All-You-Can-Eat Brunch Fills the Vegas Buffet Void

^{The all-you-can-eat Border Brunch at Mandalay Bay is one of the most eclectic in Las Vegas. (Photo: courtesy of MGM Resorts)}

Las Vegas was once known for affordable all-you-can-eat (AYCE) buffets at just about every casino, but fewer than 20 buffets remain across the Las Vegas Valley today.

Many buffets have been replaced by food halls. While they’re affordable by today’s standards, they aren’t the value many remember from the $5 buffets of the 1990s.

Only eight buffets remain at casinos on the Las Vegas Strip. They're either gourmet spreads for up to $100 or budget experiences for around $30. The middle is being left out, with no midpriced buffet options for guests wanting a fairly priced, unlimited meal.

One of the more popular trends stepping in to fill that gap is restaurants offering AYCE brunches at a single price. While the concept isn't new, it's gaining popularity as guests increasingly look for value, or at least the perception of getting more for their money.

These brunches seem to open at Strip restaurants every few weeks. They're priced between the high- and low-end buffets, at roughly $50 to $65 per person.

Some brunches are endless like a buffet, while others just serve typical breakfast and lunch items in the middle of the day. Many AYCE brunches allow guests to order from specific menus, and staff bring the food as it's ordered.

There's no need to pile a plate with everything available. It's a magical feeling, and it probably saves restaurants money on food that would otherwise be wasted by guests whose eyes are bigger than their stomachs.

Why The Change?

Much has been written about the demise of the Las Vegas buffet since the COVID-19 pandemic. For better or worse, the slowdown gave casino operators a chance to analyze where they were generating revenue.

Buffets were once loss leaders for casinos, though there are very few of those on the Strip nowadays.

Every inch of a casino has to generate maximum revenue and profit for corporate operators. This isn't new though – we've seen it for years with the proliferation of fees for everything from parking to a daily charge for unplugging a refrigerator.

Buffets occupy a lot of space, incur high food costs, and generate significant waste. Replacing them with a standalone AYCE restaurant with part-time specials is both economically and physically viable for the modern eatery. It also aligns with the trend of offering short-term deals, such as the Fabulous Five-Day Sale, rather than lowering prices altogether.

If a special brunch isn't profitable, casino restaurants can stop offering the deal and cut their losses. The $25 AYCE brunch deal at Guy Fieri's Flavortown Sports Kitchen from one of our happy hour round-ups is no longer available.

While the concept might not be right for every restaurant, a growing number are experimenting with it.

I first encountered this kind of all-you-can-eat brunch at Border Grill inside Mandalay Bay shortly after moving to Las Vegas. The food was great, and so was the service. We ate a ton but didn't force ourselves to push the limits just to feel like we got our money's worth, since the food is served on small plates. I'm not much of an all-you-can-eat bruncher, but Border Grill is still my favorite.

Border Grill’s brunch has always been fairly priced, and today it’s $46.99. It's not cheap, but it's on the lower side of Strip brunch prices.

Two notes of caution for Las Vegas brunch. If you're looking for an AYCE meal, check the fine print before sitting down. Some brunches are just menus that include à la carte breakfast and lunch items. There's nothing wrong with that, but it's a little disappointing if you want to sample a wide variety of food.

Unless your goal is to leave brunch seeing double, the all-you-can-drink add-on may not be worth the price. You might be too full from food to drink enough mimosas to make it worth the expense. But if that's the goal, have a blast!

Best All-You-Can-Eat Brunches on the Vegas Strip

Even with eight buffets still on the Strip, all-you-can-eat brunches might be a better, fresher, and more delicious option with dishes you might not normally consider eating. That’s what makes the Border Brunch so great to me. Beyond letting you eat as much as you can handle, the food comes from some of the area's best restaurants.

You can find a combination of breakfast and lunch items pretty much anywhere in Las Vegas, but most brunches aren't the all-you-can-eat variety. Here are some of the best Las Vegas brunch deals.

Endless Brunch at Lavo

Lavo inside the Palazzo was one of the first Las Vegas restaurants to offer a party atmosphere during brunch. Today, it has two options.

The Endless Brunch is an all-you-can-eat deal for $65 on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and doesn't include drinks. You pay as you go for drinks, or add a bottomless package for another $29. The menu includes brick-oven pizzas, egg dishes, breakfast pastas, raw bar items (oysters), salads, roaming dessert carts, and more.

If you're looking for loud music and a crowd, the original Party Brunch might be more to your liking. It's à la carte for food only, and entry is $33.50 for women and $53.60 for men. All food and drink costs more.

La Cave Brunch at Wynn

The Wynn has so many great restaurants that many people tend to overlook La Cave. This gem offers a family-friendly brunch on Saturdays and Sundays from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Adults pay $54 each, while children pay $34 each. Drinks are extra.

La Cave is a tapas-style restaurant serving small plates, and all dishes are freshly prepared. Like with Border Grill, the food is delivered fresh as you order it. The menu is expansive and includes the elevated brunch items you'd expect from Wynn.

Menu highlights include Snickers pancakes with bananas Foster, flatbreads with crispy bacon and quail egg, filet mignon eggs Benedict, and along many of the basics.

Hakkasan Endless Dim Sum Brunch at MGM Grand

Most people hear the Hakkasan name and think of the nightclub inside the MGM Grand. It’s also the high-end Chinese restaurant next door to the club, focused on modern Cantonese cuisine. This is definitely an off-the-radar brunch.

On weekends, Hakkasan offers one of the most popular fine-dining all-you-can-eat deals: $58 per person on Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and Sunday from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

The extravagant dim sum, like caviar-topped shrimp shumai, is the calling card, but the brunch also has Chinese basics like glazed pork belly and General Tso's chicken. There are noodle and rice dishes, too, along with unlimited desserts.

Unlike most all-you-can-eat brunches, this one lets you upgrade your meal with items like Peking duck or Chilean sea bass for an additional fee.

Caramella All-You-Can-Eat Weekend Brunch at Planet Hollywood

Caramella is one of the newest restaurants at Planet Hollywood. It gets solid reviews and has spectacular deals for ladies’ night on Thursdays, but the weekend brunch has been the star since the restaurant opened.

Brunch is $55 per person on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Like the other all-you-can-eat brunches, dishes are made fresh to order and brought to the table.

Because this is an Italian restaurant, dishes like stuffed chicken parm, pasta, and seafood are unique favorites. Even breakfast staples get an Italian twist, like tiramisu French toast. Steak eaters can add a filet mignon for $12 or a more flavorful New York strip for $15.

Pro tip: Sit outside to see the Fountains of Bellagio across the street.

Border Brunch at Mandalay Bay

As I said earlier, Border Grill was my first all-you-can-eat brunch at a restaurant, and it still holds a place close to my heart. The Mexican restaurant at Mandalay Bay is off the main casino floor toward the conference area, so not all guests may be aware of it. However, brunch is always busy, so make a reservation to be safe.

This small plates brunch is family-friendly. Adults pay $46.99 per person, and children under 12 pay $23.50. Brunch is available only on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

One highlight is a rotating menu that can feature 12 to 15 dishes on any weekend. My favorites include Diablo fried chicken and churro waffle, barbacoa Benedict, and horchata French toast.

There may be more fun experiences, but this is the most distinctive brunch menu I've had in Las Vegas.