Blake "Internet Rockstar" M.'s Profile

I was here for an early dinner on a Tuesday night, a quick bite before seeing a show at the HOB.

The good:
The duck wings are as good as you've heard.  I will never be able to look at a normal wing the same way again.  Trust me, I have seen the other side and it is glorious.  Also, their fries are some of the best I've ever had.

The gin and tonic was unfamiliar to me when it first arrived at the table.  No lime.  Color was a little...yellow.  First sip, it didn't really taste like a gin and tonic.  But by the end of the drink I was really digging it.  If you're a gin and tonic person, give it a go.

Also the drink served with a slice of cucumber, pepper, St. Germaine stood out for me.  I suspect it's hard to go wrong with any of the cocktails here.

The not-as-good:
For entrees we kept it simple, a hot dog their way and a Reuben sandwich.  Both were good but at the same time not that special.  The texture of the home made pastrami and sauerkraut on the Reuben made it rather mushy for me, otherwise the flavors were good.

The space is laid out well and has some good qualities, but overall the art direction feels a little muddled.  Feels like someone tried a little too hard with the 'F*CK ART' art installation which comes across as pretentious, to me anyways.

Will be back.  Wish they were open for lunch so I could get some drinks and wings.

Great spot for romantic evenings and special occasions.  The atmosphere is very intimate -- wide booths, dim lighting, and a modern style that feels classic.

Nico's offers some excellent dishes.  The osso buco over risotto is delicious and probably my favorite dish, while their regular surf-and-turf (they sometimes offer specials) is somewhat forgettable.  If you're hungry I'd recommending starting with a soup or salad.  I also recommend the goat cheese appetizer, it's very good.

The service and staff have always been great.  They're all very polite, friendly, and helpful.  I look forward to my next visit.

Yes, Pinkberry is overrated and yes it is rather expensive.  But, amidst all the hype, I do find myself enjoying Pinkberry as an after dinner snack pretty frequently.

While the flavors are limited -- there's simply two -- the toppings are fresh, diverse, and where the fun begins.  What concoction can you come up with?  I prefer green tea topped with granola, chocolate chips, and strawberries.  But that's just me.  You either love it, hate it, or change your mind frequently.  I've been on both sides of the coin, and now that the dust has settled, I'm sure I don't hate it.

A unique and delicious restaurant, decidedly not-Italian, in Little Italy.

I've been here numerous times for a variety of occasions and have not been let down.  The restaurant is quite lively and noisy inside and is better for groups, while the outside patio is a little more intimate and better for couples.  Patio seating is also usually easier to come by without a reservation.

As for the food -- it's all excellent.  I tried most of the menu when I lived nearby, and a few dishes really stood out.  For appetizers, the Butternut Squash Soup is fantastic if you're in the mood for something rich and creamy.  If you'd like a salad I recommend the Beet Salad which is easily split for two.  I did not realize how great beets could taste until I had them in this salad.

As for entrees, I really enjoyed the Pecan-crusted Rainbow Trout -- which is a nod to the chef as I am not much of a trout fan.  If you're in the mood for something heavier, I recommend the Bone-in Ribeye.  It's very, very good.

They also have a nice wine selection with some affordable Argentinian Malbecs that I feel pair well with their flavors.  All in all a great dining experience!

I am fairly certain this is the best restaurant I have had the pleasure of dining at.  For me, so many restaurants in this class fail to stand-out, but I cannot forget Nine-Ten simply because of the food.

I've had the five-course tasting menu with wine-pairings twice.  It was the ultimate experience for my palette both times.  I found the flavors and textures to reach a level of deliciousness I have not experienced elsewhere.  Simply fantastic.  I am sure there is better out there, but I am yet to find it.

The rest of the experience is somewhat forgettable.  The service didn't stand out, and the ambiance was simply what you would expect at this price.  Is it still worth five stars?  Absolutely.

As to the comments around price, yes, it is expensive.  Food can be ridiculously expensive and terrible at the same time.  So while this is expensive, you are getting what I believe to be excellent food.  Satisfaction as correlated to price begin to fall-off in the upper-ranges.  Food that is twice as expensive as other food is not necessarily twice as good -- something to keep in mind.

I have to give it up for the MGM Grand as it is probably my favorite Vegas hotel and casino at this point.

The reason it is my favorite hotel is simply because of the Terrace Suites.  If you are going to get a suite in Vegas, I don't think you can find a better suite for the price.

The Terrace Suites are two-story, 1,300sq ft suites that are nice -- nothing special -- until you step out onto the 700 sq ft terrace over-looking the strip, with a private jacuzzi.  Now THAT'S Vegas.  The suites are basically on those large steps you see going down the exterior of the MGM.  For me, it doesn't get better than that starting at $900/night.

My business partner and I threw our "we just sold our little internet company" party here -- and it was excellent.  The worst part about the suite was that you didn't want to leave because hanging out on the terrace was just too cool.  But, you should leave, because the casino at the MGM is also fun.

Friendly dealers, lots of blackjack tables with reasonable minimums, and a younger, unpretentious crowd.  That really sums up the casino.  So many casinos in Vegas make me feel defensive and intimidated -- dealers telling me what to do (despite my knowing how to play), and lots of people who are sure they are really important.  I just don't get that vibe at MGM and it makes me a happy gambler.

