This weekly update covers noteworthy restaurant openings and closings, dining news, culinary events, and entertainment news
Events
Bellagio Master Mixology Series — January 16
The Bellagio, one of the first Las Vegas resorts to offer an elevated beverage program, is launching its Liquid Legends, a yearlong guest series at The Vault.
The events will honor the bartenders, writers, and historians who helped define modern cocktail culture. The series will launch with Dale DeGroff, widely regarded as one of the architects of the modern cocktail renaissance, often referred to as the “King of Cocktails,” who helped revive classic cocktail culture during his tenure at NYC’s legendary Rainbow Room and spent decades shaping bartending education, mentorship, and technique worldwide.
DeGroff will be at The Vault beginning at 6 p.m., and his limited-run menu will revisit cocktails that appeared on his Rainbow Room menus across decade,s including the Negroni and Between the Sheets from his 1988 menu; the Fitzgerald, an original creation from the late 1990s; and classics such as the Boulevardier and King’s Manhattan featuring spirits from his current DeGroff Spirits project.
For more information and to make a reservation, visit @thevaultbellagio on Instagram.
Neon Desert Brewing — January 31
Crab Corner Maryland Seafood House will fire up its food truck and make its way to the Henderson Booze District for a four-course beer pairing dinner at the Neon Desert Brewing taproom.
Courses are Famous Annapolis Crab Dip over Bavarian Pretzel Bites; Maryland Red Crab Soup; Linguini with Shrimp, Mussels, Clams & Garlic Bread; and Homemade Key Lime Pie. Neon Desert beers being poured include Heaven in Helles, Vice City Hefeweizen, their signature CocoNilliCan Imperial Stout (with coconut, vanilla, and pecan) and a hazy red ale collab with Modest Brewing.
The dinner will begin at 4:30 p.m., and the early bird ticket price is $45 (plus fees). For more information and to purchase tickets, click here.
BJ’s Brewhouse — February 2
The five Southern Nevada BJ’s Brewhouse locations will host a five-course beer dinner featuring three unfiltered beer styles: Witbier, Hefeweizen, and Hazy IPA.
The dinner will include welcome beer of BJ’s Harvest Hefeweizen, St. Bernardus Wit paired with Spinach and Artichoke Dip, BJ’s Zany Zitrus Hazy IPA matched with EnLIGHTened Strawberry Fields Salad, Schneider Weisse Original paired with Pepperoni Extreme Deep Dish Pizza, Palate Cleanser of Sierra Nevada Hazy Little Thing, Blue Moon matched with Parmesan-Crusted Chicken, and Voodoo Ranger Juice Force paired with Strawberry Shortcake Pizookie.
The dinner will begin at 6:30 p.m., and the cost is $45 in advance and $50 (plus tax and tip) the day of the event. To purchase tickets, click here.
Winter Wine Fest — February 7
The Winter Wine Fest, benefiting the Nevada Chapter of the National Bleeding Disorders Foundation, will celebrate its 11th year.
Held at from 5-7 p.m. at The Viva Las Vegas Event Center at 1201 Las Vegas Blvd just south of Charleston, festivities include unlimited tasting of a variety of wines and prosecco including sparkling wine from PasoSecco, heavy hors d’oeuvres provided by the venue’s Viva Las Vegas Wedding Chapel, a silent auction and wine pull, DJ and a performance by an Elvis impersonator, and photo ops with showgirls and The King.
General admission tickets are $80 per person, and VIP tickets for early entrance at 4 p.m., with special tastings of Artisan Uprising Wine Co. wines with one of their winemakers, and a custom Winter Wine Fest wine glass, are $100. Funds raised stay in Nevada and benefit the Nevada National Bleeding Disorders Foundation camp programs, helping to send teens and families to camp in a fun environment while having the resources available for their community
To purchase tickets, visit nv.bleeding.org.
Pick of the Week: Guerrilla Pizza Company
Detroit-style pizza from Chef Robby Cunningham is back in Downtown Las Vegas. The talented chef has joined forces with Las Vegas businessmen and restaurateurs (and fellow Detroit natives) Steve Mardirossian and Joe and George Djavairian to give Guerrilla Pizza Company a brick-and-mortar home.
Located at 900 S Las Vegas Blvd, near Charleston and Hoover (entrance on Hoover), on the first level of the Soho Lofts, the interior seats 40 and features a mix of Sin City meets Detroit, highlighted by a large GUERRILLA PIZZA letters mural by local artist Ricky Scott Holmes. It features Michigan sites pictured within the GUERRILLA letters and Las Vegas icons inside the PIZZA section. The décor is finished with a Warhol-like Campbell’s Tomato Soup label-wrapped pillar.
