Largest and/or Best Pizza in Las Vegas (Preferably both!)

Well, Graziano's (at Desert Inn and Durango) has a 24" pizza that weighs over 10 pounds that's part of a challenge (two people have 45 minutes to complete it); that's the largest one I could find, although if it's for a wedding party (reception? rehearsal dinner? just eat?), maybe some restaurant can make a larger pizza at your request - it can't hurt to call around.

That Don Guy in Las Vegas

Station properties "All You Can Eat Tacos"

I see that most of the Station properties (Texas Station, Palace Station, Aliante, etc.) have an "All You Can Eat Tacos for $8" deal at their Mexican restaurant/bars (mostly Cabo, but a couple of other names slip in). Is anybody familiar with this, and if so, should I be expecting something more than the equivalent of buying $8 worth of tacos at Del Taco?

(And let's keep the "forget both of those, and go to Tacos El Gordo instead" replies to a minimum.)

That Don Guy in Las Vegas

Best Churrascaria (Brazilian / Rodizio)?

What's the best Churrascaria anywhere near the Strip?

I have been to Samba (Mirage) and have heard about Pampas (Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood) and Texas de Brazil (Town Center). Am I missing any?

That Don Guy in Las Vegas

Las Vegas- Fremont street eats?

Be warned; the buses that go from the Strip to downtown tend to get crowded starting around mid-afternoon (it's not as bad going back to the Strip).

As for a "light meal" downtown, I also recommend the deli at Binion's; i've also been to Hennessey's Tavern, and the Triple 7 (Main Street Station), and can't complain about either one.

That Don Guy in Las Vegas

BBQ at Sam's Town - how is it?

Has anybody been to the Wednesday Night BBQ Buffet at Sam's Town? There isn't much description of it on the hotel's site (just some pictures of ribs, mac & cheese, and some form of greens), and I'm trying to find out just what they serve.

That Don Guy in Las Vegas

Mah Jong (Rio) closed?

I went to the Rio website to check out the restaurants, and I noticed that the link to Mah Jong is no longer there; however, there don't seem to be any other mentions of it closing. Does anybody know if it's still there (and if it isn't, what's going to replace it)?

That Don Guy in Las Vegas

Best Corn Dog?

Does it have to be upscale? There's a Hot Dog On A Stick in the food court at Fashion Show Mall (across the street from TI & Wynn). However, I vaguely recall that some of the pubs may have corn dogs on their menus.

That Don Guy in Las Vegas

"Seven Steak" Buffet at Ports O'Call (Gold Coast)

Has anybody tried the Thursday night "Seven Steak" Buffet at the Ports O'Call (at the Gold Coast)?

Yes, I realize that I shouldn't expect much from the steak, but how would it compare to, say, the one at the Orleans (and isn't there one downtown somwehere)?

And while I'm asking, is there a better "all-you-can-meat" meal than the Rodizio at Samba? (I go alone and go right to the main course - in accordance with the Ron Swanson Yin-Yang of Failure, "no salad and no sharing".)

That Don Guy in Las Vegas

Trip Report (four nights, three days)

Here's my take on my recent trip to Boston (I stayed at the Parker House - didn't try the rolls or Boston Cream Pie, however):

Monday night (August 9) - after about eight hours of train travel from Pennsylvania Dutch country, I get to my hotel about 6 PM, and pretty much the only places that are still open in the area are pubs, so I go to Silvertone B&G; the jerk chicken with rice and fried bananas was excellent, although that may have been because I had pretty much all fast food the previous week (when you attend a gaming convention for a week in the middle of Pennsylvania nowhere without a car, you don't get much choice).

Tuesday - despite having been warned, I end up at Quincy Market for lunch, as that's where pretty much all of the tour buses (except for the duck boats) start. I get a bread bowl of mac & cheese mixed with bacon at MMMac & Cheese. The M&C is pedestrian, and the bacon is a little underdone, but the real problem is with the bread, which seems to be from the last Boston title - Stanley Cup title, that is.

