B and B Ristorante
3355 Las Vegas Blvd S,3355 S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV, 89109
B and B Ristorante Menu
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Address :
3355 Las Vegas Blvd S,3355 S Las Vegas Blvd
Las Vegas, NV, 89109 - Phone (702) 266-9977
- Website https://www.bandbristorante.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :5:00 pm - 11:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : No
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Valet, Garage
Bike Parking : No
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : No
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Dressy
Ambience : Classy
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
Categories
Italian Cuisine
The immense popularity of Italian cuisine globally isn't unknown. You can find an Italian Pizzeria around every corner of almost every city in the United States. Not to forget that in every house, people enjoy mac and cheese as comfort food. But it would be wrong to believe that Italian food starts with pizza and ends with good pasta as this Mediterranean country has much more to offer other than these two dishes. In Italian Cuisine, there is a high use of fresh tomatoes, all kinds of herbs, great quality of cheese, all types of meat, seafood and fresh handmade pasta. Many find it hard to believe that Italians have been making noodles long back.
Italian and Greek cuisines are always mistaken to be same, but they are poles apart. The primary difference between the two cuisines is the use of cheese in most of the Italian dishes. Italians love to cultivate their own cheese and process them as per their food requirement. It is believed that some cheese is so expensive that cheese producers secure them in lockers.
If you are bored eating the same old pasta or pizza, you can try some of the authentic Italian dishes like Risotto, Polenta, Ribollita, Lasagna, Fiorentina Steak, Bottarga, Ossobuco, Carbonara, Focaccia, Arancini and Supplì. Another item which Italians love to relish every morning is a good cup of Italian Coffee. Once you taste a freshly brewed cup of Italian Coffee, you might not visit Starbucks ever again. Authentic Italian food is made with heart and soul, so go find a restaurant where you can relish Italian cuisine in your city.
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Kristen G.
Mario Batali... You've disappointed me AGAIN. First with Osteria Mozza... now with B&B. I'm really becoming a skeptic. Yes, it's nice, and all. But it's also loud. Like Osteria Mozza you played WEIRD music. I mean, really, I love Zeppelin, and I REALLY love modest mouse, but when I'm paying as much as I am for a meal, with good company, I want to be able to listen to my dinner companions, not your rockin' iPod. I started with a simple (albeit expensive) salad... and had the sweet potato ravioli. Which, in all honesty, tasted like butternut squash ravioli.. but whatever. It was good. It wasn't blow my mind good... but it was good. I'm disappointed again, by the complete disregard for vegetarians. More options here than at Osteria Mozza, but still, very very lacking. Still no vegetarian main course, so I always feel cheap when not ordering one.. and then silly when I have to watch other people eat their main course when I don't have one. Our server was goofy and made inappropriate jokes... which -- hmm... I would expect some professionalism. I make inappropriate jokes too -- but not to my clients. Just... ookaaayyy... and it SHOULDN'T be just oookaaayyy.. it should be great. and... it just ISN'T.
(3)Andrew C.
Went for lunch, food was great, service not so much.
(4)Gail S.
Our party of 5 had a wonderful dinner here. Our waiter Gregory and the sommelier Liz were excellent. We really enjoyed the salumi, Jose's pyramids pasta, gnocchi with lamb ragu, the veal chop, and the pork chop. Would highly recommend this place if you're in Vegas.
(5)Dawnmarie S.
Unfortunately, we were a bit rushed as we were sat an hour before closing. I'll have to post a more detailed review next visit.
(4)Philip G.
Was not impressed when we went there last year. Desert was not edible. Service was overly pretentious. Will not be going back.
(3)Kristen D.
This place was just ok. Very pricey for the quality. We got the caprese salad & it had soggy, wet cheese (not mozzarella). The calamari had mostly fried cauliflower & it had no flavor. I had the pesto gnocchi & it was mostly beans & potatoes. The flavor was not good. Tasted very earthy. My friend got the black spaghetti & she said it was ok. My other friend had the pork tenderloin & she said it was good, but the veggies were way too butter to eat. I would not come back here.
(2)Nerissa C.
So disappointing. I chose B&B for a friends' reunion. I dined there 3 years ago and was happy with my meal then... Not so last night. Let me start by saying the service was excellent. Our server and almost all the supporting service team are the only ones who deserve a star in this review. I really expected much more from Batali and Bastianich.. and their executive chef. To see Joe Bastianich on Master Chef (e.g. spitting out substandard food and chastising the guilty chef), you would think he would expect a higher standard from the chefs at the restaurant with HIS name on it... especially with the priciness of the menu items (I won't even comment on the wine since I expect a 2x-3x mark up in Las Vegas.) Here's where things went wrong: 1) The Heritage pork bruschetta (open-faced pork pastrami sandwich) came on soggy bread; it was meant to serve a few of us but came as one long bruschetta and when asked for a serrated knife, the sommelier huffed, and proceeded to mutilate our bruschetta with a spoon and a butter knife 2) A friend just wanted chicken.. it was on the menu. They ran out of chicken. How does a restaurant run out of chicken? That's always the last to go. I'm guessing they ran out because the guests who ordered the pork chops (describe below) ended up returning their meals as I did and ordered the chicken instead 3) One of the recommended dishes was the grilled pork chops. I should have known not to order when the server said it was brined for a long period.. I was trusting Batali's and Bastianich's reputations. The server came with my chop and said that the chef recommendation is to finish the pork chop with a balsamic vinaigrette. I wanted to taste the flavor of the meat so I couldn't understand why so I asked for some on only half of the chop and then perhaps a side dish. After my first bite, I understood why. The pork chop was inedible... I love salt, but it was well OVER-seasoned. The vinaigrette and peach served with the pork were meant to cut the saltiness from over-brining. Even if that had worked, I would still have consumed more salt than I would in a week.. the cut of the pork was excellent, the flavor would have been nice too, but for the over-seasoning 4) Pass on the desserts. We sampled four (chocolate torte, blueberry crepe, not tiramisu "tiramisu" and fig crostada (puff pastry with salty mascarpone filling)... by the way, both the desserts with mascarpone had salty mascarpone..) The night was made enjoyable because of the company of old friends... but we could have taken our business elsewhere and had both great company and (most likely) much better food.
(1)Wade M.
This is the best meal at a restaurant that I've ever had in America. I did the sampler meal, which was multiple courses. Loved everything about it. Each course was small which allowed me to fully enjoy every one, without feeling like I was going to throw up at the end. I was perfectly full and perfectly satisfied. I love traditional/classic Italian food. This was a slightly more creative version of such, where I could tell that the chef understood the rules of classic Italian, but then felt free to break some of those rules and create a really unique experience. Can't wait to go back to Vegas and dine there again. Worth every penny.
(5)Patty O.
We tried B&B after hearing great things but unfortunately we were slightly let down. The one great thing they have going for them is great service. Our waiter was so knowledgable about the menu which helped guide our ordering. But one thing he wasn't helpful with was how much to order. He suggested that each person order 1 appetizer/salad, 1 primi (pasta dish) and 1 secondi (meat/fish dish). We did this and whoaaa way too mucho food. After the primi, we were sufficiently full. When the secondi's arrived, we were all overwhelmed with the amount of food to eat. The food was good though-grilled octopus delicious, beef cheek ravioli & bucatini really great & I liked the branzino & pork chop (we all shared). My best advice would be just to order a starter & a primi or a secondi (not both). Unless you want leftovers, which is hard to do when you're in Vegas and most likely do not want to lug the food back to your room and then you have no way to heat it up (unless you're staying at an extended stay type room).
(3)Smb B.
Ok. Now, I love Mario Batali...well, I Loved Mario Batali but after dining at this establishment I will no longer patronize him. Service was good food was NOT. I ordered the short ribs and my sister ordered the Cavatelli with lamb. My food had no flavor whatsoever. I was very disappointed. My sisters portion was kids size and after tasting it I was very unhappy. It had no flavor either. The pasta was very dense and chewy. There is absolutely no way Mario Batali is hands on in this restaurant. It was horrible! I was very disappointed. I will never go again. I passed up CUT and Aquaknox to give him a try.....never again. Way overpriced and below mediocre for me to return. If you are a foodie don't bother....waste of time and money. Oh, the food did the agree with me either. I just finished puking 3 times....ewwww yuck. Never again!
(1)Angela T.
As a person suffering from Celiac Disease, I was terrified to go to an Italian restaurant. Imagine my delight when our server announced they had several gluten free dishes INCLUDING special gluten-free spaghetti noodles! I was absolutely in heaven! The grilled Octopus anti-pasti was slap-your neighbor good. As was my lobster spaghetti and finally the duck. Oh my, the duck! Not a bit of fattiness about it. It was just a beautiful evening with ever so courteous staff and no grand delay between courses. Mario, well done :)
(5)Thompson P.
What does it say about a meal for which you, by yourself, have paid $215 (after gratuity) when the most exciting part was the discovery of a new hand-drying technology? While I cannot recommend the actual restaurant, should you accidentally visit B&B Ristorante in Las Vegas, you really MUST try the amazing Veltia hand-drying machine in the bathroom. To say I was disappointed with the food is like saying you were disappointed when you walked in on your mom and me trying to conceive your new baby sister (surprise!). Yes, the emotions under discussion are roughly analogous, but they're not really comparable. In my historic review of Lupa I said Mr. Batali was a wizard because that restaurant and Babbo, two of Batali's New York joints, are made not of brick and mortar but of the Platonic ideal of Italian restaurants coalesced into tangible shape and form. Considering how much I love those places I had to find a way to reconcile the crappy impression left on me by B&B. And I did. Here's my theory: In 2006 a disgraced, leprous chef approached Mario Batali after spiking the chubby ginger Gandalf's drink and stabbing him with a heroin syringe. "Mr. Batali, I have a business proposition for you," our villain said as the drugs raced through Batali's veins. "I'm one with the universe! Time has no meaning!" Batali said. Special note for kids: intravenous drugs act with almost instantaneous speed. You're welcome. Sensing an opportunity, the asshole wannabe chef said, "This is the Lord, Mr. Batali, and I have a business proposition." "Give unto God what is God's, unto Caesar what is Caesar's! What would you have me do, Lord, on this my road to Damascus!" Heroin. What a drug. The antagonist continued, "I want to make a restaurant with mediocre food, but it's prepared elaborately and attached to an exorbitant fee, so people won't know any better!" "Lord, I made Otto and Lupa and Babbo," Batali said. "My 'strants kick ass as a rule, I really wouldn't feel comfortable--" "THOU WILT DO AS THY GOD COMMANDS!" said the son of a bitch. And so B&B Ristorante was born, the child of blasphemy and lies. I had no way of knowing this when I walked into that den of woe one fateful Sunday night. "Lasciate ogne speranza, voi ch'intrate," the waitress said as we took our seats. There would be no debate over the menu. I looked my different tasting menu options and ordered the "regional" list with the attached wine pairing in order to have the widest range of savory experiences. The first layer of our meal was the Georgia White Shrimp Spiedino. Shrimp arrive on wooden skewers over a mat of veggies. The shrimp was tasty but laden with salt. The texture was ideal, and I liked that the arthropodic flesh had a flavor that subtly changed as it passed over the palate. Still, too salty is too salty. The Cavatelli with Rabbit all'Ischitana tasted like store bought pasta with shredded chicken. Boring. Ditto the Maccarona with Ragu Napolitana. Things were getting ominous. Then the entertainment arrived when the Braciole del Portinaio with Eggplant "Marinara" numbed the mouths of two of our party members. Right. Just so you know the reason "marinara" is in quotes is because they make it with lidocaine (not a traditional ingredient in a marinara). At least the mad harlequin calling the shots in the kitchen was consistent: the braciole was way too salty. I don't remember the Calcagno a Crosta Liscia, so I guess it was made of yawns. The calcagno was followed by a micro serving of Chocolate Salumi with House Canned Apricots. I really liked the apricot bit. I scarfed it down and lamented that it had been served with hard cheese and adorable apple slices. No matter how cute your apple slices are, if any part of my meal resembles something my mom would put in my lunchbox as a six-year-old, you need to return to the kitchen and a.) light yourself on fire, Buddhist monk style b.) apologize to me and c.) revise your menu. Not necessarily in that order. I want to take time out of my black fuming to mention the wine that was served with the Salumi. The Cascina Ca'Rossa "Birbet" was a delight thing to consume . I think one of my dinner mates said it best: "If I met a girl and she smelled like this I would marry her." Apparently the B&B staff heard my request for an apology because the next bit, the Honey Semifreddo with Huckleberries was a dessert masterpiece. No word on whether there's a smoldering corpse in the kitchen, but it was a noble attempt at an apology. The Semifreddo had a delicate sweetness that perfectly matched the tartness of the huckleberries adorning it. N.b. the above passages are not all negative. This meal had high points, and besides the braciole none of my food was bad so much as mediocre. Fuck that noise. When I drop two bills the dead better walk and Amaterasu herself better serve my meal. Between the price and the attachment of Mario Batali's name there is no excuse for the meal I ate at B&B Ristorante.
(2)G G.
Terrible food. I swear the Olive Garden would have been a better choice. We came here with friends from Europe who are real foodies. The wife actually started crying, she was so disappointed. Hideously overpriced. The food was burnt and tasted like char (amazingly, all of our dishes were burnt). The stupid waitress said that "that's how they cook in Italy". What??? We've all been to Italy several times and we've never been served crap like this. Most definitely would not recommend.
(1)Susie Y.
Came here on Sunday night. Started with drinks at V Bar (happy hour until 7 - well drinks $6) almost next door to B&B and I was glad I did because reviewing the mark up of approximately 300% of wine at B&B I decided against wine with dinner. This was by no means an easy decision as Italian food begs for wine to accompany it but nonetheless I just didn't want to pay $20 a glass. Although had I been in a different mood I probably would have. As to the ambiance - it was more casual than other Batali restaurants I have been to. We were sat next to an open window overlooking the thoroughfare outside the restaurants where tourists walked to and fro. I would have preferred something a little more intimate and well in my experience these type of spots out in the open are generally reserved for people without reservations. The restaurant was about 1/3-1/2 full. The acoustics made it so it was louder than I would have liked. They were playing AC/DC while we ate. While I appreciate rock music I would have preferred a more Sinatra experience. We were dressed up however there were a number of people wearing jeans. We ordered two appetizers - the straciatella, which I always adore. I was recently told by Due Forni that they were the only place in town that imported and served this but maybe they meant the only non-strip restaurant? Either way the straciatella was $16 and came with two pieces of bread, we asked for more. The cheese is creamy and has a mild almost nutty flavor to me. We also ordered the calamari, it was grilled and was delicious although it was approx. $20 and only had three larger tentacle pieces. We then ordered the bone marrow ravioli, they brought it out on two plates for sharing. While it was good, I don't think I would order it again - the bone marrow must have melted upon cooking it because there really wasn't any within the raviolis although there was a taste of bone marrow. Again around the $20 range. For the secondi I ordered the veal saltimbocca with arugula salad. The arugula had a light vinaigrette on it and as plentiful and the veal also came with two larger pieces, although the veal was a little tough. We think it would have been better if we just ordered a few appetizers to share. The service was not impeccable. We were sat at a two top. They let the menus and wine list pile up and brought out plates before they took the order and brought out the amuse bouche of bruschetta (which was two small toasts with a chickpea compote on top). Instead of taking our orders and taking the menus they sat the menus next to me on the booth side of the table. Also, we had to ask for drink refills. They didn't place the napkin on my lap (yes I realize that is knit picky but that is what reviews are for right). I also overhead the waitress, our waitress, tell another table that a slow roasted meat was tougher because it was cooked longer - really?! Obviously untrue and I couldn't believe she said that and that they patrons believed it but I restrained myself and didn't interject. I asked for bread with olive oil/vinegar - the waiter forgot the olive oil and I had to ask a second time. Also, waited forever to bring the check and then forever once we gave her money for the change. I watched the waitress walk around the restaurant and take two more table's orders prior to retrieving our change. We were even more ancy as service was slow and the chairs were not the most comfortable and we were anxious to leave. Also, I found the Mario Batali cookbooks lining the bar area to be obnoxious - like a cheap advertising ploy. So I think next time I will pick another Batali venue. We still love Carnavino and I would go back there over B&B.
(3)Jamie M.
This was the absolute best meal I had in Vegas. I was a little apprehensive because we walked in, and there weren't very many guests. I expected more people there because it's a Mario Batali/Joe Bastianich restaurant, and we were in Vegas, and so I made reservations. Turns out, they were completely unnecessary. First thing that came to our table: chickpea bruchetta. This was amazeballs. It was so good. Seasoned and perfectly cooked chickpeas with basil on toasted bread. I was surprised at how good it was because I'm usually not a fan of chickpeas. I got the lamb and rapini (broccoli rabe) oricchette. I found it to be a little salty, but nothing I couldn't overcome. Of course I took the "chef recommendations" and added whatever they told me to. For dessert, I got the lemon budino. It's basically a lemon souffle, for anyone who doesn't know what a budino is. I had to google it before I ordered. I didn't think it was very good.. It was too tart for me, and the honey didn't really help. Maybe I was already overstuffed from all the deliciousness that I had been eating previously. Dessert also came with a complementary nine bites. Unfortunately, due to my chocolate allergy, half of them were inedible, and the other half I assumed were contaminated by just being in the same bowl or storage unit as all the others. Even though dessert seemed disappointing, I'm not deducting a star. Why? Because the service was completely amazing. Everyone working was so helpful, so kind, and so attentive. My fiance dropped his napkin on the floor while heading to the bathroom, and by the time he came back it was replaced. We ordered a bottle of wine, and the sommelier was very knowledgeable about the wine we got, and attentive enough to notice that we weren't there to spend more than $50 on a bottle. I've tried to find the wine we got there, just to have in our wine rack as a commemorative bottle or two, but unfortunately I've been unable to find it at our local Specs. The next time I'm in Vegas, I'll either make it a point to come to this restaurant again, or at least show up to a different B&B restaurant. Such as Carnevino. But this was so good that I might be back without any questions. Maybe I'll just go to both.
(5)Kristie B.
Excellent meal! Interesting food pairings. The grilled octopus is top-notch - very tender and not "fishy" at all. Highly recommended! Our waitress Brittany had excellent recommendations on the wine as well.
(5)Connie D.
OMG the Veal chop I had was to die for! My hubby had the pork chop and said it was great. However the linguine with clams was not so great, most of our clam shells were empty, one wasn't even a bit open(that's a no-no ) . Very sad about that! Dessert was so-so. Service was par excellent! My hubby is a diabetic so no wine for us. Usually that diminishes your service in restaurants, but not here!
(3)Eric D.
The service was painfully slow. The portions are child size. And the bill was ridiculous. If you are looking for mediocre food served in a pretentious manner then this is your place.
(1)Jade K.
Loves the quiet dim lit setting. We chose this place out of all the restaurants in Venetian/palazzo because we've never had any Mario batali's restaurant. From start to finish we had such a great overall experience. Our server made it extra special. Now, I started to overlook the other reviews and I noticed people said the servers were pretentious. I could see why people would think that. I'm reality the servers are just very passionate about their food and restaurant which I love and appreciate. Onto the food. Grilled octopus: I hate octopus until now. It was so tender that it melted in mouth. It was amazing! Sardines: absolutely tangy and fresh Foie gras ravioli: delicious All their pasta dishes are perplexed and differ on everyone's taste buds
(5)Annemarie H.
To little dark in here but I love this place is very much but every time I leave I leave with my tummy so stuffed that I'm actually kind of cashed out for the night. I hate that feeling but the food is so good I kind I have no self-control I usually always start with the rabbit confiiet as an appetizer and then I usually get the beef cheek ravioli with the duck liver and then I let Chef Doug surprise me with dessert... Perfecto!
(4)Saren T.
Mario Batali should be ashamed, this was by far the worst food I have ever had. That's saying something when I'm not too picky an eater. The food was super salty, the whole time I felt there was a salt lick stuck to my tongue! Maybe next time I try a steak or fish dish maybe that will taste better...or maybe I just save my money and go get a great meal someplace else.
(1)Drew K.
Just wasn't impressed. Pacing of the courses were very disjointed but service otherwise was very good. They tried to be as attentive as possible. One of our party ordered lamb medium rare and it came out medium well which left him waiting for his entree well after we were finished eating. In the meantime they brought out multiple "we're sorry about that" small dishes to him, but in the end it was a disruptive gaffe. Other dishes were equally underwhelming coming out bland and uninspiring. I would highly recommend two dishes if you end up here though. One being the grilled octopus. Large portion, perfectly cooked and worth every penny. The other, the bucatini dish was a great plate of pasta. In the end I feel that B&B is priced well above it's value. I feel that having Mario Batali's name attached to it draws more stars than the end result. That being said, it wasn't awful either. The dinner as a whole had some great moments and some bad ones. Either way, it wasn't worth the bloated bill we got at the end of the night.
(2)Ciarra M.
My mom and I had Christmas dinner here and the food was amazing!! There were a lit of small complimentary treats. Also, the lamb was brought,sliced and served at our table. The space was a little tight and our table was tiny but nothing worth complaining about. Yes, it is on the pricey side but it's a steakhouse so it's to be expected. Would def dine here again.
(5)Adeel A.
Over rated.. Bad service and expensive food. I ordered shrimp on linguine and it was dry, under cooked and not tasty. Serving size is small even for dinner. Price is high, and not even delicious which makes it not worth it. There are many other good restaurants in Venetian / Plazzo, try others but not B&B.
(1)Kendall B.
The atmosphere is elegant and the service is impeccable, but the food is really just "meh." I had $200 worth of comps at the Venetian for food and drink and I was disappointed that I wasted them on B & B Ristorante. If I had spent my own money on the meal, I probably would have only given the place one star. This being said, there is one dish that I would go back for. and that is Mario Batali's Grilled Octopus with Limoncello Vinaigrette. It was one of the top ten things that I have ever tasted. The octopus was grilled to perfection without any rubbery texture and the limoncello dressing added a powerful citrus flavor that brightened the entire dish. If you do go, order this for your appetizer and a second for your entree! My entree of steak tagliata with roasted fingerling potatoes on the other hand, was HORRENDOUS. It was so so so so incredibly oily that I could barely finish eating it. I've had better steaks for half the price at hole-in-the-wall Italian restaurants. The potatoes were burnt to a crisp and also drenched in oil--I put one in my mouth and ended up spitting it out (a nice surprise for my waiter in the cloth napkin at the end of the night, I am sure!) But aside from the food, I must also admit that the wine was delicious. I had a full bodied red by Bastianich and it was stellar (as it should be at $18 a glass!). Super unimpressed and would not waste my time or money here next time I go to Vegas. Sorry Mario, but it was a miss for me,
(2)Sandy S.
I was so disappointed!! And I love Mozza!! So I had high expectations. I went with 3 other gfs for dinner a few weeks ago. The venue was cute and the servers started off very professionally and attentive, and then it kind of went downhill from there. We would ask for random things like olive oil or separate checks, and they would forget about it. We had to ask twice. Our server was nice, but a little too stoic...and not as attentive as I would expect from such a restaurant. As for the food, one word: salty. But I've heard this could be Batali's style...so maybe it's just me...but my pasta was so salty, I couldn't finish it. This is what we ordered: Octopus salad: pretty good. Probably the best dish of the night. The octopus was tender. Beet salad: Also pretty good. Very colorful. Linguine with clams: disappointment! My noodles were not only undercooked, but dry. They said it's bc it's al dente. I like al dente, but this was beyond. Many of the noodles were stuck together and they were pretty hard. So I sent it back. They made a new dish for me. Noodles were perfect. However, it was so salty, I couldn't finish it. And I really tried, too. Salt lick. We got a few other pasta dishes. My gf had to send hers back bc the noodles were also undercooked. My other gf 's pasta dish wasn't appetizing, so she didn't finish hers. Another gf of mine got the short ribs, and she enjoyed her dish. It tasted pretty good. Salty, though. If you love salt, you'll love this place. :)
(3)Alan T.
Absolutely awful, a waste of time and money. The service was so unfriendly and unhelpful, and stop trying to sell us your expensive $15 sparkling water. It's a shame that the service was so poor to ruin the experience. Mr. Batali should hire "Mystery Diner" to stakeout this place.
(1)Ryan M.
B&B provides a pretty wonderful experience with few drawbacks. My first visit was on the company dime, so that may ease any hard judgements. But I did return just a week later. Indeed, the experience is great if not stellar; and the food delicious! There is certainly a relaxed ambience. I would not call it truly romantic - random music from the casino comes in clearly. There is not much seating, so things could get packed quickly. Have the sommelier recommend a wine. He presented a fantastic quality and good pairing on both occasions. Anyone not an Italian wine expert probably won't have much luck with the menu anyhow. Unlike most good spots in Vegas, B&B's prices are appropriate for the quality. Also, one must make a long trek through the casino craziness to reach it. But you'll be glad you did.
(5)Ahmed S.
Axing food the pasta tasting menu is not to miss unlike other tasting menu the emphasis here is on quality and not quantity. The presentation is impeccable and the price is truly an amazing value for what you get. My number one choice to eat in Vegas and the official Mecca of Italian food. Drop all your other dinner plans and come here, you won't regret it.
(5)Andrew E.
This place was delicious. It was basically my second time at a restaurant of this caliber, but the staff was there to guide my fiancee and myself along every step of the way. They had a sommelier that helped us choose a wine off of their EXPANSIVE list that worked for both of us. The waiter was very knowledgeable about the menu and gave good recommendations so that we could make educated choices on what we were ordering. They were also very attentive to what was going on: I had dropped my napkin on the way to the restroom. I picked it up and placed it on the chair. When I returned there was a brand new one folded near my utensils. Great stuff. I strongly recommend that you follow whatever the "chef's recommendations" are. They really do add a new dimension to the flavor profiles that are in your food. This increase in complexity definitely lets the food go the extra mile so that at the end of it all, when you receive that massive check, you realize that it was completely delicious and wish all restaurants tasted the way B&B does.
(5)Bryan W.
I just want to update you cocktail junkies on the bartender situation. I really talk up Eric Hobbie and Adam Rains in this review and owe it to them to keep you updated on their whereabouts. Eric is now at Carnevino just across the Palazzo casino from B&B and Adam Rains is at Gordon Ramsays Pub & Grill in Caesars. B&B is still a must do and Ian will treat you right at the bar but still make an effort to visit Eric and Adam. A Vegas must do. Best Octopus on the planet and a lot of dishes you can't just find anywhere. Great service and a very knowledgeable staff especially the mixologists behind the bar.
(5)Derrick M.
I hate to give bad reviews but feel they are warranted when you go to a nice restaurant and they severely under deliver. I was in town for a business meeting and was given the obligation to select a restaurant. I have always heard great things about the Batali restaurants and thought this would be a great place to take clients and potential business. UNTIL, we sat for two hours waiting to be served, while their entire staff stood at the hostess stand conversing. After a potential client we have been working on for years suggested he would say his goodbyes and go have dinner with another group, I knew I had to share the experience. FYI.... We sat done for dinner at 8:45 and were served after numerous complaints at 11:02. We were also the only people in the restaurant, so they may still have a few good reviews and the food was good. But there had to be some underlined reason why no one else was in there.
(1)Nicole D.
With all the great food in Vegas, I feel a little cheated that I wasted my opportunity and money eating here. It's my second Batali experience and guarantee it will be my last. Our server was excellent and knowledgable. She was able to recommend a wine that met my criteria (I don't know Italian wines), and the bottle was $43.00 which was a bargain since it was $17.00 each by the glass. The garbanzo bruschetta served compliments of the chef was very tasty. We opted for salads, secondis and sides. While adding a primi would have been too much food, the secondi portions were very small. Beet salad was beet salad. Nothing exceptional. I ordered the lamb chops ($28.00) which didn't happen to be on the menu that night. They serve the lamb with the fat still on the chop. I liked the idea better than the execution. The chops were supposed to be medium, they were more like medium well. Unfortunately, that still didn't give the lamb fat an opportunity to crisp. It was just too much fat too under cooked. It would have been impossible to eat all that fat. The biggest let-down was the shortrib. ($32.00) Absolutely tasteless. The Quail was corn meal crusted, I didn't try it, my friend said it was good, but it was tiny and 3 hours later he was starving. Sides: we got brussels sprouts ($9.00) which were hands down the best thing we ate. They were really outstanding. Brocolli with garlic and chili flakes. Good, you know, nothing exceptional. The service was SLOOOOOOOW. We didn't have anywhere we needed to be but I was STARVING by the time the food finally came. We finally ended up telling our server we needed to meet some friends and had to go. It just was not good enough. Nothing memorable, nothing I need to go back for. Do yourself a favor, and check out Keller's Bouchon instead. THAT was a memorable meal.
(2)Amy M.
I recently visited this restaurant with a party of seven. We all ordered a five course meal. The focus seems to be more on service van on the food itself. My pork chop was almost all fat. When I pointed it out to the server, she apologized and asked what I would like for dessert with no attempt to replace it or take it off the bill. Very disappointed that they weren't willing to do anything to make it right.
(1)Carly K.
I love coming to B&B, and used to come here every time I met my best friend in Vegas, until we started branching out and trying a variety of new places. The atmosphere is relaxed, and I never ever feel rushed. The waiters take their time to explain the nuances in the menu, and also to explain Chef Batali's philoshophy on different menu items. The bellinis are absolutely to die for. The peach nectar is alwasy at the peak of freshness, and I honestly have never had a better bellini. Anywhere. We always get a bottle of Kerner, and start with a few pastas. My absolute favorite in the papardelle bolognese. Everything is made from scratch, and the bolognese is creamy and rich without feeling too heavy. The mint love letters and black spaghetti are two of their best sellers, and neither will disappoint. The last time I was here, I branched out and tried the quail. The mascarpone polenta was out-of-this world, and our waiter did not let me down when he raved about this dish. I love the branzino; it's always an excellent choice, and my friend raves about all of the beef dishes, especially the short ribs. I have never had a sub-par here. Never. The thing I love about Vegas is that sub-par restaurants simply don't make it (in general). There are so many food options, and the competition in such a small radius makes it quite difficult for mediocre restuarants to be successful. We're generally too stuffed at this point to do dessert, but I'm sure the desserts are fabulous as well. Now I am craving B&B for my next trip to Vegas! I should look at flights right now.
(5)Howard B.
This was, by far, the worst meal we had while in Las Vegas...especially disappointing since it was also, by far, the most expensive meal we had while in Las Vegas. We just had a little time for dinner before a show, and the concierge suggested this place since we had no reservations. It was horridly overpriced, and the food mediocre at best. The service was, however, outstanding...sorta. They brought a piece of bread before the meal, and never offered another, until we chased the server down and asked. Not cool. We split the grilled octopus appetizer. The octopus was cooked perfectly, but sauced with an extremely strong balsamic glaze that completely obscured the flavor of the fish. We both ordered the short rib with polenta dinners. The meat was overcooked to the point that it became mush as soon as we started to chew it. The polenta was excellent...both tablespoons of it. The "dinner" portion would have been an appetizer anywhere else. This meal was thoroughly disappointing, especially at $36 a pop. The wine, at $22 a glass, was no better than the wine they bring for free if you just stick a dollar bill in the penny slots. Mario, if you're paying attention: You can do a lot better than this!
(2)Paul K.
This has to be the best place in Las Vegas!! All Italian wine list. New York steak strips,clam linguini, pork chop steak and the best of all the cream fetticini. My kids are very finicky with foods but we were all in agreement this is the best we have experienced. The service was impeccable Our Christmas Eve dinner will be remembered for a long time. Will have to return here soon!!!
(5)Andrew T.
I've thought about this for a bit now, and I've raved about two of the items I had at B&B enough that it has to be 5 star. Two buddies and I dined here during our last trip to Vegas, and I fulfilled a desire to eat here that was left over from my last stay at the Venetian. First, the grilled octopus in limoncello vinaigrette. Great, great octopus. Amazing, firm, meaty texture without being too squeaky rubbery or unchewable. Add to that some great grilled flavor in that perfect dressing, with great citrus flavor...I'm hooked. The serving wasn't just tiny tentacles too - these were big meaty slices of octopus, pieces maybe an inch in diameter and several inches long, meaning you got a real taste of the meat. Amazing. We started with the gnocchi with lamb and mint. I think this is what I want to eat just before I die. The gnocchi are I think the best I have ever had. Clearly handmade, perfectly tender with a slightly al dente center, with a rich tomato sauce, absolutely melt in your mouth braised lamb, and fresh mint leaves that were an unexpected but perfect compliment to the heavily savory lamb and broth. Simply and utterly fantastic. After those two things, I feel like the meal could only head downhill, and so it did. But not very far. My last course was the slow roasted lamb shoulder, which was delicious - also extremely tender, fall off the bone with good flavor, but the cannellini beans were a bit under done. This was very good, but when you put it next to those antipasti and primi courses, I don't think anything could really have held its own. We skipped dessert, as nothing really jumped out at us, but were treated to a fun little complimentary sweet course. One thing I forgot to mention was a little chick pea bruschetta to start the meal, which was very good. I will say that this place can get expensive fast. Lots of good stuff on the menu and portions that are on the smaller side means the bill can add up quick. Is it worth it? Yeah, the meal I had totally was. But just, fair warning. Did we leave full? Yes, we did, but not stuffed. That's probably a good thing. All I know is, if I ever find myself back at the Venetian, I will not miss a chance to come back and repeat those opening courses. Holy cow.
(5)Jordan E.
Just tried to have dinner. Took an hour to order the wine. An extra 15 to order appetizers that were cold and clammy. Truly unfortunate, as we will now move to Delmonico.
(2)Edit C.
I was so excited to come to the restaurant of the famous Italian chef in America after hearing about the "Eataly" on the east coast. I wish i could give this 0 stars but i have to give at least one. Dont waist you money, stay home or go to a different restaurant. I am disappointed and sad for the restaurant to send out food like this. We still spent almost $300 for two and left and went to another restaurant to have the real veal saltinbocca. See photos attached, big difference!
(1)Steve E.
Our table ordered the octopus antipasti. Absolutely delicious with flavors galore. Opted for three pasta dishes since, hey, it's Mario and all. Pappardelle Bolognese, spaghetti with spicy budding chives and the bucatini and we passed plates around. The winner? Bucatini in. unanimous decision. All were good, but have had better bolognese. For dessert we shared a deconstructed tiramisu. Just alright. We discovered we like our tiramisu constructed. Paired with a great Italian blend! and overall a nice, leisurely two hour dinner. We needed the break.
(4)Henrik C.
Went here for a dinner based on a recommendation from a good friend. We were on our way to a Vegas show, so had to make it a relatively fast dinner. We told our server and he was VERY accommodating. Had a cheese/honey/pear small dish to get us started. We had octopus and mixed green salad for starters. The octopus is to die for, it is amazing. The mixed green salad was huge and very good. For the main course I choose lamb chops (was warned that the medallions are small and served with the fat). My partner had the marinated ribs. The ribs were fantastic and the lamb did not have a lot of meat, as they warned me. The food was very tasty and very well prepared. Next time I am going to choose another dish, but I was warned. They had us out of there is 55 minutes. The ambience, the service, the food and the experience was nothing short of excellent. Certainly going back next time we are in Vegas.
(5)AMY L.
Everything was top notch; foods, service, atmosphere. I highly recommend the grilled octopus appetizer. Amazing dining experience!
(5)Charles D.
2 guests, shared 6 plates (4 veg, 1 octopus, 1 branzino). Just about everything was delicious, one of the salads was just OK. We over-ordered and could barely finish the branzino. 6 plates + 4 drinks + 1 espresso = $260 including tip. Not bad for a fancy vegas dinner.
(5)Faye C.
Sadly this restaurant doesn't live up to the name. I dinned with a party of 4, we shared many dishes and not one stood out as fantastic a few were actually bland and not at all what you would expect from a restaurant of this caliber.
(2)Joanna K.
Stayed at the Venetian and went here for a friends (a Mario Batali aficionado) birthday a while back ago. Small restaurant, very dim lighting. The menu didn't really get me going as I read it, but I did find something - that being the lamb chops. Not sure if it's still on the menu, but it was served with the most delicious mint sauce. Presentation was absolutely beautiful as well. Came with 4 or 5 chops too. The rest of my party's plates paled in comparison. No one else at my table raved about what they ordered.
(4)Alessio S.
Nice service and nice food. We took both prefisso menus so we could try all the dishes. Expensive but worth once.
(4)Mark S.
The service was outstanding and the quality of the food matched it. I tried all new food that I never had and it was excellent worth the price
(5)Caroline H.
Very disappointing, Batali and Bastianich. Should've known better than to expect much from one of their Vegas outposts. Our meal started off nicely. Service was fine (if a little too chummy/chatty for my personal taste). The amuse bouche of chickpea bruschetta was well seasoned and tasty enough. And our appetizer of grilled octopus really was delicious -- best thing we ate here by far. Then it all went downhill with the entrees. When we were ordering, we were warned by our server that the black spaghetti was very salty and to reconsider ordering it if we weren't into that. When we asked if it was possible to make it less salty, he said no. That's fine, I can understand chefs not wanting to change their dishes and cater to their diners' whims. So we ordered other things, figuring better safe than sorry... Holy salt lick, Batman! Every single one of our 5 entrees (spaghetti with garlic and lobster, orecchiette, bucatini all'Amatriciana, bone marrow ravioli, and lamb chops) was oversalted, ranging from that's-pretty-salty to almost inedible. So I can't even begin to imagine how salty the black spaghetti would've been... Living in NYC, we get to eat a lot of amazing Italian, from homey and rustic to modern and upscale. So we had prepared ourselves to eat mediocre yet pricey Italian in Vegas, but this failed to meet even our very low expectations. Don't know how there can be so many good reviews of this place -- maybe they're more attentive with the tasting menus (which they did try hard to sell us on, but we just weren't that hungry). But after this experience, we def won't be back, and I doubt we'll be checking out one of their other joints any time soon.
(1)Trip C.
Impeccable service - but after reading all about Batali & Bastianich, I would not expect anything less than perfect. Lovely, relatively quiet atmosphere, especially considering that you are indeed in the middle of two casinos with bustling shops and a ton of tourists just outside. We started with the B&B Caprese salad (with Heirloom Tomatoes and Burrata). The heirloom tomatoes were busting with fresh tomato flavor and the burrata was good enough to sing about. On to the Bucatini 'all'Amatriciana' (with Guanciale, Hot Pepper and Pecorino). We first fell in love with Bucatini 'all'Amatriciana in Rome, and order it whenever we find it on a menu. This one did not disappoint - the salty/savory/spicy combination in the sauce was sublime. Next up, Batali's interpretation on calamari: Spicy Two Minute Calamari "Sicilian Lifeguard Style". We inquired about the whole "Sicilian Lifeguard Style" thing and our server explained that Batali put himself into the mind of your average Sicilian lifeguard and then asked himself "what would I like to eat?" And thus his Two Minute Calamari was born. The calamari came in a spicy tomato broth with several large caper berries, some Israeli couscous and a sweet fruity bit (currant, maybe?) that actually seemed a bit at odds with the rest of the flavors. And as it turns out, two minutes for calamari is just perfect. We also ordered a side of charred corn, but this never arrived at the table. Which turned out okay, as we were stuffed by the time we saw the bottom of the bowl of calamari.
(4)Victor A.
Listen, I'm not one to go to fancy places frequently because I always feel like I'm overpaying: they're reserved for graduations, milestone birthdays, weddings... all that stuff. Yet I found myself here on a regular night after an evening at The Smith Center. And you know what? Totally worth the splurge. B&B is the creation of chefs Mario Batalli and Joe Bastianich, which is irrelevant except that now when I watch Master Chef and Joe says something is worthy of his restaurant, I appreciate it more. Regardless of that, this place is awesome. The atmosphere here is amazing. I mean, from the moment I approached this restaurant from the Palazzo side to the moment I was greeted by the lady at the front, it's a win. The hostess was great about looking up our reservation and getting is seated in no time. Walking into the place, you're greeted by an atmosphere that is modern Italian (does that make sense?). Our waiter approached us and told us a little bit about the restaurant and took our drink orders -- we each ordered an Italian beer ($14/beer, I believe) but I forget their names. Both beers were great, but not great enough I'd like another one for $14. We each ordered entrees (again, not remembering their names) and both were delicious and well worth their price tag. The food did not take too long to come out, which was great. We were finally treated to a cheesecake-type dessert with berries. It was pretty damn amazing. We met one of the managers after dinner and told him how much we loved the place. He informed us of something we had taken note of: real Italian food in the eyes of the chef-owners should not be swimming in cheese and sauce like at some other Italian places. The food should be good, simple, and clean. That was certainly the case! All in all, this place was awesome. I paid $160 total for our meal, including our tip. I'm generally opposed to any dinner for two that's more than $80, but this place was worth me spending a few extra dimes. I wholeheartedly recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for a really nice, elegant, and delicious Italian restaurant on the strip.
(5)Mike S.
Obviously, a Mario Batali restaurant is going to have great food. I was unprepared, psychologically, for just how great it was going to be. We started with an appetizer of Grilled Octopus with "Fagioli Marinati" and Spicy Limoncello Vinaigrette. The octopus was meaty; salty, and played perfectly with the vinaigrette. It was, by far, the best part of an exceptional meal. I've never had octopus so tender and delicious. Next came the primi platters. I had the Bone Marrow Ravioli with Osso Bucco Ragù. While delicious, the portion on it was unconscionably small. I understand that this is gourmet, fine dining, but, for $32, I wanted more than twelve ravioli, each the size of a quarter. My co-worker Gnocchi with Lamb Ragù and Mint - I'd love to tell you how that tasted, but judging from the way he growled at me and threatened me with a knife when I asked for a bite, I'm guessing it was excellent. My secondi was the Short Rib "al Barolo" with Anson Mills Polenta and Horseradish. From what I gather, as far as short rib goes, it was the best ever made. It turns out I don't like short ribs, it seems. Such is life. My co-worker enjoyed that, while I stole the rest of his Crispy Fried Sweetbreads with Italian Butternut Squash and Wickson Apples. I've never had sweetbreads before; I MUST have them again. Those were excellent. Finally, because we're gluttonous, I got the Vanilla Mascarpone Bruciato with Fresh Huckleberries, which was heavenly, and he got the Apple Crostata with Vanilla Bean Gelato. Both top-notch. All in all, worth the trip if you're taking a client out to dinner on an expense account, or you're extremely wealthy on your own.
(5)John C.
I've found some very good restaurants in Las Vegas, but this is the best one to date. Food and service were excellent, as you would expect with Mario Batali's name on the restaurant. Probably the best Italian food I've ever eaten. Menus are printed daily and have a variety of seasonally-inspired items. A very tasty chef's complimentary starter was delivered, and some fresh, crusty herb-flavored Italian bread. We started with a summer bean salad with excellent flavor and variety of fresh ingredients. My wife had the pork tenderloin, very tender and just delicious, served with a killer sauce. I had a fresh-made pasta with a rich shredded lamb sauce. Both entrees were standouts. We split a dessert that was a cross between cheesecake and creme brûlée, with some berries and nectarine slices on top. As good as it sounds! The service was just as impressive, very friendly and professional. The atmosphere is elegant but casual, perfect for an upscale dinner in Vegas. The place was full on a Monday in July, and most nearby restaurants were only half full. Our starter, two entrees, a dessert and macchiato ran $110, not cheap but a good deal given the excellent meal.
(5)Ryan S.
Fantastic service from the manager to the wait staff to the sommelier and great food. Foods kind of pricey but its Vegas. Giorgio, the sommolier provided some great recommendations (Soldera) and no pressure. He really made us feel like we were back in Italy. My favorite restaurant in Vegas hands down. Went back a second night it was so good.
(5)J W.
Expensive but good. I'm not sure why this is rated at 3.5 stars but this is 4+ stars worthy. Excellent service, amazingly delicious food and nice atmosphere. We ordered the lamb special and the fig plate as an appetizer for two of us, a pasta dish to share and the prime rib for two (which is a ton of beef). Reason I didn't give it 5 stars was the price ($304) and the waiter trying to up sell us stating that portions were small, they aren't that small, and you can share dishes and don't need to order your own unless you really want to leave there uncomfortably full. We ordered the following: 2 appetizers 1 pasta dish 1 Prime Rib main entree for two (its listed for two) 2 glasses of knob creek and ginger ales 1 glass of Cabernet
(4)Padraig C.
So disappointed - we had been here once before and enjoyed it this time around we went with the truffle tasting menu and it was so bland. We made a comment to the waiter and he suggested we add some salt!!! We spent $400 on one of the most disappointing meals I've ever had.
(1)Grabagun ..
Food is outstanding but the hostess stand could use a lesson or two from charm school. Been to this location many times. The wine list is large and mostly Italian wines. The sommelier does a great job finding the right bottle for your palette and dinner choice. Food is consistently great. The octopus is a can't miss from the starters. They have a nice front porch area to sit and have a drink for happy hour. Just don't expect to eat out there because they only allow that at the bar. Good place to eat as long as you can ignore the snotty host stand on your way in.
(4)Terrielouise F.
Up all night and in the hospital with food poisoning after eating the lobster and pasta.
(1)Jess H.
This was our second time at B&B over the past few Vegas visits, and it delivered once again. They kindly accommodated us when we called to say getting to the strip from the airport had taken longer than expected and we needed to push back our reservation; despite arriving just at the last seating, we didn't feel too rushed. This is a wine spot: their cocktail menu was only ~4 cocktails long, but the Cerberus (bourbon, ginger beer, blackberry, thyme?) was delicious nonetheless. It's tempting to go for the full six or seven course pasta tasting menu (the dishes look delicious, and aren't available on the main menu), but they quote it as a two hour affair, so we felt a little guilty starting that up at 11pm, and it also sounded like a lot of food. (Note that everyone at the table has to do the tasting menu if one person does.) The two of us opted for three antipasti and three pastas. The menu was covered in lamb, which makes sense seasonally, but meant I sort of struggled to figure out how to order without lamb in multiple dishes; perhaps part of why we opted out of a meat dish. The best dish was the grilled octopus: deliciously charred and flavorful. Thanks to our waiter for recommending it! I might order two when we come back. The beet salad was the weakest dish; it was missing something: needed some balsamic or lemon or something to kick it up a notch from simply roasted beets. The house made speck (similar to prosciutto) with pluots (hello stone fruit season!) was tasty: the speck was soft and melt in your mouth. For pasta, we ordered the orecchiette with lamb sausage, and it was delicious, but slightly over salted. That didn't stop me from cleaning the plate! The linguine with clams was the best we have had in a long time: the pasta was boldly al dente, which we liked, and had a taste of the sea (sea salty?): interesting that this one didn't seem "over salty" compared to the orecchiette. The final pasta was a tagliatelle with sweet corn, a tasty, buttery but somehow not too heavy or rich dish, and I was impressed that somehow the pasta seemed to infused with corn flavor, even when taking bites without the corn. Couldn't give five stars due to the plain beets and oversalting, but will definitely be back.
(4)Lissa G.
The more I go here, the more I really like this place! I have decided that we'll always enjoy our meals at the bar. It's far more interesting to sit there, people watch, and enjoy some drinks and food. Everyone behind the bar has always been super nice, friendly, and informative. This time we had the pleasure of chatting with Adam and Ian. They were awesome! Ian answered all our questions about the food and the wine. He steered us in the right direction in our wine selection and provided good conversation when we wanted it and time to enjoy our wine and food when we needed it. The amuse bouche (it's been the same for years; maybe change it?) was the best it's ever been. The chickpeas were very moist and had great olive oil on them The Lonza (a type of salumi) with fresh peaches and arugula was great! Nice combination of salty, sweet, and overall fresh. Orecchiette with Spicy Lamb Sausage: So good! Pasta is clearly homemade and cooked properly. Nicely finished with fresh Pecorino cheese. Special of the day was a Roasted Pork dish; I didn't love it. It was cooked nicely and had fresh flavors, but it wasn't for me. Adam made me a delicious Espresso Martini to end the meal perfectly. Grab a seat at the bar and enjoy your time there! I'll be going back next time I'm in Vegas =)
(4)Matthew M.
Holy balls this was some good stinkin' pasta. We ordered the "Mario's Classic Tasting Menu" on a recent trip. You know that story about the human body being incapable of drinking an entire gallon of whole milk in an hour? I'm fairly certain that if you replace "whole milk" with "pasta" then this tasting menu falls a fraction of an inch below that quantity. I only remember a few dishes but they were all spectacular. One had crispy turnips and fried guanciale. One was beef cheek ravioli. There was a goat cheese tortellini and there was something with duck liver and black truffle. Oh the black truffle. Even the pre-dessert was a pasta course. Yes, you read that right; the dessert before the dessert. Everything was wonderful. Some dishes were better than others but when each course features handmade pasta you can't really go wrong. All in all it was a fantastic tasting menu that you should definitely try. Also, the chocolate budino is a must have. Seriously. If you think of a rain cloud that is just about to burst and make that all made out of chocolate, that's the budino. It's a fluffy creamy light chocolate flavor that is drenched with a dark chocolate ganache. You wonder how you can possibly eat another bite when it's placed in front of you. And then you wonder how you finished it all. On top of the delightful food the service was impeccable. Plates are set down and removed in unison. Server was super friendly and knowledgeable. Attentive, of course. Just a really great dining experience overall. Obviously the price point is high since it's a celebrity chef restaurant on the strip. It's worth it though.
(4)Brian O.
Day 3 of my Las Vegas getaway. I've had steak; I've had sushi; it's time for Italian. Batali and Bastianich has to be great and it did not disappoint. I decided to go with the Toscana Tasting Menu and a nice red wine chose by my waiter that would pair reasonably well with everything. The restaurant opens up into a walkway in the Venetian near the Rock of Ages theater. I thought the music might be disturbing to the restaurant ambiance but did not find it to be so. It remained well in the background. Course 1 - Culatello Riserva ham with ripe nectarines. Great starter. Course 2 - Pappa al Pomodoro. This tomato and bread soup was excellent with bright flavor and not too heavy. Course 3 - Pici con Rigatino. This housemade pasta was perfectly cooked and served with a rigatino, pecorino, and herb meat and olive oil dressing. The portion looked small but the noodles were dense, flavorful and satisfying. Course 4 - Berkshire Pork Shoulder with a peach mostarda condiment and fennel. The meat was perfectly cooked and seasoned and was butter-soft tender. Course 5 - House Made Ricotta and glazed figs on crostini. Creamy light ricotta made for a nice finisher. Course 6 - Tiramisu with espresso gelato. Add a cup of coffee and the meal was complete. I asked to waiter to pick a good amaro as a digestive. He brought a glass of Cio Ciaro. This was awesome. I asked him to show me the bottle and write the name of it down. I'm getting my own bottle. Outstanding Italian cuisine and worth every dime I paid.
(5)Lauren B.
Amazing food! The burrata and octopus appetizers were my favorite and definitely try whatever the waitress suggests is in season. The staff was extremely attentive, personable, and very knowledgable of every dish or drink on the menu. I would absolutely recommend to anyone and will definitely be back the next time I am in Vegas!
(5)Rock G.
B&B Ristorante was a bit of a disappointment. I have been to Chef Balali's Osteria Mozza on Melrose in Los Angeles a few times, so I thought I would try B&B on a recent trip to Las Vegas. Bad idea. Let me tell you... B&B isn't near to the same class as Osteria Mozza. The ambiance was nice. Comfortable. Had a familiar feel. The service was... Lacking. I guess the question should be, was there service? Minimal. Homemade Orecchiette with spicy lamb sausage and rapini was fair, not what I would have expected from a Batali and Bastianich restaurant. Bone Marrow Ravioli with osso bucco ragu was a little better... But still nowhere near mind blowing. Whole Grilled Branzino with herb and fennel salad was HORRIBLE. The fish did not taste fresh and was a compete waste. Just plain bad. Veal Chop with pancetta, spinach, and torpedo onions was actually the best item I tried during this visit. It it was just okay. Actually it saved them from a one star rating. Usually, If I have a bad experience at a restaurant, I will give them a second chance. But this wasn't a minor issue, or one item that wasn't good. It was everything. From the moment I walked in the door. To leaving and heading back to Table 10 to eat a good meal. I tried it once, but don't think I will again.
(2)Troy W.
What a scam this place is. The most blah and salty food I've ever had. Ridiculously over priced for what you get. The only positive was the staff - attentive and gracious. Plenty better Italian restaurants within walking distance.
(1)Rod U.
From Mario Batali and Joe Bastianich comes an authentic, contemporary Italian restaurant. It's good! This is not your "we import everything from Italy so we are an Italian restaurant", nor is it "I use my mamma's recipes and she was Italian so this is authentic". B&B creates classic Italian flavors using what is available seasonally, in the area. From fresh herbs and produce to house cured salumi, it all goes into creating outstanding authentic food. Antipasti features a simple but perfect braised tripe alla Romana. Tender, with no off smell. Vibrant acidity from the tomatoes add a nice foil to the mildly flavored tripe. Perfect. The grilled octopus, heaven. Toothsome with a charred bitter edge that contrast well with the sweet, spicy, sour limoncello vinaigrette. The lemony perfume is heady. Sensory overload on a single plate. Prima focuses around perfectly cooked, authentic pastas. The bucatini all'Amatriciana is near Roman perfect. Fatty, porky goodness of guanchale, bright acidity from puréed tomatoes, a zing of acidity from some wine, lightly spiced and finished with pecorino cheese. If that's too simple, the bone marrow ravioli is to die for. Rich unctuous goodness surrounded by thin pasta bathed in a veal shank ragu that must have simmered all day. Secondi proteins are different (lamb, rabbit, quail). Experiment. The deep fried sweetbreads, Win. Crisp on the outside, pillowy on the inside; they pair perfectly with the sweet sour balsamic glazed cippolinis and the sweet bitterness of charred corn. Don't think about what you're eating and you should be OK. Massive Italian centric wine list representing DOC / DOCG throughout the country. Good vintage depth for super Tuscans. Vegas resort prices. True Italian service, friendly with great pride taken in what they do.
(5)Jennifer M.
Very disappointed in our meal at this place. It was so overpriced...My 'entree' was $28 and was literally about a cup of food, unfortunately it wasn't even that good. Had the grilled octopus appetizer too ($21), the octopus was good but the sauce was odd and made it hard to enjoy. My $20 glass of wine was terrible - I carried it out and gave it to a bum on the strip - I'm not kidding. The service was okay, the first server that comes tells you the specials etc, he was great, super nice and helpful and took his time. Our 'actual' server couldn't give us the time of day, was super rushed and spent an average of 15 seconds at our table before running away each time she came around - not a fine dining experience. For an appetizer, a cocktail, a glass of wine and two tiny portions of pasta our bill was around $130 + tip. I'll never go here again!
(1)Annie D.
Disappointing... The boyfriend and I decided to dine here last minute, and seeing the name Mario Batali, we had expectations. Unfortunately, that was our downfall. The restaurant had only one other table occupied when we arrived at 930pm, and the hostess seated us right next that table, which was only 2 feet away!We asked to move over a table. However the hostess continued to seat other diners in the same area,cramped and right next to each other. Another couple asked to be moved as well. The food... We started with the grilled octopus, and it was delicious! The octopus was tender, and moist. The chef got this on point. I ordered the linguine with clams which was bland, and the noodles seemed too undercooked. My boyfriend ordered the short ribs, which were ok, nothing special. Our server Kelly was very accommodating, and the bus boys were very helpful. Service was great, however the food does not shine enough for a return visit.
(2)Clark C.
Very good bistro experience at the bar where we could watch the crowds walk by and the mimes on stage all at the recreation of Piazza San Marco. The charcuterie at the bar is excellent and it is fascinating to see the machine slice oh so thin and the bruschetta of the day is always pleasing to the palate. The arugula salad with shaved Parmesan was very fresh and flavorful. The sparkling wines were a perfect accompaniment to the light lunch. To finish our lunch we shared the deconstructed Tiramisu and to our disappointment it disappointed. We should have listened to the waiter's response when we ordered it. They didn't even include the most important ingredient... the RUM!
(4)Jed J.
Fantastic. Chefs choice pasta tasting menu was awesome. Service impeccable. Have eaten here many times and it always excellent
(5)Steve H.
Great staff, good service, good wine. The food was just not very good! Black pasta? Fatty lamb chops? Salads were just OK Over priced. There's much better in Vegas for the price.
(2)denise w.
MARIO BATALLI- SHAME ON YOU!! I couldn't wait to come to your LV restaurant. I love truffles and eat them whenever I can, and paid the $45. for a small amount of noodles with truffle. A surprisingly large amount of truffle was shaved onto the noodles-I was so excited. Then I noticed there was no truffle aroma, which is very unusual. When I ate them there was no taste at all-none, as if they were plastic shavings. The noodles were lukewarm. I was so disappointed. This should not be served at any Italian restaurant. On the good side, the servers were excellent explaining the menu options for our group, answering questions and taking care of us. Someone needs to review your truffle situation.
(1)Lynda G.
I was hoping for amazing and it was "just good"...the service was spot on and all the staff was very friendly, helpful and right where you needed them to be. That said, we started with salads which were again "just good", I had the Homemade Orecchiette with spicy lamb and rapini and the flavor was "just good" but nothing to make me think it was outstanding, which is what I expected given that my husband and I are huge fans of both Chef's. The Italian wine selection is well thought through, we had a nice bottle of wine from Piedmont. I would say that considering we have lived in Italy for four years the wine selection way, way over priced, we brought back several to include 95/97/99 Bondi Santi Reserve and did not pay a fraction of what we saw on the menu....just saying....
(3)Ika F.
Skip this place. There are simply too many good or even great restaurants everywhere in Las Vegas to waste a night out at b and b ristorante. The first time my wife and I ate there it was great but 9 months later it has come down to no talent in the kitchen. A real Chef would never served old precooked leftovers. Out of the 4 full dinners we were served one item was special, the Tripe. I guess you can precook and serve Tripe and still get it right.
(2)Sarah D.
We have always wanted to eat at one of Mario Batali's restaurants. Unfortunately, the dining experience left us feeling very underwhelmed, particularly given the cost of the meal. Our server was absolutely wonderful, it must be said. He was attentive, funny, entertaining and didn't skip a beat. We started out with the Octopus appetizer, which was delicious and a very promising start. I am originally from a seaside city in Australia where we are able to source incredible octopus and this was on par with what I have experienced in dining there. The wine was decent, overpriced but it was Vegas, so OK. My husband enjoyed his cocktail. Where the meal really fell down was on the main course. The rabbit was extremely over-seasoned (and I have a salty palate) and dry/tough. It was literally inedible. Back to the great customer service, above - the cost was removed from our tab. But, we came expecting perfection.... My meal was a seafood pasta, which was good however the pasta was a much too al dente for my tastes, it was very chewy and difficult to eat. The two stars on the review are for the Octopus and the Service. if you are in the Venetian, stop by for a mixed drink and enjoy that appetizer with a cocktail. If you're not right there.... there are lots of other fabulous eateries in Vegas. We had a great meal at Bobby Flay's the next day....!
(2)Stacey K.
Super excited to try another restaurant by Mario Batali! We were a little early for our reservations so we ordered a drink at the bar seating area while we waited. I ordered a Hen n coke as usual, but this bar is super top shelf! The "cheapest" Hennessy they had was XO, not even VSOP lol. I would have ordered something else if I knew it would be $45 -____-. I came here with my boss and co-worker for dinner and we all chose one of the tasting menus. I went with the "Whole Hog" Pasta Tasting Menu with the Riserva Wine Pairing - a 7 course meal, each with a different wine! Each dish highlighted a different part of the pig with a different type of homemade pasta. ($105 per person plus $115 per person for the Riserva wine pairing-- $75 for the regular wine pairing) Our server was super helpful and explained each dish, as well as the wine pairing. Service was superb and speedy. - Complimentary Chickpea Bruschetta: Seasoned chickpeas topped on toast-- good but not as good as what we were about to feast on! - Minestrine di Torrellini: A nice start to the meal, super flavorful broth! (paired with a 2009 La Mozza) - Pizzoccheri with Roasted Pork Shank: Flat and wide squid ink pasta with a light sauce-- the pieces of pork shank were super tender and succulent. (Paired with a 2008 Sicilian wine - Etna Piosso) - Pork Raviollini with Roasted Flamme Tomato Passato: The tomato sauce was bursting with flavor! I could tell that the sauce was made with super ripe and fresh tomatoes and tasted great with the tender pork. (Paired with a 2007 Monti Garbi) - Fettuccine with Norcinio Ragu Pork: A lighter, opaque sauce and fettuccine with pieces of the pork's kidney, liver, and heart. You really do get to taste various parts of the pig-- I couldn't tell what each piece was but they were all tasty. (Paired with a 2008 Rubbjano). ** I was already pretty full and buzzed at this point, so don't let the small servings fool you! ** - Black Spaghetti with 'Nduja and Sicilian Pesto: 'Nduja is a spicy, spreadable sausage that is made of different parts of the pig (shoulder, belly, jowl, tripe, spice mixture). The pasta was a little too spicy for me but still killed it (silician pesto contains red pepper). I love the texture of the squid ink pasta because it adds a different, more firm texture. (Paired with a 2007 Cannonau di Sardegna) - Pear Sorbetto: OMG the best pear sorbet I've ever had! My first bite tasted like I took a bite out of the sweetest, ripest, asian pear! Super light and refreshing, which was amazing after having the spicy spaghetti prior. (Paired with a 2010 Dindarello) - Chocolate Budino with Huckleberry Sauce: It kind of looks like a souffle but it's actually a creamy custard/pudding. Super moist, fluffy, and not too sweet! The huckleberry sauce tasted amazing with the dessert. ** Literally felt like I was going to explode at this point ** - Then the server brings out a complimentary assortment of mini dessert cookies along with a shot of a super sweet dessert liquor. A bit too sweet for my liking, but we appreciated it! Overall, a wonderful dining experience with great service! I gotta come back here to try items on the regular menu.
(4)Angela L.
The only reason giving two stars is because the staff went above and beyond to make it right and the salads were delicious. As I mentioned above, the salads were amazing. The wine selection was also very good although not inexpensive. As a huge fan of Master Chef and observing Joe Bastianich critique the home cooks, I anticipated much higher standards. When Joe is displeased with one of the dishes he tastes he makes quite the production of spitting the food into the garbage. This is exactly what we wanted to do with our meal. My husband ordered the orecchiette which was so extremely salty it was inedible. Our server informed him the dish was salty however this was inexcusable. My pork fusilli the same however for being under seasoned. Needless to say we will not return to B&B and suspect to try any of the other restaurants owned by this not so dynamic duo.
(2)Omar S.
Went here a second time expecting a different experience. The only good thing about this place was the music in the bathroom. The food was bland and not what I expected. Better off eating at Mcdonalds. If you want something 100 times better for the outrageous prices you're paying, then go to delmonicos right across from this place. Never again...
(1)Ernest P.
We went to B&B after having gone to Ramsay's Steak, the night before... We shared a few appetizers, the grilled octopus was divine... melted in your mouth... I love octopus and order it as often as I can... This was hands down the best I've had! Then we had the Branzino, it was cooked in butter and was presented whole before being deboned by the waiters... It got back to the table a little colder than I would have liked, but other than that it tasted amazing - it was succulent, fresh, flaky and delicate! Perfection!
(4)Patricia P.
My first celebrity high priced restaurant. Very intimidated by the snooting looking staff. Waitress was not nice nor helpful. Had squid ravioli & my guy could not get what he wanted because the table had to order the same thing. We were seated at the very back were the staff would stand & talk. Not a comfortable experience. Went to Ramsey Steak next night & had the best time. Waitress was amazing & food outstanding.
(2)Jeff C.
My wife and I enjoy upper end restaurants on a very regular basis. This trip to Vegas we made it a point to eat 5 very nice dinners. Price never an issue with us. We were in Vegas Sunday through Friday and had Thursday reservations for B&B. It was BY FAR the worst meal we have ever had in Las Vegas. The service aside, the food was just awful. Appetizer, entrée and dessert were all just oddly bad. Batali and Bastianich failed miserably compared to every other meal. A table of two next to us got up and left after ordering drinks and an appetizer. They were scoffing on the way out.
(1)A R.
Mediocre at best. Salad was bland and boring, Octopus appetizer was ok, but unimpressive. $120 bone-in rib eye for 2 had me initially excited but ended up tasting like it was cooked in a greasy pan (though I'm sure it wasn't). The waiters recommended drizzling the steak in olive oil. This recommendation ended up just making the steak... slimy. Further, once the carving process was finished, the steak was served warm, at best. The potatoes that came with the steak were... potatoes... with a sprig of rosemary... completely unexciting. Apart from the unimpressive and expensive food, the restaurant was about 80 degrees (not exaggerating) and was adjacent to a loud, booming club. Sweating, uncomfortable, and having to hear booming bass throughout the meal destroyed any chance of having an enjoyable setting.
