Our last full day in Las Vegas started with a trip to Mandalay Bay and our search for a great burger. We had heard good things about Burger Bar, the Hubert Keller production that has been getting good reviews.
After discovering the Village People Party slot machine and doing reasonably well, we headed up to pavilion that connected Mandalay Bay to Luxor and found Burger Bar. We were told it would be about a 15 minute wait and decided to do a little shopping to kill the time.
We only waited about 10 minutes before they were ready to seat us. We were taken to a four-top in the middle of the restaurant and given menus.
The set up was simple. You ordered a burger of various meats from traditional hamburger to Kobe beef or turkey, etc. The burger came with a choice of various buns and lettuce, onion, tomatoes and pickles. Everything else was a la carte. The choices were extensive with everything from caramelized onions to foie gras. You could also get side dishes as well.
We waited for what seemed an inordinate amount of time before we were approached by our server and then told she would bring us water. That took another inordinate amount of time.
When she returned, we placed our order. We both decided to have Iced Teas ($3.25) and chose the Angus Burger ($9.50) as our base. For J., the additions were the Ciabatta bun (included), the Chipotle Aiole ($0.45), Cheddar cheese ($0.70), Monterey Jack Cheese ($0.70), caramelized onions ($0.95), Pepper Bacon ($1.00), and a fried egg ($1.95). He chose the Sweet Potato Fries ($2.85) as his side dish. The total for his plate was $18.10.
On my side of things, I topped my Angus burger with Cheddar cheese ($0.70), alfalfa sprouts ($0.55), a fried egg ($1.95), Pepper Bacon ($1.00) and aioli ($0.45). For my side, I couldn’t pass up the Onion Rings ($3.45). My plate total was $17.60.
Our burgers came out fairly quickly and they looked very good. J.’s burger was overflowing with the items selected and the fries looked pleasing. After spreading the chipotle aioli on his burger he dove in to the large sandwich. J’s only comment was, “It’s good.” Now, I know J. well enough to understand that means it is decent. Nothing exciting or new or bold. Just decent. I asked for some additional comments and he said he thought the aioli was completely disappointing as there was no kick and it was fairly bland. He then had a very interesting observation: “The parts of the burger are much better than the sum.” He also noted that for the price point, the burger should have been much more dynamic and interesting. He also said the sweet potato fries were “good, but not amazing.” I thought they were pretty boring and lacked any really punch of flavor.
My burger looked great and I loved the whole wheat bun which was the highlight of the sandwich. That meant, of course, that the whole thing failed to excite me. The meat was good, and the veggie toppings were great and the pepper bacon was a standout, but there were flavors missing from the fried egg and the cheese and, certainly, the aioli. Like J., my aioli was incredibly bland with no discernible taste whatsoever. The big winners on the plate (and on the table for that matter) were the onion rings. They were outstanding. Big, meaty onion rings were breaded and deep fried until they were perfectly crisp. J. agreed they were great.
We were pretty full from the burgers and sides and passed on dessert, although J. was seriously considering the Beer Float Flight. We requested our bill and the total was $42.10 which included tax. Service was flat and disappointing. Overall, we didn’t think the value was there. Perhaps we hit an off day or we ordered the wrong thing. But, while the meal was good/decent/okay, it just seemed mundane.
With our bill paid, we returned to Mandalay Bay and the slot machines.
But our overall thoughts were the same: we liked Delux in Phoenix much better.
Burger Bar
3930 Las Vegas Boulevard South
Las Vegas, NV 89119
Dress: Casual
Hours: 11 AM to 3 AM Daily.
Notes: Located between Mandalay Bay and Luxor. You can enter the area from either side.
Alcohol: Full bar.
Website: http://www.fleurdelyssf.com/
As you can tell, we weren’t amazed with this. Which was something of a shame, because the potential definitely was there for it to be something amazing and very different from all the other hamburger places we’ve tried over the years.
Now, to be clear, I think Seth and I both would agree that it wasn’t bad. It was decent. Just not inspired as it seemed like it would be based on the on-paper potential it has.
Oh well… it was a solid double instead of a home run. Could have been much much worse.
Seth I too have found Burger Bar to be underwhelming….I had the Kobe Burger w/ the foie gras on one of my previous trips…..it was just ok! I think the concept is/was unique, and the fact that you could order premium toppings and meat to make the Burger your own! I also think the name Hubert Keller and a relatively low price point is the draw. Many people cannot afford to eat @ Fleur de Lys.
Seth, next time J is in Phoenix you should try 28 Degrees @ CityNorth. I found the burger and the toppings, side and sauces to be more interesting and well done. They too offer a beer float!
Thanks much for the review. Keep them comin. Enjoy your trip.
Of your reviews of the Vegas trip this one is the one that most interested me as it is on my list of places to visit in December based on the recommendations of some Yelp friends. You having lowered my expectations a bit may actually improve my experience. I also have yet to get over to Delux for the comparison.
Thanks,
Scott W
Glendale, AZ
You know we enjoyed Burger Bar last summer while on a 2-night stay in LV – but the best part may have been the beer. But, after that trip we went to Delux for the first time .. and now we would also say that Delux is better.