The Legendary Buffet: Las Vegas' Best Dining Value

Chapter 7:
Dining in Las Vegas

7.1: Restaurants: The choices you have
7.2: The legendary Las Vegas buffet
7.3: Sunday brunch
7.4: The best gourmet restaurants
7.5: Finding a restaurant

7.2 The legendary Las Vegas buffet

It seems everyone has their list of favorite Las Vegas buffets ...and we are no exception. Buffets are one of the best values in Las Vegas! Each has several food stations serving different types of food from around the world. Over the years, we have been to just about all of them.

Although it can vary a little, breakfast is normally served from 7:00 to 11:00 a.m., lunch 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and dinner 4:00 to 10:00 p.m. (Brunch: 9:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. ...usually on weekends.) We are listing the prices, but they change frequently. (Sometimes the weekend price is higher than Sunday through Thursday.) Children get special discount prices ...under 4 years old are generally free.

Assuming that you are staying on or near the Strip or downtown, here is a buffet list by area. (Our favorites? We particularly recommend the mid-strip Planet Hollywood, Paris, and Bellagio buffets. And we were pleasantly surprised by The Buffet - previously called "Dishes" - at TI on our last trip.) Worst Las Vegas buffets? Circus-Circus, Excalibur and the Imperial Palace.

Hint: Get to the buffet dining room early. First you will beat the crowds and won’t have to stand in line ...or at least not as long as you would if you went at peak time. And secondly, if you get there around 10 a.m., you will pay breakfast prices for lunch. And if you arrive around 3 p.m., you will get dinner for lunch prices.

Center Strip Buffets

Planet Hollywood - "Spice Market Buffet" - (3667 Las Vegas Blvd. S.) - Breakfast $14.99, Lunch $18.99, Weekend Champagne Brunch $27.99, Dinner $24.99. (Food here is almost gourmet in quality! Huge selection. - Mexican, Italian, Asian, Middle Eastern and American.- Rated “Excellent” by Zagat Survey. (Chefs prepare some specialties to order.) - Telephone: (702) 785-5555.

Paris - "Le Village Buffet" - (3655 Las Vegas Blvd. S.) - Breakfast $15.99, Lunch $18.99, Champagne Brunch $27.99, Dinner $24.99 (Featuring dishes from five French provinces in a very nice village setting.) - Telephone: (702) 946-7000.

at the Bellagio

Bellagio - "The Buffet at Bellagio" - Breakfast $15.95 (Mon-Fri), Lunch $19.95 (Mon-Fri), Champagne Brunch (Sat.-Sun.) $29.95, Dinner $29.95 (Sun-Thu), Gourmet Dinner (Fri.-Sat.) $36.95, (The most beautifully decorated buffet room and highest quality American, Italian, Chinese and Japanese cuisine in town! Much is cooked to order.) - Telephone: (702) 693-7111.

Mirage - "Cravings" - (3400 Las Vegas Blvd S.) - Tel: 702-791-7111 - Fresh food and friendly service - Breakfast $15.99 (Mon-Fri); Lunch $19.99 (Mon-Fri); Champagne Brunch $24.99 (Sat & Sun); Dinner ($26.99) 7 days. - Upscale, gourmet buffet.

Bally's - "Sterling Brunch" - (3465 Las Vegas Blvd. S) - Reservations are required, Last seating at 1:30 p.m., Tel. 702-862-5138 - Served in the Bally's Steakhouse - Hours: 9:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. Sundays - Cost: $85.00 -Voted Best Brunch by the Review Journal. Champagne, Sturgeon caviar and lobster mingle with freshly prepared sushi, omelets and beef tenderloin. Includes drinks. Absolutely the best!

Harrah's - "Flavors" - (3475 Las Vegas Blvd S.) - Tel. (702) - 369-5000 - Breakfast $14.99, Lunch $15.99, Champagne Brunch (Sat.-Sun.) $19.99, Dinner $19.99 (Sun.-Thu.), - Dinner features all-you-can-eat Shrimp and Crab Legs and is $21.99 on Fri & Sat. - (You can sometimes get price-off buffet coupons as you stroll past the hotel. Breakfast omelettes are cooked to order.)

