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Which dinner buffy is best Rio or PHO

Discussion in 'Restaurants & Buffets' started by Bernie2, Jul 29, 2013.

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  1. Bernie2

    Bernie2 MIA

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    I saw where the PHO is rated quite high as is the Rio, so which would be better but I am not speaking of the Seafood Village Buffy.
     
  2. mdm4sfest

    mdm4sfest VIP Whale

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  3. sybgal

    sybgal VIP Whale

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    They are both good. Like mdm mentioned, the new summer menu at PH looks very good. When we do the Buffet of Buffets - we always start at dinner about 8pm so we can also get in an early dinner the next day before the 23 hrs runs out. We will have dinner and both PH & Rio but intend to change one of them to the new one at Caesars next trip since we missed it last trip. We like both equally well but the desserts at Rio are better....PH needs to get rid of the tired, dry old cupcakes....they are terrible. Just remember....Rio is larger with more to choose from but PH is still very big.
     
  4. Bernie2

    Bernie2 MIA

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    When, you go to Caesar's don't you have to pay more for the buffy when using the B of B ?
     
  5. ah6tyfour

    ah6tyfour High-Roller

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    Both are off my list of buffet favorites, but Rio is definitely the lesser of the two (which is saying something since Rio is probably 3x the size of Spice Market at PH).

    Rio has a huge impressive quantity of food, but there's very little that's actually attractive to eat. In my experience, the items that do look appealing end up tasting pretty unappetizing. Much of the buffet are filler items or items that are very poorly cooked. It reminds me of a very very large Golden Corral with a Cici's Pizza thrown in on the end.

    The dinner price really only yields you crab and prime rib. The prime rib is an okay addition, as long as you happen to get one that is not cooked to well-done. The crab is actually one of the worst crabs on the strip. I'm actually not sure what kind of crab it is, but the legs are thin, the meat is mushy, and it's very wet. There's essentially no way to get a leg out in one piece since it rips. It has no texture when you eat it. It's as if the crab was frozen, thawed, cooked, frozen again, thawed, and served.

    I somehow end up at the Rio buffet often since it's cheap for locals (we get 50% off). Even at half off, unless you're going for the breakfast price, I would say it is not worth it.

    There are three items worth getting at Rio:
    -the menudo (made from scratch each morning and it's delicious)
    -the Asian crispy skin duck (at my last visit, they had replaced it with chicken though)
    -the chocolate hazelnut mousse cake on crispy wafer crust (it's like a Ferrero Rocher in cake form)

    Dinner at Rio is $30-$32 now (I feel like Harrahs just raises the prices at all their buffets to make the Buffet-of-Buffets look more attractive). For that price, you can go to Bellagio's buffet. For another $5-$10, you could go to Wynn or Wicked Spoon or Aria. The first two, if not all three, will feature some creative dishes and new flavor combinations, as well as desserts made by an actual pastry team.

    I don't know if Rio's buffet quality has gotten worse or if it has just stayed stagnant while the rest of Vegas moved forward, but it's definitely a place I have not looked forward to dining at for a few years now.
     
    Last edited: Jul 29, 2013
  6. sybgal

    sybgal VIP Whale

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    .

    Yes, there is an up-charge for each - breakfast, lunch, dinner....dinner is more than the others. Sorry, not sure of the amount.
     
  7. ah6tyfour

    ah6tyfour High-Roller

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    I think the upcharge is $10 for breakfast, $15 for lunch, and $25 for dinner. Doesn't really seem like a very good deal. I'd probably just pay normal price for the dinner at Bacchanal and skip the other 22 hours of buffet.
     
  8. jrinct1

    jrinct1 VIP Whale

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    I like BOTH. But hold a gun to my head I would probably say PHO.
     
  9. LV_Bound

    LV_Bound VIP Whale

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    I didn't know the King Crab legs were only for Dinner at PH. Was hoping to catch them for both Lunch and Dinner.
     
  10. smartone

    smartone VIP Whale

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    Same here...
     
  11. chef

    chef Resident Buffetologist

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    Agree, agree. Good description, especially regarding what are probably the worst crab legs of any buffet in Vegas.
    If I may, one other item worth trying - the Vietnamese soup section.
     
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