What is the dress code at Craftsteak?
Like the modern food at Craftsteak, the atmosphere is decidedly contemporary, yet casual, so come prepared for an evening of culture, and dress the part. But you don’t need to bring out the tux: the look at this chic steakhouse is business casual, so we suggest swapping the flip-flops and tank top for a dapper ensemble. Craftsteak may be MGM Grand’s pillar of all things steak, but you won’t find boring spuds at this Forbes Travel Guide recommended locale; the philosophy here is the fresher, the better, and chef Tom Colicchio works to bring in vegetables, fruits and meats from local, small farms for his inventive menu.
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On September 18Forbes Travel Guide Inspector answered the question:
Craftsteak may be the place to get a good piece of grilled meat inside MGM Grand, but it also has a great bar to enjoy cocktails. This Forbes Travel Guide recommended locale boasts an extensive wine list with more than 2,500 bottles, all artfully displayed along the backlit bar. And with more than 250 bourbon and Scotch selections, chef Tom Colicchio’s Las Vegas outlet has the largest collection of these spirits in the city. In fact, the entire back bar is devoted to brown spirits. If you’d prefer something shaken and stirred, the bar also mixes up a variety of craft cocktails including tempting drinks like a key lime martini or Pomma-Rita. Like the rest of this in-demand restaurant, the décor is suitable; a long, slender bar fills one wall, with tall cherry-wood chairs. Red and butter-colored accents provide a shot of color in this otherwise neutral space.
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On September 18Forbes Travel Guide Inspector answered the question:
Does the restaurant have a children’s menu?
If you’re on a family vacation, you’re in luck: Craftsteak, the flagship steakhouse at MGM Grand, has a dedicated, although somewhat limited, kids menu. That’s because chef Tom Colicchio, of Top Chef fame, knows that the key to making mom and dad happy is a juicy ribeye, and something for their ten-year-old. This star chef works with small farms to bring in the best produce and ingredients for his menu, and the kitchen prepares a number of smaller portion creations in their upscale style. That means you won’t find chicken nuggets here; instead younger diners can choose from among a shrimp cocktail or salad appetizer and entrees like a 6-ounce skirt steak or roast chicken. And with the Forbes Travel Guide recommended restaurant’s approachable side dishes like roast baby carrots or French fries, you’re sure to find something that even the pickiest eater will gobble up. -
On September 18Forbes Travel Guide Inspector answered the question:
What are the desserts like at Craftsteak?
We won’t tell you not to order Craftsteak’s whopping 14-ounce New York Strip steak, as well as a handful of chef Tom Colicchio’s creative vegetable dishes, but we will suggest you save some room for dessert. This Forbes Travel Guide recommended restaurant may be MGM Grand’s mecca of all things meat, but pastry chef Carrie Chesto offers a creative dessert menu that is worthy of satisfying your sweet tooth. Her menu includes a variety of playful classics with a seasonal focus — recent offerings include a vanilla bean cheesecake with blood orange caramel and eggnog mousse with gingersnaps. For the true sweets-lover, try the dessert tasting menu. For something lighter, choose the sorbet and ice cream sampler — Chesto makes a variety of seasonal flavors in-house like Ceylon cinnamon ice cream, quince sorbet and gingerbread ice cream. And if you want to try the Craftsteak house specialty, order the über-rich monkey bread, a gussied-up cinnamon roll served alongside brown sugar sour cream ice cream. -
On September 18Forbes Travel Guide Inspector answered the question:
What is the menu like at Craftsteak?
As you may be able to tell from the name, the menu at Craftsteak leans heavily toward the protein side of things; but don’t think that chef Tom Colicchio of Top Chef fame only roasts, grills and braises meat at this Forbes Travel Guide recommended restaurant. The Las Vegas outlet of the New York-based chef’s empire places a large emphasis on produce from small and local farms. You can taste a variety of innovative vegetable courses like roasted beet salad with clementines, crispy sunchokes with thyme or braised Brussels sprouts here. But make no mistake, this is a steakhouse, so there are a ton of beef options as well. A variety of grades and cuts of steak, cooked many different ways, are available.
For the more timid steak-eaters, try a grilled ribeye, but if you’ve won big on the slots or you’re a true meat lover, go all out with the Australian A5 Wagyu, which is a Kobe varietal. The three-course tasting menus are another great way to sample the chef’s variety, and you can choose anything from the Angus beef ($110 per person) to the Australian A5 Wagyu ($295), as well as a vegetarian tasting for those who would prefer no meat at all. And for seafood-lovers, the menu is packed with options: start out with raw oysters and end with roasted sea scallops with fennel or braised Maine lobster. -
On September 18Forbes Travel Guide Inspector answered the question:
What are the five best things to order at Craftsteak?