Aria - "The Buffet" - (3730 Las Vegas Blvd.) - Tel. (702) 590-8509 - Breakfast $15.95 (Mon.-Fri.), Lunch $19.95 (Mon.-Fri.), Dinner $29.95, Brunch $30.95 features unlimited Bloody Marys, Champagne and expanded seafood bar (Sat.&Sun.), Gourmet Dinner $36.95 (Fri.&Sat.) - Located on the 2nd Level Promenade.

Cosmopolitan - "The Wicked Spoon Buffet" - (3708 Las Vegas Blvd. S.) - Tel. (72) 698-7000 - Brunch: 8 a.m.-2 p.m. $22.00 ($29 on weekends), Dinner: 5-9 p.m. $35.00, Weekend brunch 8 a.m.-3 p.m. - Food is served in individual small portions on plates, but you can take as many as you like and create your own 10 course meal. Open 7 days.

Flamingo Las Vegas - "Paradise Garden Buffet" - (3555 Las Vegas Blvd. S.) - Tel. (702) 733-3111 - Breakfast $14.99, Lunch $16.99, Champagne Brunch $24.99, Prime Rib, Shrimp & Crab Dinner $24.99 - (Watch the ducks, fish and flamingos in the wildlife habitat outside the buffet window as you eat.)

Caesars Palace - "Café Lago" - (3570 Las Vegas Blvd S.) - Tel. (702) 731- 7110 - Breakfast $17.95 (Mon.-Fri.), Lunch $19.95 (Mon.-Fri.), Dinner $26.95 (Thurs.-Mon.), Champagne Brunch $34.95 (Sat.&Sun.) Features omelets cooked to order, hand-carved prime rib, eggs Benedict, jumbo shrimp and crab legs and more! - (Quality buffet in an Italian setting, frequently with live entertainment.)

Treasure Island - "The Buffet at TI" - (3300 Las Vegas Blvd S.) - Breakfast (Mon.-Fri.) $16.95, Lunch (Mon.-Fri.) $18.95, Dinner: (Sun.-Thurs.) $22.95, "Swanky Dishes" Dinner (Fri.&Sat.) $26.95, Champagne Brunch (Sat.&Sun.) $23.95 - Cuisine: American, BBQ, Italian, Chinese, Japanese - Six food stations. - Telephone: (702) 894-7111.

at TI (Treasure Island)

North Strip Buffets

(Note: With the exception of the Wynn Las Vegas (which is pricey), there are really no great buffets on the North Strip, but we are listing a couple for those of you who feel they must eat near where you are staying.)

Wynn Las Vegas - "The Buffet" & "Weekend Jazz Brunch" - - (3131 Las Vegas Blvd. S.) - Tel. (702) 770-3463 - Sixteen live action cooking stations. Declared, "Best Buffet in Las Vegas, 2009" by the Las Vegas Review Journal. Breakfast: (Mon.-Fri.) $19.95, Lunch: (Mon.-Fri.) $23.95, Dinner: (Sun.-Sat.) $36.95 - Champagne Jazz Brunch: (Sat.&Sun.) $31,95, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Country Club Grill and featuring soft jazz music by Pyramid. - One of the best in Vegas but pricey.

Las Vegas Hilton - "The Buffet" - (3000 Paradise Rd.) - Tel. (702) 732-5624 - Breakfast $13.99, Lunch $14.99, Dinner $19.99, Brunch (7 a.m.-2:30 p.m.) $18.99. - Dinner specialties include prime rib, carved turkey, steaks and chops, pasta dishes cooked to order, a variety of Chinese wok entrees, fresh seafood, peeled shrimp, sushi. Deluxe cakes, pastries and more. Their champagne brunch is above average. (East of the North Strip but conveniently situated on the monorail route.)
.

Circus-Circus - "Circus Buffet" - (2880 Las Vegas Blvd. S.) Breakfast $11.49, Lunch (Mon.-Fri.) $13.49, Dinner $14.49. (This is a popular -especially with the kids- and huge buffet that seats over 1,000 people. Certainly not my favorite, but hard to argue with the thousands that eat there daily. Recently renovated.) - Telephone: (702) 734-0410.

South Strip Buffets

Mandalay Bay - "Bayside Buffet" - (3950 Las Vegas Blvd. S.) - Breakfast $15.99, Lunch $19.99, Dinner $26.99, Champagne Brunch $29.99 (Sun. 7 a.m.-2:30 p.m.) - Probably the best buffet on the South Strip! Spectacular view of pool area.) - Telephone: (702) 632-7777.