One of the things I am checking out in Boston is the burgers, so for dinner, I head off to Eagle's and get a Godzilla - a one-pound burger with one pound of fries. The fries are the kind you get in supermarket freezer sections, and the burger, while good, was a little overcooked (I had asked for a medium rare originally, but when told it would be "a bit on the bloody side", changed it to medium). Oh, and you would think that they would tell people that, on the green line, at the above-ground stops, you can only enter the cars from the front (presumably so the conductor can see your ticket).

Wednesday - round 2 of my burger quest takes me to Harvard and Bartley's. I get to Harvard Square at noon, and spend the next 20 minutes trying to find Massachusetts Avenue. I finally get to Bartley's at around 12:45 and am a little surprised that it is still crowded (you would think any "lunch rush" would have died down by then), but I do manage to get a stool at the counter. I order the George Bush (two 7-ounce patties with cheese and BBQ sauce) with regular fries in place of the sweet potato fries that normally come with it. Once again, the fries are not of the homemade variety, but these guys do know how to make a burger. What surprised me more was that there was a line well out the door at 1:15.

After a big lunch, I went for a small dinner, so I got a meatball sub at Pizzeria Rico in Downtown Crossing. The good news: the meatballs were incredible. The bad news: who makes a meatball sub without provolone? All it was was meatballs, a little sauce, and a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese in a bun.

Thursday - I was back in the Quincy Hall area for lunch (I was en route to the Constitution), so the less said the better, and for dinner, I had some nondescript cheese ravioli at the Beantown Pub. (I also noticed that they were still well under construction with the new UBurger in that area.)

-- Don

-----
Silvertone
69 Bromfield St, Boston, MA 02108

Pizzeria Rico
32 Bromfield St, Boston, MA 02108

Beantown Pub
100 Tremont St, Boston, MA 02108

That Don Guy in Greater Boston Area

Recommend any "casual" places south of City Hall?

I'm visiting Boston for a few days this August, and am at a hotel south of City Hall (just off the NE corner of Boston Common). Anybody have any recommendations for somewhere not particularly formal/gourmet to have lunch/dinner in that area?

Anywhere near a T station is acceptable as well, but let's not turn this into a Battle of the Burger Places - I already have a list of those.

-----
City Hall Cafe
695 Main St, Fitchburg, MA 01420

That Don Guy in Greater Boston Area

Pizzeria Francesco's at TI - still open?

I can't find any reference to Pizzeria Francesco's at the TI website, but I also can't find any online comments that it was closed or replaced with anything else. Anybody know what, if anything, happened to it?

That Don Guy in Las Vegas

Pizza in Vegas

This may be a little "lowbrow", but I recommend Uncle Joe's on Fremont Street (just east of where the pedestrian-only section begins), although I do recommend that you order it to go. (And there's nothing wrong with red sauce on pizza, unless you're really into the Chicgao style with chunky tomatoes instead of the sauce.)

Then again, I like pizza with pepperoni, extra cheese, and pineapple, so take my opinion at your own risk.

That Don Guy in Las Vegas

Two trips to Carnegie - two different experiences

I was in Vegas for a few days just before July 4, and I had a couple of meals at Carnegie Deli at the Mirage. They felt like two entirely different experiences, and I don't mean the service or the ambience; it was all in what I ordered.

The first time, I hadn't eaten in 24 hours, so I decided to go whole hog and order a Woody Allen. They weren't kidding when they tried to describe it; even with my appetite, I only managed to get about 3/4 of the way (1 1/2 pounds of meat, from what I understand) through it. The second time, I went for an open-faced turkey sandwich with gravy, and it was almost as if I had been handed a couple of slices of turkey on some rye bread, topped with turkey gravy, at the buffet; it just wasn't much of a sandwich. On top of that, the turkey cost more, although it was hot and came with a choice of fries or beans whereas the Woody Allen was just for the cold sandwich.