If you’ve come to Craftsteak, you’re probably looking for a good piece of meat. That’s because this Forbes Travel Guide recommended locale, tucked inside Las Vegas’ MGM Grand, pays homage to all meats roasted, gilled and braised. But don’t think that James Beard Award-winning chef Tom Colicchio only speaks beef; this Top Chef star works to create an innovative menu where the small farm-sourced sides are as inventive as the meats, making this no run-of-the-mill casino steakhouse. Although the menu regularly changes depending on the variety and availability of the farmer’s produce, here are a few menu items that caught our eye:
1. One of the most popular dishes at Craftsteak is also one of the most laborious: the braised short ribs, a Colicchio signature dish, take three days to make. As part of the process, these beef short ribs are braised for 24 hours, giving them a soft toothsome bite you won’t want to miss.
2. Craftsteak is the MGM’s flagship mecca for all things protein, so if you dine at this restaurant, you’ll probably want to try some meat. Our top pick is the Grilled Australian A5 Wagyu Skirt Steak, a Kobe varietal that is packed with beefy flavor.
3. This may be a steakhouse, but chef Tom Colicchio is just as talented with his small farm-sourced vegetables as he is with the meat. One of the most requested items on the menu that we couldn’t help but fall in love with is the Brentwood sweet corn side dish.
4. Get the surf-and-turf experience, without having to order a massive entrée. We suggest the lobster bisque as a starter, followed by any of Craftsteak’s impressive cuts of meat. This thick and creamy tarragon-spiced soup will fill your seafood craving with 4-ounces of tender lobster meat.
5. Although all of pastry chef Carrie Chesto’s desserts offer a sweet ending to a meal at Craftsteak, we particularly like her house made ice creams and sorbets. This pastry chef always has at least six flavors on offer, and the flavors — such as kaffir lime leaf ice cream, cranberry orange sorbet and milk chocolate malt ice cream — change seasonally. -
On September 18Forbes Travel Guide Inspector answered the question:
Is Craftsteak a romantic restaurant?
If you’re looking for a romantic place to wine and dine, then Craftsteak in Las Vegas’s MGM Grand, is your spot. Gamblers who are tired from a long day of cards and food-driven tourists alike flock to this Forbes Travel Guide recommended hot spot to taste some of the Top Chef judge Tom Collichio-approved menu. The utilitarian décor — spare bulbs hang from the ceilings, bare branches fill vases throughout the space — set the tone in the casual, yet contemporary dining room. If you’re looking for a romantic evening out, the creative cuisine, expansive 2,500-bottle wine list and friendly staff offer a great setting for a dinner to remember; but keep in mind that this steakhouse can get a little rowdy, so if you’re looking for somewhere super quiet, choose another restaurant. -
On September 18Forbes Travel Guide Inspector answered the question:
What’s the best table at Craftsteak?
We hate to sound cliché, but there really isn’t a bad seat in the house at Craftsteak, MGM Grand’s flagship steakhouse. Whether you snag a seat in the cozy bar area or dine with a group in one of the large round banquettes in the airy main dining room, you’ll be comfortable and relaxed in this contemporary Forbes Travel Guide recommended restaurant. A combination of cherry wood-panels, earth-toned furnishings, and red and butter-colored accents give the room a warm, inviting atmosphere, while a touch of utilitarian décor from bare cherry-blossom branches in vases and spare bulbs dangling from the ceiling adds chic style. But no matter where you sit, make sure you order a drink to go along with chef Tom Colicchio’s cuisine; Craftsteak boasts an award-winning wine collection, artfully displayed behind the slender bar, that is not to be missed. -
On September 18Forbes Travel Guide Inspector answered the question:
What is the interior design of Craftsteak?
Chef Tom Colicchio, of Top Chef notoriety, opened this temple to all things meat in 2002 as the MGM Grand’s flagship steakhouse and promised a restaurant philosophy where simple is better. He works to find the best produce and ingredients from small farms for the inventive menu, and the modern décor plays into this minimalistic state of mind. A combination of cherry wood panels, earth-toned furnishings, and red and butter-colored accents fill this high-ceiling space. Bare cherry-blossom branches in vases and spare bulbs dangling from the ceiling add a touch of utilitarian décor to the serene rooms. The Forbes Travel Guide recommended restaurant’s award-winning wine collection, armed with a variety of California varietals, is elegantly displayed behind the slender bar.
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On September 18Forbes Travel Guide Inspector answered the question:
What is the price range for a meal at Craftsteak?
Meat lovers won’t be disappointed with a meal at Craftsteak: at this Forbes Travel Guide recommended Las Vegas locale, tucked inside MGM Grand, the slot machines go on pause and steak is the main attraction. The best way to enjoy James Beard Award-winning chef Tom Colicchio’s thoughtful menu is with his three-course tasting, and you can try everything from the angus beef ($115 per person) to the all-star Australian A5 Wagyu surf and turf ($295 per person)
If steak isn’t your thing, the vegetarian tasting menu ($68), is a great way to sample the chef’s use of small farm produce with dishes like crispy sunchokes with thyme. And if the three-course tasting menu is more than you can handle, opt for the à la carte menu; a variety of salads (starting at $12), seafood (with raw oysters starting at $4 each) and meats (starting at $36) are available to tempt your palate. Add a glass of California wine from Craftsteak’s extensive list, or a Scotch from their collection of over 200 varieties, and your night will be complete — although we can’t promise what kind of gambling shape you’ll be in when you leave.