(2)Lorraine G.
This is a must do when in Vegas! I am with some of the other comments here - - the low stars make no sense - can't help but wonder if they are shady. Our experience was fantastic and our server Shane was outstanding!! We did a burger compare by ordering 3 burgers here and comparing to another top chef in Cesar's Palace - B&B wins, hands down!! Loved the fries and onion rings - - nice and crispy, fresh onions and the right level of salt. And the caramel milk shake - yum!! We will definitely be back - loved the food and vibe!! Way to go B&B!!
(5)Mike C.
I almost wanted to leave 3 stars but the food was good. I was by myself and sat at the bar. The bartender was very friendly and helpful with going over the menu. I decided to go with the strichetti special which was spinach infused bow tie. Started with a house salad which was fairly large and delicious. Strichetti was served with a pork ragu that was delicious. No bread with dinner - what gives? Strichetti was great - you could tell it was fresh. Nice chunks of pork left me wanting more. My gripe above that almost led me to leave 3 stars were the price of drinks. Food was a little pricey but not bad considering the quality. Drinks were overpriced and lacking quality. I started with an Italian beer that was blah and "ok" priced for about $10 - which is normal for Las Vegas. Where I was most disappointed was the wine I had with dinner. Not many choices by the glass. I was by myself so was not going to order a bottle. The red I had was not good - and the price I paid for the glass was more than the price of the bottle if you probably bought it somewhere else. I expect to have a nice glass or two win a good Italian meal. Would think Mario could do better here.
(4)Brian L.
This review is a little out of date, but I'd been a 2nd time since my first review and B&B again performed amazingly. Excellent food, great service. One of my favorite places to eat in Vegas.
(5)Erick ..
Dark, elegant, intimate interior, and yet you have Red Hot Chili Peppers playing on their speakers....gutsy! Customer service was stellar. We went for their calamari something for starters, I had the bucatini all'amatriciana, and both misis & KiT shared the pappardelle bolognese, and then followed with the pork loin with balsamic reduction apecial. Our server suggested the grilled octopus, and it was good, and so was the calamari. Their pork loin was also tasty. But the pasta... My bucatini was super salty! Their bolognese sauce was also salty, misis said the pappardelle helped neutralize it. Our server did say their pasta items are salty, and the bucatini was the saltiest from the guanciale and the salty pasta water. I may have wimpy taste buds, but then again, guanciale & pancetta pasta dishes from other places were not this salty. The last time I had it this salty was when I added salt cooking carbonara and all'amatriciana at home, and yah, meat was salty and pasta water was salted. Then again, I really can't argue Mario Batali's experience now, can I? Last note: we're really grateful for our awesome server who didn't let us leave without some dessert, gave us house sweets. Thank you.
(3)Joe H.
This joint blows, Mario B. woopee!!! Over priced fingerfood courses, goofy waiter, why do people think this place is so great? I'll never know. Go to Zeffirino upstairs, it's great!!! Someone asked if I was upset with B&B, nope, it just sucked.
(1)David P.
I won't be back, I made a reservation for a table for five and I stressed table, because two of the people in the party had mobility issues and needed a table. When we were taken to our table it was a booth, and when I said I needed a table, I was told by the hostess that there was a table there. When I pointed out it was a booth and not a table I was asked, "What's the difference?" Then I asked for the manager, when he came he still tried to get is to sit at the booth and offered to bring a chair for me to sit in because I can't get in and out of booths, when I sat in the chair I was given the table in the booth hit the top of my shins. I told them this is not going to work and I wanted a table like I asked for in the beginning. At this point I was lead to a table for four with an extra chair pushed in at the end when I pointed this out to the waitress she well this was the best they had at her station and there was a big round table at the other side, but then she wouldn't be our waitress. She said this in a flirty way that really made a little sick to my stomach, I told her that sounded good to me. Unfortunately the manager had all ready had the member of my party with the most trouble moving seated in one of the chairs, so by the end of dinner I could barely walk from having to keep my legs under my chair, again because we where never seated at a table for five. When I called back to tell the manager he had people that didn't know a table from a booth I was literally told, "Go F**k Yourself" I know I have stepped foot in my last restaurant that is owned by this company.
(1)M T.
Unimpressed... Had the grilled octopus, was heavy on the lemon. I will admit I thought the lamb tongue was delicious. Ordered the linguine with clam and hot pepper flakes, the pasta came out very undercooked to a point it was inedible cause it was crunchy and sticking to our teeth so we informed our waiter who said it was el dente... I grew up in an Italian neighborhood in NYC, it wasn't el dente, it was just hard and undercooked. We sent it back expecting it to be redone, instead we got our same plate back that was probably just thrown back in the water for a little longer, didn't expect that from a batali restaurant at all. For the main course, ordered the rabbit which was bland but ok. also ordered the Branzino which ended up having bones in it, luckily that was my bfs meal cause after the first bite with 4 bones stabbing my gums, I wouldn't have touched anymore of it on my plate. We ordered the balsamic mascarpone baciato as dessert and that was absolutely delicious. They did do a good job of giving me a candle for my birthday. Overall unimpressed and actually disappointed with Batali, but maybe it's cause I'm a NYC food snob. Either way, with the choices of food in Vegas, I probably would not entertain this place again.
(2)Shelly S.
This review is from April 2013 visit. I came here with my daughter and son in law because my daughter is a huge Mario fan. I wish I could have left here being a fan of his food but it didn't happen. We ordered the pasta tasting menu and I was very disappointed in the cooking of most of the pasta. Most dishes were pretty chewy, Flavors were just ok. Service that night was "eh, I showed up for work doesn't that count for something"
(2)Brian S.
Let me begin, not with Grace Before Dinner, but with a short and unofficial review of CarneVino. CarneVino surely isn't a place to take kids.... which was, perhaps, a pleasant mistake to have made prior to sitting down at B&B. B&B is much more accomodating for the needs and tastes of a family! In summary: Woohoo! As good as it gets! Details: Bastianich Vespa... wish we ordered a bottle instead of a glass. Grilled octopus... so good that I recently tried to recreate it (which, Chef Mario... you have nothing to fear... mine was good but I can't compete with yours!) Braised short rib... yummy. Veal chop... yummy and even yummier since the cap was also on the plate. Pasta... there aren't enough words to describe the delectable taste and lip-smacking, bread-sopping goodness. (I fear that I may have been moaning subconciously whilst eating. Mea Culpa!) So as I said... Woohoo! As good as it gets: atmosphere, service, and food!
(5)K C.
Wow. I can't even describe how disappointed I was at this restaurant. I was so looking forward to coming here and so excited to try the pasta tasting menu. It was an expensive and bland disappointment. First off, the wine menu is all Italian and overly priced. We spent over $300 for two bottles of mediocre wine. Our server although pleasant, seem bored and uneducated with the menu. I can see why. Our table decided to do the pasta tasting menu. What a disappointment! From the bland, first course tagliatelle through the ending of the undercooked budino, I was underwhelmed. The tortellini was medicinal, the pyramids and beef cheek ravioli tasted extremely similar, and we didn't get the foie gras ravioli. Instead we got a super spicy squid ink spaghetti. This actually was my favorite course because I adore very spicy dishes. But only two people at our table of eight could eat it because of the spiciness and it pretty much killed my palate for the rest of the night. Now for the last two courses, which were dessert (not pasta of any type), it was a steep downhill. I really thought the chef could've been more creative and incorporated some type of pasta in both of these desserts to stick with the theme. But instead there were two completely uneventful and downright disgusting desserts. The first one consisted of what tasted like store-bought pastry and a toothpaste consistency of lemon spread on top. After everyone took one bite, no one finished it at our table. And the budino, as stated before, was an undercooked mess. Our entire table was so disappointed and I felt I was to blame since I wanted to go here. Never again and I will not recommend it to anyone. With a restaurant named after two well-known chefs, I expected more talent and taste over the hype.
(1)Crystal C.
The restaurant is located in Restaurant Row between the Venetian and Palazzo. We originally have a small reservation but the group kept growing and they were very accommodating with adding more to our party. They offer both tasting menus and pre fixed menus (discounted to $55 if you're staying at the Venetian or Palazzo and have a coupon book) that are done in a reasonable amount of time (~1 hr) if you have a show to catch or something. I opted to just try some of the food a la carte and was pretty happy with my meal. I ended up getting the bone marrow ravioli and the broccoli which both combined was just over $40 (not including tax and tip). They originally brought out the wrong side and gave us potatoes, but let us keep the tables on the house and gave me my broccoli shortly afterwards. However, by then, I had already finished my entree so by itself it was a little salty. I thought the bone marrow ravioli was seasoned well and the pasta was cooked al dente to my liking, but it wasn't mind-blowingly-good in my opinion. Other dishes on the table were the beet salad, gnocchi, and spaghetti with lobster. Tried a little of those and they were all tasty as well, but once again, not blown out of the water. A few people got affogatos at the end of the meal (with a twist - with chocolate gelato instead of vanilla) and after we had paid our bill, the waiter was so kind to give us a dessert sampler which I found phenomenal. Notable favorites were the chocolate flourless cake and the biscotti.
(3)Charles R.
I was here for a corporate event during a recent trip to Las Vegas. We had a private room off to the side of the bar and a couple of staff members dedicated to our group. Consequently we got pretty good service during the course of the evening. the space was a little tight for mixing around during the cocktail hour. However once we sat down, that's when the magic started. After making some selections, the following food showed up on my plate. course 1 - lightly breaded calamari - a little salty, but I still scarfed it down and it tasted great course 2 - 3 pieces of ravioli. I know this is a meal Battali used to grow his reputation, but I wasn't too excited by it. course 3 - roasted beef rib. This was slow roasted for 5 hours and was cooked to perfection. Any time meat melts in your mouth it is pure heaven. course 4 - raspberry sorbet it was yummy and helped end off the meal on a positive note. I found it odd how the staff constantly referred to Mario Battali during the meal, I wonder how the other "B" felt being constantly ignored during the service. I cannot comment on pricing as this was an event the company paid for.
(5)Mike K.
Was expecting a good meal and that's what we got... but nothing more. Good quality for a decent price. Creative and tasty menu selection with tons of wine choices made for sexy food pics but the overall meal fell short. The food was more interesting than memorable. With a big-name owner/chef in an upscale hotel, you expect something pretty grand. Maybe it was the overcrowded dining area or the short-handed staff. Maybe it was just the high expectations.
(4)Larry H.
I usually really like this spot, but only moderately impressed past 2 visits. I had the black spaghetti with shrimp. I really expected a lot more flavor but now I know. Anyway, really great service and I'll go back hoping it comes back around in my opinion.
(3)Alan E.
the worst food I have ever been served by any restaurant Five of us went to this place (don't even want to call it a restaurant) got terrible service and the worst food I have ever been served by any place, including a greasy spoon in Baker California on the road to Vegas. I don't go to Italian restaurants, so I an not familiar with the Italian names for foods so when I tried to ask the server questions, the idiot stayed at the far end of the table so I had to shout my questions and when I tried to point to the I item I was questioning, he could not tell what I was asking about. When we got our food all five main dishes were so over salted that they were impossible to eat. Our complaints to the idiot server did nothing In the end we had to scrap the salt off of the various dishes in order to eat them At the end of this awful meal someone (possibly the manager) offered us 5 truffles because she was told about our complaint. I am so disgusted that I cannot stand to look at Mario Batali when he shows up on the TV.
(1)Pete V.
The thing I cannot complain about at B&B is the food and service. We had dinner on a Thursday night and everything were ordered was outstanding. I started off with the warm goat tongue with truffle shavings and porcini mushrooms, which was superb. The tongue was very tender and the greens + mushrooms provided a nice contrast...add in a poached egg on top, which you are instructed to cut into and mix the yolk into the dish and I was in heaven. A rich, complex dish with flavors that piqued your imagination at every bite. The truffle shavings were quarter-sized and although maybe it could have been considered too much, I enjoyed every last bite of this dish. For my entree I ordered the beef cheek ravioli, which was recommended by our server. Again, a truly wonderful dish, wich beautiful texture, and a rich sauce. The homemade ravioli was not over stuffed, and displayed a brillant balance. I also had the pleasure of tasting the pork chop, which was also phenomenal. I typically shy away from ordering pork chops because I find many restaurants, even higher end ones will frequently over cook pork chops, but B&B delivered an outstanding, perfectly cooked pork chop bursting with juices and flavor. I really don't think I've ever had a better pork chop! My only complaint about B&B was the sommelier. I thought she was a bit pretentious and tried to steer us to more expensive bottles without asking questions to see what our budget was and what qualities we wanted in our wine. She didn't seem as knowledgeable as I would expect, and was not able to describe some of the wines in as much detail as I would have liked. I do understand that the wine list is huge and would be practically impossible to memorize every wine, but she seemed to be more interested in pushing the higher priced wine than finding the right wine for our budget. All in all we had a fantastic dinner and I would almost certainly return. I just hope the goat tongue is still on the menu on my next visit!
(4)Joey N.
Octopus was pretty good The Bronzino ( no clue why costs 42) but was yummy Beat salad not so much and deserts were pretty delis But overall not worth the price
(4)Rich G.
Really? I cannot believe this place is not getting more love from foodies. Mario did an awesome job on the menu. Expensive, yes, unique for sure, try the grilled octopus, it's incredible. Ditto the beef cheek ravioli and the fennel crusted sweet breads. I usually sit at the bar on business trips and the spicy, freshly made asiago cheese baked thin bread sticks are incredible. They even use organic olives in the martini's and that is a nice attention to detail. Anyhow, this place is great as long as you don't have Iron Chef expectations.
(5)Ali B.
We always come back to B&B and as a 4th time returning customer we were just as happy as the first time. We recommend the octopus appetizer, sweetbreads entrée, and beef cheek ravioli pasta course... but we haven't had a dish we haven't loved. Next time we really need to try the tasting menu that always looks phenomenal. The atmosphere is great and we always love the funky (not typical) music playing.
(5)Samantha G.
If you have only one night in Vegas and/or can only afford to indulge in a nice meal at one restaurant - this is the place you must go for dinner. Go for broke and get the pasta tasting menu with the wine pairing. Yes, it's pricey, but it is worth every penny. Your taste buds will love you. I honestly can't say anything about the menu beyond the pasta dishes, as that is all I ever have when I dine here. With pasta this incredibly good, I have no desire to try anything else on the menu. I have come to firmly believe that there is nothing better that will ever pass my lips than the beef cheek ravioli here at B&B. I am salivating just typing this. It is literally the single best thing I have ever eaten. And I've always experienced great service here. I've even been the last patron in the place and didn't feel even a tiny bit rushed.
(5)Christie K.
We must have gone on a really bad night because I'm not sure how so many people gave this restaurant 4 stars. First off, I wanted to really like this restaurants as it was Mario Batali's but I could not overlook the poor service nor the quality of our meal. -Two out of the 4 dishes we ordered which were pasta dishes were way undercooked. We all like and know what al dente is but it was definitely inedible. How can such a well known italian restaurant mess up on pasta? We sent the food back right away and when it came out again, the portions were smaller. -Two out of the 4 dishes did not taste good at all and 2 were just okay. Most of the dishes (appertizers) were mediocre. -Service was poor, as we had to ask for certain items multiple times. It was unfortunate as we were celebrating a special occasion and no one really enjoyed their meal. This experience won't deter me from trying other Mario Batali restaurants, but this one in particular i would never come back to nor recommend to anyone.
(1)Dave S.
Went here a day before dining at DB across the way. I had the Lamb Shoulder. Shredded lamb in an arugula salad. The meat was rich and tender. The arugula added the right amount of bitter to go with the rich flavor. The service was incredible. Everyone worked like a well oiled machine. It reminded me of Balthazar in NYC the way everyone worked their job, but it didn't appear like it was work. If that makes any sense. The food was 4 star and service was 6 star, so 5 star rating. I have not seen service like this in Vegas. .... fast forward.... After dining at DB the next night, I can see why the service at B&B was tuned-up. The food at B&B can't beat the DB food, so service will have to make up for this difference.
(5)Rayna S.
Was in need of a good carb-loading dinner the night before my half marathon and yet I also wanted an authentic Italian meal. Came to B&B and was not disappointed!! I went on my servers suggestions (after telling him about my pre race needs): For starters I had the beet salad with pistachios and ricotta (warm and amazing!). Main course: goat cheese tortellini with orange and fennel pollen (OMG, literally a tastebud explosion!) wine choice: a Chianti and for dessert: a chocolate chip cannoli! Perfecto for me! Needless to say: B & B exceeds excellence, a total culinary adventure! I hope to come back and try the wine pairing dinners!
(4)Evan L.
This review is a little biased as I had the meal comped at a trade show. Accordingly, it was awesome. We were able to splurge and enjoy a full range of antipasti, primi, secondi, contorni & wine. Our bill for seven people came out to $1180, which did include $400+ in wine, so not horrible for a Michelin-caliber restaurant. What's funny is when you walk up to B+B in the Venetian/Palazzo Restaurant Row, the 'Beer & Burgers' aspect of the name stands out, as the facade appears to be little more than a 'nice bar.' We were a bit apprehensive as the host had us wait a few minutes - wait, are we really taking these important clients to a burger bar? - but once we walked inside the restaurant, it had the feel of a upscale comfort venue. Cozy, dark wood set the mood, offset by the white cloth linens and an upbeat serving crew, which included an in-house sommelier. We basically let the service run the show, and they treated us well where we had the best grilled octopus I've tried (absolutely tender; barely charred and so luscious), crispy pork trotter, calimari & seppie fritti, gnocchi, capellacci, country style pate, short rib "al barolo," veal chop & spaghetti with freshly shaved white truffle. For dessert, the marscarpone/blood orange & tiramisu were both standouts. Absolutely delicious meal, good service and nice decor. Very solid meal and highly recommended - especially if you're not footing the bill.
(5)Diana D.
Definitely nothing to write home about....my short rib was dry and tasteless...staff better than the food...underwhelming and expensive
(2)Timothy C.
I can't say enough good things about this restaurant. Because my wife is vegetarian, I don't often get to experience tasting menus. When we arrived here we talked to the waitress, and she said she could ask the chef to see if he could do the tasting menu vegetarian do my wife. He agreed. When I mentioned the vegetarian tasting menu to the sommelier, he said he could talk to the chef and pair wines for each dish for my wife. The food was fantastic and the wine pairings gave me a new appreciation for the art of the sommelier. This was the best meal I have ever had, and the way the staff went the extra mile made this a truly wonderful experience.
(5)Hector B.
This is the best Italian spot in Las Vegas!!
(5)Shanti L.
From the outside it looks like a little place you'd see in NYC. The service is attentive and organized and personal. The amorane wine is beautiful - smooth and full bodied. Had two pasta dishes. They were freshly made - light and delicate. Really great. The beets salad was wonderful. I really enjoyed everything and being from NYC I really enjoyed finding some great pasta here on Vegas
(4)Arnel D.
Yum. A nice restaurant between the Palazzo and Venetian.
(5)Katherine M.
When my sister said that we would be dining at B & B Ristorante in Las Vegas I was really excited. As a big fan of Mario Batali and Joe Bastianich, having dined at Babbo, Osteria Mozza and Pizzaria Mozza many times, my expectations were high. What a huge disappointment. We were 4 and we each started off with the Field Greens, a very nice, nothing fancy salad. We then ordered two pastas to share; the Stracchino Ravioli with Leak Ragu and Breadcrumbs and the Homemade Orecchiette with Spicy Lamb Sausage and Rapini. The ravioli was over cooked and under-seasoned and the orecchiette was so salty it was hard to eat. Then the entrees came. My husband and I ordered the ribeye for two. The waiter brought it to the table to show my husband then took it away to slice. My brother-in-law ordered the veal chop and my sister the Short Rib "al Barolo." After slicing the steak (it seem to take forever) they brought all the entrees and NONE of them were hot, not even warm, like they had been sitting. They kindly offered to heat them so 2 of us accepted, but the second time around they weren't much hotter. You can only reheat meat so much without ruining it. Still some of the steak pieces were so raw, fat not rendered, we didn't eat them. The flavors in the entrees were all good, just not hot! For a steak priced at $120 I would expect the cook to be perfect. The service was not much better. Our waiter was a fine enough waiter, but was a little on the pushy side telling us how we should order. When my brother-in-law wanted to order a bottle of wine to drink some while we were having Proseco, the waiter told him to wait until he put our order in. The server (waiter assistant?) was officious and pretentious. When the manager came over to ask about our meal she really didn't want to hear that it was cold and offered a half-hearted apology. We just assumed that they thought we were tourist and didn't care that we would not be back. There are so many great restaurants in Las Vegas I highly recommend you pick another.
(1)Deb K.
My sister and I do a Vegas trip at least once a year and each pick a new restaurant to try. We did the pasta tasting with wine pairing and thoroughly enjoyed it, but we're busting at the seams by the end. Should have paced ourselves! My personal highlights-tagliatelle -very simple but the homemade pasta was cooked perfectly. Also, the black spaghetti - I love spicy food and it really grew on me. The pyramids were nothing special and the beef cheek ravioli was delicious but so rich. The wine pairings were good and dessert was nice. We were so stuffed that we got our finishing sweets at the end to go and they were really good with coffee the next morning as suggested. I actually enjoyed the music (Led Zeppelin and Nirvana our night). The service was really good, extensive explanations of the dishes and very prompt. I recommend for a good Italian experience on the Strip.
(4)Angela C.
B&B was good, but didn't have the wow factor that I experience at Gordon Ramsay Steak restaurant. My husband and I had the Mario's favorite tasting menu and enjoyed all of the dishes except for one. However, we spent more here for a party of 2 than we spent for a party of 5 at Gordon Ramsay's. I'm not sure it was worth it, but I am glad that I checked it off my bucket list.
(3)Clint B.
As with other Mario Batali restaurants in Las Vegas no expense was spared to make B&B look like an elegant fine dining establishment. There is plenty of dark wood, dim lighting, and wine racks full of some of the finest wine on the strip. Unfortunately, being located in a high-traffic area of the Venetian, near the connector to the Palazzo, means they get a lot of walk-ins. Those walk-ins usually mean drunk, yard-glass consuming tourists in shorts and t-shirts, not the typical clientele of fine-dining restaurants seen in other cities. During my visit to B&B I got to experience first-hand some of the random drunks that stumble into this restaurant. Two guys were seated next to us who were slurring in broken English, but were able to articulate the occasional "Fuck you, you son of a bitch!" into their conversation. These fine gents sent back a bottle of wine for no reason, complained about everything from the second they sat down, and when they wanted to ask their server something one of the guys got up and chased him down from across the room while shouting, "Excuse me, waiter!" repeatedly at the top of his lungs. Half way through our meal we had to ask to be seated elsewhere because their antics turned from slightly amusing to obnoxious. Luckily, the food at B&B made up for the ambiance, or lack thereof. Both pasta dishes we ordered were excellent. The beef cheek ravioli was pure buttery, savory, saltiness goodness. The tagliatelle with charred sweet corn and truffles was some of the finest hand-made pasta we've had in town. For entrees, we ordered the duck and brasato al barolo. The duck is prepared two ways and served with cherry agrodolce and bitter greens. Both preparations of the duck were excellent, especially the duck confit which was so rich and tender. The brasato al barolo is a beef short rib that was fork-tender and very flavorful. For dessert we got the dark chocolate torta -- a delicious bitter/sweet offering served with mixed berries. We also tried the house-made mint chocolate chip gelato -- smooth, rich and creamy and a perfect way to end the meal. The manager brought over two glasses of a dessert wine that they said would pair perfectly with the dark chocolate torta. They did not disappoint. Their beer list is limited, but the Sella del Diavolo brown ale that I tried was excellent. Their wines by the glass are reasonably priced, for Vegas standards, and the one red we tried (Maculan) was very good. A single glass of wine is a generous pour, served in a decanter then poured in a glass. Prices are fairly steep but they do offer locals 20% off. Portions aren't large, but that's mainly because your supposed to order 3-4 courses as your dinner. The pace is slow, but our waiter was kind enough to let us know right after being seated and asked us if we had any time constraints. The service was good but not as finely-tuned as other "fancy" restaurants. Although our server seemed to have a lot of tables which would explain why he didn't stop by too frequently. So, despite the obnoxious drunks (who happened to walk out without paying half way through their meal) it was a very good experience. Their menus are large and I'd love to go back to try several other dishes.
(5)Janice T.
I have walked by the Venetian hallway of restaurants before. I was pretty excited to finally get to try one. And on top of that, we were going to try the restaurant associated to Mario Batali and Joe Bastianich. I had really high high high expectations, but was really really really disappointed. We ordered: *Bone Marrow Ravioli with Osso Bucco Ragu $32. I believe the concept of wrapping pasta around bone marrow is both spectacular and a delicate process, however, the dish failed to wow me. The pasta was fresh and super al dente. When I ate it, I felt the texture of the bone marrow oozing out of its al dente shell, like a gusher candy, but the flavor was lacking. I guess bone marrow is better paired as a topping to compliment a dish rather to serve as the main content in a ravioli dish. *Spaghettini with Spicy Budding Chives, Sweet Garlic and One-Pound Lobster #32. The dish was sufficient. The lobster was there, but the spaghetti was yet again, too, al dente. We also started noticing the chef tending to give a heavy hand of salt for each dish. *Roast Pork Cheeks/Belly. Tasty, but a little too burnt as you can see in my picture. I know the place was dim and has romantic lighting, but it was a little too burnt to be acceptable. *lled Ribeye for Two with Roasted Potatoes and Aceto Manodori $120. After waiting 45 minutes for the dish to come, it was displayed to us over a cutting board as a one piece of steak. Then the waiter, took it aside, and sliced it into more management pieces and reorganized it onto a dish. The meat was cooked perfect for medium rare. However, it was apparent, too much salt. We were too lazy to complain because we couldn't wait another 45 minutes for a new one. We were so hungry. But it was truly disappointing. Overall, I was so super disappointed with B&B. I was really expecting top knotch food. The service was great, but the food was horrible. It will be hard for me to go back to any place with the name Batali or Bastianich associated to it. There are a lot of great restaurants in Vegas, unfortunately, B&B doesn't cut it on my list. I wouldn't give them a second chance.
(1)J P.
Had an early pre theater diner (they have a menu for that). $75 per head and $25 extra if you order the wine supplement. Food was good. Portions are small (except for the veal chop...another $10 supplement) but given that there are 3 courses and desert it was way more than enough. There's enough diversity in the fixed menu that two can get about 2/3 of the dishes on the menu so sharing is an option. Only issue was the desert. The peanut butter gellato...while good, was somewhat rich and a little over powering. I managed to burp it most of the night.
(4)Elizabeth O.
First time I have ever been to a Mario Batali restaurant and was pleased with the ambiance, great service, and of course, the quality and complexity of the food. I loved the food, so why only three stars? Because the portions are ridiculously small. Not like compared to over-stuffed American portions. Like small for even European portions. I had one of the two gnocchi dishes and I swear it had 10 small potato dumplings in a sea of English peas. My date had the blue crab raviolis and hated them. They smelled god awful, too. They do have some unusual things on the menu like tongue and tripe. Not sure that's really a plus unless you really like that sort of thing and can't find it elsewhere in Vegas.
(3)Tyler C.
Grilled Octopus with spicy lemoncello has savory, brightness, little sweetness, and balance. The brown crust has an initial sweet flavor, then you bite into the octopus and you get savory and brightness, then when you think it can become too rich or spicy, you have some of the trio of beans that brings balance. The pickled relish under lying helped the flavors as well as the bit of mint leaf. The server (Ian) was very helpful and his team was On It! I had the 2 1/2 inch thick pork chop! the chop was cooked perfectly even and the slightly charred fat was sooo tasty! This berkshired pig was fricken good, and Ian's recommendation of wine pairing was spot on....yeah I said spot on... Only down fall was the tiramisu, but Ian quickly exchanged it with a smooth chocolate Gelato! So overall with food, service and ambience I give it a 5 star...or 4 3/4.
(4)Katherine M.
I was so hungry and tired when we finally reached this place. I was excited for a warm dark place to sit and relax and eat some hopefully good food. This was the only restaurant I did not look up at all before visiting Vegas, and I can say my co worker and I were disappointed. The complimentary chickpea bruschetta was nothing to write home about - it was okay, but a bit salty. Glad I did not choose it, personally. We both chose to eat light then order more if we felt we needed it. Our waiter praised the bone marrow ravioli with osso bucco ragu. We tried it. On top of being like eating a tough lemon and parsley gusher, the meat was extremely fatty and just tasted like bad pulled pork, to a point I almost thought they pulled some pork and served it, knowing no one would notice in the dim light. My co worker got the same meal, and the look on her face when she bit into the ravioli was just utter disappointment. We chose not to get any wine or dessert since the meal was so disappointing, but some complimentary dessert was brought out anyway. The chocolate covered cherry, which tasted like the cranberry raisinets, was the best thing. The chocolate cake was dry and bland, the biscotti was meh, and I have had better meringue bought at the grocery store, sadly. And I do not love grocery store meringue cookies or anything. I left shunning the restaurant and Mario Batali. Then I woke up in the middle of the night with terrible food poisoning before a 6 am flight. So yeah. I would definitely suggest you go elsewhere.
(1)J. G.
Much too often a high end restaurant fails to live up to it's reputation. This is NOT case for B&B Ristorante. The wait staff was fabulous. They accommodated a rushed dinner since we had a show to attend in less than an hour. The waitress recommended the quick dishes that the kitchen can produced. All three items were the best thing we have had in Las Vegas in a very long time. This is the epitome of perfection for the restaurant business. A motivated, caring, and very knowledgeable staff, combined with an incredible menu that executes their dishes flawlessly. We will make this a staple for our Vegas getaways.
(5)YaoYao W.
Food was definitely a 3.5-star kind of place but server was weirdddd. We didn't get there til 10:20 ish since we just finished watching Rock of Ages next door (click around for my review of that). We waited about 5 minutes to get a round booth table which was nice. I got the pappardelle bolognese and it was exactly what I was craving. Also got the artichoke gratinata on the side and it was quite nice. Though, my girlfriends didn't help me out much so it was quite heavy ish to eat by myself bc of the bread crumbs and olive oil. By no means am I saying it was unhealthy or a huge portion or anything, just didn't feel quite as healthy eating it by myself. Friend 1 got the black spaghetti (squid ink) which I thought was fantastic, but she said it was a little too spicy. When the server came over to ask how everything was and she said it was too spicy, you could tell he had this awkward mental turmoil in his head where he could have said what was appropriate for such a fancy establishment, something along the lines of: "did you want me to get you something else?" but he probably didn't want to so instead he said "it's good for you!" ................ .... .... ........ ........LOL. Friend 2 got the 2 minute spicy calamari which she liked a lot more. Unfort I'm allergic so I couldn't try haha. Other awkward thing was the bread guy gave us bread and no butter or olive oil or vinegar so we just sat there, starving from the show, trying to politely get somebody's attention for a good 10 minutes so we could eat the dryass bread lol. I get it, you know? All the people that work in Vegas are super jaded and always expect tips for everything. I'm sorry we're Asian girls watching our figures (we are eating at 10pm after all) and didn't order a primi and secondi each, subsequently lowering your tip, I'm sorry. The tasting menu ($99) is probably the best deal out of everything on the menu and I would have tried that if it wasn't for the early flight the next day. I would have looked forward to trying that the next time I'm in town but thanks to the awkward reception from the staff I probably won't return. It wasn't horrible and we didn't feel completely degraded or anything, but it was just awkward haha.
(3)Ryan T.
I don't always write reviews, but when I do, the place is horrible! First of, good things: ambient is nice, lighting level is acceptable and good salads. Bad things: the food (salad is not food, I know). We ordered a Spaghetti with lobster and bone marrow ravioli with lamb ragu. The Spaghetti was literally uncooked to the point it was too hard to chew on, and the waiter had the nerve to tell me that's the "al dente" way. Please, I know what good spaghetti is, and this is uncooked ok!!! And to add, it was too salty! I will never come back here again unless they change their "al dente" way of cooking pastas, what a joke for a restaurant bearing a famous chef name!
(2)Terry M.
Simply a fabulous meal. Three of us had the tasting menu and every course was spectacular. Exceptional service, great ambience. All in all a first-class meal, one of the best of my life. And I have eaten it's at some exceptional quality restaurants.
(5)Joe M.
My wife and I went to the restaurant thinking that it would be an awesome experience based upon Mario's reputation as a "world class" chef. The service we received was good. The lighting sucked! I had to use the flashlight on my phone just to read the menu. My wife's dish was ok. Mine on the other hand (lamb chops with pancetta) was so salty it was like eating a salt lick. I was offered another dish recommended by the server. She mentioned a dish I said ok. She then mentioned the gnocchi which I said I would prefer. She brought out the first dish and proceeded to argue with me about my choice. I accepted the meal served and it was just as salty as the first. The manager came over and told me "that's how they serve it in Italy". What a farce! I have a great palette. I have eaten at many exclusive Italian restaurants and NEVER have experienced such an abuse of salt. Between the wife and myself I spent $80 and ate a salad and a few bites of horrible food. The worst meal of my life!!
(2)Jeremy S.
WHAT A LET DOWN! I liken this dining experience to a movie that everyone raves about, should be good and you set your expectations very high only to be let down hard. B and B was not only not good, it was overpriced too boot! I don't think there is a foodie out there that does not mind spending any amount typically as long as the entrees are well prepared. Here is the breakdown of my meal so you can compare: ANTIPASTI: Beet Salad: One of the better dishes. The marinate had a touch to much vinegar. The pistachio with the beats was excellent however! Warm Lamb's Tongue: Really bad. I love lamb. Almost every part. Haji Baba in Arizona does wonderfull lambs tongue for $6.00. Haji blew away B & B on every note. The tongue was sliced so thin it was almost unrecognizable. The Chanterelles had very little flavor. A poor dish. Grilled Octopus: While every flavor hit, it would have been nice if the octopus was cooked properly. The Octopus was dry and fibrous. PRIMI: Beef Cheek Ravioli with Black Truffles and Crushed Duck Liver: I LOVE fresh pasta. It should be cooked properly. Al Dente it was not. It actually was hard, absolutely undrcooked! The Beef Cheek was lacking creaminess. The crushed duck liver was not crushed duck liver? It was pureed tpgether with an overly salty beef stock. No earthy chocolate notes from the black truffle was present. Bone Marrow Ravioli with Osso Buco Ragù: The worst dish of the evening. I'm a Bone Marrow aficionado and this was DISGUSTING! What was inside the undercooked Ravioli was BONE MARROW FLAVORED OIL. The Ravioli was like a Gushers fruit snack. Hard and chewy outside with an disgusting burst of oil inside. TERRIBLE. I actually told the waitress how bad it was and I my comment was dismissed instantly. Basically our waitress turned my statement into a MY PROBLEM, not hers or the restaurants! I had every Ravioli on my plate minus two and she did not offer a replacement or to remove from our bill. The Osso Buco was not Ragu. The Osso Buco was minimal in size, with large anounts of chewy, unrendered fat. Spaghettini with Garlic Chives, Sweet Garlic and One-Pound Lobster: The pasta was toothesome and cooked perfectly on ONE order of this dish. The other again was undercooked. The Lobster was not sweet, although plentifull. Some was translucent and inedible. The sauce was simple, not a lot going on HOWEVER, I did really like the natural subtle flavors and freshness of this sauce. We were all very dissapointed! Skipping dessert was a first for me but we did indeed skip. Man, what a fucking let down. Really bummed out! As far as the movie review, it sucked. It sucked worse than Glitter!!
(1)Alan P.
I have to say, I was very disappointed with this experience. My best friend booked this restaurant as a surprise and when we got there I was very excited. I've never tried a Batali restaurant and so I was anticipating a wonderful Italian dining experience. The service was not up to par. While our waitress was very knowledgeable about the menu, etc., she was very pack luster, did not sale and I felt as if there was somewhere she'd rather be (well, of course! She was working. But, at least loom as if you love your job!!). I had the crispy pork trotter appetizer. Very so so. But, I de died to order the lamb's tongue and mushroom app for the table. I did it incognito so that nobody would know what it was and just try it before they knew. Well, our wonderful waitress announced what it was when it was brought to the table. Really??? Right after I just pointed it out quietly to you and asked you to bring an order to the table???? Of course, the ladies refused to try it after knowing what it was. But me and my buddy really enjoyed it. It's the only reason why I gave this place 2 stars instead of one. My main course just stunk! It was homemade orecchiette with sausage and broccolni. It tasted like Ragu from a jar!! After that dish we decided to skip dessert. We even skipped coffee. Never ever again. There are much better places to spend your money.
(2)Chad R.
Dear Mario, I address this review to you personally, because after the incredible experience I had at your restaurant two nights in a row, I feel like I've gotten to know you, and I've come to share your passion for how a meal should be enjoyed. Of course, I share this letter with the world, because I also want the world to know what an amazing team you have at B&B, most notably Terra! My experience began with a group of 11 in the private "Grotto" wine cellar room. From start to finish, not only was the cuisine Iron Chef worthy, it was Terra and her team who made it truly memorable. Balancing the varying palates and experience levels of so many people, Terra made it easy, fun and adventurous for all of us to try so many first and second courses from which we might otherwise have shied away. I lost count of how many different dishes we tried, but I can tell you that every dish was relished by every one of us! Terra made such an impression on me that I asked if it would be possible to request a dinner reservation with her again the very next night. I considered this a longshot, since the "next night" was a Friday, but without hesitation Terra assured me that she'd get me a table and with her as our server. To be honest, there were several other very tempting fine dining restaurant choices available without even having to leave the Palazzo or Venetian, but none of those other venues had Terra. While your kitchen crew deserves all due credit for providing fabulous cuisine, your team on the floor made it an absolutely perfect experience. Thank you!
(5)LL N.
Always come here when in Vegas. Best Italian in Vegas. Great food, veal chop was out of this world. Super service from waiter n team. Kevin. So informative. you could tell he loves food AND wine. Bartender knew his mixing too. Impressive. Just bought Mario's cookbook too. A+ Well b back in Sept.
(5)Mike V.
We had a group (8 people) dinner here last week while in Vegas for a conference. So far, this was the best meal I've had out of all the pretty darn good restaurants in that god-forsaken town. Meals are what make Vegas fun. And winning at craps. I walked in ahead of my (late arriving) group and sat at the bar for a cocktail. Frank made me a KILLER Old Fashioned, BTW. I asked what his favorite thing on the menu was and he immediately said the octopus. Right on the money, as we had two of them at the table and it was amazing. We also all shared the artichoke salad (good), the beet salad (excellent) and the calamari (best I've ever had). I had the bone in veal chop. It was cooked to perfection and went great with the Barbera recommended by our waiter. Most of the rest had pasta of some sort, all of which I tried were outstanding. I would happily recommend this to anyone visiting Las Vegas. Couple things - people complaining about the small plates need to have their head examined. Also, good food in a good atmosphere with good service costs money, the end. Finally, as you read through these reviews, remember that most of America consists of the great un-washed masses and LOTS of the un-washed come to stay and play in Vegas. I'll just leave it at that.
(5)Maximus D.
Hands down the worst dining experience I have ever had in Las Vegas and quite possibly, the rest of the world. Service was beyond awful, management was haughty and without a real care or concern for our displeasure, and the food was mediocre. There were bones in the rabbit confit and we were told "that happens sometimes". Ummm, OK. We both ordered pasta dishes and found the pasta had an odd, gummy quality that denoted either improper cooking or that it had been frozen. I say this with certainty as someone who makes their own pasta. Overall, it kills me that in a city full of amazing restaurants we wasted our time at B&B. We ended up at Spago after wards because we were starving but this was after we spent more than $70 for nothing.
(1)Samuel G.
Horrible salty food I almost had sodium toxicity. Very over priced. I can't believe mario calls himself an Italian master. You get better food at olive garden. Save yourself 249$ per couple and go to the venitian Buffett and put the $159 you save on color black!!
(1)Julie L.
From what I heard, their menu is the sister menu to one of my favorite restaurants, Babbo in NYC, so I had to try it out. The gnocchi oxtail still knocks my socks off, but I was pleasantly surprised at the calamari appetizer we had too - the lightest fried calamari I've ever had. The broccolini was really good as well.
(4)Mary L.
Comfortable fine dining is the perfect description for this place. The space was warm, inviting, and simple. The star was the food with its simple ease that makes good cooking seem like no work at all. The cured meats plate was delicious with a variety of different kinds of pork, each different but complimentary to the warm bread puffs. The hand made pasta was a little too rich and buttery but that may be what others would love about it. The pork chop was perfectly juicy and cooked precisely as asked. Unlike other high end places in Vegas, it wasn't intimidating or discouraging. (see my review for le cirque if curious.) Would definitely go back next time in Vegas.
(4)Jessica Q.
I am shocked after reading the previous reviews about B&B. I found this place to be inviting with a great atmosphere and amazing service. We were serviced by Kevin all night and he was fantastic!. Very knowleadgeable about the food they serve, all his recommendations were great!. They started us with complementary chickpeas bruschettas, they were alright. They have a huge selection of italian imported wines and beer (I I have to admit the prices were pretty high for drinks). They brought some bread to our table and we ended up ordering the Rib Eye for two, which by the way, was the most amazing rib eye I have ever had. Perfectly seasoned and cooked (medium rare). We were told that this dish is marinated for around 3 months and it has a special process to prepare. They cut it for us and plated it beatifully. It came with some potatoes. It was amazing!. For dessert, we got the dark chocolate torta. It was very good. The ganache was great as well as the espresso milkshake on the side. Flavours definitely complimented each other. At the end of our meal we got some complementary sweet bites freshly made by the dessert chef. That was very nice. We got our bill and yes, it is expensive ($120 for the ribeye only) but if you are looking to get a great meal, it is definitely worth it. Portions are small so don't go there if you are starving. I would definitely go back to B&B. Why not 5 stars? Because the service was not consistant. Kevin was great but I felt the rest of the staff did not deliver the same service.
(4)Rhonda H.
Very interesting menu - lots of dishes I hadn't tried before. My friends and I took my "slots" winning and splurged on four great meals. We ate family style, with the help of a very friendly waiter who made excellent choices of unique flavors for us. Would definitely go again !
(5)Richard T.
I was here for a buddy's birthday and was quite sloshed. I love Mozza in LA and was really looking forward to trying B & B. I was disappointed. The only thing I actually liked was the octopus. Everything else was a bit....bland.
(3)Kim D.
Stopped in here because the bar looked intriguing. Props to Mario for the warm woods and nice lighting. Cannot note the food, but the $14 Blood Orange Martini is intriguing and feels slightly sinful. Less sweeter than a normal martini and somehow with blood in it - is something delightful to start your first night out in Vegas. Bartender was great, the handlebar mustache was a nice touch and really was great the whole way, even if it was just for a drink.
(4)Mish M.
Always a great meal here! Great service as well. Seasonal rotating menu. Everything is always made with fresh seasonal and regional ingredients. Great wine list. If you have the time do one of their seasonal tasting menus, which constantly change. One is a pasta tasting menu and the other changes, this month it is a truffle tasting menu, the lady next to me at the bar had it and it looked really good. I had housemade mortadella today and that was delish. Chestnut and Mascarpone agnolotti was also amazing. The octopus salad with spicy limocello vinaigrette is also another must. If you can catch it this month, the mascarpone loose cheesecake with a sugar crust and cara cara oranges is to die for! And the hazelnut and salted caramel gelato too! Montenegro amaro is a must to end your meal.
(5)Matt H.
It was difficult for me to assign an overall star rating because of the inconsistency of the food. Most of the dishes were spectacular, but there were quality issues that I thought were below the standards that a Batali and Bastianich restaurant would have. The bread was terrible. It tasted like it had been frozen or it was straight out of the walk in. The crust was hard and rubbery, and the middle was barely thawed. It wasn't a good first impression. The chic pea brushcetta was passable. It was seasoned well, It tasted fine, but for an amuse bouche, it was boring. The octopus appetizer was where things started to look up. It was incredible. The intense colors of the sauce on the plate made the octopus stand out. It was grilled to a perfect crisp, without a hint of rubbery-ness. It is the best octopus dish I have ever tasted. My gf had the goat cheese tortellini and it did not disappoint. The pasta was silky and the combination of citrus and fennel contrasted the rich goat cheese perfectly. It was divine. I had the short ribs served with a creamy polenta and freshly grated horseradish. The flavors were all there but the short rib was dry, which was odd considering it was braised in barolo. I wanted to give B&B 3.5 stars, I rounded up.
(4)Tim L.
Tried it twice on my recent poker trip to Sin City. This is one of the latest offerings from Mario and his friend J. Bastianich. I was traveling solo, so I sat at the bar and dined with some wine. The service in the bar area was good - attentive but not obtrusive. The food was good to very good and for Vegas priced competively. I tried a number ofbdishes on including the lamb chops, octopus and veal chop. The wine selection by the glass is very limited. Although one of the highlight of the wine service is that the by the glass wines are all poured as 250ml mini carafes; so, you get a healthy pour at a great value.
(4)Chi H.
My husband's a chef, a mighty fine one might I add. You know how chefs like to judge other chefs' creations. With that said, my husband is still talking about B & B two years later. The service and operations of the restaurant is the epitome of fine dining. I'm more simple myself, never much for foo foo dining. Even I was impressed with my dining experience. Please forgive me for not being specific as far as what we had to eat. It's been two years and the only that clouded my memory was my engagement the night before we dined here. All I can remember is that I left completely satisfied with my meal. Anyway, the waiter was professional and courteous. Staff was attentive. Now here's the kicker: after our meals, we declined dessert when asked. So we were waiting for our check to arrive, only to have our waiter come back with spumoni. He said the chef simply would not allow us to leave without dessert and that the spumoni was from the chef. Score!!! We can't wait to go back there!
(5)Peter W.
I took my family and a couple of friends there because I am a fan of Mario Batelli. What a mistake! I should have listened to the Yelp reviews. Ok, the service was attentive and helpful, but the food (except for the Limoncello Octopus appetizer) was awful. We were six people, and not a single entrée was satisfactory. Mario, Please remove your B from he name as soon as possible! I had the Linguine w.Clams, and it was like biting into a block of salt. The Linguini were actually Spaghetti. Obviously they fried some Pancetta, added some Garlic and clams, then fried the al dente pasta in that pan which dried out and hardened the noodles and clams. Then drenched the whole thing in olive oil! No broth at all! I had better pasta in some cafeterias... I normally don't mind spending $ 750 on a dinner for six, but if I wanted this kind of food I could have gone to Olive Garden and spend a fraction of that money
(2)Madison W.
It's conveniently located in the Venetian (on the Palazzo side). Like many celebrity-chef restaurants in Las Vegas, it falls short of their primary restaurants. We had a large party and so we were able to taste a wide variety of foods. Here is my low-down: - grilled octopus: outstanding. Definitely worth it. - beef cheek ravioli: good, but MUCH better at Babbo's in NYC - wild boar ragu with pasta: meh.. too game-y - grilled branzino (sp) fish - DELICIOUS. Easily the best dish of the evening. - sweet breads: mediocre. I believe it is breaded in polenta and accompanies with apricot. - steak - DELICIOUS - spicy pasta (good) - fagioli with bone marrow - bland - 2-minute calamari - not tasty - brussel sprouts with pancetta - meh.. too sour The wine list is WAY expensive. We bought a $50 bottle of wine, and didn't get nary a peep from the sommelier. What a snob. The waiters were very nice though, despite the slowness of the kitchen. We spent about $600 for dinner for 6 people.
(3)Tony R.
We decided to dine here on our 25th Anniversary a few days ago. The food,service and atmosphere was spectacular and among the best experiences that we have had. The hostess gave us a very nice quiet table. The server was very familiar with the menu and provided several good suggestions. The octopus appetizer was the best octopus I have ever had. Next I had the goat cheese ravioli ,while my wife had the beef cheek ravioli . It s amazing how well the pasta is cooked at every Batali /Bastianich restaurant. For my entree I had the lamb for two ( which could have fed 4 easily). The lamb was succulent ,and grilled root vegetables terrific. For dessert I had the date Napoleon. I love the traditional Napoleon but this was the best I have ever had. Mario is a true Master Chef,and culinary genius. If you are in Vegas and looking for a great place ,try B&B.
(5)Bryce L.
This place is still one of my favorite restaurants in Vegas. Delicious modern Italian food in a great venue. Tried the grilled octopus, lamb's tongue, gnocchi, beef cheek ravioli, and squid ink pasta. All were great, but the squid ink pasta was very spicy...like almost unbearable spicy. Not sure if it was meant to be like that, or if it was an off-night. Grilled octopus was super tender and flavorful. Service was great, which pretty much comes standard with any Vegas fine dining establishment. Also, great wine list and cocktails. Mario Batali is awesome.
(5)P K.
Last trip to Vegas ended with pecan encrusted rabbit and the most amazing salmon I have ever pleasured my pallet with. The waiter was amazing and very knowledgeable and helpful. The salad, goodness when that arrived I was hoping it would be worth the price, my friend and I split the entire dinner and desert. The greens were so fresh I complimented to the waiter and he explained to me that Mr Mario Batili is so particular on his greens and was dissatisfied what he was receiving that now he grows his own right in Vegas and sells off the "rejects" to other local restaurants. This keeping many employed and I am telling you it was the best salad I ever ate. Pricy yes but if you want perfect ambiance and fabulous food and service, this is the place to go. Thank You!
(5)Zulu Q.
I always have a fatal attraction with a handsome stranger when I visit Vegas. Our eyes meet from a distance. Because I'm always a little too nervous to approach him, I wait for him to approach me. Bold. Clear amber hue. A city boy with southern charm. I'm intrigued. Dapper. He makes me feel like a classy lady. Compliments me. Has manners. And when the attraction is too much to resist, my inhibitions go away and put him to my lips. He tastes as smooth as he looks. It's passionate, slow, and affectionate. I take my time for I know our affair must be short-lived. His tastes lingers long after our last touch. I will miss him dearly. I hope we meet again soon. I write not of a new lover, but certainly of a new love. I write about the best Makers Mark Manhattan I've ever tasted. I even took a photo with my shitty iPhone camera to upload to my Facebook profile static1.px.yelpcdn.com/p… Oh, the quail's pretty good too. As expected, it was expensive.
(5)Treena B.
Why are folks giving this more then 1 or 2 stars?! My Dad and I went on a Monday night and, while the waiter was attentive, we ended up wishing we'd eaten someplace else. First, they served us cold chickpea bruschetta. Believe me..it wasn't tasty at all. Second, they brought cold bread, without butter or olive oil (until we asked for it). Really, it's bread that I could've bought at any grocery store. I ordered the beef cheek ravioli and that (I must admit) was great. My Dad ordered the short ribs...which basically tastes like slow cooked pot roast. Nothing special...really. I really thought this place would be better then what we experienced. Lesson learned....don't eat somewhere solely based on the Chef's name.
(2)Janet O.
Ordered the Jose's Pyramid with San Marzano Passato and the Fusi Istriana with Rabbit Ragu and Asparagus. Both dishes were moderately proportioned, the taste was just mediocre. Nothing really stood out. I enjoyed my wine and prosecco more than the entree. It's a charming place, very trendy, just not the best place for Italian in my book.
(3)Mairead R.
Perfection. Six of us chose this as our "big" meal out in Vegas. Terra was our server and she was eloquent, very generous with advice. Started with an amuse bouche of toast points topped with chickpeas tossed in a black olive tapenade and sweet basil. Garlic tempered with dulcet tones of basil and fresh bean. The antipasti dish is served by the person and varies depending on the night. They have a big storage area for cured meats. Four of us tipped in and we got six types of salami. Simple food but extraordinary tastes. The prosciutto was buttery, soppressata brought the heat, the sage spices dominated and then we discovered the chewy bologna. But best of all? It comes with a bag of steaming savory sopapillas. Tiny little pillows of heaven. I got the octopus appetizer, which was thick as a good steak but tender, no chew at all. They served it with a pungent pepper chutney and some thinly sliced radish. Tasted very spanish, paired with some house cured olives and peppers. Anything with fresh produce or herbs was a hit. They've got an exclusive herb grower, Paula Pudwell, who provides them with all the main herbs as well as some lesser known types, like mint lovage. Apparently they grow well in the arid Vegas soil. We had no complaints, especially when the mint straciatelli gelato hit the table. They've also got an exclusive forager, Kerry Clasby, who travels throughout California to track down their produce. They say that its driven out each night to arrive fresh each morning. Quick tangent. Apparently they've organized a local farmers market on wednesdays for these products. It used to just draw cooks but now it draws the larger community or so they say. My two minute sicilian lifeguard squid was tasty but next time I'd go for a chop entree or the pasta bolognese. Perhaps more boring but so comforting. I did enjoy the beef cheek ravioli with duck liver. My highlight was the yogurt semifreddo. House made yogurt served semi-frozen with an almond dough base topped with candied dates and honey. I was stuffed but then they brought out tiny desserts, a triangle of apple gelee and a petite orange cornmeal biscotti.
(5)Brian K.
***Appetizer*** Lamb's tongue. I know what you're thinking. Brian trying to be Mr. Dramatic Gourmand Epicurean Bastard. I just wanted to try it, for the hell for it. You couldn't tell it was lamb's tongue as it tasted "normal" (whatever the hell that means). It tasted like a really good version of cooked calf liver without the gritty taste. It was accompanied (wow, look at me using fancy words) by chanterelles (gasp, more fancy words). That c-word B&B used is fancy for mushrooms. The mushrooms weren't watery and well marinated in a slightly acidic wine reduction (??) sauce. The slight acidity balances out any potential gritty flavor of the lamb's tongue. Also, the contrasting textures of the fungus and tongue are complemented by a 3 minute egg (fancy for "poached egg"). So here's how I ate that goodness up: ate a piece of lamb tongue followed by a carefully sectioned (by yours truly) piece of egg. It kept the yolk's form, since I didn't want it mixing with the wine reduction. The meat flavor of the tongue was immediately subdued by the runny sensation of the bland yolk (avoid the temptation to salt the egg). After the yolk rinsed out the mouth (kinda like the effect of pickled ginger after eating mackerel sashimi), I followed up by eating a few mushroom pieces. The slight acidity of the reduction then took over the intentionally bland flavor of the yolk yet you are still reminded of the plesant lamb flavor since the reduction incorporated a slight flavor of the lamb. To finish, I got a small piece of bread to soak up the infused oil which, if I remember correctly from the server, olive oil infused with basil. ***Main dish*** My main was the stinging nettle tagliatelle (fancy for "fettuccine") with spring lamb ragu. Curious about stinging nettles, I asked how the hell do you take the sting out. I was informed that once you boil the nettles, it loses its sting. Take that, a-hole stinging nettles (had bad memories as a kid via camping). Like I mentioned, tagliatelle = fancy dancy for fettuccine. But ladies and gents, this wasn't ordinary fettuccine as it was green. The unknowing but nice server being trained told me he believed the nettles were jellyfish but then the head server confirmed my assumption that it wasn't jellyfish but the plant. I don't know how nettles taste but I could tell that the pasta had a different flavor to it (it wasn't "just pasta"). Spring lamb? Fancy dancy for saying, "lamb that tastes a little better but is just psychological." I've always heard that lambs should be slaughtered in the spring because lambs are more relaxed in the spring since in the winter, they need to work hard to keep warm. Anyways, I was expecting ground lamb but it was better than that, actual thinly-sliced pieces of lamb (I'm guessing the loin?). No gamey or mutton flavor at all and this is coming from a person who generally doesn't order lamb. The dish could be improved though. It was served a little too hot. I'm not talking about burn your tongue hot (was the lamb's tongue getting revenge on me?) but that the dish needs to be served a little cooler. Why? The pasta needs to cool down to release its flavor. The lamb needs to cool so you can taste the slight fattiness of the lamb loin since that is a lean cut. ***Service*** Great service despite the four of us being obnoxious and talking about inappropriate stuff as usual. It wasn't, "Hey, I see some young 24 year olds, let's treat them like poo because they don't know." Great service, from both the servers and bus staff. I was eating the bread as if I've never had bread. The bus staff kept bringing out the bread, but only single slices. ***Atmosphere*** Super casual (but leave the wife beater at the hotel) and dark which I absolutely loved. It was really relaxed with no pressure to talk about yachts, titanium golf clubs, or hedge funds. At first, I was surprised, but not disappointed, that it was like a bistro setting since I was expecting a semi-formal place. Good food without the pretentiousness.
(4)Evan G.
We should have stuck with our "no celebrity chef" policy, but we went and tried it anyway. I would NOT recommend this place. The food was bland. Major over-salting on one dish and no seasoning on another. Very small portions. The service was so formal it wasn't even a fun experience. I especially hated the manager pacing up and down the isle with his hands clasped behind his back. I felt like we were being watched. Historically I've loved Batali's restaurants, but this one is trying way to hard to be something. It needs to add a whole lot of friendliness to the place and o some serious evaluation of the food. I have no problem paying a couple hundred dollars for an amazing meal, but after this one I left hungry and wondering what I just ate and why it didn't taste all that good.
(1)Jay B.
The food was sub par, some dishes even inedible. Salt is used in abundance, along with other spices, to the extent that they completely overpowered the dish. In addition, some of the appetizers didn't taste as if they had just been prepared. The staff is abundant but not very polished or sophisticated (sub 20s), which is what one would expect at the "premiere" restaurant at The Venetian hotel. I will not return to this restaurant and would not recommend it to anyone. I've had better overpriced food in Vegas.
(2)Vivian W.
I heard such rave reviews about B&B from my colleagues back when we came for CES. I decided that I should give the restaurant a try since we had been gambling at the Venetian. There was about a ten minute wait, so we decided to grab some drinks at the bar. At the bar, they have some fantastic, spicy breadsticks that you have to try if you end up going there. They have a nice kick. We decided on the following dishes for dinner (I have attached pictures): Pork trotter on top of greens- I wasn't sure what pork "trotter" was and I didn't want to find out. I was assuming it was feet but I was willing to give it a try. I really didn't like this dish. It was breaded on the outside and it seemed like it was filled with potatoes and pork fat. Bleh. Don't get this. Spaghettini with Spicy Budding Chives, Sweet Garlic and One-Pound Lobster $31- For $31, I expected there to be a lot more lobster on the plate. Where did the one-pound go? The spaghettini was perfectly cooked al dente, but that's all I can say about it. Homemade Orecchiette with Sweet Sausage and Rapini $23- This is the dish I ordered. Half of the table liked it, but I found it to be extremely salty and average. Linguine with Clams, Pancetta and Hot Chiles $26- Average. This dish was salty too...guess they forgot that the pancetta would make it salty as well. Grilled Pork Chop with Cipolline, Artichokes and Vin Cotto $34- The pork chop was very good, probably the best dish we ordered. I really wanted to like this restaurant, but it didn't do anything for me. The prices were expensive and the portions were small. The taste was off in my opinion as well. There are much better choices for dinner in Vegas.
(2)EILEEN V.
Two couples went here at 5pm last Sunday for drinks and appetizers as we had to pick up tickets for a 7pm show and didn't have time for a full dinner. We ordered a bottle of wine and when we told the waiter we only had about an hour, he said to us in a most unprofessional way, "you can't just have an appetizer!" We explained that some of us were having our own appetizers and my husband ordered a burger. Now, the restaurant was practically empty so we weren't taking up space and we are good tippers! The waiter came with our wine and poured it and we never saw him again until he brought the check. Our bill for taking up 1 hour of their time was well over $100. Needless to say, that waiter did not benefit from a particularly generous tip!
(2)Sean G.
The meal was extremely delicious and the service was exceptional. Get the gelato and don't let your girlfriend make you split it with her.
(5)Pinky T.
Dined at B&B with great company; a group of 10 of us. We were informed that in order to do the prix fixe menus, the whole table would have to do it. We were fine with that, and we went ahead and ordered the lamb prix fixe pasta dishes. Everything was fantastic, and the standout for me was the lamb brain dish. It was unlike anything I had ever tasted, I really have nothing to compare it to. I loved it. I ate every single savory bite of every single dish, went home full and happy. As usual, A+, will dine again. I feel like I'm commenting on an eBay auction.
(4)Lee R.
We went to B&B Ristorante for our Valentine's dinner. We were excited to try some good Italian food and wine for our special occasion. We booked our table for early in the evening so we could take our daughter with us. She was the only child in the restaurant, but that was ok with her. She was very well behaved and patient throughout the entire meal. We ordered a mixed green salad to start and it was simple and delicious. I noticed they had polenta as a side dish with one of the courses, so I asked for some. Without hesitation, the server informed me that the chef would not serve a side. When we asked for plain pasta, we were again informed that the chef would not serve it that way. Note: The server never asked the chef ... he just let us know that there would not be any accommodations or special orders. So I ordered the beef cheek ravioli with truffle sauce. My meal was the the color of poo when they put it in front of me. The ravioli turned the color of the sauce and it did not look good. I was not impressed and I was not inclined to eat much of it once I tasted it. Yuck. My husband and my daughter had the goat cheese ravioli and that was much better. I was wishing I had that instead. But the waiter never came back to check on us and eventually someone came to clear the plates away. Bye Bye crap. No one even noticed that I did not eat any of it ... they just took it away without a second thought. When the waiter did finally come back, we asked for the check. We asked if we could charge it to our room, and the waiter said that it would take 10 minutes to get the manager to approve it. We pulled out a credit card instead of waiting since we were looking forward to getting out of there. Just like other Yelpers said, it was disappointing, expensive and pretentious. Now, I wish I read the reviews first.
(2)Avitania B.
Bravo! We had a party of 6 with varying degrees of food pickiness, and everyone found something to enjoy. The service was top notch, and we even got impromptu dinner theatre while overhearing some middle aged guy yell at someone who was either his wife or his mistress ("If you fucking mention Facebook again, I swear I'm going to get up and leave this fucking table!") AWESOME. Most of us ordered an antipasti dish, then we spit several primi amongst the table. Each of us ordered a main dish. We were stuffed to the gills, but happy. I wish we'd saved room for desssert! Standouts included the goat cheese tortelloni, the gnocchi with braised oxtail, the grilled branzino, and the steelhead trout. Fan-freaking-tabulous. I'll definitely visit again the next time I'm in Vegas.
(5)John S.
I am not entirely certain what went wrong here, but something did. The lighting was a bit too dark. The wait staff was a bit too rigid. The smoke wafting in from the casino was a bit too distracting. I really wanted to like B&B, but the situation conspired against me. Granted, I ate what may be the best pork chop of my life there (a bone-in number with a quintz accompanyment), but I didn't walk out happy. It's as if the restaurant started off on the wrong foot and could never entirely correct itself. B&B won't crack any Top Ten lists for food on the Strip. You can find countless other places offering impressive Italian fare for a more reasonable price and in more comfortable surroundings.
(3)Shay S.
I've always enjoyed watching Mario cook on TV and his food always seems interesting, so I was excited to try B&B. Had a nice meal here, but was disappointing at several levels. To start off, I was presented with a chickpea amusee, which tasted nice, but was kind of earthen in flavor and didn't really awaken the palate. I had the Beef Cheeks Ravioli to start. It was a decent dish, the beef cheeks and liver was tasty, and though I saw 2 mini slivers of truffle, I couldn't detect any of its perfume - they might as well not have been there. It was a little heavy but was over all a decent dish. Though in hind sight I should have ordered the tripe, the ravioli was nice but not exciting. The flavor profile was kind of monotoned throughout -- if only it had more umame, perhaps I was supposed to add on 5g of truffle at $15/g? I followed that with the Crispy polenta sweetbreads. Sounded nice on paper, but the polenta coating on the sweetbreads turned up hard and unappealing. The sweetbreads were well cooked though and were nice and moist, however, to my surprise, it was completely under seasoned. I don't mean that they didn't put enough salt, I think they forgot to salt it completely. I think the polenta coating might have a little bit of salt, either that or the salting was uneven. The mushrooms and sweetpotato (?I think?) puree was completely unseasoned. I wanted to ask for a bit of salt, but didn't want to seem like one of those annoying dicks that terrorize the wait staff at restaurants. For desert, I was recommended a mascapone based desert - it was made like a creme brulee, and was delicious. The service was good, perhaps even above average for las vegas. So 3 stars because the chick peas amusee wasn't very amusing and the sweetbreads were under seasoned. Decent restaurant, but I wouldn't rave about it.
