text: I find myself in Vegas at least a handful of times a year and as someone who likes to gamble read hemorrhage money I certainly find myself looking to keep my overhead low when it comes to dining and entertainment nnTo this end The Tequila Bar inside Ballys has proven a vital post for wagoncircling during long stretches of losses as well as a cheap celebratory meal following a fortuitous fullcourt heave nnIn downtown Vegas and offStrip drink and meal deals for the gambler and nongambler alike are fairly common But midStrip Ballys is at the heart of things at the corner of Flamingo and the Strip value is almost a fourletter word nnTequila Bar counters this trend with thoroughly decent tacos hard or soft chicken or steak small margaritas as well as a larger forgetyourtroublesgringo margarita featuring not uno not tres but cinco Cuervo shots in a souvenir glass nnBut if you are looking for dinner and a show I recommend ordering the burger known as The Texas Challenge Three pounds of Angus beef a dozen strips of bacon a half dozen slices of cheese a whole tomato a whole red onion an iceberg lettuce wedge a pound of cole slaw and an epic custommade bun about the size of a manhole cover nnI ordered the masterpiece and the bartenders and managers made a huge fuss telling the rest of the Friday night crowd at the restaurant that something big was in store How big is the patty Imagine a large pie crust filled solidly to the top with ground beef Uncalledfor big nnIf I was able to finish the entire meal which when plated took two hands and a hernia belt to lift it would be onthehouse and I would receive my name on the wall as the first to ever polish it off nnWhen it finally arrived so many diners camera phones were going off they had to have a bartender act as a cowcatcher to part the crowd so they could deliver the burger to my seat at the bar nnIt was incredible Just the biggest most beautifully symmetrical thing I would ever seen It was like I was looking at a regular burger through a powerful telescope except that it was right in front of me nnI was able to successfully finish twothirds of the mighty meal and the manager said I had come as close as any of the brave souls who preceded me He then shook my hand and bought me a beer He was a hell of a guy And it was a surprisingly delicious burger all things considered nnI would recommend Tequila Bar highly as a friendly inexpensive place to eat and drink your cares away midStrip meet a lot of single ladies latenight or make a huge spectacle of yourself by eating a Sputniksized burger nnJust remember even in the casino kitchen the house always wins