Rate Vegas

On October 07 2007, Ralph wrote:

WARNING!! WARNING!!! WARNING!! DON’T WASTE YOUR MONEY ON THE BELLAGIO BUFFET!!!!!

They boast about their 88 chefs that  handle the food at the Bellagio, they  should fire 87 of them and send the 88th to the Mirage to pick up some decent food and some pointers.
This place was such a disappointment. Obviously  a higher income  crowd that seemed not to notice how  tasteless the food was for such a high dollar buffet. Yes, there are a few exotic items, such as  roast quail (dry pigeons), calamari (rubber), king crab legs (soaked in salt water making them emaciated and inedible) and beef wellington (WRONGINGton is the word here. Dry, overcooked and wrapped with FAKE bacon). This all sat like a brick in my discerning and disappointed stomach and was washed down by TAP WATER!
We should have stuck with the fried clams in the food court at New York, New York. They were delicious.

Our picks for buffets are: MIRAGE, RIO SEAFOOD BUFFET (get there before 5PM for better lobster tails) and Treasure Island for their delicious, creamy, beautiful CREME BRULEE .

On August 18 2007, Gil Wheeler wrote:

Food was great. Price is too steep. There are better buffets for the money.

On April 12 2007, M Walter wrote:

I try to have at least one meal here each time I visit Las Vegas, though the Buffet at the Wynn now offers some stiff competition for my buffet dollar. Although still very good, the Bellagio buffet is slowly going downhill. The food can get repetitive – another review mentioned that some items are now “dinner only”, I think it’s just that they rotate items, which as a repeat customer, I appreciate. The service can be pretty lousy. Often times there are long absences for drink refills, and when you finally spot you waiter/waitress to order, you may be looking at another 10 minutes before you get what you requested.

The buffet has the usual high-end Vegas buffet items: Crab Legs, Shrimp Cocktail, Sushi, Prime Rib, etc, but what I enjoy the most are is the wider variety of offerings: several kinds of fish, amazing artisan pizzas, cheese samplings, fresh berries, lamb, brisket, upscale Asian, etc.

Very much worth visiting, but I’d recommend the Wynn buffet over it.

On March 26 2007, mike_ch wrote:

I had a recent upswing in gambling luck recently, so I decided so I decided to try the weekend brunch here. I skipped the champagne but obviously if that sort of thing is up your alley then you should ante up the extra for it.

I ate here once before last year for lunch and didn’t really pay attention to the quality because it was a special occasion. However, this one of those places I’ve termed ‘duck lips buffets’ because of their tendency to serve really exotic and out-there foods in all you can eat flavors, like lamb and buffalo and.. Uh.. Duck lips. If you don’t get the joke, just keep reading.

While my lunch visit did not do anything to dispel the duck lips myth, this came closer. Normal pre-made breakfast goods were out, and the meat was less exotic than that lunch, with prime rib available instead of wild boar ribs. Turkey was great, prime rib varied from good to great, pancakes were akin to a sugar IV due to me being less than conservative with the powder and syrup.

As with the previous lunch, I feel that the desserts are more enjoyable for their artistic value (and the fact that they’re being produced en masse) rather than their actual taste. The dessert bar is visually fantastic to look at, but overall leaves me wanting more.

Service was as good as you can ask for with a room this large filled with the lunch crush. Which is to say, it’s more responsive than many other MGM casual options during their less busy periods. No complaints there.

A few caveats worth mention:

1) Although the salad table is up and running during brunch, this buffet, like many, has been criticized as being difficult for vegetarians. The addition of breakfast items makes the brunch more worthy in this regard, but obviously depending on your limits and tastes (i.e. dairy, eggs) you may find difficulty.

2) What’s up with so many buffets putting mashed potatoes so far away from the meat and poultry? Bellagio isn’t as bad as MGM when it comes to this, but you still have to cross a busy Asian and omelet station.

3) During my visit I found an unhappy guest complaining to staff about how five items she was looking for were removed and are now dinner-only. I chatted to her briefly about this and some of it is suspect (she mentioned lamb, which I saw on my first trip for prime rib but not on my second) but I wasn’t interested in correcting irate customers. I have no idea if she was getting the run-around from staff or what, but if you’ve done this buffet before keep aware some items you might be expecting could be dinner-only.