(3)Dayvia N.
The menu was very foreign and I only recognized a couple foods I've eaten before, so the neat tasting menu was the perfect choice for this. We ordered one of the 7 course tasting events paired with wines for each dish. I enjoyed trying different types of foods and although some dishes were much better then others, the overall experience of the tasting was amazing. I also enjoyed learning about different foods i've never tried before. The waitress and the food runners were very knowledgeable about the food and the chef easily accommodated my guests food allergies to dairy. (hard to do with Italian food). The staff was very friendly and with the 7 dishes plus 7 half glasses of wine we saw them quite often which made the service amazing, even though the place was very busy. Neat library/study type atmosphere with large mirrors and large wood panels that I enjoyed too. I would definitely recommend the tasting menu even though it was very high priced and made the dinner a 2 hour event.
(4)Ben C.
Our second visit to B&B was just as memorable as the first. The food was fantastic, and the staff were knowledgeable, friendly and attentive without being obtrusive. My grilled octopus was tender and tasty, the beef cheek ravioli rich and satisfying and the calamari was fiery and succulent. My only regret is that to order either of the tasting menus, the entire table must order one of the two tasting menus. This just isn't possible when eating with my wife, as she isn't quite as adventurous as I am, and there is almost always something on a tasting menu that doesn't interest her. We will definitely be back, as there are many items on the menu that I still want to try, such as the rabbit porchetta.
(5)Andy M.
In a city where you can find pasta anywhere, this is truly a great Italian spot inside The Venetian. Enjoyed cocktails, appetizers, goat cheese tortellini and then dessert with two friends visiting from Baltimore for less than $250....very authentic and impressive. The wait staff is very attentive to your needs...even anticipating things before you can ask...impressive. I would recommend Mario's place again and again...
(4)Andy L.
From reading a large amount of the reviews on here, I am getting that a lot of people who are going to the Phantom of the Opera or some other show in the Venetian, come to this restaurant. Made a reservation on open table because I figure it would be busy on a Friday night at 5:15pm. It was not. Had dinner with the wife and another married couple. We like most people on here had tickets to a 7pm show, so we were kind of on a time constraint. The decor was elegant and had nice dark wood throughout. The menu to me read as this "foo foo poo poo w/ a side of fennel something or other". It was kind of tough to figure out what most of the stuff was on the menu. This is not their fault. It is mine for not speaking Italian. One could translate on their smart-phone if need be. I, instead was sketchy and chose something that might taste good. When the food arrived, it was great. The waitress was knowledgeable about the wines and made us feel at ease for not knowing what a lot of the items were. She answered our questions without the attitude of "omg, how do these ruffians not know what these dishes are?!" That was a great feeling. I would come back to this restaurant again. I only took one star off for the amount of money we had to spend for food. Wife and I shared a meal, one salad, two cups of coffee, and one small dessert and it costs us just under $100 with tip.
(4)Elyse H.
Wonderful service! Our server, I believe his name was Christopher, was so impressively knowledgeable and attentive. Outstanding food, every dish. I agree with others regarding the octopus, it's actually the best I've had yet. The calamari was also delicious with small bites of cauliflower in the mix, an unexpectedly great combination. I had an amazing pasta with charred corn and truffle. It was so simple, delicious and perfectly prepared. My husband had a perfectly cooked veal chop. This was our best meal in Las Vegas. My only complaint is not really the restaurants fault. The music coming from the hallway.....it just didn't fit the lovely ambiance of this restaurant and was a bit off putting. Choose a table away from the hall.
(5)KARRIE D.
On Feb 13, my husband Rusty and I wanted to squeeze in one last good meal before we hit the airport for home. We loved Mario Batali's Del Posto in NYC so decided that B&B it is. We had a great trip in Vegas so far, eating at places like Raku, Michael Mina's, Bouchon, and Public House.. all of which were good, not great. B&B is the only restaurant I decided to yelp due to the fact that it was our best eating experience in Vegas because of our bartender that night - Eric. First off, the manhattans were the best we have ever had. Eric's hobby is to make bitters.. who does that?! But the guy is serious about his drinks and it shows. The manhattans were perfectly balanced and just damn delicious. Secondly, Eric recommended a few items for us to order. The food was unique, rich, to die for! Must haves on the food menu - octopus appetizer, bone marrow ravioli, beef cheek ravioli. DO NOT SIT AT THE TABLE if you go to B&B.. go and look for Eric.
(5)Clara E.
My husband and I had dinner here and we really enjoyed it. We arrived about 30 minutes before our reservation and asked if we could get in. We also asked for a quiet corner to sit in. They sat us in the wine cellar and it was wonderful! We got to look at all the amazing wines and it was very quiet. There was one other couple seated there and another empty table for 4. Out on the main floor the restaurant was pretty busy, but in our little corner...everything was quiet. Our waiter, Kevin (I think), was relatively new, but was great. He explained all 5 menus (we were there during a special fundraiser) and was prompt with bringing us water or bread. For our appetizer, we had the: Prosciutto di Parma "Galloni 30 Mesi" with Black Pepper "Fett'unta". It was very good. Although, it's hard to mess up really good meat like that. My husband had the Beef Cheek Ravioli with Black Truffles and Crushed Duck Liver for his primi. He loved it. I tried a bit and found it a bit too "beefy" for my taste. I had the Goat Cheese Tortelloni with Dried Orange and Wild Fennel Pollen and loved it. It felt rich and light at the same time. The portions were a little big for a primi, but overall, no complaints. For our secondi, mu hubby had the Crispy Polenta Sweetbreads with Roasted Hubbard Squash, Wild Mushrooms and Apple Agrodolce. My goodness, they were amazing!!! I was really amazed at how good they were! They were like chicken nuggets, but more crunchy and flavorful!! I had a special of pork ragu and penne pasta. I was really disappointed. It was too salty and lacked flavor. This is why they are getting 4 stars instead of 5. Ragu and pasta should be pretty easy for an Italian restaurant to get right.... Also, be sure to ask for tap water and not bottled....they charge 7 dollars per bottle of water! But you can get free water...if you want. Several other reviewers have discussed the bread and how disappointed they were in it. I found the bread to be very good and very Italian. I felt like I was back in Italy when I bit into it. Good Italian bread has a hard crust and chewy interior. While it was served cold, it tasted very fresh and authentic. All in all, our tab was about 150 dollars (before tip) which was about what we expected. Will I go back? Probably not because there are so many different places to try! But, I am really glad I went.
(4)jason g.
Horrible experience, I do not recommend. The food was bad and overpriced. My veal chop was all fat for 56 dollars. I complained and they did absolutely nothing and still charged me for it.
(1)Sally L.
If you're trying to "wow" a date, this is the place to go. They had two tasting menus at $99/person. Both are 7 courses & are served at a leisurely pace. We ordered the black truffle tasting menu and it took about 2.5 hours to complete the meal. The wait staff was very friendly, checking on us at each course to explain the preparation and make sure we were enjoying our meal. All the food was top notch & fresh truffle was shaved at the table for the majority of the plates. At $350 with drinks & tip for two, this is not an everyday stop, but it's a very enjoyable experience. Bonus: our waiter gave us each a free cordial glass of grappa & a rosemary infused herbal liqueur.
(5)Colleen K.
My husband and I chose this restaurant based on the owners and the reviews we have heard from Batali's other restaurants. We were pretty disappointed with the food - the service was great) . We ordered the pasta tasting menu and only ended up really liking 1 (my husband liked 2) of the pasta courses. All I have to say is watch out for that black pepper pasta - I love spice, especially pepper, but the pepper on this pasta was overpowering. It was underwhelming overall.
(2)Chrystal E.
On a last minute weekend getaway trip to Vegas, my husband and I stumbled across B&B after wandering through the Venetian hotel. It was later in the evening, so we only had to wait a few minutes at the bar before we were lead to a quiet table in the back wine room. It was simply breathtaking - quiet, dimly lit and romantic. Our server was very knowledgeable of the extensive wine list and the menu's selection. My husband ordered the pork chop and to this day claims it was the most amazing pork chop he's ever had. I wouldn't expect anything less than pure deliciousness in my mouth when it comes to a Batali locale. It definitely delivered and was a highly romantic and enjoyable dinner. Ofcourse, be prepared to spend some considerable dough on this one...but hey, it's Vegas....go big or go home! :)
(4)David v.
I am actually kind of shocked to see the rating of B&B Ristorante, but I do agree with some of the reviews in that I think what your expectations are before you go has a lot to do with what type of experience you are going to get. I have been here a few times before and I think it might come down what type of experience you are looking for. I had reservations this past weekend and I think along with the review for this day, it might help others to also compare it to my previous visit a few months earlier as both experiences were significantly different (but for me, equally enjoyable). On my visit in Sept (my second time here), I ended up getting the pasta tasting menu. As noted by other the tasting menu is about 7 dishes. The tasting menu entailed the following at the time (attached a pic of the card they place there when you get the tasting menu): 1) Garganelli Pomodoro with Paula's Basil - Yummy 2) Black Spaghetti with Ricci di Mare - Super/Uber yummy! If you like spicy, you will love this!!! It is a completely different type of spicy! 3) Ricotta Cavatelli with Canestrino Tomato, Flageolet and Ham Hock - Very good 4) Jose's Pyramids with Purple Cherkoee "Sugo Finto" - Very good as well. 5) Goose Liver Ravioli with Basamic Vinegar and Brown Sugar - Kinda of bitter from the Vinegar and sweet from the brown sugar. Might be an acquired taste for some but for me very good! 6) Frutta Fresca - Not bad for a palate cleanser! 7) Roasted Canestrin Tomato with Sweet Corn Gelato - the desert was awesome! If you do try the tasting menu, definitely be prepared to spend at least 3-4 hours on this meal. If you cannot dedicate that much time to the meal, skip the pasta tasting menu and get individual dishes. I think the the reason why some like B&B is they are expecting the food to compete with excellent cut of beef, pork, or etc with some intricate sauce made by the masters from the mountains of Odo and forged from the blood, sweat and tears of the people of the land and then passed down from generation to generation on the backs by the grandmas of the world. FORGET IT! I hate to break it to you... but its pasta. You need to think about comparing apples to apples and oranges to oranges. The pasta tasting menu has to be some of the best tasting and prepared pasta I have ever had. all hand made that day and all very fresh! This place puts your standard concrete, flashy sign, chain restaurant in the suburbs to shame. If you are looking for flavor up the wazoo that you can compare to a steak house or other fine dining establishment, then read on and forget everything you just read. On my most recent visit, we ended up going the appetizer, two "main" dishes (they call a "primi" and "secondi") and desert. A lot of the waiters recommend going this route if you aren't interested in the pasta tasting (others call it prix fixe) menu. You get a wide variety of things (not just pasta) and you can choose food than interests you. For this recent visit, I ended up ordering: 1) Calamari and Seppie Fritti - sorry Bobby Flay... in my opinion, Batali's Calamari tops yours easily. although others in my party might disagree with me. 2) Gnocchi with Braised Oxtail - this is simply amazing. I have never tasted anything that good before!! Its got your "pasta" and your meat. Hook me up with this again! 3) Duck with Baby Green Cabbage and Speck - Yummy! 4) Desert (forget the name of it) - I ended up asking them to bring what they would recommend for desert. To sum this all up, I think if you are looking to be WOW'ed and want compare it to other restaurants for the same type of money you are spending, you want to individual select items for your dining experience and get an appetizer, two "main" entries, and a desert. Going this route you can get a little more meat/seafood with your meal. Trust me you will enjoy it more. However, if you are looking for tasting simple (with few ingredients) yet unbelievably good and equally complex food, get the pasta tasting menu. Hopefully this will steer some people in the direction food that is better suited for yourself.
(5)Gwen T.
Ate here last year when I was in town for a conference. My boss and I did a multi-course tasting menu, and everything was wonderful! Probably the best pasta I've ever eaten. Service was impeccable. The menu is VERY extensive, and to be honest a little overwhelming. It's basically impossible to order without the assistance of your waiter to explain what everything is. Luckily, our waiter and his many assistants were very knowledgeable and helpful. Quite pricey, but I wasn't paying. :)
(4)Katherine L.
So I actually went like over a month ago, but I am now getting to this because I couldn't type for a while. And I got lazy. Anyway- I really like the looks of the restaurant, dark, quiet, pretentious. And I love being pretentious, it's so fun. Between my friend and I, we had: braised oxtail and gnocchi lamb dark chocolate gelatto bottle of wine We were also offered complimentary chickpea mix on crostini, various breads, and some cute and sweet nibbles at the end. Also when I asked our server where the restrooms are, he actually showed me. And the bathroom also passed my standards with flying colors. They also had these super sonic hand dryer thing, which was just fascinating. The food was great, wine was great, waiter and somelier were also both great and eager to help without being overbearing. Looking forward to going back!
(5)Chicco C.
The food here is ok. I don't remember what everyone at the table ordered but I know I got the Beef Cheek Ravioli with Black Truffles and Crushed Duck Liver for $26 and my mother ordered the Linguine with Clams, Pancetta and Hot Chiles for $29. How you can make a seafood linguine for $29 dollars is beyond me. I'm guessing their clams are clammier than your normal clam. Or found in some distant, unknown cove in the Sea of Tranquility. If so, I couldn't tell. Seemed like a normal seafood linguine to me. As for my beef cheek ravioli, I'm sure Mr. Batali's idea for creating this dish was "Let's stuff everything that's tasty into a small pouch. Texturally, it felt like I was eating baby food. And it was too rich. Every bite felt like eating a pillowcase of butter. But! Though the food is lacking, the service is impeccable. You stay classy Las Vegas!
(3)Jenifer V.
The first time I was "introduced" to crocs was when I was watching Mario Batali on the Food Network. I didn't like them then and I don't like them now. That aside, I liked Mario as a chef and when my friend suggested we try one of his restaurants while we were in town, we did some (quick) research and chose B&B. We arrived around 9'ish on a Friday night and were seated right away. Restaurant had a good amount of patrons inside. Lighting was dim, woods were dark and service was good. Everything on the menu sounded great. I chose to start off with the grilled fig salad which was awesome. Unfortunately, I can't say the same for my entree. I had housemade orecchiette with sweet sausage and rapini. The pasta was good, but I thought the dish as a whole was too salty. Boo. The Jose's Pyramids were the table favorite - triangle shaped ravioli filled with pulled short ribs and a red sauce. Yum! We skipped dessert, had 2 glasses of wine total and the bill ended up being roughly $70/pp. Don't think I would go back to B&B, but I would certainly try another one of Mario's restaurants.
(3)Brian F.
My family had dinner here last Christmas. We were really looking forward to it as we always thought Mario's food looked good on his shows. Let me tell you the restaurant did not let us down. From the appetizers to desserts everything was excellent. Appetizers included Warm Lamb's Tongue with Chanterelles and a 3-Minute Egg, Grilled Octopus with 'Fagioli Marinati' and Spicy Limoncello Vinaigrette, Bone Marrow Ravioli with Osso Bucco Ragu. My main entree was the Grilled Pork Chop with Rhubarb Mostarda and Mustard Greens, THE juiciest pork chop I or you will ever have. The restaurant butchers their own pork chops in house and according to our waiter, they leave more of the pork fat on the chop than they now do in other source of pork do. Other entrees ordered included: Rabbit Porchetta with Chianti Braised Carrots, Winter Roots Salad and Walnut Vinaigrette, Grilled Pork Belly with Wickson Apples and Caramelized Onion Jam, Grilled Sweetbreads with Leeks, Apples, and Mustard Veal Jus, Squab "al Mattone" with Truffled Crema Fritta and Chanterelle Ragu. The Sommelier had good suggestions to pair with our entrees. They even made an off menu item for my niece who doesn't like anything other than Alfredo pasta.
(5)Jeffrey D.
Only had around 45 minutes for our meal. Our waiter Anthony suggested octopus appetizer and orchetti pasta with chorzo sausage and pasta with marinerra sauce and lobster. Both is specialty pasta's. Wonderful and loved it....
(5)Robert M.
What does the lamb say? Not much, I ate its tongue. What does the lamb think? Not much, I ate its brain. Sure, it's not cheap. We found a bottle of pinto nero in the "other reds" that was fairly inexpensive and shared apps and two pasta dishes, eschewing larger dishes and saving a few bucks that way. I would probably award it 4 stars, but it gets a bonus star for allowing me my first opportunity to eat lamb's brain. and tongue. Both were good, by the way, especially if you really like the flavor of lamb. Cause they got it.
(5)Don S.
Food was simply amazing; but then what else would one expect from Batalli and Bastianich? Greeting and seating from the receptionist was less than desirable. My wife and I were the only people in the restaurant and the next customer that came in was seated right next to us. For the next hour or so we and the couple next to us were the only people in the restaurant which made it less than intimate and it was the intent as it was my wife's Birthday dinner. We had ordered the pasta tasting menu which requires that the wait staff communicate with you regarding each course and each wine paring; unfortunately this was not as enjoyable with the table next to us watching and listening to every move. They should consider this and seat the early diners with a little more distance; especially given the fact that there were two tasting menus offered. Food was incredible as was the wait staff but then again it should be for a $500.00 dinner.
(4)Jade M.
Went here for a double date and I think we ordered everything on the menu! Literally everything was delicious except for this rabbit crepe thing that we got. Its tapas sized portions. The service was excellent and the food matched it. Its expensive but everything is expensive in vegas.
(5)Lorraine K.
We were at B&B on May 20. We had pre theater reservations. We were seated & were greeted by the most obnoxious waiter, Anthony. We were told we could not have half the items on the menu since it took a while to prepare. We had 1 1/2 hrs before we need to leave. I was very disappointed with Anthony's service, because of his attitude I did not enjoy my meal at this restaurant. I love Carnevino. So we thought we will try Batali's other restaurant. I highly discourage my friends from going to this one restaurant. The restaurant was not busy at the time so I do not know what was the reason for his bad service.
(2)Ry P.
Great food, great service, excellent atmosphere. Mario Batali's "ipod" plays throughout dinner with a rather eclectic selection of music that does not make one think "classy italian restaurant". However, the food is so good, it is easy to forget about the music. Did not feel rushed at all by wait staff, who were attentive, friendly and knowledgeable. Enjoyed a perfect al dente on all fresh pasta. The beef cheek ravioli is to die for.
(5)Sara L.
I thought the food here was very good. It didn't absolutely blow my mind, but the freshness of the ingredients was what really made it shine. We had the salumi plate to share. The salumi were house-made, which was nice. Not much a fan of the head cheese (I don't like aspic-y jello-like consistencies), but the rest were lovely, if not overly-spiced like mass-produced Salumi are (Batali's dad at Fra'mani does it a bit better, but these were nice). The pickled olives, onions, and radishes were a lovely touch. We had the pasta bolognese and the lobster spaghetti. My bolognese was wonderful. The pasts was VERY fresh, and the flavor was good, even if the portion wasn't very big. The lobster pasta was just GREAT There was quite a lot of lobster in it, the flavor was nice, but not so overpowering that you couldn't taste the sweetness of the lobster. The pasta was lovely, and the garlic chives on it tasted like they'd just come out of the garden. Simple, clean, EXTREMELY fresh, and good flavors. Very nice, I just might've wanted to take some leftovers home. But alas, there weren't any. I suppose that speaks well for the place. I'm always a little skeptical of restaurants by big name celebrity chefs, but this was great, if not stunning.
(4)Caroline M.
I really wanted to like B and B. Unfortunately, I cannot give it a good review. Of all the dishes we ordered, I loved the grilled octopus. By husband got a seafood dish similar to Cioppino and my friend got the bolognese. We also had a salad. I can't remember what my friend's husband had. These were all ok, but not exceptional. The worst thing we ordered was the Foie Gras Ravioli with a balsamic glaze. This was on the price fix menu, but our lovely waitress, Trina (I think) from Napa agreed to bring it to me for my entree. What I got was I inedible. More like a balsamic soup. The balsamic overpowered everything! Our waitress took it off the bill, but the corking charge for our magnum of wine was $75! I'm sorry, but that is ridiculous! Also, it was my friend's and my birthdays but nothing was done about that? Why ask if it's a special occasion if you don't plan to do anything about it? I read that other reviewers said they were served some complimentary desserts, we got nothing. We dine at fine restaurants all the time, and I consider myself to be a bit of a foodie, but B and B Ristorante was very disappointing! I must say, I have eaten at Babbo in New York, and loved it.
(2)Jenny S.
I'm pretty surprised at some of the bad reviews this place has gotten on Yelp. When you ask a waiter for recommendations, you're committing yourself to taking a risk by ordering what someone you don't know recommends(either he/she likes it personally, or it's 'popular'). So, be gutsy and don't do it. We started off with a bottle of the Brentino wine and the grilled octopus. The octopus was in a citrus vinaigrette and was pretty amazing. The tagliatelle with charred sweet corn and truffles was excellent. The sauce was made with a special butter(I forget what kind) that was more flavorful than normal butter, but not as cloying. The bucatini was also very good and spicier than other allamatriciana dishes I've tried. The service here was pretty excellent, both the bartender and our table waiter were very attentive. If you come here, order the octopus and a pasta. I'd stay away from the fishes and meats just because the restaurant is mainly about the home-made pasta.
(4)Justin A.
Underwhelming in every aspect! Service was horrible, food was under seasoned, and prices were extremely high for food quality. I would not recommend and several other tables around us had a similar experience that evening.
(1)Eric L.
First off, how this place does not have a 5 star rating on yelp is mind-blowing. My wife and I stumbled in here one Sunday eve (on the eve our one year anniversary), and we now feel we discovered gold. After all, it is the wild west.... Let's start with the service. A "10.". Nothing else to say. Kevin (with the cool mustache) was - besides being amazingly friendly - one of the most knowledgable staff members of anyplace we have been. And to be honest, we eat very well, all the time - whether it's home in Hollywood or in NYC, SF, Boston, Miami - whatever. We consider ourselves well-versed and qualified to rate any place on the planet. However, personally, I enjoy most those places that are over the top special, but still straightforward - and not too, too formal. After all, we want to be comfortable. That is what B&B is. While the room is nothing special, certainly for vegas, the Seasonal menu is not short of perfect. The must haves: any type of burrata salad (they change monthly, depending on their purveyor, yes, there is one person who Batalli employs for his empire who sources goods); bone marrow ravioli is like nothing you have had, the osso buco on top is just even more amazing; it was fig season, so a fig salad and a type of fig burrata brûlée was off the charts. Also, remember, no one does burrata like Batalli. Or for that matter, meat and cheese. The lobster spaghettini just amazing. And of course, a top 5 dish ever for me, the grilled octopus. Everything has its own special type of vinegrette prepared for the dish. To give an example of the talent and ingredients here, one was made with the "last press" of olives for the season, when they "clean" the presses with the citrus from the same farms in italy, so the olive oil has this amazing fresh bite from the process. That's how involved and thoughtful this menu and kitchen is. And that's about half of what we ordered, all with the help of Kevin, who made us feel like you are truly taking a trip through Tuscany with his knowledge and his own love for the menu and food. You just cannot stop ordering. Yes, it's that good. My wife made me stop. To all who say the portions are too small: it's not the cheesecake factory. You obviously don't eat out much. And yes, it's not priced like it either. But what do you expect, it's in Las Vegas. But I will say, these prices would hold up in LA (as they do at Mozza in LA) because great experiences that involve expensive ingredients are not cheap. If you are in LV anytime, you would be remiss in not going to B&B. Even if you are solo, their bar area looks like a great place to experience this menu. The only drawback is that Kevin is not the bartender, and I think he is a giant part of that experience. My wife even convinced me to get started on a mustache the next day, which didn't get past a week. (not for me) My wife and I are thinking of flying in for the night just to eat here again (and maybe an hour or two of craps wouldn't hurt....) UPDATE: Just went again this past week while in town for a couple of nights. This time, with a friend from the east coast. Once again, it didn't disappoint and of course, Kevin was on his game. I am telling you, if you go there, you have to request to be in his area. It's a completely different experience there when you have someone so passionate about the ingredients and dishes there. But there are other very friendly folks working there, the bartender that night was another. Yes, the bill was insane for a random tues night with an old buddy in town, but we loved it and it's worth the premium. They played the entire Queen Greatest Hits album the whole night, which is one of my favs...as I know some here on yelp think that it should be more Sinatra than classic glam rock, but they don't get it. This is not about the expected. It should have that NY/ Village energy. Still don't get how these reviewers are killing this place.
(5)James S.
Beef and Barley? Brats n Beer? Course not, it's Mario and Joe! And this place is great. OK, I was intimidated by the $$$$ in the review profile (this ain't no Mozza). But, you can still have an outstanding meal with a pretty good market value without feeling abused. A romantic laidback place with music from Stevie Ray Vaughn then Prince makes for a comfy place. We were hungry but split everything, as we often do. You know the portions are gonna be ample, and this way, you can try more things to sample. And though their policy is not split stuff, just ask, it's no big deal. They'll be happy to do it. The Spaghettini with Spicy Budding Chives, Sweet Garlic and One Pound Lobster was simple yet soo good. Imagine a light arribiatta sauce, yet when I mentioned as much to our server, well, she had never heard of arrabiatta. Oh well. In fact, our server was fine, but we loved the teamwork provided by (what musta been) the manager, who kept the momentum of our meal and seemed to offer good information when asked. We also had the Branzino, which I see 50% of the Yelpers also enjoyed. 'Nuff said. We loved it, and it was plenty big to share. We also enjoyed the side of squash---normally not a squash fan--and it sounds better than just 'squash'. And it was perfect. Ended with the warm chocolate budino, a nice way to go. Their coffees were great; wine was divine, and their martini was made to order and a better deal than the same in L.A. The whole place was as tasty and laidback as a Hatfields. When we're in Vegas again, we'd go back to B&B in a flash.
(5)Michael A.
Went there last night with my gfriend. Hostess was nice and friendly waiter was ok, no personality. Didn't really help when i ask what is best in this group he responded "this is the most popular item" I don't want to know the most popular item, I want to know the best tasting and why it tastes good, you idiot who just repeats the descriptions off the menu... First dish: artichoke salad. pretty good, over sauced though 2nd course: oxtail gnocchi flavors delicious. (home made) Gnocchi undercooked thumb down for gnocchi (keep in mind I have gnocchi all over italy and know how it should taste) 3rd course: Lamb chop this could have been great but it was over sated, i mean i need a glass of water salty. thumbs down the best part dessert: citrus with ricotta cream. at least something good to send us on our way. thumb up Because the waiter "was just there" and the food was "ok" I tipped 18%.. I never tip below 20%.. Thats how disappointed I was with the overall experience. The best thing was the hostess and the dessert. Do yourself a favor and go spend $200- bucks elsewhere.
(2)Oliver P.
Had a business dinner at this place and it under whelmed. My wife had spines in her fish (many). Joe and Mario need to overhaul this place.
(3)allie d.
I would have paid ten dollars more per entree if it would have been a little bit better. The duck was excellent but my husband's lamb was kind of disappointing. The server got a little snooty when we ordered water instead of drinks. Don't get me wrong-- the duck reallywas tastey, but it looked like the best meal there.
(3)Mick R.
For the price point the food was astonishingly sub par. I had the regional tasting menu, Le Marche. Wine list was good, a good Cal-cab and Amarone were poured. Service was unprofessional at first. After some snide comments it did firm up, so it was good that they responded to the perceived displeasure. I had: Antipasti marchigiani. No good. Fried olives and salami. BFD. Potacchio del Pescatore. Like a super crap version of cioppino. Stale, fishy and just bad. Budeletti with Guanciale: good, but meat portion (pork cheeks) insultingly small, pasta perfectly cooked, but why should I get .5 oz of pork cheek on the main? Rabbit porchetta with morels. Rabbit roulade. Decent, but a horrible thing to serve at the price point. Desserts and cheese embarrassing , not worth mentioning. If you've ever been to Danko, Dining Room at RitzC, Aqua, Manresa, French Laundry, etc, you will hate this place.
(2)Princess M.
Overly salty. Service was so-so. The waiter knew the menu well, however I was less-than-impressed when at the end of my meal, I told him to mention to the pastry chef that one of the complimentary sweets (the oatmeal cookie) that came with the check was prbably mistakenly made with salt instead of sugar - and he simply brushed it off. It was white truffle season, I had the special pasta made from yolks, tossed in butter and finished with about 5 grams of white truffle shavings. It was made perfectly and totally decadent and delicious. I ordered a side of roasted brussel sprouts with pancetta. The brussel sprouts were nicely charred however, even though I know pancetta is very savory, the overall dish was overly salty. At the end of my meal, along with the check came 3 complimentary sweets - an oatmeal cookie, a tiny fruit paste and one more item I can't remember now. As mentioned before, the oatmeal cookie was as if it was made with salt and a whole lot of baking powder of some sort - it was definitely a mistake. Overall, I enjoyed my main entree - the pasta - at this restaurant. It was well worth its high price. However, I think that there is definitely room for improvement with regards to some details that really shouldn't be overlooked at any restaurant, much less one of this supposed calibre.
(3)L. M.
I was SOOOOO BUMMED after eating here. I've wanted to try a Mario Batali restaurant for ages -- his food looks sooooo good on Food Network and he's my favorite Iron Chef. But the food and drinks here were just meh. It definitely wasn't awful -- I had a terrific grilled fish and my friend had the lobster spaghetti (it had a fancier name that I can't remember) that she loved, but the rest of the dishes were not very memorable. And in a city that has sooooo many memorable restaurant, this just didn't do it for me. Also, the service was SOOOOO SLOW and it was pretty expensive for what you got.
(3)Jeanne K.
Delicious & they accomodated the kids' food allergies. Would definitely eat there again during our next visit to LV.
(4)Tami C.
B & B at the Venetian - OVER RATED! I was extremely disappointed and will never recommend this option to anyone. Waited at the bar for 20 minutes with NO service. Not even an offer for a glass of water. Was finally seated in the small dining room...so small that the tables were so close no one could walk near my chair without bumping my it....every...single...time!! Service was good at our table, wanted for nothing and never had to ask for anything. The menu is extremely hard to understand with almost no vegetarian selections. I had to ask the server for an explanation of each item I considered ordering. Appetizer - Ordered a salad for an appetizer. Appetizer my tail, there may have been a tablespoon of greens on the plate with a few mushrooms and at $15 or so, can I say ridiculous?! Entree - After much debate over what to eat since I try to stay vegetarian unless the options are limited, I decided on Spaghettini with Lobster. Received a 6 oz serving, with the lobster already diced and included with pasta. The pasta was extremely under cooked and the flavor was poor at best. I've had better pasta sauce by opening a jar of Ragu from the grocery store!! For the most part the lobster was rubbery, except for the occasional undercooked pieces. This is no doubt why I'm sitting in bed feeling disgusting right now! A friend ordered the Ravioli - the look of disappointment on his face with the plate arrived was priceless. Took John only 3 minutes to finish his serving. Dessert - I'm sorry, maybe I'm too Texan, but dessert should be sweets...not cheeses. But with that said, we ordered the cheeses and coffee. I have to admit some of the selections were very good, but the coffee was thick and gross! Wine - They were out of the first selection, but the second selection was nice - a Pinot Noir - don't remember what selection, but it was nice. 3 people + 3 1/2 hours = $560 (before gratuity!)
(1)Matthew S.
My wife and I ate at B&B a few years ago, so my review is based on that experience. By some accounts, some of Mario Batali's kitchens are flagging a skosh in their quality.... that was most assuredly *not* the case when I dined at B&B. The meal was a progression of flavors and textures unlike few I have ever enjoyed, yet at its core there remained a solid 'Italian' foundation. Service was outstanding (something that I've found to be the exception rather than the rule at many of the Vegas outposts of celebrity chef's empires), and the sommelier gracious and helpful. Beef cheek ravioli, sweetbreads, rabbit.... and those exquisite veal chops! B&B is, along with the newer Osteria Mozza in Los Angeles, very much 'Babbo West' in its style and execution. Would gladly return there in a heartbeat.
(4)Wendy S.
My husband and I dined here on May 2, 2012 and we were not only disappointed but frankly we feel as though we were robbed. The food was horrendous. The octopus was chewy and fishy tasting, the beef cheek ravioli tasted like bad chopped liver, and finally all food was over-seasoned; e.g., too much salt. I personally will never frequent another restaurant by either or both of these two so-called chefs. I was thoroughly disappointed and felt as though they had stolen my money. Shame on them. Shame on them all for stealing money from people.
(1)A.L. S.
How is this place getting good reviews? We had four pastas, bolognese (lacking meat), beef cheek ravioli (decent but needed salt and was bland), osso bucco and bone marrow ragu ( super oily). All bland and the shrimp linguini was overpowered with a ton of celery and spice. It was inedible. The best dish was the lambs tongue appetizer. That was delicious. No wait, actually our wine was the best dish. Thanks to the awesome sommalier! Its kind of a weird layout too. Go to delmonicos or bouchon.
(1)Eugene C.
Food here is fantastic. Grilled octopus is very tender. Beef cheek ravioli is earthy and buttery. The rib-eye steak is the best steak I ever had.
(5)Elle L.
Really enjoyed the experience to dine at B&B. Browsing the menu can take some time but the wait staff are very knowledgeable of the dishes and they can give you information you need to pick your dish. We didn't try the tasting menus but if you are an adventure foodie, you can find intestines and brains here. Not quite ready for that. I ordered the duck w fagioli and the rest of the party had linguine w clams, beef cheek ravioli, grilled lamb chops and the alaskan halibut. I've tried a little bit of everything and everything was very satisfying. I would recommend this restaurant for romantic and exciting dining experience.
(5)Douglas C.
A great stop for desserts and after dinner drinks. My wife had one complaint: "Everything is so authentically Italian on the menu its tough to know exactly what I just ordered" I mean, Ricotta comes on almost every dessert and you think, "how can that be any good?" Trust me - it is.
(5)Kevin H.
I make it a general policy to avoid "Celebrity Chef" restaurants like the plague BUT a friend told me that this one was outstanding. I am forced to concur, the Oxtail gnocci was just wonderful and then it was overshadowed by the sheer GLORY of the Veal Shank! I eat here whenever I swing through Vegas!
(5)Charles P.
Had the price fixe dinner for $75 which was 4 courses. I chose the beef cheek ravioli and the veal chop. Both were awesome. Nice sized portions for the price and a great way to sample some of Mario's specialties.
(4)David B.
Since I live in California, I frequent Las Vegas up to five times a year mainly for work. Since we usually stay at the Venetian due to the Sands Expo, I make it a point to visit B&B every time. I always pick something different from their menu and have never been disappointed. The food and quality is excellent and you can never go wrong. They're wine selection is just as perfect as the food. Out of all the restuarants owned by celebrity chefs that I have beeen to, Mario Batali's B&B is by far the best!
(5)Christopher G.
thesoloreviewer.blogspot… B&B gave me the best possible customer service one can ask for all the way to the end. I contacted the restaurant about doing a custom pasta tasting because there were certain pastas I wanted to try and my wish was there command and even offered to do a custom wine pairing for it as well, which I didn't take advantage of. While I didn't really like the ambiance of the restaurant, just felt like I was eating in a mall for some reason...idk weird feeling, but I did love the food. The amuse was Bruscetta w/chickpeas & olives which was alright but nothing that impressed me. The first pasta dish was the Sweet Potato "Lune" with Sage and Amaretti. As said before I'm a huge sweet potato fan so of course I loved this dish. It has a strong sweet potato taste filling inside a small flat ravioli and a sweet amaretti cream sauce that almost made the dish to sweet but I still loved it! Pasta dish two was the Lamb's Brain "Francobolli" with Lemon and Sage! Call me Hannibal but this dish is what I was looking forward to the most during my trip. It was surprisingly very good. Tasted slightly like ground beef with a much smoother texture. It was filled in small raviolis covered in a lemon sauce that added a nice lightness to the dish that was simply delish and had me almost licking my plate! I am now a Lamb's Brain lover and which is why I like Mario Batali because he isn't afraid to try something crazy like this. Pasta dish three was the there pasta of the evening which to be honest I don't remember because I didn't like it so I will skip that one and go straight to the last pasta dish which was the Pici with Lamb Ragu. Tasted and looks just like spaghetti but with a little kick which I liked and had little bits of lamb that tasted much like sausage. Great dish! For my deserts I went with the sorbet of the evening which was coconut and a special pumpkin torte that they had. The sorbet was very refreshing after having all those rich dishes and had a light sweetness to it that made it feel like I was eating a nice refreshing piece of fruit over some sugar enriched sorbet. The pumpkin torte on the other had was WAY to rich and had to stop after two bites. Tasted just like pumpkin pie but found it to be much more richer. Overall I loved this place. Even though I didn't like the ambiance, the food made up for it. I love Italian food and I think Mario Batali's strong points are in his pasta's. While I've seen many bad reviews of this place, most of the people who had something negative to say was geared towards his entrees or Secondi's he calls them. When I go to a Italian restaurant I go for one thing and one thing only, PASTA! I experienced no over saltiness at all but did experience pasta that was flavored just beautifully. Service was top class through the whole meal. I can't wait to return and to try his restaurant in NY!
(4)Maria P P.
So excited that i would be dining in one of the 10 best pasta restaurants. Unfortunately, i have to give it a 1 star, food is ok, i'm still feeling nauseous on what i ate last night, i had their signature dish the Beef Cheek Ravioli which i thought it's interesting, then i had the special Crispy Squab, it just made it worst...Thank goodness the dessert was fantastic. $240 for just the 2 of us, with a glass of wine, which totaled to $290 (my hubby was generous on the tip). Will never go back...
(1)Tamika T.
This place was fantastic!! If it weren't for the small portions i'd give this place 5 stars.
(4)Mari P.
Went to Vegas for our 5 yr anniversary and decided to try this restaurant out since we are foodies and food network fans. We did the chef's special 5 course meal with wine pairings. Every plate that came out was delish and even though their portions were not large, we were getting so full half way through dinner not to mention drunk with all the wine. They were not tastings, they were very generous with the wine. We were there for a good 2.5 hours and enjoyed every moment thanks to the friendly staff and the vibrant atmosphere. It was quite price, bill was close to $500 with tips but well worth it...we figured hey its Vegas, its our anniversary...what the hell. Check this place out next time your in Vegas.
(5)Jenny O.
I have been to Mario Batali's restaurants in NYC (Babbo and Otto) and were blown away by the amazing food. So, I was so excited to try his place in Vegas. I was really disappointed. My husband did say his pasta was great, but the meat was extremely overpriced. Unfortunately, I do not think I would go here again.
(2)Abbess E.
My partner and I made reservations for this restaurant back in October...we were really excited to be dining at a Mario Batali restaurant. We arrived at our scheduled time and were immediately seated and served water. Then, things went downhill. We sat for fifteen minutes before our waiter finally showed up. He redeemed himself during the evening, but it wasn't exactly an auspicious start. Although the lighting was dim, this is not the place for a romantic evening. The loud, rocker-boy music was obnoxious and the tables were spaced too close together for romantic conversation with my loved one. Every time a waiter had to tend to our neighbors, we were treated to his docker- clad ass in our faces. To top things off, six loud and very drunk folks were seated next to us, which pretty much ruined the rest of the evening. The food? It was fantastic. The chick pea bruschetta was good, but a bit awkward. The table next to ours accidentally launched several garbanzos on the floor.. My partner had the best grilled octopus she's ever had, and her lobster and spaghetti was delectable. I had the beef cheek ravioli, and it was superb. So, the food was swell, but the ambiance a bit lacking, to say the least. I wouldn't do it again.
(3)Julie K.
I was craving Italian and super hungry. Since we were near The Venetian, we headed over to B&B Ristorante. The food wasn't "to die for" but they use REALLY FRESH ingredients which let me overlook the poor service. This is what we ordered: - Artichoke salad - Linguine with Clams (LOVED THE CLAMS!) - Beef Cheek Ravioli with Black Truffles and Crushed Duck Liver - Gelato (apple and fresh strawberries) Liked everything but esp linguine w/ clams & olive oil (really fresh!) and gelato. Service was just OK. The waiter was super nice but he forgot to put in one of our orders and we had to ask the busboy to bring us a butter knife four times (really... seriously?). The service didn't bother us because we were way too hungry and too tired to care. Food is solid, but there are better Italian restaurants in Vegas.
(3)Melissa C.
A group of us flew to Las Vegas for the 4th of July weekend and happened to be staying at the Venetian. On July 3rd, everyone in the group seemed to have individual plans and my husband had been wanting to try out B&B Ristorante since he is a fan of Mario Batali. I'm not a big fan of Italian food so I checked out the menu before going and decided I would be having steak instead of pasta for my dinner. Upon arrival, the service was attentive and timely. We were seated and the waiter was very helpful in explaining the various dishes as we were not well-versed in Italian food. When I told the waiter I would like steak for dinner he pointed out the grilled ribeye for two ($120). He then let us know they ran out of their regular ribeye so we were in for a special surprise. Since they had run out of their normal ribeye, they were serving a 6 MONTH dry-aged special reserve ribeye from Carnevino for the same price. Normally, this steak would cost over $200! We were completely caught off guard and couldn't be more delighted. So for the appetizer we decided to order the grilled octopus and it was really good. It didn't have the rubbery chewy texture but was actually juicy and tender like eating a seafood steak. For the next course we ordered the beef cheek ravioli upon recommendation from our waiter. It was ok, nothing spectacular, kind of like eating beef pate inside of a ravioli. I wish I had ordered the bone marrow ravioli instead, next time! So then our waiter comes out with our main entree, the glorious huge 27 oz (with bone) ribeye on a wooden plank. He presents to us the meat before slicing it into strips for us. He arranges the strips of steak on the plate with potatoes and some other stuff I ignored and then drizzled some beautiful balsamic and olive oil on top. I've never had steak like this but it was the best steak I have ever tasted hands down. It was like eating the most tender juicy filet but had the bold fatty flavor of a ribeye. The balsamic and olive oil combined with the steak was the most amazing combination of salty and tangy with a subtle sweetness. I was really sad I couldn't finish it so I had to take the leftovers back to the hotel. Later that night after partying at Marquee, I went back to the hotel and ate the leftover cold steak. Even cold, I'd rather have that steak than any other steak cooked, HA! I know we got lucky this time with that steak and sadly I'm not sure if it's something that is readily available or even on the menu at B&B Ristorante or Carnevino. It's bittersweet to eat such an amazing steak because from then every single other steak has to be compared to it and will ultimately pale in comparison. Next time we head back to Las Vegas I will hunt down that steak and pay whatever they ask because I know it will be worth it.
(5)Joe X.
You must be an extreme carnivore to eat here. Menu is hard to follow. Nothing but pork and beef. A little snooty.
(2)John H.
Not sure what I can say, this place is great. The food, the wine list, the service, all very top notch. I have eaten here about a dozen times now and just getting around to the review since somehow this place has a way lower rating that it deserves. I have eaten at a few Mario Batali restaurants and two stick out in my head as being worth the price for the experience...Babo in NYC and B&B in Vegas. Go here, bring your money cause it isn't cheap, but food this good rarely is.
(5)Jennifer S.
I've been to B&B twice (once in Jan 2010 and once this past weekend), both times the food has been delicious. In the Bay Area, it's hard to find really good pasta, so this was a very special treat. I tried to make reservations on OpenTable for a party of 7, but the max you can do is 6. So, I called the hostess and requested a table for 7 people at 9pm on Sat. When we arrived, we were escorted into a private back room (where they store the wine). The ambiance of the room was fantastic! At the table, we had the following dishes that I found particularly memorable and delicious: Gilled Octopus - Best octopus I've ever had Bucatini 'all'Amatriciana' - This was so good that I got it again at Enoteca San Marco (Batali's other restaurant in the Venetian) 2 days later. The pasta noodles are nicely al dente. Jose's Pyramids - We got this as an appetizer. Delicious! Steak "Tagliata" - The gem butter lettuce accompaniment was really good. The steak comes sliced (so it's best to order it a bit rarer than you normally would) and is encrusted with delicious peppery-salty goodness. Harry's Berries Strawberries My friends also enjoyed: Warm Lamb's Tongue Goat Cheese Tortelloni Warm Peach Crostata For wine, we had some of the ones from the Batali/Bastianich winery: a bottle of the "Aragone" La Mozza 2006 and I had an additional glass of the Morellino di Scansano. Both were excellent. When I was here in January, they had a great "mint love letters" dish (pesto-stuffed envelope pasta in lamb sauce) that unfortunately wasn't on the menu any more.
(5)Becca F.
Come here when someone else is paying and with someone who really loves wine. The list is long and expensive and what better place to explore a great wine list than the party-capitol of the US? That the food happens to be great seems trivial - but it truly was. My favorite was the artichoke salad. The details of my fish dish are blurry from the wine, but I'm sure I loved it because I didn't leave a bite on my plate. The only bad part? It's in the Venetian which just strikes me as overly-cheesy.
(4)Shawn A.
The main problem here, is that when I drop major coin on a dinner like this, I want to be 100% satisfied. And despite the crocs on the executive chef's feet, I can't say that I was. The two big misses for me on this dining experience were the fried vegetable appetizer, which seemed to be a tempura of whatever leftover cauliflower and celery they had in the kitchen, and believe it or not the tables. Whoever chose these tables for the restaurant should get a crock to the butt, because I don't think I've ever felt further apart from someone I was dining with since the time my friends and I had to sit at different tables at a McDonald's. But these complaints aside, B&B delivered where it counted most, making up for a lackluster app, and canyon sized tables. First, they brought out a complimentary chick pea bruschetta that was oily, and awesome. And when the entrees hit, I was in food heaven. My steak was cooked perfectly, and seasoned just right. And the sweet potato ravioli was a mini revelation in creative dining. The wine selection was really impressive, and the bottle we settled on was really good. But if I was gonna nit pick some more, I would have to say that at a restaurant like this, it shouldn't matter that I picked the cheapest bottle on the menu - it should have a cork, not a twist off cap. No class. The entrees and the free starter were godly, but a few glaring problems just won't let me justify anything over than a three star rating. There's a lot of fine dining at The Venetian, and you may be better off exploring somewhere else.
(3)T S.
I would start by saying that the menu was a bit overwhelming... so it was good that we shared because I am not sure how I was going to be able to settle on a dish. Was there with a party of 4 and tried 2 Atipasti, 3 Primi, 2 Secondi and one desert. Here we go: Chic pea brushcetta--got this complements of the restaurant. Did not care for it, tasted weird to me. Bread--It was not good at all, don't even try it. Antipasti Tomato fresh mozzarella (can't remember the fancy name) was good, a bit salty. Tomatoes were sweet and fresh, good combination of flavors. Crispy Pork Trotter --awesome, great combination. Loved it! Primi Spaghettini with lobster --I did not like this dish, it was ok, would not order again. For me it was weird and did not work very well. Goat Cheese Tortelloni--this was a hit, pasta was good and it was a great combination with the rich taste of the goat cheese. Portion was small, but I think is because the assumption is that you would get a secondi, so that makes sense. Bucatini all Amatriciana--amazing! It was so good, I wanted more. It is perfectly spicy and the bacon was just outstanding. Secondi Lamb for two--it was great. Cooked to perfection, tender and juicy. Our came with roasted peppers. I wish they would warn you that some of the pepers are hot, like really hot. I took a big bite of the green one and omg, fire in my mouth. Although the waiters were on top of our table all night long, they could not keep up with how much water I was drinking to put off the fire in my month.... Veal Chop--I did not try this dish, but the people who eat it said it was great. I would add it looked just like the picture on their web site, really good. Dolci Dark Chocolate torta--it was not good and so small. The waiter recommended a cherry wine to go with it instead of the rum as suggested in the menu. The wine was a winner, great! We also had red wine, not sure which one it was as I did not select it, but it was outstanding. Overall it was a good experience. Like some of the other reviews, it is difficult for me to assign an overall review because some of the dishes were amazing and some I did not care for. Overall, I would give it 3.5 stars. I am rounding down because of how expensive everything was. Dinner for 4 about $700 with tip and we actually shared a lot of the food... I was told the music we were listening came from Mario Batali's ipod. Not sure if that is true, but I thought it was cool and different
(3)Kerri J.
Mario Batalli's restaurant was really very good. When we got home, I bought the cookbook (I recommend making the oxtail ragu with gnocchi...yummy!). To start, my husband and I enjoyed the warm lamb's tongue salad and beef cheek ravioli. Both were delicious. The main course was equally good, the food is extremely rich and filling but the flavors are vibrant and it is hard to stop eating!
(4)Aimee L.
Good food. Good service. F***ing expensive for what you get. Bartender pouring doubles without disclosing this - fine to get a double if told but not fine to be drunk by the time the entrees came. Again, food was very good - rabbit, pork chop, octopus on the menu and we loved it. The location sucks - felt like eating at the mall. Interesting waiter. Outgoing bartender. F***ing expensive. ( $100 per person which meant the cocktails must have been about $15/each at least. Sorry I don't care if that's the 'norm', it's just raping the customer.). I guess if I have those prices to pay I'd rather be somewhere more intimate and at a hotel where they don't pipe in stinkin' flowers (so gross).
(3)Laura V.
Stay away from this place unless you like terrible service. Mario Batali would be appalled if he saw how we were treated. Went last night with a couple friends, we just wanted a quiet place for a drink. We are three well travelled people who were staying at Palazzo.... one would assume that we would be good customers. Went in and ordered a bottle of wine for the three of us. When we asked for a piece of bread or something for the table was told that they had nothing for us, not even a bread stick due it being 11pm. Then they started playing Van Halen music really loud. When we asked the waiter if he could turn it down or at least to something italian, he said look.... i have a lot to do here. Basically like we were bothering them. We asked when we came in if we had time to share a bottle of wine between three people and they said yes. They took the order for the wine (which was not cheap mind you), then proceeded to treat us like they were doing us a favor. What a horrid place. I would never ever go back again and it puts a black mark on Mario Battali for me. I am an italian citizen and know good food and service. I always liked Battali for his honest approach. He needs to go in there and clean house of the horrid people who work there. Beyond bad.
(1)Chase G.
Even though I'm eating the leftovers right now, the service and quality was poor for such an expensive restaurant and such a big name. Beginning with the terrible chick pea and toast, free but tasteless, wasted ingredient. Calamari was ok but no sauce and large portion, while the aged meats plate was decent. Then ordered the lobster pasta and the sweet sausage pasta. The lobster pasta had very little sauce and when asked for more sauce we were denied by the chef, also not allowed to have drawn butter apparently! Not worth 32 dollars and was not offered parmesan or crushed red peppers! The sweet sausage pasta was good though, again no condiments allowed. Our final course was the veal which was expensive and ver marbelized, to the point of being work to find the meat, but the parts that were edible were very good! Oh by the way, be ready to order all of your courses at the same time bc that's the rules. Waiter also ignored shawna even though it wad my b day dinner and she picked up the bill, which was way overpriced; and also was charged for our comped desert which was awarded to us bc of poor service. Desert wad bland chocolate w berries, coffee was also lame. AVOID THIS PLACE bc there are so many other great places that will treat you right and also serve amazing food for less than what we spent. Waste of money, time, and food. Poor form Mario Batali..... Best part about Batali is on iron chef, booya! (go to La Cirque or Mon Ami Gabi, they are worth it!)
(1)Greg P.
The menu takes some time to review since it has many Italian dishes that you would not normally find on basic Italian menus. The bar is fantastic and the drinks were very good. My recommendation is to get a cocktail, spend some time with the menu, a drink and an appetizer and ask the wait staff questions about any dish that seems interesting. Small portions for you huge eaters out there but excellent flavors. If I could have one complaint I would say that the dishes were a little heavy on the saltiness. I am a salt fan but one other person at our table commented on this and I had a similar thought during the meal. I would recommend this to friends looking for a change in standard Italian dining.
(4)kiki k.
terribly disappointing. our seats along the wall were so close to the other tables it was as if you're dining with them. the waiter had an attitude as if we didn't deserve nor afford to dine there and couldn't care less about our satisfaction. my smiles and hellos at staff walking through the restaurant were ignored until we were leaving the restaurant. they were rather stuckup, and so disappointing compared to the night before when we had dined at carnevino. for appetizers we had the B&B affettati misti. if you like this sort of thing, you might love it. it's cured in house. but if you live in seattle, just skip this and go to salumi's. my friend had the warm lamb's tongue. i took a few bites - it was one of the better things i had that night, aside from dessert. one of those things you can't just get anywhere. i had the spaghettini with the one pound lobster. when asked for "regular" or "non-spicy" i opted for "regular - if that means spicy!" of course. it's not spicy at all, and i'm not just saying that cause i'm asian and i can handle serious spice. i don't know what "spicy" meant. it had a good amount of lobster, but everything just tasted pretty bland. i did like the sweet garlic, but if you do decide to go here, try something else. unless you like bland pasta. my friend had the special - a stinging nettle pasta with wild boar ragu. it's very good but if you see this one the menu - it's surprisingly awfully rich. we wish he would have warned us about that. the waiter recommended their most popular dessert when we ordered our entrees as it would take 30 minutes to prepare: a date & nut strudel covered in cardamom honey. YUM. fine. done. what he failed to tell us and what we found when it was delivered that it was like about a 4-inch wide 1-foot log of heavy goodness. thanks for the recommendation but he should have warned us two ladies that we probably couldn't eat it all or even half of it. so i definitely recommend this if you're a party of 4, or a party of 2 with an appetite for a heavy, rich dessert! overall, i would never go back. sounds like this place is a hit or miss, and a good restaurant is always a hit. i posted pictures of all the dishes mentioned above for the curious!
(2)Sonal R.
Wonderful experience. Excellent service, wine, and needless to say, the food was incredible. Would most definitely return. Went with a party of 6, and the menu had enough options to keep everyone happy, although it is partial to meat and pork, much like Mario Batali himself.
(5)Ann H.
Service was amazing. The staff anticipated our needs and were very friendly. We were visited by the sommelier who helped us to pair our wines with our courses. The wines and food were perfect! This was my first visit to one of Chef Batali's restaurants and it will not be my last. If there is a downside to be had, it would be the fact that the restaurant is located inside the Venetian. It would lend itself to a quainter setting with the patio seating actually being outside versus in a mall located within a hotel/casino. Thankfully we sat inside and the ambience was lovely, in addition to our wonderful meal.
(5)Gracie-C Y.
Love Batali's food. Been eating the stuff since we were kiddies. Well, not really. But we've eaten at most of his restaurants in NY and were excited to discover his new establishment in Vegas. Anticipation was cranked up another notch when we learned that B&B was modeled after Babbo, Mario Batali's NY temple of pasta worship. If wifey and I could impart a single nugget of wisdom to others in this world, it would simply be this: "When dining at a Batali restaurant, don't fuck around with anything other than pasta." Sure, you're gonna want to try that roast beast, or the foo-foo salad. Screw it. Order the goddamn pasta, strap yourself in, and prepare for your life to change. The pasta tasting menu really should be the only damn thing on their menu. People should be shot for trying to order anything else. 5 courses of pasta perfection, in a whirlwind of flavors and textures. From the pungent gorgonzola nudi, to the creamy and decadent goose liver ravioli, it's an experience like no other. 4-stars because the pasta tasting menu at B&B is $30 more than than the same menu in NYC for no good reason at all. Didn't think I'd catch that, eh Batali!!??! If your food weren't so damn good, I'd have to bitch-slap that Italian face of yours for price gouging me like that, pisano!
(4)Marck N.
My first experience eat at a Mario Batali restaurant. I was so excited. As my friend and I were rushing to the restaurant in the Venetian, we were star struck, as we saw Heather Lockler walking behind us. But to the more important things, as we rushed around the Venetian, we couldn't find the restaurant. Note to all, it is all the down the restaurant row, past the Blue Man theater ticket office. After we got seated, our waiter was very helpful in explaining the dishes and how they are prepared. Reviewing the menu online, which is actually has the same items from the Babbo restaurant, I knew what I wanted to order. First up came the "Warm Lamb's Tongue Vinaigrette with Chanterelles and a 3-Minute Egg" and "Grilled Octopus". Both appetizers were very good. The lambs tongue has a texture like beef, so it was nice and firm. The octopus was just darn good. Next came the "Beef Cheek Ravioli with Black Truffles and Crushed Duck Liver" and "Spaghettini with Spicy Budding Chives, Sweet Garlic and a One Pound Lobster". I like the spaghettinie over the beef cheek ravioli, due to the spicy sauce. The beef cheek ravioli was to rich and buttery for me. This was followed by the "Fennel Dusted Sweetbreads with Sweet and Sour Onions, Duck Bacon" and "Veal Chop with Sauteed Porcini and Braised Escarole". As it was my first time eating sweetbreads, which are not brains but the thymus glands, it was tasty. Coated with the fennel mixture it is deep fried, tasting almost like a chicken nugget. The veal was tasty but on the well side, as it was supposed to be medium rare. The wine list is extensive and quite pricey, more than what I would have expected for the restaurant. Overall, it was a great evening. As the restaurant opened 2 weeks ago, services was a little disorganized. Hopefully they get the bugs out.
(4)Robert K.
The best Octopus I have ever had! The Grilled Octopus with 'Borlotti Marinati' and Spicy Limoncello Vinaigrette was unbelievable! If I only came to eat just that, then my trip to this restaurant would be fulfilled. I typically never eat octopus, unless someone else orders for me or to be shared in a group. My wife and I were influenced by our waiter who highly recommended this appetizer. However a warning, that this octopus is not your typical rubbery texture, if that is what you are expecting do not order this fine, exquisite dish of enjoyment. Gnocchi with Braised Oxtail was fantastic and was reminiscent of the flavors we experienced in Sienna Italy. If you have had oxtail before I would highly recommend this dish. If you have never had oxtail, then step out of your comfort zone and try this dish. Oxtail is dish that I would typically only order in Italy, however this homemade gnocchi with perfectly chunks of shredded braised oxtail encased with a strong pungent flavored sauce. The gnocchi was obviously homemade and perfectly prepared. Wild Alaskan King Salmon with Agretti and Almonds was way too salty for my tastes, however it was not over cooked. My FAVS: 1. Grilled Octopus with 'Borlotti Marinati' and Spicy Limoncello Vinaigrette - a must order! Pic: yelp.com/biz_photos/-hUv… this dish is served at other Mario Batali restaurants - Osteria Mozza in Los Angeles CA & Babbo Ristorante e Enoteca in New York NY. 2. Gnocchi with Braised Oxtail - I would order this anytime! 3. Dessert: Chocolate Strawberry Torta with Strawberry Sorbetto - great for chocolate lovers. The Bônet with Lavender Flowers I heard is terrific. 4. Cappuccino - was so terrific, I had to order 2. It was hard to find a decent cap in Vegas. Service was excellent, we asked to be re-seated in another area and it was not problem. I recommend a cozy booth/table. We sat next to a wonderful group of people that turned out were from a neighboring town back home. They enjoyed the Bônet with Lavender Flowers - dessert. Recommendations: If you love wine, get a reservation and have them decant your favorite wine ahead of time. A wonderful selection of Brunello De Montalcino, obviously any from 97 "year of the gods", or a 99, or 01. On a budget, order the Morellino di Scansano, Perazzi La Mozza 2006 Toscana which I think is from one of Mario's vineyard in Tuscany. $$$ to $$$$ If you are ordering wine and dessert, it is more so $$$$.
(4)Rob Z.
The bartender, Eric, made some mighty impressive drinks (he gets five stars). And the rest of the staff was super friendly and professional, which made for a fantastic dining experience. The food was great but not exceptional for the price.
(4)C M.
Probably the best veal chop I have ever eaten!
(5)John L.
we found this restaurant to be one of the best in vegas. the octopus app was great and the bone marrow and beef cheek ravioli were both excellent, as expected.
(4)Grace F.
I'd give it 5 stars if it wasn't for their limited selection of seafood for their mains. this is the first batali restaurant i've been to (certainly won't be the last) & everything from service to quality was top notch. i'll agree with what another yelper made a note of below...the music was odd. quirky selection, unfitting for the romance that the restaurant can certainly invoke. what a let down. sinatra would have been a better fit for sure! b&b does not cater to the typical italian palet. come with a sense of exploration and adventure & prepare to feast as you would in rustic italia with true italian cuisine! since it's been a few weeks and memories of the food ordered eludes me, i will say this. our waiter was very well-versed on the menu, very informative and made excellent suggestions and everything we had with the exception of the goat cheese something ravioli was great. that ravioli's only letdown was the abundant goat cheese crammed inside - too much. we stayed till close, had a couple of great bottles and ended the night light and fully indulged. i'd come back and try the pairing options...
(4)Michelle T.
Before checking this place out, I diligently did my research on yelp to see what people had to say about B&B. It really surprises me how on the mark the overall rating tends to reflect my general rating of the place. I was reluctant to come to B and B, because the reviews were hit or miss. Either someone had a great experience, or it was terrible. I didn't come in with high expectations, but I also did not come with low ones either... In a nutshell, I was disappointed in the food. The service was very good, and the restaurant was nice and dark. My only qualm about the ambiance was that the background music was a bit loud and I'm pretty sure it was Nirvana playing in the background....It didn't really go with the dark setting and mahogany tables. Ok enough jibber jabber...onto the food. We started with a pasta to start, and two pastas for the entree. Spaghettini with Spicy Budding Chives, Sweet Garlic and One-Pound Lobster $32 This was highly recommended by the server, and he also suggested that we started off with this dish since it was lighter than the other two pasta dishes we selected. The pasta was cooked perfectly al dente, but I couldnt help but wish that they had used fresh pasta. It would have completely elevated the dish, and the fresh pasta would have absorbed the sauce a lot better. The lobster was perfectly cooked, and the chives added a bite and freshness to the dish. Sounds all good right? Almost. The dish was extremely salty. I was a little disappointed since the saltiness took away from the sweetness of the lobster. I tried to ignore it, but it was enough to annoy me. It had the potential to be a really amazing dish. Just needed a few more notches... Next, our two entrees... Beef Cheek Ravioli with Black Truffles and Crushed Duck Liver $26 I was really really excited about this dish. Beef cheek? GOOD. Truffles? GOOD. Duck liver...AMAZING.Right???? Wrong. This dish was a bit of a fail. The highlights of the dish were definitely the beef cheek ravioli. The pasta was fresh, and the filling was succulent and delicious. My complaint stems with the truffle and the crushed duck liver (the server called it foie gras...). . Although it was not foie, you think of a smooth and buttery fatness to liver. The duck liver was extremely gritty and had a very strong flavor that overpowered the delicateness of the pasta. Quite the opposite reaction I was expecting. The truffle flavor did not come through at all, and it seemed like sort of an afterthought. Also, there was two measly shavings of the truffle which appeared come out of a jar. I guess I was really excited for this dish, and when it did not deliver- it just killed it for me. I was pretty much over it after eating two raviolis. Gnocchi with Braised Oxtail $27 The server told us that the gnocchi was house made. I pray that he was wrong because it resembled something similar to the Trader Joes version. I love gnocchi. When prepared right, those soft pillows of pasta can really create a euphoric experience. The gnocchi here were extremely dense, and did not at all seem homemade by any means. The dish's saving grace was the braised oxtail. There was a lot of beautifully braised meat, and the flavors were rich in flavor. If only they had served the braised oxtail with another pasta...I would have been much happier. Ok...so you're probably saying...come on Michelle... give Batali a break. I say NO. Look, if you're gonna charge about $30/dish... and you're a highly rated chef... you should really be paying attention to detail. Make your own pastas, don't over-season a potentially amazing dish, and don't charge an arm and a leg for it. My other complaint was that the portions were rather small. I'm not a huge eater (although i love to eat), but the dishes were around 6 oz. of pasta for a person. Would I come here again? It would be hard to justify it when there are so many other great places in Vegas. I would undoubtedly go back if someone picked up the tab though =) 3 stars for the service, the ambiance, and the food.
(3)Jael M.
We were excited to try B&B for dinner and we actually waited almost half an hour to get seated. A curious looking dude by the name of Rich that closely resembles Dexter from Dexter's Lab emerged and started his schtik about the menu.. we ordered margaritas on the rocks to start with and waited for him to come back to get our orders.. some 15 minutes later, a different guy walked by and decided to get our orders. Dexter must be watching over some chemical concoctions he's up to.. Then the food arrived. Nothing fancy. I would expect a little more for the 4-dollar sign ratings on the price but it disappointed. There's something flat about the taste. My boyfriend's brasato is super tender, but makes you wanting for a more savory and robust flavor. My linguine was cooked to perfect al dente. Both dishes are toward the saltier side of the saltiness spectrum. There were missing clams from the clam shells (lol. this is arguable, I might be buzzed from the strong margaritas) I feel that they could use better service and friendlier, more attentive waitstaff. There's only one attentive wait staff that religiously poured water in our half-emptied goblets. Kudos to him. Also, I don't think there's a need to change utensils every 10 minutes for a restaurant that claims to be certified Green. Emeril's Table 10 on the second level could easily outperform this place with flying colors--without changing utensils 4 times!
