Vegas, Welcome to Con City:

Just got back. Interesting trip. I used to live there in 1999. We stayed at the Elcortez in the Cabana Suites. Very small. The tower rooms are a lot larger. When you go out to dinner you expect to get a choice of soup or salad, baked potato and veggie. Not at the fine dining Flame Room. You order steak, you get steak. Salad is extra. Baked potato is 4.50. I didn't even check the price of the price of salad or veggie. We walked out. Went to the Californian and was a lot more impressed. Never stay there again. The help was a lot more polite everywhere else. For as bad as the economy is you would think they would put a little more effort in it. Had one good run at the blackjack table and the pit boss stopped me from switching from one hand to two hands on the same deck. They never said a word about it when I was loosing. Overall bad experience in Vegas.

 

While the Flame is ala carte, I still think their prices are reasonable and they are always only too happy to split sides w/o an extra charge. All that being said, the Redwood at The Cal, is one of our favorite places to eat and very reasonable.
Sorry you didn't have a good trip, but a lot has changed in Vegas since 1999, including many restaurants charging extra for sides.

 

I feel like most Steak houses I go to are Ala Carte. Morton's, Ruth Chris etc, so that doesn't surprise me to much. Sorry to hear your experience wasn't enjoyable.

 

Well, you will know for your next trip.
Did you say anything to the pit boss?

Steaks? I usually go for buffets but I understand there are some fairly reasonable steak deals and you don't have to trek all the way to Ellis Island for their off-menu Steak, potato, sides, salad and 20 ounce beer for 7.88 or something. If you get local ID again, two nights a week the Hilton(?) has a buffet for cardholders who are locals. Mon and Wed, I think... but this is indirect information.

 

Thanks for the reply on the pit boss. Yes I did and I walked out. I've got a thing to send to the owner and I'm going to follow up on that.

 

Sorry to hear about your bad Vegas experience........you will have that. I had a bad experience the other night a Panara restaurant back home here...won't stop me from going out to restaurants though. Maybe next time will be a better time.

 

Sorry to hear about your disappointing trip.

For the record, most steak houses worth their salt are almost always a la carte.

Make the next one better!

 

I don't. Not anymore. It's been like that now for awhile at most nicer places. You should have read the menu abit better.

 

sorry to hear about your bad experience, but maybe your expectations weren't realistic. maybe you get sides with a steak at Sizzler, but at any nice establishment, everything is a-la-carte. as far as your experience at El Cortez, it sounds like you were expecting 5-star service at 3-star prices. usually, you get what you pay for.

 

My first experience with ala carte' was at the hotel right outside the Superdome in 2001. It was a shock to my midwest system! I avoid those places normally.

 

This is one of reasons I do tout Redwood Grill at the Cal a bit on this board. Sides included and reasonable prices. Same for The Steak House at Circus. Those of us from the Midwest recognize value. Or should I say, we are shocked at rip off prices that some places have with the extra charges. You can find the same types of places here over charging for everything also, but many will find value and quality elsewhere.

http://static.boydgaming.net/california/media/downloads/Redwood_Menu.pdf

http://www.circuscircus.com/images/PDF/SteakhouseMenu.pdf

 

I agree that some of the ala carte steakhouses push it too far with their pricing. However, I don't see how the Flame falls in that category looking at their menu. Their prices are reasonable and since there are so many ways to get discount coupons, reasonable soon turns into a great deal.

 

Seems reasonable to me. You get what you pay for most of the time. If the a la carte steak is not worth it on its own then it is not good value but if it is then it is good value. Ellis Island should not be in the discussion when it comes to quality steaks. Don't like the California as it has been dirty and unfriendly when I have gone.

 

I have been to the flame several times and the value is very good. The waitress even suggested we split the sides as they come so large it is way too much for one along with the good size steaks. Where I maybe would complain is if they charge extra for sharing. In our case she even split the salad on 2 plates since we wanted different dressings.

Sorry you had a bad experience at the El Cortez. Mine have been just the oppisite and I also am a tight midwesterner.

 

Go to N9NE at the Palms, a Filet Mignon is about $42 and the sides run about $9 each, well worth it and it's the best steakhouse in Vegas IMO.

You want a steak with steamed broccoli, cauliflower, french fries and a salad go to Ellis Island.

A lot of places do not allow mid deck entry at BJ to deter the card counters, that includes going from 1 hand to 2 hands.

 

I love N9NE, great great steakhouse!