Anytime I think of a Las Vegas buffet, I immediately picture Randy Quaid ordering "some of the blue and some of the yeller" in the movie "Vegas Vacation."And while I'm sure there might be some which resemble that scene, I had pretty high confidence that Steve Wynn wouldn't allow his buffet to be anything less than extraordinary. At least, that's how my wife and friends sold me on the idea, to keep my complaints to a minimum.
"What's this? A line?"
We arrived to the Wynn somewhere around 8pm, and made our way to the line to enter the buffet. The concept of a line for dinner was really foreign to me, but apparently this is how they do buffets in Vegas. The lady in line next to us said this one was relatively short compared to some nights, but that didn't keep me from whining for the 20 minutes or so it took for us to reach the register. Only in Vegas would they be able to pull off the concept of "wait in line, pay first, eat later" but seeing I didn't have much of a choice, I plopped down our $90 and hoped for the best.
Part of the Dining Room |
After being seated in the crowded, yet comfortable dining room, I headed to the buffet area to get started. Given the enormity of the spread, I decided to make a loop and survey what was available first, before I started loading up my plate. I'm glad I did this, because the Wynn strategically hides the shrimp and crab legs at the very end of the line. Sure, put the good stuff last so no one has room on their plate. Sneaky Steve Wynn...Sneaky...
The Huge Line of Buffet Stations |
"The ocean called, they're running out of shrimp."
I started off with an entire plate devoted solely to smoked salmon, and as I made my way back to the buffet I felt a little weak in the knees. Next up was the mother load...Prime rib, chicken, pasta, mashed potatoes, a couple pieces of sushi, and some more smoked salmon for good measure. What?...don't judge.
Aerial View of the Shellfish Station |
I'd cordoned off a quadrant of my stomach specifically for shellfish, and I was ready to get my $90 worth. I made not one, but two trips back to the buffet for plates of crab and shrimp. In the end I might of put away Captain Sig Hansen's entire catch from last year.
Salad So Pretty I Considered Having Some |
Finally, it was time for dessert, and the Wynn buffet did not disappoint here either. Gelato, crepes made to order, and a huge assortment of cakes and other sweets kept me busy for quite a while. The highlight for my wife was the candy apple, while I may have had more than one chocolate cupcake.
This Was Just Our First Trip to the Dessert Station |
While I'm sure there are plenty of fantastic buffets in Las Vegas, it's hard to imagine that there are many which rank above the Wynn. In the end, I was glad that I relaxed my strict policy against dinner buffets. Was it worth the $45 a person? That's debatable, but I didn't walk away feeling as though I was ripped off either. Besides, I'm sure I consumed enough smoked salmon and crab legs to more than justify the cost.
Have you experienced a Vegas buffet? Share your story!
~Insert Dude-like Closing Here~
Deej
Nice! I love buffets in Vegas! They're always so opulent!
ReplyDeleteI don't care for dinner buffets either but my kids love them - it seems to be far more exciting to have so many choices instead of picking just one thing from the menu. The unfortunate thing is that they are both nibblers and neither come close to eating anywhere near the amount that their meal costs.
ReplyDeleteWell now you're into my realm of expertise. I did really like the Wynn buffet, but I can't bring myself to pay $45 per person. On the other hand, it sure sounds like you got your moneys worth. How do you manage to eat all that? More importantly, how did you manage to move after?
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure man, but let me just say the walk back to Mirage was rather slow...
ReplyDeleteOpulent is a great word to describe it:)
ReplyDeleteYeah then they definitely would have had a hard time getting the money's worth here...
ReplyDelete