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Are buffets coming back?

Discussion in 'Restaurants & Buffets' started by npom, Apr 16, 2021.

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  1. SprintGravy

    SprintGravy Gravy Train Conductor

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    I am a big buffet guy. Been to most every one on the strip pre covid.

    I think Wicked Spoon is a touch overrated but honestly is a top 3. Bachannal was great. Wynn was great. Bellagio was great. I thought Aria was mediocre. Mandalay Bay was good. Rio was phenomenal but crowded when I went. Paris was a bit small for me but average. Luxor a bit below average. Never made it to Planet Hollywood or Mirage's.

    MGM Grand was worse than Excalibur. I am surprised I didn't get food poisoning. One of the worst buffets I've been in, in the world
     
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  2. Anonymous

    Anonymous Tourist

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    Agree with your top three.

    Bellagio is decent but has declined in the last several years.

    The Bacchanal had good food but the wait times were ridiculous. Defeats the purpose of a buffet.
     
  3. dmr

    dmr Registered Abuser

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    The good thing about buffets is that when you have a group of people ("group" being two or more) :) who can't agree on where to go to eat or what kind of cuisine to have, most will be willing to go to a buffet. Most every buffet will have something that everyone, even the most outspoken food creep, can enjoy.
     
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  4. vegasvstr

    vegasvstr VIP Whale

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    Stopped in at Lumiere casino (CET) the other day.
    Area with buffet stations is framed in and in the process of being walled over.
    Staff say they hear it will be a pizza restaurant of some sort.
     
  5. EdRut25

    EdRut25 Low-Roller

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    I enjoy buffets a lot and I normally go to one for breakfast more than dinner (think bacon, bacon and more bacon). The only other time I would go to one for dinner would be through a My Vegas Reward as I can usually find some redeeming quality when I'm not paying or splitting a 2 for 1 deal. I really hope they do come back and I will be giving South Point's a try in a few weeks during my two day stay there at the end of May. Eventually I would like to try Caesars or Wynn's based on reviews but highly doubt they would be opening by the end of May. Maybe since I'm not a fine dining person...just a regular meat and potatoes guy, buffets are part of my thing.
     
    It's Just Time....
  6. _celticGreen_

    _celticGreen_ Tourist

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    According to a post on another forum, Wynn has emailed workers that re-opening of the buffet will be on July 1st. Not sure how legitimate the post is, but the timeline makes sense. Don't think there's any word on it being self-serve, or otherwise.
     
  7. Kisby

    Kisby High-Roller

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    According to this video, bacchanal buffet at Caesars will reopen on May 15!

     
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  8. dankyone

    dankyone VIP Whale

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    I hope it does, it will take the pressure off the other dining venues at CP.
     
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  9. MCann

    MCann I can't complain, but sometimes I still do...

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    I've been to all mentioned in your post, and Caesars....well, see my latest counter below, but Bacchanal is still my strong pick for best, with maybe only Wynn being a sort of close second. It really depends on what kind of food you like though. Bacchanal sort of caters to their asian and other foreign markets and seafood, plus a little bit of fancy. A couple of their dishes are super disappointing like their so-called "wagyu" roast, but they have a lot of quality seafood, asian, and italian, which are 3 of my favorites, plus a wicked dessert and salad bar. They have a really good horchata year round too, if the thought of drinking a creamy churro appeals to you. But, someone who hates seafood and loves indian food prolly will prefer Aria, and hipsters will definitely prefer the inauthentic but weirder foods at wicked Spoon, etc. Of course, everything I know about Bacchanal is late 2019 and prior so who knows what it will be like now. If it's anything like the comps and gaming rules, it will suck now but cost more.
     
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  10. vegasvstr

    vegasvstr VIP Whale

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    When/if Bacchanal returns will be interested to see the pricing.
    Wasn't that impressed on the last visit there, snow crab legs were really puny, prices were inflated due to some minor holiday. Found seating and flow odd. Not sure we'd go back there again unless something has changed.
     
  11. insin

    insin Speed Spender

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    Bacchanal is still my favorite LV Buffet.
    (A photographer at the buffet was weird....but I bought the pics anyway.)
    Next I like Border Grill, Wicked Spoon, Bellagio and then Aria.
    We like to try a new (to us) buffet each trip.

    The worst buffet I have ever been to in LV is (hands down) the Buffet at Luxor.
    The location is weird, like a dark basement.
    Quantity over quality and a lack of variety.
    Mom got her coffee and donut before pool time, so she was ok with it.
     
