Umami Burger Departs the Sahara Las Vegas

News of this week’s long-awaited switch from the SLS Las Vegas to the Sahara Las Vegas has circulated locally for weeks, and at 9 a.m. on Aug. 29, the newly branded resort will also host a new casual restaurant and sports bar.

Without making an announcement, Los Angeles’ Umami Burger quickly departed ahead of the Thursday switcheroo and has been already been replaced by in-house concept Beers & Bets, keeping its outdoor beer garden, William Hill Sports Book, and burger and brews focus.

The changeover has been so rapid, the Beer & Bets web page still boasts of a no longer available, award-winning Umami Burger, and displays images of Umami’s instantly recognizable Portuguese-style rolls branded with the letter U.

Currently scheduled to be open daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., the refreshed menu offers shareable plates, including $12 crispy Brussels sprouts, $16 ahi poke nachos, the $12 duck fat cauliflower, and $13 salt and pepper calamari.

Fries were an important part of the Umami appeal and the bar will serve truffle, portobello mushroom, and barbacoa beef topped macho fries among its choices.

The burger selections feature a $19 Big Mess stacked with maitake mushrooms and Gruyère, a $13 classic, the Hawaiian-inspired Da Kine made with Spam and pineapple, plus Impossible vegan sliders. Other dishes include a Nashville hot chicken sandwich, porchetta grilled cheese, and a tuna poke salad.

On the casino floor, the Umami departure joins the recent closings of its sibling SBE restaurants 800 Degrees Neapolitan Pizzeria and Mediterranean menu at Cleo, which converts into the temporary Bella Bistro with pizzas and homemade pastas. Resort owner Alex Meruelo, best known for his Grand Sierra Resort in Reno, has yet to unveil the full portfolio of future restaurants headed to Las Vegas.

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