In case you're interested in my other stops, the only one that was particularly noteworthy in terms of the food was Cheeseburger Vegas at the Miracle Mile shops next to Planet Hollywood; it may have been the size (I ordered a double, which I think is a pound of beef) or the way it was cooked (it appeared to be cooked medium but still managed to be somewhat juicy), but it was one of the better non-gourmet burgers I have had on the Strip (not quite Burger Bar, but better than BLT or Stripburger). (Speaking of BLT, I was a little surprised they didn't make a big deal out of their first anniversary on July 1. Yes, I was the first person in line, just like last year.)

-- Don

That Don Guy in Las Vegas

Is Burger Stop (Vegas) still open?

Say, here's an idea - why don't I call the store's number and ask?

Disconnected - something tells me that answers that question.

That Don Guy in Las Vegas

Is Burger Stop (Vegas) still open?

Is Burger Stop at Ocotillo Plaza (corner of Eastern and E Tropicana, I think) in Las Vegas still open? I can't find any recent references to it, and what I am told is its web page address is coming up as not found.

That Don Guy in Las Vegas

Las Vegas candy

You mean in bulk? Bulk prices tend to be overinflated - for example, at the M&M world, they charge something like $8/pound for bulk M&Ms.

I suggest you try, say, the Vons supermarket across the street from UNLV - that's probably your best chance to find something like that.

That Don Guy in Southwest

Vegas Steakhouse that's not particularly formal?

What do you recommend for a steakhouse on the Vegas strip that's not "jacket and tie suggested" level of formal?

That Don Guy in Southwest

Affordable but great Vegas meal? Staying at Encore.

It might be only "kinda sorta" casual, but (especially if you're into meat) I suggest Samba at the Mirage.

That Don Guy in Southwest

BLT Burger (Las Vegas)

I was there on opening day as well - see my "So Many Burgers, So Little Time" post on this board for a little more detail, but in short, I pretty much agree with jjo1953.

Also note that the burgers are "only" seven-ounce patties, and for some incredibly strange reason, they use shredded lettuce. (And if you want to order the BLT burger, ask what's in the "BLT sauce" that goes on it.)

That Don Guy in Southwest

So Many Burgers - So Little Time (Las Vegas)

Well, I'm back - as it turned out, BLT Burger did open on July 1, and in fact, I was their first customer. (I was a little surprised there wasn't more of a turnout when it opened; I got there 15 minutes before its scheduled opening, and nobody else was waiting to get in.) However, the burger underwhelmed; I think the use of shredded lettuce rather than leaf lettuce, as well as only a 7-ounce patty, had something to do with that.

As for the other places, Stripburger would have ranked atop my list but, for some reason, a burger cooked "medium" was charred on the outside; the nod goes to Burger Bar, although the only four places I got to were BB, BLT, Stripburger, and the deli at Binion's. (I did go to Hennessey's, but for dinner after having lunch at BB, so I had the salmon special instead of the burger.) I would have went to Cheeseburger LV, but it was the last day of my trip, I was in a downtown hotel, and I was nursing a pull in my leg from the previous day, so I stayed off the strip.

-- Don

That Don Guy in Southwest

So Many Burgers - So Little Time (Las Vegas)

I'm from the San Francisco area (I used to live near the first, if not still the only, In & Out that does not have a drive-thru window (the city it is in wouldn't allow it, mainly because it's too close to a McDonald's that has one), and I'm trying to stick to places that aren't available near here (there's a Fatburger not too far from where I live as well, which is why I didn't include it either).
To be honest, I'm not impressed by In & Out's burgers, especially for the price, but I have gone out of my way to get my hands on their fries.

That Don Guy in Southwest

So Many Burgers - So Little Time (Las Vegas)

I will be in Vegas for a few days in early July. I have been told that BLT Burger at the Mirage opens July 1, but I'll believe that when I taste it.