  12. Jejas

    Jejas VIP Whale

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    That's not just Bacchanal, all buffets have this problem.
    I saw Wynn's buffet had 2 hour+ line multiple times.

    My Vegas buffet rule number 1: never eat a buffet if not comped.
    My Vegas buffet rule number 2: never eat a buffet if not able to cut the line.
     
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  13. ReTriggerMe

    ReTriggerMe Stand Up to Jewish Hate!

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    Lots of opinions... that's why buffets can serve different interests.

    I like to taste different new things, and love seafood, except think buffet snow crab toothpicks are a total waste of time- never bother. I may be one of the few buffet lovers that tends to ignore the carvery section. I may grab a piece of sausage, or even a very small slice of ham - Never once bothered with any roast beef, prime rib, etc. I like the unique stuff, like the hoe cake or street tacos to order at Wynn, or the station assembling bouillabaisse at Wicked Spoon, customizing poké at Aria, etc etc...

    I've waited for a buffet once, 45 minutes for Wynn. Other three visits to Wynn buffet... walked right in, not even 2 min wait.
    Never waited three visits to Wicked Spoon.
    Never waited two visits to Aria buffet, and they were MyVegas freebies
    Worst for me was Mandalay Bay... beginning of lunch, food was already dried out and crusting on the steam trays. Watched staff open boxes of frozen, pre-sliced institutional cakes to stock the dessert buffet.
    Never been to Bacchanal - or any other buffet in LV (since 2018)
     
  14. runningonthehub

    runningonthehub VIP Whale

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    Without buffets, I am not going to Vegas.
     
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  15. LLK311

    LLK311 Tourist

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    I love Vegas buffets too, they're a uniquely Vegas thing as I wouldn't necessarily want to go to one outside of Vegas. Plus I've never seen any buffets of that quality either outside of Vegas! I also love going to them with large groups of friends or family as you can share stuff.

    I tried Wicked Spoon and Bacchanal two years ago, and on a trip 10 years ago Planet Hollywood and one of those cheap downtown ones. Really want to try Wynn and Aria when they come back. I hope they revamp some of the lesser ones if they come back though, like Paris. I looked through the food once without deciding to eat there because it just looked kind of depressing.
     
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  16. LV_Bound

    LV_Bound VIP Whale

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    Not really a buffet fan, but have been receiving 2 for 1 buffet passes so am now looking forward to their return.
     
  17. MCann

    MCann I can't complain, but sometimes I still do...

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    I agree with pretty much all this - we could totally buffet together. I only tried the wagyu at caesars because they call it wagyu; it's definitely not. Otherwise I skip the carving section unless the buffet really sucks and I need the food. Like my one experience at Bellagio almost nothing was very good except the veggies were super high quality, so I took a sizable portion of prime rib, which was edible, and a bunch of veggies. My two main loves of a buffet are trying a bunch of different things in exactly the amounts you want, and not waiting on food or being held hostage waiting on a bill when ready to leave. Add too long of a wait and it defeats the purpose.
     
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  18. vegasqc

    vegasqc VIP Whale

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    Agree they are 50% to 75% of my meals when im in town, dont know where i would eat without them fast food and food court for 5-7 days might be a bit much
     
    Last edited: Apr 28, 2021
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  19. fischer

    fischer High-Roller

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    My opinion is IF the buffets were running at a loss they won't reopen. This bug thing gives them all a great excuse to change business practices.
     
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  20. MCann

    MCann I can't complain, but sometimes I still do...

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    I wonder if we'll see some initially not come back, but then return later. There were, I would imagine, several places running them as a loss leader to try and get people in their casinos and or hotels. I think most of us foresee some "artificial" demand spikes in the coming months as people who have been hibernating for a year or more finally venture out with vaccination and things trend back toward normalcy, and again when international travel is more open. I'm especially curious to see what happens with some of the more budget properties like Luxor where no one ever raves about the buffet, but certain target demographics like families really want a place they can take take the kids with minimal fuss. I can see them not caring about that market at all for a while as demand spikes, then finally deciding they need them again once inflated demand starts wearing off. Will be interesting to follow. And of course, anyone who thinks they can make more money converting to a food court or food hall will probably do so. Also curious what influence the success or failure of the food hall concept at Resorts World might have on some of the buffets that might be borderline money wise.
     
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