When we go to Vegas in February I'd like to splurge on a buffet meal either at the Wynn or at Bellagio. Which do you recommend? If you've eaten at both I'd love to hear your reviews. Which is better for brunch and which is better for lunch or dinner?
jdiddy
Oct 08, 2007 11:53AM
Who's Talking?
Broccoli Cheddar Strata with Pancetta
Create and share lists of your favorite lunch spots, favorite local eats, dream road trip and more!
Create a new
list now!
CHOW Pick, posted July 08, 2009
Food Media, posted July 09, 2009
Green, posted July 07, 2009
Wine and Drinks, posted April 24, 2009
I didn't do the Wynn, but in my opinon, The Bellagio was horrible. In fact it was so bad, we originally planned on doing the Wynn the following day, but were so soured by The Bellagio experience, we decided against it. All of the fish was overcooked, the veal osso bucco was tough, I've had better sushi at a chinese buffet, and the service was non-existant. We were never even asked if we wanted a drink refill and no one cleared the dirty plates. This was at 4:30 on a Thursday afternoon, so there is really no excuse for it. The only saving grace was dessert. The creme brulee was very good as was a dark chocolate hazelnut cake, but it certainly wasn't $30 worth of good. From that meal on, we were strictly sit down dinners.
Permalink | Reply
Mirage Buffet has always hit the spot for me. I believe it's called "Cravings" or something equally as cringe-inducing. The food and freshness therof, is excellent.
Permalink | Reply
I have eaten at both on my last trip @ Vegas in August (you can get a little more about that on my blog) and prefer the Wynn much more -- the food was comparatively not as heavy and generally fresher. The Bellagio is good too, but considerably heavier fare and looks and tastes like they've been on the steam racks or under the hot lamps a little too long (and the omelet guy messed up my order considerably).
However, I will also disclose that at the Wynn buffet I had breakfast when they first opened at 7am, whereas at the Bellagio I ate my brunch towards the end of the mealtime at almost 2pm, after three hours worth of diners had their way with the spread.
~H.C.
http://la-oc-foodie.blogspot.com
Permalink | Reply
Wynn over Bellagio. I have only been there (both places) for lunch not dinner. I agree that the items at the Wynn are generally fresher looking and don't look like they've been sitting there forever. The service at the Bellagio gets worse with each visit.
Permalink | Reply
I've eaten at both for brunch (I don't buffet dinner or lunch), and felt them comparable. Enjoy.
Permalink | Reply
I'm not excited about either, although Wynn and Bellagio are probably the best of the bunch. For dinner, I enjoyed Bellagio just a bit more. Bellagio had a few very good choices (e.g., Beef Wellington, African Bluenose), while Wynn had a larger variety but nothing that I could get excited about. For lunch, Wynn gets the nod. Bellagio's lunch selection seemed a lot like their dinner selection but with the best dishes removed, whereas Wynn's lunch quality was pretty much on a par with its dinner menu.
Permalink | Reply
The only buffets worth going to are so expensive now that you could pay a little more and eat at some of Vegas' best restaurants.
Permalink | Reply
I've done both for breakfast and prefer Wynn hand's down over Bellagio.
Permalink | Reply
Or even a little less, one of my best fine-casual meals in Vegas was at Sensi (in Bellagio) and it was only $26 + tax/tip (cheaper than dinner/brunch buffets at either, I believe). It was delicious and filling but without the grotesque bloaty feeling.
~H.C.
http://la-oc-foodie.blogspot.com
Permalink | Reply
I would have to agree with swf36d, the desserts were the only worthwhile reason to visit the Bellagio buffet. Better yet, go to the Patissiere and skip the buffet altogether. As for the service, they reset our table while we were at the buffet, and when we came back with our plates, there were other people sitting at our table, and while I can understand how this could happen when you pay in advance, in my mind it was still inexcusable.
Permalink | Reply
Wynn is my favorite in Vegas. The food is always good and the decor is far superior to Bellagio. As commented above, the food is fresher and better overall than Bellagio. It also seems to be less crowded than Bellagio. It is the most expensive buffet in Vegas, but I still think it is reasonable.
Permalink | Reply
I found the choices more limited at the Wynn. Other than the King Crab legs at Wynn (which are superior to Bellagio), I prefer the Bellagio buffet. I think the Chilean Sea Bass at the Bellagio is practically worth the price of the buffet alone.
That being said, both are on my visit list when I go next month.
Permalink | Reply
Chilean Sea Bass? Is that a normal item, or part of the Gourmet Weekend Buffet?
Permalink | Reply
It's always been on the dinner buffet when I have been there (which has never been on a weekend). As for any buffet, I try to choose an item shortly after it has been put out. Best taste that way!
Permalink | Reply
I was looking forward to the chilean seabass on my visit and it was horrible! It was so salty and over-cooked! Yuk!
