Caesars Palace (re)opening BACCHANAL buffer
 

CP's buffet has been closed for several months. I just got an email, that they are opening the BACCHANAL buffet in Sept.
The old buffet was "bad", small selections not well prepared. Their description of the new buffet seems enticing. The price is $25 and will be open 7 am to 10 pm.

I'm in Vegas at he end of October and am planning on giving them a try. When they first open, I'm sure the quality will be good while thy try to build business. Cost cutting to follow later.

I saw this piece a few days ago, mentioning that the buffet will have 524 items:

http://travel.usatoday.com/destinati...fet--/815794/1

I ate at he Bacchanal on Saturday night, 9/15/12. The food is well prepared and there are many selections; the evening buffet features several kinds of seafood, clams, oysters, crab legs. In the display case they have lobsters, but I didn't see this as an item to eat. They have a sushi area which has in addition to rolled sushi, freshly cut salmon, shrimp, tuna (on rice). The (one slice) of pizza I tried was good, but not spectacular. In the cheese area, the cheddar was exceptionally good. The desert selections were just adequate.
If you want to use the Bacchanal buffet in conjunction with a Harrah's buffet day pass, you pay $10 extra per visit.

I got a 24 hr pass and tried it three times (a bit excessive to think of it but it had enough variety to try different things each time).
Consistently good ingredients pretty much across all stations. Some great authentic dishes (black chicken soup anyone?) and nice presentation. Very friendly but a bit disorganized service.
Aside from espresso machine being down on Sunday and regular coffee being of very average quality I had a great meal each time I was there.
This is definitely the best buffet in town but try it now as it usually doesnt take long before costsaving efforts lead to deterioration...

I like the modern decor:

http://abcnews.go.com/images/Enterta...0912_wblog.jpg

Per the article, breakfast is $19.99 a plate, lunch, $24.99 and dinner $39.99 (the latter being just a bit more than Wicked Spoon at the Cosmopolitan):

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/lifestyl...-in-las-vegas/

Prices have gone up a bit breakfast $20.99, lunch $26.99 and dinner $42.99, $2 more if no Total Rewards card. $15 supplement extra per meal if you are using the Buffet of Buffets pass - bit steep for breakfast and lunch.

I had lunch there and was very impressed - have to change my mantra that buffets at Vegas are a vast assortment of tasteless people eating a vast assortment of tasteless food (except the jumbo shrimp - why is it that shrimp in the US are totally without flavour?)

I was here and was not impressed. Quantity? Yes. Lots. And lots. Atmosphere? Very new, modern, and swanky. Quality? Eh, it was okay. Meats were a little chewy, some of the food items were a bit bland, the Asian selections were nice though. Still prefer the Bellagio Buffet for consistent quality. I like the prime rib test (since that's my favorite part of these buffets) - at the Bellagio, it's never tough or chewy (which they were at Caesars and Wynn - slightly so, by no means was I eating leather or a shoe, but enough that I felt the quality should have been better).

I went for lunch on Tuesday. No line-up to get in.
Personally, I thought it was at the tip of ok value at a few dollars over $30 after tax and tip for lunch. I appreciated the overall selection more than the quality, even with the small dishes. Might have been an issue with there not being a lot of people and therefore the turnover not being as quick.

Thoughts around a few items during my visit:
I usually avoid the prime rib too but found my piece to be tender and moist (as well as other items from the carvery).
Sushi was only adequate as the sumeshi was a bit dry. This was pretty much a common theme with the dim sum, onion rings, tacos, crab croquettes, etc likely due to, as previously mentioned, turnover not being the greatest.
Enjoyed the "less temperature sensitive items" such as the oyster shooters and gazpacho.

Wouldn't mind giving it another go during a busier period and possibly during dinner.

:eek: It was Tuesday lunch that I was there - I must be much easier to please :p

I thought that the range/selection was fantastic and enjoyed the ceviche, paella, Mexican and Asian stations. The only thing that disappointed (but did not surprise) were the watery shrimp.

I also liked the carafes of fresh squeezed orange and carrot juice.

Maybe I have little to compare it too but my recollection of Spice Market was much less impressive and compared to the higher priced buffet at our Sydney casino - well there is no comparison (and I won't even mention the hideous buffet at Emperor's Palace in Joburg) Suffice to say that I have always been singularly unimpressed with Vegas buffets but was blown away by Bacchanal

I heard about a $15 buffet line pass. Does anyone know where to purchase this pass? :confused:

Not a definitive answer as this info in only based on some research I did leading up to my recent trip.

IIRC, the express pass/line is just a separate line where you essentially pay a surcharge to bypass the main line with the cost varying pending how long the line is. Also, not all buffets have an express pass/line, like Bacchanal. (It may have changed but when I went last month, there was no line during lunch and I didn't see any reference to an express pass/line there.)

Note: The express pass/line is different from a comped line pass and different from the 24hr buffet pass.

What's the cheapest way to try Bacchanal? Buying the Buffet pass or just pay regular price?

And would it be better to go during Lunch or Dinner?

Generally speaking, dinner has more interesting selections but costs more. A common trick is to try to line up to get in during the late part of lunch & pay lunch pricing and then stay as they transition to dinner menu items.
They also offered a buck or two off (as 3544quebec notes earlier in the thread) if you present a players card which you can sign up for free.

There are a few things to be aware of with the buffet pass. There is an additional surcharge if you want to use it for Bacchanal (as 3544quebec also noted earlier in the thread). And the pass doesn't come with a line pass so you may have to endure waits depending on when you go.

There's a separate line/counter that let's you pay the $15 and bypass the main line.