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Aureole
Categories: Restaurants Seafood Restaurants American (Traditional) Seafood, American (Traditional) [Edit]
Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino3950 Las Vegas Blvd S
Las Vegas, NV 89119
Neighborhood: The Strip
(702) 632-7401
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 5:30 pm - 12 am
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Garage, Valet
- Attire:
- Dressy
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Upscale
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
321 reviews for Aureole
Review Highlights
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"From the staff to the wine tower, I love this place." In 81 reviews -
"The wife had the parallel tasting menu." In 12 reviews -
"FYI When you dine in Swan court you get extra goodies." In 24 reviews
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320 reviews in English
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Review from Delilah G.
Los Angeles, CA
3/25/2012
Make sure to get a http://restaurant.com coupon before going here because it is quite expensive.
I have been here a few times and everytime I'm in Las Vegas, I try to come here.
I love the wine tower/fairy and the entire ambiance of the restaurant.
I'm a vegetarian and the waiter and chef are always willing to customize an amazing dish or variety of small dishes for me!
The waiter even warned me that one of the appetizer breads had bacon in it which I thought was very thoughtful!
The desserts were just as great as the meals!
This is definitely a place to come and celebrate a special occasion. -
Review from Dave F.
5/12/2012
This restaurant used to have Wine Spectator's #1 collection of wines in the US. Due to Vegas faltering in hard economic times, the cellar is still there, but it noticeably more empty. We had seafood dishes which were average, but not great. Many years ago, I remember this as an excellent dining experience.
Apparently, it's time has past. Today, this is a rather expensive and non-imaginative menu. I wonder if Charlie Palmer sold this off and decided to focus on NYC as the Mandalay Bay isn't what it once was. -
Review from Luke T.
4/27/2012 1 Check-in Here
I like inventive and new dining experiences.
While Aureole did surprise me with some new and inventive dishes, it just feel short of being spectacular. I expected this restaurant to deliver much more.
Service is great but food is so-so. -
Review from maria z.
San Rafael, CA
4/22/2012
Went with a friend for dinner as she really wanted to try it. I am always appalled by places that serve foie gras, but I wanted to make her happy so . . . .
The ipad want to be tablet that they use for their wine list is ridiculously lame, totally doesn't work and only succeeded in pissing us off from the moment we sat down. It really set the tone for the evening but things did improve. Service was also off which did not help the situation.
Things got significantly better when the food came. Neither one of us was interested in the options on the prix fix so went with apps and entrees. The seared ahi was really good and I would definitely get it again. I also tried the sea bass which was excellent as well.
Overall I might go back as the food was quite good, but given the numbers of restaurants in Vegas I would be more likely to go elsewhere. -
Review from Tara F.
Orange County, CA
I'd like to start off by saying that we have been wanting to try Aureole for years... Their wine lounge is this wino's idea of AWESOME! Unfortunately, with so many great restaurants in Vegas, and typically staying in hotels more north on the strip (Palazzo, Wynn, Bellagio, etc...), we hadn't had the opportunity to. But, on this trip... we decided to stay at Mandalay Bay and so, Aureole was absolutely in our game plan.
Originally, we'd planned to dine in the Swan Court section of Aureole on the last night in town (we already had plans with friends, every other night of our 7 day trip), but I couldn't wait. After perusing Yelp for awhile, I discovered they had a wine lounge... a bar area... right underneath, basically, the famed wine tower. We could go on night one for a drink and maybe an app or two, prior to meeting up for dinner with our friends. SCORE!
We come down the beautiful staircase, my eyes fixed on the wine tower, and there it was. A table for us, right in the lounge! We were psyched to get to experience it and so excited about it.
Our server, Renaldo, asked what we wanted to drink and we asked for a wine list, naturally. He brought us a tablet with a digital wine list (certainly not cutting edge, but pretty cool). We wanted some time to enjoy looking through the massive amount of offerings. Since we're just having pre-dinner bites, we opted to try their wine flights. So far, so good....
And then it all went downhill....
Renaldo came back with our flights (we selected different ones) and headed off to check on another table. I started with a California Cabernet (my fave) and upon smelling it, knew it wasn't "right". It had clearly turned. When Renaldo returned, I informed him of this and he got defensive and said that it most certainly had not. It was a new bottle, he'd opened it himself. I said, well.... then it's a bad bottle. This is a spoiled wine, I'm pretty into wine, so I know when it's rotten. He went over to the bartender (and we watched the entire transaction with him), he asked the bartender for the bottle of Cab, the bartender shows it to him and it's got, maybe enough for a 3oz pour. Hardly a "just opened" bottle. He'd lied to me. He didn't open it. It had been sitting, for who knows how long, and turned. Clearly.
Renaldo came back to the table with a fresh bottle, clearly annoyed with me, and poured my glass. And THAT is a how a Cab should taste. But why the drama? I wasn't rude, in the least... I just simply had a bad glass of wine and asked for a new one. A perfectly reasonable request, by anyone's standards... and most certainly in a fine dining establishment that has such a big "wine" presence.
Next, my hubs and I decided on two apps to share... the seared foie gras (our fave) and a lobster "special". After ordering the lobster special, my husband inquired about the other lobster dish on their main menu. Renaldo said it was very good but we probably wouldn't want it because it "cost more"... really? We just ordered a $29 appetizer... the 3rd most expensive on your menu (trumped only by a seafood platter and caviar), clearly we weren't price sensitive.
