The Most-Anticipated Restaurant and Bar Openings in Las Vegas — Spring 2016

The Mirage

The Still
Location: The Mirage
The Players: Clique Hospitality from Andy Masi, Brian Massie and more
The Situation: Clique Hospitality continues its takeover of Las Vegas with The Still, opening at the Mirage. The 8,000-square-foot space will include an Airstream where street tacos and sliders are served. Guests can order fish and chips made with flounder and served with a black truffle tartar sauce, oysters and lobster rolls. More than 50 domestic and imported beers make up a bulk of the drinks menu, but craft cocktails will also be part of the mix.
Opening: Tuesday, March 15
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Eastside

Dog Haus
Location: 4480 Paradise Road
The Players: Hagop Giragossian, André Vener and Quasim Riaz are behind this California-based chain that is rapidly expanding.
The Situation: Gourmet hot dogs, sausages and 100 percent natural Angus beef burgers, fresh-cut fries, made-to-order milkshakes, fountain and classic bottled sodas are all on the menu of this self-described biergarten. 
Opening: Friday, March 18
All Coverage of Dog Haus [ELV]

The park

Location: Between the Monte Carlo and New York-New York
The Players: MGM Resorts

The Situation: MGM Resorts debuts an entertainment complex fill with restaurants and bars right between the Monte Carlo and New York-New York. All leads to the 20,000-seat T-Mobile Arena.

Beerhaus, located mid-point within the under-construction eight-acre Park retail and dining district. Beerhaus will reside next to a main side entrance, the Zumanity theater and fellow future tenant, Bruxie, home of the "Brussels Waffle" sandwich. Clocking in at 7,150 square feet and with a potential occupancy load of 495 guests, the addition will not come cheap, working with a current estimated construction cost of $4,525,291. The beer garden plans to serve sustainably raised farm-to-table meats and a regional craft brew list with entertainment including live music and, games such as bocce ball, darts and outdoor ping pong.

California Pizza Kitchen with its lineup of hearth-baked pizzas. The 7,115-square-foot branch inside a freshly built, empty shell space at the six-acre outdoor attraction from MGM Resorts International allocated $1,300,340, creating a built-from-scratch kitchen, dining room and misting area for guests waiting outside. It will be situated on the southern side of The Park, next to New York-New York.

Sake Rok plans a three-level, design vision for hosting a lunch, dinner and late-night lounge scene they describe as a "high-profile social dining extravaganza." Filling more than 13,000 square feet, the 200-seat restaurant features a mezzanine with views of the main room, bar and sushi bar. The top level has enough room for an additional 150 guests and is being pitched to group events with the promise of a 1,300 square foot balcony and open-air views of The Park, the T-Mobile Arena and the Strip. Interactive servers will invite guests to partake in restaurant-wide sake bombs while doubling as entertainers, spontaneously breaking into dance and lip-sync serenades.

Bruxie, the fast-casual, gourmet waffle restaurant out of Orange County with its sandwiches made from Brussels waffles in both savory choices like buttermilk fried chicken with chili honey and cider slaw as well as a variety of sweet options such as strawberry crème brûlée.

Opening: April 4

All Coverage of The Park [ELV]

T-Mobile Arena

Location: Between the Monte Carlo and New York-New York

The Players: MGM Resorts

The Situation: The 20,000-seat arena plans to debut with The Killers, a residency by George Strait and dates for Garth Brooks.

Shake Shack opens its third Las Vegas location inside the arena. Like some of Shake Shack’s other arena locations, it sports an abbreviated menu and doesn’t participate in specials. But fans can pick up a Shack Stack, Shroom Burger, hot dogs made with Vienna beef, a chicken dog with apple and sage sausage, crinkle cut fries, shakes and custard scoops. Sadly, concretes, the thick shakes Shake Shack offers, don’t make the cut. Shake Shack also has a location at New York-New York at the front of The Park, the entertainment and dining district that leads up to T-Mobile Arena, and a second at Downtown Summerlin.

Pizza Forte from the Ferraro’s family continues with its expansion, opening inside the arena with New York-style pizza, Hofmann sausages and hot dogs. Pizza Forte already has locations at Sunset Station and the Hard Rock Hotel.

Hyde Lounge debuts its second location inside the arena. The 18,000-square-foot nightclub sits on two platforms. Dakota Development and DesignAgency are building out the space that plans to feature bottle service, couches, deejays, VIP elevator access, food and skyline views of the Strip.

Opening: April 6

All Coverage of T-Mobile Arena [ELV]

Wynn Las Vegas

Intrigue

Location: Wynn Las Vegas

The Players: Sean Christie

The Situation: The 14,000-square-foot former home of Tryst undergoes a revamp that includes new lighting and sound from John Lyons Systems, a new glass-enclosed patio and a 1,200-square-foot private club inside the club where no social media is allowed. "Contemporary party music that will cross over many different genres" will be the music of the moment.