(2)Eric D.
The grilled octopus appetizer is probably the best tasting dish I have ever had. Even if you dont think you would like octopus, you have to try it. The strip loin and the striped bass entrees were also excellent. Go early and enjoy a drink at the bar before you eat, because the breadsticks they serve at the bar are amazing as well. And you can only get them at the bar. I am happy to be a local so I can go back often.
(5)Kathryn G.
I was very much looking forward to dining at B&B Ristorante, and I am sorry to say that I was quite disappointed. Our appetizers were decent (grilled octopus and baby artichoke salad), but our entrees were extremely disappointing. My husband's brasato was dry and stringy; it had almost no sauce at all. My Texas red fish and roasted cauliflower were so salty that they were inedible (and trust me, I love salt). I sent back the fish dish, and the waitress returned to confirm that the chef had tasted it and agreed that it was "way overseasoned." No apology -- just informed me that another one would be made and brought out. That did, in fact, happen, and it was much better, but my husband had finished eating before my entree arrived, so I just ate a few bites. The decor is quite nice, but there are few things that are "off." The restaurant is dark, intimate, and cozy, but one side of the room is open to a hallway in the Venetian. I could understand if it were a cool view, but it's not. So, one person gets a nice view of the restaurant, and the other person gets a view of the harshly lit hallway. The other incongruity is the music. It is apparently music from Mario's iPod, including Beastie Boys, etc. -- not exactly romantic Italian restaurant music. I'm sure it's supposed to be cool that it's Mario's favorite music, but I found it distracting and out of place. I actually like a lot of the music, but it would be more appropriate in a different venue. Service was adequate. The sommelier was good. Our waitress was OK. She forgot to tell us about the day's specials, and we didn't think to ask. We later heard her reciting the specials to the people at the next table over. And, again, I really felt that she should have handled the inedible entree issue more graciously. Overall, I expected way better from this restaurant. We had an absolutely wonderful meal two nights earlier at Bouchon, and they were approximately the same price.
(2)Rathany E.
I have dined here two times now. I tried the special tasting menu that was created for Mother's day with wine pairings. I have tried the pastas, several meat entrees, including the duck, the rabbit and the quail. Everything was prepared very well and with tons of flavor. This place is too expensive for a student like myself so if I ever get to go- it certainly is a delightful treat! It is great to go with a group of foodies because you get to try everything. That is if you are with people who are willing to share! The portions are small for the price you pay. The menu is organized in the formal italian style categories, with 4 course options. Basically appetizer/antipasta, pastas, entrees, and desert. The appetizers range from $18-$30. The pastas the same. The entrees are $30-$60. The appetizer portions are perfect for one person, small but worth it. Between the beets, the rabbit, and the calimari appetizer. The calimari was to die for. It was the best calimari I have had by far. Between the duck, qual and rabbit (which tasted like chicken), I would have chosen the duck. I have never had duck prepared this way. It was very tasty. The wine pairings were perfect.
(4)Renee G.
Bar - we had a good time. The bartender was a lot of fun and very helpful in making recommendations Dinner - food was quite good. Tried a few appetizers - a special with heirloom tomatoes and mozzarella cheese, beef cheek raviolis... their bread is delicious Service - Hmmm.... I ask for the pesto sauce with plain noodles. I think this is a simple request. You got pesto. You got noodles. No problem, right? Nope. Server tells me "we can't do that". I'm baffled. No even a "let me ask the chef". Iget that some chefs are particular about their food, but at LEAST act like you want to try and accomodate my preferences especially considering that you serve both items, just not in the same dish. I get a little frustrated. They bring me out something to try (nothing like what I had asked for) but it was truly delicious. Porbably some of the best pasta that I have ever had. But I just couldn't seem to get past their unwillingness to accomodate a simple request. It's worth a try if you are a pasta / Italian lover. I guess I'm just high maintanence. :)
(3)Sean H.
Ok I may not have been born in northern Italy but I am a regular at Sapporosimo in Boca Raton. So I know how authentic Italian cuisine should be expressed. And Batali has done it here. Lamb brain ravioli, pecan encrusted rabbit, lots and lots of game. The ambiance is very much romantic and you forget that you are in a casino while there. Fantastico!
(5)Ashley G.
I've been here twice and both times have been great. They have a traditional italian menu and a great wine list. If you come here you should pick something from the antipasti, primi and secondi, that would be perfect for two people, the portions are perfect. Last time I was here I had the Prosciutto Di Parma, Black Spaghetti and Grilled Lamb Chops all very deilicious, this is somewhere foodies will enjoy...
(5)Emily M.
To me, the best part of Vegas is the dining. There are hundreds of amazing opportunities, so when you + your buddies fork over $50/person, and it just ain't too good, it feels like you just spent your Christmas vacay with the flu. This is the place for you if you like oversalted small portions of pasta for $25 a plate. Want to wait 45 minutes for food when the place is half empty? How about a waiter that looks down her nose because there's a kid in your party? We all ended up gnawing on the same rack of lamb because the rest of our entrees were so small and lacking. But the lamb was excellent! If you a forced to dine here, order the lamb or ask which is the largest portion on the menu.
(2)Erin D.
The portions are very small for the price you pay, except for the rib eye for two ... that's actually a lot of food. Octopus was good and the gnocchi was awesome. I thought the mint love letters were good, too ... but unless you're like me and you love mint, you probably won't like them.
(4)Barrett C.
oh man, where do I start? How about with what I had for an appetizer trio.... Octopus, Calimari and Prosciutto... all were fantastic while the Octopus stood out.... It was sooo fresh and tasty. Cooked to perfection. Next course.... Pasta with White truffles.... FANTASTIC... my first experience with white truffle and the Alba white truffle did not disappoint... it actually made me wish I could have more... next... ON TO THE LAMB CHOPS... I have become somewhat of a lambchop professional here in the last year... and these are BY FAR the best I have ever had.... It was downright evil to cook something so good... LOL I will definitely go back, just for this... Finished the dinner off with an apple crostata... espresso with sambuca and some 1870 Grappa..... this ranks up there with one of the best meals in my life.... I walked out of there with a nice grin on my face.... :)
(5)Steve B.
Very good wine selection. Food is good but portions are smaller. If you are into truffles and ravioli it is great. It kinda felt like the menu as designed around the wine selection rather than the wine around the food. Prices are HIGH!
(3)Linda T.
On my recent stay in Las Vegas, my sister had not eaten after a long day at a convention. Since we were staying in The Venetian, I had been eyeing B&B Ristorante being that we are all huge fans of Mario Batali. Overall, the experience was so poor that it will be memorable. Since my sister was the only one ordering food (my other sister and I had eaten earlier in the evening), we decided to sit at the bar. The restaurant hostess refused to seat us at one of the small tables at the entrance which were all vacant. So we sat at the bar, were handed menus, and then left to wait...a very long time...without being acknowledged by the bartender who managed to acknowledge and take orders from all of the men who sat at the bar after us. Led Zeppelin's greatest hits were BLARING ( I kid you not!), and after we were finally able to order my sister's entree and our drinks, we were left to wait for probably at least a good 30 minutes before our Blood Orange Cosmos appeared with the glass of wine that my sister ordered to go with her Bolognese Paparadelle. This should have been our cue to walk out, but being to tired from a day of trudging around the strip we were all to exhausted to take action and get fired up. When our tiny Cosmos finally arrived, they were indeed delicious. However, when my sister's thin slice of a flute baguette topped with chick peas showed up on a small side plate that dwarfed it, we are agreed it was indeed an "amuse bouche". Very funny...joke's on us! At some length, the Bolognese Paparadelle showed up. Again, a huge white plate with a serving of pasta that looked more like an appetizer. No bread, no nothing. All this for a mere $28. Finally, a slice of bread (really!) was brought to her when she was half way through the pasta. Her plate from her "appetizer" was never removed. I joked with my sister that because there was a tiny speck of sauce left on the plate that the restaurant staff thought there was still a serving left. My sister left hungry, and we all felt assaulted by the music and insulted by the lousy service. The microscopic portions of food were good (I would hope so...it is Mario Batali's restaurant). I tried to send this feedback directly to B&B, but there is not email contact provided. Needless to say, won't be back, and I certainly do not feel compelled to visit other Batali locations.
(1)Juju K.
I think it's not bad but it's a Batali place so I expected more. The menu seemed similar to Babbo in NYC (which requires very advanced reservation) so I was excited to try B&B and was able to make the reservation the day of. The amuse with chickpeas was nice but nothing special. We started with the special of the day app, which were the fried squash blossoms stuffed with ricotta cheese. I usually don't see this on most restaurant menus so I was excited that this item was on the special menu. They light and I loved the sauce they were on. I think it was around $18 or so for 4 blossoms. Ouch. We went with the seafood theme so we both ordered the lobster pasta. I was not impressed. The sauce was just ok, it didn't taste very fresh to me. There are several Italian places in NYC that I think would make a better version. For the main, we shared the grilled branzino. It's simply grilled fish, nothing special. What really shined and was memorable was the herb salad that accompanied the fish. Unfortunately, there was only about a tablespoon of it. Perhaps they're better with meat items but considering that we paid about $200 (without wine, and 1 dessert) for 2, I expected more. If the price was lower then I would have given 3 starts but the price doesn't justify the quality. Perhaps they're catering to tourists and not local repeat customers which explains the quality but I guess I'll have to make that reservation at Babbo to find out. Overall, the experience was utterly mediocre for the price.
(2)Maurizio M.
The food was great, especially for being a trendy spot. I highly recommend the the prosciutto, the Ravioli, and the lamb. If you like NYC's Little Italy dining, then you will enjoy this experience. - Maurizio Maranghi -
(4)Jennifer H.
DON"T TAKE THE CHANCE OF WASTING YOUR TIME. After ordering drinks, we started looking at the menu. We were having a good time discussing the choices, and considered splurging on the tasting menu. Then we realized more that 10 minutes had gone by, no drinks, no waiter. Finally flagged down passing different waiter and told him we hadn't gotten our drinks. Instead of going TO THE BAR to get our drinks, he heads in some other direction, presumably to pass the buck to our waiter. 5 minutes later, after no action, we left, pausing long enough on the way out to tell the hostess that after the lousy service we were leaving. She looked stunned, but by the looks of a lot of other reviews here, she shouldn't have been.
(1)Lisa Z.
This review is for the bar only, we did not dine in. Our bartender was from Brazil and very, very friendly. I got a Tanqueray & Tonic (made with Tanqueray 10, which I did not call, it was wonderful) and my husband got a cocktail made with blood orange juice that he also really enjoyed. They had really nice cheese sticks attractively presented at the bar. The ambience in B&B surpassed my expectations and I kind of wish we had tried the food there, also. Perhaps another time. Hefty pricing for the drinks, but they were worth it (about $17 each). I'd definitely come back.
(4)Cara G.
o.m.g. Pure heaven. Except the service was crazy slow. But I bet everyone was just assuming we'd need to pace ourselves because, oh, we ordered the pasta tasting menu. Sounds like death, right? But it sooo wasn't. Unless death = heaven (see comment above). This was my first Mario Batali experience, and honestly, it only came about because my girlfriends + I had made reservations at Nob Hill Tavern, and they ended up remaining closed through Christmas. So one of the girls said she'd had good experiences before with Mario, and off we went, after making a reservation for that night. Um, and then proceeding to change the reservation about half an hour before we were due. Um, and *then* proceeding to be somewhere between half an hour and 45 mins late for that one. Hey, we're working girls, and something came up requiring some expertise! (And if you knew our occupations, that's be much less dirty.) But the hostess and staff were still good to us, despite our tardiness - maybe because it was 2 nights before Christmas, and either the night was slow or they were feeling charitable. BUT: we skim the menu, and I am overwhelmed. Personally, I've always gone to Italian restaurants with high expectations, and then, even if I love the food, inevitably think, "Well, I could have made this." But none of this I could have made. Which is *perfection* for me -- I never realize how high maintenance I must be when it comes to food, but ho.ly .cow, I've never been this blown away. I mean, still, and we had dinner on 12/23. The pasta tasting menu is seasonal, and this time of year, featured game fowl. Or however that makes sense. 6 "main" dishes + two dessert dishes (not pasta, surprise!), which we had been assured would satisfy a healthy appetite, but not put someone in a coma. (Okay, that was paraphrased, but I was concerned because I really can't eat too much with the bebe, she gets unhappy with me.) Each pasta was like eating air, I've never had pasta so good. And I mean the pasta. The sauces -- I think I had one outstanding fave, and a couple I loved, and the rest I enjoyed. One of my friends asked what we could do about the duck liver ravioli, bc I'm not supposed to eat liver --- our server said he'd check with the chef, AND THE CHEF SAID I COULD SUB OUT FOR WHATEVER DISH I WANTED! Talk about overwhelmed! Luckily, the server had a rec already planned -- boar ragout? done. And my fave, by far. Okay, no one can possibly still be reading, but I'll have to say thanks for these next possible treats: a guy dropped by in a fancy suit to clear a little of our table away, and had some dead-pan, real-guy charm -- not the snooty stuff, not the shmoozy stuff, just real. Basically commented on the tacky tacky shirts I made the birthday celebrants wear (who doesn't love rhinestones?), and asked what we were in town for + celebrating. The girls are shy and had only agreed to these outfits if we'd lie + say I was getting married -- and with our cream velour outerwear, it was possible. And I heart weddings, so no prob. But with the guy -- I came clean and said we were actually celebrating birthdays, plural. Simple enough conversation. BUT THEN, before our 7th course (or maybe 8th), our server came by with glasses of the *best* bubbly I have ever sipped (bc I only had a sip) -- Moscato d'Asti, and -- noting I wasn't having any wine -- also a glass of a mango-strawberry frozen concoction. AND the last dessert had "Happy Birthday" written on *all* of the plates in chocolate sauce - I love that attention. Even though I was the only one not really celebrating anything :D Whatevs. Loved it: food, service, attention to detail. Most extravagant meal I have paid for in my life, but I can totally justify it. And this is terrible of me to throw in at the end, but I can't figure out where to insert it: we were also "allowed' to add an extra dish to our tasting menu, meaning we got to split it 3-ways: the white alba truffle pasta. We asked the server to ask the chef how to squeeze it in, and we were surprised it came first. But what a fantastic, delectable way to start. Airy. Truffle-melty. My only experience with truffle, but it.was.amazing.
(5)Denise K.
Ok. I ate here before I became vegan, so ... here is a vegetarian-friendly review: I came here with my now ex-boyfriend on my 21st birthday, mainly because (1) this was Mario Batali's restaurant, and (2) his brother raved about the service and the food. And the service.... well, they really do tend to your hand and foot. Our server was pretty kick-ass looking too, with his ear plug and shaved head. You would've thought that he played in a rock band on the weekends or something similar. But anyways, they were extremely helpful in accommodating my vegetarian diet, giving me suggestions on what I could order on the menu and whatnot. So I had some sort of mushroom dish (4 kinds of mushrooms?) and whoaaaaa I still salivate over the thought of those mushrooms today. Completely simple and in their natural flavor... the pasta was hand-made/hand-cranked also! Very delicious. My partner had some sort of penne dish I can't remember the vegetable but the penne was damn good. It was hand-rolled and paper thin.... I still salivate over that as well. I think the desserts were so-so, not very memorable; the presentation of all the food was beautiful (of course) and we had a delicious glass of Muscato accompanying our dessert. I would definitely go back if I were to stop in Vegas again .. and if I had money and they had vegan options, just because the service was so top-notch. What I mean is, the server (or any server) paid attention to you, but not in the annoying salesperson sort of way. However the location of this restaurant is a bit weird. It's located in a mall. So as nicely dressed up as you are, you.... look out and see a bunch of tourists... in their usual tourist garb.
(5)Carmen K.
Beautiful and romantic restaurant, I felt very comfortable and received excellent service. The special warm artichoke salad was one of the most delicious bites I've ever had; it had some peppery green herb on top, maybe watercress, it was such an awesome combination. The beet salad was delicious with the roasted pine nuts. The freshly made pasta dishes were so good: mint love letters was out of this world, bolognese was good and red khurri squash ravoli had an innovative combo of light, creamy, and sweet. i was so full after sharing everyone's dishes i could not eat my main entree: blood orange duck. my friends who ate the duck as leftovers really enjoyed it, they said they never tasted duck so juicy. we ordered a very good red wine with dinner, quota 600, i thought it was perfect complement with the food. this place is very expensive but for a special occasion, i would definitely recommend this place and i would personally want to go back. i might just go for good pasta or order a main entree and share a pasta dish with another. over-ordering was a mistake.
(5)Jennifer H.
I was thrilled to hear that Mario had a few restaurants in LV. My friends and I chose B&B. Like the menu best. The restaurant itself was casual, unpretentious. Not at all like Del Posto, but definitely nicer than Lupa (both in NY). The food in my (humble) opinion was simple, flavorful, plentiful and yes, delicious! Service was fantastic. For the most part I could hardly hear our server, but when I was able to tune in he was making wonderful suggestions and def made everything on the menu sound scrumptious. I def want to go back there as soon as I can finagle some people to go back with me to Vegas!
(4)Lonnie R.
Went here on a Thursday evening for a 2 1/2 hour dinner, not rushed at all. Ordered a very nice super Tuscan wine which was fantastic. Started with the cured meat plate, a mozzarella and ramp appetizer, and a calamari and seppi fritti. Shared a couple of pasta dishes between the 4 of us for a secondi, one was the mint love letters and the other was lamb ravioli. Everyone liked these a lot. My wife had the whole fish which she loved, her friend had the rabbit, I split the rib eye for 2 with the other guest. Ordered a killer Brunello Di Montelcino which took about 45 minutes to open up and finally reveal the true character of this very nice wine. Deserts were shared and were very good. The waiter we had, Marco, was very attentive, the sommelier was very knowledgeable and helpful.
(5)Kyla C.
Holy awesomeness! I love you Mario! My friend and I found this place on a whim while wandering around in the Venetian and we are so glad we decided to eat there. It was pricey yes, but so worth it. Our server was very professional and knew his shit! He sold us on the burrata cheese appetizer with ramps and it was great. Again, we found the cheapest wine on the menu and again, didn't feel bad about paying $40 for it because it was a delicious rose and went well with our meal. I ordered the bolognese as my dinner and it was so good...I can't stop dreaming about it. I know, it's just bolognese but it was done correctly and that's saying a lot. The noodles were cooked to perfection and the meat and sauce had terrific flavor, oh so yummy! We shared the mascarpone bruciato for dessert, kind of like a creme brulee only better with lots a fresh berries on top. We got a cute little tray of chef made creations when we got the check too and they were all so cute and yummy, the meringue probably being my favorite. I would highly recommend this place if you love Italian food done right!
(5)Pamela L.
We were impressed with the meal, the service and pretty much the entire experience. It was my birthday dinner so we were looking for something special and I think that we got it. First of all, I have to say the the service was impeccable! Our server Jay knew the menu inside out and was patient in answering our questions about the "not so everyday" menu. We ordered a beautiful bottle of wine with the help of the sommelier. We tried the lamb tongue and it was so good, I can say that now I am a fan. I had the lamb chops which were so good, and a very hefty portion. I like to eat and was sad that I couldn't finish it all. My boyfriend had the the oxtail gnocchi, which I have to say I wish I had ordered because they were amazing!! Wow. That was a memorable birthday dinner even though I was hoping to see Mario Batali!!
(5)Karol S.
We read all the reviews saying that service at B&B was weak and figured "well, who cares, we go for the food, service is secondary." But no, it really does kill the experience. We waited for a table for over 20 minutes, despite having a reservation and despite being told to wait at the bar for *5* minutes when we arrived. The waitress was never around. We were halfway through our second course by the time the wine arrived. And the food was completely average. We're both Batali lovers so we were really surprised at how unspecial the food was at B&B. Very sad, definitely wouldn't go back.
(2)Jennifer L.
We arrived a little early for a our reservation so decided to sit at the bar and order a drink. I ordered a martini but the bartender decided he had something better in mind and asked if I liked blueberries. I said yes, so he made me this very interesting cocktail but he never thought to ask if i liked all the other ingredients that were put into it (basil, balsamic, etc... yuck!) It ended up not being bad but for $17/drink I want something that I would actually enjoy. Next, onto our meal. At first the service was very prompt... taking our drink orders, bringing bread to the table along with a complimentary appetizer. We ordered the beet salad to share and two pasta dishes as our entrees. The salad was delicious considering I'd never eaten a beet a day in my life. Then it happened, the turn for the worst. We sat and sat and sat some more. About 45 minutes from the time our salad was finished to the time the pasta's were brought to our table. During that whole time we were approached by our waiter approximately zero times. We didn't get a refill of our bread and the water refill was only one time. For the price of food you would expect better service for a nice tip. I even complained to the waiter and he didn't even offer an apology, just a mere "well it's very busy tonight and the kitchen is backed up". Well it would have been nice of you to let your customer in on that say, 30 minutes ago. Very disappointed and should have heeded the warning about celebrity restaurants and have avoided it all together.
(2)Jennifer L.
BAR REVIEW ONLY Our bartender was horribly inappropriate and fun. It seems to be that the best bartenders are always wanna be actors and "Stefano" was no exception. Wait, strike that, they're the most fun, not necessarily the best. The boy couldn't remember a drink order to save his life, but we had fun with him, even if he was a terrible breast obsessed pervert that I accidentally showed my underwear to. I'd tell you that story, but you know, Vegas Law and all. In any case, we had a fun time, but I think that was more because of the mood we were in and how much fun we were having with each other. I can see other people not having great things to report.
(3)Jennifer R.
I have had some of the best food ever at B&B. I loved the wild boar papardelle. The lamb's brain ravioli was surprisingly delicious and the branzino was great. The only thing that was questionable was the tripe Parmesan, but I just simply didn't like the texture. Some people who are familiar with tripe might like it. All of the food was well cooked and had great flavors. If you are a picky eater I wouldn't necessarily recommend B&B. But if you like complex food it's a great place.
(5)Mark P.
Great atmosphere! Great service! Delicious food!!! By far the best meal I had while in Las Vegas! Perfect from the appetizer to desert!
(5)Robert S.
I really believe that there has to be a grading discount for Las Vegas restaurants. It seems that the restaurants presume that (a) the tourists are going to come to the name restaurants; (b) they will pay whatever, including a ridiculous mark up on the wine; and (c) most do not know the difference between a good meal and an excellent meal. B&B fits this bill. I have eaten at Del Posto and Babbo. This does not hold a candle to either. First, too much salt!! Second, we had to send back the veal chop -- twice. The first time because the chop was raw. The second, because it was basically all fat. The vegetable with both our fish and the meat were so salty to be inedible. Both pastas were good (we had the orrichiette and the beef cheek ravioli). Finally, our waiter (Jeff) was very good. I don't know if you can do better on the Strip, but for food lovers, your expectations should be modified.
(3)Lorraine T.
meh, I've had better food in NY. I've had better Mario Battali in NY. I think you could find somewhere better (with better prices) in the Venetian or at another hotel on the strip. The service was very good though, can I put 5 stars for them!?
(2)Lisa R.
Hubby and I stumbled upon this place while strolling looking for a place to have a light dinner in LV on a trip last year. On a Thursday night the place was virtually empty, a few tables only around 6pm. We told our server we wanted to split a salad and entree as we had a late lunch. She was gracious about it but honestly it was nothing special. I cannot remember what we even had. The kicker was the wine menu. No prices on anything, we didn't want to be cheap so asked our waitress for a glass of red wine each. She told us about a great little dry red so we each ordered a glass. Imagine our shock when we got the bill and the wine about $30 per glass!!!! We're not poor so we didn't have to wash dishes but cmon', when someone orders a glass of wine, you don't expect to pay that much. We split a salad, an entree and the two glasses of wine. With tip we still paid about $130....
(2)Sandy K.
INCONSISTENT! Last Saturday was our fifth visit to this Restaurant of Mario's. The past four times were great, but this time BOTH pasta dishes we ordered were under cooked, and the Veal Chop was overdone. Very disappointing.
(2)Nick D.
Craving Italian for weeks I visited Mario Batali's B&B Restorante. A friend had eater there weeks ago and recommended I give it a try. Per usual for me, I order the tasting menu. The pasta tasting menu, as B&B has two tastings. I'd hope to detail each course for Yelp member but visiting B&B a few course have changed, and the tasting included a lot of ingredients, in particular proteins, I hadn't eaten before. However, I can tell you that the complimentary bread given to each and every table is terrible (burnt purposefully), the goose liver ravioli with balsamic vinegar and brown butter was very good and the 6th and 7th courses, the two desert courses, left much to be desired. The casual but elegant dining and service were very much to my liking, including the Queen music playing at B&B's adjacent bar. And, the service was exceptional, as I had expected it to be. Unfortunately for me, my meal didn't hit the spot, but it's not the fault of the restaurant. When I thought Italian I mistakenly thought homestyle, I thought rustic. However, for refined Italian the B&B Restorante delivers. I'd go back.
(4)Helen Y.
I highly recommend the following dishes... For antipasti: (*) Grilled Octopus with "Borlotti Marinati" and Spicy Limoncello Vinaigrette (*) Calamari and Seppie Fritti For primi: The special pasta of the day! For secondi: Whole Grilled Branzino with Fennel and Oregano Jam For dolci: Meyer Lemon Tart (it's absolutely divine!)
(4)Jon K.
We had the regional tasting that featured Tuscan cuisine along with the wine pairing ($75). The waiter Jered added much to the overall dining experience, as he elaborately described the history/culture surrounding each dish and described the wine notes and rationale for each pairing. The wines were excellently paired with each dish and portions were reasonable. Courses came at a very leisure pace, which we enjoyed - dinner lasted 2 hours. Price of dinner was just under $400 for the two of us (tip not included)...yes, pricey but quite honestly, the best fine dining experience we've ever had, and for that, the dinner was well worth it! I wouldn't recommend this for the casual diner or even those looking for only a romantic setting, but for true foodies that love wine pairings at its finest, I definitely recommend B&B Ristorante!
(5)Christina K.
I had a delicious meal here! Thanks Mario :o) The ambiance of the restaurant was a bit more bistro-like than restaurant-like, which was fine with me but I did find it a bit surprising. I will say that really liked the cute little wine room in the back which housed their large selection of wine! I was pleased with the service -- our server and her apprentice really dealt with our slightly inebriated group & random, border-line obnoxious questions well. We definitely had a playful banter sort of relationship going on with our servers, which made the experience a bit less formal (which I liked). For those of you that would prefer a more formal experience, our's may have been that way due to the fact that our group was all in our mid-twenties :o) Other than that, our water glasses were never more than half empty and the man who passed out the bread deserves extra props for dealing with our group :o) All of the food that I tried was delicious! I ordered the Beef Cheek Ravioli with Black Truffles & Duck Liver which was A-MAZING. I would definitely order it again. The pasta was perfectly al dente with a nice bite & flavor to it. I also had the Brasato al Barolo which was extremely tender and flavorful -- just thinking about it makes my mouth water! I tried a bite of the Lamb's tongue antipasti, which was an interesting bite to say the least. The Stinging Nettle Pappardelle tasted fantastic as well, and if I ever return to B&B I would definitely order that dish! Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed my meal at B&B. If it weren't for the plethora of other restaurant options that Vegas provides, I would guarantee my return sooner rather than later :o)
(4)Adam C.
I've been here twice. The first time was within my first few weeks living in Vegas, and I thought I'd hit a goldmine. My dining companion and I stuck to the appetizers and pastas per the smarmy but likable barkeep's exhortations (we sat at the bar). To our delight, every dish was fairly exquisite, the octopus salad and mint love letters filled with lamb were especially notable. Expensive, but worth every penny. My second time I relied on the trusty barkeep's wisdom once again, ordering mostly apps and pastas, but was severely disappointed. Dishes whose flavors had popped off the tongue on my first visit were either bland or pathetically exaggerated on my second. I'm still struggling to figure out what happened...did the restaurant just have a bad night? Doubt it -- kitchens can fuck up a dish or two on any given night, but not an entire meal amongst 4 diners. Did my fleeting Mario Batali man-crush cloud my judgment during my first visit? Maybe. As much as I love flowing red locks atop a greasy Italian belly wearing clogs (I don't), my taste buds have been through enough heartache to know not to be swindled by infatuation. Maybe I was too shell-shocked from all the silicone and awful dye-jobs to taste the food my first time. Most likely I got stuck with the backup chef my second time. But any restaurant worth its salt shouldn't vascillate that dramatically with its second stringer behind the pans. Cuz if that's the gamble I have to take when I walk through the door, I'm taking my shit elsewhere. So a measly 2 stars for your Vegas joint, Mario. Not Michelin stars, Yelp stars. Consistency matters. p.s. it's also irritating as shit to walk into a half-empty dining room to be told that they're "completely booked," and we'd have to sit at the bar while your gamboholic comps gum it up at the craps table, flanked by some plastic flusies. but that's vegas, and what's to be expected when dining on the strip. which is why i try to avoid it.
(2)Shaun H.
Every trip to Vegas is incomplete until I end up sitting at the bar with a glass of wine, savoring the superb grilled octopus
(4)Greg C.
The pork chop, which is salt cured for 24 hours prior to it landing on your plate, is amazing. It's the best I have ever tasted and worth the plane trip alone! I had the fried vegetables which were also outstanding. There are a great many incredible restaurants in Las Vegas, but this was one of the best meals I have ever had. Bravo!
(5)Mighty M.
Wine Connoisseur would probably enjoy this restaurant. Its "fine dining" label was something my friends and I have overlooked. For their wines, I would rate it 4 stars as "excellente" but I'm giving it 2 stars becasue my el stomaco wasn't quite satifacto. LOL.. I didn't quite like their "breadsticks." They were really sticks like the pretzel sticks which was not appropriate for an upscale restaurant. It feels "cheap" to wrap up tiny bread sticks in paper. The quantity of the entree is for feeding birds especially for the $$$ they charge & the quality of the entree. $16-$25 isn't a lot for upscale restaurant but at least make me full....... I'm not trying to sound like a self-indulged Americanized customer, but I'd like to be able to SPOT MY FOOD on the big giant plate. There doesn't have to be a plateful or bowl full of food but all we wanted was something enough to feed a PERSON instead of birds. Farallon, in San Francisco, serves tiny portion as well but the food they serve taste MORE DELICIOUS and REFINED than B&B Ristorante. By the way, the waiters expect to receive large amount of tips. They can be a little judgmental but they are not really bad people, just people who want money, and will give you dirty look if you don't look like a wealthy old couple who drink with your pinkies up.
(2)Marybeth T.
The food and service here were over the top amazing! Our waiter Kevin was exceptionally knowlegeable and pointed out some guest favorite dishes as well as special blood orange cocktails that were currently offered - which we loved. The staff is truly passionate about this restaurant and it is easy to see why. We started off with the Spaghettini with Lobster - oh my it's incredible if you like lobster but my husband even loved it and shellfish is not his favorite. We then had the veal chop and pork chop with grilled peach and a wine grape reduction. The fat cap on top of the pork chop was carefully carmelized and delicious (I usually cut every piece of fat off meat). The sommelier was also very knowlegeable and helped us choose a very nice Italian Sauvignon Blanc to go with our dinner choices. The prices are appropriate for the quality of the food and the preparation that goes into it. This is fine Italian dining by a world class chef and worth every cent. Really exceptional - we like to cook and are pretty particular, but you just can't do things like this at home. We will definitely be back!
(5)Ed L.
still Day 3... After looking fruitlessly for a place to eat at Mandalay Bay we cabed it to the Venetian. We finally ended up here at B&B. Looked good from the outside and one of our party had heard of it, so here we ate. Our combos: Grilled octopus/Sweetbreads Prosciutto/Beef cheek ravioli Sardines/Brasato (Short-ribs) Vegetables Fritto/Brasato Our appetizers came out quickly but the entrees took a very long time. And then on top of that, those of who had the brasato (my wife and I) couldn't eat them for they were too salty. In fact too salty for even my wife who puts salt on almost everything first. They offered to replace the meals but by then the others were nearly finished with their entrees so why bother. Again, a more attentive waiter would have been good. The lower servers (bread, water were spot-on). Later, upon further discussion, other dishes were a bit salty too. Though I love 70-80's rock, it doesn't fit the restaurant and it's persona.
(2)Amyn Z.
It was okay. Not the best or even more authentic Italian I have ever eaten.
(3)Eclectic E.
What a lucky find! I'm a fan of Mario B. from TV, but had never had the chance to eat at one of his restaurants. B&B was across from where Wayne Brady was performing -- and they could seat us immediately (just two). The waiter was well informed about both the food and the wine. He offered me a taste of the two wines by the glass I was considering. He also steered us correctly regarding our dessert options. We'd heard about the oatmeal gelato -- but it wasn't available. Have no fear, the honey infused polenta was great! The supervisor from the Platinum hotel was also on the mark with the lobster spaghetti and we found the beef cheek ravioli on our own. Perfect food, perfect service, perfect location. Yum!
(5)Michelle T.
We had a late night dinner here and the food was fabulous. There were four of us and we ordered a bunch of dishes and just shared. We started with the garbanzo bruschetta and duck egg salad. Both were excellent. Next we had the goat cheese ravioli and sweet potato lune which were recommendations made by the hostess. These two pastas were my absolute favorite of the night. The filling was delicious and nothing beats homemade pasta. Then we had the king salmon and lambchops. The salmon was cooked perfectly and the lamb chops were so tasty. For dessert we had grapefruit sorbet. It was a nice finish to an excellent meal. I would recommend any of these dishes to anyone who tries this restaurant. Also we had a bottle of wine which we probably could've done without. The service was excellent, they were very attentive. The ambience is nice, a little dark, more for an intimate dinner I suppose. Yes it is a little pricey...but really you won't get food this good in an olive garden or maggianos. You get what you pay for....excellent food and excellent service.
(5)Ctam G.
We have been there twice. The grilled octopus app is amazing, enjoyable pasta dishes, good wine selection, deserts are okay. There is one dish you must have...the bone in rib-eye for two ($120)!!!! I don't eat steak all that much, maybe once every week or two and once in a great while in a restaurant....I'm telling you this is best steak I have ever had..light-years better than Morton's, Ruth's..not even in the same ballpark...Kobe beef close but nothing like it. This piece of meat has been aged 3-4 months dry rubbed with some secret ingredients, is cut table-side, and then is drizzled with aged balsamic vinegar and olive oil....unreal!! Close your eyes when you chew and enjoy....simply the best.
(4)Stefanie R.
Great food, great service. GREAT wine! I love this place and would go back and recommend this fine Italian cuisine to anyone looking for a great experience on the strip.
(5)V C.
This place has horribly salty food. I felt so robbed of my taste buds and regard for fine dining. WTF? Is all I could possibly chant over and over in my head. Biting my tongue until it was brining in the sodium caked dog food they call ravioli, hamburger helper they call homemade orecchiette, smear of grits they call polenta, and the shreds of chicken thigh they call rabbit ragu. The only dish that I tasted to be decent at best was the spaghetti and one pound lobster, at least cooked to satisfaction in a balanced sauce. There was lacking of honesty in the dishes that left me questioning how they could get away with it. Presentation was uninspired, a blop of food on a flat white plate. The ambiance was dreary with low lights in a room heavily decorated with woods and repeated wine bottles. I have no qualms to pay for dishes prepared for finer dining with quality ingredients and to taste that amazes me. This fell so disappointingly short. Worse part was that I felt really sorry for the staff to have to deal with such wishy-washy foods. They tried to accommodate. So sorry it didn't work out... and NO, it is not an acquired taste, it was just awful.
(1)Yvonne G.
Great food. Great service. My husband and I couldn't decide what to get so our server asked us a few questions like what we like and dislike to eat. Any food allergies and if we are up to try anything. Our server did a great job recommending a 4 course dinner with dessert. For what we had our bill wasn't that expensive. Keep in mind that you are paying for quality and not quantity. We did not have wine as we are not wine drinkers. Looking at the wine list they seem to have some pricey wines so I'm assuming they should be good. I recommended this place to my parents when they were visiting Vegas but they didn't have time to go.My husband took a bunch of friends when he was there recently again and still good compliments. But would definitely recommend.
(5)Rebecca L.
I dined here with some friends and we left unsatisfied AND disappointed. The ambiance is romantic however, there were moments where I felt like I was in a fish bowl. People walked by and starred through the open panes...it's a little strange for what was supposed to be a closed off and noble restaurant. The service was so so... our waitress practically recited the menu when we asked her if she could explain the dishes to us. Needless to say, she was not very helpful. Oh well. For starter, I ordered the Three Beets Salad. I love beets but I did not appreciate this dish at all. it was bland and tasteless. i think Batali's focus on this dish was to showcase the different textures of beets but, he did it in a way where it fell flat. There were no other components here other than beets to give this dish a bit of dimension that it so desperately needed. Next up, I had the salmon over a bed of cucumber salad. After my first bite I thought to myself "I can't believe this is Mario Batali." and not in a good way. It tasted like steamed salmon with cucumber juice. I truely wanted to like this place.. but the overall experience was very disappointing.
(2)Alice E.
Wow. One of the best meals in my LIFE! If you are thinking its going to be watered-down American Italian (i.e. Olive Garden) then please leave and go somewhere else. This is the real deal of Italian regional cuisine with the distinct Mario Batali flair. People who said it wasn't good don't own a tongue. The sweetbread was incredible, the ravioli to die for. The wine selection was gargantuan and the wine steward very helpful.
(5)David C.
My buddy and I ate at B&B yesterday Saturday night, getting there around 9:45 on our last night in Vegas hoping to have extraordinary Italian food. We each got one of the tasting menus and were overall disappointed. I had a glass of the Morellino di Scansano I Perazzi La Mozza 2007 Toscana and enjoyed this glass and a half pour with a mini decanter very much. Very smooth, no acid, no tannins, not great fruit, but just enough. For starters both tasting menus start off with 3 courses of raviolis. Its just raviolis after raviolis. For example, for the Pasta tasting menu, you get a ricotta ravioli in butter sauce, lambs brain ravioli in butter sauce with sage, a green pasta with a light meat sauce, and then another ravioli filled with short ribs. I mean enough with the raviolis. The next course Gnocchi was a real disappointment. The gnocchi was really super firm, bordering on hard, obviously not hand made, and definitely not light. and again with a braised oxtail which tasted like beef brisket. The highlight of this meal was the 2 dessert courses. The Zabaglione with grapefruit was absolutely light, sublime, transcending, magical. It reminded my friend of some delicious Japanese dessert crapes he had in Seattle with strawberries, whipped cream and Zabaglione in a crape cone. The final dessert was an Italian Flan with crunchy cocoa nibs which was very good. Overall a C+. Portions very small. 5-8 ravioli per plate. All the ravioli were hand made. The Lombardia Veal Tasting Menu was not much better. The first course was a thin deli like slice of cooked veal over a mayonnaise sauce with some capers. Next was a very creamy Tallegio cheese ravioli which tasted liked warm brie inside ravioli, melt in your mouth good. The next bone marrow ravioli was not memorable at all. My friend liked the next course best, a pounded thin slice of veal, breaded with like panko and deep fried very crispy and topped with arugula and a lemon wedge. I liked it, but nothing to write home about. I've had very good country fried steak which were better and more tender. Next was a very slender piece of medium gorgonzola cheese with some candied fruit, a very small and delicate cheese plate. The desserts for this tasting menu were awful. Toasted panttone with apricot jam was a joke. Cinnamon, honeyed butter toast would have been better. And the fried Italian donuts were dense like dense cake, not light like a good beignet, not worth the calories or effort to eat the whole thing. They also raised the price from 100 to $120 on Thursday March 10, 2011 and raised the wine paring from 70 to 75. They comped my wine because of the confusion, but that was still not enough to erase a disappointing Italian meal. All my buddy and I could do was to recall better meals we had in our lives. I can't speak for the rest of the menu. if this was their best foot forward, then I would spend my money elsewhere.
(2)Minh H.
Beef cheek ravioli x2, spaghettini with 1 on lobster x2, Jose pyrimads, grilled octopus x2, affettati, was our dinner and was only ok for the price. Thankfully a buddy had credit, big gambler, so the bill was much less for the rest of us.
(3)Phil M.
Zeppelin + fine dining = One of the best meals of my life Saturday night in Vegas and although we had other plans for dinner a last minute call convinced us that being the guest of the yet unopened B&B might be interesting. B & B is the latest restaurant venture from Mario Batali and Joe Bastianich of Babbo, Otto, and Lupa fame. If you've eaten at any other of Batali's restaurants you'll have high expections of top notch authentic and creative Italian food. Batali and co. have done Vegas right by creating a cool joint that is classy and does the near impossible by making you feel transported out of the the desert mayhem that is Las Vegas. The dark walnut walls, crisp white linens, and of course Batali rocks the Zeppelin. You gotta love someone who has the balls to match Zeppelin with fine dining and make it seem effortless and obvious. Of course we're gonna rock fine dining! For the primo, I had the Baby Red Oak Leaf salad. I was actually expecting Mario to have concocted some crazy way to prepare oak leaves, thankfully it was a varietal of lettuce that was like no lettuce I ever tried, rich and flavorful. For the secondi, I tried a few items starting with the Stinging Nettle papardelle with Wild Boar Ragu. This was spectacular, rich and well balanced, the nettle doesn't really impart much flavor, but is a nice counterpoint to the boar which provides most of the earthy flavor. Next up the Beef Cheek Ravioli with Crushed Squab Liver and Black Truffles. Oh my God, yes this was a spiritual experience. * without any hyperbole, this was hands down the best pasta I've ever eaten, better than anything I tried in Tuscany * And that's not the hangover talking. Two or three other well travelled guests agreed. I think it might have been the squab liver that put it over the top. For the secondi, the Brasato al Barolo, essentially bone-off short ribs on polenta with fresh horseradish. As you can imagine, rich and decadent, melts away with every bite and the horseradish provided a nice sharp counterpoint to the richness. Next up the Fennel Dusted Sweetbreads which made me feel smarter immediately. At least smarter for trying them. Crisp on the outside, tender on the inside. Possibly Mario's tribute to the chicken nugget. Unbelievable, who knew brains could taste so damn good. For dessert, being in the desert, I felt like some thing rich but also refreshing, and the warm chocolate cake with mint gelato did not disappoint. I could have eaten twelve of these if given the opportunity. The housemade caramel gelato was also pure decadence. The wine we had was "house" wine, and by that I mean Bastianch's Italian wine company and Mario's personal Italian label. Not a bad glass among the bunch. All exceptional. Starting off with raspberry bellini's, the wine was paired by their som to match our choices for the 4 courses. Each wine was excellent. I thought for my shortribs, I could have used a slightly bigger wine with more acid to cut it, however the sangiovese blend was still excellent. We went through probably 8 to 10 bottles of wine. From prosecco to Rose, to the final Moscato and inbetween, all matched up great with our food. Overall, B&B is going into the Vegas rotation, fun, cool, classy, incredible Batali food, incredible wine and I don't need to fly to NY. Now I just need to send word that San Francisco needs Mario too.
(5)Alix J.
This is a pricey but quite special restaurant in the Venetian. The food flavor combinations were amazing, from my blood orange cosmo through to my last bite of flourless chocolate morsel provided for free to close the meal. The "linguine with pig cheek" was amazing - sort of a spicy linguine with little shreds of crisp yet melt in your mouth pork. Another diner had the butternut squash ravioli and said it was delicious. Desert was a ricotta creme brulee that was a perfect balance of creamy, crunchy, sweet and tart. Service was impressive with armies of servers marching through with plates and the coordinated delivery of all plates at once, but our lead server lacked the in depth knowledge of the menu I might have liked. Sound levels were fine. Ambience was a little "street cafe" like due to its open side on the Venetian walkway. We did not have wine but the list of Italian wines was extensive and would probably take a recommendation to navigate.
(4)Reed T.
I am going to be short and sweet with this one. Start with the grilled octopus and finish with the beef cheek ravioli with black truffles and crushed duck liver and the veal chops. All were out of this freakin' world and the ravioli was to die for! They also have an amazing wine menu that is sure to have something you like. The service and overall experience is what fine dining is all about. Cheers
(4)Vice H.
Ate here over the weekend and was a bit disappointed. Like others we had the Chickpea Bruschetta which while different, was sorta bland. The grilled octopus was very good and probably the highlight. The bread was ok, the waiter explained it aas being twice baked. They offer you ciabatta and lard as a special appetizer you can buy, but last time I was in town you could that at Carne Vino for free. Beef cheek ravioli was ok but a bit heavy and honestly could have been stuffed with anything because there wasn't really a lot of filling to be able to tell what it was. I got the seared duck breast with the cherry and wine reduction. The duck wasn't anything special. There was no crisp to the sear, it was all pretty soggy and HEAVY on the salt. A co-diner had the veal which he said was really salty. They did offer to bring something else which was nice but we opted for a comped side of unseasoned veggies to help ease the saltiness. I didn't have dessert but did have an americano. Italian espresso is the way to go. Others got the gelatto something else I can't remember. They did bring out some little house made cookies/candies which I thought was nice. The service was top notch but that's expected. For the overall experience thought I'd go 2.5 stars but rounding up to 3 wouldn't feel right.
(2)Michael S.
Had an incredible meal here, but may have been because we did the pasta tasting menu. The atmosphere is cool, relaxed and kind of chic, but the casino is in sight so that can ruin it. The 7 course pasta tasting menu was amazing. Very different pastas, very different sauces, and the desserts were great (beware-the final one--budino I believe--is very hot.). The cheek ravioli was absolutely amazing. My only complaint was that the balsamic brown sauce tastes a lot like balsamic, maybe a little overpowering, however the final taste you taste is the smooth meat inside. This could be a very pricey meal, but definitely well worth it.
(5)Claudine V.
DO NOT EAT HERE EVER AGAIN! The service is very very very bad , the food doesn't taste great at all and their service is really really slow. For the price you are paying , its not worth to go here before the Blue Man Group Show. It's a better choice to have dinner at David Burke's restaurant. Our group was really really dissappointed with this restaurant. The waiter that served us (including my boss, co workers and other clients) was very arrogant and was LYING to us from the beginning saying that we will make it on time for the Blue Man group show for ordering their Pre Theater show menu. At 6:50 pm we still didn't have our dessert, and our waiter said that "oh don't worry the show doesn't start until 7:30 pm". We all believed him and waited for our dessert .To end the story short, we were late and felt so humiliated during the show because they show bright lights on people that are late going into the Show. DO NOT EVER EAT HERE ... EVER!!!! PASS This on to everyone. Don't waste your money!!! Please pass this on!!!
(1)John F.
Great food - great wine suggested by the sommelier. Nice, casual atmosphere. Why only two stars? The music. Loud, heavy metal music. Asked the waiter what could be done - he checked and said nothing - it was from Mario Batali's iPod playlist. I wasn't looking for something like Frank Sinatra - but didn't want head banging music either. Brought it up to the manager - same response.
(2)Tim E.
First time to B&B and while overall good ..... Improvements can be made. My wife and I selected two different tasting menus so we could compare them. My wife's pasta courses were very good and the first course absolutely perfect. My regional menu was very unique but a bit inconsistent. I will say that the calf's brain ravioli was one of the best dishes I have ever eaten. Inconsistency however kept a star off my rating. My wife's last pasta course was super spiced and was left un eaten and my cheese plater was as forgettable as a Costco sampling. The wine pairings really helped the meal and the service was perfect. Pricey for the experience but what the heck....it's Vegas!
(4)M H.
Vegas "Celebrity Chef" cuisine is for chumps.
(3)Dan M.
I took my mother out for a fabulous Italian meal and incredible bottle of Brunello di Montalcino. The wine was amazing as it should be but at $175 a bottle it was more than the customary double the retail (see disappointing). My meal was good but not great. I was expecting a Mario Batali tour de Fource and what I go was a really nice Little Italy meal. Perfectly fine but with tip and wine $470... For the record, the grilled octopus is a must have. SImply excellent. The Lamb ragu gnocchi? The gnocchi itself was sublime, it melted in your mouth; the sauce was a little overpowering frankly so I wasn't truly impressed. The bone in veal chop was very good but not great. The price? while you already know the answer there. Bottom line - good but not great and priced out of this world. Skip this one and go to one of the many other fine restaurants in town.
(3)Andreana B.
Being a Foodnetwork nerd, I was really excited to try B&B. I told my friends about how much I enjoyed watching Mario Batali on tv and how without hesitation we should try this restaurant. After dinner I walked away with my tail between my legs, as I had committed a social felony recommending this restaurant! Wine by the glass selection is limited, and we weren't sure what red to order, so the staff wine expert came to our table and helped us pick out the perfect bottle. We really appreciated that and very much enjoyed the wine (which is clear, because I can't remember which bottle of wine we tried)! The decor is white tablecloth, surrounded by warm tones---we heard them playing Jane's Addiction in the background which my friends and I really appreciated. We enjoyed the contrast of rock music to elegant dining. Now onto the food...the reason I'm only giving this restaurant 2 out of 5 stars... We had eaten shortly before, so two of my friends were tempted to split one plate of Goat Cheese Tortelloni (instead of ordering two). The waitress (who in my opinion was unfriendly) said "We don't have large portions of pasta here" and with her hands showed us how small they are. Well, yes, the pasta portion was not large like at a typical Olive Garden, but the richness of the goat cheese was PLENTY filling from one plate. My friends didn't even touch their second serving they had ordered. So in short--I wasn't impressed with the service. Our waitress was totally unfriendly and impatient. We had excellent olive oil and balsamic vinegar on the table for dipping, but the waitress didn't even bother to check to see if our bread was warm. It was cold as if it had been recently thawed out. The filling of the Goat Cheese Tortelloni is rich, but the texture is light. The pasta was al dente--which was fine. This was probably the best dish we tried at B&B even though it was a bit salty. OVER-SALTED is the theme for our experience at B&B. The duck I ordered was beautifully presented, but it was over-cooked and SALTY. The Field Greens with Trebbiano Vinaigrette was too salty, and so was the unconventional Calamari and Seppie Fritti appetizer. I imagined the chef, sous chef and kitchen staff all taking turns that night pretentiously sprinkling salt on each dish, one after the other, behind each other's backs. I'm sure the quality of ingredients at B&B is superior, but you wouldn't know it underneath all that salt. More than spending that kind of money for a bad meal, I hated feeling embarrassed that I had so strongly convinced my friends (on our last night in Vegas) to try this restaurant. I had put alot of faith in Mario Batali's name and that was a mistake. Just because his name's on the sign doesn't mean he's running the kitchen. With all of the food that Las Vegas has to offer, I felt we had wasted a meal's worth of time visiting this place. So, if you insist on eating at B&B Ristorante, you can have faith that the wine and the Goat Cheese Tortelloni are a hit. I worked in restaurants in Houston for several years, and I know that sometimes the success of a meal can rest solely on who the kitchen manager is and how he dictates the show behind the scenes. Maybe we were just the unlucky bunch that ate there on a bad night. Even taking that into consideration I probably would not try B&B again.
(2)Dr. Howie K.
We selected this restaurant for its wine and food reputation. The food was fine, and the wine largely over priced. The biggest issue was the head-banging rock "music" that blared and drowned everything out. We complained to both the server and, eventually, the Manager who told us, "This is the music the Executive Chef prefers. We get complaints about it all the time." He made it clear that more appropriate dining music was not going to happen. This type of arrogance (by the Executive Chef) is inexcusable. Evidently, he runs the restaurant (and selects the music) more from a selfish than a customer service perspective. Regardless of the food and the wine menu, DO NOT REINFORCE the Executive Chef's attitude. STAY AWAY FROM THIS RESTAURANT. You will spend alot of money to have the privilege of not enjoying it dues to the riduculous and ear-splitting music.
(1)JIMMY N.
My brother and I randomly decided to dine here while browsing through all the menus at the Palazzo. Since we had to catch a show w/in an hour, we were pressed for time. The price point was fair, ambiance was casually elegant, and it's a Mario Batali establishment... so what could go wrong? Well problem was, we left still starving. It was mainly my fault, I should have known better. At a nice casino restaurant mid twenty's to thirty dollar dishes gets you nothing. Pasta portion was small, and the protein in the dishes were meager. We cut to the chase and ordered only entrees. My Spaghettini came w/ chives, garlic and a One-Pound Lobster for $32. Wow, what a deal right? Imagine my surprise when I got a fistful of spaghetti and a few bites of tail and claw. I swear, this does not look like it came from a one pound lobster. I do have to admit it was titillating to the palette. The pasta was cooked perfectly. The spiciness of the chives, the sweetness of lobster and garlic, combined with the savoriness of the sauce was gratifying. I wished I had more of it. My brother's gnocchi w/ braised oxtail didn't give him the same response. It was $25, seemed like there were more of the oxtail ragu than actual gnocchi. He did state that they were soft like pillows. Just the ragu was not to his liking. Oh, we did get an Amuse Bouche: bruscetta w/ chickpeas & olives. Which was good and finely salted. We made it to our show, barely. Didn't enjoy it much because I was hungry again 30 minutes into the show. With many great options in Vegas, it's unlikely I'll be back.
(3)Rick F.
Price: Pre-Theater Special Atmosphere: Clubby, Old Fashioned Service: Ice Cold Food: Above Average 3 ppl, early business dinner 5:30pm. They had a pre theater special that can only be used if all people at the table order it, $49.95 3 course Appetizer, main course and dessert. This is a good deal considering your in Vegas and everything is overpriced. Veggie Frito Misto was excellent, Boneless Beef Short Rib was near perfect and plenty, Dessert was excellent. I wish Mario would not use fancy Italian phrases to title each dish while I appreciate the novelty it makes it difficult to understand and the waiters see this as a reason to go all high brow on you. Your a waiter take it easy.
(4)Suzanne S.
I hate to say it but this fell below my expectations for Mario Batali and Joseph Bastianich. I absolutely LOVED Del Posto and assumed this would be the same cailber. The ambiance was great, and the bartender at the bar was very knowledgeable and helpful. Food wise, the bone marrow ravioli entree was served luke warm, and just left me wishing and wanting a better experience. I would probably not return simply b/c there are so many other restaurants to experience in Vegas.
(3)Inga W.
We loved the food here and the ambiance, slow service that allows you to enjoy the food and time with your date. The pasta was exceptional, the beet salad was scrumptious and the lamb tongue salad was tender and surprisingly light. My hubby and I had a great time sharing all our dishes and taking our time. We finished up with the sweet breads that were tender on the inside and crunchy on the outside, amazing. The ingredients were all super fresh, high end, and hand picked.
(4)Margaret S.
Other than the pasta, we LOVED it. The $55 veal chop was out of this world; its the best veal chop that we have ever had. The service was very warm, sincere and attentive, without being overbearing. The only complaint was the pasta in the clam pasta. Similar to what another Yelp reviewer noted with their pasta dish, the pasta was UNDER cooked. Believe me, we love a la dente pasta! However, this was not al a dente, but simply undercooked. When you bit in the pasta, there was still a hard, uncooked "core." It needed a few more minutes of cooking time. This was the only disappointment, in otherwise a terrific meal. If we are ever back in Las Vegas, we are sure to come back here!
(4)Greg L.
Valentines dinner was like front row at a Led Zeppelin concert. I like LZ but not all night, and I like to have conversation while I'm dining. Not my first BBQ at B&B but what what was up last night! We had drinks at the bar and had a really good time there. Our bartender offered to serve us dinner there but nooooo, we went to our table. Should have stayed. We were just about done with our primi before the wine came... Love the food but maybe it was cupid's fault.
(4)John C.
We made reservations because my wife had to eat at Mario Batali's restaurant. While we were seated promptly it took an hour to get our food. The Field greens came without the Vinaigrette , the Beet Salad was just OK. The Spaghettini with one pound lobster was more like an ounce of lobster. The Linguine with clams, Pancetta and Hot Chiles had lots of clam shells (not all opened) but no pancetta or hot peppers and was tasteless.
(1)Alice C.
My first time at one of Mario Batali's restaurant. We had the Truffle Tasting menu...which was delicious overall except for the salty egg pasta. At least they send it back to the kitchen and gave us a new plate, but it was still a bit too salty in my standards. The chocolate dessert was super strong, which made me assume there was alcohol in there. The server assured me there wasn't any alcohol in the chocolate, but I was high for the evening. I would like to go back to try their regular menu or even the pasta tasting one day though.
(4)Joshua F.
One of the best dining experiences i have ever had. Note I said dining experiences. Yes, I may have had a better meal, but from making the reservations to paying the bill, B&B is one of the best. We arrived to B&B about 10 minutes early of 5pm since we had a 7pm show to make. We sat at the bar and enjoyed a craft made "Smoked Potato and Rosemary" Martini that was like an amuse on its own. A perfect starter prepared by a very knowledgeable bartender. We were seated at 5pm, with our waiter already informed of our time line. He started with a great introduction and briskly informed us of the best choices that we could manage. Any questions were answered with detail and a reassurance that you were making the correct decision. He also noticed that my wife was pregnant and offered a custom "Mocktail" for her. ANTIPASTI: Warm Lamb's Tongue with Chanterelles and a 3-Minute Egg $17 - a great balance of pickling, tender, and savory bites that come to life the second you break that egg yolk. PRIMI: Beef Cheek Ravioli with Black Truffles and Crushed Duck Liver $26 - a classic Batali dish that emphasizes texture and the control of flavor. The mixture of duck liver was and beef cheek was fantastic, with the liver just adding that necessary mineral, woodsy accent. Goat Cheese Tortelloni with Dried Orange and Wild Fennel Pollen $25 - Just an awesome dish. The goat cheese filling was so creamy and smooth. Again, no single ingredient over shadowed the other, the all play together perfectly, exciting your palate with every bite. SECONDI: Crispy Polenta Sweetbreads with Favas, Oyster Mushrooms and Spring Garlic "Fonduta" $36 - A great dish executed with a delicate touch. The sweetbreads where simply creamy inside their crispy thin crust. The favas, mushrooms, and "fonduta" simply created a lovely sauce coating eat morsel. Paired with a recommended glass of red wine that I wish I could remember, perfect. We had to skip desert, but the choice was difficult. PS - Love the 80's music playing in the background. It does make it seem so uptight and snooty. Someone gets it; great food, proper attire, in a relaxed atmosphere works wonders. $$$$ if you are a proper patron.
(5)Danny P.
We came in on 3/6. As it turns out we were heading to Palazzos, but opted for this place once we passed by. This was hands down one of the best dining experiences my girlfriend and I have ever had. We enjoyed the balsamic lamb ribs, possibly the best appetizer of my life. Than split the Gorgonzola tortoloni, which was a nice refreshment course of lighter flavors after the intense flavors of the ribs. We than had the best bolognaise I have probably ever had, and followed that with an incredibly tender melt in your mouth short rib served with polenta. Our desert was phenomenal as well as very light. The apple fritters tasted delicious. The food, incredible, the service was also phenomenal. Our waiter was extremely knowledgable, no doubt an expert in the business that is probably a career here in Vegas. He timed our courses appropriately, though some might consider it slow in our fast paced lives, this is how people eat elsewhere. I don't understand the poor reviews. This place deserves 5 stars here on yelp. These reviewers either have the pallet of children, or that of a God who can find no pleasure or fulfillment in mere humanly cuisine. I don't think I'm that easy to please either.I know food, hell, I've been working in restaurants for nearly seven years now.
(5)Stacey C.
After the previous night's ordeal, we were ready to eat a good meal! We spontaneously chose this place to eat after hiking for 4 hours that day and browsing around Restaurant Row. What I LOVED: 1. Grilled Octopus with 'Borlotti Marinati' and Spicy Limoncello Vinaigrette $19 (SUPER tender and great flavor!) 2. Homemade Orecchiette with Sweet Sausage and Rapini $26 (SO GOOD!!!) 3. 'Brasato al Barolo' with Horseradish 'Gremolata' $38 (I really liked the polenta...) Everything I ate was SUPER delicious! My tummy was so happy after this meal. Batali definitely impressed me! The waiter was very attentive and made great recommendations. The only con was that there were out of the Spagettini. Boo. My friend had: 1. Warm Lamb's Tongue with Chanterelles and a 3-Minute Egg $17 (I really liked the egg! YUM) 2. Rabbit Porchetta with Brussels Sprouts, Pancetta and Lemon $38 (this was too peppery for my friend...less on the pepper please!!!) Another note, the table for 2 was the longest ever...it was hard to hear my friend talk... ambiance was classy & clean. PS. The bartender had a upward mustache that was really cool! I would definitely recommend and go back! =D
(5)Rob C.
all right, party people, i've crawled out of retirement because i have to put some of these naysayers in place. first off, my wife and i are huge fans of Mozza in LA; both the pizzeria and osteria. so, before our recent trip to vegas, we wanted to pick at least two 'celebrity chef' restaurants to try out for our anniversary weekend. (the other was Gordon Ramsay's "Steak"). we thought another Batali joint was a no brainer, until i read some of the reviews here. i generally ignore the comments left by cheap asses like, "oh, how dare they charge us for coffee!" (see below.) but comments about the flavoring of the dishes i pay attention to. that's why i was shocked at all the comments about how salty the food was. perhaps the restaurant took note and changed things up; perhaps those reviewers have a phobia of flavor. who knows bc our experience was phenomenal and only solidified our fanboy/girl status for the heavyset, croc wearin italian. service was perfect. our server was enthusiastic, extremely knowledgeable, and attentive, albeit his moustache was a little creepy. i tried the beef cheek ravioli w/ truffle and duck liver. delish. uber rich w/ its velvety meat filling w/ a hint of mineral-y liver goodness. YUM. my wife had the bolognese. she loved it. i loved it. it was freaking tasty. the flavor was delicate, simple and complex at the same time. the base tomato sauce tasted very close to the ox tail pasta dish at osteria, which was both adore. i then tried the pork belly. it was served w/ arugula, heirloom tomatoes, and drizzled w/ that famous 20something year old balsamic. i was blown away. the generously sized log-o-meat was fatty, moist, and robust in porky goodness. highly recommended. the hints of that sweet and tangy balsamic, the bitter arugula, and juicy sweet warm tomato slices on the bottom, perfectly balanced out the richness of the belly. we finished the meal off w/ some gelati and sorbetto. espresso, peach and strawberry. gawddamn! probably the best we've ever had. we were also served an amuse bouche (chickpea bruschetta) at the beginning of the meal and an additional dessert medley at the end, complimentary. the perfect meal!
(5)Ryan B.
In case you're planning a trip to Vegas, there are so many restaurants to choose from, so this review might help a bit. We decided to try B & B for a couple of reasons: 1.) we wanted tasty Italian food, 2.) the owner/chef Mario Batali is well known, and 3.) it's in the Venetian and we had tickets for Phantom. My first impressions: dark, wood, classic, brown, fine-dining, lots and lots of staff running around. Like another reviewer stated, they almost hovered around you at times. The menu is set up in a traditional Italian style--appetizer, first course, second course. The main courses are eclectic to say the least--rabbit, quail, something called white-shrimp. My gf played it safe and ordered the pork chop, but I decided to be a bit adventurous and get the quail. But before that, let's talk appetizers and first courses. The server recommended the buffalo mozzarella appetizer and we were going to pass (you can't come here and not expect to spend at least $100), but it sounded amazing and--it was! It came out drenched in olive oil, topped with red onions and seasoned with a generous amount of salt (apparently Batali is not afraid to use the white stuff). The mozzarella was so soft and fresh--it literally melted in your mouth. Now, for the first course--we were starving when we got here and really wanted some pasta-action, but when we saw our neighbor's small portions, we thought: we better get entrees too. Anyway, Christina ordered "lune" ravioli filled with sweet potatoes. Mmmmmm...very sweet and savory. I tried the homemade orecchiete with a sausage ragu. The pasta was authentic and the sausage ragu was spicy and satisfying. So far, you're probably wondering why I only gave this restaurant 3 stars. Well, it's all about the entrees. The pork chop was cooked well, juicy and the vidalia onions gave it a tangy flavor, but it was just a pork chop. I tried the quail and it was so salty, I barely tasted anything else. Like most fine dining places, everything is ala carte, so they came with nothing! All in all, $178 later (we did get a half a carafe) of wine, and I only felt mildly satisfied. If we return, we'll create our own pasta-tasting menu with four pasta dishes along with a couple of appetizers and we'll skip the main courses.
