Rick Picks Top 10 Buffets

The Las Vegas buffet has its roots all the way back to the El Rancho, the first hotel to be built on what would eventually become The Strip. Back in the early '40s, they offered a lavish spread for about $1.

These days, the buffets in town have become even more lavish and obviously more expensive. To be fair, every buffet that I've sampled in town features, at the minimum, decent food and service, so it's hard to go too far astray. But what follows are the 10 that I keep going back to for one reason or another. I hope you enjoy them as well.

10) Mandalay Bay Bayside Buffet -- The primary thing I like about this buffet is the setting. With big floor to ceiling windows looking over their lovely beach area, this is one of the nicest buffet rooms in town. The food, while nothing out of the ordinary, is substantial and enjoyable. (702) 632-7402.

9) Arizona Charlie's East Wild West Buffet -- You have to drive a bit to the east side of town to get here but you shouldn't be disappointed by the prices (only $7 for dinner including all-you-can-eat Prime Rib!) or the food selection and quality. Hearty, stick-to-your-ribs food at bargain basement prices. (702) 951-5800.

8) Rio Carnival World Buffet -- I'm primarily including this here because I'm afraid I'll get attacked if I don't. It's a favorite in town with various food stations offering tasty selections from different regions (Chinese, Mexican, carving station, etc.). (702) 252-7777.

7) Mirage Buffet -- Just as they set the standard for the new wave of luxurious hotels, so to did they set the standard for luxurious buffets. Close your eyes and you would swear you're eating in some four-star restaurant -- the food is that good. (702) 791-7111.

6) Bally's Big Kitchen Buffet/Sterling Sunday Brunch -- Their daily "Big Kitchen" buffet is great with a huge selection of quality food at decent prices, but it is the legendary (and expensive -- around $50 per person) Sterling Sunday Brunch that stands out. Free flowing champagne, caviar, made-to-order omlets, lobster ... need I go on? (702) 739-4111.

5) Sunset Station Feast Around the World -- This buffet is a favorite among locals in town with various stations set up around the room, featuring cuisines from different countries (hence the name). It's all great food and terrific for folks on a budget. (702) 547-7777.

4) Main Street Garden Court -- This place has the loveliest buffet dining room, with a charming garden setting, plenty of plants, lazy ceiling fans, twinkle lights, and floor-to-ceiling windows. Luckily, the food is as impressive with lots of regional cuisines (Asian, Mexican, etc), a wood-burning pizza oven and yummy desserts. (702) 387-1896.

3) Bellagio -- At more than $20 per person for dinner, this place better offer something exceptional -- and it does. Just like everything else at Bellagio, the food, atmosphere and service are top-of-the-line. If it wasn't coming out of metal serving trays, you'd swear you were eating at a gourmet restaurant. (702) 693-7223.

2) Luxor Pharoah's Feast Buffet -- This is my favorite inexpensive buffet in town (although at around $11 for dinner, inexpensive is a relative term, I suppose). It has a fun dining room set up as an archaeological dig, so it's not just another bland buffet experience. And of course the food is nothing to sneer at, either. Everything I've tasted here has been well-prepared, fresh and tasty. (702) 262-4000.

1) Le Village Buffet at Paris -- This is another expensive buffet -- more than $20 per person for dinner -- but it is worth it, in my humble opinion. Stations around the room offer cuisines with influences from various regions of France, but it is not all French food, so don't let that scare you off. And if nothing else, you could just gorge yourself on the made-to-order crepes, which are the closest thing I've found to food heaven on earth. It's all served in a re-creation of a French country village that is at once amusing and friendly. My favorite. (702) 946-7000.

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Q. What classic Las Vegas hotel opened its doors 48 years ago this week, and what new mega-resort now stands on the property? (The Answer)

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Rick Garman is the head writer for Vegas4Visitors