When multiple people make the same recommendation for a restaurant, you should be a good listener and go to that place. Upon mentioning that I would be in Sin City for a conference, I had two fellow humans mention Ellis Island Las Vegas. A casino/restaurant located just behind Bally’s and Paris, this little gem of an establishment now holds a special place in my food loving heart. Is it sort of a dump? Well, yeah. Should you go anyway? Duh.
Upon arrival into the city of all things clean and pure, the parental unit (who were also there for conference business) and I made Ellis Island Las Vegas our first stop. I should have known by the huge flashing marquee that said “show your badge get a beer” and “$7.99 steak special” that this was no ordinary adventure.
We had the greatest waitress, beer was $2.25 for a 20oz’r, and the steak special was indeed $7.99. I’m the awful person that orders steak “super dead.” (Editor’s note: this is super-gross. Just because Mari does this, don’t you do this.) My most common descriptor of just how dead I want it is, “so dead that it can come back to life again.” This steak was pure perfection, let me tell you. So dead, so charry, so beautiful. It’s tasty constituents, le mashed potato and le green beans, were exceptional.
My maternal figure ordered the Chicken Fried Chicken; don’t even get me started on that masterpiece of a dish from Ellis Island Las Vegas.
I was so high off of a good meal that I decided to gamble. Something I have never been great at. I lost $5 and swore off gambling for life.
Maternal Unit One got on the same game machine I had been on and proceeded to CRUSH IT for the next 45 minutes. Such is life. The machine was clearly trying to send me a message.
We went once for lunch, I ordered the Chicken Fried Chicken Sandwich. It took 8 years off my life, but it was well worth it. Crispy and perfect, this sandwich had a great piece of deep fried awesomeness, with pickles and coleslaw. Little beauty didn’t stand a chance. Sitting on that plate with super hot steak fries. Love at first sight is real, y’all!
Later that week we went back to the BBQ restaurant, appropriately named Ellis Island BBQ. With a whopping four items on their menu (full rack, half rack, half chicken, half rack AND half chicken) this place knows what they’re doing. KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid) must be their motto.
I ordered the half rack and half chicken, because going overboard is fine. The half rack and half chicken came with garlic bread, bbq beans, coleslaw, and corn on the cob. All for $13.99. I got my plate and thought, “I CAN DO THIS!” I did make it a point to get as much BBQ sauce on my face as possible. It really was a lot of food. The protruding rib and chicken belly I acquired during this meal was proof. We waddled back to Paris happy, in our new penguin/human hybrid forms.
All in all, it was very much worth it. Especially considering how expensive food was in the hotels. A nice alternative, and the service was amazing. Ellis Island in Las Vegas, who knew!?
Ellis Island Casino, 4178 Koval Ln, Las Vegas, (702) 733-8901
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