I am sure people come in and order a fabulous bottle of wine and enjoy the tasting menu and probably spend more than we were planning to that night... but we had plans to come back to do JUST THAT! We just couldn't wait and wanted a sample. Never judge a book by it's cover buddy... isn't that fine dining 101?
After much debate... because I almost NEVER ask to speak with a manager at a restaurant... I did, I asked for one. I explained my experience and I explained that I wasn't talking to her because I wanted something comped. My husband and I have more than enough money to pay for our meal. She offered anyway, and I declined. I even still left 18% gratuity, because the food was fabulous and once the wine situation was settled, that was great too. I didn't want the people that share in those tips to be short changed. I do want to note- I typically leave 25-30% tips. So 18% is a big deal... to me that indicates terrible service. I give 20, for just meeting basic expecations.
I spoke with, Rebecca, who kept saying that my complaint seemed strange because Renaldo is "one of the best captains"... and that may very well be true, but I didn't really find it very professional. It was as though she too was questioning my experience. She offered me her card.
The following day, I sent an email to Steve Mainini, the GM. He promptly responded to my email and offered to help ensure we have the kind of experience we'd hoped for. He said "Please know your observation is well founded and I am
certain we can make your next visit an exceptionally positive one"... I let Steve know that we wouldn't be able to on this trip, but will touch base on our next.
I'm going to give Aureole another chance, via Steve. I want, so badly, to leave loving this Charlie Palmer creation.
Until then... -
Review from Lisa M.
Seattle, WA
2/26/2012 1 Check-in Here
Service is really really bad. I mean awful. Which is an important part of the experience.
Had reservations for five of us on Friday 2/3/12 and had high hopes. Unfortunately that all crumbled from the minute we arrived to getting our check- when the server was practically telling us to leave.
It took awhile for them to decide who would be our server, we picked a wine from their electronic tablet and it still took awhile for the wine to arrive. They didn't give us menus for at least 10-15 minutes after we sat waiting. Meal happened, not much to talk about there. After all the rudeness and check delivered, we were charged for dessert after several servers advised it was part of the prix fix menu. We didn't even want dessert and then they tried to charge us for it. It was really strange. Last, we needed to split our bill and had 3 cards- for their convenience we wrote down each amount for each card, making it easy as pie. But then the great check debacle happened and they decided no- we're going to do it our way and split it evenly 3 ways leaving our one friend being charged double what she should have paid.
I've never experienced such poor service and I feel bad for giving such a bad review, but I want other visitors to this restaurant to be forewarned. The food did not make up for it.
The only thing we enjoyed was the wine and we picked that our ourselves. -
Review from Sasha S.
Las Vegas, NV
3/2/2012
I wish I could do 3.5 stars, I don't feel comfortable with the 4 stars, "Yay I'm a fan" but it was better than "A-OK." It was an odd night. It was restaurant week, so I'll give them that they were probably a bit busier than usual. We were a bit of a larger table, so I will say that might have been tough. The first misstep was when we were in the bar grabbing drinks before and we were scolded by the server for walking up to the bar to get our drinks...after we gave our drink order to the server we never saw our drinks. We were seated and had to reorder drinks. So that was a weird start to the evening. The rest of service was great so it was odd that they had this large miscommunication to start things off.
Most people at the table got the restaurant week menu. The first course was a choice of a salad which was frisee, poached egg, foie gras torchon and bacon lardons or a mussel soup. Most people got the salad, I think they were impressed that they had foie gras on a restaurant week menu. But it is restaurant week, it was pretty hard to find the foie gras the pieces were so small. They said it was good though. I ordered the foie gras appetizer for my first course. It was a large piece so they definitely didn't skimp on that. However it wasn't fully cooked through, there were veins that hadn't melted yet in the piece of foie and had to be sawed through with a knife. Odd. It was still tasty and maybe it was just a rare misstep. My boyfriend got the french onion soup and he said it was delicious, it is served with a puff pastry top that is pretty and tasty.
Entrees we all ordered from the restaurant week menu. There were two options. One was a duck leg confit with lyonnaise potatoes and wilted greens. The other option was braised beef short ribs and seared ahi tuna with kimchee brussel sprouts. I had the play on "surf and turf." It was the best part of the meal for me. I was kind of curious what a braised beef and rare tuna dish would be like, but it was just amazing. The textures and flavors were all just stunning. It was a hit. The Duck confit looked good, everyone liked it.
Dessert options for the restaurant week menu didn't include any chocolate. I basically don't waste calories on dessert unless it's a chocolate dessert. I ordered from the regular dessert menu, it was a chocolate tea creme brulee. It was ridiculous :) Desserts seemed to go over very well.
I would rate our experience a solid b+ service was actually great after the odd start to things. Our server was very accommodating and it was nice to be able to kind of mix and match our meals. The food was good to very good. I have a lot of restaurants to go to in Las Vegas but I can see bringing some out of towners to impress them at Aureole. -
Review from Walter A.
Chula Vista, CA
3/5/2012
Ambiance, Personalized Service, Presentation, The Cuisine... Everything overall, each time I visit, is as close to perfection as it gets. It is no wonder why, with every one of my visits to Las Vegas, NV, I make it a point to visit Aureole.
