After a relaxing and refreshing afternoon at the vibrant pool at Resorts World, I had finished getting ready for my evening out, which would mainly take place at Caesars Palace, thanks to a 6:00PM reservation at the famous Bacchanal Buffet. As I had mentioned earlier in my TR, I had never tried a Vegas buffet on my past trip and from my research, Bacchanal was one of the best! I liked their menu and what I had read about them, so I decided to make that the Vegas buffet I would try. Once I grabbed my belongings, I left my room, passing through the well lit hallway, which had gray carpeting broken up by patterns of red, branch-like stripes.

I then took an elevator down to the Lobby and on my way there, my eye was drawn to what appeared to be a piano as well as a painting of Liberace.

Upon closer inspection, I learned that it was a 1913 Liberace Las Vegas Hilton Nickelodeon Piano, which Liberace used during his performances at the Las Vegas Hilton. It was beautiful to see this piano up close and I love how the Liberace Foundation donated Liberace's piano, which is the centerpiece for a small exhibit honoring him known as "Mr. Showmanship." Aside from the piano and the candelabra accompanying it being gorgeous, it was touching to see that Resorts World, having Hilton operating the hotel operations, honored Hilton in Las Vegas's history of having Liberace as one of their major acts (Resorts World brings Liberace and Hilton Reunion | The Liberace).

Before I went to the Lobby, I opened up my Lyft and Uber apps to see how much a ride to Caesars Palace would be. From what I saw, rides there were $20 if not a little more, which is higher than average, but also due to surge pricing as many people were going out for the evening. Luckily, from reading a couple of guides to Vegas, I read that the cabs at times when Uber/Lyft are surge pricing can be cheaper at those times. Since I knew that a cab from Resorts World to Caesars would be about $10-$12, I made my way to the Lobby, heading outside to the port cochere where I entered the Conrad on my arrival. When I got outside, I went to the taxi stand and both me and AJ, the Bellman who assisted me when I arrived, recognized each other. He was delighted to see me again and after asking me where I needed a taxi to take me, I told I was looking to go to Caesars Palace. AJ, being as kind and resourceful as he was when he assisted me earlier, had a Toyota Sienna taxi that was waiting in line with a few other taxis, pull up right away. Thanks to AJ's assistance, I then entered the Toyota Sienna after the friendly cabbie, whose name escapes me sadly, opened the rear passenger door. I settled in the comfortable captain's chair of the Sienna's second row, ready to take in the sights of the Northern and Central Las Vegas Strip. After leaving the hotel, we turned right onto Resorts World Avenue eastbound and then made an immediate right turn onto Las Vegas Boulevard southbound. As we headed southbound, I could see the Fashion Show Mall, with a portion of its roof shaped almost like a flying saucer, Treasure Island, the Mirage, and Caesars on our right. To our left, I could see a portion of the Wynn/Encore and Venetian/Palazzo as well as the Cosmopolitan in the background.

Traffic was flowing smoothly and as we approached the intersection of Fashion Show Drive, I could see the Trump Hotel to my right.

Less than five minutes after leaving Resorts World, we were already at Fashion Show Drive by the Fashion Show Mall.

Once the light turned green, we continued south on Las Vegas Boulevard, passing Treasure Island.

Followed by the Mirage, which looked impressive as ever with lush palm trees and its faux volcano out front. Prominently displayed from the upper portion of the Mirage was a display for The Beatles: Love Cirque du Soleil.

About ten minutes after leaving Resorts World, we were approaching Caesars Palace. From its exterior,it looked as palatial as I remember it from my previous trips, with its many towers and massive Colosseum, where different events like a previous residency for Celine Dion are held.

The cabbie then asked me where I was going within Caesars? I told him I would be having dinner at Bacchanal Buffet. He said I would be in for a treat, as he feels it is the best out of all the buffets in the city! That excited me and as we were approaching the Lobby Entrance for Caesars, which was the most convenient entrance, I could not believe how much larger the Forum Shops had gotten, as I believe in the mid-2000s, they added two additional levels. When I was last in Vegas in 2001, it was only one level and I do not remember a large entrance like the one I saw from The Strip. After dinner, I had hoped to at least walk around and see what it was like.

About ten minutes after leaving Resorts World and with the time being 5:15PM, I had finally arrived at Caesars. The ride ended up being $12 in change, which was not bad at all and the best part was, I had timed my arrival well, as I still had ample time to locate Bacchanal and check in for my reservation and also explore Caesars for a bit. Thankful to my cabbie for an excellent ride, I took in the views of Caesars as well as of The Linq and Harrahs across the street.

