Try the buffet, great choices
Written: Dec 09 '00
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Variety, good food and lots of it
Cons: Off-strip, figure a cab ride into your cost
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| Howard_U's Full Review: Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino |
The cabbies will tell you that the Rio buffet is the best in town. They are right, at least considering the selection for the price. The Rio is off Strip, so you must go to some effort to get there, either driving or by cab. When we were there (July, 2000) the roads were under construction and it was nearly impossible to walk from the Strip to the Rio. The line of cabs outside the Rio indicates that it's worth the trip.
We went, by cab, specifically to try out the buffet. The casino is ordinary and, I'm told, the pools have sandy beaches and are terrific. But we went for the buffet. We were not disappointed. The line is potentially very long (apparently, the word has gotten out). Unfortunately, you stand in one line, get a number and stand in another line to get seated. Trust me, the buffet makes it all worthwhile.
Once you get in, the buffet is divided into numerous (about a dozen) stations. Unlike most buffets in Vegas, you can request particular steaks and such, made to order, for an additional price. My wife and I just took the basic buffet at a very reasonable price (Okay, I don't remember exactly, but it was about $13 each, not bad). Each station specializes in a specific kind of food: American, the 50's, Japanese (including sushi, a rarity in Vegas buffets), Mexican, seafood, steaks, etc.
The key to a successful buffet is the space in which to offer a great variety of dishes. The Rio gives the buffet all the space it needs. As a result, all of the stations put together offer a greater choice than practically any other buffet in Vegas, with the possible exception of the Bellagio, which is nearly twice the price.
Outside of the sushi, and the steaks (which are extra) the food is not terribly fancy. You won't find a variety of dishes featuring duck or rabbit as you will at the fancier on-strip buffets, but the selection is excellent and the food is, by and large, wholesome and well-prepared.
I'd especially recommend the shakes from the 50's section (too thick to drink) and practically anything from the American section. The desserts are excellent, but you must wait in a separate line to have them doled out to you, not a satisfactory arrangement. The cakes and pies are excellent, though.
All in all, the Rio buffet is reasonably priced and offers a choice second to none. You are guaranteed to get you money's worth. But get there early, because the line gets long in a hurry.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
Howard_U
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Member: Howard Underwood
Location: Fremont, CA
Reviews written: 35
Trusted by: 29 members
About Me:
World's most happily married man.
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