Main Sections » home

» Blogs Home

View by Sport/Subject

NFL, CFB, NBA, CBB, MLB, NHL, Other Sports, Girls, Pop culture, Politics, Sportsbooks, Vegas Life

View by Post Type

Videos, Pics, Conversation, Rants, Handicapping, Picks, Theory, Press

Post Archive

Search

Blogger Bios

Blogs We Read

About Matty O'Shea

A native of suburban Chicago and 1995 graduate of Syracuse University, Matty O'Shea has over 10 years experience in sports journalism. O'Shea is a strong believer that content is king since his early days as a newspaper reporter at the age of...

Matty O'Shea's Popular

See All of Matty O'Shea's Popular

Pregame Wire

» See All News Wires

Pregame Cheat Sheet

Sportsbook Spy

Matty O'Shea (see all posts from)

What are the Best and Worst Buffets in Las Vegas?

by Matty O'Shea on 07/02/2008 11:28 AM

The image http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2036/1774811227_6f9366e398.jpg?v=0 cannot be displayed, because it contains errors.
Back in the day (roughly 10 years ago), the Rio buffet was the best buffet in Las Vegas. There was no comparison, but times have certainly changed since then. Mark Greene and I were just talking about this very subject here at the Pregame.com office, which got me to thinking, what is the current best buffet in Vegas?

If money is no object to you on your trip, then the Bellagio remains the ultimate buffet experience. I say experience because you will simply not believe all the good stuff they have there. Sushi and the biggest king crab legs I have ever seen are specialties along with some rare meats like buffalo make this the BEST quality and selection you will find ANYWHERE. The price tag is close to $30, but you will not regret spending that much as long as you come with an empty stomach and can fully take advantage of all the offerings.

Right across the street from the Bellagio is Planet Hollywood, which used to house my personal favorite buffet when it was the Aladdin. The Spice Market Buffet is about $10 cheaper than the Bellagio and nearly had the same quality of food (although with less options), but I have heard it hasn't been the same since Planet Hollywood took over. I will have to go back there and find out for myself if it's still my favorite.

Unfortunately, this has become a theme among buffets here. New ownership has hurt a number of buffets across town, including the Rio which is now owned by Harrah's. The Rio was the one and only buffet destination in Vegas before the Bellagio was built, and they also added a separate seafood buffet to attract different customers. I have a small problem with that because a good buffet should have EVERYTHING, hence the word BUFFET. I must admit the Rio's seafood buffet is one of the best around, it's just a shame they don't offer everything in one place.

Off the strip, I would highly recommend the South Point and Red Rock buffets. The Station Casinos as a whole vary greatly in quality and price, with Red Rock at the top for both. Stay away from Sam's Town though, which is the worst buffet I have had over the last couple years. Only the Sahara can compete with that one, and I have stayed far away from that place since I moved back to Vegas over three years ago.

Well all of this talk about buffets has gotten me super hungry. Let me know your experiences (good and bad) as well. Time for lunch!