I then made my way to the Lobby Entrance of Caesars, which let me know I would be transported to Roman times with its Roman styled architecture, including towering pillars and Roman shaped vases.

Inside, I was impressed and awed by Caesars Palace, which has become one of my favorite places in Las Vegas. I found the lobby to be over the top yet classy, with multicolored marble floors and artwork depicting Roman times. Of course, it would not be Caesars Palace without a statue of the man himself, Julius Caesar in the center of the lobby. Naturally, I had to take a photo with Caesar and to my luck, a kind Canadian couple offered to take my picture. In return, I took their picture with Caesar, to which they agreed! Of course, I just could not help but attempt to mimic the pose of Caesar in my second shot.


After taking in the palatial lobby of Caesars Palace, I then made my way towards Bacchanal, passing through the massive casino and some other shops and restaurants. Although I had about half an hour until my reservation, I decided to line up for Bacchanal as I could see there was a massive line to get in. While I was waiting, I took in all of the aspects of the design, including the carvings on the ceiling, the modern and classy tiling on the upper portion decorating the lettering for Bacchanal Buffet, and of course, the carpeting, which was decorated in patterns of red, black, and gold with silhouettes of Caesar's head in the center.

Although the line was lengthy, I could see the many Hostesses were doing their best to keep the line moving. While I was waiting, I met a lovely young couple visiting from the Atlanta area. I told them I was from South Florida and they told me that they had visited Fort Lauderdale recently, which they loved thanks to its beautiful beaches and festive vibe! I wholeheartedly agreed, as I too love Fort Lauderdale. The couple asked me if I had been to Vegas before and I said yes, although not for a long time as I was there when I was a kid. In return, the couple said they had been there before, but were taking a weekend trip to take in the sights of The Strip and Fremont Street and of course, gamble. I told them that I planned on visiting Fremont Street and Downtown Las Vegas, as I had not been there before and they told me I would love it, thanks to its nostalgia, better odds at the casinos than those on The Strip, and the party-like atmosphere on Fremont! They also suggested using the Deuce Bus to get to/from Fremont Street to The Strip, as it was cheap, efficient, and safe in their book. I asked them about using it late at night, as I had read it passes through some sketchy areas between Downtown and the Northern portion of The Strip. They reassured me not to worry and that as long as I kept my guard up, the bus back towards The Strip was mainly tourists. This reassured me and I was thankful for their advice. The line moved quickly despite the volume and as we got closer, I detected the faint smell of fresh seafood, which woke up my appetite! By about a quarter to six, I was directed to one of the Hostess Stations, where Jan was waiting. She was warm and welcoming as she processed my credit card. She then saw on my reservation a notation of my food allergies and said that when I entered the restaurant, to inform the second Hostess who would escort me to my table as well as my Server to speak with one of the Chefs. I then tendered my payment, with the price being close to $90/person. Normally, it is $79.99/person for dinner, but they were charging additional since it was holiday pricing for Labor Day Weekend. Still, I understood the price was the way it was, as there were many pricey food items served, like all of the seafoods and quality meats, like Prime Rib. With my payment now tendered, I was then directed to a second line. Five minutes after speaking with Jan, Ariceli, another kind Hostess, escorted me to my table. From what I could see, the restaurant was classy and modern and was also bustling, with many happy diners enjoying their feasts. Ariceli then sat me at a two top table, which had very comfortable chairs and faced the Latin American station of the buffet.


Only a minute later, I then had the pleasure of meeting Maricela, my sweet and efficient waitress. She took my drink order for a Diet Coke and then informed me that I would be meeting Chef Stephanie, who would meet me at my table and give me a comprehensive overview of the buffet. I also asked Maricela about the 90-minute time limit, which would have been OK if need be. I explained to her that I wanted to take my time and savor the various foods. She said not to worry and take as much time as I need. Thankful, I felt very welcomed and happy to be enjoying the buffet.

