Which steakhouse?

Which Las Vegas restaurant would you recommend for first-time visitors: The Golden Steer or The Steakhouse at Circus Circus?

And, I suppose most importantly, why?

I haven't tried either, but my answer to these questions is usually "Both." It's Vegas, try it all.

I have only been to the circus circus one of those two but it was excellent.

It's pretty safe to say that there are many great steak houses in Vegas casinos.

I'd suggest the one where you can get a reservation.

What’s your budget? And you don’t need a reservation to eat at most of the popular steakhouses if you don’t mind eating at the bar.

Quote: Vegasrider

What’s your budget? And you don’t need a reservation to eat at most of the popular steakhouses if you don’t mind eating at the bar.
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The last time I ate at a bar was about two years ago when tables were unavailable for hours.

Next time I'd have to sit at a bar I'd rather get my order to go and sit at a slot machine.

That way I wouldn't have to put up with splashes of beer and soda spraying my food.

Unless I’m on a date, I think it’s been a couple years since I sat a table

I prefer sitting at the bar

Quote: Ace2

Unless I’m on a date, I think it’s been a couple years since I sat a table

I prefer sitting at the bar
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Yup, and watch the game. Doesn’t matter if I’m at an Outback or Flemmings, why wait when you can just sit down and eat.

The Wonderful Wife and I had an excellent dinner at Ruths Chris at Harrahs(?) last year. Beyond the amazing food, etc, what made it extra fun was that it was fully comped. That's just the best part of all.

If you're going all out, the Japanese Wagyu at SW (Wynn) or CUT (Venetian) is beyond reproach, although ridiculously overpriced.


My favorite at Wynn is currently their domestic Wagyu, their Dry Aged Snake River Farms Gold Grade New York Strip.



Now that Majordōmo closed, Delmonico at Venetian remains among the best traditional steakhouses in town, with their dry aged bone in ribeye, shown here cut in half to serve two.

I made a reservation for The Steakhouse at Circus Circus, but the night before we wound up at Joe's Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab at the Caesars Palace Forum Shops — and ordered the 24 oz. bone-in rib eye for $76.95! (We also ordered the stone crab — more about that in the upcoming trip report.)

The steak was excellent, and seemingly a good value for two people. I'll have to wait until our next Vegas visit to experience how steak could be any better. By then, I should be ready for that much meat again!

Joe's is as good as any other steakhouse in Vegas. Circus Circus is good but has lost some of its luster over the last 10 years. Mastro's Ocean Club is very good. Delmonico was my go to choice but really most of the top steakhouses are similar. SW is very good but at the top end of the price range. I also liked Smith & Wollensky. Somebody will probably mention Ellis Island for the $9.99 steak and it is good for the price but doesn't compare to the top steakhouses.

We had the steak at Ellis Island years ago — for $9.99, it provided a perfectly good meal!

The Steakhouse (Circus Circus)

The Best steak I had in Vegas was in the El Cortez steakhouse. The best steakhouse meal was the prime rib at Binion's. Both are now a shadow of their former greatness.
I ate at the steakhouse in Mandalay Bay and thought it was tremendously overpriced, even with a $100 voucher.
The weekend buffet at the Edgewater and the Friday night buffet at Sams Town are examples of good buffets that keep the prices down, and cater to repeat customers.

Given those two options for a first timer I would have to choose Circus Circus over Golden Steer. And the only reason is that knowing nothing about your steak preferences, finances, and prior dining experiences, I feel you have to work your way into the experience.

I come from a city that has a ton of amazing steakhouse options and rarely do I venture to Vegas specifically for steak. Nevertheless, it is both a meal and an experience.

Golden Steer is a premium expensive dining steakhouse. I've been there and while the food is good, you'll definitely pay an arm and a leg for it. It's a nice experience for an old Vegas establishment, but there are so many other steakhouse options out there that it leaves you asking the question, what makes you special? If you do make it out there, as many have seen from the videos, the tableside made caesar salad, australian lobster tails, and banana foster are classic must tries. Grant it, I hope you're going with a group, because throw in a steak and hello $400-500 bill. I enjoyed the food and service, but for that premium price, there are a myriad of other options.

Circus Circus's Steakhouse is definitely one of the cheaper options with an old Vegas feel, and in all fairness a decent value. Get the ribeye. Their happy hour special I believe still includes a vegetable and a potatoe and you might get offered a welcoming appertif. Norma Geli, the youtuber, just did a video on cheap steaks and Circus Circus made the cut.

A lot of cheap steak and egg places start after 10pm and usually 11pm or after midnight. Some like at Ellis Island require you to have a players card with some action. Others are straight up and very very popular like the one at the South Point. I've had them both. Steak is a little tougher, but you can not beat the price. Steak and eggs for under $10 bucks?

Norma also did a feature on Jackson's Bar and Grill. It actually looked and was priced very well and it is by far true, but you're going to what feels like a pub for a steak.

I'm leery to recommend any celebrity chef type steakhouse because for the premium, you might feel disappointed if you've had a great cheap steak and bad expensive steak.

Furthermore, I've found that steakhouse generally procure with specific suppliers or farms and are known for certain cuts of meat. A filet mignon would be better at one place than another etc. Or one restaurant may favor lots of sauces while others is just a roasted block of meat. Both can be good, but it starts to get into personal preferences.

When it comes to finances, not sure how much you want to, are willing to, or are able to spend. No judgment there. I'm a value guy. As porterhouses for two now average over $130 and over $150 in higher cost establishments, I've found some incredible places that compete with much better all around pricing, service, quality, ambiance, and offerings like a Fogo De Chao or a steakhouse that offers a specific cut of meat that they are known for like a prime rib specialist.

Good luck and let us know how your steakhouse experience turns out.

Just saw you called an audible. Joe's Seafood is also another solid choice. Glad you had a good time. Vegas is such a limited time trip; make every meal count.

For a first Vegas visit, I would lean toward Golden Steer because the setting itself seems like part of the experience. The old-school atmosphere can make dinner feel more special than just having a good steak. A first visit is a good chance to enjoy the whole evening, not just the food. Either way, I would book ahead rather than leave the choice until the last minute.

Having eaten at most of the steakhouses in Vegas over 30 years, the one I thought was consistently best was Delmonico's.

The Circus Circus steakhouse was great back in the 1990's and 2000's but seemed to decline after that. The Ellis Island steak is not great but it is a great deal for the price. I have probably eaten over 100 of the Ellis Island steaks as they were served at a bar I used to hang out at called Village Pub. It was owned by Garry Ellis.

I have only been to a few of Vegas’s many steakhouses but Bavette’s inside Park MGM has become my favorite. Old school jazz age atmosphere, Outstanding dry aged steak and top notch staff. It’s expensive but I like a little splurge when I’m in Vega.

Watch this for the Circus Circus Steakhouse at the top of the video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtbGQjTR37U