read more: Buffets, Everything Else, Las Vegas, Vegas Life

28 Comments:

	posted by Johnny Detroit on 07/02/2008 11:40 AM I am a big fan of the Wynn Buffet. The lamb chops were top notch. Worst one was at Terrible's Casino. It was, well....Terrible.
	posted by Chuck O'Luck on 07/02/2008 11:40 AM Aladdin was My Favorite for Years! Never ate at the Bad Buffets! Life's too Short! LOL
	posted by Matty O'Shea on 07/02/2008 11:43 AM I will have to try the Wynn - I have heard good things about it.
	posted by dadeda on 07/02/2008 12:13 PM we love Rio buffet.
	posted by Marco D'Angelo on 07/02/2008 1:36 PM OK as some one who has been known to punish a Buffet or two in Vegas I can speak as a expert on the subject. 1. Bellagio 1A. Wynn 2. Planet Hollywood 3. Rio I'm sure RJ or JD will be in this post commenting on my eating ability. Let's just say I Hold the Pregame record for Lamb chops consumed in one seating.
	posted by Rocky Atkinson on 07/02/2008 2:00 PM Bellagio is awesome!!
	posted by Chuck O'Luck on 07/02/2008 2:01 PM Marco, Come on Down to Mississippi & we'll throw a Sack of Boiled Crayfish on the Table for You.....Can you Cajun Buffet!
	posted by Marco D'Angelo on 07/02/2008 2:05 PM Chuck stomach for Cajun food was done when I hit 40. My stomach gets nervous just watching Matty eat Hot Stuff at Lunch..lol
	posted by Tommy Rider on 07/02/2008 2:45 PM Hey Matty, I was thinking for that free dinner I owe you, why don't we head over to Sam's Town? I hear it's top notch.
	posted by Matty O'Shea on 07/02/2008 3:00 PM Nice try Tommy. No buffets from you unless it's the Bellagio.
	posted by Tommy Rider on 07/02/2008 3:09 PM Well, you have a $10 budget so go nuts buddy.
	posted by Matty O'Shea on 07/02/2008 3:12 PM Right, and if you won the bet we'd be going to Morton's.
	posted by Brownsugart89110 on 07/03/2008 8:00 AM Sam Town buffet is the bomb...Especially during steak night.
	posted by Matty O'Shea on 07/03/2008 8:49 AM I agree - it's a bomb right into the toilet within 30 minutes LOL
	posted by office xp about on 07/03/2008 9:40 PM Pingback from office xp about
	posted by subjects to talk about on 07/04/2008 2:51 AM Pingback from subjects to talk about
	posted by lgjr1 on 07/04/2008 5:36 AM MIRAGE YEARS AGO WAS A GREAT ONE ! COMING TO VEGAS END OF JULY WILL CHECK IT OUT ! RIO BUFFET SUCKS ! WYNN WAS OK LAST TIME BUT A BIT PRICEY !
	posted by spartan on 07/04/2008 6:24 AM Have not had Bellagio's, am sure it is sensational. I have had Planet Hollywood and made out like Belushi in Animal House!
	posted by y mark on back on 07/04/2008 2:36 PM Pingback from y mark on back
	posted by Rob Crowne on 07/06/2008 2:08 PM Here's some history. Caesar's used to have the very best buffet in Vegas. The worst not just on the strip but in the entire country is Circus, Circus. We used to stay there when the kids were small, and we'd get in the car and go somewhere else for every meal. Everything at the breakfast and dinner buffets as well as in the coffee shop was completely inedible. And I do mean EVERYTHING! I have no idea how they accomplished it, but even the scrambled eggs were disgusting -- all grey and putrid tasting. The buffet is a definite gagarama. I rate the food at 9 dry heaves on the gag meter. How do you ruin scrambled eggs? On one occasion I was at the Circus Circus coffee shop for 2 AM breakfast with 7 other people. We all ordered different things from steak, to burgers, to eggs and all 8 of us sent the food back, got up, and left. They have the worst food I've ever tasted other than 100 year old eggs in New York's Chinatown, and the Chinese boil those things, then bury them in mud for an extended period of time until the yolks turn black with mold and the whites become translucent. Also known as "Black Eggs," those Chinese horrors are on a par with hemlock. Tough choice, but I think the two eggs scrambled at Circus Circus may have been preferable.
	posted by best las vegas buffet on 07/07/2008 8:00 AM Pingback from best las vegas buffet
	posted by Matty O'Shea on 07/07/2008 11:13 AM Great call on Circus Circus Rob - I went there once with some friends a few years ago and remember it to be pretty forgettable. I would vote Circus Circus overall as the worst casino in Vegas and biggest waste of space on the strip.
	posted by best buffet in las vegas on 07/08/2008 3:20 PM Pingback from best buffet in las vegas
	posted by oc md buffet on 07/09/2008 11:14 PM Pingback from oc md buffet
	posted by 2 for 1 buffets in las vegas on 07/10/2008 9:42 AM Pingback from 2 for 1 buffets in las vegas
	posted by comparison com on 07/11/2008 9:15 AM Pingback from comparison com
	posted by vegas buffets on 07/21/2008 7:34 AM Pingback from vegas buffets
	posted by Stevebeav on 08/03/2008 3:22 PM Hey, Chuck: Next time your out in the Great Pacific Northwest, drop thru The Valley for some Damn Good Crawdads at MY PLACE! Just returned from another quick Summer Steelhead Fishing trip - got shut out this time (the Run is slowed with low water levels - and with an already fish-stuffed freezer, I don't know where I'd put it if I DID catch more), but I always drop a fish head or can of cat-food into my trap, chuck it into Sam Creek or Drift Creek, ect on my way up the Siletz Gorge - at 3:30 am, then tug it back out on my way back - always PACKED with HUGE Crawdads (not sure about everywhere else, but that's what we call "Crayfish" out here...). Two Full Pots to steam almost every night - a little 'Old Bay Crab Boil', 10 min later, bang! My kids destroy them with a walnut cracker, and a pick....melted butter and saltines...oooo, baby. When I was down in the Ozarks a few years back - I went to a local joint for a 'Cajun Crayfish Boil' - and just couldn't understand how SMALL they raise them! Personally - they are so much more WORK! Maybe they just grow big in these rivers out here - but they are - genuinely - at least double the size of those ones out of the farms.....and deep red with super hard shells....they are so damn good - I cannot get tired of em'! The claws on these guys are MEASURED at 2.5 inches, and many of the ones we get are EIGHT OR NINE inches long....I am just not kidding....i have a few photos of the really big ones on my desktop file at my other office....up next to a soda can for reference....they are like eating a really small lobster.... ANYWAY - SO MISS and ORE ST had been in negotiations for a home-and-home a few years back - and I was so PISSED when it didn't come about! I like that quote on your field, "Anytime - anywhere" .... is it still there? I am the ultimate 'homer' - but Oregon St does not back down from any challenge either....last few years, Beavers have had Roadies at Louisville, LSU, Hawaii, ... and this year, Sept 6 at Penn State, and well, at Utah - not really a marquee match-up - but not altogether easy, either. Near Future at Wisconsin - and road trips to Cincinnati, Boise and Fresno have proven to be much tougher venues than they appear. I cannot WAIT to see Beaver Stadium! 107k in C Penn? Hard to top THAT. I would dearly love to visit Hattiesburg - Roberts Stadium looks very much like Papa John's in Louisville - with Double Decked sidelines and no end zone seats.....THE VERY best stadium design I've ever witnessed...."Football Friendly", with zero truly bad seats. OK - all for now...