I then met Chef Stephanie, who was warm and bubbly. After exchanging greetings, she then took me back to the Seafood Station of the buffet, closest to the entrance. Unfortunately, for unknown reasons, Stephanie was needed in the Kitchen, so her colleague, Chef John, took over for her. Luckily, I was in excellent hands, as Chef John immediately won me over with his gregarious and outgoing personality! In addition, he also proved to be extremely knowledgeable of food allergies, putting me at ease immediately. As we scoped the Seafood Station, John informed me that save for the remoulade for the Cajun Poached Prawns, all of the seafood items and their accompaniments were safe for me to eat. I asked John where he was from, observing his Boston area accent right off of the bat and he said I guessed correctly, as he said he used to be from the Boston area. I was intrigued, as I mentioned having a bit of a history with the State of Massachusetts due to going on a school music trip to Boston in May 2009 and in 2013-2014, going on periodic trips to Mattapoisett, an idyllic small town located about 50 miles west of Cape Cod, MA to get a couple of our Affenpinschers (Monkey-like dog in German) as that was where their breeder was located. In return, John also observed my accent, guessing if I was from New York City? I told him he was correct enthusiastically, as I used to be from Westbury, NY in Nassau County, 40-50 minutes outside of New York City but have lived in Delray Beach, FL, for the past five and a half years at the time of the trip. Chef John's face lit up, as he said his best friend who lived in Miami and actually worked in Delray for a bit, as he was the opening chef for one of the restaurants at The Ray Hotel, Curio Collection by Hilton, a sophisticated 4-star hotel styled like a boutique hotel. I had mentioned visiting The Ray, as I went to their rooftop bar one day earlier that Summer and had a good time taking in the scenery and even enjoyed a non-alcoholic Mai-Tai (had to drive but only ten minutes to/from my house) and an appetizer of Yellowtail Tacos. Chef John mentioned visiting Delray and said how much he and his best friend loved it, thanks to its laid back and sophisticated energy, excellent dining scene, all of the art galleries, and of course, the nearby beach location! I told Chef John I agreed with his assessment of Delray Beach 100% and although his best friend left The Ray to take a job closer to Miami, he still loves visiting The Ray and surrounding Delray. We then passed the American, Meat, Poultry, and Vegetarian Stations. There was plenty to eat from these stations, with the only off limits items being a small plated fried chicken piece on top of waffle (wheat and eggs), a quinoa based salad (allergic to all grains except corn and rice), and turkey gravy (off limits as wheat flour is used for thickening). We then passed the Latin American Stations where I was able to eat most of the items, save for a Sonoran Street Dog, which he said he could have his team prepare this take on a hot dog without a bun. At the Mediterranean Station and Italian Stations, I could not eat the wheat-based pastas (GF Pasta was available at the pasta station) and pizzas, but everything else was fine. The delicious looking Tomato Tartare was served on a crostini, but John and Ilene, one of the ladies manning the Mediterranean Station, told me they could do the Tomato Tartare sans crostini. We continued our way around the massive buffet and then found ourselves at the Asian Station, serving Filipino cuisine, Sushi, a couple of Korean dishes, and Chinese/Chinese American dishes. Save for a couple of the breaded and fried Chinese dishes as well as the dumplings, there was plenty to eat. Last but not least, we then found ourselves at the Dessert Station. Unfortunately, this station had the least amount of items that I could eat, but thankfully, I was able to eat most of the gelato and sorbet flavors, save for Vanilla, Cookies and Cream, and I think Creme Brulee. With all being said and done, I was able to eat 85-90% of Bacchanal's items, so I definitely would not starve. I also asked John about the 90-minute time limit and he said not to worry, as they only impose it when it is really crowded and when they do, it is really only to ward off severe gluttons, not people who are taking the time to savor their food. Impressed with Chef John's phenomenal service and seeing how fresh and well stocked everything looked, my appetite was growing and I was "hungry like the Wolf (get it?)." I also noticed how spotless and well kept everything was, including the culinary team, who were all wearing proper hair restraints and gloves too. Some were still masked as well on their own accord, but not all, since the State of Nevada dropped its mask mandate in early 2022. Excited, I parted ways with Chef John and we agreed to speak more later! My first stop was to the Seafood Station, which was quite busy, due to its popularity, however, the line moved efficiently.