Mr. Mainini's staff didn't just make sure we had a great dinner, they were constantly (in a kind, professional - not overbearing manner) making sure that an experience was taking place.
I've visited this establishment for business and pleasure dining and each time, my expectations have been met and exceeded.
The staff's timing between courses, the freedom and comfort of quietly checking in without interrupting conversation, the artistic presentation of the chef's delicious preparations will not only impress, but will keep you looking forward to more.
Here's a neat tip: ask for a tour of the establishment. The staff will be elated to walk you through. There are some neat facts to learn about the place hat you'll remember. It was nicely and thoughtfully designed and knowing the details will give you a greater appreciation for what goes on behind the scenes.
Dinner with swans? The swan lake feature is regal and relaxing. Step outside with your drink and take it in between courses. Look up to the top left of that area at night to see the brilliant MANDALAY BAY moniker on the building's edge. It's a pretty sight adding to the experience.
Even the details inside the elevator (the decor)... you won't pay much attention to it on he way in. When departing, after you've slowed the Las Vegas adrenaline pace with a pleasurable experience at Aureole, you will literally stop & "smell the rose" that is on display.
Aureole is a must have experience. Try it and you will be back when you stroll into Vegas next time. -
Review from Crystal S.
Las Vegas, NV
3/28/2012
Took two associates here. Fantastic food, however; the ambiance was a wee bit intimate for the style of dinner. Also, I felt like for the price and overall experience, the restaurant could use a little remodel, or something new.
Still an all time favorite! -
Review from Shy A.
2/1/2012
I've been told before that I'm "emotionally sterile". What does that even mean? Maybe, I'm not overly emotional, unreasonably dramatic, or fail to exhibit the cliched passion that comes with the warm fuzzies. Possibly, it's because I'm not googley eyed and in love and have yet to demonstrate the depths of true love. That may have all changed after my exceptional experience at Aureole. I'm in love with Aureole.
I can now rant and rave and become emotionally obsessed with the rich and decadent life that I could lead with Aureole.
Ever had a meal so good you think that you're going to faint from the deliciousness? Ever tasted something so good you literally had that elusive foodgasm? Not an easy feat, but damn you Aureole, I'm seriously sprung off of what you have serving up!
First, let me just set the scene here. Mom, Susan 1 and I met at Mandalay for dinner. I had just come off my high of beating the house and I was ready to celebrate. We went to Strip Steak first and seeing that they had an hour wait, I remembered that incredible wine tower and boom! Dinner at Aureole was coming to fruition. We walked down the steps that curve along the wine tower-a pretty cool sight-down to the check-in stand. I wasn't in any condition for fancy dining-but it's Vegas-if you got the money, they got the goods. We were seated at a lovely table by the window. The sommelier came by and we ended up with a great bottle of Pinot Noir. Let's jump into our tasty meal.
Cavier-Russian Golden Ostera served with toast, finely chopped onions, egg white and yolk and cream. Delicious-salty, briney and heaven with every bite! Let me just say that when I ordered the cavier, our server told us that they were out. Seeing the slight disappointment in my face, he excused himself only to come back a few minutes later and said he was SENDING someone to get my cavier from another restaurant on the property. WHAT?!?
Roasted Butternut Squash with Succotash-Smooth, nutty and just spectacular! The succotash with arugula was so good!
Roasted Chicken-served with black truffle jus-need I say more? The skin was crispy without sacrificing the moistness and flavor!
Roasted Pork Chop with roasted tomatoes-Large portion, filling and well flavored!
Duo beef filet with skirt steak-I like my steak medium rare-it came out the peerrrfect temprature and practically melted, and I mean melted in my mouth!
Creamy Spinach Au Gratin-Susan's favorite! A great side-definitely very rich!
Parmesan Fries-and dare I say I tasted some truffle oil in there?
Dessert Sampler-Strusel Baked Apple-Yummy. Who doesn't love baked apple? It's the ultimate comfort food. Salted Caramel Bombe-Wow! Salt and sweet definitely go together here! Warm Molten Cake-I'm no chocolate lover, but I was giddy about this! Macaroon Tea Creme Brulee-a very different taste but surprisingly good!
Tasting of Pumpkin-Spiced pumpkin cake, chocolate ginger pot de creme, honey caramel lollipop. All amazing!
As if that wasn't enough-our lovely waiter, Jose brought us a large sampler of their sorbets to wrap up the night. The food was heavenly but it doesn't stop there. I don't hand out 5 star reviews just for anyone....
The great food is just like great sex. Really satisfying and fun but probably won't keep me coming back unless there is some depth....And, like I said, I'm in love with Aureole...now let me tell you why....
Our waiter, Jose was outstanding! Knowledgeable, warm and inviting! He not only brought us the sorbets but after drinking our bottle of wine-he brought me another glass of Pinot on the house! I told him how amazing our night was and thanked him for the experience. He then offered to give me, Susan and my mom a tour of the kitchen and to meet the chef!
What? I didn't even know that things like this happened! My mom is currently in culinary school and the very thought of seeing the inside workings of one of Charlie Palmer's gems was something we could not pass up! Charlie Palmer of course wasn't there but we did get to meet Chef Vincent who was not only very accommodating but welcomed us in his kitchen! He even posed for a few pictures with us. He allowed us to take pictures of his kitchen and we sat and chatted for a bit. He even signed the menu and wrote a small note for my mom. My mom's excitement was priceless-she is extremely passionate about her culinary studies and the look on her face was worth every single penny I spent at Aureole.
