Hotels in Las Vegas have a captive audience in their guests and they know it.

Does that sound like something Grandma used to eat? I’m here to tell you that Grandma was onto something. Served in the kind of glass you’d expect for a hot fudge sundae, it included a mountain of fresh shrimp slathered in a spicy horseradish ketchup sauce with a side of saltines. I came specifically for the shrimp cocktail ($12), which I read is based on the original recipe first introduced by Golden Gate Casino in 1959. More vintage treats abound at Saginaw’s Delicatessen, located inside the adults-only Circa Resort & Casino on Fremont Street. The décor includes an assortment of family photos, old skateboards and a Lite-Brite, while the menu includes high-end twists on SpaghettiOs and pasta shells with what the menu describes as “cheddar cheese whizzzzz.” I went with a generously portioned sole meunière - Julia Child’s first meal when she moved to France. During my visit I stopped by Retro from the Voltaggio brothers, a concept that’s billed as a one-year “residency” inside Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino. Nostalgia is hot in Las Vegas, and perhaps the food world at large. Worth it: Shrimp cocktail at Saginaw’s Delicatessen What you didn’t know about the restaurant industry - and what you should The Dish: The best eats in Iceland - and the one food you can skipĮxpectation, meet reality: The food at Camden Yards needs to step up its game If you’re planning a trip to Vegas, whether for next year’s Super Bowl, this fall’s Grand Prix, or just taking advantage of Frontier Airlines’ GoWild! Summer Pass like I did, here’s what I think is worth the cash - or not. And big names don’t necessarily equal big value.

Unfortunately, high-roller prices are the rule. Award-winning dumplings? Check out the food court at Resorts World, the $4.3 billion new development north of the Strip. Want Nashville hot chicken? Head to Hattie B’s inside the Cosmopolitan. Hospitality queen Martha Stewart gave her name to the Bedford, designed to look like a replica of her 1925 farmhouse. But if you’re not careful, much of it can leave you cash-strapped and still kind of hungry.Īlong the Strip, I found familiar names like D.C.’s own beloved celebrity chef José Andrés, who operates multiple restaurants in the city, and Marylander Bryan Voltaggio. Vegas is home to every cuisine you can imagine. The house wins when you’re dining out in casinos, too. Last week, after eating dinner at a restaurant inside a Las Vegas casino, I inserted $5 into a slot machine, fumbled around pressing buttons as its bright lights flashed, and watched the bill disappear forever. There’s a saying in casinos that the house always wins.

Vegas x casino lobby