Las Vegas Strip Buffets
Whilst in Vegas, we decided to try a variety of buffets. One buffet on this list we visited when we were here this last June, but the experience was memorable enough that I’ve decided to note it here as well.
Le Village Buffet at Paris Casino
Paris was easily number two for us, with a charming, quiet atmosphere and great food. The layout is not the typical wide open room of other Vegas Strip buffets, and feels somewhat more like a restaurant. Everything we sampled was delicious, from the chicken breast and prime rib, to the sushi, and everything in between. We went for a brunch, around 11AM on a weekday, and there was no line. The only negative we experienced was that our waitress rarely came by the table to make sure we had enough to drink (once every 25 - 30 minutes).
Cravings at the Mirage Casino
This buffet was more in the middle of quality - not bad, not great. The food was all good, but nothing stood out as fantastic. Nor was anything terrible. Our waitress was excellent! She came by every 5 to 10 minutes to clear plates and see if we needed anything, and was very upbeat and positive. Drinks here are self serve which (would have come in handy at Paris), and your meal includes free tap beer and select wines.
Wicked Spoon at Cosmopolitan
Wicked Spoon takes the cake for us on food quality out of the buffets we’ve visited thus far. We decided to go for a Sunday Brunch as we’d read that was the best time to go, and we were not disappointed. Many of the dishes were excellent, and the pumpkin pancakes and french toast stand out above any I’ve had before. The only downside was that it looked like they make artificial lines. We arrived at 10AM and waited roughly 45 minutes to be sat, even though half of the tables were open and clean. Being a Sunday morning brunch, I would be surprised if being understaffed was the reason for keeping so many tables open. If you decide to try a weekend brunch here, try to arrive at least by 10AM. When we left around 11:30AM, both lines (line to pay and line to be seated) were twice as long as when we arrived. I wouldn’t normally agree to wait 45 minutes in line for a buffet, but I’d make an exception for Wicked Spoon.
The Buffet at Monte Carlo
We visited this buffet while in Vegas in June, on a whim after playing BlackJack in the casino. There was no line and the dining area was pretty empty - which should have told us something considering it was dinner time. We sampled a fairly wide variety of dishes looking for something decent or worth eating. The prime rib was more like rubber than meat. The crab legs were all over cooked, and a lot of the meat was wasted. Gravies were bland and some of the food was even cold. Monte Carlo’s buffet unfortunately is not one we’ll be visiting again, nor would we recommend it.
Beach Cafe at Tropicana
Beach Cafe got the best of us, in that it is only a buffet for breakfast (and a tiny one at that). We wondered over for dinner figuring it was worth a shot since it was within walking distance of our hotel, and found out that lunch and dinner are a la carte. This one wasn’t terrible, and none of the food was bad, but I don’t believe we’ll go back. The chicken soup recommended to us was comparable to Campbell’s, and the french dip sandwich was bland and depended too heavily on bland, watery gravy. They had a french toast item that was decent, but a little over the top for my taste (plus side was that it came with plenty of fresh berries!).
General Tips
- Rather than tipping at the register, tip cash at the table. We had some servers that deserved more than the typical 18% gratuity at the register, and some that barely earned the 18%.
- If going for a weekend brunch, try to beat the hangover and get there before 10AM. You still may have a decent wait, but it won’t be two hours. No one wants to wait that long when they’re hung over.