(3)Matthew R.
Terrific! A friend was celebrating his thirtieth birthday and he wanted either pasta or steak. Enter B&B. The menu format is similar to Del Posto with appetizers, Primi pasta and then Entrees. We had a table of 6 and the Sommier attended to us like it was a table of two. The waitstaff was professional, helpful and efficient. The meal was impeccable. The Ribeye for two was unreal. The lamb was amazing, avoiding any game-iness. B&B really is the best that the franchising of celebrity chefs has to offer. As an added bonus, there was an issue with the check and the manager was remarkably helpful; she remedied the problem in record time.
(5)Elizabeth G.
Why did I eat Mcdonald's the afternoon before I came to B&B? Bad move. So I did my best to soothe my weak stomach with ginger ale to prepare for my long awaited meal at B&B. I'm slightly picky with food, especially meat, so I had the beet salad and the goat cheese raviolini. The menu is pretty diverse so be sure to ask a lot of questions. Our server was really attentive and able to answer our many questions. The layout of the restaurant is simple and elegant. Lots of dark wood, a huge wall of wine bottles, nice lighting. My food was pretty good but because it's one of Mario Batali's restaurants, I expected to be blown away. I can't say that I was, but I also wasn't feeling my absolute best and probably would have enjoyed it a lot more if I was.
(4)Daniel P.
I now have a favorite sommelier in Vegas, who is not even officially a som. Lori - the GM at the resturant ROCKS!!! While in Vegas two years ago I saw that Mario was moving west and breaking ground in the Ventican and was skeptical and excited. See my other reviews on what I think about his NYC places. Have an agency who wants to buy me a meal, so I said how about that while walking by. Let me start by saying, it does not equal Babbo or Lupa in NYC, but everything we had was really, really good. Some of the items A N T I P A S T I: The Three Goat Cheese Truffles were good, but not overwhelming. The Octopus with soy ginger was perfectly cooked. A pork trotter pancake thing - yum! Fatty meat rolled in panko, smashed flat and fried. Primi: Everyone's favorite pasta was the one I ordered - Stinging Nettle Pappardelle with Wild Boar Ragu. I have been wanting to make a stinging nettle pasta (we see it often in the spring where we go mushroom hunting) and am even more inspired now. It has such a nice, light, but complex vegetal flavor. And boar - need I say more pig lovers. Secondi: There was a quail honey roast that was insane. Absolutely hands down one of the best pieces of white bird meat I have put in my mouth. I decided to go a bit crazy as I was not paying for dinner and ordered - Fennel Dusted Sweetbreads with Sweet and Sour Onions, Duck Bacon and Membrillo Vinegar. It was amazing! They were like the lightest, sweetest chicken-like nuggets with sweet ducky back - WOW! I want more thinking about it. Wine: I like how they offer Quartinos - .25 of a liter - of wine - basically 1.5 glasses. We were able to order a variety of these to try amongst the 5 of us which was fun to contrast with the bottles of wine we also consumed. Which lead us back to my new love - the General Mgr - Lori. She came by to check on us and we started talking about food and wine at the beginning of the meal and she was able to make some great pairing recommendations based on her past life as a Som in NYC. Very, very friendly and a total foodie. We ended up shutting the place down because she kept recommending different course and wines to try. None of us wanted to leave. They had a chef's menu and pasta menu for the night with pairings, but I am sure it would not have come close to just letting Lori offer some suggestions. Just make it easy on yourself in this Mario does desert living place and ask for Lori to make food and wine recommendations. Side note - she actually joined us for a drink the next night to talk more food and wine.
(4)Paul W.
I went here with my girlfriend, who really loves pasta. The ambiance of the place was so so. You kinda feel like you are in a mall because of the crowds walking by outside the restaurant. I guess it can't be helped. The servers were very nice. They aren't as attentive as other fine dining restaurants but it wasn't a problem. The food was good, but didn't blow me away. My gf had the goat cheese tortelloni, which was delicious, but we both love goat cheese so maybe we're biased. The other dishes were tasty but nothing worth mentioning. Overall value was good.
(3)Scott H.
We called and got a 5:00 reservation. When we arrived they weren't seating yet, we were sent to the bar for cocktails - the bartender was incredible - we had a conversation about grappa, a tiny sample was all it took. New Grappa Chamomile lover here. Once seated, Gabriel was our server, he is the litmus test which I will judge all others. Unwaivering professionalism, unobtrusive (yet always there), a knowledge-level of all menu items like I have never experienced. Vegas is mostly fluff and bullshit, B&B isn't. Many reviews about portion sizes, listen to your server, I heard it loud and clear, pasta portions are about 5 ounces. Stay a while, enjoy your food, ask questions, great dining experience.
(5)Sunshine P.
This restaurant was disappointing from beginning to end. My friend and I came to spend money and eat our hearts out, but didn't have the opportunity to do either because we were barely acknowledged by the waiter. Consequently, we left feeling dissatisfied and hungry. A couple of things that contribute to this negative review: 1. We ordered wine that we never received (yet were charged for it); 2. We had to ask for butter/olive oil to go with our bread. After we requested the butter/olive oil, the couple that was seated next to us leaned over and told us that they weren't offered it either, so this seems to be a policy, not just an oversight. 3. Ok, back to the bread. Instead of leaving a bread basket at your table, there is a lady who comes by (once) and doles out one measly piece of bread to each diner. Considering how long we had to wait for our meal, it would have been nice to at least have a choice to indulge in seconds on bread. 4. The food was disappointing beyond words. My pasta was under-cooked (not al dente, but undercooked) and the lobster that was part of my entrée had a rubbery texture and no flavor. 5. The service was lacking. When our waiter asked how our meal was and we told politely told him it was disappointing, he didn't ask any questions or try to find out what was lacking. Instead, he said "Sorry to hear that" and quickly left the bill and dashed. B&B Ristorante missed the mark on every level for me. I really feel like this restaurant doesn't care about its patrons having a good and memorable experience; instead, it just preys on the fact that the majority of people who dine there are tourists and they aren't invested in their satisfaction or in them coming back. For a town with so many good restaurants, my advice is to go elsewhere if you want a truly memorable dining experience (I highly recommend Mesa Grill).
(1)michael s.
I had high hopes for this place, but it was just OK. Maybe I was expecting more for spending $600 on three people (including a relatively moderate priced $100 bottle of wine). But I'm inclined to think I should be blown away for that price. Don't get me wrong, the food was quite good, and the house made sausage was downright incredible. But two days later I'm having a difficult time remembering anything specific other than the sausage and the bill. Our server started out sassy, but as the night wore on she was bordering rude. And here's a gem, I was asked for my ID *after* paying with my charge card. That's quite a send-off.
(3)M J.
I was a Mario virgin. No more. My post dining conclusion - as suspected, the man does know his stuff. Our meal was pretty dazzling. We picked this restaurant (they have 3 in this location) for it's more adventurous and unique menu. We were not disappointed. In fact, I was sent into full-on crave mode, and the next day we lunched at Canaletto. Pasta, just please give me more of his pasta. I went from virgin to addict overnight. Anyhoo, the order - house made salumi, prosciutto with perfect pears and charred bread (both mouthwatering), green salad (basic but lovely - get it to achieve balance), pasta bolognese and pasta with lobster (both outstanding). Top quality ingredients, simply done and perfectly cooked. The amuse of chick pea bruschetta rocked. It was a toss up whether to get dessert or cheese - and the ricotta and fruit dessert fulfilled both desires in a well portioned, not over sweet way. The room is dark yet open, masculine and shiny - with walls and walls of glass doored wine displays. Flowers and rustic wood touches warm it nicely. Service was top notch - how often do you actually want to converse at length with the staff? They were incredibly knowledgeable, and both the waiter and female sommelier could have joined us for dinner and we would have been perfectly happy. I'll have to go back the next time I'm in town.
(5)Cassandra M.
I felt compelled to write this review of B&B Ristorante. My husband and I planned a trip to Las Vegas, making reservations at B&B. We were very much looking forward to it, until I started reading the Yelp reviews. We had pretty much decided against it, until we just said, screw it, let's go. So happy we did. We both got the Pasta Tasting Menu of Mario's Classics with the wine pairing. It was incredible. Our waiter took the time to explain the wine and dishes with absolute care. The meal was paced exceedingly well, and when there was a bit of a lull, our waiter was sure to see if we needed anything and often refilled our wine glasses. This was the best meal of each of our lives. Every course was fantastic - Jose's Pyramids and the gnocchi with oxtail sauce our favorites. And that is not to say that the Riccotta with Asparagus was lacking or the delicate balanced taste of the Lamb's brains ravioli. I ate brains, and I loved it. The desert of the Fried Date was simply fantastic, and the other equally as good. The setting was very nice, and although I was expecting Led Zeppelin to be blasting, it was not (which kinda disappointed my husband). The staff was very attentive, and I can't believe that the service has been complained about. All in all, very happy I did not listen to the previous reviews - maybe yelp has become more of a place to complain than praise. But I am praising B&B Ristorante, and I hope that the negative reviews below do not dissuade you from what could potentially be the best meal of your life, as was the case with me and my husband. Thanks B&B.
(5)Frank M.
Just not that good... I ordered the Gnocchi with Ox tail to start and it was too salty plus the gnocchi was too big and dense... I prefer the gnocchi to be light and airy. Second, I had the Sweet Bread and it was bad... Smelled awful. I've had Sweet Bread before and it did not smell this bad (very gamey) Closed with the Ciocaccio (bittersweet chocolate mousse) it was ok... no better than other fancy places... Service was great and the atmosphere was nice... Elvis Costello sat at the booth adjacent to us... so good star sightings... Go somewhere else...
(2)Blair H.
K. To start. I like the fat man with orange shoes. And the meal was also courtesy of big pharma, but still, this place didn't cut it. Service was ample, but a little rushed for the price range. Waiters were knowledgeable, but only when questioned. There was also some mis-communication between the fleet of servers, bussers, etc. We had the tasting menu ($99+tax, wine, etc). It was good, but lacked the extra bit to make it awesome. Some of the dishes outshined the others, such as fried dough and house proscuitto and baby octopus. But the lackluster dishes thrown in sort of threw off the balance. Dessert was also a bummer, and I asked to finish with the intermezzo again- cause that was awesome (blood orange sorbet). The problem with dessert was that the flavors were very bland and featured figs, which were also in the first course. The spiced cake was also a bit dry and lacking- nothing like a sticky toffee. Overall it just wasn't worth the price. There was some inconsistency throughout dishes, which I'm sure would have been better if the fat man was there himself. I think I'll try another place next time. I guess it was that the tasting menu felt a bit thrown together. A little more cohesion would have been nice.
(3)Andrea L.
This was supposed to be our one amazing meal splurge in Vegas- and it ended up just being a splurge. I was a bit intimidated by the grilled octopus but was amazed at how it literally melted in your mouth. We also got two pastas- I think the spaghettini with lobster and the orecchiette- overall really good, handmade pasta. The main entrees were not so good. I can't even remember exactly what I ordered, which is really sad considering it was like 1 month ago. I think it was the squab and just remember it be kind of mushy, fatty, and having lots of skin. My friend got rabbit and she swore it was amazing but I dunno. I'd recommend getting more pasta and less the meats. Of course the service was great, we even got a free dessert sampler of three different kinds of cookies. But all i can think now is wonder why we didn't go to BOUCHON next door!!!
(3)Hywel J.
Babbo of the West! Same menu, same clientele! The pastas are exceptional. The dining room feels like a hotel restaurant...which I suppose it is. Batali's Greenwich Village outposts have far more charm, even if they're not underneath the Grand Canal.
(3)Kitty R.
We had never eaten or cooked any of Mario's food until B&B. Became instant fan after eating here. With another couple we all got separate dishes so we could try as much as possible. Some of the items we got were: Appetizers - we had Prosciutto di Parma "Galloni 30 Mesi" with Black Pepper, and Quail then main dish we had Beef Cheek Ravioli with Black Truffles and Crushed Duck Liver and Pappardelle Bolognese to name a few. With every bite all we could do is moan because it just sent the taste buds into over drive. I have never had fresh hand made pasta and boy.... it's hard to go back to box pasta!!!! I can't wait to eat here again!!!
(5)Nika S.
My husband and I visited in early August 2013 and left feeling disappointed. I wouldn't say B&B is a BAD experience, and I don't regret going, but I won't be back. The good: -Grilled octopus totally deserves the positive reviews it receives. Perfectly cooked and well seasoned. -Lamb's tongue was also stellar. I loved the combination of rich egg and earthy mushrooms to go with the meatiness of the lamb. -Good wine selection, and our server was very generous with tasting pours and letting us try many options before we decided on what we wanted to drink. -Service is very prompt and attentive. The bad/weird/meh: -Our server was just... strange. He was very knowledgable about the menu but his method of delivery was just over the top and came across as forced. Every time we ordered something he immediately began to rattle off an obviously-memorized spiel about the dish, with a very fast robotic tone lacking any sort of emotional connection. Even if we didn't ask for any information! It was pretty disruptive, although admittedly kind of hilarious after-the-fact. -The pasta dishes were all SO meat-and sauce heavy, making the pasta seem like an afterthought. -I like al dente pasta but I felt that the spaghetti we had was just a little too firm for my tastes. Maybe a personal preference? -The olive oil fried quail was good but nothing special, really. We only ordered it out of desperation because we were trying to find a main course that would be more interesting than steak/fish/pork. I can get grilled pork chops, trout and ribeye anywhere, people!
(2)K K.
B&B is another Batali & Bastianich failure (see my review re Babbo). After my horrible experience at their New York restaurant, I had no intentions of ever patronizing another one of their restaurants again. However, the wife really wanted to give them a second chance and asked me to accompany her to their Las Vegas restaurant. I agree with a lot of the other negative reviews below. The food at B&B is way too salty. I had their lamb's tongue which was so salty it took three pieces of bread in order for me to finish the appetizer. Oh and could it have killed them to serve the bread warm like all the other fine dining restaurants, instead of the semi stale cold bread they had? Then, I had the squid ink pasta. Again, and as other reviewers have commented too, it was extremely salty. Also nowhere on the menu did it say it was going to spicey. It was so hot that I was only able to finish half the plate with 2 cups of ice water, and sent the rest back to the kitchen. Finally, I had the rabbit. It was overcooked and dry. And surprisingly, it was bland, contrary to the previous two dishes! It came with 5 medallions of meat, but after the first 2, it was unbearable and I sent the rest back. I rather waste the money than have any more of their food go into my mouth. I don't know what's going on with their kitchen but the food here is generally very salty, and inconsistent and not worth the $200 I spent. I wouldn't pay $20 for the food they served. Their only redeeming factor was the excellent service and ambiance, in contrast to their restaurant Babbo in New York. However, when I go to a restaurant, the first and foremost importance is the taste of the food. If that fails, nothing else really matters. I do not recommend this restaurant, nor do I recommend any restaurants of Batali & Bastianich after my horrible experiences at their restaurants in different states at different times of the year.
(1)Jim M.
At 6PM, we thought this would be a great to get a light meal of antipasti or appetizer with wine before the The Blue Man Group show which is next door. The restaurant had only a few tables of guests at the time, however they told us a reservation was required and if we were to just order appetizers they don't allow seating in the restaurant but they offered seating in front which has about 8 small round tables. We said no problem and sat in front. I was surprised when our server was the hostess not at full waiter or waitress like they have if we were allowed to sit in the restaurant. The "waitress" told us we were not allowed to order off the dinner menu but order off a special non-dinner menu which had a fraction of the appetizers available. She took forever giving us water and for some reason brought out two different types of wine glasses for similar types of wine. The appetizers finally came, but because it was a few of them for three people they had to join another round table hence this is why we wanted to sit inside. Oh and we had to ask for napkins and silverware as they forgot that too. This is very expensive restaurant for being treated like 2nd class citizens. By the way, we are staying at The Palazzo.
(1)Ken and Yuri Q.
You may enjoy B&B if any of the below are true: 1. Find that blaring pre-Back in Black AC/DC enhances the fine dining ambiance. The early stuff. 2. Don't mind asking for water refills repeatedly, or having your requests to turn down the AC/DC ignored. 3. Being pushed for the $120 pasta tasting menu repeatedly. 4. Believe a 20% mandatory gratuity is OK for parties over 8, regardless of level of service. 5. Enjoy over-salty food, and food seasoned inconsistently. 6. Crave surprises, such as food descriptions to leave out minor details such as SPICY. 7. Find large displays of orange "CROCs" appetizing or exciting 8. Are entertained by seeing the staff try and operate as a 4 star fine dining establishment, when they haven't been trained to do-so. If none of these sound appealing to you, my recommendation would be dine elsewhere. It wouldn't surprise me if Mario hasn't visited Vegas in over a year, this place is coasting on his name alone.
(1)Josh d.
Having ate at Babbo and Esca, I am somewhat diappointed with B&B. The food was alright, and the service was fine. But I kind of expected more from this high end Italian in Vegas. Everything was cooked perfectly, and I have no complaints on that. I just found it to be... Uninspired. They also seem to share many of the the same menu items as Enoteca San Marco, and Carnevino Not bad - I'd just rather dine somewhere else if I'm dropping this kind of money - The Vegas Strip has plenty of better options
(3)Amy T.
This restaurant never disappoints me. I still love that they have unique dishes that are well prepared and bring out the adventurous eater inside of me. Still one of my favorite restaurants.
(5)Christine C.
We dined at Mario Batali's Babbo in New York and loved his pasta dishes. B&B did not disappoint! - The grilled octopus appetizer might have been the best grilled octopus appetizer I have ever eaten! It was super tender and flavorful. - Every pasta dish we had was fantastic! Wonderful flavors and pasta that were cooked just right. In addition to the flawless food, we received wonderful service at B&B. We alerted our waiter to our time constraint to catch a flight and he controlled the pace of our dinner to perfection; we even had time for dessert. We received our check and got out of there with a few minutes to spare! Thank you, Chef Batali for another superb meal!
(5)Danny S.
Over priced for what you get. Service was very good. There were 6 of us. We ordered a la carte. Can't remember the exact dishes. Ordered 2 salumi meat app. Which was ok. The beet salad - ok, and a mix dish which had olives, but was salty as hell and we couldn't eat it. Pretty well all the dishes ordered where on the salty side. Mains- gnocchi , Blue Crab Ravioli,spaghettini, clam linguine(was warned by waiter this was a salty dish. Boy was it ever salty. Saltier then all the other salty dishes. I could actually feel my blood pressure rise after the dinner.
(2)Basil M.
B&B is pretty solid, which is what you would expect from a Batalli place. Service was great, food was good too. I give the slight edge to Mozza in LA. I had the burratta with charred ramps, the beef cheek ravioli with black truffles and crushed duck lover sauce, and the braised short rib. All solid. My wife had the pistachio and beet salad and the gnocchi with English peas. They even manage to make some noodles for the kids with a simple butter sauce - and actually, pretty darn excellent.
(3)Brian C.
Dined at B&B the other night with my wife, as was the last 2 visits, it was amazing. We ordered the pasta tasting menu and split a single reserve wine pairing. First, the service all around was excellent. The server and his staff were very knowledgable not only about the meals themselves but of some of the history of where the originated. First course was the tortellini minestrone. It came in a small amount of broth. Nothing too filling and tasted great. Second course was tagliatelle, sweet corn and crispy pancetta. Awesome, the flavors and texture really worked well together. Third was my wife's favorite, raviolini. They are ravioli but quarter size and filled with a very tasty braised pork shoulder. This came with a small amount but very powerful heirloom tomato sauce. Fourth was a ragu with a variety of stuff .... Pork, hearts, liver, etc...I am not normally a big fan of the hearts and livers but actually found this to be the most flavorful and tasty dish of them all. Fifth and final of the main dishes was black (squid ink) spaghetti with a moderately spicy sausage which somehow reminded me of chorizo. It was good as well but we are getting full. Finally, their were 2 deserts. A strawberry sorbet and chocolate souffle. Both were awesome. The chocolate souffle was extremely fluffy. The wine pairing was excellent and well chosen. All red wines which we enjoy very much. One final note, we have ventured here on a prior occasion where it was an extremely slow night (I cannot imagine they have to many). We simply asked for the chef to prepare us something off the menu and were very satisfied. This can make for a very enjoyable experience at any restaurant willing to make the effort to please, which they are.
(5)Amanda R.
I took my mama here for a very big birthday. Sorry I can't tell you which one bc everytime I want to mention it she subtly kicks me in the legs or taps my arm not so lightly. It was a tight rush but we arrived at B&B with 1 minute to spare (literally) straight from our check-in at the MGM. The hostess seated us right away. I ordered my mom a glass of Moscato di' Asti which is very sweet (usually served as a dessert wine) and slightly sparkling. I got a glass of the Barolo Lecinquevigne Damilano 2004 from Piemonte. If you like sweeter drinks then I would definitely recommend the Moscato. Its the highest quality that I have ever had. It tasted like they were crushing the Muscat grapes in my mouth. The Barolo was nice but I think I was hoping it would be a little bolder. We got the Grilled Octopus with Limoncello vinaigrette for our starter. The best! I thought it was going to be like a salad with octopus but the octopus is really the feature of this dish (and you get alot of it). They serve the octopus on top of a flagolet beans + pickled red onions. The sweetness of the red onion (candied a little?) contrasts really well against the tartness of the limoncello. But the smokiness of the Octopus (cooked perfectly by the way) is what really makes this dish shine. For my main I ordered the Beef Cheek Ravioli with Duck Liver in a brown butter sauce. Obviously this dish isn't for the faint of heart (no pun intended). The butter sauce has alot of goodies from the ravioli's so its a very rich dish through and through. If was good but if I went back for a 2nd time I would probably get the bucatini or the branzini. My mom ordered the black spaghetti with nduja and sicilian pesto. She really liked it (me not so much) but she's a spicy person. The waiter warned that theres some type of red pepper that is used when they make the sausage used in the dish and that is why it is so hot. We ordered the chocolate torte with candied hazelnuts and salted caramel gelato for the birthday girl. My mom is a "death by chocolate" sort of girl. She loved this dessert but I can't do desserts this sweet. So I ordered a cappucino and it was really good. All in all a good experience. Only slight negatives of the night were the cold slices of bread they give you (pre meal) and are waiter was a newby. You could definitely tell he hadn't spent any time working his way up from buser to server. Sommelier made good wine recommendations and the bus boys were on it.
(4)Angie C.
The traditional tasting menu started out well, but didn't quite seem worth the $100. I guess in Vegas, everything is overpriced and the service is never stellar so this is somewhat to be expected. The funghi misti with pancetta cruda was absolutely heavenly. Everything else was just very good, while the service was a bit off. People put down your silverware very absent-mindedly, etc. I think service in Vegas in general was all very poor no matter where we went, EXCEPT for Bouchon. That's another story/review to be told.
(4)Tom K.
Very disappointing. The staff is great and very knowledgable and they provided excellent service. They deserve to be serving better food to their customers. We started off with the grilled octopus appetizer and it was delicious but the portion was just a little small. Unfortunately that was the high point of the food. We ordered the spaghetti with lobster for our "primo" portion and I like my pasta al dente but this was so raw it was crunchy and the lobster was very tough and chewy. For our "secondi" portion I ordered the veal chop and my girlfriend ordered the NY Strip. We ordered medium rare as per the "chef's" suggestion but what we were served was so rare that our plates were practically mooing! Sent the meat back to be cooked a little longer and I believe all they did was take a hand held blow torch to our meals because the meat came back with very odd color that normally wouldn't be caused by a regular broiler. The servers were very accommodating and we did appreciate their efforts to try to make our meal experience better. But definitely not worth the $260.00 that the meal cost.
(2)Zachary V.
I have to admit a little sticker shock when I saw the prices, but took the plunge, and I am so happy I did. I am pleased to report the food was actually worth the price.
(5)Jim D.
First the good. The Porcini Salad was good. The Tiramisu was very good. That's about it. Service was exceptionally slow. It was a Thursday evening, and it was not crowded. I'm pretty well-traveled, am pretty familiar with Italian food, including upscale Italian food, although not a foodie. I had no clue what half of the menu items were, and there was nothing on the menu to decode it for me. I ordered the black spaghetti with sausage in pesto. The sausage was in tiny flakes about the size of large grains of salt - literally. And the price of this 7-oz portion of plain pasta with about a gram of meat (if that) was $26. And it was too spicy-hot to eat, although the waiter did warn me that this was a spicy entree. Now the dessert: Figuring it was a nice seasonal specialty, I ordered pumpkin & cream. In all fairness, the menu didn't say anything more than that; I just had no idea that any restaurant would make a dessert that so literally matches the name: it was a slab of pumpkin, carved right out of the gourd, perhaps baked for a few minutes, and served over some cream. Looked like a big slice of cantaloupe on the plate, and had the firmness of - well, a slab of pumpkin carved right out of the gourd. So: slow service, indecipherable menu items, deceptive ingredient descriptions, and bizarre concoctions. But good salad and excellent Tiramisu.
(1)Cari G.
Wonderful dining experience. It's not Babbo, it's counterpart in NY, but it still has the same fantastic menu. Allow the sommelier to pick a bottle for you and let yourself go on a fun gastro ride!
(5)Derek W.
Was in Vegas for CES ... friend hooked us up for the weekend and hotel and food were comped. Decided to give this a try ... first thing you notice are the prices....very pricey. We all shared a bunch of starters and we each ordered a pasta dish and entree. I ordered the beef cheeks which I thought was a little gamey. Could've been the duck liver inside. For the entree, had the steak tagliata which was good but nothing spectacular. A good restaurant...but a bit on the expensive side.
(3)Jim U.
Mario Batali and Joseph Bastianich team together to provide a high end Italian restaurant on the Las Vegas strip that is surprisingly unremarkable and can be missed by all but the true devotees of the Batali empire. I opted for the pre-theater prix fixe menu which includes an amuse bouche, choice of appetizer, entree, dessert, and cafe americano for a reasonable $49. Amuse bouche: Bruschetta topped with herbed garbanzo beans. A little large for an amuse bouche requiring three bites and follow up by fork for beans that ran astray. It was functional but not particularly creative. Appetizer: I opted for the plate of salumi which included mortadella, lonza (stagionata), salami, pickled ramps, and olives. The ramps were really delicious, and the olives were of great quality. I liked the salami and its inherent spiciness. The lonza could have been better. Why not use San Daniele prosciutto instead? The mortadella was surprisingly bland and nothing at all like what I had in Bologna. Overall this dish was good, but I certainly have had better. Entree: I selected the brasato al barolo with horseradish gremolata. This was a very good dish, but it could have been great. While braised the brasato was actually a touch dry, and there was no hint of the underlying Barolo whatsoever. Perhaps more liberal use of the wine in the preparation and a longer cooking time could have made this divine. The bed of polenta, and the accompanying salad were especially good. I only wish their portion sizes were larger relative to the very large brasato. And while the horseradish was freshly shaved before me, I failed to really pick up the taste of it in the dish, strangely. My glass of Monica wine paired very well with this dish. Dessert: I chose two gelati, the peppermint and the ricotta cheese. The infusion of peppermint worked very well, and I rather enjoyed this selection. The ricotta was decent too. This gelato falls considerably short of what can be found in Italy, but for the U.S., it is decent. Mignardises: a tiny biscotti, and two slightly larger candies. A thrifty selection compared to other Batali establishments, but, again, functional. Overall at this price point, I was expecting haute cuisine. Instead, I found good Italian food at inflated prices. The ambience was atypically boring as well. At Lupa, Babbo, and even Otto in NY there is a hip vibe, an animated scene, and the restaurants are interesting to be in. Not here. This was a cookie cutter formal dining room with no flare at all. Presentable, yet soulless like the food. 3 stars
(3)Jade P.
B&B is THE SALTIEST RESTAURANT IN VEGAS. I have been a Battali fan for years. I have been to every one of his NY restaurants and like them very much. In recent years, I feel that the quality of food has gone way down. I recently went to B&B and was VERY DISAPPOINTED by the poor quality of food. It was like they dumped an entire salt shaker into every dish. The saltiness killed any delicate flavors and made it unbearable to eat. I literally took one bite of my rabbit and a few bites of my pasta. The staff was great hence the extra star. But for food, I do not recommend going here.
(2)Paul B.
For my trip to Vegas, the decisions for where to dine were the hardest decisions to make. Choosing this restaurant was the worst decision I made. It failed on many levels.....the food being the biggest failure! It was so frustrating to receive one sub-par dish after another. We had failures that ran the gamut... burnt items, flavorless items, under-seasoned items...and so on. Even more frustrating was the diminished level of service. Here is my honest opinion...because I want YOU to have a great meal in Vegas.... don't choose B&B. Mario is my favorite chef, but he doesn't run this restaurant. I'm sure if he lived in LV this place would deliver at a much higher level. We did the tasting menu. It was not very good. Food = 2 stars. Service = 1 star. Ambiance = 1 star. Overall = 1 star.
(1)Quinn B.
Very disappointing-- Was so excited to eat here. Tried many dishes as we ate family style. Had 3 apps, 4 pastas, and 2 entrees. All the pastas tasted the same and everything was very salty. Will not be returning here. Very sad.
(2)jeff h.
I was struggling with this review. I sort of want to give it a 4-star review, but given the prices and the supposed "master chef" expectations, I guess it doesn't deserve it. There were a bunch of us at the table and I won't go into details of everything we ordered, but there was just about everything from the menu put on the table and we shared a lot of it. I probably tried 10 different dishes including rabbit, fish, veggies, lobster, etc. The food was solid, but I was a bit disappointed because everything I tried was decent or just good. Nothing blew me away. My main dish was the whole striped bass which was quite good, but unfortunately had to be eaten with the skin on, which is not my preference (for possible health concerns of eating fish skin - the taste is great though). In the end, my wife asked me if it was worth the price (since it is pretty darn expensive) and the answer is no. Would I go back? No - unfortunately. It's not that it didn't taste good, it's that you can pay the same overpriced rate elsewhere and get a better meal. So in that case, it must be less than 4 stars.
(3)Virginia L.
Love my last week's dining experience at B&B; each dish was perfectly seasoned and very tasty. I had: - Burrata with charred ramps and laudemio olive oil: healthy and very light antipasti - Whole grilled branzino with herb salad, sauteed italian greens with crispy garlic: my favorite fish cooked to perfection - Warm ricotta crespelle: excellent dessert, to die for! The service was impeccable
(5)Andrew K.
I was under the impression that this was supposed to be a classy restaurant with excellant food. Not. Several of our dishes were over salted, OK for a some restaurants, but not for one that is supposed to be high caliber. The noise level was unbelievable, I could not hear the person seated next to me, and I'm not exaggerating. They were playing some techno crap that sounded like two garbage trucks mating. Service was good and the wine list is large.
(2)Les L.
I really wanted to try a Batali pasta place while in Vegas and was choosing between B&B and Enoteca San Marco. The Yelp ratings are fairly comparable but I def. got the sense that San Marco was loud and raucous so I went with B&B, also hoping that because it was at a higher price point, there might be more Batali-esque cooking there. Started with two appetizers: The CALAMARI AND SEPPIE FRITO: fried squid and cuttlefish. They were soooo delicious with bits of tangy caper, pepper lightening the slightly creamy sauce. ARTICHOKE, BURRATA and OLIVE OIL: I didn't enjoy this as much. While the burrata was sufficiently creamy, it was as if it was broken up and smashed apart. The artichoke was bitter and overcooked. BAVETTE with CARDOONS: linguine with thistle thing (looks and tastes just like celery, was I duped??), garlic, chili flakes, parsley. This was pretty delicious a bit on the bitter side. PORK CHOP with cipolini onions and apples. Not as moist as it could have been. Could have used a few more of the cute sweet apple wedges. I might go to the San Marco next time. Cheaper, less pretentious.
(3)Jimmie L.
If you want to fancy a lady, then come here. If you want good food, try searching for a different place in Vegas. By all means I am not rich, but would like to have the whole fine dining experience once in a while. For the price that I have to pay, I expect the dishes to be a whole lot better than my $15 dinner entree at Olive Garden. Unfortunately, B&B fail at delivering that mesmerizing "Iron Chef" culinary dinner experience. I'm not saying the food is bad, I'm just saying it does nothing to impress you. Maybe the dishes are too exquisite for me to judge. But from a common person, I suggest saving the money for the hundred of other restaurants in Vegas.
(2)Julia E.
Pasta is absolutely superb. I did the Fall black truffle tasting menu and it was outstanding. Freshly shaved truffled on endless dishes of pasta. Not an item I didn't like.
(5)Sharon G.
Birthday dinner for my best friend. I've been raving about B&B for 2 years to him. Maybe it was because we rushed them a little bit with our show tickets? The waitress was on it. She was completely efficient, brought us our drinks and appetizers straight away and did it with a smile. Our main courses were the problem. Both of the lobsters were undercooked in the lobster spaghetti (it was also a bit slimy), the short ribs were so salty that I couldn't eat it, and my husbands fish dish (can't remember what it was called) was bland and lifeless. The waitress noticed that I wasn't eating my dinner and came over immediately (I did say she was awesome). She sent the manager over who listened politely to why we weren't eating our meals and he had the nerve to tell my friend that the spaghetti in the lobster dish was supposed to be al dente. She told him that the lobster was slimy and that the plate was hotter than the food. He just took the meals and walked away. I don't know if I'll ever go back there. So sad.
(2)J D.
A friend of mine from California was visiting and staying at the Palazzo. So, we decided to give this place a try. We've heard so much about it. Food - For an appetizer, we had the Gnocchi. It was very good. We thought the bread was a bit hard and it didn't have much flavor. I had the Steak Tagliata....which was very good. My wife got the Rabbit and thought it was too salty. She gave me a bite to try it and it tasted just right to me. We also had the Lamb Chops split for the table so we could try it....they were spectacular! For a side dish we had the potatoes with rosemary....they were good as well. We drank 2 bottles of wine throughout the dinner....can't remember what it was....ha! But it was good! We had no room for dessert. Will I return? Sure.
(4)A M.
I had lamb, our friend had duck, and my partner had beef. They were all very tasty. The drinks were "different" and the wine suggestion, not bad. Im sure it would be superb if you enjoy italian... the seasonings are strong and you can immediately smell the fresh herbs. It has a very pleasant feel and good vibe. Love the bar tender- great humor but yet very professional and knowledgeable.
(4)Minako S.
Very fancy Italian restaurant. Service was very fancy. Everyone talks and serves in a professional, polite way. But the service was a little too slow for my liking and had to ask for things multiple times before either getting it or just giving up. As for food, it was good, but nothing spectacular. Must-have: - fried apple crisps: yum! good texture and flavor! - Pappardelle Bolognese: good flavor Good to try: - crispy pork trotter: fine - lobster spaghettini: good flavor but not enough sauce or ingredients. a little too al dente for me. - beef cheek ravioli: good, but not much flavor or texture going on Avoid: - branzino: too soft, but in general, i just don't like this type of fish. i prefer cod and seabass. - grilled pork chop: a little too tough for me, altho still moist and tender. Pasta is the best things here, and I enjoy it cuz I like pasta, but nothing special in it to give it that umph. Overall: food: good but not special or spectacular service: fancy and professional but slow price: fancy vegas meal atmosphere: fancy and dark
(3)Amy G.
The food was fine, but nothing I crave. Very patient staff and a subdued atmosphere. The waitress took time to answer questions about the menu and to recommend wine pairings for various dishes. I had the grilled octopus appetizer, the pappardelle bolognese, and the brasato al barolo. The grilled octopus wasn't chewy at all, but surprisingly tender. The pappardelle bolognese was prepared with a thin tomato sauce, and the pappardelle had a slight chew. The brasato al barolo was a very small portion of delicious, tender beef. Notables: portion sizes are small compared to "American-sized" portions.
(3)Jeff K.
Overpriced food and poor service. Stay away
(1)John S.
DON'T! Don't waste your time or your money. That's what I was thinking when I left B&B Ristorante. I read the Yelp reviews before going but Really wanted to try Mario Batali's restaurant. Big mistake. I should have listened to the reviewers. Here's a brief overview of the problems... Some food way over salted: Yelp warned me Some pasta undercooked: Yelp warned me Some meat tough: Yelp warned me Service was poor: Yelp warned me Some of the food was unflawed but all of the food was unremarkable. There was absolutely nothing to suggest that Iron Chef Mario Batali had any influence over the food or service. Mr. Batali should really consider removing his "B" from the name. For a 4 or 5 Star dining experience, by a celebrity chef, try one of these... Craftsteak: Tom Colicchio, MGM Gordon Ramsay Steak: Gordon Ramsay, Paris RM Seafood: Rick Moonen, Mandalay Bay Mesa Grill: Bobby Flay, Caesars Palace
(2)Chelle B.
B&B is a restaurant that I don't find myself visiting often because of somewhat pricy food and it's less than amazing Italian cuisine. However, if you talk to my fiance, and he will tell you a different story. I first came here when it was fairly new. I remember waiting for a bit to get seated, even though we had reservations. But I didn't mind; the white wine I had kept me preoccupied. Actually, I must say, their wine selection is what seriously stood out more than the food itself. I was able to enjoy a bottle of a white and a red wine which totaled more than $400. I recall that during my first time, the pasta entree my fiance bought was a bit too "al dente." The server offered to have it prepared less al dente but we just sent it back without asking for an another dish. Instead, I shared my gnocchi with him, which was decent, but nothing extraordinary. Did I mention, this place has THE BEST calimari I've ever had the pleasure of munching on?! The squid was so tender, the spices and citrus flavors were very well balanced, the breading was perfect and the bits of cauliflower was a nice touch. At 18/19 bucks it better damn well be the best! :P Anyway, my second visit was...anti-climactic. I was hoping I'd have a very similar time as my first visit but something was missing. The service was subpar and my salmon was...OK for 40 bucks. I felt like I was being served by someone at TGI Fridays at some points, which is not a big deal if you're trying to make a classy restaurant have a more casual atmosphere. I also thought the salmon wasn't as fresh tasting as I would expect and wasn't the best quality I had. At least the herbs, spices and citrus flavors along with it being grilled brought the salmon together nicely; it just would have been nice if the salmon itself was of better quality. My fiance's lamb was superb and of course, the calamari did not disappoint. Overall, I think I'd go again...only if someone pays and their calmari does not run out or experiences a change.
(3)Tyler A.
Ok I need to preface this review by saying a couple of things. First, it was a larger group, second there were two and then a few more potentially buzzed/intoxicated members of the party and three we were all really tired from traveling all day and setting up for a trade show. OK preface done! Not being a frequent visitor to the Las Vegas area, honestly its just too much for a simpleton like myself, when I am there it is generally for business and/or trade shows. I got a call from one of my friends to meet up with her and have some dinner at this great restaurant at the Venetian, B&B. Learning that it was one of Mario Bitali's restaurants and a fan of Italian wine (oh yeah BTW I am a wine maker) I was quite excited!! We get there, table is not ready nor are all of our party so we head to the bar. Drinks ordered .... Negroni consumed. Probably the best Negroni I have ever had! Tick tock, still waiting for the rest of our party. Now with most everyone here they seat us. Realizing that they did not have enough seats at the table we informed the waitstaff. Once the balance of our party arrived at the table still without the needed seating the manager came over rather gruff and threw up his arms and walked away muttering not so sweet nothings under his breath. But I do need to qualify that statement by saying that are late companions were feeling the side effects of drinking Vodka Tonics. We order the wine, sans any real help the Sommelier other than "yeah were are out of that one but if you like Barbera there are more on page so-and-so". Gee thanks guy. Our waiter was a bubbly guy who reminded me more of a mad scientist from an old western movie with his big moustache and insane enthusiasm for his job and food. He takes the orders and assists where he can. Being sure to compliment us on our orders (I dont understand that move) and briskly rushes back to the waiter cave and put the orders in the hopper. Tick tock, tick tock waiting for apps to arrive. Tick tock. I know that the Molto Mario Empire want the world to experience the way that Italy eats but when you are with a group with some members who are more the burger king crowd one would think that the staff would adjust their schedules to turn the table. Oh well. Apps arrive, good - not great - good. One not so good dish but our enthusiastic waiter fixed the situation. Wine is running low ....... Mr Sommelier where are you. Oh there you are, gliding in and out of the room looking down your nose at all the tables. Um we would like our wine now please. But you keep walking by ignoring us. Sure we are a big group, sure we are talking and having a good time but no need to ignore us. Hey man not all of the public are ignorant. Oh yeah I also like how you take two oz pours to check for tainting. I wonder how the person buying the $1400.00 Super Tuscan feels when they see you taking $80 out of their bottle? So before we could contain our now intoxicated friend walks to the wine station grabs our bottles and briskly brings them to the table. Now everyone on staff is aghast with jaws on the floor and the look of "I cant believe that fat guy just did that" written all over their faces. Oh bother, great now we are going to have issues. Surprisingly no one said anything, the waiter simply brought a bottle trivet over to protect the already stained table. Tick tock, tick tock. Secondi would be nice. Ah there is our enthusiastic waiter again, lets ask him. "They are plating them right now"! Yippie!!! Plates arrive. Again good - not great - good. Steaks are chewy and medium rare became very rare somehow and the polenta crusted sweet breads were interesting to say the least. Something about raw polenta and cooked polenta as a crust for sweet breads does not work for me. Maybe I dont get it? Exhausted with the evening we decide to skip dessert and just get the heck out of dodge. All in all the dining experience was OK. Perhaps a smaller crowd, perhaps a more refined crowd, perhaps a less intoxicated crowd? Either way, its Vegas! People drink and there are large crowds. Maybe, as I stated earlier, the staff should recognize when they should rush a table out and not stick to the corporate dining model? To the waiter and the water/bread waitress .... you are saints for dealing with certain elements of our table. To the management , relax. To Mr Sommelier, people skills go a long way and maybe it is time to not take yourself so seriously. Would I be back ..... maybe but keep it small and simple and dont come with high expectations.
(3)Dylan F.
I ate here with two friends, we each ordered an appetizer a first course and a second course. We decided against wine and went with some very delicious mineral water. Overall the service was excellent, we let them know we only had 2 hours to eat and they got us out right on time. In addition our water glasses never ran out & they folded our napkins every time someone went to the bathroom etc. The server was extremely helpful when we were trying to decide between ordering a la carte and the tasting menu. We decided on the below: Starters: Grilled Octopus (amazing, slightly over salty for me) Grilled Porcini Mushroom w/ Spicy roasted corn (A must order, a fantastic combo perfectly cooked and seasoned) Lambs tongue w/ chanterelles (earthy and delicious) First course Beef cheek and mushroom ravioli (hearty, very intense meat flavor, not my favorite of the dishes although still quite good) Spaghettini aka Spaghetti w/lobster (slightly spicy, very light and fresh tasting, pasta perfectly al dente, lobster also perfectly cooked. Not exactly the most inventive dish but absolutely perfectly executed) Oxtail Gnocchi (another very hearty dish, very meaty, well executed, but not my favorite as it was a little too rich for my taste) Second course Steak with spicy greens (forget the cut, my friend really made us look like amateurs when he ordered it, he kept on saying to the waiter to make it charred, the waiter offered to have it extra well cooked, but then my friend said to make it medium but extra charred on the outside and waiter rightfully had some questionable look on his face. The steak came med to med rare, it was quite good, I really prefer mine more rare so hard to say more. Also was a very large portion.) Duck (came as med rare roasted breast over a stewed leg, huge portion, especially for the price ($32), very good but wasn't blown away either) Veal Chop (EXCELLENT, you must order this entree. I don't have enough great words to describe it. We got it med-rare, it was perfectly cooked and came with some sort of creamy herby sauce stuff. It was the best meat I've ever had. By a huge margin. It's also a large portion of meat (approx 10-14 oz I'm guessing) served on the bone. Again, just in case I didn't make the point clearly enough before, if you are in Las Vegas, and you eat meat, you must at least come here and order this dish.) Dessert: We had a berry Napoleon something, it was the berriest thing I've ever had. Served with some cold lemon ricotta, I highly recommend this dessert. Also, a vanilla flan like dessert with some caramel sauce. It was good but cannot compare to the berry dessert. Cappuccinos here are excellent. Just a note on the table size, I did not find it too large, but we did order a good portion of food and I was not trying to play footsie under the table. I would have given it four stars if we had not gotten the veal and the berry dessert.
(5)Kim A.
This was a nice restaurant with a great atmosphere. I definitely had food that made me feel like I was back in Italy again. It is the closest I have ever been in the U.S. So if you LOVE traditional Italian food then I would reccomend this place as a place to try!!!!
(4)Ruth H.
We have eaten at B&B five times in the last few years. Last night we had dinner there and were disappointed. The noise level was 85-90dB, using the iPhone app. it was loud enough that we were yelling across our table to be heard. The food was not good enough to overcome the noise. We split an order of bucatini for our pasta course, and it was almost too salty to eat. B&B has been one of our favourites, but there are lots of other places nearby, and we probably won't be back
(2)C R.
We made reservations a full month in advance, in anticipation of our trip to Vegas, and wanting to "guarantee" a great Italian meal. Well..... I ordered the marinated anchovies with fennel appetizer. Meh. My husband ordered the mozzarella appetizer. OMG. It was outstanding. We shared the bucatini all'amatriciana and it was quite good--the pasta was cooked perfectly and the spiciness of the sauce was outstanding On to dinner: I had the lamb. Hugely oversalted (4 days later and I'm still drinking water)!! There were 4 chops on my plate, two of them were cooked to order (medium rare), the other 2 were pretty much raw. Like they'd thrown the chop on the pan, left it for one second, flipped it, another second--done! Inconsistency makes me craaaaaazy!!! I can't remember what my husband ordered for dinner, but it was oversalted. Had the passion fruit panna cotta for dessert....meh.... Our server was "ok"..he had an edge I didn't care for, especially with the money we dropped on our party of four. The most pleasant part of our dining experience was the sommelier. She was a young woman who really listened to my husband as he described what we wanted to drink, and suggested an UN-BEEE-LEEEVABLE 1995 Brunello. We got a second bottle and thoroughly enjoyed it. I was, however, rather shocked that the first bottle of wine we ordered (white for our appetizers) was corked. She graciously mentioned it to us and got us another one. And then when we ordered the first bottle of Brunello, THAT was corked too! Makes ya wonda... At any rate, the sommelier was outstanding. Amazing that her level of service and attentiveness were the most memorable part of our experience--one we will not be repeating. Oversalted. Overrated. Underwhelming. What a shame!
(2)Phillip B.
I have to give this place 5 stars to try and pump up the ratings because 3.5 is just wrong. The food is simple but very well done. Try the gnocchi and lamb chops. The wine dude knows how to pair so don't be shy on asking for his assistance. OK - One negative, I don't dig the burnt bread they serve. A little too much flavor. But the olive oil was very good :)
(5)Drew R.
This was one of the worst dining experiences I have ever had. We wanted to order the pork chop as we had heard it was very good and we were told they ran out of it by 7pm on a Saturday night......really???? We had just been told from the bartender that the servers tell the guests that they do not have the pork chop to increase the sale of the pork special they were offering right now. When in fact they have plenty of pork chops in the kitchen. We called over the general manager to speak to him about it and let me tell you this guy should not be in the position he is in running this type of high end restaurant. The GM was very rude and actually made the situation worse. We had already ordered wine so we ended up staying. Once our alternate food selections arrived, the portions were very small and tasteless. I would not say walk or run from this place but sprint very fast as overall it is a huge waste of money. So to sum it up, it was my last night in Vegas, I was really looking forward to a nice and expensive dinner. I left B&B and went to Grand Lux as I was so hungry from the small portions and horrible food. Mario.....you better get back to your restaurant for some major improvement. Right now It SUCKS!!!!
(1)Maricris K.
pasta tasting menu was amazing! the theme was pork.
(4)Chris G.
Mario...what a huge disappointment. I was with my boss and another colleague on business and decided on your restorante over many other establishments in the Venetian primarily because I have always respected your cooking on TV but never had the chance to experience it. After hearing the waiter provide the review of our options, I persuaded the others at the table to go with the Pasta Tasting dishes so we could get a feel of more than one thing. Not only was everything too salty, but it took at least 45mins to get the 1st dish which was basically a portion so tiny, it took me 2 mouthfuls to eat. It smelled like bleach, and the plating was very beige and white with nothing high class like I would expect for the price. 45 mins later out next course came out, smaller than the first, looking the same and tasting the same...salty. After another 20 mins or so for our next course, I was so embarrassed about it all that I felt bad my boss would be paying for it. He actually said something to the waiter that we had an early morning and could he speed it up. Another 30mins passed, with 2 more dishes of equally tiny portions, mine being one amount, and the others at the table have either was more, or way less, with the last black spaghetti being the only plate with any real flavor that was worth it. Only problem was there was barely any there to eat. How can you justify the price for an amount that is equal to maybe half a dinner plate if it all came out together? I just don't get it. The only saving grace was the dessert, but even that looked like the same bland beige looking meal, that was about 3 mouthfuls to finish. It took 3 hours for us to complete our meal, and if it wasn't for the 5 pieces of bread I ate, I would have probably gone to McDonalds to at least get something substantial in my stomach before I went to bed. After experiencing this, I have a whole other impression of Mario Batali, and it isn't good. The servers should have been embarassed to serve what they did, and so should you.
(1)Jason L.
OK, I really like Mario Batali . . . I loved Babbo in New York, and was looking forward to our dinner at B&B inside the Venetian. (Though I *do* find it a bit odd it's inside the Venetian when they have Valetino's, but that's another story.) Anyway, four of us dined here and between us we tried 14 different dishes. I would have to say three out of 14 were very impressive. But the other 11 were merely "good" -- and "good" is something I can make at home for a lot less money . . . Will I go back? Perhaps . . . but that's conditional on at least a couple of things: a) a lot of great reviews written after my meal there, and b) my running out of other places I want to check out first . . .
(3)Paul T.
This place is amazing. Went on a Saturday night around 7pm, and the food was excellent, service was quality, and overall the experience was exactly what I was looking for. The server tried to hard-sell us on not-splitting entrees, and I get it, but trust me, there's plenty enough food if you split everything. Had the squid, then pappardelle, and finally the steak. Everything was outstanding. The pasta was cooked perfectly. I'm not sure what other reviewers had in mind (I've seen complaints of small portions, bad service, etc) - none of which I experienced, and since you sit in such close proximity to other tables, neither did anyone else around me. The service was good enough, and the portions, well, let's just say this isn't a restaurant with pictures of the food on the menu, so realize that you're not in some highway diner Would definitely recommend and would most certainly go again.
(5)Ebby V.
This restaurant is in the Venetian and reservations are recommended. I highly suggest this restaurant if you want to try anything italian. They have real iand italian fusion food. My group and I had excellent service by very knowledgable staff. They have two sommeliers who are very kind and attentive to make wine pairings to your meal. We stayed away from the tasting menu because ordering al la carte I think offers more. I highly recommend the calamari, grilled octopus and the veal chop. The veal is about 8oz on a large bone. It has a layer of fat that should not be avoided. It adds such great flavor and makes every bite so moist. Don't skip this restaurant. The other high- falutin restaurants (Paris, Alize) offer great views but the service and food quality fall short. You can tell they love food at B& B ristorante.
(5)C S.
Review is for a 4.75/5 Was planning to go to craftsteak that evening but it was closed for renovations so we stopped by B&B. Right when we stepped in, we headed directly to bar. Here's a helpful hint for future visitors, they offer the free pretzel sticks by the cup ONLY at the bar and not in the regular dining room (If you don't know what I'm referring to, you'll see them when you head into the restaurant). We helped ourselves to the salted sticks. The bartender was extremely helpful and offered great recommendations. The calamari appetizer was great and lightly fried. Not overly breaded. The oxtail was impressively good with the pasta. Overall, a lot of the dishes seemed a bit saltier than other restaurants but still within my comfort range. Service was at the bar was great and brighter than the dining room.
(5)Yummy P.
Meh is right. We shared the beat salad to start. Everything was sooooo oversalted. huge chunks of kosher salt in each bite. totally ruined my fave appetizer. yuck. next we shared the pumpkin lune. this was good. and perfect amount between the two of us. i could have used more sage though. traditional dish done well. then i got the beef tagliata and a got the trout. my meat was cooked right, but it was only ok tasting. a's trout was nice, but his riso nero was undercooked, like really undercooked. also was too salty. for dessert, we shared the meyer lemon pudding. that was the best part of the meal. there were crunchies on top and it was the perfect amount of sweet and sour. oh ya, and our waiter. seemed like a washed up surfer. also, kept on saying segundi instead of secondi. cmon! at least read the menu. i'm surprised he didn't say tagliata wrong. Also the resto is so damn loud. i'm just tired of that crap. can't even have a regular convo with someone sitting next to you.
(2)A R.
I had mixed thoughts about my experience here last weekend. I had been to one of Mario's restaurants in LA and thought it was good, particularly the mozzarella appetizer. I ordered that here and for 22 dollars, I felt that it was not any better than my Costco mozzarella I get. The 2 week old olive oil was excellent on it, but I was not impressed. My companion had the grilled octopus which he said was the best he has ever had at 18 dollars. He has had some experience with grilled octopus with spending time sailing around the Aegean sea. I had a chestnut pasta (I'm vegetarian) which was good, but was very small. I doubt if there were 15 pieces of small stuffed pasta. My companion had the Barramundi which was filleted at the table which he stated was very good. I had a citrus fruit desert that was light and delicious. Service was attentive.
(4)Kathleen H.
Party of 9 adults and one 5 year old who is picky just like me... No pasta tasting menu or traditional tasting menu Service: I would have expected even better service since I had the most fabulous service at Del Posto in NYC Beverages: the boys had cocktails; dad ordered a bottle of expensive wine (can't really remember...was totally distracted with trying to decide what to order off the menu...I would have been fine with water!) Starter: Ordered pretty much every single appetizer on the menu to share - everything was "good" but nothing really blew me away. For $24 heirloom tomatoes salad, $21 a plate for buffalo mozzarela and $14 a plate for beet salad, I would expect all these dishes to be amazing, but in the end, they were just dressed up salads. Pasta Course: We order six diff pastas to share. We had to have "refills" on two of them because it was THAT GOOD - 1) beef cheek ravioli with black truffles and crushed duck liver and 2) Bolognese pappardelle. I LOVE pasta and I am extremely picky when it comes to pasta (maybe it's the Asian in me...from the school of Marco Polo brought pasta back to western world from China...LOL) I must say, these two dishes were flavorful, unique and what a delight to taste something like the bolognese kicked up 100 notches at B&B. The wild boar ragu was alright, did not "wow" me. The clam linguine was poor at best - TOO spicy, nothing special, and not flavorful aside from the dramatic heat - it was disappointing. Entrees: We each ordered an entree and pretty much everyone ordered something different. I was honored to eat off of everyone's plate. I ordered the rabbit. The Rabbit was AMAZING. It was done a few different ways - braised, confit, deep fried leg, and pan seared. It was flavorful, tender, juicy, and well seasoned. It had a wonderful balance of flavors - gentle but with a punch. (my second choice for entree would have been the sweetbreads) BBQ skirt steak - it was just ok. It wasn't excellent, it wasn't bad, it was just middle of the road. Not my favorite cut to begin with, but most of all, it seemed to have been marinated with a lot of salt...too salty for me. Whole grilled Branzino was quite good. The fish is very mild and the dish was well seasoned overall. I love whole fish (once again the Asian in me) - makes the meat so much more juicy. Grilled rib eye was shared between two sisters. I liked the rib eye a lot albeit I only had two little bites. I mean, it's hard to go wrong with a rib eye, but hey, you'd be surprised... Dessert: ordered several to share with everyone at the table. Nothing totally memorable. The small bites biscuit/cookies they brought out with our coffee were even better than the desserts we ordered (very similar experience at Del Posto...) I love Mr. Batali and have so much respect for him. I love the two pasta dishes mentioned above and the rabbit and branzino were truly delightful. I will definitely come back, throw money at this place and try the tasting menu next time I am in town...
(4)Jim G.
As a long time Mario fan, having cooked many of his outstanding recipes, been to some of his excellent NY establishments...... Mario should be ashamed to have his name on this restaurant. The past was limp and tasteless, the salad had greens that were not close to fresh, the bread was marginal, the waiter was nice but clueless. We asked the couple sitting next to us what their opinion was, and they were disappointed also. I saw a while back a documentary with Lidia where she politely noted some Bastianvich ventures she is not associated with this experience explains why. I certainly will not write Mario off but he needs to take care of business at B & B.
(1)Pippi L.
I'd give this place a higher rating, but I have to say that my waiter was probably the biggest douchebag ever who had no serving nor social skills, plus a lack education of the food he was serving that ruined it for me. anyway, so i went here with one of my colleagues just because i felt like italian and i definitely wanted to try a mario batali restaurant. so we walk in and everything is cool, the hostess was super nice and we were seated promptly. so douchebag takes over and he's ok and all at first but for some reason i get this look from him like he thinks i don't know anything and he's real nice to my male colleague like "i'm going to kiss your ass because you're going to be tipping me" kinda thing. little does he know that i'm the one footing the bill and he's treating me like i'm the ditzy little date....asshole. as for the food, we started off with a wonderful caprese salad with fresh imported bufala mozzarella from italy. man, that stuff was good. very silky and creamy texture. it was light, but it was so rich at the same time. it was amazing. for the second course i had the spaghettini with roasted garlic and lobster. the pasta was perfectly al dente and they certainly did not skimp on the lobster! it was a whole pound of it on my plate! i love lobster. lobster is my friend! anyway, back to douchebag...so as we were eating, he seemed to be gravitating more towards my colleague than me which is not cool. he would give me these looks and while i was trying to be polite, the bitch in me started becoming more apparent. my colleague was like..."i actually think he likes you and is just giving you a hard time on purpose..." well, giving me condescending looks and comments isn't quite the great way to subtly hit on me... so we decide to skip dessert and douchebag acts like we're making the biggest mistake of our lives. i'm sure the desserts are awesome, but whatever. and then the bill comes. douchebag hands it over to my colleague who then hands it over to me. i look at douchebag and say to him right as i get the bill..."someone should have been a little nicer and more knowledgeable..." and then he starts to kiss my ass. too late. small tip for you. i hope mario sticks a croc up your ass if he ever reads this review....let's see, the server's name was Mike M.
(3)Nina N.
So this was my birthday dinner, and I was so ecstatic to dine here for my lovely getting closer to 30 birthday. The service was not bad at all, but I thought the progression of my food was taking forever. I have done prefixe before so I know how long it's suppose to take to enjoy the food, and I didn't expect to be full off the secondi course. Anways, I didn't do prefixe but did my own type of prefixe with a twist of Nina :) I ordered in the style of a prefixe but chose the food I wanted. appetizer of calamari was a bit salty, and for a person like myself that loves salt; I felt like it was a tad bit salty..eekkkk as for the lobster and the fish I thought were decent. Not out of this world good,, and not worth the price good. As for the last course LAMB CHOPS!! it was pretty delicious, but it wasn't mind blowing like I would have loved it to be :( (if it were at the keg it would have blown my socks off but not at mario batali's restaurant ) all in all I wished I had gone to aureole or guy savoy like I intended, but the reservations that accommodated my party didn't accommodate my time :( whatever, over and done with.... NOT RECOMMENDED FOR FOODIES, AND GREAT FOR TOURISTS!
(2)Larry G.
Named after owner and chef Mario Batali, and co-owner and winemaker Joseph Bastianich, B&B Ristorante is a fairly new restaurant in The Venetian Hotel. Part of Batali's New York based empire, B&B is the more formal of his two Las Vegas restaurants (Enoteca San Marco is the other). **The Menu Anyone who has eaten at Babbo in New York will recognize most of the entries on the menu. In addition to more usual meats and seafood, there are a number of dishes featuring offal or less usual meats. Pasta is of course featured as well. The meal is organized in the traditional Italian manner. The meal starts with an appetizer (antipasto), followed by a primo (which is often, but not necessarily, a pasta), then a secondo, along with side dishes (contorni). Of course, let us not forget dessert. I thought the servings were generous but not huge. However, if you're a modest eater, you may wish to order either a primo or secondo, but not both. **The Atmosphere There is a lot of wood, both light and dark. Lighting is low.Tables are simply adorned, including a plain white table cloth. With so many hard surfaces, the room is noisy when full. However, I didn't find the music nearly as loud as I had expected, given the number of reviews emphasizing this. Service started out a little slow. The server delivered a menu, explained it, then disappeared for an overly long time. However, he was very pleasant, and the meal itself was timed well. Overall, good service. **The Meal The meal started with an amuse bouche of chickpeas and olive oil on crisp rounds of bread. Maybe I was hungry, but I thought it had very good flavor. The chickpeas were soft but not mushy, and the bread's crunchiness was a pleasing contrast. My first course was warm lamb's tongue with chanterelle mushrooms and a poached egg. I was a little hesitant to order this, as my only exposure to tongue has been delicatessen style cow's tongue, of which I'm not too fond. However, this dish was excellent. The lamb's tongue was fine grained, with a very rich meaty flavor. A marinade added just the right amount of sourness. Sweet tomato and wonderful chanterelles added to the dish, and the three minute egg added rich liquid to the dish. I used the crusty, slightly charred bread to sop it up. For my primo, the server recommend orecchiette with sweet sausage and rapini. Good recommendation. Orecchiette translates to something like "little ear", and is a lot like what U.S. supermarkets sell as macaroni shells. The pasta was cooked perfectly - very firm but still cooked through - and the flavors went well together. This dish wasn't quite as good as the lamb's tongue, but it was still very good indeed. My secondo was fennel dusted sweetbreads. If you've never tried sweetbreads, or have tried them but aren't sure you like them, this is the place to order them. Served with sweet and sour onions and duck bacon, the very crispy outside contrasted with the smooth but firm insides. Some sort of mushroom juice was poured into the bottom of the bowl. Its moisture and its flavor were just right. Another very good dish, perhaps just a hair behind the lamb's tongue. At this point, it's worth commenting on a point I've heard made by some other reviewers - that Batali has too heavy a hand on the salt shaker. At home I tend to use little salt, yet I didn't find Batali's use of salt objectionable - more than I'd use, but not objectionable. However, I did end up drinking a lot of water throughout the meal, especially during the pasta course, so your mileage may vary. Finally, dessert: warm chocolate budino with peppermint gelato. It was, fortunately, a very small portion: rich chocolate cake with dense chocolate ganache, served warm. The gelato was wonderful! Make sure to order gelato in some form or other. If you can't arrange a visit here, go to the more casual Enoteca San Marco, where you can sit at the bar and just order gelato; it seems to be the same as at B&B. **Summary I've read a number of very complimentary reviews - and some not so complimentary reviews. Based on one meal, I side with the very complimentary camp. However, my choices were on the more unusual side, so it's hard to say what this means with respect to more normal dishes. Nonetheless, this restaurant is definitely on my repeat list. **The Bill The meal was $80, plus drinks, tax and tip.
(5)Joanne L.
Okay, we all know the food is amazing, especially since it's Mario Batalli's restaurant. However, what impressed me the most was the atmosphere. Normally, the $50/plate kind of restaurants are incredibly pretentious and as a college student who can't afford these kind of meals as often as the rest of the people dining there, it really sucks when you can't have fun with your friends and talk during your meal. Last time I went to a nice restaurant, my friend and I were almost whispering but at B&B, they had the Beatles playing in the background, the waiters were coming by to chitchat, and we even got complimentary samples from the chefs. We didn't feel out of place at all and the 5 of us girls had a really good time. The food was amazing. The octopus appetizer which all the waiters recommended was delicious. I never knew octopus could be prepared so well. We ended up getting 2 pastas to split as a first course and then we each got 2nd courses. It was ridiculously filling. The pastas were amazing - whenever I see homemade pasta or homemade noodles anywhere on a menu, I have to get it. I also had rabbit for my first time, kind of felt bad due to the cuteness factor of rabbits but damn, if I ever have rabbit, it would only be at B&B. It was prepared in 4 different ways and served on one plate and it was so good!! However, what really gave this place that fifth star was the service and the atmosphere. I'm in love with Mario Batalli, you are awesome!
(4)Kimberly Q.
Went to B&B last month with foodie friends for our annual Vegas trip. I had eaten at Babbo in NY the week before and found the menus to be almost identical. I was shocked to find the food at B&B superior to that of its famous and more-seasoned sister restaurant. Further, the wait service at B&B was impeccable. Our server was charming, fun and attentive and made brilliant suggestions, which we all adopted. Though I was craving pasta, he touted the veal chop to the point where I couldn't resist, and I had no regrets; it was the best veal chop I have ever had. (Psst, hint hint: ORDER THE VEAL CHOP!) Removing one star because the sommelier wasn't stunning (conversely, the wine director at Babbo, Peter Jamros, is) and the runners and busboys were really lousy. E.g., we had to sit there not once, but three or four times suffering whilst viewing and smelling the delivered fare, waiting for tableware, and had to ask for water, napkins, etc. I'm certain the kinks are getting worked out.
