Hospitality. A total of 400 of the 2,000 staffers were informed of the updates in two meetings; the remainder will attend meetings Thursday.

 

“Number 1, we wanted to say to the staff that we think 2019 will be a record-breaking year for Hard Rock Hotel, and as we move into the renovation we wanted to give a sense of what the disruption of their lives would look like to them, personally,” Bosworth said. “When we acquired the company, we committed that we would provide a level of financial assistance to our team members during this disruption period.”

 

In the phased-in overhaul, all 1,500 guest rooms in its towers will be renovated, the hotel will present a new, expanded casino floor, add restaurants and an ultra lounge, grow its conference and events space, modernize the Joint, and reinvent and refine its 5-acre pool deck.

 

Previously, Bosworth had talked of a nightlife venue overtaking the Vinyl music club, but stopped short of any further specifics on any space Wednesday. The hotel’s resident show, Raiding the Rock Vault, is contracted to play at Vinyl through May.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Teebox

Teebox 89

Posted
Posted

Heading to Vegas for New Years for 3 nights.  Any recommendations / things to beware on New Years?   Staying at Palazzo for the first time.  Last few trips have been at the Wynn or Encore but those were crazy expensive for NYE whereas the Palazzo was much cheaper. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Landomatic

Landomatic 3813

Posted
Posted

Well, you can always just walk across the footbridge and do all the same shit you normally did at the Wynn/Encore.  Not quite the same, but probably not far off.

Looks like the Wynn Plaza Shops are up and running (which will be really close to the Palazzo).  Added a Cipriani.  It's a chain but I think the only other two in the US are New York and Miami so kind of special I guess.  Other than that, I don't think those Plaza Shops added much other than a few more stores, most of which are nothing special, but I'd probably check that out just out of curiosity.

As an aside, I'm kind of shocked the Wynn would add a chain restaurant.  On top of that, they added a fucking Soul Cycle.  Seriously?  Soul Cycle.  Those things are everywhere.  Talk about nothing special.

That would have never happened on Steve's watch.  Just more signs of decline for that property.  Sad.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Horn80

Horn80 6241

Posted
Posted
On 11/2/2018 at 9:34 AM, MissingInAction said:

Wish I could remember the name of the cafe in the Golden Nugget. Had pork chops and eggs there at 3 am, and it saved my fucking life.

Don’t know the name but had the same experience with that cafe too.  Prefer Fremont for some reason.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
pops

pops 7044

Posted
Posted
49 minutes ago, Horn80 said:

Don’t know the name but had the same experience with that cafe too.  Prefer Fremont for some reason.

Freemont can get a little funky, but the nugget is as good as anything in Vegas as far as I'm concerned. Love that joint. The D is a little edgier but also good.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Buzzrock

Buzzrock 15032

Posted
Posted
I will be at Aria the last weekend of January.  What should I not miss in that space ship looking monstrosity?


I like the poker room, I’ve pulled a couple all nighters there.

Sage is very good.

Go race the clock at Todd English PUB for a free beer.

Walk through the Crystals mall and check out the Cosmopolitan, it’s jam packed with talent on the weekends.
Link to comment
Share on other sites
wild_turkey

wild_turkey 3223

Posted
Posted
Well that fucking blows.  That was pretty much the only thing there was to look forward to with that property.  They’ve become so damn bottom line driven, they’ve lost sight of what’s driving the bottom line.  One of the many things Steve was great at that’s now sorely missing.  He knew if he did it and did it right, it would pencil out.  Fuck Matt Maddox’s thirty something year old, inexperienced ass.


I kinda disagree. I was never super excited about the idea of the Paradise Park. It sounded like they had an identity crisis and were trying to create a Disney-esque experience that would make the property more family friendly. I’m kinda relieved to read they are scrapping all of that.

Wife and I took a year off from Vegas after 7-8 straight years of going. We just had other stuff going on but I think we’ll head back next year and enjoy it the same. I think the Wynn will be just fine after they regroup from Steve’s issues, and it will still be my preferred place to stay for the foreseeable future.
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Landomatic

Landomatic 3813

Posted
Posted
10 hours ago, wild_turkey said:

 


I kinda disagree. I was never super excited about the idea of the Paradise Park. It sounded like they had an identity crisis and were trying to create a Disney-esque experience that would make the property more family friendly. I’m kinda relieved to read they are scrapping all of that.

Wife and I took a year off from Vegas after 7-8 straight years of going. We just had other stuff going on but I think we’ll head back next year and enjoy it the same. I think the Wynn will be just fine after they regroup from Steve’s issues, and it will still be my preferred place to stay for the foreseeable future.

 

Yeah I see your point about that park.  Identity crisis is a pretty good way to describe it.  The silver lining for me was that it was supposed to include a boutique hotel (which sounded cool as I’m kinda tired of the other two towers) and I’m sure there would have been some kind of VIP area on the beach where you could pay extra and not have to mix with the commoners and families.  So those two things seemed appealing to me.

That said, next trip we have planned we’re trying Aria Sky Suites for a change.  After several times a year for several years at Wynn/Encore, we need something different.  They have a long way to go to get it back to what it was.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
 Share
Go to topic listing


Football ... Basketball ... Baseball ... Other Sports ... Futbol ... 🤫995🤫 ... Gambling ... Movies & TV ... Music ... Hobbies ... Lulz ... Food & Travel ... Daily Texan ... Business and Markets ... Cloak Room ... Help ... For Sale ... Board Discussion ... Subscribe!... Donate!... Advertise... COOKIE MONSTER!

×
×
  • Create New...