My first stop was for some Steamed Snow Crab Legs, where the friendly chef doling them out offered me an even more generous portion of claws then I wanted, as I think he offered me four but I only wanted two, as I wanted to try the other treasures of the sea. The chef understood and obliged by offering me two crab legs. They looked phenomenal, as they looked to be cooked perfectly and were in pristine condition. I then grabbed some Lobster Claws, Dungeness Crab Legs, Jonah Crab Claws, and Shrimp Cocktail. To accompany my treasures, I also got some Cocktail Sauce and a lemon wedge. I also got some delicious looking sautéed peppers, Broccolini spiced with Calabrian Chiles, and Mojo Potatoes from the Latin Station. Once back at my table, I tucked into my delicious looking dinner. I loved the Hot Steamed Crab Legs, which were not hard to crack, meaty, and were savory and sweet in taste. Although cold, the Dungeness Crab Legs were also excellent, with the same sweet and savory taste but chilled. Another favorite of mine were the Lobster Claws, which were phenomenal due to being meaty, savory, and tender. The Shrimp Cocktail was excellent as well, with the shrimp being plump and mild in taste, pairing well with some savory, slightly sweet, and a touch spicy cocktail sauce. For my sides, I loved theMojo Potatoes, since I love potatoes and did not want the heft of Mashed Potatoes since I knew I would be eating a protein heavy meal. Luckily, these spuds did not disappoint and I even enjoyed seconds, as these potatoes had a crisp on the outside texture, were fluffy on the inside, and had an earthy flavor complimented by spices and citrus, adding tang and heat. I also loved the earthy broccolini which was accented by Calabrian Chiles for heat as well as the sweet and tender roasted peppers.

-Treasures of the Sea:

-Roasted Peppers, Broccolini, and Mojo Potatoes:

Pleased with my first round of items, I then decided to check out the Meat Station, as I had heard good things about the Prime Rib at Bacchanal. I did not have to wait too long, thanks to the fact that there are two stations for Meat to account for its popularity. Once there, Saul, who provided service with a smile and carved me a beautiful looking piece of Prime Rib. As seemed to be the theme here, Saul's portion of Prime Rib was very generous! To accompany my Prime Rib, I got some more of the Broccolini from earlier as well as some Roasted Carrots. When I had the pleasure of enjoying my next course, I found the Prime Rib to be a standout, thanks to being tender and juicy as well beefy in flavor, with only a small sprinkle of salt applied by the chef at the Meat Station to add oomph. I also loved the Broccoli and thoroughly enjoyed the sweet and savory carrots, which had a small touch of spice thanks to additional spices being used.

As I was eating, Vladimir, one of the Bussers, came to collect my used plates and offer me a refill of Diet Coke. We hit it off thanks to his engaging personality and had a wonderful time talking about our lives, including our fields of work and where we were from. He inquired about how my meal was and I mentioned it was excellent! This made him feel elated and he asked if I had any favorite items? I told him it was a tough call, as everything I had sampled so far had been fantastic, but narrowing it down, I mentioned the Prime Rib, Mojo Potatoes, Broccolini, and Lobster Claws. Vladimir agreed those were all phenomenal choices, but admitted it was hard for him to pick a favorite item. Maricela, my waitress, also stopped by to say hi and check on me too! All in all, Maricella and Vladimir made a great team and provided excellent service throughout my meal, being warm, attentive, and professional. There were a couple of times I did have to wait for my plates to be collected, but it was not their fault, as they were very busy that day and whenever they came around, they always treated me like a king...er Caesar haha! Next, I took a little break from eating and walked around a bit. I then saw Chef John, who asked me how my meal was? I told him it was fantastic, as the dishes I had sampled had been delicious and everyone had been taking excellent care of me! I had mentioned to Chef John I would be coming back to Bacchanal three days later on Wednesday and asked him if he would be in? He replied in the negative, as it was his day off, but said that I would be in excellent hands with Chef Stephanie, who I had the pleasure of meeting earlier as well as Executive Chef Matt, who was off that day but would be in on Wednesday evening. He asked if I had any plans while in Vegas and I told him I did not plan too much, save for seeing David Copperfield at the MGM Grand. He said I would be in for a treat, as Copperfield is an amazing magician. After chatting with Chef John for a bit, he was needed elsewhere, so we parted ways. After walking around a bit, I felt ready to check out more items, so I then went to the Poultry Station, where Truffle Roasted Chicken, BBQ Duck Wings, and Herb Roasted Turkey caught my eye.