Lastly, the pool.  It's nothing too special, but honestly, floating around the tube-river is a pretty good hangover remedy.  On a side-note, I witnessed a balloon-off at the pool (two people -- one with ballons -- who knew how to make balloon animals, competing to make an animal the fastest).  Totally impromptu and coincidental.  That can't happen often.  Too bad I didn't have that same kinda luck at the tables.

This is my third review of a Cirque show in the past 20 minutes as I'm new to Yelp -- and it's really interesting to read the reviews on each one.

A little anecdote: it seems like most of the reviews for each Cirque Vegas show are "It was good, but I liked [a different Cirque show] better".  You then go to that shows page to see that people thought it wasn't as good as the one you were originally looking at!  It definitely comes down to personal taste, and I have to say, I think the Cirque shows are on their own level of greatness and that you should check them all out.

That being said, MY favorite is Mystere.  Probably because it was the first Cirque show I was introduced to at a very influential age when I was a kid.  Just utterly amazing.  The acrobatics continue to impress me after lots of other Cirque shows, and the clowns are the most entertaining I've seen.

I highly recommend this show for all people of all ages.  If you only plan to see one Cirque show in Vegas this is the one I recommend.  Enjoy!

For whatever reason, Ka was not the Cirque experience I wanted.  I have been to numerous Cirque shows and I went into this one with an expectation that was not met.

I didn't find the martial-arts influenced acrobatics nearly as exciting as the more traditional acrobatics I've come to know and love because of Cirque productions.

For me the best part of the show was the stage which was absolutely amazing -- it's giant and moves in what seem to be all directions.  Hard to describe, but it just seems like a triumph of engineering to be able to fluidly move such a large object so quickly and diversely.

Is Ka a great show?  I don't think so.  Is it a bad show?  No.  It's just not the show I wanted.  I would personally recommend checking out a different Cirque show over this one, but by all means, check this one and out and decide for yourself if you're interested.

I have seen numerous Cirque shows, and while O was not my favorite, I thought it was great.  I also had the best service experience of my life at the O theatre box office.  It's a little long, but hopefully a good read.

Basically I screwed up the ticket dates when I ordered them online from http://Vegas.com -- I thought I ordered them for the same-day, but apparently I ordered them for the following week.  I felt like a total moron at the ticket desk, and asked if there was anything I could do as I was only in town a few nights and had plans for each night.  Mind you this is about one and a half hours before the 10:30pm show that night.  Rob from Las Vegas, who was helping me, disappeared into the back office and I assumed I was screwed and would -- at best -- have to purchase a new set of nose-bleed seats if I wanted to see the show that evening.

He came back out of the locked back-office about 10 minutes later, and said that everything was fine.  He exchanged the tickets out and gave me Casino-reserved tickets for the show -- meaning they were basically the best seats in the house.  Three rows back, center, orchestra seating.  Wow.  While they were the same price category as my previous tickets, they were phenomenally better.  I'll be writing a letter to the Bellagio to let them know how impressed I am with that level of customer service -- I think it's pretty unheard of.  And now, on to the show!

The theatre that houses O is magnificent -- it's huge, gorgeous, just wow.  I would say it's my favorite Cirque theatre yet, including the best curtain and "stage" ever!  Really cool stuff.

The show was beautiful and the music was up there for me, as compared to other Cirque experiences.  Being so close to the stage definitely kept us awake -- we got splashed on every now and then as performers hopped in and out of the water a few feet in-front of us.  It was sometimes overwhelming in terms of all that was happening, especially being so close, but I rather enjoyed that.  There was simply so much to see including the "main" act at the time.

I will agree that some of the acrobatics weren't as big and exciting as they are in other cirque shows, but the integration of water was definitely something I have never seen before.

The clowns were not my favorite, for whatever reason, but the crowd seemed to really enjoy them.  

Overall I get the impression that most of the patrons were in awe of the show.  If you're a Cirque fan, check this out because it's good.  If you're new to Cirque, I say start here and then work towards Mystere.  But if you only plan to see one Cirque show in Vegas, I recommend Mystere.

N9NE is one of my favorite Vegas spots.  I've been here numerous times and I've never had a single negative thing to say about this place.

For me N9NE comes across as a mix of old and new Vegas - not that I ever experienced old Vegas first-hand.  It's classy-chic ambiance is decidedly modern, while the servers are dressed in a more retro, classic style.  I find it to be a bit of a welcome juxtaposition.  

My dining experiences have generally been at peak times when it is definitely crowded and noisy -- as it should be.  This is a place to see and be seen, all of the noise and commotion help bring it to life.

The service has always been fantastic.  I almost have a sense of privilege whenever I am interacting with a server, barista, or host here.  Some servers have stood out in my mind more than others, but that can be said of most places.

The food is absolutely delicious and by far my favorite part of the N9NE experience.  Their Surf-and-Turf is simply unrivaled.  I have witnessed people who do not like lobster in awe after their first bite of the lobster, trying to control themselves as to not devour the whole thing immediately!  The Bone-in Ribeye is also fantastic.  But, then again, everything is fantastic.

I remember well and fondly all of my meals at N9NE.  For me it stands out as a first-rate dining experience.  Can't wait to go back!