Buffet of Buffet's questions

I'm looking to make a return trip to vegas sometime this March and I was perusing the room offers that I had and I came across one where I could obtain 2 of the "Buffet of Buffet's" passes for only $10 more than the room rate. This comes out to about $200 for me for a 4 night stay at harrahs or flamingo and the Buffet of Buffets claims to allow access to any of the Harrah's owned buffets but I had a few questions for anyone who knows anything about this before I book it.

1) Is this access truly unlimited (come and go as I please) or are there a limited # of visits per day?
2) Is the pass printed for a specific individual or can the pass be used by different people during the stay?


Anyone with any information on the topic it would be greatly appreciated. I figure for $10 extra per night, even if it can only be used by 2 people, a friend and I will get a great value from using this.

Quote: duckmankilla

I'm looking to make a return trip to vegas sometime this March and I was perusing the room offers that I had and I came across one where I could obtain 2 of the "Buffet of Buffet's" passes for only $10 more than the room rate. This comes out to about $200 for me for a 4 night stay at harrahs or flamingo and the Buffet of Buffets claims to allow access to any of the Harrah's owned buffets but I had a few questions for anyone who knows anything about this before I book it.

1) Is this access truly unlimited (come and go as I please) or are there a limited # of visits per day?
2) Is the pass printed for a specific individual or can the pass be used by different people during the stay?


Anyone with any information on the topic it would be greatly appreciated. I figure for $10 extra per night, even if it can only be used by 2 people, a friend and I will get a great value from using this.

Answers to your questions...

1) The access is truly unlimited, based off your ability to eat at the buffet and the hours they are open. I think there's an hour difference between the same buffet, to prevent people using the same pass multiple times for multiple people, but other than that, have at it. Keep in mind one thing.... there is an expectation that you will tip each time you go. This can add up to 5-10 dollars if you go to each buffet in a single day.

2) The pass is done one of two ways. If you are staying with them and have a Total Rewards card (maybe just the card, I'm not sure), it is loaded onto your card and they will tell you the very specific time when it starts and ends (like down to the minute). If you don't have a card (i.e. kids), you will be given a very tight wrist band, that you MUST wear to get in.

If you have a Diamond card, and start with a breakfast a bit after opening, or start with a very late dinner, you can easily get 4 meals in over the 24-hour period. If you don't mind being tied down to those options, it's a great deal. The lines can be a bit of a bear if you're not a Diamond card holder, so only plan for three meals, or plan on standing in line for the good buffets (PH, Paris, Caesars and Rio).

Personally, my favorite is Caesars. It's in a nice location, relatively quiet with less kids, and the food is exquisite. Paris is WAY overrated nowadays. PH is big, and good, but probably better before Harrah's took over. Rio's size is legendary, but you can't use the pass with the Seafood buffet unless you pay more. Flamingo probably can be skipped, and IP SHOULD be skipped. Too bad Bally's doesn't have theirs anymore, because it was the best of all.

Thanks for all the info. I've heard good things from people about the Paris buffet, but as you alluded to that may be old information. When you present your total rewards card, do you recall if they asked for photo ID with the card? I have a card but if they don't check photo ID and all I need to do is present my TR card, I can use one for myself and a friend can use his and give our TR cards to 2 other friends of ours to use after we eat for another free meal (minus tip). For the recent college graduates trying to save some money wherever we can, this is looking like a better option every minute.

Quote: duckmankilla

Thanks for all the info. I've heard good things from people about the Paris buffet, but as you alluded to that may be old information. When you present your total rewards card, do you recall if they asked for photo ID with the card? I have a card but if they don't check photo ID and all I need to do is present my TR card, I can use one for myself and a friend can use his and give our TR cards to 2 other friends of ours to use after we eat for another free meal (minus tip). For the recent college graduates trying to save some money wherever we can, this is looking like a better option every minute.

Yes, they do check for a photo ID, but as I mentioned, there is a slight delay between when you can use it at the same buffet. This is to prevent this from happening. Trust me, they've thought of everything.