Once at the Poultry Station, Dennis kindly carved me a breast piece of Truffle Roasted Chicken and a generous slice of Herb Roasted Turkey. Observing the sauces and other accompaniments, I opted for the Apple Cranberry Chutney. At the nearby Vegetarian Station, I opted for some Wild Rice with Mushrooms to accompany my poultry. As was the norm for this meal, everything was delicious! The Herb Roasted Turkey that was moist, tender, and had a pleasant bite from herbs added to the skin. I found it paired well with the Apple Chutney, which was light and had tart and sweet cooked apples. The Roast Chicken, which had juicy meat enrobed in a crisp and well spiced skin. The Wild Rice with Mushrooms made an excellent accompaniment as well, with nutty wild rice and savory, meaty mushrooms.

Next, I decided to get more Lobster Claws, a couple of more Crab Legs, and some Mojo Potatoes. While at the Seafood Station, I saw an intriguing looking Spicy Seafood Boil.

After that course, I then passed the Taco Station, where I contemplated getting a taco later. However, I wanted to check out the Mediterranean Station. At the salad station, an item that had caught my eye due to its visual appeal and great feedback on various review sites was the Cauliflower Salad, which was raw cauliflower enrobed in tahini and also prepared with raw onions and spices. I took a healthy portion of it, as along with the other vegetables, it would provide a heavy shot of fiber to counterbalance this protein heavy meal.

And there was a delicious looking cheese board consisting of Blue Cheese, Smoked Gouda, Chipotle Gouda, and Manchego Cheese.

I also got some cheeses, some olives, Tomato Tartare sans Crostini, and a plate of Pan Seared Rockfish. Back at my table, I then tucked in, enjoying the salty and slightly earthy blue cheese, the creamy and slightly smokey in flavor Smoked Gouda, and the slightly piquant Chipotle Gouda cube. The Pan Seared Rockfish was a small plate of moist and flakey rock fish accented by sweet and savory peppers and briny olives. I also tried the Tomato Tartare, which had chopped tomatoes that were savory in flavor bound by tomato paste to shape it like a tartare. I loved the Roasted Cauliflower Salad which had earthy and slightly sweet cauliflower accented by nutty and creamy tahini as well as the bite of red onions.

I thought about getting a taco and checking out the Asian Station, but since I was about to explode, I decided to get some dessert. The Dessert Station had many small in size but delicious looking items.

This station had the least amount of items I could eat, but with many gelato and sorbet flavors available that I was able to eat, Leonard, one of the Dessert Chefs, kindly gave me two small samples of gelato and sorbet that I requested before I made my final decision. I got a scoop of Peach Sorbet and a very small amount of Chocolate Gelato. I then went to the other side of the Dessert Station, where I got some fresh fruit, including cubes of cantaloupe, pineapple, and honeydew. While there, I saw DelMar, the Crepe Chef working. Although this would be the first time I would meet him, I knew of him, as he got mentioned in many Yelp reviews thanks to his outgoing personality and excellent crepes. Although I didn't have a crepe due to my food allergies, I told DelMar I knew of him thanks to Yelp reviews and he was flattered! He was indeed outgoing and passionate about his job. Naturally, we could not help but converse and he asked where I was from? I told him I was from Florida and he said how he loved going there! I asked him where he was from and he said he was from South Carolina, although he had been in Vegas for a long time. I mentioned although I was only in SC once, when I drove to Florida with my Mother when we stopped for the night in Florence, SC during our move from NY to FL. I mentioned SC, even from just being there that night, was lovely thanks to its natural beauty and friendly folks, to which DelMar wholeheartedly agreed! I explained to DelMar I would have gladly gotten a crepe, but due to my gluten and egg allergies, I couldn't. Although DelMar didn't have an alternate crepe batter available, he insisted on not letting me leave empty handed, so he made me a small bowl of raspberries, blackberries, and whipped cream. Thankful, I mentioned to DelMar that I would be coming back for dinner three days later. He said that sadly, he would not be in as it was his day off but that I would be in wonderful hands with his team. Thankful to have met DelMar, I then got to enjoy my deserts of creamy and bold in flavor Chocolate Gelato, the sweet and tangy Peach Sorbet which even had small pieces of frozen peaches for texture, sweet and sour pineapple, refreshing cubes of cantaloupe and honeydew, and tart raspberries and blackberries with light and creamy whipped cream.

Finished with my delicious meal, I then bid Maricela, Vladimir, Chef Stephanie, Chef John, and the Hostesses fond farewells and made my way to have more fun! All in all, Bacchanal has become a favorite restaurant thanks to its fresh and high quality dishes, superb service, and upscale and fun atmosphere and would look forward to dining there again to try new dishes and enjoy old favorites. What would I do next? Find out soon!