To sum it up:
Food-5 stars
Wine selection and the"angels" that grab the bottles-5 stars
Service-10 stars (it's my review, I can give 10 stars)
Ambiance and experience-100 stars
Thank you to Aureole! I love you! Thanks to Jose and Chef Vincent as well!Listed in: Shhhhh....Vegas
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Review from Barry D.
Mission Viejo, CA
3/27/2012 Seated via OpenTable
My bad for going on Saturday night at 7, but these guys should be used to it. Service was not the issue, it was the food. Seabass, undercooked and un-amazing.
Swordfish was ok, but saturated in a lemon sauce. Good swordfish does not need to much added to it.
Wine selector is the same tablet that they have been using for years, which needs an Ipad update.
Overall, this place really needs an update. I paid for it. (thru the nose) -
Review from Edward H.
West Hollywood, CA
2/13/2012
Overrated.
10 minutes to recieved a menu and another 15 before we saw a waiter (after we summoned a manager!), and another 10 before we could even hear specials.
The wait staff thinks they are providing 5 star service, but in the real world it is slow and unresponsive.
Over priced and underwhelmed.
I have given this place 2 tries with clients and I will not be returning. -
Review from Eric B.
1/24/2012 1 Check-in Here
I'll get the good part out of the way first.
The food, overall, was pretty good. I had the parallel tasting menu, which included shrimp two ways (ceviche with avocado, crispy with chili sauce), roasted sea bass, rabbit with truffles and fettuccine, beef loin, sweetbreads, and macaron and creme brulee for dessert. The rabbit and the desserts were the main standouts for me. My friend had the wine pairing along with it, but he said the pairings were not all that great.
The other highlights food-wise were the onion soup served in puff pastry, and the dessert sampler.
Okay. Now for the rest. I hope you're not going anywhere.
The service here was ATROCIOUS. Call me crazy, but if I'm dining at a one Michelin star restaurant with a group of people whose tab is over $1100 bucks, am I wrong to expect service that's better than my local Chili's? I guess so.
We were seated by one waiter/captain and ordered drinks. My friend's wife ordered a glass of wine, and another person ordered a cocktail (amaretto sour). We then proceeded to order dinner. About half the table wanted the tasting menu, while the other half wanted to go ala carte. The waiter said that would be just fine. We also indicated that we were going to be paying separately...also told that would be fine.
Food service began. Those that ordered the tasting menu got their food first. The head waiter/captain (different guy now) failed to describe all of the courses after they were served. He totally flubbed the dessert course...basically seemed like he had no idea what they were serving. The half of the table that ordered the tasting menu got almost all of their food before the other half got theirs, so half of our party just sat there twiddling their thumbs while the others ate.
Finally the other food came out. Several people ordered steaks. None of them were asked if their steak was cooked to their preference. My friend's wife that ordered one glass of wine? She was brought two, for some reason. She also ordered a side dish that was never served.
Throughout the meal, no water glasses were refilled. I had to ask each time for more water. Empty cocktail glasses sat unbussed. Breadcrumbs were never swept away. Empty sweetener packets were left on the table.
After everyone had eaten, they brought out dessert menus. We looked but opted not to order anything. For some reason, two desserts were brought to our table. We thought that since no one ordered anything, these must have been given to us gratis. Nope! They showed up on our bill.
Speaking of the bill. Like I said earlier, we had indicated that we were going to be paying separately. The waiter told us that he couldn't split it for us, but if we wanted to personally divide up the check he could put it on multiple cards. We gave in and did it. As we're tallying up the tab for everyone, head waiter dude comes back and basically chastises us, saying "you know, if you would have told me at the beginning of the meal that you wanted the check separated, I could have done it then. But now it's too late." Really dude? Fuck you.
The last straw was when we finally had our bill sorted, everyone paid and signed. As we're leaving, dipshit waiter guy runs up to us claiming that one of us (me) hasn't paid. Bullshit. I said my bill is on the table. He says no, I never saw it. So I walk back to the table, and it's under a fucking napkin. Good job Einstein. Never thought to look there?
The service at this restaurant is honestly one of the worst service experiences I've ever had. I almost feel like because we were a party of nine, and gratuity was automatically included, that they just said "fuck you we're getting tipped no matter what." If I'm dropping that much coin I expect things to run much more smoothly. It's a shame, because the food here isn't bad. But then again I've had much better for much cheaper. I can't imagine any reason I would ever come back here, especially with the multitude of other fine dining options available in Las Vegas.
And if I ever see that worthless waiter again I'm gonna punch him in the balls. -
Review from John D.
Henderson, NV
2/19/2012
As you descend the two flights from Mandalay Bay's main concourse to Aureole you are stuck by the tower of wine in the center of the staircase, a promise this Michelin rated place will be worth the price. Reception is more efficient than welcoming and you are soon escorted to your table. For such an apparently sophisticated locale dress is remarkably casual. My coat and tie were in the minority, as was my touch of gray hair. We have been there twice and both times the clientele was predominantly 20 and 30-somethings and in shirt sleeves and fashionable jeans. Ask for a table in the back near the waterfall and swan pond.