(4)Margie L.
Finally a meal in vegas I want to repeat. I will say Mix was a good meal and fun atmosphere but B&B? I want more. We didn't have enough time for the full pasta tasting menu (oh I wish!) but I decided to make up for it by having a pasta 2nd and 3rd course (proscuitto for a starter). The orechette was great; my favorite combination of sausage and rapini. I also went for the beef cheek ravioli (one of the specialities). The ravioli was good but incredibly rich. Still, so many other pastas I want to try. Our server was a little flakey but the rest of the service (once we reminded them to seat us) was great. Very subtle, very professional and very relaxed. I so wish mario had a place in SF!
(4)Melissa C.
I went to this restaurant for the first time with my co-workers (including a Chef). There were five of us and we were seated right away for our reservation. We were greeted by a server and asked for our drink order. Two of the guests ordered a cocktail and the server came back with the wrong order. He took the two drinks back and came back with the wrong drinks again. One of the guests offered to drink it anyway so it wouldn't go to waste but the server told them that if he left it there, he would have to charge for the drink. For getting the order wrong twice, he should have given the drinks for free! The other three (including me) ordered a bottle of wine and the server brought only one glass for the wine. I know it was loud in there but I clearly told him that "the three of us are going to have wine with our veal chop and rib eye." He even recommended the wine to drink with our meals. Not sure where his mind was. He was very nice but just couldn't get the order right. The garbanzo bruschetta that was brought to us in the beginning was a nice touch. We ordered the octopus as an appetizer and it was very delicious. It was the most tender octopus I have ever had. They also brought us a slice of cold bread for each. It was a little hard and did not offer to bring more. The meals took a long time to come out. Th server explained to us that the rib eye for two took longer because it was so big. He quoted us 15 more minutes but it seemed longer than that. Maybe the chef was too busy in the kitchen. Once the food came out, I struggled with my veal chop. It was not tender and it was difficult to wrangle. I asked for a steak knife but they did not have one. The veal was very tasty but it had too much fat for me and it was not tender enough. The rib eye that my friends has was better. It melted in your mouth! The other two guests were also happy with their meals. We shared two desserts: the trio of gelatos and the flourless chocolate cake. They were both really good but the gelato lacked presentation. The three scoops were piled on top of each other in a small metal dish. I would have given it a 4 but I was not ok with the mistakes that the server made. I saw a man in a suit walking around the restaurant (I assumed the manager) and never came to our table to see how everything was. There was table with some celebrities next to ours and a lot of focus was given to them. But everyone should be treated equally in a high end establishment such as that. If I were a server and made three mistakes with the order, I would have told the manager to visit the table. For being an expensive restaurant, I expect better and more attentive service.
(3)Howard B.
Noisy, crowded and terrific service. Food was mixed. Calamari appetizer was best I've had...buttery, lemony and tart with capers and cauliflower (a different variety I'm told). If you've been exercising in the sun all day, this pasta will replenish your salt big time! Inedible! While you could tell the flavors of the sauces were great, the saltiness caused both my wife and I to reject our pasta dishes. Spoiled what promised to be a great meal. Kitchen needs to get their act together and skip the excuses!
(2)Graham R.
This is a serious case of wishing yelp allowed half stars. I would give B&B 3.5 if I could, but I will round up in the spirit of positivity. My better half and I landed in Vegas at 10pm on the Sunday after Thanksgiving and headed straight to our late night reservation. Given the timing of our dinner and the holiday weekend, rounding up seems fair. I am a big fan of Batali's LA outpost Mozza, so I was excited to try this vegas incarnation. The menus are quite similar, but the atmosphere at B&B is a little lacking. I was surprised that the space was as small as it is and that most tables were right on the "main drag" of the admittedly beautiful Venetian hotel. That being said, it kinda creates an effect of eating at an upscale mall in the OC. And the space just isn't as nice as Mozza. The food is awesome! Even without the cheese bar. Some of the dishes seemed quite similar, though, to dishes at Mozza. They had an amazing regional and seasonal tasting menu (Piemonte), but given the late hour we opted on a few courses from the main menu. We shared our first two courses and ordered individual secondi, but the server misunderstood and split one between us. It was quail which we both love, so it worked out. I would have been harder on them if I were not completely stuffed. It was, afterall, the end of Thanksgiving weekend. Overall, again I am positively alotting four stars for my first experience at B&B. I had the notion that we would walk in and leave Vegas behind, but it felt very Vegas from an ambience (guys in ball caps) standpoint. The server was nice and earnest but did misunderstand us and seemed like she was trained to talk to tourists, "...with pancetta, or Italian bacon." A lot of unnecessary translations, but it was kinda cute. The bread offerings were good and we received comlimentary sweets at the end. Food stellar, but overall not what I expected compared to Mozza.
(4)nancy a.
app - octopus my dish - lobster pasta hub's dish - beef rav yum yum yum. the octopus appetizer was the most awesomest thing! very tender and very delicious! the lobster pasta had lots of lobster and it was seasoned well. not salty at all! the beef ravioli was so rich. very rich. so yummy..... i would totally go again and order the same thing and say... hmm.. deja vu?
(4)Georgie C.
The food was only fair but the service was extremely good. Appetizers were good. However, I ordered the Black Spaghetti (made from squid ink) and it was so salty I had to send it back. So I ordered the Shrimp and spaghetti and this time even hubby couldn't eat it, it was so salty! Just disappointed that the kitchen did not take notice that the first dish was sent back because of the saltiness. Or, maybe they did take notice and that's why the 2nd dish was so incredibly salty! The server really wanted me to order another subst. (bless her heart!) but I had lost all confidence in that kitchen. Told her to bill me the shrimp and pasta but I can't eat it. Hubby'f red snapper was decent, a tad on the dry side. Dessert was good. All in all, very disappointed in this Batali restaurant.
(3)Sofia L.
A nice venue in a beautifully decorated setting. Though a bit noisy, the over-all atmosphere is quite catching and romantic with the dim lights. Good Italian dishes worthy of going back for more visits. It was a nice experience, and that's what makes the place ideal for me. :)
(4)Patti C.
After calling literally 20+ times for Babbo, Mario Batali's well known restaurant in NYC, I've decided to go with Mario's new restaurant in Las Vegas as an alternative. The service was the best I've experienced, the atmosphere was dark yet intimate, but the food was only average. B&B is known to serve more rustic Italian foods than the other Batali restaurants. Some of the "interesting" menu items are lamb's tongue, lamb's brain, and beef cheek ravioli. I had an ice tea accompanied by the best beverage service. They brought an empty glass with ice and a slice of lemon, a stirring rod, a tumbler with my ice tea, and simple syrup. I helped myself to the perfect blend of ice tea, ice, and syrup and enjoyed the complimentary chick pea with olive on crostini. We ordered Calamari and Seppie (part of the octopus family) Fritti. The calamari was lighter than the usual that you find elsewhere. The marinara sauce tasted like it was freshly made from tomatoes and was the perfect dipping sauce for the calamari. Of course, you have to squeeze the lemon on the side to give the calamari a lighter and more refreshing taste. For the main course, I ordered the grilled lamb chops with mint sauce. The eight pieces of lamb that I got were cooked just right but were way too salty. Given that I'm not a big fan of heavily flavored foods and always opt for the natural and original taste, the lamb would probably be salty for the average food connoisseur. I talked to the manager of the restaurant and he told me that Mario's signature style is to soak all meats in salt brine prior to cooking which brings out the tenderness of the meat. Thus, if you are like me, try the pasta instead. The manager told me that the pasta is also soaked in the salt brine but later soaked in water to enhance its texture. We finished off our meal with a today's dessert special of blueberry fruit tart and lemon mascarpone. It was very tiny for $14 but it was good. I like Mario's other restaurants a lot better than this one but I still look forward to visit Babbo when I travel to NYC next time. I'll try to make a reservation months in advance this time!
(3)M G.
I would give this a 3.5 if that were possible. I love watching Mario on Food Network and his creations always look amazing so had to try his restaurant. I must say the food was very good but did not knock my socks of like Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill did for example. I had the homemade Orecchiette with sweet sausage and rapini. This was an enjoyable dish and pasta was cooked nicely. The sauce was not as packed with flavor as I would have expected and overall it was a little salty. I forgot to mention I started with mixed greens salad where I think every leaf of lettuce underwent an individual seasoning exercise. The salad was nice and crunchy and fresh but again a little too salty. My wife started with baby octopus which she said was cooked absolutely perfectly but was a little salty. She then finished with linguine with clams which were very nice but also salty. I have to say fellow yelpers nailed this place when they said 80's rock and roll which was very inappropriate music was the norm and this place is very pricey and dishes are over-salted. All in all I am still giving it a 4 even though it should be 3.5 because it was too salty and did not knock my socks off. Go eat a New York strip at Mesa grill when you are in Vegas then write me a thank you when you are done :-).
(4)Leon Y.
On vacation over Xmas break, and our local friends really recommended this restaurant. My wife and I went with high expectations....we've been to many highend restaurants and I'd consider us very adventurous and open eaters. We were very DISAPPOINTED! Most of the tasting menus that I have tried at other highend restaurants are actually tasting menus that included many dishes that are also available from the a la carte menu. The dishes from these tasting menus are totally different that what is offered on their a la carte menu. I didn't think much about this disrepancy at the time, and especially because the waitress really recommended the tasting menus, that was what we ordered. They had 2 options, both 7 course dinners for $99. The first was the pasta tasting menu, which my wife ordered; the 2nd was the regional tasting menu, which i ordered. Thus we were able to share and taste both tasting menus. The pasta tasting menu, to say the least, was GROSS! It started off decently....lamb's brain ravioli, a squid ink pasta; however the main course was totally DISGUSTING! Duck testicles and liver and cocks combs in a simple pasta. I am generally very good about eating all sorts of organs and animal parts, however, the stink of the meat was just too much for me. Usually, a great dish that involves some very stinky meat will try to mask or downgrade the stink of the meat. This dish, however, really accentuated the stink of the meat to the point that I needed to drink more wine to wash down and get the stinky taste out of my mouth! My wife almost puked at the odor of it after just one bite! The next course wasn't any better....liver ravioli drenched in so much basalmic vinegar that i started coughing as soon as i put it towards my mouth!! The regional tasting menu was very similar....a decent first 2 courses which included a simple egg yolk truffle pasta and a rabbit ravioli. Again, it was the main course that really bordered on inedible.... I was expecting a nice piece of veal, but what I got was a long strip of veal (really fatty, almost like bacon) which was rolled with chestnuts and anchovies. It seemed like a great idea, however, it was more fat than veal. Each bite was pretty much a soggy bite of grease to the point where i just couldn't eat it anymore after 2-3 bites.... To say the least, my wife and I barely made it through 3-4 courses, and just couldn't take anymore of it.... The waitress basically directed any concerns immediately to the manager who basically said that it was our fault for ordering something that we either didn't understand or simply didn't enjoy....especially after speaking with the pretentious manager (I believe her name was Melinda), my wife almost left the restaurant in tears. My wife was so disappointed in our meals, and the manager just didn't seem to care enough to do anything about our unsatisfying experience at the restaurant. The manager basically insisted that although our meal was totally unsatisfying and borderline GROSS, we had to pay the full price, so for about $300+ for the 2 tasting menus and a bottle of wine, we had one of the most horrible experiences ever at a restaurant. Bottom line: AVOID THE TASTING MENUS even though the waitress really pushed it. And if you run into any problems or issues, don't expect a satisfying result because the very pretentious and stubborn manager doesn't believe in satisfying unsatisfied guests. And the entire situation could end up ruining your vacation as one of the most horrible dining experiences EVER!!! A restaurant is considered great because of its great service and always consistent quality of food. Vegas has so many great restaurants....unfortunately, this one just doesn't keep up with them....
(1)Rachel W.
I rarely give out 5 stars for anything. But from start to finish, it was a great experience. They tell you that the norm for 2 people is 2 appetizers, 1 pasta, and 2 main dishes. We weren't starved, so we decided to split one of each. Good move here. We started with the Steamed Clams in a spicy broth, with extra bread to dip into the delicious broth. Next we split the Beef Cheek Ravioli with crushed duck liver. Rich and delcicious. And then on the main meat. We split the lamb chops. As is the case at nice restaurants, we were expecting a small portion of lamb chops. Imagine my surprise when 8 lamb chops came out! They were delicious. I was on the lookout for the issue with the salt that other reviewers have mentioned. The only thing that could have used less salt was the eggplant underneath the lamb chops, but it did not affect the actual meat at all. Perhaps they have worked towards solving the problem of oversalting. The service was great, ambience great, the wine was good and surprisingly reasonable for the 1/4 liters, and the gelato AND vanilla semi-freddo for dessert were delicious. The gelato was a treat from the pastry chef for my birthday. Great experience, I will go back next time I'm in Vegas, and I will visit Babbo when I'm in NYC, as I am now a Batali convert.
(5)Christine N.
I want to be honest. I think I enjoyed my meal here, but the reason why I think this as opposed to knowing this is because I was drunk off my rocker. Now, I came here with my ex for "breakfast", which, in Las Vegas time, meant 4 PM - so we actually had an early dinner. I ordered a fantastic pasta with pulled lamb's meat, and even in my pathetically drunken state, I remember thinking to myself, "WOW! THIS PASTA IS PERFECTLY AL DENTE!" Oh - and the meat was so incredibly tender that I remember sobering up for 10 seconds. Just 10 seconds. Our waitress was very nice, and knew that her tip depended on how drunk she could get us, so she kept our vodka tonics coming. What a doll!
(4)Cindy C.
I was looking forward to our dinner at B&B Ristorante. But unfortunately the experience just wasn't that great. We arrived and was seated, then sat for a while before a server spoke with us. My husband found plastic in his meal, which takes away the spark of a nice dinner. The server brought a new dish, but by then I was finished with mine. We again waited for a while to receive our check. The plastic dinner was comped, but overall it just wasn't the nice or tasty dining experience I expected from this restaurant.
(2)Tom M.
Went with my family during Spring Break Las Vegas trip because we love watching Mario Batali on Iron Chef America. Sadly, we were greatly underwhelmed. The service was mediocre. The food was salty. The beef cheek ravioli tasted like raw liver to me and I could not eat it. However, the goat cheese ravioli were nice. Overall, not a great place to take your family. We went to Rao's at Caesars Palace the following day and had a much better experience for less than half the price.
(2)lena k.
We had our Christmas meal there. Food was quite good; hated the wine guy (obnoxious); but I dont' think I will go there again. I prefer Babbo in NYC. BTW, for some pasta menu, they have exactly same thing at Otto for like 1/3 price. What da hell.
(4)Bridget F.
Way too much salt!!!!!! First our appetizer came out and it was so salty we couldn't even eat it. So we told the waiter and he said we season our food heavily here. Then our salads came out and again they were way over salted, it was almost all we could taste was the salt. Then they brought my fish to the table to show me it was cooked whole and stated they would be back with it after they de-boned it. They carried my fish around the restaurant as they stopped at other tables. Next they took my fish over to the hostess at the little wine bar and she began picking the bones out of my fish with one knife and her fingers. Other servers came by and leaned their noses over my fish to take a smell. They finally brought my half mutilated fish to me which was now cold and once again extremely over salted. I was very disappointed that the server didn't explain to the chef that after our first course the food was way to salty it could have at least allowed us to enjoy the rest of our meal. Maybe he did tell the chef and he didn't care. It was just a shame because we could tell if it wasn't for the extreme salt overload the food would have been delicious. It almost seemed like a joke someone was playing on us, we will make the most delicious food and then dump a mound of salt on it just to piss you off. Then we received a $350 dollar bill for a dinner we didn't even eat and left hungry. What a shame!!!!!
(1)Lucia C.
We had a concert that night so went with the fixed price 3 course "pre-concert:" menu. The beet salad was OK but way too many beets and not much else of interest. I ordered the braised beef short ribs, cooked 6 hrs. in wine. I was very disappointed and, in fact, ended up sending it back because it was SO SALTY. When I mentioned this to the waiter (who was personable and attentive) His response was, "Yes. Our food does tend to be very salty." I love salt and it was way too salty for even me, so be warned. The coffee Americano was delicious but pana cota brown sugar strawberries a bit bland. I will not return. t
(2)Greg E.
Be ready to spend some $, but totally worth it! Mario is a worthy Iron Chef based on the meal we had. Everything was exceptionally fresh, perfectly prepared, and wonderfully simple, in that classic Italian way. The quality of the ingredients, along with the flavor combinations, made this close to the best Italian food I had in Tuscany.
(5)Daria J.
Yet another one of Batali's projects. His picture is all over the Venetian in order to promote it. It is where all the other restaurants are, but tucked away in a corner, with a little flag to hail you. The recent Batali restaurant I ate at was Mozza, which didn't quite suit my taste and so I had some biased expectations. But a look at the menu cast all those skepticisms aside, as it was filled with things that aren't what you see in a conventional place, such as tripe, tongue, and brain. That fascinated me and I remembered reading Tony Bourdain's words that chefs are now able to explore a bit more by putting such things on their menus, and people are starting to accept them more. You are greeted by Batali's books at the door, but they are not shoved in your face as Bobby Flay's face is when you enter Mesa Grill. And in fact, once you step into the dining room you can easily forget about them. A very cozy place with a wall full of wine bottles. Simple dark near-black wood theme with clean white tables, and a center table for the workers, which also is a clever interior design job. The center table is where all the waiters put the finishing touches of your dishes, all the little garnishes and de-boning of the fish are done in the center of the dining room. Its center piece is a giant but slim vase with tall sunflowers (real!) that just touch the ceiling, which shortens the ceiling to the eyes and hence gives the place a more intimate and cozier feeling (even though it is standard ceiling height). And there are many servers that come in and out of the kitchen and mingle at the center table, giving the whole dining room a very live and bright feeling, without unnecessary flashy colors that I've seen way too may restaurants have. The hostess offered me and my date a small table, then asked us if we preferred to sit side by side, and proceeded to turn the table sideways for us just so we could sit closer. Is this fine dining service? I've *never* had this offered to me before, and she even rotated the silverware for us. A little gift from the chef to start the meal, chick pea bruschetta on tiny little toasts. Very simple, yet curiously good. I swear I tasted olives but I have no idea where they were. The appetizer we ordered was three goat cheese truffles, little balls of goat cheese rolled around in spices. We first had the pimenton, or smoked paprika, which gave my mouth a nice little tingle with a bit of tang, a sign of very good paprika. Then the fennel seed powder was more bitter, and to my delight it brought out a whole new part of goat cheese's flavor. Next was poppy seeds, which again was a different experience, and that was when we also explored the roasted bell peppers, which was very fresh and very well prepared, and together with the goat cheese it was a different world. We decided to try two different raviolis that interested me, one with lamb brains and the other with beef cheek meat. The lamb brain was incredibly smooth, the sauce for the "postage-stamp-sized" ravioli was nothing but butter with a bit of lemon and sage, very rich but you don't notice it until you leave. The beef-cheek ravioli was the opposite personality, big and meaty with very intense beef flavor. The crushed duck liver and truffles made it very savory. Bombolonis were shared for dessert, essentially donut holes that were served with melted dark chocolate. They give you plenty of chocolate too, that went down in spoonfuls. The waiter came to check on how we were doing and all the food was gone. All the staff was young but mature and warm. It was a pleasure to talk to them, the entire atmosphere is laid back. I especially appreciate its location as it is away around a corner, unlike Mesa Grill where you are staring right at the slot machines as you eat. Quite easily you can forget that you are in a casino in the chaos that is Vegas, it has a mood of its own that suits me very well. Casual, with no pretension, all it is about is enjoying food. Mozza might not have suited me so much but seeing this place and seeing the difference and the direction of Batali's passion for various aspects of food makes me respect him highly as a celebrity chef, and look forward to what his next adventure will be.
(5)Mike O.
So far I loved all of Mario B restaurants from Babbo and Del Posto in the NYC to Carnevino in Vegas. This one was so-so. First off, why present a truffle tasting menu and charge an $85 surcharge to add truffles to your dish.....HUH????? So basically its a truffle tasting menu, without truffles $105 or $180 with truffles.....puzzled. Anyway the none of the dishes were memorable and the only dish i really enjoyed was the pork loin which was so tender and flavorful. You should pass on this one.....
(2)Richard O.
This is owned by famous chef Mario Batali and someone named Bastianich. Service is impeccable but the food is not that good and may be overrated. Too many fancy ingredients and descriptions but in the end, taste is the best judge. I'd rather spend my hard earned dinero elsewhere...
(2)Kelson H.
Mario Batali's B&B Ristorante was exactly what I expected for this Northern Italian style cuisine. His off the wall food parings and usage of offals and uncommon ingredients are a pleasant surprise from the everyday fair of chicken breast pasta or linguini and clams. You must be a true foodie to really enjoy the techniques and matchings that Batali uses in his dishes. We ordered the Warm Tripe A'la Parmegana, Baby Octopus with Lemonchillo vinaigrette, Rabbit with leeks and brussel sprouts, Beef Cheek Ravioli with black truffles and crused duck liver, and the mint love lamb ravioli (strange name). Warm Tripe was probably the best tripe that i have every had. It was in a nicely spiced tomato sauce with a parmesan cheese gratan and served with two rustic pieces of country style bread. The tripe melted in my mouth and had no gamey or off taste at all. The bread was burnt.... :( The Baby Octopus was also a great dish. The octopus had a lovely smooth texture very similar to squid. We could really taste the nice grilled flavor on the octopus. The lemonchillo vinagrette added a nice tangy zip to the dish and left your mouth with a very clean feel. Beef Cheek Ravioli with black truffle and crushed duck liver sauce was a very rich dish. Definately get this dish as a share item for the table even. A ture foodies will really appreciate this dish. The ultra smooth texture of the beef cheeks with a very meaty flavor held up beautifully with the very rich sauce. The sauce was like eatting foie gras black truffle pate, thinned with a bit of cream and pasted all over the ravioli. Very decadent. The only down fall with this dish, and i think with all of his pasta dishes, is that there is no throught of platting this dish nicely. It look as if the chefs went from pan to plate. NO ARRANGEMENT what so ever in any of the pasta dishes I saw....but then again that could be Batali's thing, purposly not plating pastas to make them look rustic... Rabbit with leeks and Brussel sprouts. Rabbit was cooked perfectly maintaining all of its moisture through out the loin and the leg meat. This was a very simple dish but done excellently. I wish there was more brussel sprouts though...i love them. OK...the mint love lamb ravioli...again presentation sucked. Flavors were a very interesting play on lamb with mint jelly. I thought that the mint was a bit overpowering for the dish but the lamb flavor really did hold its own. Atmosphere was very bistro-ish...with a fell of Japaneses accents. Dark wooded frames/boxes, bottles and bottles of wine line the walls and the bar. Dress was very casual, some very nicely dressed...some in shorts...hey, its vegas. Service was very pleasant, but over the top. We had our server, a bread server, a water server. New silverware came with every course and I loved the cool little wooden box that they carried the silverware in. Our water glasses were never empty. Our server connected with our table very well and was very personable to us. None of that stuffiness you might expect going into a nicer restaurant. We had to skip dessert to see a show but overall this restaurant was what I expected from Mario Batali. You really must understand the type of cuisine that Mario Batali likes to cook in order to truly enjoy this restaurant. If your more into a meat a potatoes place, try Mario Batali's Carnevino in the new Palazzo Hotel.
(4)Thanos T.
I DO NOT RECOMMEND this place, with a passion. I went to celebrate a birthday with my wife and we planned to have dinner at BandB and Atelier Robuchon the next night. I love food and collect wine, so I brought a special old DRC bottle, but the BandB waitress informed me they don't allow BYO at the restaurant. The sommelier/manager soon arrived to tell me that he did not want to argue with me, but Clark County laws did not allow them to open the bottle. I knew that was a lie since I had brought wine to Picasso, Mix and other places in Vegas... I told him I would gladly open it myself, but he refused, always claiming The Clark County Laws. We left and walked less than 50yards and had a wonderful meal at Valentino's, where they gladly charged us $35 corkage , which was fine with me.
(1)Meridith H.
B&B seems to incite polarized opinions and I happy to say that I fall in the camp that had a great experience at B&B from the food to service to wine...almost everything was was spot on. When we arrived, we were immediately seated at a table for two in the back corner. I was not thrilled with the location but it ended up a good spot where you could see the action of the restaurant and the bar. Honestly, service started a little slow but picked up and was great by the end. The pacing was a little off, for instance we received our appetizer prior to receiving our bottle of wine. And, we ordered a bottle of wine (they only have Italian wines) and the sommilier came over to ask us about our preferences after we ordered. Unfortunately, what we picked out was not what we would typically order but he kindly suggested a wine in the same price range that suited our tastes...he did not try and upsell. However, he probably should have been there from the beginning so we would have our wine prior to any of our food. That is my only complaint. On to the food, we received mini chickpea bruchettas on the house and we ordered the grilled octopus to share and it was fantastic. It was surprisingly tender and the lemon flavor balanced the dish perfectly. For pastas, we shared the mint love letters with spicy lamb sausage and the beef cheek raviolis. Honestly, I cannot tell you which one I loved more. The beef cheek was extremely rich and I was glad to be sharing because I could not have had the entire plate without feeling overwhelmed. The mint love letters were incredibly unique with a nice mint flavor and a spiciness that merged perfectly. For entrees, I ordered the sweetbreads and my husband had the pork chop. My sweetbreads were rich (kind of a theme) and delicious and the pork chop was good, but nothing to get too excited about. We sort of wished we would have just split one more pasta instead of ordering entrees because they were so incredible. We declined dessert but had the nice tray of petit fours offered at the end of the meal. Oh, and the wine was fabulous. We asked them to write the name down for us, but instead they took off the label and put a laminate sheet over it for us to take home. We thought that was a nice touch. We did not even notice the music, so maybe they have that taken care of or maybe it just doesn't bother us. The servers were very friendly and the manager was helpful when applying our comps to the tab. We appreciated new silver for every dish and the wooden box they brought it in and the silver tray they used when taking away our glasses. Our water was always full and we never felt rushed. All in all, we had a great dining experience and I would not hesitate to return.
(5)Charles K.
his food looks great on TV, but apparently not so great in person. nice restaurant in the venetian, good service, great wine, but the main courses were underwhelming. started with the tripe. it had a spaghetti sauce that had a hint of prego to it. not that it tasted bad, it was pretty decent, but c'mon, i felt like i could've bought tripe at some asian store and added spaghetti sauce to it myself. 2nd was linguine with clams. pasta was cooked great but the sauce was just way too salty. did they taste this before sending it out? finally finished with veal chops which was cooked great and was flavorful. i'd say this was the highlight of the meal but alas, too late for anything but 3 stars.
(3)Tim T.
The cut of salmon is unacceptable. It has a heavy, fishy taste that the $40 price does not warrant. I've had better, equally-fresh fillets at my local restaurants, and for much less. Question the quality or freshness of the fish and the management will stonewall you.
(1)liza m.
we ate here on valentine's day. it was my third time, and my husband's second. my first time was amazing. i never realized that italian food could be so complex, fun, and delicious. the second time was a disappointment. when we finally got bread after 20-30 minutes, the bread was charred. they continued to serve burnt bread, even though we complained. i don't remember the food being quite as memorable as the first time. despite the bad experience, i opted to try this restaurant one more time. i'm very glad that we did. b&b did not disappoint. i broke away from my usual goat cheese tortellini, and decided to try the beef cheeks ravioli. it was divine. my husband had his usual -- sweetbreads. it was very tasty. we shared the special dessert which was a flourless chocolate cake, with some sort of brittle cookie, and espresso ice cream. to die for. what made it even more fantastic was that we snagged the last one. haha. overall, i great dining experience. my only gripe is that the menu doesn't seem to change much.
(5)Rhoi C.
I loved this place. The food was amazing and the portions were perfect. The ambiance was good and the service impeccable. I would highly recomend this place to any of my friends or family. It is pricey though so make sure you're ready to shell out the dough or your corporate credit card.
(4)Kit E.
Really great tasting food. We started the meal off with some very yummy steamed clams. Then I got the spaghettini with lobster and roasted garlic.....mmmmm....lobster!!! My husband got the beef cheek ravioli, which was sooo good. Then we shared the grilled quail as our secondi and then we ordered a delicious wild blueberry crostata for dessert. While the food was fresh and incredibly delicious, there were at times spots in the dishes where there was just a little bit too much of salt.
(4)T R.
I had high hopes for B&B, unfortunately, they disappointed. Maybe the poor service was due to the fact that we weren't catching a show...Next time, I will lie. We were sat at a broken banquette, then when moved, sat for 15 minutes without menus, water, bread or a waiter to greet us. When the waiter finally greeted us, with menus, it was another 10 minutes to get bread - and we had to ask for olive oil (which was fantastic). It was another 10 minutes before we were given empty champagne glasses and another 5 before they were filled. Okay, so the squash blossoms were delicious and the corn sformato with porcini - divine. Then we got our pasta course. The hot plate given to me, was dirty and had to be sent back. The spaghettini with one pound of lobster in a spicy tomato based sauce was fabulous, the gnocchi with oxtail was flavorful and tender, and the mint ravioli envelopes with spicy lamb sausage - spectacular. Once again, however, the service was horrible. We took the suggestion of the waiter for a red wine to match our pasta course. Unfortunately, this was served 10 min after our pasta - which was stone cold by then. Difficult to enjoy the wine suggested to compliment the meal, when served in this manner. All of a sudden, the timing of service picked up and two waiters asked if they could serve our fish course - whisking away our partially eaten pasta. The Orata was beautiful in it's parchment paper package. Opening it, we could see a lovely piece of fish on green beans, tomato and clams. But, the smell was very industrial - almost as if sprayed with rancid oil. I asked if the fish was fresh or salt water, but no one asked us how it was. We would have told them. Dessert was fine - grappa scented panna cotta with Mission figs stuffed with honeycomb, but the service was so horrible and distracting, it made this special occasion difficult to enjoy.
(2)JAN I.
Gave 4 stars for the service. Came here for my BF birthday and we wanted to have a mission to check out all of his restaurants. We tried Carnevino and Osteria Mozza. Both were awesome. B&B was kind of disapointing, but the service was great. Flavors of the food didn't have punch to it. For antipasti we got the beet salad and Calamari and Seppie Fritti. For primi we got Beef Cheek Ravioli with Black Truffles and Crushed Duck Liver, which tasted great. For the secondi my BF ordered the Steak "Tagliata" with Braised Greens "Affogato" and I ordered the 'Brasato al Barolo' with Horseradish 'Gremolata' - braise shortribs. Both meat dishes were tender and and delicious. Waitress gave me a wine pairing but didn't mention the name of it. Wine tasted really good. For dessert they wrote Happy Birthday with chocolate on the plate and a candle...remember if you have a special occassion please let them know. My BF was surprised and very happy. All in all the evening went great, but I wish the food didn't really have a wow factor.
(4)Cassie T.
If you come and you are on a "see food" diet, ask to sit in Dustin's section. Dude has mad customer service skills. Brought my family here for the first time to eat the lobster rolls and Dustin made sure we got the last ones available for the day.
(5)Suria N.
We just arrived from a 26 hours flight from Jakarta, Indonesia, a really long flight. We were strolling around at the restaurant row at the Venetian. Finally we choose this B and B Ristorante for dinner. Great dinner and great choice of food. Service was impeccable n nice. Quite a very nice experience for new arrivals.
(5)Dan N.
My wife and I had dinner here a few weeks ago. We're big fans of Babbo in NYC, and B&B is basically Babbo transplated to Vegas. Great food, great service, and an all around good experience. The service here is excellent. They pace the courses so that you have plenty of time to enjoy your food and wine. For some, that may be a bit too slow, as you're waiting between courses. But that is the pace that my wife and I really enjoy, so we can have some drinks and talk. Overall, it's about two hours for the whole meal. The waitress was very knowledgeable and very helpful, and the overall service is attentive but unobtrusive. The wine list is 100% italian wines, which my wife and I know very little about. So we took advantage of the sommelier who picked a really good wine for us. The nice thing about this sommellier is that he asked us for our preferences and familiarity, then proceeded to recommend a range of wines. Some leaning towards my preferences, some towards my wifes, and some he identified as good compromise wines. He also picked a wide range of price points, which was also nice. The one we ended up picking from his recommendations was excellent. The setting is nice, but it's along a fairly busy area of the casino. So even though the lights are dim and they play nice music in the restaurant, you occasionally get a lot of noise coming from the outside. This might be nice if you want to people-watch, I guess. It's not nearly as quaint as the townhouse Babbo is in, but it is a nice setting overall. The food is great. They do a full three course meal here (four if you get desert, five if you count the complimentary appetizer). The menu also has sides that you can order, so if you wanted to just get one dish and some sides you can do that too. Between my wife and I, we had: -Complimentary appetizer. This is too big to be an amuse bouche. It's basically a crostini with garbanzo beans and some kind of dressing/paste on it. Very good, but the beans were really cold, as if they'd just been taken out of the a fridge or off ice. It still tasted good but the coldness was a bit off-putting. -Grilled octopus in limoncello vinaigrette. Amazing dish, the octopus was very tender and the dressing was excellent. You basically get the whole octopus too; I was surprised at how much was on that plate. This was probably the best dish we had all night, although the rest of the food was great too. -Rabbit Confit crostone. This was a grilled piece of bread with a salad and rabbit confit on top. I thought they skimped a bit on the rabbit but it was still excellent. -Beef cheek ravioli with truffle sauce. I was surprised by this dish; it was extremely beefy and unusually creamy. It had really big bits of shaved truffle on it. I enjoyed it quite a bit, but I think the texture might throw other people off. -Squash lune with amaretti cookie. We've had a very similar dish at Babbo, and this was just as good. It's basically a squash ravioli with an almond cookie shaved on top. It sounds odd, but it's very good. -Orange duck. This was very good, but they serve it with the skin on so it's quite fatty. I don't know what they do, but the duck is really infused with orange. Very good, but I had to stop eating because the fatty duck was a bit too much for me. -Grilled halibut. They manage to make the skin on it super-crispy. Like potato-chip crispy. It was served with some type of cherry tomatoes that were very potent in flavor. Again, a great dish. One tip is that their limoncello is house-made and excellent, but not always on the menu. So be sure to ask for it if you enjoy limoncello.
(5)Cynthia L.
I ate here over New Years weekend. It was a little disappointing since I'm a huge fan of Mario Batali. I ordered a braised pork appetizer. The name escapes me but I think that there was some pork feet in it. Super tasty and came accompanied with a mesclun salad that had the perfect tangy vinaigrette. I loved my app, so we thought we were off to a great start. For the entree, I ordered the black spaghetti with Njuda and sicilian pesto (the waiter had told me that it was spicy, but this spaghetti was REALLY spicy). It was so spicy that my mouth was on fire and it completely took away from the rest of the dish which was pretty tasty, I think. My husband ordered the beef cheek ravioli and although it was very tasty, it was not as exciting as it sounds. Overall I wouldn't eat here again as there are so many tasty restaurants in Vegas. Sorry Mario...I'm still a fan of your other restaurants.
(2)Christina S.
September 2009 was my second time dining at B&B and it didn't dissapoint. We had the regional tasting menu of pasta and as the waiter said- "it will be a journey" she wasn't joking! We got there at 8pm and didn't leave until 11:30. We decided to do the wine pairings and that is the way to go. Every course was thought through and using local ingredients. At several points during our dining journey the staff commented on where the tomatoes were from, the process for making the pasta, who makes it and why dishes were paired with that particular wine. Just thinking about it- wants me to schedule another trip to dine at B&B. We heard that truffles will be coming out soon- maybe, just maybe- that will be my reason to go! The service is impeccable and everyone is paying attention to what you need- from the bus staff to the wait staff. I love dining at this restaurant and is a must every time I am in Vegas. Then you can go and dance it off later!! Love Batali!!!
(5)Damian P.
This review is for the bar counter only. The drink selection is vast, but tell'em what your looking for and you'll be pointed in the right direction. I was looking for a night cap along the lines of a port. Our bartender was excellent at describing offerings. He enthusiastically detailed the flavors and notes of each and even offered a sample when one caught my attention. This alone made me return the next night and tried something new once again based on his recommendations. The vibe is cool, laid back, quiet, and intimate. Great for a date or alone. I highly recommend.
(5)Melissa M.
The B&B Dry Aged Ribeye for Two was probably the best steak I've ever had. The grilled octopus is probably the best octopus I've ever had too. Great service and delicious food.
(5)Jive O.
We had a great evening at B&B and everything was spot on from food to service. Aside from entrees everything was ordered to share and I think that's the best way to go around and try everything. I looooooooved the Grilled Octopus. I'm not sure why anyone would say it's chewy and rubbery? I've had no such experience, it was flavorful and tender (by octopus standards). We had so much food that I don't remember what's what but all I know is that the food was excellent. We had a blast for sure. Will be back!
(4)julie c.
all i have to say is after this dining experience, i will never again step foot in another mario batali's restaurant again. let me sum up my experience over this labor day weekend: arrived @ 8pm with 3 friends. complimentary bread served was burnt. but at least they served it with quality olive oil. first course clam pasta arrived @ 9pm which we shared. pasta was undercooked, told our waitress, she offered to come back with another clam pasta. my friends and i told her not to worry about it. ok, 9:45pm rolled by. still no food. friend told waitress we're press for time because we had to be somewhere @ 10pm. food came @ 9:50pm. friend #1 ordered mint ravioli, which was good. friend #2 ordered pork chop in medium rare. the pork chop was well done. friend #3 and i shared a rack of lamb in medium, half of which was rare. we ate it anyways because half was edible and the other half friend #3 didn't mind eating it rare. friend #2 was not very happy about his pork chop. he was trying to eat it because we were pressed for time without complaining to the waitress. but the more he thought about it and the price he was paying for his meal, the more upset he got. so he told the waitress who was apologetic and offered another chop. friend #3 asked, "how long would that take?" waitress said, "at least 30 minutes." well, we didn't have 30 minutes. so friend #3 was left to eat cardboard tasting pork chop. waitress got the manager, the manager was apologetic enough but because my friend was so upset, the manager snapped back a bit and was defensive. manager didn't mention the chop would be comped, but we saw it on our bill. i've been to plenty of upscale restaurants in my lifetime, but never have i experienced anything like this. my first experience dining at mario batali's restaurant and my last.
(1)Carol D.
B&B is normally one of my favorite restaurants. I have been there 5 times and have had pretty much everything on the menu at least once. It often has mixed reviews too. Burnt food, over salty food. I just never had a bad meal and thought maybe those that revied it might have been too picky. That was until I ate there on Friday. Some of the food was so bad we did not eat it. My favorite dish has been the Gnocchi since my first time at B&B. This time it was so salty you could not finish eating it. The mint love letters where also gross this time around. Nothing like my past visits. Even the bread was different and served cold. There was five of us. Our server talked down to us like we where stupid morons. I had asked if we could eat our pasta family style so we could all share. We had orded 5 pasta dishes. Mario has always said food is to be sharred. Even the article about B&B on the Venetians site talks about passing plates. Our server would not give us extra plates or a serving spoon so we could all have a taste. I guess the Los Angles Times people are morons too and they should take that article off the site. I was embarrased that I recomended the restaurant. What pisses me off the most is we were forced to tip for rude bad service. I normal always tip everyone and more than 20% but he made the whole night ruined. I never knew 5 was a big party that forced a tip. Maybe that is why he did not care if we had good service or not. I most likely will not be back to what was a favorite place.
(2)Amanda S.
i really wanted to love this place, but left somewhat upset. my friend and i deliberately waited until way after the opening of the restaurant so that we could avoid crowds and so the restaurant could work out the kinks...well, it definitely wasn't crowded, but there was definitely kinks to be worked out. here are my rants: 1. first, we got to the restaurant about 45 minutes early and asked if it would be possible to be seated. they say sure, but then lead us to sit in the bar and said it would be just a moment. well, just a moment turned out to be almost an hour. so, we ended up being seated at our table almost 15 minutes later than our reservation. i don't mind if they told us they didn't have seats until our reservation time, because that's when we reserved the table for...but why did they tell us that we could be seated early?? 2. the food: we ordered the grilled octopus with cranberry beans, pig trotter, homemade orecchiette with with sweet sausage and rapini, grilled quail, and i think brasato (i think they've changed it a bit since ate here), and for dessert i had the panna cotta with huckleberries. except for the trotter and the orechiette, the food was as good as expected. the trotter i thought had a bit of a strange after taste and the orechiette with sweet sausage and rapini was almost inedible. it was so salty, i almost could not swallow it. and after i did, i regretted it. we left it almost uneaten when our plates were cleared and no one ever asked if it was to our liking or if there was anything wrong with it. if it weren't for a show after our dinner, i think i might have sent it back...which is something i rarely do. 3. training of the wait staff: okay, so i know what is appropriate to expect and what is not depending on the type of restaurant. i'm not gonna go into mcdonalds and ask for fresh ground pepper or to olive garden and ask that my pasta be al dente...anyways, so i'm eating my brasato and there are some root vegetables i've never had before. so, i ask a waiter (not our main waiter...it seemed like all the waiters help each other out even though it's not their table) as i point to the vegetable, if he could please identify the vegetable. he says he doesn't know and calls over another waiter and he tells me that the root vegetable i'm pointing to is couscous. okay. i'm thinking, he cannot be serious or maybe i misheard. so, i ask him to repeat. he again says that it is couscous. i say, no, that is not couscous. it's a vegetable. so, we "argue" back and forth then i just give in...thinking to myself that he is an idiot. if he didn't know, all he had to say is i don't know, but i can find out for you. why is this so difficult. if you're gonna be charging over $50 for an entree, the waitstaff should be educated in the ingredients. i also didn't think our waiter was very attentive to our needs. instead of coming to check up on us, we were constantly looking around for him or waiving the busboy over when we needed something. also all the tables around me with women had purse hangers, but i wasn't even offered. if it wasn't for the food (excluding the orechiette and trotter), i would have given only 2 stars. will have to reassess before thinking about returning.
(3)John B.
A very unremarkable experience. It started with the restaurant not being open on time (reservations at 5 PM so that we make Jersey Boys at 7 PM). The hostess share with us that they were running late and wasn't sure when they would open up. With the restaurant almost empty they attempted to seat us at one of the worst small table that would be next to the large family that was to be seated next. The consistent experience continued with both the appetizers and entrées being very uninspired at best. Not bad food but what you would expect if a couple friends came over to your house and you were forced to pull together what little you have in the refrigerator together for a meal. There are too many other excellent choices to waste a meal here.
(1)dayna a.
This restaurant was recommended to me... I was visiting my friend in Vegas and decided to try this place out. The food was delicious, no complaints here. For our appetizers we shared a beet salad, somehow our waitress thought we ordered Lamb's Tongue/Brain (not sure)... But we ended up getting the right dish instead.. I ordered Lamb and I was very pleased with my dish. The portions are a lot because I wasn't able to sample dessert! Whenever in Vegas you must go here!
(5)W Y.
We were looking forward to the dinner based on the reviews and ratings. However I had some concerns as there were some recent negative reviews. This was probably the most disappointing dinner we have ever had. We started with the octopus and calamari. The octopus was far too salty and inedible. The calamari was chewy and bland. The main courses we had were the lamb and linguine with clams. The rack of lamb was composed of about half fat. My wife had the linguine and the noodles were hard and chewy. When she asked about the chewiness of the noodles they took the plate back and said they would prepare a new one. They brought the same plate back just hotter (probably in the microwave). Will definitely never go again and will not reccommend.
(1)DaFunk P.
had 5 dishes and 4 were bad...only good dish I had was the rib-eye for 2. if you do not have an exotic tongue, this place is not for you. btw: do not try the black spaghetti!
(3)S N.
An amazing dining experience. Great service and great food! We had the pasta tasting menu, which contained 5 pasta tastings and one dessert. With each pasta, we received a detailed explanation. We started with an amuse, a chickpea bruschetta. Even though the beef cheeks put Mario on the map, we thought the dish was way too rich and had a metallic aftertaste. Our favorite was the goat cheese tortelloni with orange zest, so delicious. Overall a great meal, the waiters were very attentive and maybe a little too attentive. Only issue is the tables were really close; you could basically hear your neighbors entire conversation.
(5)Rene K.
I am very surprise by the many negative reviews! We had 3 appetizers, 2 pastas, a main and 2 desserts. The amuse bouche was very good, we were so in love with the olive oil that was drizzled over the chickpeas we had our waiter pour us some more for our bread. The octopus grilles and served plain was the best we ever had, charred on the outside to a wonderful crispiness while the inside retains the creamy softness. The crispy rabbit leg was very good too, perfectly battered and fried, flesh was tender and juicy. The proscuitto was melt in you mouth, by dipping the toast that came with the dish in the house olive oil made the dish sublime. My husband pasta with wild mushroom was so good I almost took his dish over. The lobster pasta had very generous large pieces. The pasta was perfect the saucing was on the spot. The main course of rabbit was great too. Dessert was Myer's lemon pudding was everything I liked in s dessert, crunchy topping, light lemon chiffon cake floating on the lemony tart pudding. The Key Lime gelati was refreshing and light. We cannot find any fault with the service. Our waiter knows his dishes and was willing to give his opinion. We were looked after very well, no hovering but quick attentive service. I do not overly salty food and did not find any of the dishes too salty. I would happily return for the octopus and pasta anytime!
(5)Catherine H.
Mario's restaurants hold a special place in my heart since we went to Babbo after we got engaged! Babbo was literally one of the best meals of my life, every single need was anticipated and dare I say it...everything was flawless from decor, to service, to the food. Since Mario doesn't have any restaurants in Chicago I couldn't wait to try his Vegas offerings. We had wine and appetizers at Carnevino, which we couldn't have been more impressed with, and then came here for dinner and dessert. I was glad we we went to carnevino first for drinks because the bar here was essentially in the foyer and no one was there at all. The tables were uncomfortably close together and that combined with the multitude of servers made dining there sort of weird, I felt like I was constantly interrupted and couldn't help but overhear everyone's conversations around us. Our first course of goat cheese, fennel pollen and orange ravioli were amazing! Next came the mint love letters which just couldn't have been any more disgusting. My husband LOVES lamb and mint and they were so bad he had half a bite and couldn't get any more down. We obviously didn't eat the rest of it and when our server came over and asked us what was wrong he immediately removed them and couldn't have been any nicer. The manager came over next and apologized and offered to help, and then two glasses of prosecco arrived. What could have been a dealbreaker for us turned into a moment that made us like B&B even more since they handled it so well. Our dessert was amazing! Overall, since Babbo was so amazing we had lofty expectations for this place that it didn't fulfill. If I didn't go in expecting to be amazed though, I think I would have been much more satisfied with this solid restaurant.
(3)Misti L.
Ok, pretty expensive considering. But it was good. I sat at the bar which I love doing as I was alone and you get automatic company and attentive service. The food was excellent. I was stuffed and just had a salad and the half portion of pasta. Don't ask how many glasses of bubbles I had please.
(4)matty c.
I want to give it negative stars if that is an option but it isn't. The worst dining experience ever. Went with a group of girlfriends for dinner. Had no choice but to order pre-fixed menu. The skirt steak was the saltiest dish I've ever had. It was so salty we could not eat it. So we asked the waiter to either remake it or change to some other dish. The waiter got all defensive and reluctantly said ok. We had to wait over 30 minutes for our food in the first place, but second time around, we had to wait even longer!!! And when it came out for the second time, it was still too salty and this time the meat was overcooked. Some of us who opted for quail instead, still had to deal with overcooked meat. The manager nor waiter never came by to see if we needed anything...they did not even apologize for our inconvenience. Dessert came so much faster than our coffee...and the biscottis came after we were done with the coffee. To top it all off, our bill was overcharged by $150!!!! After the meal, manager (ANDREW) finally came since he had to due to their incompetant math skills, he was unapologetic and gave excuses to every comment we made. We explained that food being salty can happen but we were more upset about the service, he walked away from us while we were STILL talking!!! What kind of manager treats their unhappy customers this way. It was unbelievably immature behavior coming especially from a MANAGER of a professional restaurant...who was supposedl train to oversee the customer to have the best dining experience? mario batali should be ashamed of such horrible management of his restaurant. RUDE STAFF, TERRIBLE FOOD, HORRIBLE SERVICE and IMMATURE MANAGER By far the worst dining experience ever and will never go back or let anyone I care about to waste their money/time here.
(1)Tess G.
I'd rate the food 4.5 stars. We had dinner here last Friday: Hubby and I shared the rib-eye steak (an order is $100 meant for 2 people) as well as the spaghettini with lobster. washed down with 2 bottles of red wine. For appetizer, the group (6 of us) shared the calamari, tripe, prosciutto and the salad that evening which is absolutely to die for: cherry tomato with cube fresh mozzarella and lastly for dessert we had the sorbete and gelato, pear and coffee gelato. Oh! FYI! my friend ordered the fish I think it was red snapper) and you should skip this, she didn't finish her entree as it was bland and overcooked. We brought our favorite red wine but were informed that they do not allow outside wines to be opened in the restaurant. The waiter was knowledgeable and The service was outstanding all throughout the meal except towards the end when our waiter asked if we wanted dessert and the ladies all declined. but we later changed our minds and decided to have the sorbete and gelato. At that point, the waiter had already closed our tab (which I don't think is a big deal) and he had a sudden change of attitude towards us. I don't really see why he's be annoyed when that would mean additional charges thus, additional service charge but well it was late in the evening. Overall the dining experience and the dishes that we ordered were outstanding. I would recommend this restaurant anytime, I will probably eat there again next time we are staying at the Venetian.
(4)Heather G.
Why is this guy so fat!! I mean the portions he puts out for his customers are acceptable maybe for an ant. I think it is possible that Mario eats what is not being given to us. I thought the food was very good, but the portions are just too small. Everywhere else I have eaten in Vegas has given me decent size portions of food for 40 dollars. But, I got a pasta dish that was 42 dollars and I could barely see it on my plate. I know he is more about flavor than portions, but I feel they are ripping people off. We asked the manager about it and he said it is because they import all their food from New York or Italy and it is all organic. Now, I can appreciate that, but the prices for how much food is given is crazy to me. We spent 250 on just food alone because we aren't drinkers and we still left hungry.....and no we aren't fat either. We both eat healthy and work out at home and watch our weight, but on the rare occasion we go out these days we want to treat ourselves and be bad a little. I would never go here again.
(1)Stephen S.
Three of us ate their about one month ago, and felt the restaurant was very "underwhelming" !! I ordered the duck done two different ways. One portion was so salty it was almost inedible!! I complained to the server and was advised that Mario's food tends to be salty- with no apology!! We were each given one piece of very plain bread without butter or olive oil, and not offered any more. The service was very slow. The other entries were very pedestrian. For what we paid there are many many other better restaurants in Vegas!!!
(1)Michelle F.
Attentive superb service. Delicious tender pasta. Amazing octopus appetizer. B and b restaurant is a amazing fine dine dining choice inbetween the palzzo and the venetian in restaurant corner..its easy to find and reservations are easy via opentable. Upon seating, the booths are very comfortable. But i found the tables slightly high for comfort. It was not a problem at all but it was indeed not the most comfortable choice. Once seated, our server was very friendly and courteous. He went through the menu extensively and explained what was popular and even went through the tasting menus. Upon ordering there was almost no wait for appetizers to be served. The house provided a chickpea brushetta. Which was a great vegetarian dish that was surprisinly unique. It is definetly an acquired taste but the flavours of olive oils and the crispy bruschetta matched well. I typically dont like chickpeas. But this pairing tasted pretty good. They also served a great crusty bread with a californian olive oil and an italian balsamic vinegrette. Yummy! We started with the highly rated octopus dish. This is highly rated for good reason. They have turned a normally rubbery tough dish to the most tender juicy piece of seafood that is soft and delicious. The sauces accompanied with it gave the dish the tang to keep the dish super flavourful without overwhelming it. It was balanced and every bite was divine. I have to say its the best octopus ive ever had. Even better than live octopus from nobu!!! Whatever their secret is i definetly will order this every time i come to vegas. Dear god dont miss out. Its sooooooo delicious! Next off we decided on the pasta tasting which was an amazing 6 course meal with dessert. The first course was a corzetti with a pesto genovese. It was light and the mint gave the pesto a great touch. Delicious. My tip. Sop up all that pesto with some of the provided bread. It was delicious! Lol. The second course was the goat cheese tortolinni. Tender and melt in your mouth it was superb. The dish was drenched in oil but was surprisingly light. Third course was the summer squash agnolotti. This was my favourite dish. It was savoury but tasted like the vegtables were enhanced by the sweetness of the zucchini. It was tender and the radishes on top added a perfect crunch to the dish. If you are ordering a la carte... id have to highly recomend the vegtable pasta dishes. They are amazing and bring vegetarian options to a new level. My son who doesnt care for them said the veggies were sweet and savoury at the same time and really enjoyed them. Next we had the meat courses which were great but not as amazing as the pasta vegetarian dishes. But were still flavourful and hearty. Albertos pyramids was great. A tender pasta with a rose sauce was sweet and satisfying. It had the unique italian flavour that sends you back to rome. The tomatoes sweet and the pasta that melts in your mouth. This was my second favourite dish on the pasta tasting menu. The second meat dish was the beef cheek ravioli with truffles and duck liver. This was good. The texture a bit off but the flavours were great. The meat was off only bc it was the consistentcy of pulled pork in a pasta. Which was kinda weird. But the truffles gave it that little kick of flavour to make you wonder how these combinations even meddle great together. Who would of known...beef with truffles and duck liver. Wow thats unique. Its something ive never had before and is quite inventive. Which i appreaciate. It really made me feel like this meal was a special night out! So live a little and have another glass of wine. Thats what i did and it was totally worth it. Btw...the wine list is extensive and intimidating for an amateur like me. But the waiter suggested an amazing wine which is poured into a serving glass which equates to two full glasses of wine. For the glass i tried. $15 a glass was a great deal! Cheaper than beer! Score! Lastly we finished with a chocolate chip canoli. It was great. Not overly sweet. But still satisfied the sweet tooth. With the americano it was a perfect ending to my meal. Surprisingly it was lighter than i expected! I must rave about the Impeccable timing for service. Dishes were cleared quickly and dishes paced adequatly. The servers cleared dishes and ensured everything was provided for before they left. Honestly id give them 6 stars for service. It was anticipated, everything i wanted even before asking. They were that good. Wine poured when needed. Water refilled. Plates cleared. Cutlery provided quickly. Even extra plates for every meal were provided since i was sharing with my son. For every course!!!! Without asking. They treat kids superb. And make the night out more special for the kiddos by making them feel welcome during our entire meal. No pretentious servers here! I will be back. The service and food exceeded my expectations. And it will be on my to return list when i come back again!
(5)Miyu Y.
Would give a negative. My co-worker went there one day before and told us their spaghetti is soooo salty they had to sent back, but we decided to give it another chance. We told the waitress to make everything we order w/ less salt because what my co-worker told us. We order the pre-fixed menu w/ lobster spaghetti , few appetizers and 2 black spaghetti. Appetizers is okay, but lobster spaghetti came undercooked that it's still hard and you can tasted the starch so we sent it back. They heated up for us without remaking the whole dish (microwaved???) Because it came back on the same plate and left over food size (me and 2 others all took a bite) and the spaghetti is still a little undercooked. Black spaghetti is soooooo salty and over spiced (it is not because its spicy because we can both eat really spicy food) which my friend and I both can't even take a 2nd bite even we told them to make everything with less salt. We don't even want to send it back since we already sent back the uncooked lobster spaghetti. So we kind of just left 3 plates of spaghetti there and asked for check. Their service is really good but so sad the food is not as good as before. Will not go back again....
(1)Marlena K.
Is there a negative star? I guess will have to go with one star. Being from New York, traveling to Italy and making my own Gnocchi I was SUPER HYPED TO TRY MARIO BATALI'S B&B! Who doesn't love this guy and his orange crocs!! So you are in Vegas and you're thinking okay this is going to be amazing considering his reputation. I was set on trying there Gnocchi, it was such a waste of 30 dollars. I mean there was about 15 gnocchi on the dish in a sauce with no flavor supposed to be a butter sauce but that was flavorless. It had beans and the beans were good it just didnt go with the gnocchi. They gave me one slice of bread with my meal and one complimentary small bruschetta that was bland and had a bunch of cold chickpeas on top. I mean the gnocchi had beans and ham hock it was just so wrong. The "Ham Hock" was chewy and rough, and tasted like a chorizo gone wrong! I was so upset because I watch all his shows I watch him on food network and I love his cooking. I'm not sure why the food is of such poor quality. Specifically the Gnocchi but, if that was bad I don't want anything else. The service was exceptional the waiters/waitress can read the menu upside down backwards there so competent but its the food that is not worth it. DO NOT GO, SERIOUSLY. TAKE YOUR MONEY THROW IT INTO THE BELLAGIO FOUNTAINS IT WILL PROBABLY GO TO BETTER USE. If you go back, go back for the complimentary dessert squares at the end that you need a magnifying glass to see, its like 5 pieces some are tasty others just so gross.
(1)Leah M.
We were so excited to try this restaurant for my birthday dinner while visiting Vegas. One of my favorite things in the world is Bucatini alla'Amatriciana and I adore Chef Mario Batali's recipe for this amazing dish, so I was very excited to see it on the menu. The pasta tasting also sounded amazing so we were very excited. We were greeted with very exceptional service. Specials were explained, questions were listened to attentively, and special requests were honored with grace. Almost all of us decided to get some type of Prixe Fix menu. The cocktails were amazing, including the Italiano Mule (Blood Orange). They allowed me to try my favorite Amatricana as a replacement for the pasta course, but charged me an extra ten dollars for this replacement (they charge the same replacement fee for the LOBSTER pasta). I was a little surprised as Amatricana is only about four ingredients and is relatively inexpensive to make. Were they just charging for the inconvenience of having to make something off of the prixe fix? When the pasta came I was disappointed to see a large amount of whole parsley leaves. Parsley is never and ingredient in this dish and it completely overpowered the delicate flavor of the guanciale. It was not everything I had built it up to be. The short ribs were also disappointing, not enough sauce and served over very boring polenta. I could not taste the horseradish at all. Our friends that got the pasta tasting had some exceptional pastas that were beautifully prepared and tasted delicious. The octopus appetizer was quite lovely as well. They very kindly brought me panna cotta with a Happy Birthday Message but unfotunately the panna cotta was absolutely awful. It was not sweet at all and had the consistency of hardened paste. The food overall was well cooked, almost everything tasted good and the service was very fine, but for the price and considering who owns the restaurant, I was expecting perfection.
(3)Candace C.
Restaurant Week Dinner menu 2015 review. The Skinny: delicious pastas, subpar secondi(3.5) service: very attentive (4) value: expensive for the level of cuisine (3). I wanted to try B&B's 4 course restaurant week tasting menu for $50 which is a great deal considering what they normally charge to eat here. They started us off with an amuse bouche of chickpeas/cumin/basil bruschetta. This wasn't anything to write home about (a little bland) and the way it was served made it difficult to eat with all the chickpeas falling off the croustini. A wonderful crusty loaf with EVOO and balsamic was provided for their bread service. It wasn't warm but the crunch/perfectly dense texture of the bread hit the spot and we both consumed two thick slices each by the end of the evening. We both got the salad course which was a mixture of field green served with some parmesan cheese. This was an okay dish for me. The salad was overly dressed and slightly wilting from the dressing. The primi dishes offered were the pork trotter ravioli with cherry tomatoes and the garganelli with summer squash. Both pasta dishes were exquisite in terms of flavor and execution. The ravioli filling tasted like a porky bone marrow and the tomatoes provide just that right amount of sweetness and acidity to cut through the richness. The garganelli was a surprisingly simplistic dish which highlighted the freshness of the ingredients and also executed extremely well. We chose the pork loin with wax beans/arugula/fennel and the short rib with polenta. The pork loin dish was more of a riff on a lighter version of a bacon and bean dish. The issues I had with the dish were largely the uneven seasoning of the dish itself. The various beans and mildly smokey pork loin were a bit heavy on the salt. The sauce underneath the dish was great and mellowed it out somewhat. Arugula and fennel added a bit of lightness to an otherwise heavier dish. The portion size on the pork loin was small (two very thin slices) for a secondi. Short rib with polenta was a disappointment. The short rib was quite tender but was surprisingly bland. The polenta texture was a bit thin while the vegetables (large celery flavored) were rather one note. Portion size was okay but the taste overall just wasn't there. Pass on this dish. Dessert was a nice light gelati. The blackberry was stellar while the chocolate was only okay for me as it had a mild grainy texture to it. Overall, I would highly recommend the pasta and completely skip the entrées and appetizers. Given the experience I had, the food gets a 3.5 only because of the delicious pasta dishes. The other courses left me feeling unimpressed. When you factor in cost, this joint leaves me ambivalent about returning as there are other better high end Italian restaurants in the city that provide more bang for your buck. (3 stars)
(3)Rick P.
I totally don't understand the low scoring on this place. The food here is phenomenal and the service is superb. My steak was amazing and the rest of our meals were delicious. It's been a while since I've been here but what I can remember of it made a long lasting one and I would recommend anyone who would like to indulge to give it a go. There is a reason why this is a celebrity chef Resturant the food speaks for it self. The Resturant itself can be a little bit bigger but the staff and the way they present your meal is HUGE. This Resturant this Resturant along with such as NoVe Italiano make it's high marks with me!!! Expensive but worth the money spent. Lucky for me I have a rich father in law to pay for it. LOL!
(5)Clair S.
Excellent food, amazingly attentive staff, it was overall incredible (except for the loud couple seated next to us that were constantly complaining). I must admit, I was seated at a open window and felt a bit on display, but once it was closed, it was a perfect evening! If you are trying the gelato dessert, I recommend the olive oil gelato. Incredibly creamy and rich.
(5)Marlyn S.
We came to dinner here because of Mario Batali, the renowned Italian chef. We had the pasta prefix menu which is 6 courses. The food was very good, although I thought it was too much of the same thing(pasta) over and over. Next time I visit, I think I will opt for the ala carte menu.
(4)Emily H.
Oh Mario how I hate to give this restaurant 3 stars which I would rate as 3.5 because of your exceptional Octopus dish. So many years idolizing you and trying to get reservations to your restaurant in New York Babbo but to avail so I was so excited in trying your Italian cuisine. First the seating was horrible. I sat on the booth side and there is a definite flaw in the design. The seat is too low and the table to high making it uncomfortable to eat. I was not the only person to comment on it. Another party sat beside us and they quickly commented how odd the seating was and asked to move. The seating was just the beginning, the service was not great. The waitress forgot the side dish altogether and didn't even let us know about the chocolate budino (soufflé) which usually takes 20 minutes and is customary to ask if you would be wanting so they could prepare beforehand. We ordered the orecchiette with lamb sausage and rapini. The dish was good, but nothing out of this world. The octopus was the only dish we had that I considered to be worthy of a four and five star restaurant. I had the rabbit porchetta which was different, but wouldn't order again. We also had the Veal Chop which was good. Not even the dessert was pulled off. We ordered the chocolate cake served with a peanut butter shake. The chocolate cake was hard as if it was frozen, on the other hand the milk shake was phenomenal. The seating, service and dishes that were average contributed my 3.5 stars. I am disappointed since I have been a fan of Mario Batali for many years and I refuse to believe this is all there is so I will be going to Lunch at his other restaurant Otto. Hopefully this will help restore my vision of him as a master of Italian cuisine.
(3)christian g.
We went here for our fourth anniversary and once again, it didn't disappoint! Great pasta, our server was excellent and paid attention to details. Hands down it is the best Italian in Vegas!
(5)Gwen B.
We had a wonderful experience at B&B. My dad loves Mario Batali so I took him here as a treat. The food was amazing, service extraordinary, and the ambiance was great. The bread was a highlight, the squid app was superb, and the complimentary chick pea bruschetta was a hit with us all! We shared the Lobster Ravioli and Ribeye for 2 entrees between the three of us and enjoyed everything immensely. It was all well-seasoned and as my dad said "It was the first meal where I didn't have to add salt or pepper!" It was our favorite meal in Vegas and although somewhat pricey, not OVERPRICED. We will definitely be returning!
(5)Paul S.
