Barb M.
Yelp
Let me preface this review by saying I love a good dive.
I was last here about 6 years ago, and other than the cracked old springy booths, it was forgettable. I quite happily passed it by on my way to other dining destinations for years after my experiences there.
Over time, the Calico Ridge area near Lake Las Vegas attracted a few other restaurants that set up business. Both were geared to a middle to upper class casual dining market and quite frankly both are trying too hard to be something they are not. One sports kobe beef burgers and kobe in the chili, and the other makes you fork over almost 22 bucks for a tiny little portion of fish fillet in a throughly boring meal(and supremely bad service) that inspires the question "Was it worth it?". No. It was not.
So after having such a limited selection of places to be monetarily raped by for a local supper simply because of the assumtion that everyone that lives in this area has money to burn, I gingerly ventured further down the blvd.
I began to think "Hmm. Was the Lake Mead Lounge really so bad?" I thought, 6 years had passed, surely some improvements had been made because everytime I drive by there are people parked there.
So I researched it a bit and discovered that 3 years ago Station Casinos quietly bought it, and cleaned it up. I gotta tell you, the food was now just as good as going to Sunset station or Fiesta if you want SIMPLE casino food. Not that stations are the bomb(laughs) but we all know it's decent, filling, and main stream comfort food.
You're not going to find asian cuisine of any kind. You're not going to get your crab rangoon, your pecan encrusted fillet of trout, your goat cheese salad with pine nuts and pomegranite seeds...you're not going to get a Kobe burger or thick cut apple wood smoked pepper bacon with your apple pancake. BUT...if you're not afraid to slum it..then this is the place.
This place tastes just like Fiesta and Sunset...without the drive out of my neighborhood..without the parking search...without the walk through a huge casino...and with much better service.
Our waitress brewed hot decaf late at night just for me. Kept our drinks filled, didn't mind additions to our order, answered lots o questions. She was friendly and we felt like she had the time for us & a genuine smile. Amazing.
We sat at the back table where you could see into the kitchen purposefully so we could see a bit into the prep area. It's CLEAN. Huge deal to me.
It has a modified casino menu in that it is brief. 1 page, front and back. That's it. Few selections but good enough. Specials from 2.99 and up. 9.99 is the most expensive item(T-bone steak) It was a friday night. I ordered the T-bone w/mixed veggies(corn, peas, and carrots with butter), baked potato with trimmings, added a salad(xtra fee but cheap, fresh & tasty), a decaf coffee. Fri/Sat it comes with a free beer. I don't drink beer so my coffee was free. One of us had a bowl of spag and meatballs, added a side salad for extra. I stole a bite and it tasted decently. Typical blue collar spag night. My husband ate the whole thing, was satisfied, and wants to try more on the menu. Good sign. My son ordered breakfast for supper. the 3.99 special with a big pile of scrambled eggs, 3 bacon, a stack of 3 pancakes(which he says tastes better than ihop reg pancakes and omelette house panacakes. huge success for my 10 year old..and a side of sausage.
Everyone was happy and we got out the door for just over 29 bucks.
TWENTY NINE BUCKS! Oh. My. God. Who has a bill like that for a family of 3 and lots of extras?
The plates were huge. servings were not skimpy. It tasted fine. Not gourmet but your typical casino cafe taste if that makes sense. It's tasty pedestrian.
I had a steak at Outback(the one on 4423 sunset in Henderson) the other week that I paid soooo much money for and they absolutely ruined it. I sent it back for being raw near the bone & they over corrected. No offer to discount or give a small token of sorry like a dessert. I was tired of complaining and just ate it but vowed to not go back...and you know what? I ordered my T-bone steak MEDIUM and guess what? I got it medium the first time. How is it my 9.99 steak at this dive tasted better than a 20 dollar steak at a steakhouse? Still in shock over that. Had to shut my mouth at the table when the waitress came so I didn't look like a retard.
ATMOSPHERE??? What atmosphere? It's a dive.
You should be happy if you like dives..but it's a clean dive since stations took over! Just walk in through the doors after everyone turns in their seat to look at you (laughs) and aim for the back and to the right. Tiny and clean little space for eating your grub.
So...if you don't feel like dealing with traffic and crowds..and you want a basic tasty meal without coughing up major cash. GO slum it there.