I'm looking forward to having a meal or two at the following Las Vegas restaurants one of these days.

Golden Steer
Binion's Steak House
Pamplemousse
Michael's
Envy Steak House
Joel Robuchon
L'Atelier
Sinatra's
Alex
Okada

And here's the reasons why .....

(soon to follow)

Let's take Binion's first .....

According to the present website .....Binion's Ranch Steakhouse has the most spectacular views of the great Las Vegas valley. Located on the 24th floor, this gourmet restaurant is a step back in time with its vintage Vegas décor, romantic atmosphere and first class service.

I had the opportunity to meet Mr Binion in the early 1960's when he used to stroll through his casino giving rolls of nickles and a hearty "Howdy" to his slot playing customers.

I played blackjack and craps at Binion's when it was alway packed to the rafters and always difficult to find an open seat at any of the numerous blackjack tables or a place to stand to throw the dice.

And there was always a very long line to get a hot dog or a simple shrimp cocktail with those little octogon shaped crackers you never see no more..

And the bars were usually always 'three folks thick' with every kind of 'folk' you could imagine.

And if you planned to have a decent meal at Binion's, you would definitely need a reservation.

And the restaurant at the top and the restaurant at the bottom were almost impossible to obtain a seat without a very long wait just about every night of each and every week.

And you could forget even try'en on the weekends!

Now Mr Binion has departed town for Greener Pastures along with his entire family and things have changed so drastically that I doubt we'll ever see those wonderful days again.

But I still 'gotta' have a meal up there on that 24th floor ... and for the life of me .... I can't figure out why I've never had a meal there yet!

(To be continued.... A million dollars on the table and twenty thousand in a suitcase and a pastrami sandwich a few feet away!)

Will - Of those you listed, the only one I've eaten at is Alex. As you probably know, Alex Stratta was the chef at Renoir when it was at The Mirage. It was probably my favorite restaurant in Vegas at the time. When Steve Wynn opened The Wynn, Wynn "stole" Stratta away fromt The Mirage and opened Alex at The Wynn.

I've eaten at Alex 3 times and it's always been excellent. The service is impeccable and the food is of very high quality.

I haven't been to Las Vegas in quite a while and I've been trying new places when I've been there. Plus I've been hanging out on the south end of the Strip and am just too lazy to go to the Wynn anymore. But I'd like to return to Alex again someday.

I've always wanted to try Envy but just haven't gotten there yet.

Sinatra's definitely looks interesting and worth a try.

On a trip a year or 2 ago, a friend of mine wanted to try The Golden Steer because he heard Bette Midler say she liked it. But we drove by the place and it looked a bit scary so we didn't go in.

I've considered Joel Robuchon but the prices are just too outrageous. I'm not afraid spend my money on a high-end meal (such as Alex) but I just think Joel Robuchon (and Guy Savoy for that matter) have out-priced themselves. There's got to be a limit and I think they've gone over it. Just my opinion....

Thanks, Mike! Since you fine dined at ALex, I've gotta ask you to elaborate on that fine dining experience. You are the only one I know who I don't know that ever fine dined there so I cannot ask any others I know or don't about that experience.

My only real experience at Alex was stopping by the front entrance and staring at the menu posted there and peaking through those elaborate, front, glass-door, windows into the beautiful interior.

Gotta admit though that I never did manage to see anything too appetizing on that exterior, Alex menu. They seem to prepare/cook just about everything I just don't like too much.

So I hope you don't mind elaborating a bit more about dining there.

Thanks, Mike!

Before leaving Binion's I gotta digress a bit to pass on to you all a couple of personal experiences I had there during the days of yor! ("YOR" is Sir Gallihad talk for 'olden times')

I was sitting at one of Mr. Binion's blackjack tables while he was strolling throughout the casino passing out those rolls of nickles and some elderly looking 'dude' walks up and takes a seat next to me with a big, brown suitcase. And with a silent nod to the dealer and the dealer's silent nod in return, he bends over and picks up that suitcase and places it on that blackjack table right upon the very same spot where one would normally place one's bet.

And he quickly opens the case to reveal that is is full of very old, very worn, one-dollar bills.

"Suit-case plays!", says the dude!

And needless to say the table came to a sudden halt while all that worn-torn money was removed from that suitcase and neatly as possible laid out on the table.

And while the dealer bagan to stack all those dollar bills, the security guys started gathering around knowing that there was gonna be a lot of money counting going on for the next few minutes.

