I really try to tell people about spots on and off the Strip that aren’t just the ones the algorithm is paid to shove in your face.

It’s a little crazy how much marketing can still move the needle. So I look for restaurants that fall into one of three buckets: completely worth it, surprisingly different, or winning by being exactly what they claim to be. Many times this takes me off the strip, but knowing that many people still choose to stay on the same road for their whole vacation…… I look to try places you can access by foot as well.

I’ve walked past Toscana plenty of times. Who hasn’t? It’s the little place right as you come into Eataly from the casino side near Best Friend.

Eataly itself has its critics, and some of them are right. The Las Vegas version has always felt different from the other markets, and I’m not convinced it’s gotten better over the years. Toscana sits in that same complex as the “nicer” option, the one that claims to take you to the Tuscan countryside.

Their own description talks about authentic regional cuisine, elevated cocktails, iconic Italian wines, and the rich experience of Tuscany mixed with Vegas energy. Fine. Marketing copy.

What actually pulled me in was the open wood-fire station.

I’ve said it before and I’ll keep saying it:

Vegas needs to put the ovens away more often and cook with real fire. When a restaurant has that kind of setup, it usually shows up in more than just the steak.

The Experience

I’m not a big wine guy when I’m out. I rarely order it because I never know how to describe what I actually like, and the glass prices in this town usually feel like you’re paying bottle money plus a pour. Toscana has one of those sommeliers who works the room. It felt more built into the experience than most places, so I went with it.

You tell him what you usually like, and he makes a suggestion. Fair warning: ask the price before you commit. No reason to take a sticker-shock hit. They’ll let you taste first, which is standard in a lot of places, but the way they handle it here felt a little more considered than most. One glass was enough for me.

Because they also had a smoked cocktail on the menu that was calling my name. Fashionista with housemade Campari syrup, Russell’s 10 Year, and bitters. Smoked and served. I ordered the version for two. $40/$22 for a single; I think they assumed one was for wifey.

They were wrong.

The food is traditional Tuscan in the best sense. Not trying to reinvent anything, just executing the classics with the wood fire doing real work. The Fiorentina is the move if you’re in a steak mood - a big Double R Ranch porterhouse for 2, cooked over the wood fire. It’s 10 ounces larger than what you get at Bavette’s, cooked over open fire and, for my money (costs the same currently), better. Short rib and branzino are both solid too. We didn’t have a bad bite from the Prosciutto E Mozzarella forward..

If you want a broader taste of what Toscana is doing, the $90 three-course prix fixe is probably the smarter play. It gives you a chance to work through several courses instead of betting the whole meal on one big entrée. For a restaurant like this, that’s useful because the appeal isn’t just the Fiorentina. It’s the combination of traditional Tuscan cooking, the wood fire, pasta, seafood, and the overall experience.

I’m not going to turn this into a dish-by-dish rundown. You can look at the menu below. What matters is the overall feel.

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Does It Pass the Return Test?

Would I spend my own money again?
Yes.

Would I recommend it to a first-time visitor?
If they want a proper Italian dinner that doesn’t feel like a Strip performance, yes.

Would I choose it over trying somewhere new?
Sometimes. Especially when I want wood-fire cooking and don’t feel like fighting the hype machine.

If it disappeared tomorrow, would I miss it?
More than a lot of the louder Italian places like Carbone on the Strip.

That’s the part that surprised me.

Toscana doesn’t feel like it’s trying too hard. It’s right on the Strip, the pricing is still Vegas pricing, and yet it manages to deliver a more cultural, grounded Italian experience than a lot of the places that spend heavily on being seen. The food holds up against restaurants with much bigger names. The wood fire is used properly. The service has a rhythm to it without being stiff. It’s homely… Is that a word?

So, does Toscana pass the Vegas Return Test?

Yes.

Not because it’s the hottest Italian restaurant in Vegas.
Not because it’s the newest.
And definitely not because some hot girl TikToker told me to go there.

I’d go back because the food is good, the fire actually matters, the experience feels genuine, and I can walk out thinking I spent my money on dinner instead of marketing.

That’s a return.

-Jason

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© 2026 Vegas Uncomped

As always, my thoughts are my own; they are NOT sponsored, I pay for my experiences, and I reserve the right to praise and talk shit about whoever and wherever I feel warranted… Hope you enjoy!

This weekend I was talking online about how Cirque has given me some of the most expensive naps of my life.

I just don’t get it. People in costumes doing gymnastics. It’s not my thing. Never has been.

Then Mad Apple announced it’s closing for good on September 5.

That got me thinking, and kind of pleading.

Please, MGM. Do not put another one of these boring shows in that theater.