January 31, 2015 Saturday - 7 PM dinner 2 adults Atmosphere - 5 stars Food - 5 stars Service - 5 stars Background - My wife loves these high end restaurants. Add to the fact she watches 'The Chew' daily. We had to go here because of Mario Batali. The Vegas weekend getaway is our V-day gift to each other. And I can not top it after this experience. Atmosphere - The restaurant is dimly lit romantic atmosphere. We sat at a table on the left side of the entrance. Food Drinks - A beer of course. All their beers are Italian. My Meal Appetizer - It was compliments of the chef, two small pieces of breed cover in a medley of vegetables. I could tell from this it was going to be a good night. Main Course - We ordered the seven course pasta meal. For me, my two favorite dishes were the first two courses. But the one that popped for me was the Goat Cheese Tortelloni. I am a huge fan of stuffed pastas and this did not tell me down. I could of ate this dish all night. Dessert - Our seven course meal was nine when all said and done. We had a pre-dessert and a dessert which was a budino, I guess that means spoonful Italian according to our waiter, but it was really a chocolate soufflé. I was so stuffed at this point I could not even finish mine. Wait there was more dessert, compliments of the pastry chef, several little samples. Oh my I need a wheel barrel. Service - Truly this what you come here for. Okay the chef's amazing cooking. So both chefs and servers work hand and hand. After getting our drinks our waiter wanted to understand our time constraints which I thought was great. We had none as this was our focus tonight. We had two plus hours of fabulous service. My wife pointed out; watch them bring the food to the large group. Every plate went down at the same in unison. Future - Well this was a very special treat. Love to go back but this not a daily meal or experience for me.
(5)Mario S.
My first Batali resto and excited if it will meet expectations. Initially had problems reserving for 10 but in the front of the house worked it out. Ordered: proseco recommended by sommelier - very good; octopus - do not miss; beef cheek ravioli - very good; lamb chop - BEST I have had ever; short rib - tender and good. Others ordered rabbit, lobster pasta, etc. All were very happy with their orders. Dessert - most ordered gelato and we had the mascarpone - very good. B&B is highly recommended and hope he opens one in the SF Bay Area soon.
(5)Doreen E.
SALT - If they could just ease up a tad on this condiment, all would be right. Love the decor - truly beautiful taste in furniture. It would have been romantic, but I was with my best girl - and I promised her I wouldn't hit on her while we were in vegas. ;) Loved the service - we were welcomed warmly and made to feel at home immediately. Our server knew when to stay away and when to come back. Lovely portions of wine - knowing most people want a little more than a glass. But here's the funny part - our server says we should pick something from each part of the menu - and there is NO WAY either of us could have eaten that much food. R and I each had a small salad and pasta entrees. There was no way we could have had a main course. The pasta was delicious.
(3)Michelle S.
I've been waiting for some time to eat at a Mario restaurant and I have to say that the experience did not disappoint. My husband and I went with Mario's Classic Pasta tasting menu. It was a 7 course tasting menu, 5 courses of pasta and 2 courses of dessert. Our service was impeccable! Our waiter was knowledgeable, helpful, friendly, informative, and funny. The assistant waiter was awesome. He was in charge of making sure our water was full, we always had bread, we always had new silverware for each course, general chit chat and just to make sure we were completely taken care of. They made you feel "important" and very well taken care of. As we were presented every course we were given a detailed explanation of what we were about to eat. Additionally, if we had questions about the course they were happy to discuss more details with us. The staff was extremely knowledgeable about each and every dish and were extremely friendly. I can honestly say that each and every course we were served was unique and delicious. The dishes were served from a lighter sauce to a heavier sauce which I thought was a great service method. My favorite pasta course was the Goat Cheese Tortelloni with Dried Orange and Wild Fennel Pollen. It is truly hard to explain just how incredible this dish was. The pasta was so tender, the goat cheese filling was light yet extremely flavorful. However, it was the orange that made this dish. The hint of orange paired so beautifully with the goat cheese. It was truly special. My second favorite course was the Handrolled Pasta Sfoglia with Sage Pastry Cream. When I saw this on the menu I wasn't quite sure about the Sage Pastry Cream. WOW!! It was spectacular. I have never enjoyed a cream more. Our waiter called it a pre-dessert as it starts getting your palate ready for a sweat dessert. It was perfect. The dessert was a chocolate budino that was absolutely heavenly. It was light, airy and oh so chocolately. But, I have to say what I thought was really nice was the post-dessert box of mini goodies that we were presented with. It was a pleasant surprise. A box filled with tiny bites of goodness. Treats such as a flourless cake, an oatmeal cookie, a peanut butter cookie and 4 other mini-yummy bites. Was this evening expensive - yes. Did I feel like it was worth the cost - YES, it was worth every single penny. The combination of fantastic service and spectacular food made for an extremely memorable and enjoyable evening.
(5)amit s.
So i had high expectations given the Names of Batali + Son of Lydia. I usually don't like raviolis, although that is what most ppl were having. We tried, what seemed like, fairly random pastas.... a bucatini and a torteloni. And they were OUTSTANDING. Sometimes you want to give a restaurant more than 5 stars... This, mis amigos, is one of those times. The service was perfect. Every bite, every flavour was pronounced & delicious. Love it. Love it. Love it.
(5)Lisa N.
Love this place!!! Everything is perfect from the charcuterie plate (highly recommended!) to the fresh pasta tasting menu. We did this place up with wine pairings too and forced down dessert which we couldn't finish. The staff is excellent, especially the wine sommelier. They even brought us extra wines to try since we were very interested in everything. Yes, it's expensive but worth it if you skip a show and have this as your entertainment. I can't wait to go back in a couple weeks!
(5)Norm K.
Michael U. and I met here for dinner before a show and the meal was excellent! Our server, Kelly, asked us a few questions and got our drink order before leaving us to check the menu and make our choices. When we ordered, we said we were sharing everything and asked for plates for the splitting. No problem at all. We started with an amuse-bouche of chick peas on lightly toasted bread. A very nice starter to get the meal off to a tasty start. First up were two starters--warm tripe "alla"Romana and country style paté. Both were excellent. The tripe was cut in small strips that were very tender and the tomato sauce was mild and complimented the tripe perfectly. There was freshly grated cheese on top. The paté, made with pork, was served with blackberry conserve, greens, and cotica. The paté was very good. Two nice starters to begin the meal. For the pasta course, we got the pork trotter ravioli and the beef cheek ravioli. They allowed us to order off the tasting menu for the beef cheek ravioli. For the pork trotter, there was freshly grated cheese. The beef cheek ravioli was in a sauce of black truffles and crushed duck liver. Both dishes were superb! The beef cheek had a hearty flavor of truffle and liver. The pork trotter had pieces of chive and their blossoms. The textures in the pork trotter ravioli were great. Two winners for the pasta course. For main courses, we got rabbit porchetta and roasted lamb shoulder. The rabbit was accompanied by a carrot sformato, sunflower sprouts and crispy confit. The flavors were excellent and the rabbit was very tasty. The lamb shoulder was cooked medium rare and served with cannellini beans and some greens. Both main courses wer outstanding! Very flavorful, simple yet elegant dishes. For dessert, M ordered the chocolate budino and I ordered a special--peaches and cream. M's budino was made more like a soufflé and the chocolate could have been richer. The top was pierced and some melted chocolate poured on the top. The peaches and cream were fantastic! The dish consisted of lightly grilled peach slices on a bed of mascarpone and a peach sorbet. A very simple dish executed so nicely. After dinner, we were brought a box with 7 mignardises. A tasty selection of little bites to end our meal. Service was outstanding during our meal. Plates were cleared quickly, new silverware and dishes were brought for each course, and the explanations of the dishes was great! After walking by B&B so many times and looking at the menu, it was really good to try the place. Eating with a friend also gave me the chance to taste double the amount of items without eating double the amount of food.
(5)Tyler B.
Small and intimate. Our waitress was excellent. Very knowledgeable and helpful. Wasn't pushy but had 2-3 recommendations for every course. She also walked us through the menu to ensure that we wouldn't order too much or too less. Sommelier paired a cheaper wine perfectly with our meal on his first recommendation. Salumi and prosciutto were excellent along with the pasta and bolognese! We couldn't decide between ice wines for our dessert, so they poured us a glass of each but only charged us for one. This isn't overly fancy. They keep it simple and delicious.
(4)Chris C.
Let me make this simple for you. This restaurant should be at the top of your fine dining options for Las Vegas. Fantastic meal, one of the best we have ever had. Our waitress Brittany was extremely friendly, helpful, knowledgeable about every dish and wine and made the evening flow without a hitch. My wife, 22 yr old son and I split several orders, the dishes arrived already split and individually plated when possible. Butter lettuce salad was a great opener. Goat cheese tortellini was creamy and delicious. Pasta with lobster was a healthy portion cooked perfectly. Rabbit porchetta had great flavors and was very tender. Snap peas were incredible, I know it's a stretch to get excited over a vegetable side dish but try them and you will understand, perfectly cooked, no strings, great flavor and texture. Balsamic Mascarpone dessert with strawberries was very good, Limoncello liqueur flight was great with dessert, excellent coffee. Fantastic meal after our show, next time we will have the tasting menu and will always request Brittany as our server as long as she is there. Best meal and dining experience we have had in Vegas in many years. A very good restaurant will get 4 stars from me, it has to be exceptional for 5!
(5)David C.
Service was absolutely stellar. However, for the price, I expected more of the food. The appetizers stole the show, which is a shame because the main courses should be the star. The menu design was great, however the execution left alot to be desired. Staff was incredibly attentive and helpful in navigating the a-la-carte and tasting menu. We opted for family style on the a-la-carte menu and they were very accommodating. Lentil Bruschetta Amuse Bouche: A+ Really savory. Simple dish but was a nice opener. Grilled Octopus Antipasti: A Glorious. Enjoyed the smoky flavor. Octopus was cooked perfectly. Not overdone or rubbery at all, and the olive oil sauce was delicate. Beef Tripe Stew Antipasti: A Really heart beef flavor. Tripe again, was cooked and seasoned to perfection! May not be for everyone's tastes though, since the broth was quite gamey. Clam and Panchetta Linguine: B The pasta was cooked al dente. However, the sauce was significantly overseasoned. Not sure anyone tasted this before it was put up to the pass. Generous serving of clams. Sirloin Filet: A Perfect medium rare. Fantastic taste and seasoning. Great execution. Roasted Lamb Shoulder: B Way too overdone. Was also significantly overseasoned. The meat itself was overdone to the extent that it was crispy and dry. We agreed that this would have been an incredible dish if the lamb were a bit more succulent and if the chef didn't have such a heavy hand when seasoning. Chocolate Souffle: A+ Texture was just right. Souffle was not lopsided. Filling was not too sweet. Absolute deliciousness. Vanilla Marscapone: A+ Shards of dried apple chips, pistachios, and an incredibly creamy marscapone. Really balanced dessert with great flavors. Erred on the sweeter side but still a pleasant finish to the meal. PROTIP: The souffle is on the seasonal menu so YMMV.
(3)Stefany V.
My boyfriend is a huge fan of Batali, and we've been meaning to go here awhile. Managed to snag a last-minute reservation on a whim, but by the time we left I was almost irritated with the overall experience. The appetizers we selected were awesome, the pasta we shared was terrific, but everything after that was extremely underwhelming. Best advice is to sit at the bar, order apps and some pastas to share, or do the tasting menu. Started with a complimentary CHICKPEA BRUSCHETTA that was interesting but not something I'd suggest they add to the menu any time soon. PORK TROTTER ALLA MILANESE with Roasted Tomato and Cannellini Bean Vinaigrette (BF's favorite) and WARM LAMB'S TONGUE with Chanterelle Mushrooms and a 3-Minute Egg (my favorite)- both really good, would get again. Shared the HOMEMADE ORECCHETTE with Spicy Lamb Sausage and Rapini, which was very nice. The pasta was perfectly fresh and chewy, the lamb and rapini paired well together, and the sauce didn't overwhelm the other ingredients. Made me wish I'd just ordered different pasta dishes instead of meat-based entrees. RABBIT PORCHETTA with Peperonata, Sunflower Sprouts and Crispy Confit was underwhelming and slightly overcooked. Wasn't wowed by this at all. GRILLED PORK CHOP with Kuri Kuri Squash, Apples in "Agrodolce" and Green Walnut: I'm not a fan of pork chops and apple sauce, but this upscale version worked. The chop was flavorful, fatty, and salty but the squash and apples mellowed it out well. Wouldn't get this again, though, this isn't really what I'm coming to a Batali restaurant for. Lastly, we ended with the TIRAMISU with espresso gelato: BF's pick as I didn't want dessert at all. We received the plate with the gelato already mostly melted, forming a puddle of soup. I would have taken a picture of the travesty, but wanted to get at least a single bite. Not impressed at all. Received a complimentary dessert sampler of bite-size goodies like meringue and biscotti: these nibbles were better than the dessert we actually ordered, which somehow just made me more irritated about spending $14 on melted gelato. ADDITIONAL DETAILS: I suggest sitting at the bar because the dining room tables are so close together and the majority of the smaller tables for couples are alongside the open wall by the walkway. The passing traffic was so noisy that I couldn't comfortably carry on conversation even before parties were seated on either side of us. After that? Forget it, everything had to be repeated several times. The service, while knowledgeable, was not personable. Whatever. Everything ordered after the pasta was mediocre, and the fact that half of my dessert was melted when it reached me is an oversight I don't expect when dining at a restaurant of this caliber.
(3)Tony T.
Had a great meal here as I tried the truffle tasting menu and my friend had the pasta tasting menu. Every dish had truffle in it and was well done. The service was great and the wine pairing went well with the dishes. The waiter took time to explain every dish and answer any questions that we had. The truffle tasting menu was more than the pasta tasting, so don't be surprised by the larger cost. The ambiance was nice.
(4)Leanne C.
All I can say is "disappointed." I started with the Burrata with fresh peas and mint. The peas looked beautiful in size and with a brilliant bright green color, but had absolutely no flavor. Nothing special about the Burrata, comparable to something I would buy at Trader Joe's. Oh, yes, and the mint..there was one mint leaf as garnish. Blah. My husband had the Beef Raviolis (I think it was short rib filled). I took one look at them, and first off, thought it was one of the most unappealing plates of pasta I had ever seen. No presentation at all. Took one bite and they tasted every bit as bland/blah as they looked. Not only were they blah, they were lukewarm, and the filling was dry and very salty. I chose the Beef Short Rib on polenta. It's hard to really mess up braised short ribs, so it was okay, but the polenta tasted like something you would serve a baby as one of there first foods. No salt, no flavor of any kind. I've made short ribs that were much more memorable than what was served to me in a restaurant owned by a world renowned chef. I have a few of Batalli's cookbooks, and have made some of my favorite meals out of them. Tasted and looked way better than anything served or looked in that restaurant! Save your money, or take it elsewhere in Vegas. Too many other great restaurants in town.
(2)Tom E.
Let me just say this I had the lamb chops, I love lamb chops. I will never eat lamb chops again. It was fatty and gamey. Everybody's meals at the table was "just okay". If I pay $550 for 4 people, I would not want 3 okay meals and 1 meal that was terrible.
(1)Shari H.
This review is only based on one dish, since I was only looking for a small meal and not the full fine dining experience. My service was very impressive. Every single person that came by my table was professional and on the ball - kudos. I ordered bucatini all'Amatriciana and a glass of Montalcino sangiovese. The wine was fantastic. The bucatini was a little disappointing. It is such a simple dish, but here the cook was rather heavy handed with the chili pepper. The first bite or two were nice, but the seasoning soon overpowered all of the other components to the point that my lips were tingling and I could no longer taste the guanciale or enjoy my wine. Italian cooking should be about balance and this meal really missed the mark.
(3)Paul R.
WOW!?!?! Mario Battali put his name on this place???? I wonder how much they had to pay him. Simply awful. Service is ok and the atmosphere is muted (low lighting) Now here are my issues with this place. Nothing personal I just want my fellow yelpers to know what they are getting into. 1. We have eaten at Mario Battali's NYC restaurants so we knew what to expect. At least we thought we knew. 2. This Grilled octopus appetizer that other people have raved about. The octopus was boiled too long so it was soft and stringy. Maybe we got a bad dish?? benefit of the doubt. 3. The ladies ordered the Black Truffle pasta. ($45). Both of them got cold pasta??? What the?? isn't this supposed to be made to order??? Then the paste was bland. They did shave truffles on the pasta table side but still flavorless. Remember the pasta showed up cold enough that is was starting to stick together. 4. My beef rib was good. 5. The Spritzer drinks recommended by the server were very good ($15 ea). THIS IS NOT A FINE DINING ITALIAN RESTAURANT. DO YOURSELF A FAVOR AND GO SOMEWHERE ELSE.
(1)Rebecca L.
Everything was amazing and perfect from beginning to end! The service was impeccable. Our waiter knew exactly when to come by and when to leave us alone. Glasses never went dry. I was with 4 other foodies accustomed to high end restaurants so he had his work cut out. He was knowledgable about the food preparation and made great recommendations. Bar and wine menu was great, no complaints there. The food- the grilled octopus is the best I have ever had! So tender!!!! We also had calamari, the truffle pasta (which had generous white truffle shavings done at the table) the orzo and a mushroom rigatoni. All were perfectly made and the sauces just perfect. We also had short rib (best ever) and veal chop. I can't remember the last time I had an Italian meal this good. This place is not "American Italian". The portions are not for contest eaters. Don't bother to come here if your idea of real Italian food is Olive Garden, or if you are more worried about quantity than quality. This place is not cheap but the quality of the food easily justifies the prices. This is easily one of my favorites. Mario Batali really did an amazing job all around!
(5)Ted T.
Very good dining experience. Nice ambiance , great tasting food, and good service. Conveniently located on restaurant row between the Palazzo and the Venetian. Rustic Italian food with great flavors. We had the spaghetti with lobster and the grilled sirloin steak. The pasta was perfectly prepared and the lobster was very tasty. The steak was medium rare and very tender and juicy. The serving sizes were just the right size so you are satisfied but not stuffed. Will definitely return on our next trip to Vegas.
(5)Anthony N.
***Mario Batali's B&B Ristorante looks and feels like his restaurant Osteria Mozza in Los Angeles, but it is nowhere near as good as that restaurant*** Las Vegas is filled with high-priced restaurants backed by celebrity chefs. Unfortunately, most of them are very expensive and simply not that good. They tend to feature menus that do not change that often and the food quality is just mediocre at best. There are some exceptions. MGM Grand's L'atelier de Joel Robuchon features exceptionally creative and modern French cuisine that embraces French flavors and techniques while losing the richness and heaviness to deliver more vibrant and lighter cuisine. And Mario Batali's Carnevino (in the Palazzo) serves very good and thick cuts of beef though the sides, (most of their) pastas and desserts underwhelm. Batali's other high-end Las Vegas restaurant (B&B Ristorante) is also located in The Palazzo / Venetian, but it focuses on Italian starters, pastas and entrees and not the steakhouse fare of Carnevino. B&B Ristorante immediately reminds me of Batali's Osteria Mozza in Los Angeles. The menus look the same (and some of the dishes even seem very similar). A pasta tasting menu is offered at both spots. And the decor at both places are similar--lots of dark wood (dark lighting too). The food though is just not as good. Starting with the amuse of crostini topped with garbanzo beans. It was perfectly fine, but it lacked the punch of the similar amuse crostini at Osteria Mozza, which features creamy and freshly made ricotta as well as fragrant and fresh basil. B&B's burrata starter was a simple preparation with cracked pepper, olive oil and good and grilled bruschetta-like toasts. The burrata starter was fine, but it was something I would expect to find at Batali's more casual and much less pricey Pizzeria Mozza than a supposedly high-end spot like B&B. Osteria, on the other hand, showcases much more creative burrata dishes with great flavor combinations and ingredients. B&B's octopus was garnished with a mix of Italian white beans and a limoncello vinaigrette. The octopus was big yet soft and the overall flavor was good though I think the octopus at Osteria Mozza is much more focused and thus more intense and distinct. The beef cheek ravioli with black truffles and crushed duck liver is a popular pasta option here, but I found it very underwhelming. While the flavor was fine, the truffle flavor was not there. The pasta itself was okay, but the beef cheek filling was very puree like. I would have preferred a more braised beef-like filling. The crispy sweetbreads entree was served atop a butternut squash puree and with a side of frisee salad garnished with crisp apples. The frisee salad was fine, but the sweetbreads had a very unattractive color. They looked like karaage not fried at a high enough temperature. There was not much crispiness on the exterior (not much flavor either). The inside was okay (not too fatty), but it lacked the hot and juicy center of really nicely prepared sweetbreads. For dessert, the warm chocolate torta was the all-too-common chocolate molten lava cake, but it was still satisfying with a good cake-like exterior and a rich and warm chocolate center (it came with olive oil gelato). The tiramisu was kind of like a modern take on tiramisu with a cake topped with mascarpone cream and then garnished with a chocolate sauce and an espresso gelato. It was an okay dessert, but it lacked the great strong flavor of tiramisu. The apple crostata with vanilla bean gelato was not good. The apples were not that caramelized and the pastry was a little greasy. It was too soft--not crispy enough like a great crostata or puff pastry. Service was okay--pleasant enough but ordering and getting the bill took too long. Service was just not as attentive as it should have been. As mentioned, B&B features a mostly dark interior so it does not have that memorable of a look. The restaurant gets loud. Prices are very high, but that is to be expected given that the restaurant comes from Batali and it is in Vegas. The pasta tasting menu seems like an okay value if all of the pasta courses are satisfying. B&B Ristorante is, unfortunately, a lot like many of the other upscale Las Vegas restaurants--it feels the part and comes from a big name, but the food is simply too expensive and nowhere near the same standard of similar restaurants in cities like San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York. The Palazzo / Venetian, like all the other major hotels and casinos on The Strip, offers complimentary self and valet parking.
(2)Jim G.
Can't believe I haven't updated this review considering we go there like 3 to 4 times a year and we live in LA. The key we learned at B&B is to sit at the bar to enjoy the wine, food, and a great service from their bar team. We are always treated well, and usually remembered from our last visit. There are a couple go to menu items such as the octopus and the liver ravioli but with the help of the bartender you will be guided in the right direction.
(5)Jimmy B.
This place was extraordinary! It was a perfect dinner for our anniversary. They also asked us if we had any commitments or shows after dinner which was considerate, as sometimes places like these lets you dine as an experience instead of a rush to get orders out in order to maximize profit. However, it is pleasant to know that if we had a time commitment, they would expedite our food. Portions were perfect and our waiter Kevin was knowledgeable about everything. I ordered the gnocchi and absolutely love it! A couple next to us was completely enamored with the service and food and left an extremely large tip, and a single dining older gentlemen next to us told our waiter that he would return during Christmas because of the outstanding treatment and food. I would definitely return here myself.
(5)Dennis H.
Long story short, I ended up going here two days in a row. Night 1 - Went with a large group. Waitress was spot on and service as a whole was solid. In fact it was borderline invasive at times, but that's ok. The waitress told us that the octopus appetizer would be the best thing we ever ate. None of us felt that way after eating it. It was definitely good, but not even close to the best thing any of us ever ate. I wish she didn't oversell it because I would have preferred ordering something else. We also got the calamari as an app and that too was good not great. Best thing about it was the cauliflower. The waitress also brought out some bruschetta with a chickpea spread. The spread was meh and the bruschetta was so hard it would have cracked a tooth or cut up my mouth so I did not eat it. For my main course I ordered the black spaghetti. Again, good but not great. Of the 7 people at my table (a couple being foodies) no one was overly impressed by the food. As for dessert, that was an abject failure. Nearly everything on the menu was made with blood oranges. Maybe some people like those, but I am repulsed by the taste. No dessert for me. Night 2 - For an app I had the gnocchi w/ wild boar ragu. This was pretty good. I got the braised short rib. Definitely decent, but it tasted no better than a neighborhood restaurant in my home town. I'd have expected more from a place with two accomplished restauranteurs. One major sore point for me was on both nights, each server pushed me to drink. The waitress on the first night did so in a funny and passive aggressive way and that didn't bother me much. However, on the second night the waiter we had acted coldly towards us when no one ordered alcohol. What a turn off. Bottom line, I've been to much better restaurants with a whole lot less pretentiousness and that were much cheaper. Granted, the ingredients at B&B were top quality and the experience is on par with any fine dinning experience, but the most important thing, the food, was short of impressive.
(2)Stephanie P.
This summer (2014) we received an email about these weekly wine dinners that featured something special, such as Flavors of Sicily or Gulf Seafood. We attended both and they were so magical! Imagine arriving at the restaurant, being greeted graciously, then provided with a special cocktail that compliments the upcoming dinner (Eon was AWESOME). Then, you are escorted to an intimate table with 10 - 12 other gastronomes where the sommelier has paired various wines to pay homage to the unique and delectable courses. The latest wine dinner, Gulf Seafood with fishmonger Jimmy Gale was absolutely amazing, and Pascuale's wine pairings were magical! it was surreal to enjoy the delights of frog legs (surprisingly delicate and tender), fish, and a stew with a broth that was so complex with a depth that was incredible. Then there was the dessert!! Oh my. As if that wasn't enough, three days later we're back for Restaurant Week! If you haven't tried the pork chops made from Berkshire pigs, known for their tenderness and juiciness, you are missing out. And that comes after the amazing bolognese pasta dish! And the there's the amazing gelato - can't get better than fresh! Best of all, the incredible service made our meal especially special. Loved being served a heirloom tomato, pesto, and burrata salad as a "thank you" for joining them again. What a wonderful gesture! Thank YOU for these wonderful meals and impeccable service! Grazie!
(5)Mari K.
I had one of the best cocktails I've ever had here! A coworker brought a small group of us here, saying she had discovered this place a few years back. We went only for drinks, and didn't try any of the food. The bartender was making custom cocktails for the group, based on each person's preferences. In some instances he was modifying a popular drink to make it more to their liking, and in other cases just creating a drink that didn't exist. He'd ask what you favorite liquor is and then a little bit about the types of flavors you like, and he'd whip something up. One by one I heard people oohing and aahing and saying how perfect their drinks were. I was a little skeptical, and I knew the drinks were pricey. However, the coworker nearest me relayed what I had told her earlier about my preferences, and the bartender started mixing something up for me. And it was fantastic! It was so good I ordered a second one, despite the fact that it was almost $20 a drink, and I knew I'd be drinking for free at the blackjack table later. The ambience was fantastic and the service even better. I now plan to make this a go-to place every time I'm in Vegas!
(5)Dan A.
Nice atmosphere, great service, good wine and amazing food.
(4)Marcus C.
No complaints. Expensive, but it's great food and great service. I love how my waiter explained the menu. And the "extras" they threw in was a nice touch.
(5)Bill H.
Service is impeccable. Friendly staff. That was very impressive. The appetizer filled octopus was the best octopus I've had since being in Greece when they grilled it out of the ocean. Simply amazing. The seared red snapper was good. Different with a broth or grodo in the midst. Bartender, Jason, is awesome. He has great recommendations and know the menu extremely well. Go by his recommendations without question. Highly recommended.
(5)Nicole D.
This place was awesome! We had excellent attentive, knowledgeable service. The food was all fantastic and they really let us take our time and enjoy each course slowly, which I enjoyed (they had asked if we had any later commitments, like any shows we were seeing....I assume they would have sped things up if we had said yes, but we enjoyed taking our time here). Fantastic food, great service, but it's definitely pricey! They also gave us a unique chickpea bruschetta (sounds a little funny but it was delicious) compliments of the chef, as well as some nice little dessert bites from the pastry chef. Loved it!
(4)Lyndsey H.
One of the best meals I've ever had. The service was really great, everyone very friendly and accommodating. The food was amazing! I had the lamb shoulder and pork terrine. Absolutely to die for. I tried the rabbit as well, and I almost wish I got that. A great place for a special occasion meal.
(5)Cherry L.
GRILLED OCTOPUS. GRILLED OCTOPUS. GRILLED OCTOPUS. GELATO. GELATO. GELATO. Hmm...wonder what two items are my favorite? I'm really sad to see the negative reviews for this place. I've been here 5 times and it is always consistently good. Sometimes we sit at the bar and sometimes inside. Service has always been wonderful and the food has always been top notch. If you want more laid back and there aren't a lot of you, I highly suggest sitting at the bar. Jason the bartender is great and remembers when you when you return. Even the other one I've seen there is great but just don't see him as often. You order off the regular menu. First off, the grilled octopus antipasto to start off with is great. Don't bother sharing. You'll want this one all to yourself. It's not a lot if you look at the pics. It is so tender. The grilling is excellent. I just can't say enough about it. Just get it. Ive never had octopus like that and probably won't. It's unique. Next off is their gelato. OMG!!! So much better than anything I had in Italy and I ate A LOT of gelato in Italy. The only thing that beat b&b's was the homemade white peach gelato I had on a wine/olive oil tour. Flavors change seasonally at B&B so you'll always get to try new ones. Their primis (1st course pasta dishes) have never let me down. So far we've tried 4 of them an have always been pleased. The bavette, gnocchi with summer veggies, linguini with clams, and one more that I can't remember the name of are all good. Because they are only meant as a primi, potions aren't the normal huge size. Like the Italians, they keep the portions manageable. I can't say enough about how great this place is. The service is always good and the food is excellent. Some say the prices are high but I think they match the high quality food and experience you get. It's worth it. I rarely give 5 stars to a place. B&B deserves every one of those stars.
(5)Megan T.
I first just wanted to say that I was devastatingly underwhelmed by B&B Ristorante. My friend and I planned our Vegas trip. We were going to at least see one show and eat at one really fancy restaurant. We made a reservation, dressed up showed up here expecting an amazing dinner. We were originally served chickpea bruscetta and then I got the infamous Mario Batali beef cheek ravioli and my friend got the Alberto's Pyramids. The first bite of my ravioli made me pause. It was just unexpected -an aquired taste. I let my friend have a taste and she immediately disliked it. I tried her Albert pyramid and got a very "meh" feeling from it. Each little thing they gave us from the bread to the broccoli and the main courses to little ending sweet tray they gave us just seemed very "meh". It was a good meal. But we should have left thinking "that was an amazing meal." We should have wanted dessert. Like we saved up to pay for a good meal and this was just "OK". Which sucks because I am mentally engaged to Joe Bastianich.
(2)Diana B.
Hands down the best meal of my life. If you come here, please drop some stacks, this place is too good to not go all out.. The wine is all Italian varietals, and the sommelier is fantastic , he is humorous and gracious! Service is beyond , which is expected and praised . So for the food, all my favs were the pasta dishes (see pics,plz!! ). Of course the 3mo aged ribeye was fantastic, just like at carne vino. Memorables were, the lambs tongue app, the bone marrow ravioli, and orrechiette. Only thing I would have switched was the chicken, but really, who orders yard bird anyways. :) get every pasta if u can and don't miss the pork belly :)
(5)Michael U.
Items selected: Chickpea Bruschetta Rustic Semolina Bread with Butter, Olive Oil, Balsamic Country Style Pate with Blackberry Conserva, Foraged Greens and Cotica Warm Tripe "alla" Romana with Charred Bread Pork Trotter Ravioli with Lilie Ragu and Chive Blossoms Beef Cheek Ravioli with Black Truffles and Crushed Duck Liver Rabbit Porchetta with Carrot Sformato, Sunflower Sprouts and Crispy Confit Lamb Saddle with Baby Artichoke Crema and English Peas Chocolate Budino with Warm Chocolate Sauce Fresh Grilled Peaches with Roast Peach Sorbet and Mascarpone Petit Fours Double Espresso on Ice First experiencing Mario Batali's cuisine on an off-chance reservation at Babbo during a fateful trip to Manhattan in June of 2008, where the Chef and his team delivered a memorable respite from life's unpleasant moments, and having since dined at several Batali & Bastianich establishments from coast-to-coast it surprises me even as I write these words that it took me so long to visit Venetian mainstay B&B Ristorante - a pre-theater four-course dinner with a friend again proving the restaurateur's abilities to source the finest people and ingredients for his ever expanding empire. Clearly influenced by his famous space on Waverly Place, both in design and in offerings, but differing slightly in vibe as a dimly lit room with R.E.M. playing gently overhead was complimented by lovely service from a young woman named Kelly our meal began with the staple-amuse of tender, spiced chickpeas on crisp bread and with proper bread service replenished frequently thereafter not a single bite of the food that followed would prove short of exemplary. Eschewing lighter 'spring' flavors in favor of signatures until later in the meal our first course arrived with creamy pate of pork delivering plenty of spice and sapor while tender tripe compensated for its small portion with textbook texture and complex aromatics - a trend carried over to each $26 plate of pasta; the raviolis averaging approximately $4 each but so delicate, stuffed, and well sauced that it hardly seemed to matter until the plate was wiped spotless with plans to return for the pasta tasting menu swirling my mind. Transitioning smoothly to things more substantial it would be an exercise in futility to determine whether the rich, caramelized-yet-rare spring lamb over smoky artichoke puree or the nutty roulade of rabbit with flan of carrots was a superior secondi and finishing with dessert both the simple peach presentation and an atypical soufflé-style budino showed the pastry kitchen's prowess - a Babboesque box of petit fours and a double espresso sending us to theater with full bellies and broad smiles. Obviously prone to complaints of discrepancy in price-to-portion ratio for "Italian food" that many claim to be offered at a better value from their local mom n' pop joint a meal at B&B Ristorante is better taken as a "Fine dining" event rather than any regional cuisine - not only does the sourcing, preparation, and presentation deserve it but so does the service. Certainly not a cheap meal as the average diner is unlikely to exit for less than a Benjamin suffice it to say that for a 'celebrity chef' meal on The Strip B&B delivers where many mail it in, a similar sentiment applicable to Palazzo's Carnevino, though the latter is ever so slightly a better 'experience.'
(4)MJ B.
After a 20+ plus hour flight, this was a perfect place to have good food and drinks with good company. I really wanted to order the Calabrone Bastianich wine but we were just two and we had an 8am conference the next day so opted for a perfect G&T's instead. For starters, we had the Burrata and it was so delicious and fresh. The bartender, Ian, suggested the Grilled octopus with a spicy limoncello vinaigrette and it was grilled perfectly, succulent and tender. The limoncello vinaigrette was perfect to balance the grilled octopus. For dessert, he also suggested the Vanilla Mascarpone Bruciato which was a cross between a cheese cake and Creme brûlée. I just loved the texture and flavor. In our short conversation with Ian, I mentioned the lovely olive oil ice cream I had in Otto in NYC and he mentioned that it can be ordered on its own so we had it too! Wonderful dinner and great service!
(4)Tim H.
The grilled octopus was recommended by the staff. I can't believe how tasty octopus can be as a fisherman. The flavor is succulent, meat is soft, and seasoning lovely. The Bucatini "all'Amatriciana" is by far the best pasta I've eaten to date. The pasta has a hole going through each pasta as if it were a long straw that tastes like you're eating a cloud. It has a slight kick like Bruce Lee or Chuck Norris is swimming in the dish yo! The Beef Cheek Ravioli with Black Truffles and Crushed Duck Liver tastes like wet cement. You can't get the pasty texture and cement flavor out of your mouth even with mouthwash. If you want your mouth to feel like it's in prison, go for it. The staff was phenomenal, attentive, and personable. They situated me next to a couple that were marvelous foodies. We ended up talking, sharing food, and making an awesome friendship. I can't wait to visit them in FL!
(4)Stefani B.
My spouse, a friend, and I visited B&B while visiting Vegas in March 2014. It had been high on our list of must-visit restaurants, and I'm sorry to say, it was very disappointing. First of all, they messed up our reservation, which I'd made on Open Table months before our arrival. Once that was untangled, we were seated near a bachelor party that was incredibly loud and rowdy- at one point, one man was dragging another around the dining room in his chair. We asked to be moved and while this request was accommodated, it was done so with much huffing and sighing by the staff. Eventually, we were seated appropriately and able to order food. It was perfectly adequate for a steakhouse. But if I'm going to travel over 2,000 miles to visit a restaurant owned by a world famous chef, I believe the food should be more than simply adequate. We dined at 7-8 restaurants over the course of our 3 day weekend and I documented each meal exhaustively. The fact that it wasn't until dessert that it occurred to me to take a photograph shows just how...meh...the food at B&B was. The icing on the cake was the poor service. At one point, our server came at sat down at the table next to ours to visit with a friend who was dining. We had to wait through their 5-10 minute long conversation before we were able to receive the attention we needed. That was frustrating, to say the least, when one considers the price of the meal. A mediocre meal can be saved by fabulous service. Unfortunately, we experienced neither at B&B. The best thing I can say for it is that my spouse loved the fact that the background music included Nirvana and Nine Inch Nails, and that he discovered a new favorite beer while we were there. Was it awful? No. Would we return, or recommend it to others? Also no. Sorry Mario. Maybe we'll have a better experience when we try Carnevino next time?
(2)Molly C.
I was in Vegas for business and extended the weekend. I had a business dinner here and it was fantastic. My colleagues also enjoyed their meals which were: short ribs, fish and bolognese. My caprese salad was amazing. My bolognese was perfect - small portion, perfect sauce. The wine sommelier was also helpful as we tried in vein to find a decent wine under $70. We ended up ordering something in the $80+ range. Our waiter was superb, friendly, knew the entire menu and later I found out is a veteran. He was outstanding to our dining experience. Thank you! Side note, I returned the next night, sat at the bar as my colleagues had returned home. I arrived late, started talking with the bartender who was one of the best bar tenders I have met in a long time - showed me the difference in flavor between using citrus in a drink vs. slightly singeing citrus peel before you put it in a drink. Very nice. He talked about his upcoming tour to Italy that he had won from a bartending contest and was very excited to go. I stayed after closing to chat further and met the Chef d'Cuisine who was a charming fellow foodie and whom further educated me on a few new flavors. Thank you so much - great experience. I will be back on my next trip!
(5)George M.
An excellent meal with friends. They accommodated us with no wait, and the staff was super attentive. The octopus appetizer was fantastic, perfectly cooked and seasoned. A champagne vinaigrette field greens salad was delicate but not bland, with excellent flavor. A friend and I split the ribeye steak which was perfectly cooked and seasoned, served with rosemary potatoes which were good but not great. Another friend had the wild boar gnocchi which he devoured so it must have been good, and yet another ordered beef cheek ravioli which were superb. The service was fantastic and the meal excellent, I highly recommend this place.
(5)Chris S.
Overall I expected much more for the price. The grilled octopus was too soft in the centre. The green salad had too much dressing and the dressing itself was too acidic. The pastas (tagliatelle and fusilli) were very bland. Serving staff were pleasant and the atmosphere is nice if somewhat noisy. I think there are much better options in LV. Won't go back.
(2)K H.
We sat at the bar for a light dinner, excellent cosmos, several wines by the glass were fine, friendly bartender, the quality of the food was average IMO. My husband enjoyed his pasta, but mine was bland. The beet salad we shared was average as was the gelato. Considering that their 6 ounce servings of pasta are priced at $25+ I would expect something really delicious. I initially awarded two stars but as hubby enjoyed his pasta increased to three, doubt there will be a return visit next time we are in town (too many other choices). We did have a good time with fellow diners at the bar.
(3)Charles C.
My wife and I stopped in here on a whim while walking back from the Palazzo to the Venetian for a glass of wine and the bartender there Saturday night was really on point. Jason was very well versed in wine and recommended a fantastic white: Bastianich Vespa Bianco. I probably would have tried something else if he had not asked me what my preferences were in whites and he absolutely nailed it. I can't speak for the food but the wine experience at the bar was worthy of a return visit next time.
(5)Greg B.
Super wine list and imported truffles in season - try the burrata it will melt in your mouth
(5)Melissa S.
B&B was one of the first restaurants my husband and I ate at in Las Vegas years ago, and we still talk about the pasta tasting and wine pairing. When we arrived at B&B last week, Ian made us the most fabulous drinks ever - blood orange cosmo for me and old fashioned for my husband. If only Ian could have been our server, the experience would have been so much better. Ian told us about B&B whole animal program and a fabulous angus beef special. When we were seated, our server David didn't tell us about the angus beef special that Ian had. We asked about it, and David said since he was new, he just didn't know about it. I'm glad Ian mentioned it because it was the best part of the dinner. We also ordered the mozzarella and ramp appetizer, which was good but not great. The ramps were super chewey and difficult to eat. For the pasta course, I ordered the mint love letters, and my husband ordered the bone marrow ravioli. Both were really good, although I liked his a little better than mine. For our entrees, my husband ordered lamb, and I ordered 2 minute spicey calamari. I didn't want anything heavy, so David suggested the calamari and told me that it wasn't spicey really. WRONG - it was very spicey and chewy. So disappointing. I would have mentioned this to David had he ever showed up again after we got our dinner. He mentioned that Shania Twain was eating there somewhere, so maybe he was waiting on her too. All I know is that we told David we had a show to go see 2 1/2 hours after our reservation, and he was not very attentive. My husband's lamb was good, but the calamari was not very good. We would have liked to order dessert, but we ended up having another waiter go to find David becuase we had to pay to leave, and unfortunately nobody came to the table for a long time. I will probably get the pasta tasting next time I go back, but I certainly hope the last service isn't indicative of what I can expect in the future.
(3)Jane D.
We came here to celebrate on our honeymoon and overall had a great experience. The staff and service was excellent. The food was good, but I found my pasta dish to be a little too buttery for my taste. However, I tried my husbands dish and it was great. It wasn't very busy, so it is definitely a great place to connect romantically.
(4)Meghan S.
A wonderful experience from beginning to end. Delightful wine, fantastic food and truly remarkable service. I was intimidated to take myself out to a fancy dinner alone when I found myself in Vegas with my man who was tied up in meetings most of the time. My experience at B&B washed away all of my solo dining insecurities. My server was so sweet and gave me just enough attention to make me feel taken care of and not so much to make me feel like he was trying to be my date! The food: an amazing roasted tomato salad with fresh burrata. I could take a bath in this burrata. DE-lish. My entree was the blue crab ravioli and it was absolutely worth the copious consumption of carbs. There wasn't a thing I would change about my trip to B&B.
(5)Seth G.
Wow. Mario Batali's restaurant in The Venetian is a completely spectacular dining experience. It's expensive, but totally worth it. I went with a group of 11 people and we were treated like kings and queens by our extremely articulate waiter and the sommelier. Our waiter said most groups order a few Antipasti dishes, a few pastas to share family style, and an individual entree... we decided to go "all in" and followed his instructions. Antipasti; Tripe: delicious. Tripe might not be everyone's cup of tea, but people who don't like it are missing out on quite the amazing cup of tea. Ramp: This was a vegetable I'd never had, but it's a lot like a green onion. Served with delicious, fresh mozzarella. Very fresh and tasty. Crispy Pork Trotter: These are basically Crab Cakes, but made with Pork instead of Crab. And they are as awesome as that sounds. Beet Salad: Even this was incredible. Grilled Octopus: The restaurant's signature antipasti, this was completely epic. Pastas: Spaghetti: Made with a full pound of Lobster, the sauce is made from the reduced juices. So good. Black Spaghetti: Dyed with squid ink and Sicilian Pesto, this was subtle but delightful. Bone Marrow Ravioli/ Calf's Brain Ravioli: These both had extremely different textures and flavors, but they are also both Raviolis stuffed with meats that make some people balk. Don't balk, these were both amazing. Mint Love Letters: Stuffed with Lamb and Sausage crumbles, these probably won the award for best of the pastas. Entree: I went with the Lamb Chop. Served on the bone with grilled Peppers and Romsco sauce and cooked Medium Rare. Unbelievably tender. I also tried my friend's Taglietta, served with Salsa Verde, which was perfect. The Persecco and Red Wine we ordered were absolutely amazing as well. We had no room for desserts so we just ordered Espressos at the end of the meal, but our server still brought us a complimentary cookie platter since we were there to celebrate a couple birthdays for the meal. Nice of them, though our meal did come out to over $1200 so I'm pretty sure they didn't lose much by bringing us cookies. All of the food was amazing, and our very enthusiastic server took us through every item step by step, explaining what was great about all of it. He used the words "awesome" and "spectacular" a lot, but he wasn't wrong... the entire B and B experience was incredibly awesome and spectacular. That Mario Batali just might know what he's doing.
(5)Andrew T.
I wasn't very inclined to review this place, as I just thought it was a solid experience and didn't have much to add, but I read a 1-star review from the guy complaining about the bone marrow ravioli being like a burst of oil inside. Listen... I know it's cool to be a foodie nowadays and be into stuff like offal and bone marrow, but if you don't actually like it, stop ordering it at restaurants. Wthell did you expect a BONE MARROW RAVIOLI to feel like? I wouldn't give your whiny ass a refund either. I had dinner there with my parents, and my dad's order of linguini with clams came with 6 of the clams unopened. He finished most of the plate before I noticed, but when I brought it up with the waitress she had no problem taking that item off of our bill, because that is a real and VALID complaint. Service was spotty at times, but we had a solid meal with some tasty desserts. Also, each of the workers (servers, bussers (sp?), the sommelier, and the manager) came by and wished me a happy birthday. Good times. Not really rushing back, but an enjoyable experience.
(4)VK C.
I was so looking forward to this restaurant as I have followed Batali for awhile. Very average food, pasta was the highlight of the meal. Unique taste and flavor combinations, such as the mint ravioli with the lamb merguez. For entrees the short ribs and polenta was a hit. The two minute calamari was not what I expected, and sadly underwhelmed by the dish. It was under seasoned and missing a flavor dimension (either acid or salt or perhaps red pepper). The steak with porcini mushroom mustard was a unique combination. The service was impeccable, something to be expected from the caliber of the restaurant and the price tag. I would rather go to Otto upstairs in the Venetian and have a good pizza with some anti pasti.
(3)Chris H.
Overpriced, snooty & not good at all! It 's a shame that people get caught up in where its trendy to eat at & not whats good! Our waiter Jonathan made us feel very rushed. He seemed like he was in a hurry to wait on the next table. Kept walking away. The Gem salad was not a gem, it was bland & tasteless. My husband's Bucatini 'All'Amatriciana was very salty. We mentioned this to the waiter & he didn't seem to care. My Branzini was dry. The Cauliflower was hard. However, the craziest part was when my husband asked to see the check & the waiter held it out to him & wouldn't let it go until my husband said " are you going to let it go"!
(1)Larry G.
This place is located in restaurant row between Palazzo and Venetian. We were a party of 8 on our way to Public House when we noticed B&B and that none of us had ever dined here before. On a Monday nite...no wait...we were seated within 2 minutes and learned that it was Italian. I wanted to start off w/a glass of their house merlot but was informed that they did not serve merlot by the glass...wha? The waiter, Kevin suggested an alternative but casually mentioned that it was the cheapest red house wine that they served by the glass. I wonder why he did that? Started w/Calamari and finished w/Veal Chops and broccoli. The meal was very good along w/the service that was Kevin and his group. Other than the "cheap wine" comment, it was enjoyable. I won't be back anytime soon...lots of other fine restaurants that serve merlot by the glass.
(3)Tami S.
Quiet atmosphere and decent service. The waitstaff were a bit too eager to clear plates and awkward about the number of dishes each person did, or did not, order. The gnocchi "allo genovese" was very, very good - the sugar snap peas in it made it unique. I unfortunately can't exactly remember what I ordered for my second course, but it was a disappointing red meat dish that was essentially all bone.
(4)D B.
$300 for two with a $54 bottle of Barbera. This place leaves a lot to be desired. Antipasti was excellent - trotter and grilled squid. Primi, shared clams and linguini. Pasta was not even close to al dente as you could break it. Offered a tagliatelle as alternate. Over seasoned to the point of almost inedibility but didn't want to send back. Secondi of veal shank and braised short ribs......you have to be kidding. Batali likes to "season" his food. I think he needs to have a chat with his cooks. It was so salty as to make it just a shame. Service was excellent. Kevin, our server, handled our input well. But don't waste your money.
(2)April D.
Since we experienced the deliciousness that was Carnevino, we wanted to try B&B. Dimly lit, romantic restaurant. Wonderful staff, wonderful service. Even loved the modern music they played for ambience. But the food didn't hold a candle to Carnevino. We started with a few specialty cocktails which were very good. We noticed a few similar items that both restaurants share. We wanted to try some different dishes. Before our meal we were presented with a Chickpea Bruschetta compliments of the chef...I'm not a big fan of chickpeas, but it was delicious. To start we decided to share the Housemade Ricotta with Olivestri Olio Nuovo and Tuscan Kale, accompanied by nice crusty bread, the ricotta was so light and the oil and kale was so flavorful, they complimented each other perfectly. We had Bucatini 'all'Amatriciana at Carnevino and it was so good, we decided to get it again and compare the two. It was not as good, but it did seem to have more bacon. We also got Jose's Pyramids, which are a sort of ravioli stuffed with short rib beef. The pasta was nice, the meat was a bit dry and bland and I didn't care for the sauce, I felt like it was missing something. So when I dipped one in the sauce from the Bucatini al'Amatriciana, it was so much better, they need to hire me. We quit there and decided on some dessert, we shared one of the nights specials which was a Apple Crostini with Vanilla bean Gelato. The gelato was perfect, the apple crostini was good, but the sauce it was served with was a bit strong and overpowered the dish. We were presented with a complimentary dessert sampler of multiple tiny bites, I liked the Meringue and the Pistachio Chew. My husband liked the Chocolate cake. Not worth the money like Carnevino.
(3)Joseph R.
I did enjoy the experience somewhat however I don't feel it was due to the food. The service was really good and I half way enjoyed being stuck in the cramped wine room corner. I would say the pasta dish was very good. The steak however was one of my least favorites ever. They cook the steaks with a surrounding layer of fat which should help flavor but I felt only made the steak a slimy mess and had very little flavor sadly. Not one bite had the "steak" texture or flavors you'd expect. Wasn't impressed however I might be willing to try them again and I'll update the review if I ever do.....
(3)Cheryl H.
The gnocchi with lamb ragu and mint is one of the best dishes I have ever had. Light and extremely flavorful.
(5)Jonah K.
Burata was amazing, as was my homemade Gnocci with lamb sausage. My business associate got the steak which was quite small for $50. The food portions are very small, so don't expect a lot for that $30 plate of pasta. They expect you to order 3 courses, and the prices are quite high. If you are here personally, it may be a splurge. If you are here on business its a good idea :)
(5)andreas B.
Not good! Service was wanna-be professional and food was average at most and WAY overpriced (had lamb for $100!).
(1)David E.
This is Mario Batali's B&B Ristorante which is located at the Venetian Resort Hotel Casino. The grilled octopus with fagioli marinati and spicy limoncello vinaigrette appetizer is very lemony with nice char and smoke. The gnocchi with lamb ragu and mint is okay but the evenly ribbed texture alerts me to this being a packaged gnocchi versus one made fresh. It's been my experience that when you see one with a smooth texture it looks and tastes like it was made by someone's hand and when you see the even ribbed texture it looks and tastes like it was made by a machine. Bella has the gnocchi with escarole, prosciutto cotto and smoked ricotta which she said was "very Chinese" in the way it was prepared. The grilled brussel sprouts with Lardo and lemon and Di Cecco broccoli with peperoncino and garlic sides were solid. Both of us went "gah gah" over the Affogato with vanilla bean gelato. This dessert is ready to consume once our waiter finishes pouring slightly warm espresso into the martini glass containing the gelato. We immediately order a second due to our love for this simple yet tasty dessert. My advice would be to select Batali's LA or NYC restaurants over this one. The food and the service were noticeably better in those other establishments.
(3)Boones K.
I really wanted this to be a 5 star dining experience, but it fell short on both the food and service. The service was slow. Apparently don't tell your waiter you have no time constraints. I was hoping to get a second glass of wine with dinner, but given the amount of time it took to get my first glass I was going to have to shotgun it in order to fit a second glass in. The waiter never checked in or asked us how our meals were through out any of our courses. The servers presenting and clearing the plates were more attentive. We were looking at ordering a bottle of wine, but the price points on the wine list kept us away from doing that. I know I'm going to pay a mark up, but I struggle with paying 3x the bottle price at any restaurant. The food was OK, but nothing that would bring me back. We shared the octopus, which was good. It was cooked perfectly and the flavors were great. For the primi course, my boyfriend had the beef cheek ravioli and I had the linguine with clams. The beef cheek ravioli was good, but the linguine with clams was way too salty and gritty. I could get past the grit, but the salt level made the dish inedible. The one thing I got out of that dish was feeling better about my own imperfect linguine w/clams. For our main course we both had the short rib. It was very tender, but half way through the meal it started to get dry. I didn't care for the greens that they served on top. They didn't seem to stand up to the heat of the dish and just got warm soggy I really wanted to enjoy this dinner, but it was just average.
(3)Doug C.
I am a B&B regular and recommend anytime I can. The service is always great, the restaurant is small so the attention to detail is always there. Best dishes are the Grilled Octopus Appetizer, Beef cheek ravioli, Lobster Spaghetti, Black Spaghetti with jalapeño pesto and the Ribeye for two is a must! Don't listen to the negative reviews, they just have no clue, I've been here at leaf 10 times and each has been better than the last!
(5)Cynthia C.
Two years later we have made our way back to B&B, still delicious, kick back professional service & the pasta, oh the pasta. Amuse, same old, chickpeas, EVOO on a crostini. The bread went up a notch, more crusty, maybe too crusty, but better. The wine, ORDER wine by the glass, the servers pour about 12 ounces into a decanter for the same price as a glass at a fancy restaurant: $26. Appetizers: *Crisy Rabbit Leg, delicious bitter greens and a wonderfully tender leg. *Field Greens, a nice tangy vinaigrette. Pastas: *Mint Love Letters and Beef Cheeks hit it out of the park again. *Black Linguine and Njuda, 45% cayenne pepper spreadable salami. Heaven!!! Entree: *Quail w/Sweet Corn & roasted Apricots. So savory and delectable. Now there are little dessert freebies too, small cookies and gelees. Ok. Love this place and always overlooked b/c of the lack of ambiance, hence the 1000 OpenTable Dining points.
(4)Eric K.
Italian food is one of my absolute favorites so I was definitely excited to try Mario Batali's B&B Ristorante, but I ultimately left feeling disappointed. I felt like the staff was trying to rush us out the door to make way for a larger check; they seemed unimpressed unless we were willing to buy a $200 bottle of wine and the Papardelle Bolognese - which came highly recommended - was decent but it was a fairly small portion and was overpriced. However, I was informed that most customers prefer to order a first and second course so... I guess I should've known. I will say that the Grilled Octopus Antipasti was outstanding and.. looking over the menu once more; I'd probably give this place another try. Just be prepared to spend a lot of $$$
(3)James C.
Just ate there this past week and this was my 3rd visit to B&B. Every time I've been here it's been nothing short of excellent. I booked a reservation for six online just one day in advance for a Monday night. The hostess greeted us and sat us immediately. The waiter came by quickly greeted us and then sent over the sommelier. The staff was very knowledgeable about each of the dishes and our waiters recommendations were perfect. We did quite a bit of sampling but some of the highlights for the antipasti would be the grilled octopus, the caramelized fig salad and the caprese salad. As for the primi and secondi I recommend the beef cheek ravioli, gnocchi with lamb ragu and mint and the short rib. The bottom line...as someone who frequently travels North America and dines out regularly, this restaurant is easily in my top 5 and has made its way into my list of restaurants I must go to on all future Las Vegas trips. I highly recommend it.
(5)Kimberly T.
We came here for dinner last week & had a good time. My husband & I split the caprese salad and the beef cheek ravioli. The salad was delicious with some of the best mozzarella I've ever had. The ravioli was also great, but I thought the portion was pretty small. Our waiter was extremely knowledgeable at recommending what dishes go well with what wines. Music is a bit odd...listened to the entire Doors album during our meal. We had good food and excellent service; I just wasn't blown away by anything.
(3)Sunay P.
It is painful to give this place such a low rating, especially since I have had outstanding meals at Babbo and the Spotted Pig but i have given this place 3 shots over 5 years and have never had a good meal. The one star is for a great sommelier who was able to recommend a great wine by the glass each time. The first time we went for dinner we ordered the friti mixto which came out a bit salty. I pointed this out to the waiter and was told that "we don't use salt so its impossible for it to be salty"..well it was and I had to insist that he taste it for him to take it back and come back and apologize and replace it. The pasta dish my wife ordered was surprisingly too al dente and my dish was overcooked. We had ordered a side of roasted butternut squash which came out with slices of squash that had been boiled. At that point we skipped dessert. Of course not willing to give up on this place, gave this a shot two years ago and again a few days ago. I don't know what's up with this place but the service has been very bad with the waiters having a very laissez faire attitude towards everything. On the last visit the appetizers were very slow coming out (did have a fabulous rose) and were not really up to par. The octopus was a quite chewy (not what you expect from a Batali-Bastianich branded enterprise) and a rabbit confit was quite unremarkable. I ordered the pork chop and was told it would be prepared med. rare. I wanted it more medium ...which again led to an argument with the waiter (argument is too strong a word..but he did say that it was better to which I pointed out that a skilled chef ought to to able to cook this even through and yet leave it juicy...which is what I have actually had in Italy!) This chop which was quite an expensive cut of pork came out quite dry though the mostarda went quite a long way and given the paucity of time, I tried my best to choke down as much as possible, skipped dessert and went out to the cheap noodle place for a roast pork dish which was 1/5th the price and much better IMHO. For me, this place is a total avoid. Its kinda funny to see Mr. Bastianich on MasterChef with a purile expression on his face throwing away food from home cooks when a branded restaurant cant do better than a home cook. Just sayin' I do like his wines though.
(1)Jarrod F.
There is a reason why my co-workers and I went here twice back to back nights. The atmosphere is decent, even though it is in between two hotels it still has a nice elegant feel to it. I highly advise going and at least trying this place once. I do have to warn everyone that the meals are not cheap and if you plan on ordering wine be ready for a $250 plus bill at the end of the meal. The meals are served in three courses and it definitely fills you up. The old saying you get what you pay for has to come in play at this place because yes the prices are high but the quality I thought were A+. They have a good selection of wine too and the waitress on both nights were extremely pleasant and helpful for any questions or requests that we had. I would go back to this place in a second and I hope you try it for yourself.
(5)TJ D.
Their pasta with a pound out lobster meat is unbelievable!! I have had some pretty amazing meals in Las Vegas but this one is by far my favorite!
(5)Kevin R.
Before going to Las Vegas for my best friend's 21st birthday I asked around a bit for recommendations of restaurants to take him to. The typical suggestions were given (Michael Mina, Joël Robuchon, etc) but one name stood out in my mind; B and B Ristorante. I did my research on the place and found out that it's on the amazing list of Mario Batali owned restaurants. Perfect. The same friend and I just recently went to Manhattan for my college graduation and we ate at multiple Batali restaurants (Lupa and Pó) which both blew us away. I've also dined at his Los Angeles restaurant, Pizzeria Mozza (next door to Osteria Mozza). Each and every time I've dined at a Batali owned restaurant my stomach has left extremely happy and my wallet isn't too hurt. B and B was a perfect choice to celebrate my friend's second birthday dinner. B and B is inside the very classy Venetian Hotel and is tucked on Restaurant Row. It's Friday night in Vegas so the casino floor is bumpin' and there are suits and cocktail dresses galore while walking to the restaurant. Thankfully we came prepared and were sporting our suits as well. After walking the million or so steps through the humongous hotel/casino we arrived in front of B and B and were happily greeted by the two gorgeous hostesses. We then were led to our seats against the "window" in a cozy half booth half table. Sitting by the window was great because the people watching outside couldn't be beat. Out of all the hotels we went to beforehand, the Venetian definitely had the most attractive, interesting, and fun-looking crowd. Our extremely professional server came over to greet us and take our drink orders. Right away we felt as if we had been teleported off the bustling Las Vegas Strip and into a fine dining restaurant tucked under a stoop in NYC. After looking over the menu we came to our decisions. To start, we got one order of calamari and seppie fritti to share. This was probably the best calamari I've tasted in my life. The sauce at the bottom complimented the calamari perfectly by adding a slight spice to each bite but not enough to knock you out of your chair. We devoured the dish pretty quickly and then sat back to wait for our pastas. My friend and I are big pasta lovers so we stuck to the Primi section of the menu. My friend ordered the spaghettini (with spicy budding chives, sweet garlic and one-pound lobster). The second my friend said his order our server got ecstatic. He said it was one of their best dishes and also one of their most popular. He then described in great detail exactly how it is prepared as well as how each ingredient compliments the next. Whoa. "This guy knows his shit." For me, I got the goat cheese tortelloni (with dried orange and wild fennel pollen). Again, our pro-status server then described how it's cooked and how the ingredients would taste with each other. My friend's dish was amazing. It had a small kick of spice but the lobster helped even out the flavor. Also, the lobster was the most tender, melt-in-your-mouth lobster I've ever tasted. My dish was also fabulous. I'm sold immediately to any dish that is prepared with goat cheese and this dish didn't upset. The milky goat cheese gave an explosion of flavor with each bite and the tiny shavings of orange offered a different and interesting flavor every third bite or so. Before our meal started I told our server very discretely that it was my friend's birthday. He said that if we order a dessert they will add a candle but they don't offer any special (by this I mean complimentary) birthday desserts. Hm, oh well. We ordered the dark chocolate torta (with spiced huckleberries). Sure enough, out came a candle and script writing on the side of the dish. It looked beautiful (as well as delicious). Needless to say, we devoured this thing pretty damn quick as well. Being familiar with Mario Batali's cooking we both came in knowing exactly what to expect; an amazing meal. We both left very satisfied. We then proudly and excitedly crossed yet another Batali restaurant off our list.
(4)Mary B.
I had the pleasure of enjoying the pasta tasting menu with wine pairings las month. As I was alone, I sat at the bar. Ian and Adam, the excellent bartenders, were very familiar with the menu and helped me in both selecting what to order (I told them that I was interested in a tasting menu; they did not try to upsell me) and guiding me through the dishes (both flavor and history) as they arrived. Mike, the sommelier, was also great. He paired the wines exquisitely and did an excellent job of explaining both the characteristics of the wines and the reasons for the pairings. The food itself was wonderful. The flavors were so excellent that I had to pause and enjoy each bite. There were two standouts, though everything was excellent: the polenta pasta (cresc'tajat) with truffles was simple and beautiful and the fettuccine with Norcino ragu had beautifully married flavors. With respect to the fettuccine, Adam told me that the ragu takes over 8 hours to prepare. It shows and is well worth the time. Lovely. Am I effusing? Yes. But, it was really that good. I love excellent food and really appreciate great service. I found both at B & B. Please, don't miss it.
(5)Joa K.
Came here late at night on Christmas day. Got an "Aviation" drink with some fancy gin and a special red-sauce spaghetti pasta dish. The pasta was super simple but the boyfriend claims "HANDS DOWN the BEST red-sauce pasta dish I ever had." Big claim considering he has had a lot of different red-sauce pasta dishes, including different ones I make at home! It was very delicious, fresh, and I want some right now! The pasta dish was actually a variation of their late-night lobster spaghetti (they were out of lobster when we walked in or something). I could taste and see that there was parsley, evoo, a balanced and tasty red sauce, perfectly cooked pasta, perfectly cooked whole garlic cloves, some basil....and lots of magic, haha, super good. We did not try anything else since it was late night. But based on service, drinks, and this pasta alone, would totally come back here for 'em again!
(4)Ryan B.
I sat at the bar and did a tasting with a cocktail pairing that was next to none. Amazing food exceptionally informant servers and bartenders. The whole experience felt like a cuinary adventure. If you sit at the bar be sure to ask for Eric. And do yourself a favor step outside your comfort zone and try something you've never had an let them pick your drinks you will not be let down.
(5)A B.
My husband and I recently had the most amazing dinner here. This restaurant has two different tasting menus, a pasta and a regular. They also let you each get one and share - which is awesome! Most restaurants won't let you split the table. Our waiter Kevin was awesome and he did manage to upsell us to this option, but it was totally worth it. We declined the wine pairings though, as they were very pricey. Instead, they sell wine by the liter here, which is nice because you can try several or get some white and some read to spread out over the meal. We really enjoyed it! Each course was brought out and explained thorougly. We are pretty adventurous eaters, but the calf's brain ravioli did give us a bit of pause. However, it was awesome and did not taste bizarre in any way. The tomato sauce was the best tomato I've ever tasted. We thorougly enjoyed this meal and I cannot say enough about the service and taste of the food. We would certainly recommend it to anyone who enjoys a great dining experience.
(5)Azin D.