And no one in authority told that 'dude' to take it to the casino cage.

Times were way much different then and politeness was in vogue and the customer was always right - especially when he had a suitcase full of dollar bills needing counting.

And the pit-boss got involved of course.

His job was to simply watch so that every dollar bill was accounted for and to insure that the cocktail waitress kept us patiently waiting blackjack players happy.

So neat big stacks of one dollar bills were eventually constructed and at least three 'dudes' in that pit nodded that the count was right.

It was $20,000 dollars!

And the player-dude nodded in agreement!

Exactly twenty thousand dollars!

And back then money played, so the money stacks stayed and the cards were delt very slowly and very professionally with lots of respect shown to the heavy hitter, player dude!

And to make a long story short, he lost!

Yep, he lost that suitcase full of $20,000 in one brief hand of blackjack.

And as I recall ... he simply bent over and picked up his suitcase and said, "I'll be back!" and headed out into the sunset.

Years later someone told me that he did come back, but this time with a million dollar suitcase that he politely first ran through the casino cage.

And this time he bet it all on his first roll of dice.

And won!

But he came back a short while later and lost it all!

And I never did hear if he ever came back again or not.

Mr Binion always said, "The table limit is whatever you chose to bet on your first bet!" or something like that.

Those were the days when casinos were owned and managed by gamblers - men of respect in this Las Vegas town.

Those are the days we'll never live to see again.

Next table!?

Georges La Forge's Pamplemousse Restaurant just a couple of hundred yards east of the Sahara Hotel/Casino on Sahara Blvd.

When you first see it from the exterior, you'll be thinking that you didn't find it yet.

It's situated in what was once probably a single family residence and looks like the home of a very elderly couple who refused to move away from the close proximity of the LV Strip.

But once you get inside, you'll be plesantly surprised. (I stopped by to take a look one early afternoon while they were setting up for the evening's dinner and was politely shown around. And I was definitely 'pleasantly surprised'.)

I've never fine dined here for unknown reasons but I know important people who have and each and every one has stated that it is 'Exceptional' and priced very reasonable.

My big problem is that I have yet to meet anyone who has fine dined at Pamplemousse in the past ten years, but years ago it was the place in which the top Las Vegas stars frequented.

Any Pamplemousse diners here?

Next up... Joel Robuchon! in the MGM Grand.

I never ate there neither but I did read the menu and met some people coming out!

There's gotta be a story there somewhere!

That one coming up.

I've got 3 of yours on my done list and most of the others aren't really high on my radar. I'm an old southern boy at heart. My ideal meal is meat and taters and maybe some hearty sides served by grandma. Yes, I like the sauces, good service, and nice presentations. I've even spent some time in front of the TV watching chefs. My problem is how much I'm willing to pay for a celebrity chef's name, perfect service, and a plate of food that looks too pretty to eat. With that in mind, I'll address my 3 to your point.

Binions Ranch Steakhouse. Many years ago, I did a steak hunt, looking for the best steak in Las Vegas. I ordered a T-bone or Porterhouse, baked potato, and salad from many of the top steakhouses of the day. I was torn between the two top contenders when I was done. One was Charlie Palmer Steak in the Four Seasons. Absolutely perfect meal, perfect service, and I was so overwhelmed, I ordered a dessert that was perfect. The only negative points were positive points so many people pay for, such as the attention to detail, the sauce preparation, the presentation, etc. The other top contender was Binion's. The salad was much more basic, the potato was a big ole Russet like I am used to instead of an imported, organic, hand picked tater. The steak itself was perfect as was CP's. I think that I liked Binion's better because it was cooked over an open flame, had sear marks, burned fat, and more texture from varying degrees of flame. As for the view, it was much better in the old days when you could see forever. Today, with more downtown skyline, more large buildings on the strip, the Rush tower at the GN, and the FSE canopy, the view is not as awesome as it once was. Here's a free tip...If you want the view without the steak, go to the next level up, and that's the pool level. Binions large cut of prime rib is impressive, as is their chicken fried lobster.

The Golden Steer is an old classic. Much like Binion's, it is dark and old school. But this place doesn't need a view. Take a step back in time as you walk in the doors and have dinner with John Wayne, the Rat Pack, or anyone else who enjoyed a great meal and a fine drink in the day. The caesar salads and some desserts are prepared tableside. It's easy to have a big ole steak, a huge baked potato, and walk out wondering how the buffets stay in business. If you like old Vegas, either the Golden Steer or Binion's should satisfy your steak desire. Good service, steaks cooked over an open flame, and hearty meals. But these are not top tier steakhouses. They are a solid step down the best of the best because they are old school and have inconsistencies in how they cook and how they serve.

