CIRCUS CIRCUS STEAKHOUSE
It had been close to a decade since last we braved the shopworn, smelly environs of Circus Circus just to grab a steak. Truth be told, we’d always liked the steakhouse — warm, clubby and man-musty as it is — but the short walk from the back parking lot to it — bobbing and weaving between the shoddiest bunch of turistas in Vegas — was always so damned depressing, we always talked ourselves out of eating there and usually hit the Golden Steer instead.
But over the past year or so, we’ve driven past the billboard on I-15 that proclaims it “BRANDED THE BEST (STEAKHOUSE) FOR 20 YEARS IN A ROW,” so many times, our resistance wore down, and we rose to the bait.
Unfortunately, that resistance was more than palpable in a number of our friends — each of whom graciously declined our invitation to join us for dinner.
So we dined alone on a pretty decent Caesar salad, a 21 day dry-aged strip, some good pretzel bread, and a lousy black bean soup that was helped not a bit by the thimbleful of sherry that came with it.
We also weren’t keen on being shunted to the bar while, “We see if we have any tables available,” even when the place was clearly not full, nor going to be, the entire night. Aside from those negatives, we couldn’t find much to fault with our steak, our service, or the meal in general.
We finished with a pedestrian Key lime pie that might’ve been made in-house, but probably wasn’t.
So is it in the top 5 steakhouses? The top ten? Even the top 20? The answer is no if you judge such things by the ingenious cooking, interesting side dishes, impeccably fresh fish, huge lobsters or micro-managed beef programs of our top steak emporiums.
No one’s ever going to mistake this place for CUT, Craftsteak, Carnevino or even Nero’s, but for what it is — an old-fashioned place to get some steak ‘n spuds — you could do a lot worse. And its competition down the street (the Golden Steer) could learn a thing or two from its small-but-well-priced wine list.
Speaking of wine, from this thread on Chowhound, it appears it also has a very relaxed corkage policy.
And the $42 porterhouse is probably the best deal in town for a large piece of true, dry-aged steer muscle.
Our meal for one — including a $15 glass of Ferrari-Carano merlot — came to $100 ($83 + $17 tip).
CIRCUS CIRCUS STEAKHOUSE
In the Circus Circus Hotel and Casino
702.794.3767
http://www.circuscircus.com/dining/the_steakhouse.aspx
Restaurant reviews, quips, picks and pans-with some seriously salivating history-from the man who eats his way through Sin City every day.
June 2nd, 2009 at 7:03 am
finally a good review that i can agree with! decent food, decent prices but nothing to write home about. before the remodel twin creeks at the silverton used to be the best deal in town for a steak house, they changed it and tried to go high class and ruined it (par for the course in vegas i guess) and too bad 3950 at mandalay bay closed down, that place was the best upscale deal in town for sure!!! then they bring in another dodgy michael mina joint to sling out more of the same ole same ole!!!
June 2nd, 2009 at 11:52 am
I’m wondering what cuts the butcher makes from that big haunch of beef that ELV has portrayed. I’m not aware of a cut of steak that comes from the back end of the steer. (At least not a very good steak). Maybe that hanging mass of beef is just for the show at Circus Circus.
June 2nd, 2009 at 2:17 pm
The Steakhouse is perfect!
Not only can you simply enjoy yourself without being bombarded by scantily clad bimbos eating salads and drinking red bull vodkas before they go to the club like at most stip joints, but the quality of the food and service are SUPERIOR to the over-priced, loud music-playing, hip decor, celeb chef, wanna-be steakhouses.
As a steak purist, it is absolutely atrocious for a steak to be accompanied by a “chef’s selection of sauces” or port wine demi-glace – give me meat, salt & pepper, and the open mesquite grill and I am happy to go!
June 2nd, 2009 at 6:53 pm
This is a favorite of mine, a classic old fashioned steak house. Give me this over a hip celebrity chef joint any day.
June 5th, 2009 at 1:14 pm
This has been my favorite steak house in town for many years. It serves great dry aged beef and some other items if you’re not a beef eater.
You get a lot for your money and don’t have to pay extra for all the side dishes. It comes with soup or salad, veggie and a potato or other sides.
Mind you there is still some items you will have to pay extra for, but you really don’t need it. The bread here is very good too.
I don’t mind spending a chunk of change for a nice meal, but why pay a fortune for a great steak when you get the same and I believe better quality steak then the overpriced tourist traps.
June 20th, 2009 at 10:18 am
My buddy use to be a boss at the Circus and he would set us up on comps for the Steakhouse. Very pleasant place to have a steak dinner.