The concept originated in 2019, when founder Robby Cunningham, a Detroit native, was bartending at Artifice. As the bar offered no food, he began making pizzas at home and bringing them to work to give away to his regulars for free. Soon after, he offered pizzas to anyone who agreed to share on Instagram. The pandemic led him to craft his pizzas at the Hard Hat Lounge, which, in 2020, added a kitchen to comply with pandemic restrictions and reopen. Robby built a huge following before leaving to take a summer break in Michigan, but now he is back and reigns as the only Detroiter offering Detroit-style pizza in Las Vegas.
Chef Robby explains the essentials of the Detroit pizza style as: “beginning with oil in a seasoned pan, dough proofing so it’s almost like a focaccia, cheese all the way to the edge so it’s two-toned with half dough and half crispy cheese, and sauce on top. It’ll have a crispy bottom that’s lightly fried and soft on the inside, so you’re biting into a pillow that’s just a little crispy on the bottom.”
Vegan pizzas are next-level here and made with vegan cheese, using separate utensils to ensure no cross-contamination. Chef Robby also uses vegan ingredients as much as possible because he “wants to feed everyone regardless of their diet, and there are people eating a plant-based diet in every walk of life.” With the exception of pepperoni, bacon, and hot Hungarian sausage, nearly all pizza toppings are plant-based, including vegan sausage, mushroom, red onion, bell pepper, jalapeño, black olive, banana pepper, and pineapple.
The pies are designed so every piece features a corner slice, which means one-size-fits-all: an 8-inch by 10-inch pie with four slices, which feeds one to two people, starts at $15.95. In addition to pizza, there are Caesar, Greek, and House Salads; wings in six flavors, such as garlic parm and mango habanero; tots with toppings like poutine and Parmigiana; and a variety of wild bread, including Hot Churro.
A nod to Detroit is the use of Toum, a Lebanese garlic sauce that is a staple in the city’s diverse Middle Eastern scene, and the wings and tots are tossed in it and can be ordered as a side. Other Michigan staples include Superman Ice Cream with Guerrilla Pizza’s version of the red, yellow, and blue sweet swirl; Michigan-based Faygo soft drink, Two Hearted IPA from Bell’s Brewery, and El Chavo Mango Habanero from Blake’s Hard Cider. The beverage menu is rounded out with some Nevada-brewed beers, namely Lovelady Paleo Porter, Lead Dog Fade to Orange Hefeweizen, and Revision Blonde Ale.
Hours are Sunday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 11 p.m., and Friday and Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 2 a.m. Currently, the patronage is split equally between dine-in and takeout. Free parking, pretty much a rarity in this part of town, can be found on Hoover St., just steps from the entrance, with plenty more nearby. Another option is delivery within a 10-mile radius with no upcharge, just delivery fee if ordered through guerrillapizza.com, where you can also view the complete menu or follow along on Instagram @guerrillapizzaco.
Dining News
ØØ Pie & Pub Mortadella Piadina Mondays
ØØ Pie & Pub, a two-time honoree on the prestigious 50 Top Pizza USA list, launched its lunch service this past fall, giving us more reasons to visit the Chinatown restaurant. Now, its new Mortadella Piadina Mondays is providing yet another reason to stop in.
Offered exclusively on Mondays during lunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., the creation is a collaboration between GM Erica Bell and Kitchen Manager Zach Novak. I would describe it as if a pizza could achieve its dream of becoming a sandwich (maybe a pizzawich?). Chef Zach explains it’s a calzone without a sealed crust, providing a large shell for the mix of mortadella, pistachio pesto, provolone, and artichoke crema. A half-size costs $16, and a full-size costs $23; both include a choice of small green salad or kettle chips.
They also have a Dry January promotion, with Fever-Tree Mocktails, Peroni 0% Nastro Azzurro, and Japanese sodas available for $5 each throughout January.
For those not participating in Dry January, ØØ Pie & Pub continues to be a champion of local beer, and during my visit last week I found no less than eight locally-brewed beers including Double Zero Lager made by Big Dog’s, Big Dog’s What the Puck IPA, Able Baker Atomic Duck IPA, CraftHaus Rebel Spirit and Tropical Forrest IPA, HUDL Vanilla Cream Ale, and Tenaya Creek Valley of Fire Hefeweizen.
Lucky Bird Replaces Seoul Bird at Proper Eats
Lucky Bird, a new Nashville-style fried chicken concept from Clique Hospitality, is now open at Proper Eats Food Hall inside ARIA Resort & Casino.