Envy is more modern. The view here is the furniture, the lamps, the window treatments, the other decor. They have good service and good food. It is probably at the bottom of the list in the top tier steakhouses. Or maybe it's at the top of the Binions and GS class. It's about as fancy as I want to get. Some will say it's not fancy enough to be top tier. They put out a great steak, very good sides, and I've always walked away satisfied.

The other's on the list don't grab me much. They probably don't specialize in meat and potatoes, and the little things you pay for don't impress me. The steakhouse at the Circus Circus is higher on my radar. It's not really high either. Some day will come when time is right and I'll go there.

I am looking forward to your anticipation of the others on your list.

Thanks, JMT! That was a GREAT review of the two places I really do look forward to visit soon ..... Binion's and the Golden Steer!


Over the past couple of weeks I did manage to stop in and take a look at Binion's, the Golden Steer, and the steakhouse at the top of the Sun Coast Hotel/Casino.

I was just looking because I have old friends coming to town who like good meals in nice places.

My first 'look-see' was Binions shortly after sunset. My most recent 'visit' had to be at least 20+ years or so and was somewhat different from what I remembered, but the subdued lighting and the lights of Las Vegas were the first to garner my attention.

The second thing of interest was the fact that only about three tables were occupied and that the bar was completely empty.

Needless to say, it wasn't a weekend evening when more tourists pop into town.

And then just a couple of days ago i was driving by the Golden Steer around 5 PM or so and decided to check it out. And even though there were ony two people at the bar, I was definitely impressed.

I was immediately greeted by a lady receptionist (I can't spell Matre'D) and I told her I was just taking a look for a future visit and was welcomed and made to feel at home.

I would have had a martini, but it was rush hour on the highway, so I took a fast look, said thanks, and headed out and about into the rush hour traffic.

I'm pretty bad at explaining restaurant decor, but GS is close to perfect in my opinion ....... but so is Binion's and Charlie Palmer's too.

So there has got to be some common feature in those three places that appeal to me for some unknown reason.

I think it's the lighting. I must be partial to lighting.

So, JMT, your input as submitted above, has definitely encouraged me to visit both Binion's and the GS one day soon.

Thanks!

Regarding Circus Circus Steak House .... I've dined there many many times and only had one bad slice of roast beef in the last ten visits and that one bad meal has encouraged me to recommend other dining spots when visitors come to town.

Besides! .... I really hate to walk through that casino to get there!

It kind of takes the 'fine' out of 'fine dining' even before you get there!

And before I sign off .... my favorite LV dining experience of all time was the meal at Charlie Palmer's a few years back Great food, great service, and great martinis!

But since "martinis" has been mentioned .... I have to state that the best martini I ever had was the martini served at George Hamilton's in NY, NY when NY, NY was a nice place to visit.

That martini was so good that I had to return early the next morning for the Bloody Mary special ... which was even better .... It even included a big shrimp on a very colorful stick.

What will they think of next!!!!

Will - it's been a few years since I've eaten at Alex so I can't quite remember details. The place is really elegant and the service is excellent without being snooty. I remember having a great beef tenderloin with a thick wine sauce once. And I remember having an incredible chocolate "tasting" dessert with 5 different bite sized pieces of assorted chocolate desserts. But I think their menu changes regularly so that stuff is probably long-gone.

I also ate at the Circus Circus steakhouse once and it was a disaster (of course, I think CC is a disaster in itself and I'll never set foot in that place again). I know a lot of people who love the CC steakhouse but my experience was so bad that I'd never go back.

After reading the posts here, now I'm really curious about Charlie Palmer's!

Mike, I would never recommend Binions or Golden Steer to you, as you seem to be very comfortable in top tier restaurants, and these are not.

I think that you might enjoy Envy. It has a few things going for it that make the experience nice. The food quality may be a tick less than expected.

Charlie Palmer's is very nice but I think you might find it boring. While the food was top notch, the room might seem basic and hollow. And under the right circumstances, that might be a good thing.

O.K., Let's continue!

I have never fine dined at Michael's, but I have friends who did and they still brag about it.

Kind of an interesting story here ......

An acguaintence of mine is a whale.