Cirque is not timeless. They haven’t really innovated in a meaningful way for a long time. Whether the whole brand needs a hard look is a bigger conversation. But what happens to the empty theater at New York-New York actually matters. It sets a tone. And that tone needs to change.

The Room

The theater holds roughly 1,200 seats. In recent years, the upper balcony was often closed because sales were soft, so they were regularly running 600–800 or less.

MGM already has the room. No replacement has been announced.

Read more

Vegas pools.

I might be in the minority here, but I’m not getting in them.

You’ve seen the videos. Wall-to-wall bodies. Everyone with a drink in their hand. Music blasting. People grinding in 105-degree heat like it’s a nightclub with water.

Have you ever actually walked into the restroom at one of those places, though?

They’re strangely empty.

See where I’m going with this?

School’s Back. The Gross Just Changed

Everyone assumes that once the kids leave, the pools get better.

Nope.

The 21-and-up party pools are the ones that worry me more. Alcohol is part of the experience. People are packed together for hours. And the pool is basically an extension of the bar.

Kids might be messy.
Adults are strategic about it.

The Chlorine Smell Is a Lie

Most people walk up to a packed day-club pool, catch that heavy “chlorine” smell, and think: Good, at least it’s clean.

Wrong.

That aggressive chlorine smell is usually chloramines, the byproduct created when free chlorine reacts with sweat, body oils, and urine. The stronger that classic pool smell, the more organic material is already in the water.

A strong chlorine smell isn’t necessarily evidence of cleanliness. It can be evidence that the chlorine is busy reacting with whatever people brought in with them, or their “additions”.

What Pee Actually Does

Remember that scene in Grown Ups when Eric Lamonsoff (Kevin James) takes a wizz in the pool at the Water Wizz Family Water Park, and the water turns blue?

That’s not really a thing… I wish it was.

When someone pees in the pool, free chlorine starts binding to compounds in the urine and forms chloramines. That reaction reduces the amount of chlorine available to kill germs.

In a packed day club with hundreds of people who aren’t leaving the water, that load adds up fast. The pool’s defense system is working overtime just to keep up. The question….. Is it keeping up?

How does that mid-day party sound now?

Real Testing on the Strip

This isn’t just theory.

Inside Edition tested three Vegas day-club pools in 2022. Two came back positive for E. coli, with reported total bacteria counts of 15 million and 100 million.

A Columbia University microbiologist looked at the results and said:

“It’s kind of similar to swimming in a toilet.”

They found fingernails, cigarette butts, and foamy debris floating in one of them.

Circa’s Stadium Swim racked up 48 health-district violations across its pools during two annual inspections in 2025. Some were minor (loose screws, dirty grout, standing water). Some also involved lifeguard issues and damaged suction outlets.

These places are packed. The chemistry takes constant work even when they’re empty. When they’re full of day-drunk adults treating the pool like a giant communal bathtub?

You do the math.

The Uncomped Reality

I have a pool at home. I know water chemistry takes work. I know these systems can only do so much when the load is extreme.

Vegas party pools sell the fantasy of clean blue water and sunshine.

This isn’t a “here’s how to stay safe” piece.
There isn’t a clean solution when the core problem is people.

I’m staying on the cabana side of the rope with a drink in my hand.

You do you.

Just know what you’re actually “getting into”.

And unless you’re an R. Kelly fan, maybe think twice before fully committing to the water.

Still getting in the people soup, or have you officially switched to dry land?

-Jason

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© 2026 Vegas Uncomped

As always, my thoughts are my own; they are NOT sponsored. I pay for my experiences, and I reserve the right to praise and talk shit about whoever and wherever I feel warranted… Hope you enjoy!

I’m sitting at 145,962 MGM Tier Credits.
Platinum starts at 200,000.
I’m 54,038 credits away.

And my first thought wasn’t, “How do I get there?”

It was, “I really hope I don’t start trying to.”

That should tell you everything.

I’ve never been a status chaser. I built this whole thing on the opposite idea. Figure out the system. Hit what I need. Stop. Gold at 75,000 has always been the line. Waived resort fees. Free parking. A little celebration credit. Great room rates and some upgrades. That’s enough. That’s the Uncomped version of the game.

This year the system got aggressive without me asking it to.

And if you’ve followed my points reset, how my system gains my tier status, and how I’ve been staying a week for around $100… Well this is the next (surprise) chapter to that story.

How the Hell Did I Get Here?

Last year I qualified for the extra 25k bonus. The MGM credit card kicked in another 10k. Then a poltergeist apparently moved into the house and we had to replace a bunch of appliances at once. I did some home renovations. Then VGK made the Finals, and we took a very expensive last-minute trip home. (Yes, I am still bitter)

None of that was planned for points. It just stacked.