The wine list is indeed impressive, but is presented on what must be the original pad computer. It requires a stylus, is balky and is as non-intuitive as can be. Come with an idea of what wine you want and insist the sommelier operate the damn thing for you before she slips away. Service overall was excellent though it was Valentine's Day evening and the place was packed.
We both ordered fish, perhaps not the specialties of the house. The swordfish in citrus with vegetables was beautifully presented. The root vegetables were partially peeled with the skins tied into butterfly wings. The fish was only good by comparison. The red snapper, characterized by our waiter as flaky, was under cooked and flavorless. It was presented on a bacon infused bed of vegetables that were much better than the fish. The side of root vegetables was uniquely spiced and delicious.
The star of the meal was the onion soup, presented under a pastry shell the waiter cut open. Excellent. For such a highly rated restaurant the evening was disappointing. -
Review from Krystyna R.
Los Angeles, CA
4/25/2012
We ate at Aureole about a month ago but I hadn't gotten around to the review. Amazing! We did a full tasting menu with wine pairing. They don't skimp on that at all! It was almost a full glass of wine with each course! Everything was so good. I tried sweetbreads for the first time and I'm glad I did! We will definitely go back next time we are in Vegas!
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Review from Stacie M.
San Mateo, CA
2/12/2012
I wish I hadn't had so much wine that night so I could recall exactly what I ate. Regardless, had an amazing meal here. We started with a drink at the bar which was nice. Were then seated at a table right next to the patio. Would LOVE to be at one of those tables in the summer! Alas, we were there for Super Bowl.
I got the prix fixe menu, and it was amazing. I was so stuffed at the end. And that's with giving my husband tastes throughout. Service was perfect. I was expecting them to be a bit snotty, and they weren't at all. Just enough attention was paid to us to keep things moving.
Would go back in a heartbeat. -
Review from Melissa N.
Los Angeles, CA
2/7/2012
For a Michelin star-rated restaurant, I expected more. Came here on a company dinner, so clearly we all got the 3-course meal. While I don't remember the specifics of what I ate (Sorry Yelp world...this is what happens when you wait too long to write a review), I do remember not being completely blown away. What I do remember was the meat duo I had -- it was a short rib with a piece of filet (I believe) and the sauces were very complimentary, but it wasn't something I'd expect from a restaurant of Aureole's caliber. The beef duo at Chaya was much much better -- and that's saying something.
All in all, the atmosphere was great and the service was spectacular (it was also awesome that the wine list came on a tablet), but the food just didn't live up to the standards I had set. I'd say that for the price, there are much better options for delicious meals in Vegas. -
Review from John P.
Austin, TX
2/7/2012
This restaurant was a major dissapointment.
Pros: The food is good not great. The wine tower is pretty cool.
Cons: The service/waitstaff is atrocious. They don't refill drinks. The are very undeducated about the dishes they are serving. They are socially awkward. I could go on and on. There are a ton of better dining options on the strip.
Look elswhere, trust me on this one. -
Review from Sharon H.
5/5/2012
My husband and I loved this restaurant. I have to say it was our favorite of the fine dining establishments that we ate at during our recent Vegas trip. The husband got the tasting menu and I tried everything he had. Every bite was pure heaven. I had the cod dish and it too was perfect in every way. My only complaint is that there were several large parties there that night and it was loud and a little chaotic. The waiter sensed my frustration and asked if they were being too loud. I said "no" because I did not want to spoil their fun and I honestly don't think it was the fault of the party but the way the restaurant is set up. This was my second time dining at this establishment and the service was much better the first time. I attribute this largely to the fact that they had two large parties and may have been a little understaffed. The specialty cocktails here are simply amazing and the desserts are so good that I would have been satisfied making a meal of dessert. We will dine here every time we are in Vegas. Check out the wine angels too - it was a Tuesday evening when we were here so we did not see any while we were dining but on busier nights, you will be able to see them scale the extreme wine tower retrieving bottles of wine.
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Review from Heather M.
Denver, CO
1/3/2012
I was so excited to finally visit Aureole, after not being able to visit about a year ago. The concept of "wine angels" sounded really cool and, online, the menu looked really good. While the restaurant is certainly elegant and upscale, the service was terrible. We ordered wine from a massive and confusing electronic list of wines brought to the table by a person believed to be our waiter. However, after waiting about 30 minutes, we still had no wine and had to flag down the bus boy for more water, as well as finding someone to tend to the wine order. The appetizers were good (I ordered a cheese plate); however, they would have been complimented by wine. When our wine finally did arrive, it was brought by a completely different server, and our waiter was no where to be found.
Then our entrees arrived, one of which was not what had been ordered. Once the correct plates arrived, they were delicious, but our experience was already tainted. We were never able to order more wine, and never received more water. In fact, the only person who was attentive was the woman who brought around bread. Although we were given a complimentary dessert (a plate a small cookies), it paled in comparison to the poor service. I've received better quality service in a truck stop. Though the food was good, for the price we paid, the service should be top quality as well. And while the impressive tower of wine is cool, we saw one wine angel the entire night. Totally overrated. -
Review from Phil C.
