Best MGM Dining Bang for the (100) Bucks
 

We have a $100 dining credit to use at Aria - but with their buffet permanently closed, and their Din Tai Fung location booked out through January, we are looking for an alternative dining option at any MGM property in Las Vegas where our $100 will go the farthest with the best quality and most interesting menu. We are willing to go about $50 above the dining credit, so assuming 1-2 appetizer for sharing, 2 entrees, 1 dessert for sharing, no beverages, any suggestions, especially somewhere that does not get booked up on a Monday?

We could spend $100-125 at DTF at the Aria, but would rather not drag it upstairs to eat in the room.

Ah, off the top of my head, the following:

1. Mandalay Bay's Libertine Social - interesting menu with some creative dishes, such as their fried egg caviar.
2. Luxor's Diablo restaurant - Mexican cuisine; not bad but probably something you can get anywhere else at much more reasonable prices.
3. Bellagio's Harvest Cafe/Rest - Standard American fare with some grilled items. Again, nothing spectacular and pretty average--not something I'd pay for, but comped is fine.
4. Bellagio's Yellowtail - You've probably been here but sort of Japanese with a tad of western fusion. I enjoy the offerings here, but, again, with the Vegas pricing, not sure I'd pay for it with my hard earned money. Comped is ok.
5. NYNY Tom's Urban - Kind of like an upscale TGIFs? It's food and edible on nice plates.

With the above, I think they're all within your budget criteria except for Yellowtail, which will likely be an additional $100, at least, after including the tip. If I were you, I'd go with the Libertine Social at Mandalay Bay (it's next to Stripsteak). Of course, as you're probably well aware, just ensure you charge the dinner to your room at the Aria.

What about wandering over to the Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill at MGM Grand? $100 should get you pretty far there with a couple of apps + pizzas and/or pastas.

I am partial to Lemongrass at Aria. Good Thai. I also like looking into the high limit at Aria to gawk.

Thanks everyone! We will have a look at these options and see which works best

I had a wonderful meal at Best Friend at the Park MGM - I'd say it could get you pretty far with the $100 credit.

In the end, we were able to get a table at DTF in Aria and for $100, had a rather substantial selection and quantity of dumplings

How was the repast in terms of quality?

David

The one thing about DTF is their consistency across their restaurants, with only the original in Taipei sometimes being a cut above the diaspora locations. Compared with our last DTF meal at Santa Anita, I would place it near equivalent in terms of quality - meaning, these aren't the best tasting dumplings in the world by far, but they are pretty OK. The restaurant was completely sold out, but earlier in the day when we asked if there was any priority for Virtuoso customers (it never hurts to ask), the hostess was able to overbook us for dinner. There were probably as many people waiting for their takeout orders as were eating in the restaurant, and I give kudos to the lady with the gumption to enter in her pajamas and spa bathrobe to collect her bag of dumplings, as that might have been one of us if we couldn't get a dining reservation.

We had been looking everywhere for the former breakfast/brunch restaurant we used to eat at before realizing the same space is now occupied by DTF. We also checked with a couple Aria employees and the consensus is the Aria buffet is gone for good and will never come back. The remaining MGM buffets appear to be all breakfast/brunch only, including, incredibly the Bellagio, so there is no dinner buffet option to use a Virtuoso or FHR dining credit. Don't get me started on how down-market the Bellagio has fallen since it was taken over by MGM.

DTF was probably the best choice, given the circumstances.

The first time I tried it was at the original in Taipei. Not sure if it's a psychological thing but it just seems to me there restaurants here in the States, though highly similar, never seemed to be as refined, for a lack of a better word, than that initial experience so many years ago at the original. Not sure if it had been an off night but the one in Seattle, near the GH (if I recall), was particularly disappointing--it was good but just seemed to lack that je nais se quois of the original, in my view.

realizing we're going OT, but...

I kinda agree with Visconti -- my first DTF visit was in Kaohsiung, after which I have since visited 2-3 in Calif., and the Aria location multiple times, and all found them vaguely disappointing compared to my probably-idealized memory of the Taiwan experience. Not that they were bad, just failed to stand out. Guess I'll just have to do more research :D the next time we visit family in Taiwan, although who knows when that will be :(

back on topic...

... mLife Noir can get around this too; not sure about Plat.

This should and could be it's very own topic. MGM treats their cash cow (from when the broke out EBITDA by property) like an unwanted step child that does all the chores.

"Cindy, er Bellagio, bring more money over here. Chop, chop!"

David

I had forgotten all about the DTF in the Aria, and really should drop by next time, especially since it's anyone's guess when I'll ever be able step foot onto Taiwan again.

I'm a fan of the burger at MGM Puck's.

Also they have a BOGO entrée offer with MyVegas points. Stretched the $100 even further. Another poster mentioned Aria's Lemongrass, MyVegas has an offer for them too.