Emily L.
Yelp
TL;DR: Yummy, pricey, vibey, you should def go. $$$
I'd been to the COTE location in New York a few times, and while it was enjoyable overall, it wasn't a life-changing, earth-shattering experience. I saw that COTE was opening a location in Las Vegas, and I was definitely intrigued. My partner and I went for my birthday in November, only about a month and a half after they officially opened. We didn't have a reservation on a Saturday night, so we waited about 45 minutes for a table at 11:15 PM. Thankfully, the casino was still very much open, so we walked around the Venetian/Palazzo and sat outside at the tables nearby to relax and get some journaling in. The hostess came up to us (she spotted us from the host table) to assure us that they were working on our table and that she'd come get us once it was ready.
The ambience inside was stunning, with a giant coppery-bronze COTE flower logo atop the ceiling. Our server told us that lights are placed strategically along the petals to illuminate each table's grills without compromising the dimly lit, moody, cave-like lighting. A hidden DJ (I couldn't find them from where we were, if there was one) was playing EDM that would occasionally sync with additional lights hidden in the bronze flower thing. It felt like a hybrid club, upscale restaurant, and ritzy cocktail lounge, which is perfect, given that this is Las Vegas.
Service was impeccable, every staff member we interacted with delivered top-notch hospitality, was very much informed and could answer pretty much any question I had. Everyone was very sweet and friendly, the opposite of typical club atmosphere lol, but very much in line with a fine dining experience.
Alright, now onto the food and drink. I ordered The King while my partner got the Nectar of the Gods. I was expressing how I was unsure of my choice and my server assured me she'd swap it out for me if I didn't love it (spoiler alert: I did) which I appreciated!
We both opted for the Butcher's Feast ($88.88) and the steak tartare (one of my favorites from the NYC location) for our meal. Our server went into details as to how it would work, what meats were being offered in the Butcher's Feast, and how our soups and pickled items like kimchi would come in the second half of our meal. I don't recall them doing this in the NYC location!
The meal was impeccable, and was honestly even better than I remembered. I don't recall getting a bone broth starter in the past, and this one was delicately flavored with truffle! It warmed us up and prepped us for the meal to come. All 4 meats in the Butcher's Feast were juicy, flavorful, and perfectly cooked. The banchan were also great and in season! I was surprised by the pickled cauliflower and the chayote, and of course, the scallion salad, ssamjang, red lettuce combo with the meats is perfect. I also loved the soups! I can't say I had a favorite cut of meat, but they were all so good. The salt blend that they used to season the steaks were great, and it was nice hearing where they were sourced from as well. The steak tartare was just as good as I had remembered. The pear and what I think was mustard seeds added a nice sweetness and texture to the tartare atop the pork crisps and the soft, tender steak itself. The soft serve with soy sauce caramel to finish the meal was delicious and perfect, and I always love a sweet treat to finish a meal.
I definitely think the superior Las Vegas hospitality and ambience contributed to my experience overall, but I don't remember actively craving the food at COTE after my times dining in the NYC one, but I'm craving it while I write this review of the Las Vegas location... and whenever I think about this meal in general LOL. I keep mentioning to my partner that I want to come back, and he agrees with me! Can't wait to come back with more friends in the future to share this experience with. :)