Food and Loafing in Las Vegas #1

Welcome to the first in a series of reviews dedicated to showcasing the best (and worst) of that most popular of Las Vegas attractions (OK, #2 behind Gambling), Buffet dining.

As many already know, Buffets & Prime Rib used to be THE way to eat in Las Vegas, primarily because the Fine Dining choices were extremely limited. Long before names such as Lagasse, Puck (Who was among the first), Keller or Flay elevated Vegas to a ‘Culinary Destination’, you either sought out a cheap Steak and Eggs (Sold at most if not all Casino Cafes 24 hours a day) or bellied up to the Buffet line for inexpensive Shrimp and (mostly) poorly prepared beef.

With the explosion of Fine Dining, buffets in Vegas either went 2 routes – they tried to compete on price by lowering their cost, or they went the other direction, and ramped up their selections to be almost as good (in quality) as the Fine Dining restaurants. To no surprise, neither route was extremely successful, but it did revive the Vegas tradition of hitting the Buffet before, during or after a night of Shows or Gambling.

For the first installment of Food and Loafing, I have chosen a Casino buffet slightly off The Strip, hosted at the Las Vegas Hilton. The Hilton has for quite some time hosted some of the more popular attractions with Barry Manilow as a headliner, the Star Trek Experience (Now gone) and restaurants like Benihana & Quarks.

The Buffet (Which is a description AND it’s name) at the Hilton was always pretty good, but nothing to write home about. In recent years however, they managed to set a buffet line with Prime Rib that was wonderfully prepared, other proteins like Turkey, Sirloin Steak & Lamb chops (Amazingly tender and juicy for a buffet) and Vegas staples like Chinese dishes.

Lately though, The Buffet has been going through some major peaks and valleys in regards to content and quality. Quite frankly, it’s hit or miss on whether you’re going to have a delightful meal, or just standard fare. This actually amazes me somewhat, because for quite some time The Buffet was a standard destination on those nights out we Vegas locals tend to love. We of course love this because being a Local has it’s perks, and at The Buffet it was 25% off the purchase price – and at Dinner (Which includes complimentary Beer & Wine, something that sets The Buffet apart from it’s competitors), these savings equaled a reasonable meal that happened to be tasty as well.

On my last trip here about 2 weeks ago, it was a ‘Hit’ night. My party arrived @ 6:30pm, a time that usually means we will not hit a long line – and we were not wrong. The wait time was a mere 3 minutes from payment to seating – the usual time is @ 10 minutes, and we have encountered up to 25 before. The Hostess was genial, but new to us – seems that some of the regular staff has gone to ‘on call’ status, which is a shame as it was always nice to see a familiar face who knew our needs (One companion is confined to a wheelchair).

Here’s where the one downside to this experience occurred. The Wait staff is possibly the weakest link at The Buffet most times, and this was no different. It took nearly 20 minutes to get our Beverages (Aside from the Beer/Wine which is self serve via an attendant), which means the firs 1/3 of our meal was spent without a drink.

Aside from that, everything was hitting on all cylinders. The proteins were all juicy and well prepared, from the grilled items to the carving station. Side dishes from Mashed Potatoes & Vegetables were plentiful, and the Salad selection was cold as they should be – only problem there is the lack of meaningful choice. The Mexican & Chinese entrees were fresh and kept filled, and the raw Shrimp & Sushi were also kept stocked, something The Buffet sometimes neglects. The Dessert selection was diverse on this night, offering cakes, pies and some delightful tidbits such as a Brownie covered with a 3 flavor mix of Mousse that titillate the taste buds.

For me though, The Buffet offers 2 ‘Live’ Cooking Stations which make the meal. One is a Pasta station that while limited in pasta selection (Bow Ties, Spaghetti, Shells and usually Penne), is made up for with the skill of the man doing the cooking. He seems to know how to prepare many versions of sauces, and makes a mean version of Shrimp Scampi. On this night however I asked him to use his imagination to make me a Primavera like dish, but add Shrimp & Spinach. He did not fail, and his improvisation was simply delicious. Don’t miss the Pasta Station (Assuming it’s there – at times the Hilton tries to cut costs by only offering pre-made pastas).

The 2nd Station is fairly new (within the last year) and seems to be a new Vegas craze. I of course refer to a Dessert Crepe, and they offer 3 different fillings in Apples, a Berry Compote & a Peach concoction. I have encountered 2 times when they also are able to do a Cherries Jubilee & Bananas Foster fillings – both quite tasty. If you are a traditionalist, these are slightly off kilter, but any sweet tooth will be well served.

Overall, The Buffet gets (and usually deserves) a solid 3 1/2 out of 5 stars, however at times the experience has rated only 2 stars, which is why I say it’s hit or miss. If they were able to deliver the same experience consistently, I would heartily recommend this place, but with the nature of their inability to keep a standard, I say hit this only if you happen to be there and don’t want to travel to eat.

The Buffet in the LV Hilton, 3000 Paradise Road.

Hours of Operation

• Breakfast: Mon-Fri 7am – 11am
• Lunch: Mon-Fri 11am – 2:30pm
• Dinner: Mon-Sun 5pm – 10pm
• Brunch: Sat-Sun 8am – 2:30pm

Pricing (Locals receive 25% off with stamped Player’s Card, plus special deals on Wondays/Wednesdays)

• Breakfast $12.99 plus tax
• Lunch $13.99 plus tax
• Dinner $17.99 plus tax (Includes Complimentary beer & Wine)
• Brunch $17.99 plus tax (Includes Champagne & Mimosas)