The restaurant itself is hip but also very inviting. Neutral colors, low lighting, and plush seats envelope you in style and comfort. Warm “San Francisco” sourdough bread is brought to your table to start you off, served with a selection of organic butters. As the butter melts into the hot, perfectly chewy roll–the ultimate comfort food–you know just how much you’re going to be cared for. 

The menu boasts a number of tantalizing starters and appetizers, such as Cheese Fondue with the restaurant’s signature sourdough bread, or an equally tempting and enormous Shellfish Platter. We chose the Charcuterie Board, featuring delectable smoke meats and sausage, tangy cheeses, and incredibly mouth-watering marinated olives. Served with warm foccacia bread and a selection of mustards, this starter was perfectly satisfying. The whole grain and lavender mustards were particularly noteworthy–I could have eaten them up with a spoon. 

Our selections for the main course are certainly worth writing home about! My dining companion had the famous “Michael’s Lobster Pot Pie.” And yes, it is as rich and decadent as it sounds. The pie features a Two Pound Maine Lobster, Fingerling Potatoes, Seasonal Vegetables and a rich Brandy Cream sauce. Presentation is part of the fun: Our server arrived at our table with a large pot fit with a pastry “lid” atop a wheeled cart. The tender, golden crust was cut from the pot and placed on the dinner plate. The pie “filling” was then ladled in generous spoonfuls over the crust: heaps of sweet lobster meat, tender potatoes, and beautiful vegetables, all artfully presented. It is a monster of a course, but absolutely fantastic in every aspect! 

For myself, I chose the Crispy Skin Japanese Snapper served over Butternut Squash Risotto, Chanterelle Mushrooms, and a Red Wine Butter Sauce. The flavors were so wonderful and complementary! I especially enjoyed the contrast of the salty, crispy snapper skin with the sweet, creamy butternut squash risotto. Based on the attention to detail and flavor in the dishes we ordered, you surely cannot go wrong with any of the entrees. And there are many offerings to tempt you (including non-seafood options), from seasonal tasting menus, to courses like  Suckling Pig with Perigord Truffles, Red Snapper  with Cauliflower puree, and a twist on comfort food: Whole-Fried Chicken For Two Truffle Mac N’ Cheese and Onion Jus.

Lest I forget, our meals were accompanied by a sampling of creamy mashed potatoes in various flavors: sour cream and chive, curry, mustard, horseradish, and classic. Served “family style,” this  “side” was an unanticipated delight. I personally loved the exotic curry flavor and hot horseradish, while my dinner companion’s top choice was the sour cream and chive. Truly, there’s something for everyone here!

Nobhill features a good wine list, with plenty of tantalizing white wines to whet your seafood-inspired palette. There are choice reds, to be sure, but I feel you can never go wrong with a crisp, French Chardonnay, with that distinctive mineral undertone. Perfection!

How did we manage to have dessert, you ask? How could we not, I say, based on the calibre of the rest of our meal! I was delighted to find a twist on my favorite, crème brulee; the Cinammon Spiced Creme Brulee with Crisp Brown Sugar wafer combined the rich creaminess of crème brulee with my favorite spice. My chocolate-fiend companion enjoyed every bit of the decadent Valhrona Chocolate Soufflé with Milk Chocolate-Espresso Ice Cream.

Service was flawless. Our server was knowledgeable, friendly, helpful and attentive and kept the evening relaxing and laid back.

We recommend dining at Nobhill and will make it a priority to return there on our next Vegas trip.

Overall Dining Experience
We give Nobhill Five Stars - Outstanding!

For more information or to make reservations, visit www.mgmgrand.com or call (702) 891-7337.

At Nectar, you will find dishes typically offered in fine American restaurants, with an emphasis on interesting combinations and modern presentation. The menu offers familiar starters such as Caesar Salad, and clearly recognizable beef and chicken dishes as entrees – the usual suspects, but prepared with care and presented quite attractively. The 8 oz filet mignon, for instance, was tender and flavorful accompanied by sauteed oyster mushrooms and shallots, and potatoes romanoff with a delightfully crispy exterior. The notable feature of this dish was the intriguing rich, sweet port sauce generously dressing the beef. My dining companion had the hearty 14 oz prime rib. Resting in a pool of au jus, the beef was served with shallots, a warm corn and bean salad, and deep fried potato wedges. The accompanying creamed horseradish sauce was pleasantly zesty.

The wine, a 2000 merlot, was pleasant although not exceptional. I must say that though there was nothing wrong with Nectar, the menu was pricey, especially when compared to the exceptional menus and elegant ambience of Bellagio’s other fine restaurants.

Overall, the food was quite good at Nectar, and our waiter was exceptionally pleasant. The whole experience was overshadowed by the finest of the fine that Bellagio has to offer – a perhaps unfair comparison. You may want to visit Nectar earlier in your trip before trying the likes of Prime, Aqua and Picasso.

