03/01/09

worst italian I've ever had...interesting story

by Goodfood18

This had to be the worst experience and worst food I've ever had. I called two weeks in advance to make reservations for Valentines day. The restaurant opens at 5 but they only had reservations for 8:45. That seemed a bit weird but we made them anyway. The lady told me on the phone that they had a special Valentines day menu and you could choose from 5 different meals for 70 dollars per person. We made the reservations. We got there at 8:45 only to find most of the tables empty. Weird that we couldn't get in any earlier....Then the waitress came up. She was rude and hasty. She didn't even give us the Valentines day menu. She gave us the regular one, and said do we want wine. We asked if she could recommend some wine and she said, "Oh I don't know there all good." So my boyfriend chose a red and I chose a white. They were both horrible. The meatballs were terrible, really dry and the sauce tasted like spaghetti-O sauce. I ordered the penne pasta with vodka sauce. The past was still hard and the sauce was cold. He ordered Veal and it tasted like grocery store gravy was poured all over it. Then we listened as the waitress asked the table behind us if they would like a Valentines day menu and if they would like a wine expert to suggest some wine with dinner. why weren't we offered that service. We're both well mannered and well dressed people. Then the bill came out to 180 dollars! This place is horrible. I would recommend that it's shut down. If you want a good Italian meal go to Batistas little hole in the wall on Flammingo and Audrey.

• Pros: over nice looking restaurant
• Cons: everything else

10/28/08

Poor Customer Service

by Beep16

We called to get reservations at 1:00 p.m. for 5:00 p.m. and were told there were no reservations "inside" until 5:45 p.m. We arrived at 5:30 and the place was almost empty which we found very annoying.

It's a lovely restaurant -- but the music was so loud, we couldn't hear each other!

Our waiter was experienced and knowledgeable, but very condescending. He took our order and brought us our cold bread. We were served our entrees and never saw the waiter again until he "shoved" the dessert menu in my face. He never asked if our meals were OK or we needed anything else.

The pasta was cooked very well - al dente. However, the sauce was nothing special. The meatballs were almost gristly -- texture was not appealing.

We wouldn't have minded paying the big prices, if the food and service were high quality. Disappointing and aggravating.

• Pros: Lovely restaurant
• Cons: LOUD music and condescending employees

10/01/08

Loud rock music most sad! Why not Frank, Dino, Perry or Frankie V.?

by 56LFM

I was only able to dine at the bar with a very limited menu. I had pasta and salad. The meal was promptly delivered. The bread that was served was rather good. The olive oil was very strong with a heavy after taste.

In Vegas one can do much better. I will go back one day and try lunch (if they do lunch). For a few dollars more I could have had a better Italian meal at many locations in Vegas. Rao`s at Caesars is not easy to find either. A sign or two to show the direction once in the casino would be nice. They will have it together. Rao`s is new. A little time and the correct music and it will be very difficult to get a table.

• Pros: Very good warm bread
• Cons: Loud rock music

07/21/08

Delicious Italian food

by valleygirl74

Went here Saturday night after trying to get a reservation all day finally something opened at 6:15. We didnt want to eat that early but did have a 10 o clock show at Mirage...LOVE was amazing. Anyway we didnt get seated until about 6:30 so we had a chance to have a drink at the bar. Great cocktails by the way!

Ordered the meatballs and the clams as an appetizer and were soooo yummy. I ordered the pasta with peas and prosciuto and my boyfriend ordered the osso bucco. Both sooo good, the meat fell off the bone.

I dont know why other people put this retaurant down but we definetly thought it was very good and highly recomend it. Unfortunately we didnt have room for dessert but i hear the dessert at emeril's new place is amazing and also there is a payard chocolate shop across from this restaurant so that could be worth checking out.

• Pros: food
• Cons: little pit pricey but worth it

04/08/08

Wonderful Night

by divinemadhatter

I went on a date here a week ago and it was a wonderful night. The restaurant is well spaced out and you never feel crowded and the waiting staff was attentive and friendly. The food was wonderful and I regret not having room for the dessert. I highly recommend it...

• Pros: Food
• Cons: Hard to find in the hotel

04/02/08

I Cringe at American Italian Restaurants, But This Won Me Over

by superk8

Dime a dozen, Italian eateries are. My husband and I allow ourselves to be dragged to one only a few times per year and under the strictest parameters: No pope room, honor system wine, all you can eat anything, or fake Nonni's anywhere. Wait, it gets stricter: Not only must the gnocchi be tender not mushy, but the staff must correctly pronounce it and our friends who recommend it must be able to make their own outstanding pasta dumplings. The chef must be willing to pull any seafood dish off the regular menu if the supply isn't ideal. And strictest still: 90% of the menu must not be something that you can whip up at home to simple deliciousness with EVOO, garlic, dry aged cheese, balsamic, tomato-anything and some fresh basil. Rao's rules. Look, there are many super unique and delicious M&P ristoranti in the top 25 metro US cities. This is a Vegas resort restaurant. Which don't often come close to rivaling the best authentic ethnic restaurants anywhere - from street markets in 3rd world cities to Manhattan. Rao's isn't the most innovative, but they sure aren't cheesy. In fact, I don't think cheese appeared on any one of the 6 courses we ordered. I would eat here again anyday and you should read my review for Capital Grille before you think I'm that easy. This place offers comparable white linen, dark wood ambience, superb and gracious service that is quick, knowledgable, cheerful, unpretentious but never ingratiating or oppressive. The booth fits 4 adults beautifully, my hubbie is a 6'5" 235 lb. pro footballer and I'm 6' and athletic and we never felt cramped, nor did our friends. Who cares what others are wearing - that's so superficial. If you're looking then you'll notice that you are Las Vegas, land of the indebted obese white people on escapist vacations they can't afford. I've been to Italy, io parlo la lingua, lived in Manhattan. This is about eating great food for the value in Vegas and I'd eat anything on the Rao's menu again.

