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How the Coronavirus Pandemic Affects Las Vegas Resort Dining

14 resorts on the Strip will close on Tuesday, while other big properties remain open

The view of the Las Vegas Strip from Paris Las Vegas
The view of the Las Vegas Strip from Paris Las Vegas
Joseph Sohm/Shutterstock

The new coronavirus pandemic is changing the way Las Vegas looks and operates, with resorts announcing temporary closures, restaurants and bars laying off staff, and tourists wondering whether their favorite dining spot will be open.

MGM Resorts closes all of its properties on Tuesday, March 17, with casino floors going dark on Monday. The closings affect Aria, the Bellagio, Park MGM, MGM Grand, Excalibur, Luxor, Mandalay Bay, Vdara, NoMad Hotel, Signature by MGM, Delano, New York-New York, Mirage, and the Park. The resorts will not accept reservations until May 1.

Famous chefs affected include Wolfgang Puck with Spago at the Bellagio, Lupo at Mandalay Bay, and Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill at MGM Grand; Joël Robuchon’s two restaurants at the MGM Grand; Roy Choi’s Best Friend at the Park MGM; NoMad Restaurant and NoMad Bar at the NoMad Hotel; Tom Colicchio with Heritage Steak at the Mirage and his steakhouse Craftsteak at the MGM Grand; Susan Feniger and Mary Sue Milliken at Border Grill at Mandalay Bay; and Michael Mina’s four-restaurants at MGM resorts.

Wynn Las Vegas closes its resort and sister property Encore Las Vegas starting March 17 and plans to revisit the closure in 10 days, anticipating an April 1 reopening. Last week, the resort opted to close The Buffet at Wynn, as well as XS Nightclub and Encore Beach Club, to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus. Elio, the new Mexican restaurant opening at Encore Las Vegas from Enrique Olvera, Daniela Soto-Innes, and Santiago Perez of ATM Group, planned to open on March 21.

So far, Caesars Entertainment announced it has no plans to close its properties, including Caesars Palace, Harrah’s, Flamingo, The Cromwell, Bally’s, the Rio, Planet Hollywood Resort, and Paris Las Vegas. The Las Vegas Review-Journal reports that layoffs started on Saturday night at the resorts, and a limited number of restaurants and bars remain open.

The Venetian and Palazzo also have no plans to close, according to the RJ, and no layoffs are on the horizon.

Boyd Gaming — which operates 12 Las Vegas resorts such as the Orleans, Suncoast, and Main Street Station — has not announced plans to close, nor has Station Casinos, which operates the Palms, Green Valley Ranch, Red Rock Resort, Palace Station, and more. The Nevada Gaming Commission also indicated that it has no plans to shutter the state’s 440 licensed non-restricted casinos. The commission meets again on Thursday.

Chef José Andrés closed his restaurants in Washington, D.C., and New York City over the weekend, and on Monday, closed three of his Las Vegas restaurants — Jaleo, China Poblano, and é by José Andrés at the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. Bazaar Meat by José Andrés at the Sahara remains open.

Chef David Chang closed some of his Los Angeles, New York City, and Washington, D.C., restaurants, but Momofuku and Milk Bar at the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas and Majordomo Meat & Fish at the Palazzo remain open.

Of course, the situation seems to change hourly, so call before traveling or visiting a resort.

The CDC suggested no public gatherings of more than 50 people over the next eight weeks, which will cause events to postpone, with guidelines stating: “Events of any size should only be continued if they can be carried out with adherence to guidelines for protecting vulnerable populations, hand hygiene, and social distancing. When feasible, organizers could modify events to be virtual.”

All of these resort closing have an impact on restaurant workers when it comes to employment and health benefits. The Culinary Union announced that, “Culinary Health Fund Board of Union and Management Trustees agreed to extend health care coverage during this crisis even if workers are laid off or have reduced hours.” That includes self-pay coverage and any testing or treatment for the new coronavirus.

Plenty of states, including Illinois, Massachusetts, Washington state, and Ohio announced that restaurants and bars will temporarily close while permitting takeout and delivery service, while New York City and Los Angeles mayors did the same.

Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak so far only closed all K-12 public schools in the state beginning Monday to impede the spread of COVID-19. Clark County School District students can pick up breakfast and lunch at one of 15 food distribution sites across Las Vegas from 8 to 11 a.m., according to the Nevada Independent.

Readers, you can send tips on restaurants temporarily closing, new delivery offers, deals for F&B pros, and any other intel to the Eater Vegas tipline at vegas@eater.com.

MGM Resorts Closes All Las Vegas Properties Effective March 17 [ELV]

Wynn Las Vegas, Encore Close March 17 to Prevent Coronavirus Spread [ELV]

How Coronavirus Is Affecting Las Vegas Food and Restaurants [ELV]

MGM Grand

3799 South Las Vegas Boulevard, , NV 89109 (877) 880-0880 Visit Website

Mandalay Bay

3950 South Las Vegas Boulevard, , NV 89119 (702) 632-7777 Visit Website

Majordomo Meat & Fish

3325 South Las Vegas Boulevard, , NV 89109 (702) 607-3060 Visit Website

Encore Beach Club

3131 South Las Vegas Boulevard, , NV 89109 (702) 770-7300 Visit Website

Border Grill

3500 Las Vegas Blvd South, Las Vegas, NV 89109 (702) 854-6700 Visit Website

Wynn Las Vegas

3131 South Las Vegas Boulevard, , NV 89109 (702) 770-7000 Visit Website

Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas

3708 Las Vegas Blvd S, Las Vegas, NV 89109 (702) 698-7000 Visit Website

Momofuku

3708 Las Vegas Boulevard South, , NV 89109 (702) 698-2663 Visit Website

Elio

3131 South Las Vegas Boulevard, , NV 89109 (702) 770-3463 Visit Website

Michael Mina

3600 South Las Vegas Boulevard, , NV 89109 (702) 693-7223 Visit Website

Jaleo

3708 Las Vegas Boulevard South, , NV 89109 (702) 698-7950 Visit Website

Green Valley Ranch

2300 Paseo Verde Pkwy., Henderson, NV 89052 Visit Website

Park MGM

3770 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas, NV 89109 Visit Website

XS Nightclub

3121 Las Vegas Boulevard S, Las Vegas, NV 89109 702-770-7000 Visit Website

The Buffet at Wynn

3131 South Las Vegas Boulevard, , NV 89109 (702) 770-3340 Visit Website

NoMad Bar

3772 Las Vegas Blvd. S. , Las Vegas, NV 89109

é by José Andrés

, , NV 89109 (702) 698-7950 Visit Website

Spago

3600 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas, NV 89109 702-693-8181 Visit Website

Bazaar Meat by José Andrés

120 North Upper Wacker Drive, , IL 60606 (312) 820-6601 Visit Website

The Mirage

3400 South Las Vegas Boulevard, , NV 89109 (702) 791-7111 Visit Website

Milk Bar

100 Bellevue Square, , WA 98004 (425) 455-5800 Visit Website

Las Vegas

, , NV

China Poblano

3708 Las Vegas Boulevard South, , NV 89109 (702) 698-7900 Visit Website

Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill

3799 South Las Vegas Boulevard, , NV 89109 (877) 880-0880 Visit Website

The Palazzo

3325 South Las Vegas Boulevard, , NV 89109 (702) 607-7777 Visit Website

Best Friend

3770 South Las Vegas Boulevard, , NV 89109 (702) 730-6770 Visit Website

NoMad Library

3772 Las Vegas Blvd. S. , Las Vegas, NV 89109 702-730-6785 Visit Website

Craftsteak

3799 South Las Vegas Boulevard, , NV 89109 (702) 891-7318 Visit Website

Palace Station

2411 W Sahara Ave, Las Vegas, NV 89102 Visit Website

The Park

3782 S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89109 Visit Website

Encore Las Vegas

3121 Las Vegas Blvd S, Las Vegas, NV 89109 (888) 320-7110 Visit Website

Joël Robuchon

3799 Las Vegas Blvd S, Las Vegas, NV 89109 (702) 891-7925 Visit Website

Paris Las Vegas

3655 South Las Vegas Boulevard, , NV 89109 (877) 796-2096 Visit Website

The Venetian

909 Broad Street, , MA 02189 (781) 337-4363 Visit Website