MGM Grand - "MGM Grand Buffet" - Breakfast $17.25, Lunch $19.99, Champagne Brunch (weekends) $24.99, Dinner $29.99 - (A good quality buffet.) Telephone: (702) 891-1111.

Luxor - "The Buffet at Luxor" - (3900 Las Vegas Blvd. S.) - Breakfast $15.00, Lunch $16.00, Dinner $20.00 - (We kind of like this place. Eat in an archeological dig deep under the pyramid.) - Telephone: (702) 262-4000.

Monte Carlo - "Buffet" - (3770 Las Vegas Blvd. S.) - Brunch (Mon.-Thu, 7am-3pm.) $16.99, Seafood Brunch (Fri.-Sun., 7am-3-pm.) $19.99, Dinner $19.99, Gourmet Dinner $24.99 - (A so-so buffet in a Moroccan marketplace at a good price.) - Tel. (702) 730-7777.

Downtown Buffets

Excellent value for the price! Basically they are paying you to come downtown.

Main Street Station (Downtown) - "Garden Court Buffet" - (200 N. Main St.) - Tel. (702) 465-0711 or (800) 465-0711 - Breakfast $6.99, Lunch $7.99, Champagne Brunch $9.99, Dinner (Sun., Mon. & Wed.) $10.99; Tues. T-Bone Steaks $13.99, Thurs. Steak and Scampi $13.99; Fri. "Seafood Galore" $17.99; Sat. "Prime Rib Special" $13.99. Sat. & Sun. 7am-3pm Champagne Brunch $10.99. (The largest buffet downtown both in size - seats 500 - and food assortment - 9 food stations. And at a bargain basement price! Repeatedly, voted downtown's best buffet.) Telephone: (702) 387-1896.

Golden Nugget (Downtown) - "The Buffet" - (129 E. Fremont St.) - Breakfast $10.99, Lunch $11.99, Dinner $18.99. - Seafood Dinner (Fri., Sat. & Sun.) $21.99 - Champagne Brunch (Sat.&Sun.) $19.99 - Has a beautiful view of the pool area and its palm trees. - Telephone: (702) 385-7111 or (800) 846-5336.

Slightly Off Strip Buffets

These are all VERY good!

Rio - "Village Seafood Buffet" - (3700 W Flamingo Rd.) - Tel. (702) 777-7923 - Seafood Dinner $39.99. - Mon.-Fri. 4pm-10pm, Sat.&Sun. 3:30pm-10pm - (The best seafood in Las Vegas ...not many buffets have all-you-can-eat lobster, crab cakes and snow crab! But they also have prime rib steaks. Necessarily pricey.) - Get there early - around 5 pm or before - on the weekend. Located about a mile west of the strip on Flamingo Road. Newly remodeled.

Rio - "Carnival World Buffet" - (3700 W Flamingo Rd.) - Tel. (702) 777-7923 - Breakfast (Mon.-Fri.) $15.99, Lunch (Mon.-Fri.) $17.99, Dinner (Daily) $24.99 - Champagne Brunch (Sat.&Sun.) $24.99 - (Recognized as the best buffet in Vegas year after year by the Las Vegas Review Journal. Get there early or be prepared to wait in line.)

Palms - "Bistro Buffet" - Breakfast $7.99, Lunch $11.99, Dinner $19.99 - Champagne Brunch $18.99 (Sat.-Sun.) - Seafood Night $24.99 (Fri. 4-10 p.m.) - Sunday Night Margarita Brunch $16.99 - We were pleasantly surprised by the quality of this buffet considering its low price! Telephone: (702) 951- 7679 - Located about a mile west of the strip at 4321 Flamingo Road.

Orleans - "French Market Buffet" - Breakfast $7.99, Lunch $9.99 ( Breakfast/Lunch $1 more Sat.&Sun w/Champagne), Dinner $13.99 (Mon.Tue.Thu.Sat.) - BBQ Rib Nite (Fri.) $13.99 - Steak & Shrimp Scampi Nite (Wed.) $15.99 - Seafood Nite (Fri.) $18.99 - (A better than average buffet features cuisine from around the world at super low prices.) Telephone: (702) 365-7111. The Orleans is about a mile west of the South Strip at 4500 W. Tropicana Ave.

Buffet Search

LasVegas.com has an extensive Las Vegas buffet list here which you can sort alphabetically or by price or location. It appears to be very complete and accurate.