Arcadia, CA
3/4/2012
Once you get past the entrance with wine tower, the dining area decor is a little dated... feels like it was designed by the Hilton Memphis from about 15 yrs ago.
Wine list is impressive. The parallel tasting menu provides 8 different tastes in 4 courses which is nice if you enjoy a lot of variety. Also really enjoyed the Niman Ranch Double Cut Pork Chop and the Roasted Garlic Pomme Puree which is absolute buttery bliss.
Service is a little stuffy and the waiters need to brush up on their English pronunciation and listening abilities.
Luckily the food is tasty because otherwise, I wouldn't be giving it 4 stars and planning on going back in the future. -
Review from Deirdre N.
Carlsbad, CA
5/12/2012
Without a doubt, Aureole is a five star restaurant for food as well as service! I ordered the blue cheese crusted filet mignon (medium rare) which was hands down the best steak I've had in my life. We loved our waiter - Gustavo. He was very personable and went out of his way to accommodate us. The rest of the restaurant staff were very hospitable as well. One of my friends was celebrating her birthday so we asked the host to have some dessert sent out. They sent out a complementary gelato plate for the whole table! I also had a phone conversation with the Assistant Manager, Aaron, who was fantastic as well. I would highly suggest visiting this restaurant if you are in Vegas - I will definitely be returning on my next trip!
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Review from Matthew V.
Phoenix, AZ
1/3/2012
I dinned at Aureole over the holidays and had a wonderful time. There were two major issues I had with the place. One, the staff was good. They need to communicate better between themselves. As guests we were ask the same question on two different instances. Second, the food, it was good, but It had the look of being mass produced.
Holiday tasting menu
Wine Angels- Make them fly when you go.
Bright dinning room
It was a nice dinner and there were a couple of memorable courses. I would go back. -
Review from Dwayne D.
Raleigh, NC
4/29/2012
very impressive menu, food and service!
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Review from Jamie S.
Chicago, IL
2/1/2012
I really enjoyed this dining experience, as did my dinner guests. I thought the restaurant was lovely, the service was excellent, and the menu items were varied.
We were initially given the wine list which is overwhelming to say the least. Having that much wine to choose from was a luxury but also a curse! We ended up with one red, one white, both in the $75-$100. The list had bottles in all price ranges, which is good for all budgets.
My group decided to do the regular menu which was a prix fix where you pick an app, an entree and dessert. We considered the parallel tasting menu, but there was a beef wellington that wasn't on the tasting menu.
The popular apps at our table were the wild mushroom risotto, lobster cappuccino (bisque) and the seared tuna niciose. All got rave reviews.
For Dinner, most of us had the beef wellington which had a layer of fois gras between the pastry and steak. It was decadent and delicious.
The server brought us a sampling of sides for the table, which was awesome, but we ended up barely touching the side dishes because the dinner was so great.
We ended with dessert and the pear dessert was the standout. We also got a sampling of sorbet, which was amazing, and I am not one to waste time on sorbet.
All in all, it was a fantastic meal and the service was awesome. If you can sit in the swan court, you will have access to the outside patio which is a nice place to enjoy your after dinner drinks.
Based on other reviews, I would return, but expect that the great service we recieved was because it was a weeknight. -
Review from Ryan A.
Seal Beach, CA
3/29/2012
Service, decor, and food was all in order for a five star review. I ordered off the tasting menu which included sea bass with Ossetra caviar, house ice cream and cookies, lobster salad. I am a huge fan of the very contemporary decor and the restaurant is overlooking a pond with swans which adds a nice touch. While the service was good, it wasn't memorable. However the food was fantastic and was presented nice enough to be picture worthy. So far my best dining experience in Las Vegas.
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Review from Ty D.
3/10/2012
An absolutely outstanding hotel restaurant--I have to give major points to Aureole for its incredible wine list, beautiful decor, and extremely professional service. This is a high-end restaurant that runs the way a high-end restaurant should. I ate here as part of a business retreat, and therefore, we had a slightly limited menu. What was available was very good--no complaints here--but not so memorable as to justify 5 stars for a restaurant of this price. Still, if you're near the Mandalay and looking for a great dining experience, Aureole has to be near the top of your list.
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Review from Charlie S.
San Diego, CA
12/10/2011 3 photos
Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful restaurant! My friend and I ate small plates here instead of entrees so we could try a variety of food. Every single thing was delicious!
We ordered lobster stuffed mushrooms, apricot-glazed chicken lollipops, and truffle croquettes. No regrets!
We went here a month ago, and my friend and I still talk about Aureole like we were just there yesterday. Very highly recommended! -
Review from David P.
Mission Viejo, CA
2/27/2012 1 Check-in Here
The food was wonderful. The wine tower and wine list was awesome. I have never had a tablet computer for a wine list. This was a great evening with great friends.
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Review from Kyle K.
10/11/2011
Okay, I don't know what has been going on with other diners, but our experience at Aureole was awesome.
I can't belive Aureole lost its Michelin star last year. A few of the dishes we ordered, on the a la carte menu, two (the ricotta ravioli appetizer and the veal shank) were two of the best dishes we've ever encountered. And we've eaten at the French Laundry, Joel Robuchon, etc. They served a steak knife with my veal, but I didn't need it. The brazed meat fell apart with the touch of my fork, and the warm spices, beans, and strong salty prosciutto tortellini melded in a symphony of fall flavor. My wife's salmon ricotta ravioli is one of the best to or three things we've ever eaten. The creamy texture of the cheese supported the decadent salmon and vegetables perfectly. It's simply indiscribable and a must-order. The waiter recognized as much (he asked my wife if she'd ever been there before, as she had ordered two of the best things on the menu.)