I have been here a few times, and overall I found it inconsistent for a pricy establishment. The first time I went here I tired the house cured salumi. It was outstanding, but I think it was $16/ person, so ended up being a bit pricy for a large group starter. I also really enjoyed the beef cheek ravioli which was nice and saucy. The pork belly was great, but a little too fatty for my taste. The second time I really enjoyed the whole sea bass- it was market price, so I don't remember how much it was. The third time was a complete miss. I got the short rib and it was tougher than short rib should be. The waitress also recommended the gnocchi as a side dish which just made the whole thing too heavy of a meal. The brussels sprouts were really awesome though. Overall, I had a good experience the first couple of times, but the last visit was very average.
(3)FoodforLife A.
Sat at the bar for drinks and appetizers. Ian the head bartender is amazing. Excellent drinks, outstanding service. Went back another night and same five star service.
(4)John S.
I had eaten here a while ago with my wife and we really loved it. I decided to take a couple business colleagues there for dinner tonight while we're in Vegas for work. The meal was truly outstanding. We did the "Basilicata" tasting menu. I can't say enough about how wonderful the food was, how perfectly the wines paired with the courses and how good the service was. So why only 2 stars? And why will I never go to this restaurant again? Because after spending A LOT of money (hundreds of dollars) on dinner we asked for some coffees. (For some reason the waiter didn't ask us if we wanted coffee before he brought the bill.) They brought the coffees and then they brought us a second bill for $12 for the coffees. To put it nicely, that struck me as EXTREMELY tacky. The restaurant made a lot of money off of us. The waiter made a great tip. Those coffees should have been on the house - especially since he forgot to ask us of we wanted coffee. Sorry B&B, but that's the last of my money you'll ever see.
(2)Chan L.
It was very professional at the bar . We were served by Ian and it was a complete enjoyable night for after dinner drinks and dessert venue to come to.
(5)Dana R.
I went here for the second time this past weekend and it was fabulous. Upon first glancing at the menu, you might think, "What the hell? I don't eat any of this stuff" but if you are willing to broaden your horizons a bit and aren't scared to sample octopus or rabbit, for example, you will have a one of a kind experience. I started out with the goat cheese tortelloni with dried orange and wild fennel. I admit that this was a safe order and I could have branched out a bit more...but I love goat cheese and pasta and it definitely didn't disappoint! I also sampled the grilled octopus which I feared would be a chewy consistency but it wasn't at all. I thoroughly enjoyed it and would recommend it to anyone, even those who don't consider themselves to be adventurous eaters. For dinner I enjoyed the duck with cherries. Great combination of sweet and savory. I have now enjoyed this restaurant twice, and I fully intend on making the third time a charm!
(4)Kim K.
I hate to only give this place two stars but I just wasn't feeling it. Here's the rundown: Cons: Overstaffed - I know we beat the pre-dinner rush (when I'm sure they are needed) but the amount of hovering waitstaff was annoying and intimidating. $6 hot tea? You're kidding right? Pretentious menu with little translation - I almost felt like I was bothering the waiter by asking but I seriously had no idea what 80% of the menu said - I'm not an idiot either, I can usually figure it out but here I was clueless. Lengthy wait time for food - ok I know B&B is supposed to be a traditional Italian style meal with a leisurely pace but the wait was excessive. Very dark! It was like sensory deprivation and I didn't like that. Pros: Perfectly cooked pork chop - exactly how I asked for it ("not pink" despite the dirty look I got from the waiter for the request), was probably one of the most delicious pieces of meat I have ever had. Really excellent flavor pairings - they obviously hone their combinations to perfection here, the food love is apparent. Dunno if the pros outweigh the cons but I probably wouldn't make a return trip here. Meal was very expensive! Over $110 for two people.
(2)Patty V.
One of the best restaurant dinners I have ever had. The entire experience was wonderful, the ambience is perfect. The food was amazing. Wine, well, it was a Bastianich red blend and it was delicious. We started with the Caprese salad. Absolutely delicious, homemade oozing Burrata and heirloom tomatoes bursting with flavor. My husband had the short rib and I had the orrechiette with spicy lamb sausage and rapini. Fresh grated horseradish on the rib, freshly grated parmesean on the pasta. Perfect size portions, bursting with flavor. Both entrees were amazing, delicious, perfecto. Dessert: chocolate budini with homemade caramel sauce. Heaven.
(5)Katie L.
Bone Marrow Ravioli- not good. Liquid in the middle that oozed in your mouth. They forgot our wine and then pretended they didn't. They were nice about it but it was an empty restaurant and we waited over 15 minutes. Calamari was good. Weird preparation- it was almost tempeh style, not consistent with an italian restaurant. Overpriced... but this is Vegas.
(3)Winston G.
Pricier than many of his New York restaurants, but to be expected while in Vegas. The pasta dishes here are simply phenomenal - Batali is a genius. For 6 of us, we ordered a number of appetizers and pastas to split amongst the table. For entrees, we got the aged rib eyes, which while good, were not as amazing as the waiter described. I would probably go for something else next time. Great way to start the night. Go to XS or Marquee after dinner here to have an amazing night.
(5)Frank N.
My wife and I have tried B and B three times. I was hoping the food would get better, not worse. We even tried the tasting menu. This time I tried the lobster and pasta dish. The spices were so strong, I could not taste the lobster. They could have used catfish and you could not taste the difference. My wife had the pork belly. The cut of meat was poor and the cooking made it horrible. Mario should travel to the South and try well seasoned and cooked pork belly. Waiter lacked attention. He never ask us for a drink order. I hate to use " Three strikes and your out" BUT!!!
(1)Angela M.
We were in town for a bachelorette party and decided to do one fancy dinner. I voted for B&B because I like Mario Batali and his little orange shoes. We sat down and were asked if we were on a time crunch or had any shows to attend. We didn't, but later thought maybe we should have lied. Service could have been perceived as slow but I sort of liked the pace. I didn't feel rushed to shove food down my throat. Most of us had two courses instead of the four on the menu. I started with the artichoke salad. My first bite was super tart (thanks lemon!), but the parmigiano was a fantastic contrast. I ate the whole salad, and honestly would have been fine with just that. My main course was the rabbit porchetta. My friends selected other items: blue crab ravioli, Jose's Pyramids and the short rib. The rabbit porchetta seemed like the largest portion. The rabbit was a tad salty but perhaps that was for the best. I really enjoyed the dish. It was served on a bed of peas and lima beans. This may have been the only time in my life that I enjoyed lima beans. The blue crab ravioli (from the bite I took) was very rich and the 8 or so raviolis seemed almost like too much. For anyone saying there were too few, well, we must have very different preferences. My two other friends (with the short ribs and Jose's Pyramids) were really happy with their selections as well. I honestly felt the service was really good. They ensured we had full waters, refilled wine glasses and bread between courses. We received complementary chick peas bruschetta at the beginning and some collection of tiny desserts at the end. It looks like other reviewers weren't impressed with the chickpeas bruschetta. It was a little oily, I suppose, but I thought it was so tasty, it just didn't matter! The bathrooms are nice too. I'm a huge fan of the Dyson Airblade. Nice choice, guys!
(4)KeepThemAccountable G.
The tasting menu brought tears of pure joy....I will forever be disappointed as my bar for pure gastronomical excellence has be raised beyond the stars since this experience! If you truly love fine cuisine and yourself, you will need to pay a visit.
(5)Ken G.
I wasn't sure if I'd enjoy this spot, but I actually did. I'm a huge fan of watching Mario Batali on the Food Network so to actually go to one of his restaurants was great. I had the following: Goat Cheese Tortelloni - nice, fresh, homemade pasta filled with rich goat cheese...I guess it'd be tough to go wrong there. It was a tasty dish with delicate flavors. Brasato al Barolo (braised shortribs) - wow, incredible. Our server mentioned that the meat was "so tender, it would melt in your mouth" and that's exactly what happened - extremely tender beef with the perfect amount of savory seasonings. Dark Chocolate Torta - a well-made chocolate torte with great dark chocolate. The pastry was buttery and rich, while the chocolate was decadent and perfect. I'd recommend this spot if you're a picky eater when it comes to Italian food (like me) and want something that's closer to authentic.
(4)Sarah R.
6 people, cocktails, & lots of food... less than a $600 bill. That includes the 20% gratuity added by B&B. I gotta say, not too shabby for a fancy shmancy place! The biggest hit among the entire table was the octopus appetizer. One of the guys even asked for the recipe and our server had the cook write down the entire thing with instructions on a recipe card! I didn't personally try it - But my husband practically had a foodgasm over it. I had the beet salad and some sort of pasta dish. The pasta was average but I absolutely LOVED the beet salad. Mmmmm. The service was extraordinary. Our server knew every little nuance of the menu and was extremely patient and friendly about all our questions. Also, the bartender was incredible at making drinks. He has a signiture drink called, "The Green Monk." It MUST be tried. He also makes a killer mojito. Seems simple, but you'd be surprised! The atmosphere was comfortable and classy. Everytime someone left the table for the restroom, a staff member would fold their napkin nicely. I enjoyed the little things. To be honest, this is not the best place for a vegetarian. But it is still lovely and I would go again. I would give 3.5 stars if I could.. but since I have to choose, I will go with 4 because our server rocked it.
(4)Kenneth F.
Food **** Service *, net score ** We sat at our nice table in the corner right on time (yay)... Was greeted very nicely by bus-staff and told that our waiter will be right with us (yay)... Another bus-staff came up to us to offer us sparkling water (yay)... "Are you our waiter?" uh no... ok... where is our waiter.. uh... uh... uh... ok 10-minutes, no bread, no waiter, nuttin honey.... We a man in a suit for the manager and guess what ... he gets our waiter??? Hey, we asked for the manager stupid! So I asked our waiter to get the manager... out he comes.... yes sir, we're terribly sorry... I'll make sure he comes right out.. uh no, you're missing the point.. he's obviously got too many tables, put someone else on the job... sorry sir but we cannot... ugh FML... So waiter asks for our app order, we tell him we are in NO hurry.. and that we would like to see the wine list and the sommelier... the sommelier gives us his recommendations and we order an nice Barolo and wait... now the apps are out... where's our wine??? UGH... really.... food now and no wine.. The food however, was really nice, the apps were great, loved the beef cheek ravioli, and the goat cheese tortelloni was - uh wait, it didn't arrive, cuz the great server we had FORGOT IT. My wife really just wanted to eat a couple of apps, and now her meal was well.. gone poof... Uh, Mr Manager... yes sir, we're terribly sorry, we'll get it out for you... $55 Veal chop arrives but not the side... hello? Mr Manager... oh the med rare veal chop was well... rare at best, but I was tired of complaining... THey comped much of the meal and apologized profusely
(2)Andrea M.
You know how you want to be one of the judges on Iron Chef America... Come on admit it!!! Well, if you're willing to pay $$$ for a one of a kind meal... then this is the place for sure!!!! You can be a Iron Chef judge for the evening....really! PROS: Classy as it gets. Waiter spot on with knowledge of menu, timing impeccable! Food was fresh, organic, filled your mouth with an orchestra of flavors that complemented one another.... CONS: If you're not too familiar with true Italian cuisine, you might find yourself wondering what some of the items on the menu are... DON'T WORRY OR FRET... STAFF WILL JUMP FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO HELP AND GUIDE YOU THROUGH AN AMAZING EXPERIENCE... only the Iron Chef judges taste!!!
(5)Tropical T.
I read some of the reviews of B&B and a lot of them were negative. All I can tell you is I had a really good experience. The waiter we had "Anthony" was the most Knowledgeable waiter I have ever had anywhere hands down. He knew everything about the food and all the Green practices of the restaurant. He was a little stiff at the beginning but after engaging him in conversation he brightened up. Had the Burrata and Heirloom tomato appetizer w fresh pesto, Delicious. Also combined that with the meat selection for one, pretty good, not spectacular but decent, maybe ordering it for 2,3,4 is better. But one thing about it the pickled vegetable on it were horrible. Ok onto main courses.... Had the Papparadelle Bolognese, I thought it was great. Fresh wide ribbons dressed with a delicious meat sauce and freshly grated Reggiano Parmegiano . It wasn't piled on meat sauce like in american italian restaurants, the pasta was dressed in meat sauce like you would get in Italy. with a glass of red wine perfect. Next had a pork loin special with fingerling potatoes and arugula salad with a pan reduction sauce. It was too much food but very good, the sauce excellent and the potatoes crispy salty and delicious. Cappuccino excellent, Biscotti terrible. But its interesting that people don't like B&B because I went to Mario's causal place in the Venetian and it was the worst pizza I ever had.
(3)Janice C.
Mario Batali and Joe Bastianich's Italian restaurant was buzzin on a Sunday night despite the moderately high prices. Most of the dishes that we wanted to order were already out (it was only 7:30pm!) so we settled for our server's recommendations. We started with her salad recommendation. I didn't expect THINLY shaved Porcini mushrooms and arugula salad with THINLY shaved parmesan tossed in EVOO and aged balsamic vinegar. Such a plain jane appetizer, it's really not worth the $17 price tag for salad. However, the grilled octopus with borlotti marinati in a spicy limoncello vinaigrette was too good to be true! Especially after the disappointing salad starter, it was great to have this dish to savor over. The pasta dishes were good, although not quite solid. My beef cheek ravioli with black truffles and crushed duck liver was exactly what the doctor ordered! (not THAT doctor, I'm talking about the doctor for the soul! ha!) I love foie and I love black truffles so it wasn't a surprise that I was going to LOVE this dish. The bf's pacherri with clams, mussels and shrimp cooked in a tangy tomato sauce was great, although the pasta wasn't cooked through. I like al dente but some pieces were still raw. Service definitely needs improvement, while our busser kept up with the refilling of water, delivering dishes, etc. I would like to see our actual server pass by more than one time and a "is everything perfect?" question tossed our way. While the grilled octopus appetizer is a must try here, there are other Italian restos at the Venetian that are more worth your money.
(3)Jill P.
Pasta dishes were overwhelmingly salty and not as special tasting as the menu would lead one to believe. Use of accent herbs (basil, sage, dried orange zest, fennel pollen ) were skimpy. Thus dishes lacked in brightness of flavor, and dimension. We would not go back.
(2)Cliff L.
We had the black spaghetti and the taggliatelle for our prime courses. Both were good, but nothing special. My wife had the veal chop, which was good. I had the short ribs al baralo. The sauce was OK, but the meat was dry and stringy; very disappointing.
(2)Mat W.
The food, atmosphere and service are quite good. The price is quite bad Started with an artichoke salad for appetizer which was $20+. It was a small but well orchestrated dish. Very fresh and crisp taste with some hints of citrus elements. There is a light dressing that accents the fresh crisp taste of the dish. I got the pork chop for my entree. This was VERY good. Very thick cut which was heavily seasoned (which I prefer). Overall a savory taste. Had a nice crust on outside, and very moist tasty inside. The dish was covered in a sweet glaze that I believe was derived from dates. It had some fresh greens on top which added a nice earthy contrast. I think this plate was in the $40-50 range. A vodka tonic I think ran around $14-16/drink. Great meal, but still doesn't match the price. About 3.5 stars total package, but giving the food the benefit of the doubt
(4)Kimberlyn L.
One of the best meals of my life here. Pork trotters. Ahh. I wish this was served on a giant serving tray. I thought this was going to be a heavier dish because it's fried. The pickled onions and fresh salad made it so light and tasty. I hope it will still be on the menu when I come back! I had the orcecchiete (spelling?) with lamb? I think. It was great but a bit spicy. I wasn't crazy about it but though it was delicious. My previous visit, I had their duck liver ravioli. That that dish you must try. I had the server pick a dessert for me. Budino was on the menu and normally I'd go for that because I love Mozza's butterscotch Budino at home. But the server raves about this fruit salad. I said to him really? Okay, I trust you. I was pleasantly surprised with this "fruit salad". There were berries scattered all over the plate. Fresh, poached, and crunchy. So many different textures. With this berry sauce and ice cream. Let me tell you, because of this recommendation...I gave my server a very good tip. :)
(5)Amy A.
i often think "italian rustic" is overused and not representative of most restaurants. b&b is the closest thing on the west coast to display proper italian rustic. the menu shows careful consideration of the freshest ingredients and use of everything (all animal parts). -this takes creativity and masterful chef skills! we had a great time and thoroughly enjoyed the pate, orechiette, veal and lamb. it was lovely to enjoy the leisurely meal (minus the 2 large loud groups flanking our 2 person table). the sommelier provided some nice suggestions on the paired wine but lacking a bit on the grappo background. all in all, it was a really lovely experience and we will definitely return.
(4)Philip K.
We ate at Mozza in L.A two weeks ago and we were so blown away that we opted for B&B while spending a weekend in Vegas... rather disappointing. The food was OK..but not even close to the level of Mozza while charging the same prices. The staff kept referencing Mario Batali during the table service (ie. "Mario doesn't use knifes for the primi course.." ) but I gotta tell you the last time I think "Mario" was here was at the grand opening . It was underwhelming ....esp for the $180 (no booze) price tag.
(3)Jessica B.
In Vegas to celebrate my mother's 50th B-Day, wanted to treat her to an amazing Mario Batalli experience so I chose B&B after reading rave reviews. I was completely disappointed with the experience! The Good: We were greeted and seated promptly. The food when eventually served was yummy! (Blue crab ravioli, the Americano, and the spicy lamb ragu.) The Awful: Our waiter Jeffery was unbelievably rude! My aunt and mother requested more detail about the dishes before selecting their main courses and he acted like it was completely beneath him to describe the 3 they were debating between. Once our order was placed he disappeared completely. Jeffery NEVER inquired how our food was or if we needed to add anything to our order. I had to repeatedly ask our "water girl" for refills on drinks and a cocktail menu. At one point I requested an additional glass of wine and it never came. I had to order it 2 more times before it eventually came. Once I made it clear how disappointed I was with the service, Jeffery still didn't apologize or offer any explanation for his rude behavior. As someone who works in the customer service industry I'm appalled by our experience at B&B and embarrassed that I took my Mother there. For an over $200 meal I really expected more. Needless to say I won't be making a return visit or recommending this place to anyone!
(1)Jean Y.
You can definitely do better than B&B. After dining here, I felt that Batali tagged his name on a restaurant that simply doesn't live up to his reputation. The food and service were both sub par. My halibut was fairly overdone. Overcooking fish is an amateur's mistake that I find inexcusable when I'm spending $60 on a meal. I shared a fried rabbit leg with a friend, and it tasted just like a drumstick from KFC. I'm not kidding. There was nothing on the plate to compliment the flavor. Three of the girls at the table shared several dishes, including ravioli. Their shared entrees came out split onto three plates, which was nice. However, the ravioli turned out to be an 8-piece dish (approximately $4 per piece of ravioli). One girl got two pieces. We laughed over this at the table and how it was slightly silly that the restaurant couldn't at least throw in an extra piece for appearances. Furthermore, our waiter was unfriendly and robotic. He recited descriptions of dishes in a humorless monotone when asked questions about the menu.
(1)Elizabeth C.
This place was HORRIBLE. It might have been the worst service I've ever experienced. We were shunted to the side of the restaurant and ignored, and I suspect it's because we indicated we were not interested in wine. We ordered two desserts. One was the Panna Cotta, and I am not exaggerating when I say it was clearly made in a dipping sauce container. It was $16, and hardly three mouthfuls. We had to ask for forks, and wait forever. We had to ask for napkins, and wait again. Our coffee took ten minutes to arrive, and we had to ask for condiments. If you like snobbery, bad service and wasting money, go here. If you'd prefer something better with more value, better service and higher quality, go to Pinot Brasserie across the Casino. It's much, much better.
(1)Kristina A.
As per my Mom's request we went here for dinner. She is a huge fan of Chef Mario Batali. We came in after seeing the Phantom of the Opera (during its last weeks performance in Vegas). We had a reservation for 10:15pm but came on early. We did not have any problems getting in early. The hostess is very nice and pretty too :) I gave them 4 stars because we were seated in a very tiny area where people sits very close to each other. The 3 ladies that were seating behind us was very noisy and were flirting too much with the boys seating right next to us. My Mom and I had a very hard time hearing our conversation. All we can hear was giggles from the girls table. One good thing with the room eventhough its a little bit on the dark side is we were seated right next to the wine stack which is very interesting. I kinda like it. Food wise everything is superb !!! We ordered several of their favorites. We were given an amuse bouche and a complimentary bread. Both were delicious. We shared a salad. For the main course we ordered the beef cheek ravioli with truffles and it was very good. The pasta is perfectly cooked. Mom had the Branzino. They were very nice to asked us if we wanted to have it fillet. The fish has lots of bones so its a good idea to have it fillet. It was very good too. After we enjoyed our entree we decided to get dessert. Peaches and cream and my all time favorite tiramisu. Overall it was a great experience. I was not disappointed. Despite the noisy people in the room everything is just perfect. Will definitely go back and try more dishes. A+++
(4)Chris W.
Let me start out by saying I'm a huge fan of Mario Batali and Babbo is still one of the best meals of my life. That said, my wife and I were excited to go to B&B when we were out in Vegas. It was a huge let down. The service was inattentive and the pastas were like a salt lick and virtually inedible. There are many other better choices for your Vegas vacation. Avoid.
(1)Adrienne C.
The pastas were amazing - went with a group of ladies and we each tried one of the pasta dishes. I found the portion size to be good for a nicer restaurant in Vegas. Only ding was that our waiter was clearly not interested in serving us once he realized that we weren't going to order the gigantic tasting menu. Agree with the other reviews - service is pretentious (I mean, you are right next to the Blue Man Group tix stand) but the food is good.
(3)CJ N.
Before a Cirque du Soleil show (O), we went to B&B. Huge, huge highlights: - Olives! (For real, I never had an olive that tasted like chocolate.) - Wine! Rubio, a LaCrima type wine. Never had it in my life; still trying to find it elsewhere. - Lobster Spaghetti! - Delicious Even the bathroom has clever Batali-like touches, such as repurposed soap from the kitchen drippings. Lovely dining experience.
(5)Mister X.
Step 1: search for "salty" in the Yelp Reviews for B&B Step 2: search for another restaurant You are welcome.
(1)Eva M.
My husband and I went to Vegas for a mini honeymoon and we were determined to eat at a Batali restaurant. I made our reservation two weeks in advance and we were so excited that we ended up getting there a half hour early. That wasn't an issue and they sat us right away. Our waiter was absolutely amazing (I can't quite remember his name, but I think it was Mark). We wanted to have the full experience and we had the time, so we did the tasting menu with the wine pairings. They are seven course meals and each dish was better than the last. The explanations of the dishes and their origins and the reason why each wine was paired with that dish was not only helpful, but enhanced our experience as well. My favorite dish was the Squab "al Mattone" with Truffled Crema Fritta and Black Trumpet Ragu paired with Masi "Costasera" Amarone 2007. Any time you fry a sweetened cream infused with black truffle, you can't go wrong. My husband's favorite was actually his dessert. It was Honey Budino with Honey-Orange Vanilla Syrup paired with Donnafugata, "Ben Rye" Passito di Pantelleria 2009. It was, as he put it, the nectar of the gods.
(5)Chenise T.
It's a pity so many people have had such bad experiences at B&B. We visited on 3/23 and had a fantastic experience! We were running late for our 8 p.m. reservation that evening and called ahead to let them know we would be 10-15 minutes late. We actually arrived closer to 25 minutes late but the hostess was very gracious and told us that it was not a problem. We were seated immediately and our waitress was right over to take our drink orders. Before perusing the menu, our waitress let us know that we could ask her any questions we had about any of the plates as their menu is not very descriptive. We ordered two appetizers, Burrata (and I can't remember the other one), the Burrata was outstanding! After that we chose our pasta dishes, I had the Gnocchi with lamb ragu. I have never had lamb before and this was a perfect introduction. Overall the food was very good, not the best I've ever had but delicious none the less. What really stood out to us was the service. Our waitress and the rest of the wait staff were super attentive and always available to fulfill any request. Will be returning on future trips!
(4)Ahris K.
This was my boyfriend and my very first "fine dining" experience if you may call it that. I'll keep it simple: - Fritto Misto= yummy, nothing extraordinary - Mint Love Letters= SOOO good, normally he doesn't even eat lamb but did so very willingly with this dish - Veal Chop= barbaric, yet very delicious and satisfying Then we ordered another secondi trusting the waiter's recommendation and did not like it at all! :(
(3)Roy V.
For the price it should have been much better. Stay away from the linguini w clams and pancetta. SO SALTY. I'm thai I love salty food For the price it should have been much better. Stay away from the linguini w clams and pancetta. SO SALTY. I'm thai I love salty food but this was ridiculous. Also service was subpar. Maybe as my friend said it was the rock bottom christmas eve crew but whatever. Mario batale needs to take a second look. On the plus side, incredible octopus appetizer. Would get that again if forced to go.
(2)Jill E.
If you're only going to splurge for one meal, do it here! We've stayed at the Palazzo several times and walked by the restaurant thinking too expensive and so what if it's a celebrity chef but this visit we took the plunge and are we glad we did. The wait staff are knowledgeable about the various dishes and every staff person we encountered was cheerful and all about making our dining experience the best it could be. We shared the calamari appetizer and i could have had another plate of that and skipped the rest of the meal. For the pasta course which the waiter said we should split but don't miss we had goat cheese tortellini. I'm still drooling every time i think about it. I had lamb and my husband had pork and both were cooked to perfection. Everything is Italian, even the beer. This is a place to visit again to be sure.
(5)Pierre L.
I booked B&B here because I wanted to try a new restaurant and OpenTable was offering 1000 points and it was in the Palazzo area where it was close to the conference area. The food is not worth the money at all. Beet salad that came out was okay at best. Just pieces of beets with a bit of cheese and covered in olive oil. The foie gras pasta seemed to be under cooked, lacked flavor, and was the possibly the smallest bowl of pasta possible and it was for $31. For the same price, I recently had a large bowl of risotto with seared foie gras that was two to three times the size. I don't mind paying for pricey food (I didn't pay) but it just wasn't that great. The gentleman I was having dinner with ordered the calamari and not sure how much it was but didn't look like it was worth trying. The bread was stale, cold. Anyway, not coming back for sure.
(1)Sara S.
Overpriced to the extreme. Minus a star. Went on Friday night around 930... had to wait 20 min for a table. I had their very BASIC mixed green salad with citrus vinagarette... $15 for a plain salad. WHY. Then I had their Stracchino Ravioli with nametake mushrooms in some kind of citrus butter sauce... MEH. The ravioli was BLAND, the mushrooms were unseasoned and raw which I guess was what they were supposed to be, but it didn't go well with the dish. AT ALL. And the sauce was kind of bizarre for a ravioli dish. IDK. Minus a star. My mom was forced to order a goat cheese ravioli because they RAN OUT of their spaghetti with one pound lobster. WTF. FAIL. My dad got the beef cheek ravioli which was actually delicious. Too bad it wasn't MY order. My sister got orchiette with sausage and brocollini (can't remember the real name, this was all translated from the fancy italian they actually use on the menu) which was decent I suppose... for $29 bucks... Our waiter was meh, he was pushy and forgot my dad's side order of potatoes. Didn't really even apologize. It's okay, we didn't want $10 potatoes that were prob just plain potatoes in olive oil and rosemary. Minus a star.The bus boys were prompt and funny though. Maybe they should trade places with our waiter... Basically everything is above $25 and for small portions. Our waiter said "typically" a person orders an appetizer, first course (pasta), second course and then dessert. But total that would be over $100 a person guarantee and we weren't feeling it. OVERALL: not worth it. Splurge at a different place. Sorry, Mario. Maybe you and your crocs should roll up to this restaurant to change it up. I will say that their Bellini (peach puree + prosecco) was yummy and maybe the best thing I had at dinner. But that was a $12 cocktail. SAD.
(2)Allison J.
Awesome awesome awesome. This is the place to get adventurous with the dining. Go for the sweetbreads. Do the oxtail and the lamb's tongue. If you can't stomach it... the calamari app with capers is YUM and the mint love letters Primi is to die for. The duck entree... can't be beat and the rabbit makes me want to hop around and do a little dance. I love this place. Eat Here.
(5)Samantha H.
I've read reviews of this in which the person said the food was great but the service was not so much. I completely disagree. The service was excellent and the food was even better. I highly recommend the linguine with clams or the venison. The wine was one of the best I've ever had (which was recommended by the bartender). I would very highly recommend to anyone!
(5)Monica T.
salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty salty. i hate myself for trying this restaurant without reading the reviews first. if i knew that their food was going to be salty as hell, i would have never stepped foot in there!!! it was so disappointing! save your money or go eat else where! my bf had to return his duck since it was so salty! they were going to make another "less salty" duck dish for him but we had to wait again for it to be prepared and by this time, my starving bf was digging into my entrée, which was overly salted as well. i just couldn't eat it anymore and so filled up on bread and water as i was parched from eating salt....YES, eating salt!!! oh did i mention their food is very salty? ughh.
(1)Eleanor L.
I loved this restaurant. At first I was a little intimidated because I couldn't understand half of the menu but my server explained every thing. She was awesome! Very warm, friendly, attentive and she kept track of time for us because we had a show to see. My boyfriend and I ordered the house made cured meat dish for our appetizer. The cured meats were delicious and they all had their own unique flavor. They had this one cured meat that was the left over of making prosciutto and it was melt in our mouth heaven! It came with a "doughnut" square to cleans the pallet between meats or you could eat it with the meat. I had the sweet breads with duck bacon for my entree and my boyfriend has the pappardelle bolognese. Both entrees were phenomenal. If you don't like sweet food or tripe, this dish is not for you. But if you do, please try this dish, you wont be disappointed. The duck bacon complimented the sweet breads with a little salt. All Italian cooks judge each other by their bolognese so B&B's was the best I've had. It didn't seem like we ate a lot of food but by the end of dinner we were so stuffed we couldn't order desert. I will defiantly come back to this restaurant every time I'm in Vegas.
(5)Cassie P.
We came early on a weeknight before a show. Our reserved table through Open Table was waiting. The service was fast....maybe too fast. The food was small in portion size but big on taste! Very unique strong tasting food that by the end of your small serving you are glad that there isn't anymore left. Just perfect. Dessert included the salted caramel gelati.....heaven. The parmigiana souffle appetizer and beef cheek raviolis also stood out.
(5)shannon e t.
we stumbled across b&b after avoiding several other upscale restaurants for their vegetarian-hostile menus. from the outside, it's just like any other vegas restaurant. inside, the tables are so wide, it's uncomfortable to hold hands or play footsies. fortunately, i was dining with my best friend, so the wide table simply gave us room for plenty of food. they started us with a complimentary taste of some sort of chickpea and olive oil concoction atop a slice of baguette. tasty, though messy. the appetizer was completely forgettable. it sounded italian on the menu, though looked and tasted just like tempura. we opted to leave some on the plate to save room for the main course. we shared two raviolis - the sweet potato and the goat cheese. this wonderful combination left us satisfied beyond ordering dessert. they say two people should order five plates to share. i cannot fathom the food coma that would have left us in. the service is good. our water glasses never ran dry, the food came at a pace to match ours, and, despite feeling underdressed, the waitress never rushed us out our did anything to indicate that she'd noticed.
(4)John O.
My experience here was hit and miss. Good food (for the most part) and awful service. First the food - for the most part it was pretty good. Lobster pasta was on the money, the lamb main was terrific, the brasato al barolo was a bit too salty and rich but enjoyable. Chocolate cake for desert was not good at all. Service was awful - unacceptable at this price point. Our waiter disappeared several times during the night. Another person had to pick up our table. He was arrogant and rude. The wine recommendation we were given by the sommelier really missed the mark. The wine was drinking really tight - just the opposite how it was described. I've been to Babbo twice and always had excellent service. On top of this, the prices are lower on the food and the wine. B&B is a far cry from the original and has some work to do.
(3)Tophe T.
The service was not great. For a very high end restaurant they should staff people who actually know how to serve. My server was the host just because I decide to sit in front of the restaurant. Also I was advised the menu is different inside and outside. What is up with that?
(1)Ben F.
Fish was chewy. Pasta was good but filling tasted like dirt. We sent back the beef cheek ravioli. Service was great but would not go back because food was terrible.
(1)gary w.
This place rocks. I've watched Mario Batali on TV for years, and have always wanted to try his cooking. This is beyond cooking. This is fine cuisine. We started with the Prosciutto di Parma and Rabbit Confit Crespelle. Both were fabulous and a really surprisingly light appetizer course. They also complemented each other well. The entrees were the Beef Cheek Ravioli and Whole Grilled Branzino. These were polar opposites, and wonderfully complimentary as well. The ravioli was exquisitely rich, with a truffle sauce that was so layered with flavor. The Branzino was grilled whole, presented, and then filleted. It was wonderfully light and simple, and perfectly done. Sampling between the two was a real delight. Dessert was the Bruciato Marscapone, and Dark Chocolate Torta. Also a Yin/Yang combination. The Bruciato light and delicate, and the Torta deeply rich. Our server was both knowledgeable about the food and the menu, patient with our less than sophisticated knowledge of Italian, and truly seemed to love good food. He was most helpful in helping us make our selections, and was right on with all his recommendations. It was a truly great evening. I've always eaten at Bouchon, but this place puts it to shame.
(5)kikyochan c.
Took my husband here before our show at the Venetian. Had high expectations, especially considering the expensive price for a Vegas restaurant. I had the bone marrow ravioli which the waiter recommended. It had a funny taste to it and I didn't like it. Maybe it's an acquired taste? Moved on to my pasta. I ordered the black pasta, since the waiter said it is the same thing as squid ink pasta. I've had the authentic thing in Venice, Italy and this was definitely not it! For one it tasted like regular pasta. The one in Venice had a slightly briny seafood taste to it which made it unique compared to regular pasta, and B&B's did not. Also, I couldn't believe how salty and spicy the pasta was. Is squid ink pasta supposed to leave a burning sensation in your mouth? I don't think I'll be coming back here.
(1)Elle L.
The one thing that I can't tolerate about restaurants that charge more than $40 per entree is BAD SERVICE. We waited an hour before our server, let's call her "B", came back so that we could order drinks. She never came back to ask us how our entrees were. And we never received any of the complimentary sweets that everyone on Yelp has raved about. All of this would have been fine except that we left her a "mandatory" $80+ tip. I think that the bad service on our server's part can be partially attributed to automatic tip and partially because we came towards the end of the night. Realizing that servers and busboys make most of their livelihood from tips, we decided pay the 20% tip and not punish the busboys, who were very prompt and polite, never letting our water glasses go below half empty. I did go talk to the manager to let him know that the service at his restaurant was less than perfect. When I did, he shrugged and said, "Thanks for telling us." He didn't offer us any kind of compensation OR even note which table we were sitting at and who our server was. With management like that, it is no wonder that the so many people have criticized the service as lackluster. The food was pretty good--the pappardelle bolognese was delicious, but the pasta was a little too al dente, and the veal chop was juicy, flavorful, and all-around amazing. The gnocchi tasted like an overly firm polenta. Overall, I think the food is pretty good, but I would tell people not to go to B&B because of the bad service.
(2)Frank V.
A Tortuous Road with B&B. This was not my first visit to B&B. It will definitely be my last. My companions and I loved this place when it first opened and had returned because we thought the chefs involved would ensure its consistent quality. On the evening of May 24th, we ordered the prix fixe pasta lamb menu. The first dish, I can only compare perhaps to ramen noodles. Really? This is what a top chef has created? Next up, lamb brains ravioli. The ravioli was tasteless and chewy and we could not find any discernible filling. Where did those lamb brains go? Then we had penne w/ lamb pancetta. Salty, tough lamb with overcooked pasta. Next up, pasta w/lamb sausage. I couldn't even finish the three bites they gave me. I have eaten and enjoyed lamb my whole life. Mario Batali committed a crime against lamb and humanity with that dish. Now on top of the major disappointment in the food, just imagine that you are waiting 20-25 minutes between courses. When I spoke to the waitress about the course timing she was defensive and insisted that this is their standard procedure. On top of a lousy meal now I have a waitress who wants to fight. And believe me, I don't want to fight with a waitress. I know what's at stake here. This is an investment. I really want this evening to work. So I told her all I want to do is try to salvage what is left of this $600 spaghetti evening, and one way to do that is to try get some food out here before the whole table falls asleep. By the time dessert arrived everyone at the table was numb. Over two hours had passed since we sat down. Oh, I think I found the missing ravioli lamb brains. The lamb brains were between my ears for paying $600 for the worst tasting meal and the worst service in Las Vegas. What is promised to be one of the finest dining experiences in fact goes down as the worst dining experience ever. Apparently we weren't alone in that thought as the table of Italian Americans sitting next to us were equally as unsatisfied it seems and ranted about all their pasta dishes. What a shame that these celebrity chefs like Mario Batali draw us in and leave without ensuring their product is worthy of the hype and cost. We can assume the following. Either Batali sucks as a chef. Or Batali has abandoned this restaurant and it just carries his name. Either way, you are a chump for giving in to the hype of this place. I'll never dine at a Batali restaurant again. I spoke to the manager before I left. Don't think he gave a crap one way or the other. He said he was sorry. Me too. Stay away from this joint. I am not joking. This is the worst.
(1)Mellie D.
I dined here with a group of 4 girls for an intimate bachelorette party. Service was great, good (though interesting) music played, and the dirty martinis were ferociously strong. Overall, the food was good but I can't say it was any more than 4 stars as I was expecting from Batali. The way to go here is pasta, pasta, pasta! The best dishes we had were the Garganelli with Funghi Trifolati and Beef Cheek Ravioli. The Whole Grilled Branzino was tasty. The biggest disappointment was the Two Minute Calamari...sauce tasted like a strange salsa and it was really too spicy for me and I love spicy food. So we ordered 1 cocktail each, 1 appetizer, 2 pastas, 2 Secondi, and I think 1 Dessert. We were all full, but definitely not stuffed - which was fine for us. The portions aren't large, so had it been a group of guys this would not be nearly enough food.
(4)Gordon C.
The place is nice, but you do expect more especially when it has Mario Batali's name involved. The portions are also small for the price you pay. The dishes are good but you want more.
(2)Mike A.
This was my 2nd visit to B&B. B&B isn't cheap, but if you want a superb meal with excellent service, you cannot go wrong. I ordered from the pasta tasting menu and wasn't disappointed. I especially liked the craft Italian beers.
(4)Jacquelyne M.
we did a tasting here which started off with a bang: Black Spaghetti with 'Nduja and Sicilian Pesto... and unfortunately left my taste buds craving more but the remaining dishes weren't as impressive. wine pairing was well in 2 of the 5-6 courses. service was good. we only ate their because they had the earliest opening and we were starving.
(3)Sean W.
We had the pasta tasting menu, which overall was disappointing. The first two dishes were really good including a black pasta with a touch of jalapeno. The next three courses were all downhill though, culminating in a pate stuffed ravioli that reeked of vinegar. The wine pairings were strange and didn't add anything to the dishes.
(2)Jerome A.
I REALLY wanted to love that place. I am a big fan of Battali's food and dined at Mozza in LA many times... The food was good BUT... The dining room was not cozy.. and the service SUCKED... Royally... Our server did not know the menu and was pushy. I was on a date and we wanted to eat light so we did not order as he suggested and from that point, had very little attention. He never brough us the second wine I ordered and poured us a brachetto d'acqui that was flat. Could not send it back since he never checked on us... At 170 for 2 ( 2 pastas, one entree split, 2 desserts, 2 glasses of bad brachetto and 1 quartino ) I think that this restaurant is not competitive in Las Vegas... Sorry Mario but you managers need to be on top of their game.. speaking of which, no management presence on the floor either... what a shame....
(3)Phil K.
Roughly the same menu as Babbo in NYC, which is one of my favorite restaurants. I didn't find it particularly loud or salty or rude, as some of the previous reviewers mentioned. I dined at the bar though. The chef & sommelier were also eating at the bar (it was late), and they offered me a few bites of random things. Was nice. I had the Mint Love Letters with Lamb Ragu. Excellent as always. And the Fennel Dusted Sweetbreads w/ Onion Jam and Duck Bacon. Also, excellent.
(5)Ali H.
I was so impressed with my whole meal. I felt so happy to be eating at this fine dining establishment. I was with my sister and 2 other Sisters enjoying Las Vegas. We ordered from head to toe. Our wine was amazing, our appetizers were delicious and my lamb was to die for. I ate every bite and enjoyed every full pain it gave me. I ordered the lamb to the chef's liking and everything was incredible. I would eat here again if I ever go back to Vegas....
(5)Gary K.
Up-scale environment and wonderful services. The food is good but not spectacular.
(3)Maricel P.
the restaurant feels a little crowded... too many waiter/tress going around which makes it even more crowded... great pasta! great service... ...to be cont.
(3)Neil W.
My wife and I walked into this place for our 5 year. I looked around and thought we were in for a treat... nope. The waiter was at least nice, everyone else was a complete snob! The wine least was GROSSLY over priced, I think wine should be priced for the novice to the high roller. I got over the sticker shock and just got ready to enjoy dinner. My wife's stater, Fritto Misto was good, not great. My garlic custard with peas was OK, not great... it needed more peas and less custard (by the way for the prices I expect GREAT food, not OK). My wife's sweet potato pasta was again good, but no great. My sausage with broccoli rape was so salty it made me sick (nausea and heartburn). My wife tried and spit it out and her tounge burned from it. When I brought this up, it was like I killed somebody. I could not eat anything because my stomach was so upset and I explained this to them. The manager was so smugg and couldn't muster even an apology, just said the chef tried it and it was a bit salty.... A BIT I WAS SICK! They told me they took care of the pasta on the bill like they were doing me a favor... of course you did, but you made me sick and ruined my anniversary dinner. I am not impressed with this place, the serivce, the food, or the prices! There are too many good places to eat on the strip to waste your time with this place!
(1)Daniel L.
I'll keep this short and sweet since the meal was long and salty. Long in the sense that I went with the server's recommendation to go with an appetizer, a "primi" and a "segundi." I was hungry, but Luciano Pavarotti, I am not. Tragically, there was no room for dessert. Salty in the sense that everything I had, as well as my girlfriend's selections, was.... well, too salty. I do have to mention that the sommelier was incredibly helpful with the ridiculously long list of Italian wines. After staring at the freakin thing for about 10 minutes (what the heck is a Super Tuscan?!!??) he came over, asked me what I liked, and pointed out a few wines that I should consider in a very helpful manner.
(3)Gaby C.
I don't know why the ratings for this place are not that great, but I loved it!!! I love Mario Batali, and I so I was very excited to eat here. I liked everything that was served to us. When we arrived, the hostess was very nice and the place was not crowded at all. Our server was also very nice, knowledgeable, and attentive. We started our meal with the cured meat plate and the fresh, homemade mozzarella appetizer served with toasted baguette slices and ramps. That fresh mozzarella appetizer was absolutely amazing!!! We then moved on to our pasta courses, where we shared both the Spaghettini with Spicy Budding Chives, Sweet Garlic and One-Pound Lobster and the Beef Cheek Ravioli with Black Truffles and Crushed Duck Liver. The Spaghettini was cooked perfectly al-dente. The lobster was also tender and the flavors of the tomatoes and herbs in the pasta were so fresh and tasty! My boyfriend was a huge fan of the Beef Cheek Raviolis. For our main course, we shared the Duck with Grilled Plums and Bitter Almond- Yummy! The duck was tender with a nice, crispy skin and the crispy confit leg was perfect! For dessert we had the lemon and marscapone pudding with a thin layer of cake on the bottom and topped with a crunchy pine nut brittle. The pudding was so creamy, and the perfect balance of sweet and tart. Overall, I really enjoyed this place and even though there are tons of restaurants I would love to try in Vegas, I will definitely be coming back here when I return.
(4)Marilynn L.
I've lived in Italy for 6 months and can say that the food here is extremely authentic. That said, I'd rather eat it in Tuscany than in Las Vegas because the portions here are small and unsatisfying and more expensive -we paid $35 for each pasta dish and granted one was the one with 1 lb. of lobster, the other (which just had chanterelles and charred corn) did not have any expensive ingredient and was even smaller than mine. Portion size aside, the flavors were just not that inventive or perfected, as you would expect from Batali. The "Paglia e Fieno" was really salty (the main flavor) and my spaghettini was rather bland. The calamari appetizer was delicious and leads me to believe there are other star dishes on the menu but when I go to a restaurant like B&B I don't want to have to hunt for what's good - it should all be impressive. Maybe asking too much, but who else to ask that from but Batali & Bastianich? I think I paid more for their names than their actual influence on the restaurant.
(2)V C.
B&B is located in the Venetian hotel. We ate here before we saw a show. The restaurant was odd but good. The set up was a bit strange. We had to move our table around a little so we can sit closer to each other as opposed to shouting across the table to have a conversation. The food was good. They are not afraid to use salt so let that be a warning. A couple items were a little too salty. Very professional staff. The dessert was good too. I wish I could remember what I ordered but whatever it was, it was good, but a little salty.
(3)Tyler D.
Had a great meal here -- Traditional tasting menu. Nice wine list. Good service -- not great, but quite good. Expensive, but good -- Thanks Mario! My tour of Vegas restaurants continues...
(4)Steve M.
Beet salad and rockfish were very good!
(4)Daniel K.
man, i'm suprised at all these low ratings by the yelpers. i really enjoyed my meal here at b&b. having never been to new york, i knew this is the closest i can get to batali's flagship restaurant, babbo. i went to b&b probably 4 months after it opened, so i am assuming mario batali frequented the kitchen to check on the food. (funny thing is i met mario batali the week before the restaurant opened inside bouchon, i thought he hated all things french) anyways, when i opened up the menu, i thought i was reading the babbo cookbook i have at home. mint love letters, francobolli, duck liver ravioli, lifeguard calamari, brasato barolo, and lamb's tongue were some of the familiar dishes i saw on the menu. we went with: mint love letters - the lamb and mint went very well together, classic beef cheek and duck liver ravioli- heavy, but i love things that a rich and fatty like this sicilian calamari lifeguard style- the calamari was the most tender calamari i have ever eaten. (it says in the cookbook you cook it for 2 minutes or for an hour to ge that tenderness) i have to say i love mario batali's style of cooking. bold and unrestrained. he really likes to season his food until it hits that border line of too salty, spicy, etc. i love it. music that was playing in the background was queen and some other rockbands. i'm guessing these are his favorite bands, because i can't imagine a fine dining restaurant with this kind of music.
(5)Tim B.
Classic Mario. Solid in every sense.
(4)Jacqui B.
FOR THE PRICE......I've definitely had better :( I almost didn't order pasta since the menu had such an amazing diversity to it.....but, the server reccommended the special so I gave in.....to a salty, otherwise-unflavorful pasta with baby artichokes and not much else going on...seriously tasted like someone used the wrong measuring spoon in the kitchen :( I should have said something at the time, but it was our anniversary and we were trying to get to a show afterward....plus, it's taken a full week for me to reflect on why I didn't speak up sooner.... I was intimidated by how I thoguht it should have tasted..like, maybe it was MY TASTEBUDS that were faulty! My husband's dish of spaghettini with lobster was above-average, but again pricey even for Vegas standards :() I will say that the 3-Beet Salad was fab, I could eat that house-made ricotta every day....and I even loved the sparkling wine that was suggested...but, again, over-priced. I do enjoy Mario Batalli on television; not so much the flavors of this restaurant.
(2)Tim M.
The $99 Umbrian tasting menu was the best meal I've ever had in Vegas. One of the dishes had leeks perfectly incorporated - great for taste and texture. The service was pretty good, the space was OK, and they had a good selection of wines by the carafe. So if you like good food, I'd pick this place over any of the other "celebrity" chef places in Vegas (full disclosure: I've never been to Guy Savoy). My only complaint about thee food is that it appears that Lydia made mario take all of the organ meat off the menu
(5)Loves G.
We made reservation a month in advance. We had a party of 9 and the restaurant wanted to make us set a menu. I said, No. So we had to split the party up into a 5 and 4. I didn't mind as I have been in the business and understand the service. On the day of our dinner, I recieved a phone call saying that they were confused about my reservation?!? What?! What don't you understand?! I explained that we had a party of 5 and a party of 4, because they did not want to take us as a party of 9. I wish I would have taken this as a hint that we should not have dined here. But I did not. I love Mario, but I was merely impressed with this restaurant. The menu looked awesome, but I thought the food was really rich and lacked great flavors. Service is awesome though. I started out with the grilled octopus which I thought was okay, but not delicious. My next course was the beef cheeks ravioli, which the waiter recommended, but it was really gamey and had the texture of liver (grainy). I did not care for that course at all. Then came my entree of 2 minute spicy calamari. This was probably the best dish I had, but I can't say it was fabulous. The restaurant decor is nice. Very cozy. So to sum it up. It was a great restaurant to try, but not one I would say I loved. I would not dine here again. Sorry Mario.
(3)Karen C.
I love Mario Batali's restaurants so I was excited to try this place out. It did not disappoint. Being the pasta fiend, we ordered 4 pasta dishes to share instead of any appetizers or entrees. It was hard to pick since there were about 15 different pasta dishes that all sounded awesome. I really loved the mint love letters - very different from what you would typically see at any normal Italian joint. The best way to describe it would be a ravioli filled with mint pesto. It was fantastic. The other dish that was very original and I can't totally recommend it is the squid ink pasta. It was super tasty but it was hotter than hell. I could not believe you could get food this hot at an Italian restaurant. And this coming from a girl who loves spicy food and has eaten thai chilli peppers raw and unadorned means it was fiercely spicy. Funny because the waiter warned us but usually when people say that its still not spicy for me. Boy was I wrong. Great wine list also. Mario always puts on a nice spread for his guests.
(4)Sheila D.
I love this place--tho must admit I always choose the tasting menu. Food is wonderful and service is top notch. Music can get loud (it's not a big place) and can feel a bit cramped when busy.
(4)Al C.
Its a bit expensive as they say you should order a meat course and a pasta course. Went with a big group so I kinda got a taste of a lot of different stuff. I had a fish in a brown bag that was cooked perfectly and was really flaky. My pasta course was very good but not earth shattering. Great place but not sure it was worth the $$$.
(4)Jessica G.
We came here on recommendation of our wedding caterer. Saying it was one of the best LV restaurants. We came in on a Sunday night after being at Nascar all day, we had reservations for 7pm for a table of 5. We get there at 7, and they say we are going to have to wait... so we wait...and wait... then about 15 minutes later the hostess takes us to our table and starts putting down the menus... but I say that "there are 5 of us, and this table is for 4" and she says "oh it was suppose to be set for 5" this is CLEARLY a 4 top, there is NO WAY 5 people could sit at this table, so then she parades us through the restaurant (really embarrassing it is a tiny restaurant) and we have to go stand outside again to wait for another table, then we parade back in to be seated at a huge table for like 8 people. Whatever, so we start to order and the Sommelier immediately comes over, before we have even looked at the menu or thought about what we are going to eat, further I am not sure if he was even old enough to drink. And he only suggested bottles that were over $200 (for a Sunday night? Puhhhleese), we told him to give us a break and we would figure it out! Food was great (Italian but do not expect spaghetti and meatballs, we had squid ink pasta and rabbit, the rabbit was really good, as well as the beef cheeks), but the music, which seems to be a pretty common complaint, was a bit of a distraction after I realized it was coming from inside the restaurant not in the Casino. If you like 70/80s rock you will be in Heaven! We tried it, we wont be going back...
(2)Drew F.
I was worried because these celebrity chef restaurants are really hit or miss. I left B&B satisfied. The servers were extremely knowledgeable and nice. The flavors that were put out on the plates were amazing. So simple yet so perfect! I enjoyed everything we ordered.
(4)Danielle R.
The reservation here my friends and I had was one of the things that made me happy about my business trip to Vegas. Suffice to say, I am not a huge fan of the town, but am certainly excited by the number of restaurants renowned chefs have put their name behind. I was particularly intrigued by this as not only does this bring Molto Mario to the table, but also brings Lydia Bastianich's son's influence. Lydia, for those that don't know, is the quintessential Italian Nonna, and was a celebrity chef (PBS channel) before Food TV made a brand out of their chefs! The menu did not disappoint -- the bold, rustic, real Italian offerings you would expect from Mario. Everyone at our table was quite happy with a range of options -- roasted beet salad, prosciutto to start. We opted to share a couple pastas so we could all taste pasta while ordering the temptations for the secondi section. WOW! We has the mint love letters pasta -- a bright fresh green pea and mint pesto filled ravioli envelope with a rich, spicy lamb sausage sauce. Such great combinations of flavors, and the perfect balance of sweet and spicy. We also had the beef cheek ravioli with black truffle and crushed duck liver. Yum. Warm, rich, earthy flavors. (in fact, this is a good dish to share as the richness may be too much for a solo dish.) I thoroughly enjoyed the short rib dish - brasato al barolo. Tender meat braised with a barolo reduction; rich and heavenly! Others at the table enjoyed the calamari, the sweetbreads (yes, really!), the rabbit, and the branzino (a white fish). All in all, glad to have tried a higher end Batali joint, and will continue to do so! He really has such great insight to real italian food. The ambiance, however, was lacking a bit for me. It is partially open to the brightly lit 'mall' so it does not reflect the rustic charm that it really could be, particularly given the price. Service brought this from four to a three. Waitress did not like the notion that rather than her suggestion of ordering three pastas to share, we only ordered two. Oh, and when she was starting to go over the specials and detail out some of the dishes we were interested in, she departed suddenly with some sort of grunt to assist another table, coming back to us a bit later. Oh, and very unhappy we did not order desserts/coffee. (We were stuffed! This is big food! - maybe not huge portions, but hearty, heavy, happy belly food!) Seemed very put out with some of our questions on the menu, and yet seemed to be very serious when she indicated we could top above the built in 20% they added since we were a party of six. Um,... no!
(3)Flynt I.
Very Good Food At High Prices ======================== You'll pay a prett y penny for good quality Italian food and wine. If you're from a metropolitan area that has great Italian restaurants, B&B Ristorante will not stand out nor will be worth the money. It's noisy and the rock music will flow from the bar right in to the dining room, so be prepared for upscale Italian with loud bar music. Service is very good.
(3)B K.
I've not mentioned in my earlier reviews, but my husband is a chef -- a really good chef -- at a top restaurant in town which I'll keep to myself -- but that said, people always ask me "Does your husband cook at home?" (he's rarely home...) and "I'll never have you over for dinner.." (err...) and "It must be impossible to go out to dinner..." (this is my point for the long personal diatribe...) Yes, it is very difficult to go out to dinner when I finally get the opportunity to see my husband. He does this for a living (I do, too) -- we love restaurants, they're our life -- we love food, we love checking out new places -- and yet, when they're bad -- OMG, we're in hell. I guess because our opportunities together are so rare, so precious, so few -- it's very tough to go to someplace new -- mostly because if service isn't flawless, and he can't relax, it's a horrible miserable evening -- because we spend the evening critiquing it, how to fix the service, the menu, the food, the... That said...B&B was our "BIG" family dinner -- the two of us, my mother -- his only night off during the holidays. PRESSURE...because I'd not checked it out first. We've eaten at all of MB's restaurants in NYC -- we're big fans -- they've been some of our most fun dining experiences together -- and he's relaxed. We even got pregnant after one particularly fun night -- but I digress again... We had a terrific meal. A flawless experience. A wonderful time. We didn't take pictures of our food -- and it's a shame, because the plates were stunning -- equally stunning was the amount of food we were able to try on our first visit -- we covered almost every appetizer, most of the pastas... the big winner favorite dish of the night -- hands down, the octopus. Wow -- what a surprise. We also had the Lamb's tongue, the duck egg, the parm reg sformato, the pork trotter and the salumi. Of this bunch, I could have taken a bath in the Sformato. It was divine. Pastas: we had the corzetti with rabbit, mint love letters, pappardelle with wild boar ragu and the lingune with crab and jalapeno and the chef sent us from his tasting menu the uni ravioli. Amazingly, my husband ordered more...the rabbit and sweetbreads -- I was officially done, although I had to try the cardoons (never had them before and it was making me crazy). All I wanted at this point -- because we had reservations to go to Love after this (and I really just wanted to lie on the floor...) was a very large espresso and a limoncello...but noooo, dessert came -- salted caramel gelato, grappa poached pears, cheese, chocolate... Food coma is an understatement -- but every bite was truly delicious -- even though I couldn't eat for two days afterwards...I can't wait to go back -- and am planning to take my Mother again this weekend (we saw two cozy seats at the bar that looked perfect for an easy supper...) I just wish I could deal with the drama of the strip (and had a larger bank account), I'd probably be much more of a regular. We watched them work every table -- we love their team service. Yes, the bathrooms were lovely. The dining room decor was surprising to us -- how the designers can turn such an impossible space into a charming, romantic, intimate restaurant that feels "real" and not staged -- and like it's been there forever is amazing to me -- the magic of Vegas -- the heart of Rob Goldstein -- and eyes (and stomachs) of Mario and the Bastianich family and the wallet of Sheldon Adelson get my fondest congratulations and thanks!
(5)Margaret S.
Stay away unless you want mediocre food with over the top prices. All the food was oversalted, but the pasta dish was so bad that I almost got sick and had to send it back. I ordered the pork special which was sold as heirloom pig, pork like you've never tasted. Four strips of pork tenderloin that looked like bacon with more meat arrived with 1/4 cup of fennel slaw and 1/2 of a fig with about a Tbsp of sauce. For $45.00! Really? The wine needed to be decanted as it was full of sediment which ruined the taste. Overpriced and just came off arrogant. I will never go back to any Batali restaurant and I will never recommend this restaurant. Save your money and visit one of the other many wonderful restaurants in Las Vegas.
(2)Will P.
Mario Batali, your restaurant sucks! If I ever want to eat lamb brains or tongue, rabbit ragu, calf cheeks, or bone marrow penne pasta then I'll go dumpster diving at my local butcher shop. It'd be a hell of a lot cheaper and probably tastier because I'll use whatever spices I want and not what your wannabe chefs "recommend". I could go on about how I haven't been this dissapointed... nay, disgusted, in seven years but I think I'll save that for a rainy day. Thank you so much for making me want to vomit with every bite.
(1)larry m.
I read over twenty reviews on Yelp before I went to this restaurant. My expectations were high but unfortunately I was disappointed even though I was prepared for some faux pas. The good - fairly quiet atmosphere for Vegas, the octopus appetizer was outstanding, the beef cheek revioli was great and the double steak for two (which was big enough for three) was superb The bad - of course we got bread but no butter or olive oil - hiw amateurish is that! The bone marrow ravioli tasted exactly the same as the beef cheek ravioli. I would not order both of them. Our waiter was incredibly annoying. I think he thought that refilling our wine glasses over ten times with no more than 1/2 inch o f wine was good service. What it was is incredibly annoying. The pasta portions are tiny for the price but two are good for sharing. By Vegas terms this restaurant is weak for what I expect from these two accomplished chefs plus for what we paid we should have had s better experience.
(3)Louisa L.
Its Mario Batali's restaurant so I figured I should try it. I was disappointed with their service. The waiter was unfriendly and I felt rushed to order quickly...and alot. I ordered a few items and he just kept saying...how about this or that. I felt a bit pressured. I tried the short rib, butternut squash ravioli, and lamb tongue. they were just okay. Would I go back there? probably not.
(3)nobokov c.
The food is good, but nothing special. The service was also passable, but not very warm or inviting. I had the Brains Ravioli and Pork Chop. The pork chop was a little overcooked, but still tasty. Perhaps there are better food combinations on the menu.
(3)Andy P.
Summary: Too much salt. Every dish had a problem. The service was excellent and the decor is satisfactory. The servers were prompt and courteous. Each time water was refilled, they would cover the lip of the glass with napkin to keep the water from splashing onto you. I thought the tables were a little close to each other, but whatever. On to the food: Octopus - I couldn't taste the octopus. All I tasted was salty carbon because the meat was so burnt and they used so much salt. I mentioned this to the waiter and he said that's the way it is supposed to be. I was thinking that it is too bad it is supposed to suck. He graciously offered to take it back and bring something else. He recommended: Cheese custard with shitake mushrooms - This one was a winner, had they not sprinkled coarse salt at the bottom of the dish. The dish didn't need any salt! Nonetheless, the custard was outstanding. This was the only remarkable dish. Some fried pork patty with salad - Whose idea was it to grind up some pork and fry it into a patty? The presentation was poor and it was soaked through with oil. We thought that the dish might be redeemed through its flavor, but alas, it was no good. Oxtail with pasta (the one on their tasting menu) - The best part of this dish was the pasta. It was well cooked and springy. The oxtail was plain. The way they were cut into little cubes reminded me of dog food. Quail - The quail was perfectly cooked, slightly rare and delicious. The presentation was good on this one. Then, they ruin it by adding this small red pasta at the bottom of the dish with a very salty sauce. Why? The food was bad for $100+/person. I've lost a lot of respect for Mario.
(2)Jade R.
My fiance and I went to this restaurant for the first time. We are foodies and we definitely appreciate good food when we taste it. We went straight to the bar because we are simple and want good food fast. The bartender, I believe it was Eric, was very helpful and suggested a seafood appetizer right off the bat when i couldn't make a decision...the octopus. Ive had Squid a la plancha, squid asian style....but this was the most tender, well seasoned dish; the most perfectly paired dish I've had in a loooooong time. For the entree, we split the pappardelle bolognese and the pasta was cooked perfectly; the sauce was delicious and well seasoned....BUT....the overall dish was too salty for my taste. Apparently they cook the pasta in water that is supposed to taste of the sea....which individually was divine; but together with the sauce the whole dish was salt overload. However, the cocktails that we were served were the most unique and eclectic drinks we had EVER had....no joke. My fiance is a gourmet chef and I was a bartender that fiddled with mixology. The whole experience was refreshing and enjoying considering its hard to go out to eat without finding something wrong with the place. We would definitely recommend this restaurant....the price isn't too outrageous and the food/cocktails are well worth a special night out....ask the bartender Eric about Szechuan berries!
(4)Ken H.
Mario...What a huge disappointment! Last night I passed several very good establishments to take 2 guests to your's in the Venetian. The waiter recommended the 6 course tasting menu @ $120.00 each for my party of 3. The service was incredibly slow and when the 1st course finally showed up, it was 3 pieces of ravioli in a beige sauce on a white plate that smelled like bleach. When the 2nd course showed up 45 minutes later, I could not believe it, it looked exactly the same, as did the 3rd course when it finally showed. I was so embarrassed. Not only that, everyone's portion were different. Some had 6 pieces of pasta, some 3 or 4 for the same course. This was the most unimaginative and uninspired plating I have ever seen. Everything was muddy beige on white. When the 4th course showed, beige on white again, it at least had some flavor. With moderate expectations, we were severely disappointed. When I told the waiter about our disappointment, he said he appreciated the "feed back". It is hard for me to believe that an Iron Chef was associated to this embarrassment and disappointment. We hung in there, hoping it would get better, yet left hungry. Will never go back.
(1)Szu L.
My husband and I decided to have dinner at B&B while we were in Las Vegas. I was really impressed with everything I ordered. I started off with the Salumi with fried olives. The olives were quite tasty and a perfect saltiness. For my entree I ordered the Spaghettini with sweet garlic and Lobster. It was Da BiiiiiiiiizzoM! The lobster was delicious and melted in my mouth. The ambiance is nice and the service is friendly. This is a great place for people to bring dates that they care about in Vegas.
(4)chris v.
I love Batali, I think he is the second most knowledgeable and creative chef in the country (after Morimoto). Decor - we were seated in a small wine room, to the right of the entrance, so I can't speak for the entire place. But this room has only 3 tables, surrounded by wine racks (fells like dining inside the safe at Fort Knox, surrounded by treasure). It's absolutely great. You feel like you are in a private enclave, away from the crowds. Loved the place! Found a great wine under $50 (not easy). Service was good, knowledgeable and straight, no frills, no BS. Food, bread was good, but would have been better if accompanied by something (olive oil, tepenade...something). The must commented upon Beef Cheek Ravioli is good (in my estimation, though my wife hated it), but it should be a little more clearly described as a liver sauce, liver tasting dish. The liver is overpowering and it's all you taste. Good, if liver is what you like and want, but disappointing if beef cheeks is what you are going for. My advise is to ask plenty of questions so you know what you get. The prices are, as you would expect, close to the value of the food weight in silver, and the portions are small. I had sweetbreads. If you like that stuff, you are going to like the dish. I find $120 for pasta tasting to be a bit much, and I guess if you don't spring for two dishes you are likely to leave hungry. All and all, it is Mario, and there are a few other items on the menu that sound good. I will go back.
(4)