Overall reaching for that fourth star, but once they get through their opening week or so they'll definitely be there. Food was awesome, seriously no question whatsoever - this is tasty goodness, the hand-cut fries are amazing (and I love how so much is made in-house). I reaaally liked the short rib slider on the pretzel roll, and the black&blue was also a big hit. I was a little disappointed at first when only two came out on a plate after seeing three in photos (maybe you get 3 at dinner?), but 2 sliders + some fries = content. Could I have eaten another? Sure. Would I be more inclined to share/swap sliders if I had three? Yes. Granted, we decided we could have probably had about 15 more they were so tasty, but in the end my belly was happy with two. Service, well, we were the first customers of the day and maybe she just hadn't had time to put her game face on. Definitely pleasant, but some of the questions were a little backwards ("You guys didn't want any dessert today, right?"). It also became apparent that they didn't subject all of the staff to a full menu tasting before it opened, but I'll give them til my next visit to figure that one out. Atmosphere, I love the colors and the set up, they're definitely ready for the after 5 crowd, but they seem to still be working on everything else. It definitely has a lounge feel, but they dimmed the lights, turned up the volume of the music (which most seemed more appropriate for an evening meal/bar hour), and were adjusting TV channels continually during most of our meal, so I couldn't tell you exactly what they were going for as far as daytime hours, because apparently they're not entirely sure either. The other two staff members (and I'm guessing one was an owner and maybe a manager, but no one introduced themselves) came by the table to welcome us and give us little tidbits about the place (in the spring veggies will be coming in from the rooftop garden). I definitely will be returning, most likely for dinner as I think this place will really shine in the evening hours, and the bar space (and menu - hello NC beers and delish cocktails!) is very appealing, but the food here is definitely a welcomed addition to Elizabeth. I want to eat everything on the menu!

positive

In June of 2005 I gave THE Hotel a well deserved 5 stars. I've since returned in January & June of this year (2008). How has THE Hotel aged? See: Keith Richards. THE Hotel is literally falling apart: * our room rattled like an old Buick * the floor-to-ceiling art pieces are punctured with kick-holes * both the flatscreen & DVD player required a smack from an engineer to restore basic functions * we were forced into a smoking room due to issues with the reservation system Service has declined as well - the staff at THE Hotel don't get around as well as they used to: * the line to check-in was 15 people deep (2:00pm, Saturday) * the line to check-out was 50 people deep (11:00am, Monday) * wait-time for a drink at the Mandalay Beach exceeded 30 minutes With these wait time, THE Hotel felt more like a ball game than a posh Vegas hotel. I will inevitably return to Vegas but next time I will seek-out one of the many hotel/condos that are going-up: * same minimalist decor * same lack of obnoxious casino at your front door * same proximity to Vegas hot spots But with solid execution. I'd recommend that you do the same.

negative

How hard is it to make Mexican Food filled with flavor? Such simple ingredients shouldn't be so difficult - rice, beans, tortilla shells...but you'd be surprised how bland these ingredients can be in the wrong hands. I tried the Pittsburgh version of the California burrito and my friend had the fish tacos. Even though there were supposed to be other ingredients the only thing I tasted was the heavy portion of carne asada and fries...maybe a little cheese. No Guac, no salsa to be seen. I did like the crunch and flavor of the corn chips but the salsa needed about 1/2 bottle of Tapatio to give it some flavor and spice. The best part of the burrito was the grilled tortilla shell which gave the burrito some crunch. My friend's fish tacos were also lacking in the flavor department - he decided to also dose it in Tapatio and then cut up the taco and mix it with the side of rice and beans. So no matter how late or drunk you are - pass by go and do not stop at Los Cabos.

negative

Reader beware... this review is not for the Mirage hotel...because i didnt stay there. This is for the bathroom in the mirage hotel, right next to the buffet. We walked over to the Mirage to eat at the Flavors buffet. The buffet was good...but thats not what i am writing about. Halfway through the meal my stomach told me that i was having an emergency. I didnt walk, i ran to the nearest bathroom. As soon as i entered the bathroom my delicate nasal passages were delighted by the fragrant scents. I looked around and everything was sparkling and clean. I said to myself "self, this is the nicest effin bathroom i have ever been in." I then proceeded to unload 4 or 5 shells of the chocolate shotgun into the pristine commode. I definitely left this bathroom worse off than i found it. On a positive note though, by unloading the entire contents of my small colon, it made more room for more jumbo shrimp and crab legs :)
positive