The service was almost top-notch (the interaction with the sommelier and the waiter was a bit awkward, and the table next to us didn't get their coffee with their dessert). The electronic wine tablet is a great idea, though I couldn't get it to work (and I'm a technie). I couldn't scroll through the varietal menu without first selecting one of the grapes at the top of the alphabetical list (so to scroll to granache, you'd have to click on cabernet, and all that would come up is cabernets...). Since we were interested in "c" wines, that was fine with me. Others have commented on servers forgetting a table, bringing things out incorrectly, or simply being rude. Other than what I listed above, and a slightly too fast pace for dinner, none of that here--everyone was professional, friendly and attentive. And we were there on a Sunday night at 6:30.
The sommelier's recommendation for a cab franc was good, and the wine was tasty, but not out of this world. But, I guess that's what you get for a $68 bottle of French wine at a place like this.
A few recent reviews commented on the small portions. We found that to be just the opposite. For a fine dining restaurant, the portions were HUGE! My wife and I could not finish our entrees and could barely get to the huge selection of sorbets. It's not the Sizzler or an all you can eat buffet, but the portions certainly didn't leave you wanting more -- they left you wanting to clean your plate.
And, of course, the giant wine tower, with its gathering angels, was a sight to behold.
Maybe it's not the most inventive cuisine now, but Aureole does not disappoint. 4.5/5, rounded up to 5 because of the ravioli and veal. -
Review from Bradley L.
Las Vegas, NV
10/3/2011
*This is a downstairs Wine Bar review only*
The other night my wife and I had an excellent time at the bottom floor bar of Aureole in Mandalay Bay. There is also an upstairs cocktail area along the hallway inside Mandalay Bay, but we felt more like a bar experience than a people watching one.
The wine selection was EXCELLENT. I got a red flight and my wife got a white flight. The tempranillo and zinfindel in the red flight were great, and my wife said two out of her three white wines were excellent.
We also got an ahi tuna appetizer which gets an A+ for presentation and taste, but a B for quantity. They aren't huge or anything, and they come on a specialized plate designated for six pieces but instead give you four with the other two pieces on the plate garnished with avacado.
We also go the dessert sampler menu which I highly suggest for sugar-lovers out there. Everything from the Creme Brule to the Lava Cake was outstanding, and just enough for two people to share. We were going to pair the dessert with a Sautern, but the Sautern there wasn't very good, so we opted (on recommendation from the bartender) for an Ice Wine instead. The Ice Wine was AMAZING.
The service was also remarkable. It was pretty busy downstairs but the two men tending the bar were still personable and didn't rush us. We did get their fairly early in the night (about 6:30pm on a Friday), so the rush may not have come yet.
Also, another cool feature was the Cirque du Soleil-esque wine retriever. They have a four story wine rack that is great to look at and it becomes even more fun when you see a woman in a harness bouncing up and down to get the bottle you want.
All in all, this place would have been perfect if it wasn't for one thing: The prices. We got two sample flights of wine, an ahi tuna appetizer, a dessert sampler and two glasses of Ice Wine and the price came out to about $115 before the tip. I get that sometimes you are paying for experience, but I know I didn't get $115 in quality of wine.
Everything else was magnificent. I was very impressed and may go back to Aureole again, but I may only get one or two items to keep down on the cost.
Extra Note: While your there, and if you go before 9pm, walk down to the Shark Reef. It was a great experience and they do have discounts for locals. I thought it was going to be a small, crappy aquarium but it was actually pretty good sized and kept us entertained for awhile. -
Review from Rob Z.
Oakland, CA
2/15/2012
The wine angles are kind of what you pay for. The food was merely adequate for the price. They must have let the Michelin critic fly around in the wine tower to earn the star.
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Review from Misty K.
Fullerton, CA
12/22/2011
I've been here twice thus far, and I have enjoyed it. The service is good. Some of the servers are excellent, and others can seem a little more pretentious. In general, the food is very good. I did the pre-fixe menu the 1st visit, and it was a while ago, so I don't remember what I had, but I remember liking it enough to come back. At that time, the server even brought me some extra goodies for free, so that was nice.
They are also on http://restaurant.com, so you can get a pretty good discount here. On my recent visit, I ordered the butternut squash ravioli with duck confit. This was a very nice mix of flavors. The foie gras was also good, but I actually had better foie gras the night before at Stripsteak next door. The cheese plate was good. I also had the salmon, which was good but not great. I definitely enjoyed the pre fixe menu I ordered on my 1st visit better than the choices I made on my most recent visit. So the take home message here is not to trust myself to know how to order properly :)
Also, they bring an assortment of four breads at the beginning (including pretzel bread), but they are all served cold, which is not pleasing. Who likes cold bread better than warm bread? Plus, they seem very excited about their wine list and the "wine angels" on harnesses who go get your wines for you. I have a better idea... why not charge admission and strap the guest into the harness and he/she can go get his/her own wine. Dinner and a ride!