Another bit of valuable advice – make reservations for Nectar as far in advance as possible. We were fortunate to secure a table here after we arrived in Vegas, but unable to get into other restaurants at Bellagio on short notice. Late reservations at popular Bellagio restaurants are a gamble, so hedge your bets and book early!

Overall Experience
We give Nectar 3 Stars- Very Good

Nectar is located in the Bellagio Hotel, 3600 Las Vegas Blvd South, Las Vegas, NV 89109. For more information or to make reservations, call 702-693-7223 or visit www.bellagio.com.

From prime rib to pizza to pastry, almost nothing is amiss. The Buffet’s food stations are set up in the center of the restaurant with hot foods lining the back wall and cold foods in front. Hot foods include standard breakfast fare, such as scrambled eggs, sausage and bacon. Omelets and eggs can also be made to order. But The Buffet goes beyond what you would probably prepare for breakfast, like hot, juicy slices of prime rib or roast lamb carved for you upon request. Delectable thin crust wood-fired pizzas are also available by the slice, topped with the usual pepperoni slices and mushrooms or more inventive combinations such as jalapeno, jack cheese and fresh-chopped cilantro.

An impressive variety of chilled seafood is also available and, by glancing at the plates of other diners heaped with discarded seafood shells, this is clearly the hallmark of the buffet. We sampled huge, juicy American Gulf shrimp, gargantuan king crab legs and delicious pieces of tender smoked sturgeon.

An array of breads, muffins and pastries is displayed just in front of the hot food stations. You’ll also find a full salad bar, and large bowls of fresh fruit, such as strawberries, melons, and ruby red grapefruit sections. Of course, you’re in Vegas, so don’t forget about dessert, even if you are having breakfast! Make a hot fudge sundae at the soft ice cream station topped with rich bits of toffee, or take that slice of apple pie. You’ve eaten enough for three already, why stop now?

Note that no reservations are taken, but expect to wait in long lines during peak mealtime hours before being seated. Bottom line? If you’re going to do a buffet while in Vegas, go a little upscale and choose the Bellagio. You won’t regret it, although you may need to be rolled back to your room.

Overall Experience
We give The Buffet at Bellagio 4 Stars – Excellent!

The Buffet is located in the Bellagio Hotel, 3600 Las Vegas Blvd South, Las Vegas, NV 89109. For more information visit www.bellagio.com.

As promised by the restaurant’s very name, the prime beef served was among the best we have ever tasted. The Aged Peppercorn New York Striploin was grilled to perfection, arriving at our table piping hot
and impossibly juicy and tender. The beef sliced like butter and literally melted on the tongue. The meal was accompanied by sweet and flavorful spaghetti squash as well as an array of sauces for the beef,
including a traditional au jus, bearnaise, and a soy-citrus vinaigrette. The sauces were quite good, but the superb beef really had no need of additional dressing. We each ordered Truffle Mashed Potatoes, a rich, creamy side dish to accompany our steak. Though delicious, we found the portion to be overly generous, and one that could easily be shared by two people.

The experience of Prime’s striploin tends to overshadow other aspects of our meal. However, reaching back into the recesses of our pre-beef life, we recall beginning with a Chilled Shrimp Cocktail. Our decision
to share a single order was wise as the paradox of jumbo shrimp has never been made clearer than by this dish. Four incredibly enormous shrimp were served on a bed of shredded ice and accompanied by both a
traditional cocktail sauce and a more unusual soy citrus vinaigrette. The latter was pleasant, but we preferred the cocktail sauce that delivered just the right amount of zest from fresh grated horseradish.
The chef also offered a tasting of a warm butternut squash soup which was creamy, comforting and mildly sweet.

In an unusual twist, we went with a Pinot to accompany our meal. The Sokol Blosser Pinot Noir 1999 (Oregon) was our server’s suggestion. Since we tend toward bolder cabs and shiraz with beef, we were
pleasantly surprised and intrigued by this unique Pinot Noir whose flavor improved significantly throughout our meal. (Hey – if you can’t gamble in Vegas, you’re out of luck from the start.)

For dessert, chocolate reigned in the form of a rich Warm Valrhona Chocolate Cake with homemade vanilla ice cream accompanied by truly excellent coffee.

Our only slight disappointment was in the service experience. It was generally quite attentive, but initially a little confusing. The dining room was quite full, which probably accounts for the longer than usual wait for our main server’s attention and the oversight in not being immediately presented with a wine list. However, the rare Pinot Noir he recommended was worthwhile and performed as he promised.

The food at Prime is exceptional and the ambience/decor alone may even be worth the visit. Our only regret is that, since no other seatings were available during our stay, we could not sample Prime’s versions
of other cuts of beef. Book early (and book often) if you are a beef aficionado!

Overall Experience
We give Prime 4 Stars- Excellent

Prime is located in the Bellagio Hotel at 3600 Las Vegas Blvd South, Las Vegas, NV 89109. For more information or to make reservations, call 702.693.7223, or visit www.bellagio.com.