5 quirky restaurants help prove Las Vegas is unique
“What happens in Vegas, only happens here” is true on so many levels, and one of them is the city’s huge and eclectic dining community. Here are some of the quirkier spots.
Sapporo Revolving Sushi
The name pretty much says it all: As you dine, an endless parade of sushi on individual plates passes your table to be snagged from the belt at will; when you’re through, the server will count the dishes keyed by different colors to arrive at your total bill. At slow times, the bounty will include items that tend to be familiar in this country — think California rolls and gyoza — but when it’s busy, both the variety and depth of the selection changes to include the likes of surf clam and salmon skin. Want something else, like katsu or tempura? Order on the iPad and a robot zips it from the kitchen.
Three locations in Southern Nevada; sapporolv.com
Chubby Cattle
Chubby Cattle has a conveyor-belt system similar to Sapporo, but in this case, you’ll be seated and served a Chinese hot pot containing the soup base (or two or more) you choose, from the house original to The Beautiful Tomato, House Hellish Spicy and more. Than you grab one of the plates going by and cook the contents in your pot, guiding it with your chopsticks. Numerous types of meat are available (and can be ordered from the kitchen, if you’d prefer), as well as seafood, noodles, vegetables, mushrooms and such specialty items as beef tendon balls and tofu skin. Finish it with one, two or a mix of sauces.
3400 S. Jones Blvd., 702-868-8808, chubbycattle.com
Blackout Dining in the Dark
Dining at Blackout is somewhat of an act of faith, because from the time you’re guided from the lobby into the dining room and on to your table, you’ll be in complete darkness (but don’t worry; the servers wear night-vision goggles to avoid messy collisions). The menu’s a secret (although there’s a rumor that it’s plant-based), so be sure to notify the staff of any dietary restrictions. Then just relax and use your senses other than sight to figure out what you’re eating — including your hearing, as other guests try to figure it out as well.
3871 S. Valley View Blvd., 702-960-4000, dineblackout.com
Mayfair Supper Club
The Mayfair is brand new, and so is the concept — a retro supper club with entertainment that changes in nature as the evening wears on, with the Fountains of Bellagio part of the picture. You’re invited to stay as long as you like, so you can transition along with the action. The menu hews to the classics with an emphasis on luxe, such as Oysters Rockefeller, steak tartare, Beef Wellington, Lobster Thermidor and an assortment of caviar, and some are part of the entertainment, such as the milk chocolate-pear-hazelnut Cigar dessert, which comes to the table smoking.
Bellagio, 702-693-8561, themayfairlv.com
Best Friend
Best Friend — entered through a liquor store, across a coat-of-many-colors carpet — is chef Roy Choi’s attempt to transport the multicultural richness of his beloved Los Angeles to the Las Vegas Strip. The menu’s “L.A. Sh*t” section alone has a range that covers elotes with Kewpie mayo, Slippery Shrimp, Kogi Short Rib Tacos, A-Frame OG Ribs and Commissary Carrots. If your group is adventurous, consider an Itaewon pot for the table, which contains corned beef hash, sausage, fish cakes, Spam, Lil’ Smokies, ramen and herbs.
Park MGM, 888-769-2464, parkmgm.mgmresorts.com
Tipsy Robot
OK, this one’s an honorable mention because it’s not a restaurant, but in how many places in the country will a robot make a drink for you? (Answer: When Tipsy Robot opened in 2017, the only other one was on a cruise ship.) Tipsy Robot’s robots actually look sort of humanoid and interact in a way that can only be called charming. You can choose from among the many cocktails on the list, altering as you choose, and the robots will mix, shake and pour for you.
Miracle Mile Shops, 702-659-7711, thetipsyrobot.com
Contact Heidi Knapp Rinella at Hrinella@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0474. Follow @HKRinella on Twitter.