Anyway, I'm looking for a decent, not overly expensive, burger place (besides Fatburger or other large national chains) that's either on the strip or on Fremont Street (I'm staying downtown but will be spending a bit of time on the strip), and I've got a few places besides BLT on my list. Burger Bar is a given, but how do you rate these others:

Stripburger (Fashion Show Mall)

Cheeseburger Las Vegas (Miracle Mile at Planet Hollywood)

Burger Brasserie (Paris)

Hennessey's Irish Pub (downtown, near Neonopolis)

Burger Palace (Imperial Palace)

Margaritaville (Flamingo - is the "Cheeseburger in Paradise" anything more than hype?)

-- Don

That Don Guy in Southwest

Downtown Vegas--famous (good) cheap eats?

"why does this remind me of John Belushi?"
Hint: the deli also serves Pepsi.

-- Don

That Don Guy in Southwest

Downtown Vegas - breakfast buffets

Are there any breakfast buffets in downtown Vegas that serve pancakes?

Most places I've seen that have breakfast buffets limit it to eggs, sausage / bacon / miscellaneous meats, cold cereal, bread / muffins / bagels / other baked goods, and occasionaly yogurt.

-- Don

That Don Guy in Southwest

Mountain Mike's in Benicia now open

The Mountain Mike's Pizza where Columbus Avenue meets 780 in Benicia (across the street from Napoli Pizza) that has been under construction for a while is now open.

One question for MM fans - the menu says $17 for a 2-topping 14-inch pizza (and the only larger size is a 20-inch, for $26.50). Is it really worth that much, or is it one of those "well, if you have a coupon, it's worth eating" places?

That Don Guy in Chains

Giant New York Pizza - Vallejo, CA

I liked the pizza here when it first opened. However, suddenly the place switched from decent crust to cardboard crust (reminded me of Pizza Guys), and I haven't been back. Of all the places around Benicia, I prefer Round Table, with Pacifica (on First Street - there's one in Vallejo somewhere; it's right alongside I-80) second. (And what's wrong with Papa Murphy's Take & Bake - well, other than the fact that their Canadian Bacon is apparently made of rubber?) Then again, neither holds up to Papa John's in my opinion (well, maybe Blondie's in Berkeley/SF/Concord), so take that into account when you consider my opinion.

I wasn't particularly impressed with Mountain Mike's in Vallejo; maybe I'll have better luck with the new one they're building one in that new shopping area across the street from Napoli in Benicia.

That Don Guy in San Francisco Bay Area

Steakhouses in Vegas - dress code?

I am going to Vegas this July and am trying to figure out what to pack - with more airlines charging for additional bags, space might be a premium. What is the usual "dress code" for a Vegas steakhouse? Normally, I go around in a polo shirt, khakis, and cross-trainers, but something tells me that's a little underdressed for most steak places that suggest "business casual", but is a suit and tie overkill? How "casual" can I take it without sticking out like a sore thumb?

(I'm not interested in the really upscale places (e.g. SW at the Wynn) - I'm targeting something along the lines of the Pullman at Main Street Station, The Steakhouse at TI, or The Strip House at Planet Hollywood.

-- Don

That Don Guy in Southwest

Vegas Buffets - how do you indicate you're still sitting?

I am heading back to Vegas later this year, but I am wondering about something that bugged me the first two times I went. If you go to a hotel buffet and get up for seconds, how do you indicate that you're still sitting there, so they don't see an empty plate of food and a nearly empty glass and think you have left?

-- Don

That Don Guy in Not About Food

Non-steakhouse steak in Vegas?

This is going to sound strange if not outright silly, but does anyone have suggestions as to where to find a good steak in Las Vegas where they don't charge you $40 for the privilege of eating something that should be closer to magenta than pink on the inside ("what's the point of having decent beef if you're going to 'overcook' it")? (I've been to the Orleans Steak Buffet - I think I mentioned it in a post here in 2006.)

-- Don

That Don Guy in Southwest