Permalink | Reply
Just got back and had lunch @ Wynn buffet and dinner next night @ Bellagio. Atmosphere @ Wynn prettier. I have to disagree about service @ Bellagio...I even remember our server's name - Mariano. He was pleasant, accomodating, took our plates at the right time, asked if we wanted drink refills, when he saw we had dessert he he asked if we wanted coffee.
Permalink | Reply
Just had dinner at the Wynn last night. Interesting contrast. Some of the food was really well done. Delicate and well seasoned and cooked. For instance, they used a good quality chorizo in the chicken and chorizo shish kebab and the chicken was tender and good quality, too. The desserts were great. There was a chocolate mousse cake that was to die for. They keep the amount in the buffet table small so they can keep it fresh. On the other hand, a lot of the food was just ordinary buffet food served on expensive platters.And both the grilled asparagus and the wild mushrooms seemed to be really low quality. Like they were buying the cheapest possible. I liked the buffet, but I'm not sure it's worth $33.
Permalink | Reply
it's been awhile since i hit the Wynn Buffet ( the weekday price was under $30 so maybe the price has gone up ) but my spin - if i even went to the coffee shop, had a soda or juice, an appetizer,an entree and a dessert i am in the $30-$40 range and i don't get king crab legs, osso bucco, short ribs, lemon shrimp pasta, etc. etc i still think it's last "deal" on the strip...just one man's opinion !
Permalink | Reply
I prefer Bellagio to Wynn. Wynn has some very interesting and innovative stuff, but after sampling it all I really didn't want to go back for seconds of anything.
Permalink | Reply
Always stay at the Wynn and hands down on the buffet and the other restaurants in the Casino..
Love everything Steve Wynn did to this gorgeous place!
Get on their E-Mail list and they have incredible deals for rooms and they are best on the strip.
Permalink | Reply
Of the two, I've only eaten at Wynn's and would recommend it. But, I also love the Paris buffet and probably prefer it to Wynn's. Lots of regional frencyh dishes, all prepared fresh in front of you.
Permalink | Reply
Bellagio was great but has honestly gone downhill a bit. Of the two, Wynn is better. You may also consider Paris.
Permalink | Reply
I stopped going to the Le Village Buffet a few years ago since the quality had slid too far, especially when the French items started slipping. It used to be in the top tier, but quickly lost its luster once Harrah's bought them out.
Permalink | Reply
I typically only like breakfast buffets so when we went to Vegas this last weekend, we went to two - Paris (right from the airport) and the Bellagio. The Paris buffet is really awesome, fresh and very tasty. Bellagio was good as well!
Permalink | Reply
We've been to both buffets -- Wynn once, and Bellagio several times. We both vastly prefer the Bellagio buffet. Although Wynn has a significant edge in decor and overall atmosphere, the actual food itself simply isn't as good as Bellagio's. There isn't a variety of good breads. Their custom pasta station, while inventive, produces mediocre flavors. The salads are blase. Etc.
The Bellagio buffet does have spotty service, and most unfortunate fluorescent lighting (yuck!). But, some of the items are really quite good, especially on the weekends when they're offering the "Gourmet" menu (really, the regular menu + a few fancier items). I really enjoyed the beef and chicken wellingtion, and I simply cannot get enough of the friese/bleu cheese salad with the maple/sherry dressing. (For me, that one little salad is heavenly enough to justify the price of admission. But, it's only available on weekends.)
And don't miss the little tiramisu cups -- they're killer.
Permalink | Reply
Comparing the Wynn Buffet to the weekend Bellagio buffet is a unique situation. The "gourmet" weekend buffet is better than the Wynn, but Sunday-Thursday the Wynn is still superior IMO.
Permalink | Reply
Just to pipe in my two cents (I know this is an old post), we ate at the Bellagio dinner buffet the second night (weeknight) we were there and we really liked it. Yes the sushi was...meh...and the Polenta....bad. But, the Chilean Sea Bass...wow was it good. Also, to this day I will always remember their roasted turkey breast. I've never been a fan of white meat, but, gave it a shot...Amazing!! And funny enough, I loved their cheesecake.
In comparison to the Paris buffet, we actually ate there the first morning because it was so highly touted on TripAdvisor.com . And sorry to all you Paris buffet purist, the Bellagio's breakfast buffet was hands down WAY better than the Paris. Yes the Paris has their crepes, and yes they were good but, that was it. I was expecting more hot french dishes, there was little to be found (and we were there at 8:30am). Was this an off day? I don't know. All the fruit was from a can but, the strawberries. And in retrospect, there just wasn't much to choose from. I know that more is not better. We walked away from there thinking, that's it??
Go to the Bellagio breakfast the next morning and the first thing that stood out to me was more fresh fruit than the eye could see.....including berries. I was in heaven!! They had all those typical cooking stations that the Paris had, minus the crepes. They also had lunch type items like pizza, Chinese food, even ice cream.. Not something I'd want for breakfast/brunch, but, DH loved that he could eat pizza with bacon and eggs...LOL. Heck, they even had biscuits and gravy. I was excited to try it. Although, I didn't like it, but then I wasn't brought up on that so unsure if it tasted bad. I found gravy for breakfast odd.
