Las Vegas Buffets

I read a lot of messages here about the pros and cons of various Las Vegas buffets, so I checked a few out when I was there last weekend.  The Golden Nugget buffet got a lot of raves here, so I gave it a look last Sunday, early evening.  It looked ok for the usual downtown greasy stuff, but nothing at all outstanding.  Mirage and Rio looked quite good, but I think that the Rio's buffet benefits in comments because of the price.  Far and away the best looking buffet of the ones I have mentioned was at Caesars, so I ate there and was not disappointed.  As I recall, it was $13.95 for the Sunday night buffet, which is a little pricey for a Las Vegas buffet, but well worth it. One comment on a non-buffet--Buzio's seafood and oyster bar restaurant at the Rio is great--never been disappointed there.

Mike C. wrote:
>>      I have a feeling this has been discussed before but, does anyone
>> have any recent experiences with the buffets at the north(?) end of the
>> strip?  I will be staying at the Riviera and would like to hear about
>> reasonably priced buffets within walking distance.
>
>   Well, it's not within "walking distance", nor is it one of the
>"cheapo" buffets Las Vegas has been so famous for, but the Rio has an
>exceptional multi-station buffet.  IMHO, it's worth the taxi ride to go
>there (and the rooms are real "hotel rooms", something you don't see in
>Vegas....).

I was just in Vegas in December and I can not whole heartidly recommend the Rio Carnival World Buffet.  Yes, it was priced reasonably and the food was good, but at 2pm on a Monday, we waited about an hour in line just to get in!  Once we paid and were seated, we still had to battle the crowds at the various "buffet stations" to get our food.  I would only return if there was not a line.  Being on our feet for an hour did not make this buffet worthwhile to us.

I have two favorite places in LV.

First is Yolie's Brazilian Steak House -- a very different experience for the dedicated meat eater. 7 different kinds of meats (Sausage, chicken, lamb, pork, turkey and two different beefs) are cooked and brought around on sword-like skewers and sliced off for you -- as much as you want.

The Second recommendation is the Sam Woo Chinese BBQ. You have to take a cab out Spring Mountain Rd. to a chinese shopping center with a huge decorated oriental gate. This is one of the best Chinese restaurants I've ever eaten in, and I've eaten in a lot of Chinese restaurants. It's also very cheap. Not very many western faces to be seen there, and you might have trouble communicating with the help. But the Chinese BBQ assorted platter is fabulous.

TNT
 -- Marc Davidson

P.S. I hear Emeril Lagasse has a restuarant in Vegas. I haven't eaten there, but knowing him I bet it's good.