It's a good value IF you plan on eating more than 2 meals at Harrah's buffets. Even if you pay the 44.99, it's still a good value for three meals. It just kind of ties you to the center strip where the gambling values are not nearly as good (lots of 6-5 BJ, bad VP tables). That's not to say the Harrah's/Caesars properties are bad, they just aren't the value for gambling that they are for buffets. And if you're a Gold Card holder, you WILL wait in lines, so plan ahead. I've seen lines at peak times be upwards of an hour. You can pay $10 to jump at Paris, but then it lowers the value of the buffet.

Now a question for somebody in Vegas... last time I was out there was in August...

Is Caesars Lago Buffet still included in the pass? As I check out the website for BoB it doesn't look like it's included anymore. But if you go to Caesars Palace "homepage" and click on Lago Buffet it appears that it IS included. It was included when I was there in August, and as mentioned earlier, this is my favorite off all them. Smoked salmon is my favorite food in the world and they always have it available. Plus you're close to the pool where you get nice views...

Quote: Tiltpoul

Yes, they do check for a photo ID, but as I mentioned, there is a slight delay between when you can use it at the same buffet. This is to prevent this from happening. Trust me, they've thought of everything.

Kinda figured this was the case, but even with the ID check, its still only $10 for 2 of the passes whereas I'd pay $44.99 for just one if i were to buy it alone. This alone makes it very appealing. Look forward to hearing back about the caesars buffet. We went to the bellagio buffet during my last trip to vegas and the food was incredible. Kobe beef, salmon, lobster, sushi, and carving stations with several choices of meats. If any of the Harrah's ones are even in the same league, its gonna be a gluttonous trip :-)

I got a pass last year at G2E (Nov 2010). It lasts for 24 hours, so we were able to get 4 meals out of it, since we went to breakfast on the second day before the pass expired. For both times at breakfast, we at Paris, and it was really good... But, the first day, the coffee tasted like it was made from 20 year old navy beans, as my grandpa used to say.

I also ate at Caesars, but it looks like it's not included. If I were to do it again, I'd probably go to the Rio instead. We hit Planet Hollywood for lunch, and it had so-so food and no ambiance.

Quote: duckmankilla

We went to the bellagio buffet during my last trip to vegas and the food was incredible. Kobe beef, salmon, lobster, sushi, and carving stations with several choices of meats. If any of the Harrah's ones are even in the same league, its gonna be a gluttonous trip :-)

Um, no... not even close to the same league. Caesars is good, very good I think. Rio is huge with a wide selection, and Paris has some okay options. PH is the same as Rio, in my opinion.

But if Bellagio is 5-star, the closest is Caesars at 3 1/2 stars. Of course, Bally's Sunday Buffet in the steakhouse is 5-star PLUS, but it's $99 by itself (or more, price keeps going up on that one). Not included in the BoB pass!

Here's a link to a short review of the Harrah's buffets in 2010:

https://wizardofvegas.com/forum/questions-and-answers/las-vegas/1704-las-vegas-challenge-7-buffets-in-24-hours/3/

It was Harrah's at the time :)

I (and others) have commented on the BoB in this old thread. I don't have anything new to add, and I think others have adequately answered your specific questions.

Hi you are staying 4 nights right? If so and you have a friend you should book 2 nts and the the friend the other 2, or you can book 2 stays each for 2 nights. This way you get 4 BoB passes.

Just a thought,

Good Luck!!!

I would like to put in a word for the Harrah's buffet. It is very good. I had a good experience every time I went, and they are really creative with the cuisine. They have two kinds of smoked salmon at breakfast, if you like that, and even Indian food like Samosas. Just a really, really solid buffet at a reasonable price; a good go-to buffet.

And whatever you do, DON'T go to the Imperial Palace buffet. Even if you are curious ... just don't.

I can second this. I have gotten food poisoning twice in my life. One was from the IP buffet.

We went to the IP buffet a year or two ago, and didn't get sick
or anything. But it was very plain food, plain everything. Not
even as nice as any decent buffet in your hometown. It was
more expensive though.

So in short, I agree, skIP the IP buffet.