I want to give them 3 stars for the most recent visit, but 4 stars for the initial visit. I guess I rounded up. The overall average rating of 3.5 stars is very accurate. -
Review from Geoff C.
9/15/2011
Everything about Aureole shouted 'Stale'. Like they're not even trying anymore. They didn't even have the Cirque de Soliel style wine server working the cage.
We had the tasting menu, which is served in a cool way with a split plate with 2 dishes per round served in a different way. Problem is after 5 courses I'd only say 1-2 were great and many were bland or just outright not good.
Great sommelier but the rest of the service was atrocious considering we had the biggest table (8+) in the place. They are heaving on the foams, gelees, and technique but didn't deliver on flavor.
Keep moving, nothing to see here. -
Review from Gemini M.
The short version: Dessert = 4.9/5, Lounge wine list = 3/5, Service = -1/5
We were offered a spot in the lounge as we just wanted a little bubbly to cap the birthday celebrations for my sis. We didn't need table service for that, so we headed into the lounge and, as directed, chose our own seating.
Grabbing a high top along the wall, we took our seats and looked around, having enjoyed the walk down around the wine tower, and generally getting our bearings on the ambiance and decor.
After about 5 minutes, we finally got some eye contact and some menus. The waiter all but dropped them and walked away had my sis not asked immediately for water glasses.
After almost 10 minutes, we flagged someone else down, explained that our waiter had not been back in some time, reiterated our request for water, and asked to place our order. While waiting, we saw a dessert sampler served to the table next to us and decided to give it a go.
The fizzy stuff came out in good time, we had a toast, and we waited, chatted, and lamented the fact that we would, in all probability, explode before the evening was out (see previous review of STRIPSTEAK ;)).
The dessert came out and we were not disappointed (nor did we care about our impending food-induced doomsday). The molten lava cake was melt-in-your-mouth perfect, the brownie and mousse had a bit of a spicy kick to it and was, overall, amazing. The strawberry shortcake was bland and a bit on the dry side, and the creme brulee was too soft (probably a result of too small a serving, the crisping of the crust alone would melt the tiny bit of creme in the dish).
The original waiter came by and asked if we were finished. We assured him we were, he nodded, and then... he left. He left everything on the table and just left. When he returned (almost 10 minutes later?) he asked again if we were finished and if we'd like the check. We again answered in the affirmative and he disappeared only to return with the bill; someone else finally came and cleared the table.
$40 for a dessert sampler and two glasses of bubbly enjoyed in the bar/lounge. That didn't bother me as much as the inattentive, slow, and inefficient service.
I am hoping a dinner experience will change my mind about this place, but I am in no real hurry to return after that.Listed in: Sweets for the Sweet
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Review from Allison B.
Las Vegas, NV
1/22/2012
Amazing wine List, amazing staff, peaceful interior and to die for food. Seafood platter trumps my seafood list!
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Review from Gerry A.
Barrington, IL
9/7/2011
Best Vegas dinner two years running so far.
Many seating choices on several levels. Superb trained staff seems genuinely interested in YOU, not just pumping up their bill. They always ask if it is a special occasion and treat it as one, regardless of whether it IS an anniversary or not.
Best Deal in town in early September ever year is the Las Vegas Restaurant Week (12 days) that raises money for charity with fixed price menus at some of Vegas's best restaurants.
http://www.helpoutdine...
I think their seafood dishes are some of the best, but they seem to do everything well. Amazing electronic Wine Notebook plus three level Wine rack guarantees that you can find something that fits, and even their lower end wines are excellent.
Now WHY would you go to MIX at The Hotel instead of Aureole TWICE we are asking ourselves:) ? -
Review from Andy N.
8/25/2011 1 Check-in Here
Gorgeous place with medicore food. The wine tower here is the highlight of the restaurant. The service was pretty good. It's a four star restaurant so I expect four star food.
The food we got was all just okay. For appeitizer I got the smoked salmon ravioli. It was good but too cheesy. The main dish I went with was the 18 oz bone in rib eye. It was slightly overcooked and was too chewy. The taste was smoked from the caramelized sauce. The sides I had were the broccoli, creamed corn, pomme puree, and fries. The creamed corn stood out the most with the bits of bacon in it. We also ordered some wine and that was probably the best part of it. I would prefer to eat at StripSteak inside Mandalay over Aureole. -
Review from Lewis A.
Sonoma, CA
3/5/2012 Seated via OpenTable
Fantastic meal, Great wine list, but very expensive. Great place to take your wife and enjoy a couple of hours of Great Service. My only complaint was the place was extremely noisy maybe because of the large parties going on. Would recommend to everyone. Advise to anyone who travels to download the Opentable App to your phone, you can get reservation minutes before going to most restraints.
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Review from Christine K.
Las Vegas, NV
3/5/2012
Had Dinner there on Saturday. Ordered the special 3 course set menu for the 3 squares foundation. I was unimpressed. Cream soup with black mussells was too rich for a seafood soup, all I can taste was the heavy cream and butter. I chose the Braised Short rib for the main course. I couldn't believe my ears when they said it was over a bed of Kimchi! I'm Korean, I would have gone to a Korean restaurant if I wanted Korean food. Desert was some sort of cheesecake with berries. All in all, unimpressive. I might add that my husband ordered their tasting menu, which was equally unimpressive.
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