Opening: April 28

All Coverage of Intrigue [ELV]

Aria

Jewel

Location: Aria

The Players: Hakkasan Group

The Situation: The 24,000-square-foot nightclub takes over the former Haze space with a refresh from Rockwell Group. The nightclub plans to have room for nearly 2,000 guests spanning over two spaces, the main club and a mezzanine level with its five exclusive VIP skyboxes. Guests walk in through a series of tall, mirrored doors, while VIPs walk through a tunnel of arched bronze portals with an antique glass chandelier. In the main club, more than 1,400 square feet of LED ribbons surround a circular dome ceiling that pulses to the rhythm of the music. Wood and granite VIP banquettes surround the dance floor in burgundy leather upholstery. The deejay booth features a wall with dual-sided LED video screens and effects lighting. The main club bar is made from granite and wood all enclosed in a herringbone pattern.

Opening: May 19

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Burger Lounge

Location: Aria

The Players: La Jolla-based Burger Lounge

The Situation: The healthy ingredient-focused chain will fit into 1,325 square feet at the resort, with room enough for 47. Created in 2007 in La Jolla, Calif., Burger Lounge promotes itself as the home of the grass-fed burger, serving "100% American, single source, never frozen beef," plus options like organic cheese and house-made 1000 Island dressing. Their Lounge Bun is made with a "blend of organic wheat and white flour" and they also offer a gluten-free bun.

Opening: March

All Coverage of Burger Lounge [ELV]

Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas

Beauty & Essex

Location: Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas

The Players: Tao Group and Chris Santos

The Situation: The 6,900-square-foot Beauty & Essex takes over the former Comme Ça space with a completely remodeled front of house and the walls of the patio rearranged to increase the outdoor seating area. At the front entrance, a working pawn shop will be built, promised to offer "hot goods" alongside the "hot food" and guests are encouraged to "pawn, sell, enjoy, indulge." A bar and lounge will be joined by two main dining rooms and two private dining rooms. Expect brunch and dinner with communal share plates.

Opening: April

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Green Valley Ranch

Bottiglia Enoteca

Location: Green Valley Ranch
The Players: Clique Hospitality
The Situation: Bottiglia, a loose Italian translation for bottle, will offer up rustic Italian fare with wines.

Opening: April

All Coverage of Bottiglia Enoteca [ELV]

Borracha

Location: Green Valley Ranch
The Players: Clique Hospitality
The Situation: Borracha, Spanish for drunk woman, will serve Mexican fare.

Opening: May

All Coverage of Borracha [ELV]

Downtown

Donut Bar

Location: 124 S. Sixth St.

The Players: Santiago Campa

The Situation: The San Diego Donut Bar takes over the former O Face Doughnuts space brings an artisanal spins on the humble doughnut, with multiple flavors and themes. Ranging in price from $2 to $4, choices include the "Big Poppa Tart," mud pie, maple Bourbon, Boston creme, apple fritter, cake batter and the must-buy for any Simpsons fan, "Homer's donut."

Opening: March

All Coverage of Donut Bar [ELV]

ReBar

Location: 1225 S. Main St.

The Players: Derek Stonebarger, formerly of Atomic Liquors

The Situation: The Arts District project will occupy 1,775 square feet of main bar, plus 647 square feet of seating at the back of the property and eight prime seats right on Main Street, by the front door. Described as a mix of "oddities" and "antiques," the interior is expected to continually change as almost everything from the recycled furniture to the artwork will be for sale. So, if you like your glass, your stool, the lighting, the table or the chairs, there will be a good chance you can take it with you if the price is right.

Opening: April 1

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Westside, Spring Valley

Dirt Dog

Location: Rainbow-Shelbourne Plaza

The Players: Timothy Cam

The Situation: The "Official Hot Dog of Los Angeles" arrives in a shuttered Cheeburger Cheeburger outpost and plans deep fried Twinkies and Oreos as well as hot dogs.

Opening: April

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Bonchon Chicken

Location: Rainbow-Shelbourne Plaza

The Players: Timothy Cam

The Situation: Korean-style crunchy, crispy fried chicken wings, strips or drumsticks out of Pusan, South Korea, brings its first Nevada branch, filling 3,363 square feett of prominent space at the Rainbow Sunset Pavilion Center, "just north of the 215 on the west side of Rainbow" and already home to Cracked Egg and Crab Corner. The Bonchon footprint includes a 1,140-square-foot, covered outdoor patio space.

Opening: March 21

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Ikea

Location: 215 Beltway at Durango Drive near Sunset Road

The Players: The Swedish purveyors of home furnishings

The Situation: Ikea debuts its 351,000-square-foot store, the very first store in Nevada and the 42nd in the United States. With it comes a 450-seat restaurant serving up those Swedish specialties such as salmon plates, meatballs with lingonberries and more. A 1,200-square-foot Swedish food market will offer frozen meat, fish, seafood and easy to prepare dishes alongside Nordic-inspired desserts, candy, sauces and condiments. Cafe Bistro is also part of the design.

Opening: May 18

All Coverage of Ikea [ELV]