Hugo's Cellar

I did a review up which included experiences from multiple visits to Hugo's. The summation is, when it's good, its very good, but we've had quite a few things go wrong too.

If they have something like Beef Wellington on the menu, then they should be able to execute it, right?

I kind of have been leaning to things they are less likely to screw up - like a good ole rib eye which was outstanding.

So - winners: shrimp appetizer, steaks on multiple occasions, lobster tail pretty good, crab cakes, salad cart

Medium: crab legs (a bit fish)

losers: lobster bisque, beef wellington

What is your experience? Did we just hit a few bad patches, or is Hugo's a little inconsistent?

Here's my write-up.

http://www.royalflushervegas.com/p/no-kickers-trip-report.html

Amazing rib eye.


Lobster bisque fail



I gave Hugo's three-and-a-half to a Royal.

 

You must have been there right near opening time for it to be that empty.

The Rack of Lamb is my favorite there by far. Give it a try.

Their Hawaiian Vanilla coffee and their Kona coffee are excellent with dessert.

Did you pay for the $100 wine with your comps?

 

You are right that the ice-cream scooped mashed potato looks like it comes from the school canteen, it's a step away from serving the food in a sectioned plastic tray.

Additional Question: Do they do meals at the bar, or do they insist on you taking a table?

 

Yes, we were there early. The wine was picked up at the end of our stay by one of the hosts.

 

No idea on that one, Guy. I've never minded taking a table as a solo diner, and when I did so last summer, I had an excellent Single Lonely Diner table right at the end of a little alcove. I sat with my back to the end of the alcove and had a nice view of the dining room.

 

I love the website

http://www.hugoscellar.com/
I imagine the 4queens spent 10 grand to have some kid make them a website in 1995 and hasn't changed it since.

 

Just like most of the hotel/casino and the main Four Queens website, really. Not a lot of updates to anything there. Why should the Hugo's website be any different? ;-)

You can learn a lot from the website. Like that 4Q won best blackjack..... in 2008!

 

I enjoyed the lobster bisque. It wasn't quite like what I've had at Bob's Steak and Chophouse or Texas de Brazil, but it definitely wasn't a 'loser'. I believe it actually had the most lump lobster meat of all of those places. I do remember the waiter warning about something particular about how they did it (was it adding sherry?) and I still said bring it on and finished it up. Didn't order 'crab legs' but the one king crab leg on my filet atlantis wasn't fishy at all. Don't know if I'd order Beef Wellington here given that you can get beef wellington ensemble with lettuce pretty much everywhere. I got my filet blue rare and it was perfect. Likewise with the half order of scallops, about as sweet and tender as I've ever had.

As for the bar seating...I was dining solo and asked about the bar and they took me to a tiny table at the back of an alcove, I don't think I got the same one as RF though, it was sort of straight back from the entrance way. Sat back to the wall and enjoyed the ambiance.

Edit: Also, clarification on what I ordered since I mentioned a king crab leg on my filet atlantis. I actually got filet atlantis but asked for it 'oscar style' like the veal. Normally oscar style adds the lump crab meat and bearnaise sauce at most steakhouses, but it appears in Hugo's case oscar style is for the king crab leg, and atlantis already includes the lump crab meat. They also added the white asparagus that is mentioned on the veal oscar. It was like a 20 dollar upgrade, don't know if it was worth it. I didn't care at the time. Overall this place seems like a great value in fine dining. I had a main course that was a combination of three different things on their menu, plus the bisque, plus a huge ass Manhattan and an espresso and my bill after tax was 140.

 

Thanks for your input progrocker.

My S.L.D. table was straight all the way back from the podium. I quite liked it back there.

So where should I go to try proper Beef Wellington?

 

that was a very interesting review... thanks.

i keep forgetting about going there.

quite a few years ago we went there for dinner.... turns out our server was a girl i went to high school with named Connie.
we got quite the royal treatment and a few extras,gratis. left her a nice $$$$
I think she's since moved to New Orleans.

 

I was joking on that, beef wellington ensemble with lettuce is a fancy way of saying 'hamburger'. I've never had proper BW, don't know if I ever will. I like the components separately though.

 

LOL the lettuce didn't register - good one!

I like to say it Beef Wellingtawn. It's simple enough, filet wrapped in pastry, with a side sauce. The trick is getting the pastry done and the beef done right at the same moment.

Apparently.

 

The Bellagio Buffet has a decent one on Fridays, considering it is a buffet prep, I think it uses a pork stuffing rather than mushroom like the classic.

 

The only Wellington I've ever had was a Gordon's steak house at Paris. And, all I can say is oh my oh my. It was the best thing I've eaten, then came the sticky toffee. It's a toss up now.

 

Obviously if you have comps that is the best way to go. On the other hand tix4tonight.com has a coupon to go there where they take 25% off the bill. You have to go during certain hours though to get the discount. Still, it is an option.

 

As stated by another poster, the Bellagio Buffet version isn't bad at all. I do remember mushrooms in the Wellington I had there.

Nick

 

I love compartment plates. Touching issues, you know...

 

What's the consensus on Hugo's Cellar vs. other downtown steakhouses such as Andiamo?

 

Andiamo's seems to have more buzz lately. But I think it is a slightly different animal, and has an Italian spin. Hugo's is a more traditional old school gourmet room. I suspect it might be difficult to pick a winner. I haven't tried Andiamo's yet.

 

I eat at Andiamo's regularly and have never been disappointed.

I'm waiting to build up my comp balance so i can try Hugo's Cellar.