Problem: We only got a taste of the MGM Grand but it seems to hold it's standards pretty high despite all the traffic that it attracts with KA and the Arena Fights/Concerts and all the 5 Star restaurants. Also, the prices for the rooms seem to be consistently mid range despite it being so popular. They must attract a lot of high rollers. The plethora of Michelin rated eateries is very impressive. Even the non-Michelin rated restaurants are pretty impressive. I have been to Pearl, Emeril's, L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon, and Wolfgang Puck's. I have just scratched the surface and will try more in the future for sure. The rooms were pretty nice when I stayed here a few years ago. Moderately sized and clean. The only thing that really bugs about this casino is the extremely long hikes from the front of the hotel to the back where all the restaurants are. Even from the valet station, it's pretty far. Everything is so far apart. I guess that's how they get you to play. You get tired from walking, sit down at a machine, and say, what the heck and play a $100 while you rest. Good strategy. All in all, this hotel really tries to cater to it's regulars. Why else would you scrap a brand new lion entrance just because it's bad luck in some cultures. That was a big renovation but I'm sure the dividends were much higher.
How would this review be described?
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A: positive

Problem: The wife and I dined here for dinner on 8/9/11. Ordered Fried Pickles ($4) and Pork Buns ($6) for appetizers, the Graze Burger ($19!!) and the Burger of the week ($15), fries with both entrees. This was our first visit to Graze. We had pretty high expectations, seeing as how it is the 'sister restaurant' of L'Etoile. It certainly was the hoity-est place we've been to, and with their focus on gourmet, local ingredients, we were sure we were in for a great meal. First impressions- No reservations needed- cool! They were very busy, which for a Tuesday night was surprising, but it was election night, and there was a rally going on. The wait to get seated was about 30 minutes, not bad, but they told us 10. Noisy- very noisy. near impossible to have a conversation without shouting. The decor- seemed like they were trying for an artsy/modern look, but all I could think about was how the metal chairs were the exact same kind of metal chairs you always see in interrogation rooms on cop tv shows. Next time you are watching Law and Order, or one of the others, check out the chairs. You'll see what I mean. Service was slow, maybe we were just impatient because we were very hungry & we were in a little bit of a hurry, we wanted to check out the rally. After what was probably 30 minutes, we were finally served our appetizers. The fried pickles were a huge disappointment. There was more breading than pickle. I honestly didn't realize you could slice a pickle that thin! Greasy, very greasy. They tasted like something you would get off a food truck at a carnival. I didn't use the sauce, the wife did and said it was good, so maybe that was the trick. In my opinion food is either good or it's not, and you shouldn't have to drench it in sauce for it to be good. The pork buns were nothing like I was expecting, which could just be my own ignorance. I was expecting pork buns like I remembered from China One Buffet (on Broadway) back in the day. What we got looked more like a pork taco, but whatever. They tasted ok I guess, not something I would normally order, and I probably wouldn't order again. The wife said they were 'different' which is usually code for 'not very good'. At this point, we were feeling a little leary about our entrees. After what felt like forever (but was probably about 30 more minutes), our burgers & fries came. Not sure why it took so long for two burgers and two orders of fries. My burger was the Graze burger (fresh ground sirloin, ribeye & short ribs, caramelized onions, cabernet jus, sesamse seed brioche) The burger did not come with any toppings. Just burger, bun & caramelized onions. It looked a little naked, I thought. Now I didn't expect the chef to want to bury his work of beef art under a blanket of cheese (even though we are in the dairy state), but a little lettuce, tomato, pickle or even some raw onions really would have elevated this burger to something special. Without all of that it was just ok. The taste & texture reminded me of a meatloaf sandwich. Which would have been fine if I'd ordered the meatloaf sandwich, but I didn't. I ordered the $19 hamburger. $19!! I guess I figured that I since ordered one of the most expensive things on the menu, that it would blow my mind, but it just didn't. My mistake. In fact, I found it a little salty, and not in a good way. The wife, being more adventurous than I am, ordered the burger of the week, which we didn't hear the name of and barely heard the description of. Something about a burger with bacon, limburger cheese, and hash browns, served on a play on french toast. She said it was 'weird, wet and kinda gross' It also was extremely messy, the 'french toast' or whatever it was pretty much disintigrated, leaving her hands a sloppy, greasy mess. I know right now you are probably thinking 'sheesh, don't you have anything nice to say?' Yes. I do- the french fries were very good. So there you have it. $46.42 (after tax) for some darn good fries. Not what you'd call a good value. Although, after this experience, neither of us is in a hurry to try the 'sister restaurant' L'Etoile, which would have a significantly higher price tag, so in a way, dining at Graze actually saved us money in the long run. An expensive lesson learned.
How would this review be described?
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A: negative

Problem: My family has been going to this restaurant for years. I wouldn't classify it as traditional Mexican food, but the food and service is always good and the chips and salsa are excellent! I tend to order the San Marcos Burrito which is like a chimichanga cover in a spicy cream sauce. The tamales are also very good, they have the standard red and sweet green corn versions, plus a unique Vegi one that has broccoli, carrots, and other things you wouldn't normally expect in tamales. The also offer a "Mini Menu" that will save on the wallet, but is still plenty of food and have lunch specials (which are actually served till closing on Mondays)
How would this review be described?
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A:
positive