A solid buffet that’s a safe bet in almost every category, but expensive to match. Traditional food was tasty yet still not spectacular. I’m afraid somebody else is going to check the quality of the duck lips.

On February 28 2005, raoul_777 wrote:

Anyone who dislikes the buffet at Bellagio is an Idiot and should not be stepping in the doors of Bellagio because they are too good for you. Service and food is the greatest.

On January 10 2005, RateVegas.com User wrote:

Bellagio buffet is the best buffet in town. The selection is great, the food is tasty, with salt not being the key solution to flavor. I have tried most of the buffets in town and this one is the best.

On June 04 2004, dlmoe wrote:

Food was excellent along with the selection. The only problem was the service. We were finally noticed by our waitress after about ten minutes. I was just about to search for some one to bring us drinks when she came out of the back. Everyone else was served right away after returning from the buffet line. For some reason, our follow up service was the same.

On March 12 2004, biegs wrote:

One of the top two Buffets in Vegas – love it

On August 21 2003, YoungGun wrote:

This is my favorite buffet. It edges out Aladdin in quality but not selection. No annoying, “cute” French touches like the Paris. The food is great and the carving station having the selection that it did during lunch was amazing. The brunch is awesome. Props to the fresh juice station. The service is great too. The only reason I would not give the service a 10 is because of the host/hostesses. The servers have always been great, but everytime I’ve eaten there, there has been a problem with the seating. Perhaps it is because the seating area is small for a buffet of this size and popularity.

On August 19 2003, sweetnest wrote:

An excellent choice if you are looking for gormet food, and are not afraid to pay for it. I feel that the food was a little on the exotic side for the larger group that we traveled with. It was hard to find something plain and “normal” for our more picky eaters. However, desserts are PHENOMINAL, and if you believe that it’s best to “eat dessert first” in life, this is the Buffet for you, even if it is expensive!

On August 07 2003, jimstraz wrote:

I would have given this buffet a 10 rating if they would not have changed some things. I have eaten at the Bellagio Buffet about 5 or 6 times. This last time I was very upset. I loved their Mango Chicken Salad that was a special on their salad station and made fresh to order. I couldn’t wait to get some of it and when I went to the chef, it was nowhere to be found. I asked the chef where the Mango Chicken Salad was and she said that they are not making it anymore because they got a new chef and he is cutting out some dishes that were more costly.
I then headed for my other favorite – the Acorn Squash Ravioli with Safron Cream Sauce. They changed the sauce and it is no longer made with Safron. A big disappointment. That was my favorite dish on the menue. There were other noticeable changes that were for the worst. The deserts were not as grand as they once were either. I was so upset that this new chef changed the menu for cheap while the price got raised.

Honestly, I don’t know if I will go back anytime soon. I used to love it so much, but now has faded. Don’t get me wrong, it is still an incredible spread, just that it was better. Has anyone else noticed the changes? Let me know at jimstraz@aol.com

I will go back to the Paris Le Buffet first. It is wonderful there and more creative.

On June 08 2003, bnsf600 wrote:

This is my favorite buffet, but it is quite expensive, so you
better be hungry. They have an incredible selection of
seafood ranging from the usual shrimp all the way up to
crab legs along with drawn butter. They have many meats to
choose from, slices of pizza and an incredible selection of
desserts. I would suggest the cheesecake draped with their
raspberry sauce. The salad that is stocked is not like
at regular buffets with the cheese, olives, etc, but I am
not sure how describe how it is different. It’s not your
basic green salad is the best way to put it.

On June 01 2003, madge62 wrote:

WOW! This buffet rocks. We were there for a late lunch, early dinner (3:00) on May 30/03 to catch the less expensive prices. The food was awesome, so varied and so gourmet. The teriyaki flank steak is worth going up for seconds. Had to try a little bit of everything, it tasted so good. The desserts…......well, I had to stop after 4 because I was so full. Anyway, definitely one to try.

On May 31 2003, roberti805 wrote:

Excellent buffet, the food is a vast variety and selection of the familiar to the exotic. I highly recommend the buffet, as it is a far cry from the old $.99 trough. The weekend brunch buffets have gotten a pricey though.

On March 20 2003, billkat wrote:

The greatest buffet ever ,we did champagne brunch well worth the money staff were great the food was the best i’ve ever had.. you must do it .