We liked it so much we ate at the breakfast one the rest of the trip.
We also had great service at both all the times we were there. So I'm surprised to hear the negative comments.
Sorry can't comment on the Wynn but, I do want to get over there sometime and try it. As of late we've been staying at the Bellagio, so there's is more convenient.
Permalink | Reply
Actually just returned from Las Vegas last night. We ate at both and The Wynn is head and shoulders above The Bellagio.
More interesting choices, a cleaner less chaotic environement and much much more care is taken with the food in preperation and presentation.
We actually stayed at the Bellagio and I think the service there is a little better.
Much quicker to re-fill drinks, take plates away etc..The Wynn service is fine but a little bit more relaxed.
Both are good but this is the 3rd time we have been out to Las Vegas and we have had both buffets and The Wynn has been better every time
Permalink | Reply
This may sound odd at a buffet , but if you get back to the Wynn ask to sit in Alex's section(Dinner).We had him twice and was never without .The second time he even remembered our drink orders .Thats amazing due to the number of people that must eat there a night. Giant crab legs,short ribs,soups,stir-fry and very good salads.
Permalink | Reply
Thanks for the info. Did you only have dinner at the Wynn or Breakfast? We will be in Vegas in August (staying at the B) but, it'll be after a 5 day trip to Vic/Seattle. I'm not sure how gung ho I'll be for buffets after 5 days of eating out.
We'll be in Vegas for 3 nights, so there is time to do it. It'll all depend on how much we've spent before then too. The buffet is a good deal if you want to try a lot of different stuff. I have some of the more expensive restaurants on my list and some of better value (like LOS). Those expensive ones may get bumped if cash is a bit tight!
Permalink | Reply
Although we have eaten at both, it was too long ago for me to compare the two buffets. However, we recently dined at Wynn and thought the food was very good though many of the desserts proved to be disappointing. Here are my ratings on a scale of 0 (not eatable) to 5 (outstanding):
Seaweed cucumber salad - 1.5 Forks
Jicama salad with mint and yuzu - 2.5 Forks
California roll - 2.5 Forks
Pickled ginger - 3 Forks
Scallop ceviche - 4 Forks
Crab ceviche - 4 Forks
Sea bass in orange sauce - 4.5 Forks
Dover sole - 3 Forks
Herb crusted salmon in a carrot miso broth - 4 Forks
Moroccan glazed lamb chop - 4 Forks
Broccoli rabe and roasted garlic - 2.5 Forks
Grilled asparagus - 3.5 Forks
Bok choy with garlic - 3.5 Forks
Grilled veggies with pesto - 2 Forks
Wild mushrooms - 3.5 Forks
Crème brulee - 1 Fork
Tiramisu - 1 Fork
Banana mousse - 4 Forks
Banana mouse redux - 4 Forks
White chocolate cherry mousse - 1 Fork
Key lime pie - 3 Forks
My wife sampled some different items:
Crab legs grilled - 3 Forks
Pork pot sticker - 3 Forks
Baked tomato and ricotta over baby greens - 2 Forks
Mashed potatoes - 1.5 Forks
Bananas Foster - 3 Forks
Bread pudding - 2.5 Forks
Permalink | Reply
Wow! Thank you for taking the time to put out this list. This is one of those moments where I'm glad there are foodies out there like me although, to be honest, I don't know if I'd remember this many dishes of a buffet..very impressive!!
The sea bass, salmon, and lamb have me itching to try this place. I am, however, disappointed in your assessment of the desserts. I really like the ones at the Bellagio. Funny, I didn't care for the Creme brulee a the B either (even though, they went like hot cakes). I'm very picky about my tiramisu. We have an Italian market in town that makes it like no other I've tasted. I really hate the ones where all I can taste is espresso. If I wanted a cup of coffee, I'd grab that not dessert. Light, dreamy with the perfect hint of espresso...ahhh heaven :)
Permalink | Reply
Dinner both times.The Buffet is about $40 for dinner,lucky for us we had two comps each,but a diverse selection of good food.
Permalink | Reply
Interesting thread. . . I remember going to the Bellagio breakfast buffet within 90 days of opening and practically swooning over the cheeses, the Chinese congee, and the Japanese options. (I'm not too big on the sweets for breakfast.) I've been back a couple of times (not in the last couple of years) and was never as impressed as the first couple of times. One thing I do still dream about was the raclette at Paris buffet. . . Sigh. . . I was with a fellow diner who hates 'stinky' cheese, and I may have made him sick as that was about all I ate. The chef manning the raclette and I were good friends by the end of the meal. Sad to say, when I went back that was no longer there. Makes me want to try out those griddles to see if they are any good.
Permalink | Reply