The new eatery replaces Seoul Bird (which closed last month), bringing Southern comfort to the food hall’s lineup. Lucky Bird’s cuisine keeps things simple, featuring three sandwiches, three sides, and a chicken tender combo. The menu includes:
- The Lucky Sandwich—tenders topped with shredded lettuce, pickles, and signature Lucky Sauce ($16)
- Nashville Hottie Sandwich—Nashville hot tenders topped with pickles and mayo ($16)
- OG Buffalo Sandwich—tenders tossed in Buffalo sauce with pickles and blue cheese ($17)
- Three-Piece Tender Plate—served Nashville-style, medium heat, or Mutha Cluckin’ Spicy, along with a slice of Texas toast and choice of side and sauce ($16.50)
Sauce options include Buffalo, backyard BBQ, classic ranch, hot honey mustard, blue cheese, and signature Lucky Sauce. Side selections include Organic Chopped Coleslaw with chopped green cabbage and kohlrabi topped with sweet tangy sauce ($7), Mac Salad in a classic creamy dressing ($7), and BBQ Baked Beans with jalapeño and bacon bits ($9).
More information about Proper Eats is available at propereatslasvegas.com, as well as on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.
Benihana Rolls Out Several Specials
Benihana, the dining experience with guests seated around communal teppanyaki grills where highly skilled chefs slice, dice, and cook each meal prepared to order and serve hot off the grill, has introduced several new specials.
Offered through March 31 at both the Fashion Show mall and Westgate Resort & Casino locations, they include:
- Wagyu of the World ($69 per person) with choice of 4 oz A5 Japanese Wagyu Bistro Filet, 5 oz A5 Japanese Wagyu Tokyo Broil, or 4 oz Australian Wagyu Filet served with onion soup, uchi no salad, wagyu fried rice, and hibachi vegetables
- 12 oz Teppanyaki Ribeye Steak ($51) with vegetable fried rice and choice of chili pineapple, ginger teriyaki, or spicy mayo sauce
- Hibachi Burrito with hibachi favorites of fried rice, teriyaki, and choice of meat rolled into a burrito served with uchi no salad and choice of chili pineapple, ginger teriyaki, or spicy mayo sauce (Chicken $14.50, Steak $18.50, Shrimp $14.50, RA RA Shrimp $15.50)
In addition, during the month of January, special non-alcoholic cocktails offered include the Perfect Piña ($13) with yuzu, fresh lime juice, and fresh pineapple juice finished with a fresh lime and pineapple slice; and Dirty Bull ($13)—a dirty soda remix with Red Bull Red Edition, calpico, pineapple, and vanilla topped with whipped cream.
For more info and to make a reservation, visit benihana.com.
Recently, on the Food and Loathing Podcast
Be sure to check out Food and Loathing this week (and every week). The podcast features veteran food writer Al Mancini, along with co-host Samantha Gemini Stevens and producer Rich Johnson, as they give the lowdown on what’s new, hot, and delicious in America’s most glamorous city, as they talk with chefs, bartenders, journalists, and other experts on where to go and what to order when you get there.
Don Chareunsy of VegasPublicity.com sits in for Gemini this week, joining Al at the new steakhouse Butcher & Thief. In addition to having a nice, long conversation with chef/owner Cory Harwell, they sample a large portion of the menu. Other interviews this week include John Arakaki of St. Felix, Lilli’s Tyler Vorce, and Darren Walters of South Point. You’ll also get a Happy Hour Report from Happy Hour Vegas’ Andrew Morgan, a few dining reports, and some news.
To listen, click here.
Entertainment News
Free Screening of Atomic Echoes Spotlighting the Human Impact of Hiroshima and Nagasaki on January 16
The National Atomic Testing Museum invites the community to a one-night-only public screening of the documentary Atomic Echoes at The Beverly Theater, 515 S. 6th St., in Downtown Las Vegas, featuring an appearance by Congresswoman Dina Titus.
The documentary film brings forward the rarely combined narratives of both Japanese hibakusha and American atomic veterans and shares deeply personal accounts of those who lived through the bombings and their aftermath—voices from citizens of both nations, now in their later years, who may represent the final generation able to share first-hand testimony.
Atomic Echoes follows friends and co-producers Karin Tanabe and Victoria Kelly, whose families were on opposite sides of World War II, as they explore the enduring psychological, physical, and generational impacts of atomic warfare. The film also highlights Tanabe’s personal ties to Japan. Her father was born in Japan in 1943, and her great-great-uncle served as Japan’s first post-war Minister of Education and later became the first president of Hiroshima University. Kelly’s grandfather served as an American atomic veteran medic in Nagasaki and struggled with severe PTSD until his death. Together, the filmmakers seek reconciliation, truth and peace as they travel, interview survivors and connect with families who have long carried the burden of silence and loss.
Doors open at 6 p.m., and the screening begins at 7 p.m. Afterward, attendees may stay for a Q&A at 8 p.m. Admission is free, but space is limited. To reserve a seat, click here.
