The Most-Anticipated Restaurant Openings in Las Vegas — Fall 2016

The strip

Morimoto
Location: MGM Grand
The Players: Morimoto Masaharu
The Situation: Originally, Morimoto planned to open at the Mirage. Those plans from 2013 were scrapped in favor of the former Shibuya space at the MGM Grand. The latest pegs a fall 2016 opening for the 5,542-square-foot restaurant that plans to "feature exquisite design along with signature sushi creations and spectacular cocktail offerings, including exclusive selections made just for the Las Vegas location." Designed by renowned firm Yabu Pushelberg, the restaurant could accommodate 16 guests at the sushi bar, highly visible to hotel visitors walking by the front entrance, 30 diners at the teppan tables and 150 in the main dining room.
Opening: Fall
All Coverage of Morimoto [ELV]

Bradley Martin

Sugarcane Raw Bar Grill
Location: Venetian
The Players: Sister restaurant to SushiSamba
The Situation: Taking over the former V Bar space with a $2.5 million construction budget, Sugarcane plans to create a "kick back, stay awhile" atmosphere.Their original restaurant opened in Miami in 2010, with an interior of salvaged ironwork, reclaimed shutters and vintage found objects inspired by South America’s Colonial Spanish-style architecture. Much of the globally-influenced Florida menu will make the expansion with executive chef and partner Timon Balloo, with the exception of sushi and sashimi. Featuring a separate bar and lounge, open kitchen, a robata grill and a very visible open wood fire, Balloo has considered preparing large cuts of meat, "like bone-in rack of ribeye and roulades of heritage pork porchetta."
Opening: Fall
All Coverage of Sugarcane Raw Bar Grill [ELV]

Bradley Martin

Gordon Ramsay Fish & Chips
Location: The Linq
The Players: Gordon Ramsay
The Situation: Ramsay has now moved his fourth Las Vegas restaurant much closer to Las Vegas Blvd. and is being constructed in tandem with its neighbor, Purple Zebra, a daiquiri bar. Project permits filed earlier this month indicate $2 million has been allocated for the estimated construction costs, which will cover 3,100 square feet of combined storefront. Between the pair, there will be room enough for a maximum of 64. Renderings still point to Ramsay's chip shop sporting a red telephone box entrance and a giant Union Jack decorated fish, hard to miss signage from the Strip. And still on the menu, "fish and chips, bangers and mash, chicken planks and hearty seafood chowder." Two years ago Ramsay told Eater Vegas the fried fish would be traditional cod "until it ran out."
Opening: Fall
All Coverage of Gordon Ramsay Fish & Chips [ELV]

The Linq

Virgil's Real Barbecue
Location: The Linq
The Players: Alicart Restaurant Group
The Situation: a beefy Virgil's Real Barbecue restaurant at the long closed Asian street market-themed F.A.M.E. dining bazaar. Covering 14,000 square feet over two stories, Virgil's will host three outdoor spaces, including a poolside patio.
Opening: Fall
All Coverage of Virgil's Real Barbecue [ELV]

Bradley Martin

Zuma
Location: Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas
The Players: Azumi Group's Rainer Becker
The Situation: Zuma is spending an estimated $5 million in construction costs to convert former P3 Studio art gallery into an "elegant and sophisticated" izakaya, featuring a sushi counter and a robata grill. The Japanese restaurant chain from Rainer Becker operates 11 international locations, spread around the world from Bangkok to London. The Las Vegas design will be created by Noriyoshi Muramatsu of Studio Glitt. Needing to add a kitchen and access to their new second-floor administrative space, Zuma will occupy 7,990 square feet.
Opening: Fall
All Coverage of Zuma [ELV]

Bradley Martin

Momofuku and Milk Bar
Location: Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas
The Players: David Chang and Christina Tosi
The Situation: Chefs David Chang and Christina Tosi's Momofuku and Milk Bar head to the second floor of the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, taking over a 8.000-square feet corner space. James Beard Award-winning chef Chang operates 12 restaurants under the Momofuku umbrella and Tosi's Milk Bar elevated bakery concept has now expanded to seven locations. Las Vegas will mark the partners' furthest expansion west.
Opening: Late 2016
All Coverage of David Chang [ELV]

Grand Bazaar Shops

Redneck Riviera
Location: Grand Bazaar Shops
The Players: Country star John Rich
The Situation: The purveyors of stuffed deep dish pizza plan to open a 4,000-square-foot restaurant above the recently opened Starbucks and across from the future home of Wahlburgers, also under construction, from brothers chef Paul Wahlberg and Donnie and Mark Wahlberg. The restaurant includes a separate 1,700-square-foot patio and bar in the center's Grand Allée main walkway. Giordano's plans to serve a menu of its famous stuffed deep dish pizza along with thin and extra-thin crust pizzas; and Italian-inspired foods including salads, pastas, sandwiches and desserts. The Las Vegas location plans to offer lunch, dinner and carry out.
Opening: Fall
All Coverage of Giordano's [ELV]

Redneck Riviera

Redneck Riviera
Location: Grand Bazaar Shops
The Players: Country star John Rich
The Situation: Country star John Rich, of Big & Rich fame, will debut his Redneck Riviera "Nashville style honky-tonk bar" in December, sitting directly above the recently debuted Wahlburgers. Designed as a home for live music, beer and a place to "Git Down," Redneck Riviera won't include a kitchen, but guests will be able to order from the casual burger spot's menu without moving from their bar seat and have it delivered upstairs. Looking to debut during the annual National Finals Rodeo events from Dec. 1-10, Redneck Rivera will host nightly live music, usually from a house band, but name acts are also promised for the future. Rich has announced he will be present at the "Grand Opening," but has yet to confirm if he will be performing.
Opening: December
All Coverage of Redneck Riviera [ELV]

Downtown

Amelinda B Lee

Turmeric Flavors of India
Location: Downtown
The Players: Rajesh Patel
The Situation: Rising on a corner of the City Center Motel, a two-story restaurant is quickly taking shape. The delay was certainly helped by Saffron owner Rajesh Patel also being the owner of the motel. Since 2010 he's turned the Northern Indian- and Punjab-inspired restaurant into a Northwest local's favorite.
Opening: Fall
All Coverage of Turmeric Flavors of India [ELV]