401119 Sun May 13 07:48:37 -0700 2007 7 6 Southwest 0 2565812 I have read many of the recent posts on Vegas but have a few questions... We will be there for three days in June...long weekend. No car...staying at the MGM. I would like to have dinner at Rosemary's Thursday night but have read so much about traffic issues I am wondering how long the cab ride might be from our hotel? Friday night we are going to a show at the MGM...would like a casual place for dinner within a 15/20 minute walk from the hotel. We love Asian food of all kinds...seafood...or anything good. A steak house would be our last choice. Can anyone tell me where Lotus of Siam is located? I would also appreciate some suggestions for lunch, walking distance from the MGM in hot June weather. Thanks for any help you can provide! Sun May 13 07:48:37 -0700 2007 15039 Tripper 1 2565835 Lotus of Siam is on East Sahara about three quarters of a mile off of the strip (east of the strip, I think).. It should be about a fifteen to twenty minute cab ride depending on traffic....the cabbie can take an alternate road to the strip (Paradise would work) if traffic is really bad. Its hard to find and easy to find at the same time: Have the cabbie head north towards downtown Las Vegas (the Stratophere tower) from the MGM and take a right on Sahara...LOS will be about three quarters mile down on the right. But its in a strip mall and only the back of the restaurant (with a smallish sign) faces the street...you have to enter the strip mall from the side street (call for a reservation - you'll need one - and ask them the name of the cross street) and then drive in the strip mall back towards West Sahara if that makes sense......LOS is well worth the short cab ride from the MGM....It would be a LONG walk...about five miles total. If you are dead set against a cab then you could take the monorail (if its running) or a bus to the Sahara...from there it would be about a three-quarter mile walk...... Sun May 13 08:05:48 -0700 2007 2565812 10290 janetofreno 1 2565874 We stay at the MGM most of the time. The cab ride to Rosemary's would be loooong. It takes about 1/2 hour to drive there. Great food though, maybe it would be worth it, depends. For lunch (or maybe your casual dinner), go to Burger Bar in Mandalay Place which is a little shopping area that connects the Luxor to the Mandalay Bay. There's actually a *free* tram outside Excalibur which connects to the Luxor and Mandalay Bay, if you don't want to walk the whole way to Mandalay. Take the escalator by the Rainforest Cafe in MGM upstairs and walk across the bridge across L.V. Blvd. toward New York New York. Then take the outside escalator down (i.e. don't go into NYNY) and walk around the front and take the next escalator so you can cross Tropicana toward Excalibur. The tram is right there outside Excalibur, just hang to the left. Alternatively take the escalator up by the lions inside MGM and cross Tropicana and then cross over L.V. Blvd. on the other side to the tram. Or don't take the tram, go inside the Excalibur and walk over to Mandalay Place on the inside (through Excalibur, then through Luxor, it all connects). Another lunch alternative is Mon Ami Gabi at Paris. If it's too hot to walk, take the monorail behind the MGM to Bally's, enter Bally's and then just walk into Paris (again, connected). A third is Mesa Grill inside Caesars, again monorail to Bally's, walk through Bally's and out the front, then cross over to Bellagio/Caesars. This also gives you access to all the restaurants in Bellagio. Olives is ok for lunch, not my favorite though. We used to take the monorail a lot before they like doubled the price. But it still can be worth it. p.s. You want a casual dinner before your show, have you ruled out all the restaurants at MGM? As for casual, the Wolfgang Puck place is decent. We have lunch there from time to time. My bro-in-law and his wife had dinner there before Ka and they liked it. Sun May 13 08:28:34 -0700 2007 2565812 10274 Debbie W 1 2566873 First, I'll solve your problem, then I'll nag you. The cheapest way to get to Rosemary's http://www.rosemarysrestaurant.com/ is to take the bus. <http://www.rtcsouthernnevada.com/cat/sysmap/SystemMap11-06.pdf> The "Deuce" is a large, modern double decked bus that runs along Las Vegas Blvd. Catch the Deuce outside the MGM on Las Vegas Blvd. (aka...The Strip.) Go north and get off the Deuce at Sahara Blvd. You'll know when you've reached Sahara Blvd. when you see a roller coaster weaving in and out of a casino of the same name through the right side windows of the Deuce. Transfer to a CAT bus (line 204) going westbound on Sahara. <http://www.rtcsouthernnevada.com/cat/busstop/stopdesc.cfm?snum=2044.0220> Get off the bus at Cimarron Rd. At this point, you're across the street from Rosemary's. Travel time would likely be about 45 minutes. (DEPENDING ON TRAFFIC along the strip.) The up side is that you get to see all of the strip without having to drive it yourself. Total fare: $6.50/person. A cab ride would still take 20 minutes. <http://tinyurl.com/2db2lb> and cost about $30 plus tip. For Friday night... you're staying in the MGM and seeing a show at the MGM. I don't think anybody in their right mind would recommend that you leave the property for dinner. The walk from your hotel room to the cab stand *IS* a 15/20 walk!!! Lotus of Siam is a 15 minute drive at best. Add waiting time to exit and return to the property, waiting time at the restaurant and you're in for a long evening. Find a restaurant to your liking within the MGM and enjoy your evening. BTW... in June, you don't want to walk outside, during the day, anywhere in Las Vegas. Sun May 13 19:30:59 -0700 2007 2565812 24061 shamu613 2 2567245 i was reading a restaurant guide the other day that my SO picked up at one of the restaurants we ate at ( i think it was ferraro's...i picture review is one it's way soon ...i think it was called the best restaurant gude of lv...or something like that...reason i bring it up is there is an italian restaurant on the east side that provides free limo service from the strip...i just wonder if it's worthwhile for rosemary's to do the same... based on the comments on chowhounds...it might just be worth it...maybe i should volunteer my services...and for a tip i get the doggie bag !!! Mon May 14 01:51:26 -0700 2007 2566873 11751 kjs 3 2570444 Thanks to everyone who replied...I think it was pretty clear how little I know about Vegas. Your comments were very helpful. Your thoughts on eating at the MGM...what would you recommend? Tue May 15 06:09:26 -0700 2007 2567245 15039 Tripper 4 2570549 I would recommend Fiamma and Crafsteak as my Top picks and Sea Blue for my second..... If money isn't an object try L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon for the tasting menu..... Tue May 15 07:01:00 -0700 2007 2570444 16764 ciaogal 4 2571827 IMO, MGM has the monopoly on great restaurants. You've got a lot to choose from. Everyone knows how much I love Craftsteak so I won't go into that. I would also second ciaogal's reccomendations of Fiamma and Sea Blue. Knob Hill is fantastic as well. The chicken tettrazini is great although it is large and meant for two. Of course you also have Joel Robuchon if you want to go ultra high end. I would stay away from Emeril's - it's just not what everyone makes it out to be, IMO. Tue May 15 13:02:11 -0700 2007 2570444 47792 lvmanager