Forget all those diva headliners on the Las Vegas main stages. There’s a grandiose new theatrical experience on The Strip, and it has a deliciously Chinese cast. Legendary restaurateur Michael Chow has just opened his signature Mr. Chow restaurant at Caesars Palace, and it’s a five-star showstopper.
The theatrical experience doesn’t end there. Setting the stage, spotlights illuminate tables and glass vases from below, and Cy Twombly's signature decorates the plates. The dining room captain orchestrates a team of servers at every table, and each evening the staff puts on six shows: a second Champagne trolley tour, the decanting of the wine, the Sole fileting, Beijing Duck carved tableside, the noodle show, and a custom Christofle dessert trolley.
With all the sights and sounds, it would be easy to overlook the food itself if it wasn’t so good. The menu features elevated versions of traditional Beijing dishes including fan favorites from the past 48 years like Ma Mignon, Mr. Chow noodles, and Chow’s green prawns, which were immortalized in a portrait by Keith Haring. "A restaurant is theater, and cuisine is an art form that consists of thousands of details,” says founder Michael Chow who personally designed the space with custom furnishings, décor, and original art. “We want to entertain you from the minute you walk in. This union between Caesars Palace and Mr. Chow is a dream come true.”
With its new Mr. Chow showpiece, Caesars Palace remains a culinary leader in Vegas as it approaches its 50th anniversary. "We look forward to our guests experiencing Mr. Chow as our culinary empire and reputation continues to grow," said Gary Selesner, Caesars Palace regional president. He notes that the restaurant’s sophisticated Chinese menu and atmosphere complements the Caesars hotel group’s impressive celebrity chef collection helmed by Bobby Flay, Nobu Matsuhisa, Gordon Ramsay, and Michelin-starred Guy Savoy. “We strive to delight our guests at the dining table, while contributing to the world renowned dining scene in Las Vegas."
Not to be confused with Ken “Mr. Chow” Jeong’s Caesar’s Palace party scene from Hangover 3, this-elegant Mr. Chow is a sophisticated VIP scene with major wow factor. The casino-level entry beckons guests with its glowing Champagne lounge where a trolley serves premium sips including Dom Perignon, Ruinart, and Krug Grande Cuvee. Just past the lounge’s red Jeff Koons Balloon Venus sculpture are private elevators lifting guests with reservations up to the 1,600-square-foot restaurant.
Exiting the elevator, diners enter a second lounge featuring Clive Barker artwork and a wine room visible through a glass wall. It’s an ideal place to people-watch with a Chow-lini (house-made peach foam and Champagne) cocktail before dinner. The round, white dining room features a circle of banquette seats, a dark wooden bar, an enormous floral arrangement, and dramatic French doors opening to a terrace overlooking Caesars Palace’s Garden of the Gods Pool Oasis. Bring your entire entourage, because this expansive Mr. Chow has 250-seats in the main room, a bar, three private dining rooms, and four terraces. All eyes are drawn to its focal point: a kinetic, 3,800-pound Moon sculpture that hangs from a 60-foot dome, and repeatedly gives a four-minute performance.