On March 20 2003, billkat wrote:

The greatest buffet ever ,we did champagne brunch well worth the money staff were great the food was the best i’ve ever had.. you must do it .

On February 28 2003, Hunter wrote:

Fantastic buffet food. All the dishes are very high quality and you get some crazy variation. From pizza to venison to crab legs to roast boar. Dinner can get pricey… Get there for a late lunch and you can sample some of the dinner stuff for the lower lunch price.

On September 16 2002, RateVegas User wrote:

the best quality food at any buffet on the strip. lunch was $16. eat at 3:15 and at 3:30 it goes into supper, which is $25. service was just okay. had 4 different people wait on us and they were not that friendly. but the food! oh my! gourmet and unusual, even exotic. if you’re a meat and potato man, you won’t be thrilled, but if you like exciting and different food, this is your place! much diversity. fantastic desserts. the cream of red pepper soup the best! huge,peeled shrimp, they crack the crabs lengthways for you. This was our #1 favorite buffet this trip.

On August 29 2002, RateVegas User wrote:

Line was too long—thankfully we got in VIP. It was a little loud, but the food was fantastic!! Something for everyone in our group. Our service was sketchy, because we switched servers midway through the meal, but it picked up again as the new guy got into his groove. I’d do it again if the lines weren’t long…..

On August 23 2002, RateVegas User wrote:

We were in the back of the line at dinnertime and a server asked us if we’d like to sit at the bar (non-smoking) as he could seat us right away and save us 45 minutes of waiting. We jumped at the chance and had a wonderful meal. Worth the money!

On April 02 2002, RateVegas User wrote:

Excellent food in every respect – could be served this fare at a high-end restaurant and not be disappointed. For a buffet, it is simply amazing. My favorite buffet in LV. As a matter of fact, it would rank in my top 20 as a restaurant, period.

On September 30 2001, RateVegas User wrote:

Don’t let the price send you away. For just a little more money you are getting the best buffet in vegas.Awesome food!

On September 22 2001, RateVegas User wrote:

I’ve gone through about 25-30 Vegas buffets and the Bellagio is simply tops. Not cheap, but the best QUALITY on or off the Strip. I’d do it twice as often if it cost a littlel less.

On April 27 2001, RateVegas User wrote:

We went to the buffet around 3:15 in the middle of the servers shift change. Server was rude. She yelled across the room and asked what we wanted to drink. Then we never saw her again after we got our drinks. After she went home,We complained to the manager about the poor service and he refunded the money we spent for the buffet and apologized profusely. Food was ok. Desserts are the only good food on the buffet. We will not go there again.

On April 15 2001, RateVegas User wrote:

Choice of food is mind-boggling. Something for everyone. Quality was outstanding, but service was poor.

On March 23 2001, RateVegas User wrote:

I’m pretty harsh on my Vegas Buffet ratings, but I have to say this is a great buffet. I would definitely eat here again. Good food. Good desserts. Rivals the buffet at Texas Station and Orleans (French Market Buffet) as my top picks so far.

On March 03 2001, RateVegas User wrote:

Very good food selection, quality and ambiance. The service was a bit of a problem due to a shift change in the middle of my meal. It is worth the money at lunch.

On January 30 2001, RateVegas User wrote:

Exotic meat selection, at least for my appetite. The pizza was great and I thought the deserts were the best part of the meal. My pre-cracked crab legs had bits of shell in them that ruined it for me and they are on ice. The server seemed to be timing the diners..here’s your seat, what do you want to drink, get started, get out. I felt rushed at a buffet! I liked the Paris buffet the best.

On June 12 2000, RateVegas User wrote:

Ate Breakfast, excellent quality.

On May 17 2000, RateVegas User wrote:

Although a little on the expensive side, this is, hands down, the BEST buffet in Las Vegas. Went twice on the last trip, going again at least once the next trip.

On May 07 2000, RateVegas User wrote:

I visited the Buffet for the first time for dinner on my most recent trip. The selection of food is EXCELLENT!

On May 01 2000, RateVegas User wrote:

A wide selection of meats, seafood and an extensive array of salads make this buffet a winner. I went crazy for the alaskan king crab. The dessert selection left something to be desired.

On May 01 2000, RateVegas User wrote:

This is the best buffet in Las Vegas! I can’t wait to go back!