What a waste of £150! (Top of the world Restaurant & Lounge (Las Vegas, USA))

Member Name: bestbunnygirl

Product:	Top of the world Restaurant & Lounge (Las Vegas, USA)
Date:	16/03/09 (127 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Amazing view of Vegas

Disadvantages: Average food, bad service, overpriced!

The Top of the world restaurant is located at the top of the Stratosphere hotel in Las Vegas.

*Location*

The Stratosphere hotel is located at the north end of the strip and it really dominates the Vegas skyline.

We were staying in the Signature MGM grand which is located at the other end of the Strip. It was about a 15 minute taxi ride to get from one hotel to another. We did consider getting the Vegas Monorail to the hotel but we were glad we didn't.

As we got closer to the Stratosphere the atmosphere did seem to change this end of the strip. We were getting closer to the older part of Vegas and it did feel a little seedier and not as safe as the other areas of Vegas. The cab driver even said to us when we got in the cab you must be going to the Top of the world restaurant as not many people dress up like you guys when they come down this end of the strip! Once we got to the entrance of the hotel, the atmosphere did change again and we felt much safer!

The Top of the world restaurant, like the name might suggests, is located at the top of the Stratosphere tower... 800ft above ground, maybe not suitable for someone with vertigo! The restaurant also rotates 360 degrees so you get an absolutely stunning view of Vegas!

* Our experience *

I'd picked this restaurant to celebrate my husbands 30th birthday as the website promises fine dining with a spectacular view. Well, the spectacular view was correct but I can't really say the dining (or service) was that fine.

When we first entered the Stratosphere we did actually spend about 20 minutes trying to work out how you made your way to the tower! There weren't many signs about, but then we did find this typical of Vegas. They want you to spend your money in the casino so trying to find anything can be a right pain! We eventually found our way to the base of the tower and there is a seperate area for the restaurant (you don't have to pay to get to the restaurant). When I'd booked I'd put that it was my husbands birthday and when we went over to say we had a reservation they must have made a note of this as they wished my husband a happy birthday! We thought this was a lovely little touch so we were sure we were in for a great evening!

We were walked around to the lift area and we made our way up 133 floors at quite a speed! There was a lady in the lift who gave a few interesting facts about the tower, but to be honest you're in the lift for such a short time you know the lift attendant has probably said the same line hundreds of times already that day and it was a bit of a monotone script!

The lift stops just outside the restaurant entrance and you go up a few stairs and then you see the spectacular views! You then go to another reception desk and say your reservation again! Our table wasn't quite ready so we were told we could wait in the bar. We weren't actually shown to the bar which would have been nice, as we wandered in thinking can we just sit anywhere, should we wait, what should we do?!

No one came over so we took a seat in a large booth as this was the only space available. The waitress came over and was very curt and said what do you want... um a drinks menu might be useful! She bought one over to us and then told us we were sat in an area meant for six people. We said we couldn't see anywhere else to sit, but luckily just as we said that a couple were leaving so we could move. She was very rude in the way she told us we were sat in the wrong area. As a paying customer I think that I should be able to sit wherever I like! If she had said it a bit more politely and there had been other seats available then that would have been fine, but at the time of her saying it there was no where else to go! We weren't impressed with this, and this is where the night began to go downhill.

We were collected and taken to our table which was right on the edge of the restaurant so we had an amazing view of Vegas.

Our menus were bought over along with a jug of water (which tasted a bit strange)!

* The Food *

There was a good choice of food on offer. We decided as it was a special occasion to go for al a carte but there were some set menus on offer.

The starters were the best part of the meal. We both had Kobe beef - I had it in carpaccio form and the hubby had meddalions. The meddalions were cooked just how my husband asked and my carpaccio was sliced nice and finely. They tasted just amazing and you can tell alot of care and thought went into all the combinations of flavours and presentation.

Well, the main course must have been cooked by someone different!

For my main course I had the Shrimp and Scallops. The accompaniements were fantastic - a champagne risotto cake with curry coulis but the scallops were over cooked and the shrimp was undercooked. It was a real dissapointement

The hubby had the filet steak. He asked for well done but it came medium rare. We asked for another one, but we're sure they just bought out exactly the same steak but now a bit crispy on the outside but still pretty rare in the middle! He was too hungry to ask again and ate it!

For dessert we had been tempted all night as there is a trolley that is rotated around the restaurant with models of all the desserts!

We shared the chocolate brownie trio as we were pretty full up but had to try it after seeing the huge brownies with ice cream and sauce tempting us on every rotation! When it appeared it looked like a dessert from TGI Fridays or the Harvester. 3 tiny brownie pieces, with a scoop of ice cream dolloped on top and hardly any sauce. It arrived and we both looked at each other with dissapointment! It did taste lovely, but looked nothing like they'd been promising on the dessert trolley!

There are some nice little touches with the food like lovely warm bread rolls and butter shaped like the tower. These little touches did perk us up a bit. Bit sad isn't it though when you get more excited about tower shaped butter over the main meal!!

* Service *

The service throughout the meal was dreadful. We came to the conclusion that the lady who served us did not have the words smile or humour in her vocabulary! She was so misserable. She basically took our order and that was it. She made no effort to try and make us feel comfortable, we really felt like we were offending her... how dare we ask for food!

* Cost *

The meal came in at just under £150, for 2 courses, 1 shared dessert, 1 bottle of wine, 2 cocktails and gratuity. I find this extremely overpriced for average food and terrible service. I've paid less than this in posh restaurants for more food, and amazing service.

* Overall experience*

We were so dissapointed with our meal at the Top of the World. The view is unquestionably stunning but you might as well just pay the tower entrance fee and use the observation deck, don't waste your money on average food and rubbish service! There are much nicer places to eat and spend your money!

Summary: Don't bother, if you want to see the view just pay the tower admission!