• Pros: Delicious, discreet and comfortable ambience, superb service, good variety
• Cons: The sommeliere could be more assertive in recommended pairings

04/02/07

What a disappointment!!

by sjs5259

I finally got a chance to try Rao's at Caesars. After everything that I had heard about the NY eatery I was expecting the best Italian meal ever. What a let down.The service was sub par. We spent allot of time waiting, and it was very rare the server came by to ask if we needed anything. I tried the Rao?s bottled EVOO that was on the table for the bread. It was horrible. I've never had such a terrible tasting olive oil in my life. I asked for butter which I never do in an Italian restaurant. We started with the Antipasto for two. For $25 I was expecting a little more. Two not so ripe tomato slices with two slices of mozzarella, a few olives, some tasteless prociutto, and parmigiano reggiano cheese. AND blue cheese! Who ever saw an Italian antipasto with blue cheese on it! I ordered the Fusili con Cavolo e Salcicce, italian sausage, cabbage in San Marzano tomato sauce. It was in a word, disgusting. As any Italian would know San Marzano tomatoes are the best. My mother will not use any other kind. This plate had absolutely no tomato taste at all. It wasn't nice and red and flavorful like a San Marzano sauce should be. It was pinkish and watery. My guest ordered the Orecchiette con Broccoli Rabe, italian sausage, broccoli rabe in evoo. She at less the half the dish and just pushed it away. I tried a bit and it had no taste at all. Normally anything made with broccoli rabe, garlic, and olive oil would make any Italians mouth water. But this was not even worth the effort of picking up the fork. We should have stopped, but we ordered dessert. Ricotta cheese cake. It was flat and dry. Normally a good ricotta cheese cake should be light and high, the cheese moist and with some texture. The crust was dry and brittle, obviously over cooked. If this is what the NY Rao's is like, I'm glad I was never able to get in.There are much better Italian restaurants in Las Vegas that you could try instead of wasting your money here.

• Pros: Close to better resturants at Caesars.
• Cons: The juke box gave me a headache

03/13/07

Just OK

by jjviii

After living in NYC most of my life and hearing about RAO's and NEVER able to get a reservation. ( Rao's in NY is not really a restaurant, it's a private club with One seating nightly) We decided to try RAO's in Vegas where we now live. THE FOOD IS JUST OK. Nothing special. The booths are way too small for 4 people. The service however is GREAT. Everyone is friendly, but the owner only talks to celebrities and high rollers. We came dressed up and discovered that there is NO dress code (people in shorts and ballcaps) The last time we were there they served SOURDOUGH bread!!! SOURDUGH!! They have had different bread every time we've been there. They should just buy the BEST bread in town at Montesanos Bakery on Sahara. They should stop shoving their brand name products in your face at every turn, stop being so full of themselves and stop trying to cram as many people through the door as possible. Be selective, charge more, SLOW DOWN!!! Make it an eating experience not just another Italian joint. And they can dispense with the goomba Sopranos-esque feel they are trying to create too, who needs it. I felt like I was in the Disney EPCOT centers Brooklyn Pavillion, too contrived!! Just serve greatfood and provide great service.

• Pros: OK FOOD
• Cons: BOGUS SCENE

02/23/07

We're lucky to have RAO's in town.

by schuyler17

We love this place... The room is very warm, upbeat and fun. The staff in knowledgable and friendly. The wines by the glass are top notch and the food is great. We've been there 5 times and always have great food and service. The prices are very reasonable and I love that they still have their Holiday ornaments and lights up - like they do back East. It is still Winter so why not?

The music pumps throughout the dining room and on a few occassions a man has walked around the room singing with the tunes. Fun and different. The photo lady doesn't bother you and it fits perfectly with Old Vegas.

If you are looking for a good time, good food and wine and great memories, try and get into RAO's.

• Pros: Food, Wine, Ambiance, Service

02/19/07

Nothing special

by hhunter

It's good Italian food, to be sure, but nothing any more remarkable than what you can find in abundances in New York, San Francisco, or even Los Angeles. Rao's had a nice atmosphere that made you forget you were in Las Vegas for a few hours -- except for the lady taking picktures and hawking photograps and the meatballs (not the food) who were putting out a kitschy, con queso goodfellas vibe. Get the meatballs for sure. Beyond that, the food was unremarkable.

• Pros: Atmosphere, meatballs
• Cons: Overhyped