Oyster Bar devotees have their hacks, but we’ll always be loyal to the classic Palace pan roast—and an oyster shooter.
WE LOVE A BIG SPLASHY VEGAS DINING ROOM AS MUCH AS ANYONE, BUT THESE INTIMATE COUNTERS—SOME PROVIDING A BIT OF HANDS ON EXPERIENCE—ARE THE ULTIMATE SHOWCASE FOR A CHEF’S SKILLS.
While the wait can be several hours for a piping hot bowl of the Creole pan roasts, the addictively delicious fare is satisfying right down to your soul. Pros hack the menu by ordering a bowl of dirty chowder to start (half New England and half Manhattan chowder) and substitute their rice for noodles. Open 24/7 and first come, first serve, palacestation.com
Snagging a $290 “golden ticket” for one of the nine seats inside this hidden jewel box within Jaleo at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas PST on the first of the is no small feat. Those successful will find an avant-garde culinary performance where chefs produce tasty art. Guests must log onto ebyjoseandres.com promptly at 10AM month three months in advance of their desired date, or send a note to [email protected] to discuss a private buyout. ebyjseandres.com
Sit at L’Atelier’s bar and you may even learn the secret behind the late chef of the century’s pommes puree
Chef Tayden Poha-Ellamar and team meticulously construct elegant bites, and diners can get prime views of the action (pro tip: Request a seat at the back of the L-shaped counter). Everything is beyond perfection, but you’d be remiss to forgo the langoustines and mini foie-topped Kobe burgers. mgmgrand.mgmresorts.com
You know to wander Eataly, but now you know to book in advance for the Chef’s Table, limited to 12 diners.
With uberfresh seafood flown in from Japan three times a week, Kame is in a league of its own. While $350 gets you a seat in the main dining room, those in the know ask to sit at chef Eric Kim’s $500-per-person premium counter. Depending on the season, you can expect chawanmushi, hairy crab, needlefish, tako, Spanish blue fin, A5 Kobe and coveted muskmelon. If the stars align, you may try the scallop topped with uni, truffles and roe: the best bite in all of Vegas. sushikame.com
Krug bottles illuminate Guy Savoy’s chef’s table
Few know that in the heart of this Italian culinary emporium at Park MGM you will find a chef’s counter where a variety of cooking classes, wine tastings and special dinners are hosted. Guests can also book private experiences. Priced from $65 for a pastry class to $150 for a wine producer dinner, there’s something for everyone. eataly.com
Executive chef Nicolas Costagliola
Ever wonder how one of the world’s greatest bastions of fine dining creates its culinary magic? For $300 per person, executive chef Nicolas Costagliola invites guests to join him at his “kitchen counter” to create an appetizer and a main before sampling their work while sitting at the coveted Krug Chef’s Table. Dessert is provided. 11AM-2PM Wednesday-Sunday, reserve by calling 702.731.7286, caesars.com
The table, steps from the kitchen.
After 15 years helming Jean-Georges Steakhouse at ARIA and Prime at Bellagio, the entire city took note when chef Rob Moore decamped 12 miles off strip to open this Italian trattoria in Henderson. While it’s worth the drive just for the meatballs, those in the know book the six-seat chef’s counter where Moore personally curates multicourse tastings. Menus may include salami-topped Caesars, amberjack crudo, rigatoni alla vodka and one of the city’s best steaks. rosaristorante.com
Photography by: COURTESY OF MGM RESORTS INTERNATIONAL, COURTESY OF PALACE STATION, COURTESY OF MGM RESORTS INTERNATIONAL, COURTESY OF MGM RESORTS INTERNATIONAL, COURTESY OF CAESARS ENTERTAINMENT, COURTESY OF CAESARS ENTERTAINMENT, COURTESY OF CAESARS ENTERTAINMENT