Not a real whale you might find in the Pacific, but one of those whales you might see spending lots of money in happy casinos.

Well this individual is a very famous whale among LV casino owners and is important enough that the casinos hold meetings among their staff and dealers when they get word that he will be arriving soon.

And this gentleman is a very demanding sort of chap who insists that the craps table be closed to dice rollers who don't throw the dice properly or light up a cigarette or take too long doing anything that should not take too long to get done.

And he always gambles with a group of his personal friends who also spend big bucks playing craps and blackjack while the wives spend big bucks at the slot machines.

So when it's time to quit throwing the dice and pushing buttons and everyone is hungry he takes them all into Michaels (his favorite dining spot in all Las Vegas) where a preferred table is always available for him and his guests even if he's dining elsewhere.

Now some of his guests are major sports figures who eat lots of food three or more times a day. So this gentleman tells them, "The food here is great but the portions may be too small for you, so make sure you order two or three entrees so you won't leave hungry! And don't even look at the prices because the casino is paying for it anyway!"

And one superheavy weight 'guest' orders three entrees .... the very famous and expensive Dover filet of sole. the lamb chops, and a steak with all the extra sides and trimmings.

So everyone hears his order and follows suit while the whale sits back and enjoys himself watching his guests enjoy this very nice fine dining place.

And an evening of fine dining proceeds. And three hours later they are all ordering desert .. Cherries Jubilee and Bannanas Foster ... all prepared tableside by smiling, haopy waiters overseen by the Matre'd.

I was not present at this fine dining experience but I've sure heard a lot about it later on and one day I'm going to fine dine at Michael's myself.

It used to be in the Barbury Coast but now it's at the South Point and everyone tells me to order the filet of sole .... the Dover filet of sole. I'm told it's exceptionally spectacular.

Or try the rack of lamb. It's ono!

Or the Veal Picatta! Wow! It's great!

"Better yet, come with us next time and try everything on the menu."

So now I'm sitting here at the South Point having a seventy-five cent hot dog and a ice cold beer waiting for an invite to fine dine just steps away at Michael's.

I hope they haven't forgotten me.

Ok, i guess there are no Michael's fine diners in this LV fine dining group.

How about Joel Robuchon's fine dining place?

I never et there yet either but I met some people who fine dined there as they were coming out.

SO this review is based on that 10 second meeting/interview.

I was standing outside of the main entrance just minding my business and reading the menu posted there and noticed the 'full dinner' price of $385.

I was standing there wondering about whom in their right mind would pay $385 plus the appropriate tip for dinner when four people came walking out who appeared to had just had a hearty meal.

So, being the inquisitive critter that I usually am, I asked them how they enjoyed their meal and if it really was worth the $385 fixed price as shown on the menu.

In response they all proceeded to laugh in unison and asked me, "Where did you see a price of $385? The bill came to a lot more than that!"

They must have ordered the bottled water!

I pointed to the menu which was two steps away and once again they laughed, but not as humorously as their previous chuckle.

"Well it was nice but very very expensive," they said to this mysterious stranger in the very casual attire.

And with that they headed off into the sunset in their ultra-fancy Easter garb.

So if you fine dine at Joel's, make sure you bring a heavy wallet. And dress appropriately,

I'm probably not going to ever dine there because I didn't see one thing that I liked on the menu.

Who the heck eats this stuff anyway?!

Le Caviar - en infusion de corail anisé, en surprise (That;s fish eggs with a surprise included)

Palette aux Saveurs Estivales . (Thats a plate of tomatoes with cheese and some kind of gelee,)

Amandes et un bouquet de légumes fleuri, la coriandre en gaspacho glacé. (I have no idea what this is!)

L'Œuf- le jaune dans un ravioli imprimé d'herbes aux épinards petites pousses et morilles (That's egg yoke and raviolis.)

La Grenouille - la cuisse en fritot à la purée aillée et au coulis de persil . ( A crispy frog leg? Yep!)

And an almost endless amount of etcetera's....... that someone from Europe would have to interpret for you.

Actually it's a 16 course meal of etceteras such as lobster, duck, and turbot and a lot of vegetables from some important person's backyard in some part of Europe.

I've got a strong feeling that the 'secret's' in the sauces!

I'd hate to fine dine there and have to tell the server I didn't like what was being served (except for the secret sauces that were on top) , so I think I'll just let it pass and head on back to Ellis Island.

Anyone here to convince me otherwise?