Read more

They all sound exactly the same. Why? Because they template-match everything; what you’re seeing is today’s version of a commercial. It’s an advertisement. When people tell me I’m critical, or negative about some places, I just laugh. Honesty is much easier when no one is paying for you to give your opinion.

Think about it. Everywhere you go, you are asked to do a survey, then you’re hounded until you leave something positive and, in many cases, given things until you do. Can we really rely on “ratings” these days?

So I stopped asking whether a restaurant was “good.”
I started asking a much harder question.

Would I actually go back?

Not if someone invited me.
Not if it was comped.

Would I spend my own money to eat here again?

Because that’s the only test that really matters, and that’s the test I’m using to give to people that care to listen to what I have to say.

The Vegas Return Test

Every place now gets the same four questions:

✓ Would I spend my own money here again?
✓ Would I tell my best friend to eat here on their first trip?
✓ Would I choose this over trying somewhere new?
✓ If it disappeared tomorrow… would I actually care?

Simple questions that actually predict whether a place is worth your time.

First Up: La Pizza e La Pasta

Inside Eataly at Park MGM.

I’ll be honest: I avoided this place for a long time. I’m extremely critical of Italian food. I spent many years eating from the kitchens of actual Nonnas that immigrated to America. Also the same people calling Golden Steer and Carbone “excellent” were the ones talking this spot up. That alone made me skeptical, and I have other favorites that already pass The Return Test with flying colors.

But it stays open late, and this particular night I had just finished playing video poker for hours, breaking even, and I guess I was determined to win big or lose it all. We didn’t want to kill two hours on a full dinner and needed something that wasn’t another burger. They have those big Pizza ovens… how bad could it be?

I started with the Adriatico: Whistle Pig Piggyback Rye, Montenegro, Fabbri cherry syrup, lemon, cherry bark bitters, maraschino cherry. $21.

Surprisingly good take on an Old Fashioned. One of the few cocktails that didn’t lean hard into Aperol. I put away three of them to her one.

Then the Prosciutto e Olive: Ferrarini Prosciutto di Parma and mixed olives. $22. A little high for lunch meat and olives, but it’s Vegas.

My wife ordered the Prosciutto e Rucola pizza while I was in the restroom. Mozzarella, a mountain of arugula, 18-month prosciutto, Grana Padano, olive oil. $30.

I hate arugula.
Not dislike.
Hate.

Watching someone intentionally put salad on top of pizza feels like watching someone dip a steak in ketchup. She knows this, but apparently was a little too tipsy to read the fine print, or to know that Rucola was Italian for arugula. Was pretty funny to be honest, because we usually agree on most food we share.

I ordered the Massese: San Marzano tomato, mozzarella, spicy salami, basil, olive oil. $27.

Proper Neapolitan dough. Light sauce. Nice kick from the salami. Fresh and solid. Not life-changing, but clean and consistent.

Total bill hit $176. Roughly $84 of that was drinks. Also, we could of ate just one pizza.

Who This Place Is Actually For

• You’re staying at Park MGM/The Reserve.
• You’re going to, or just came from a Knights game.
• You have a concert at Dolby Live.
• You’re hungry after 9 p.m.
• You want real food without burning two hours on dinner.

Vegas Return Test

⭐ Food? Good enough I’d order it again.
💰 Worth my money? Yep.
📍 Better than whatever’s closest? Absolutely.
🔁 Would I come back?

Without thinking twice.

Not because it’s the best pizza in Vegas.
Because it’s exactly what it needs to be.

Convenient. Consistent. Open late. Better drinks than expected. And when friends ask where to eat before something at T-Mobile or Dolby, this stays on the shortlist.

The Bigger Point

Vegas doesn’t need another restaurant review, or people talking about how a $500 meal changed their life.

Sometimes a restaurant wins because it knows exactly what it is.

That’s why the Vegas Return Test only asks one question.

Would I happily spend my own money to come back?

La Pizza e La Pasta passed.

What’s a place in Vegas that quietly passes your own return test? Drop it below.

-Jason

Follow Vegas Uncomped on X • Instagram • TikTok • YouTube • Threads • Facebook for Vegas Hacks, Stories & More.

© 2026 Vegas Uncomped

As always, my thoughts are my own; they are NOT sponsored, I pay for my experiences, and I reserve the right to praise and talk shit about whoever and wherever I feel warranted… Hope you enjoy!

Recent events have got me thinking about Las Vegas and shifting focus. I used to count on gambling to get perks, then my strategy shifted to a blend of gambling and spending, then paying close attention to points and tier credits using players’ clubs and credit cards. My point is that Las Vegas is changing; here’s a look at last year’s numbers and the trend for 2026.

According to the Nevada Gaming Control Board’s 2025 Gaming Abstract, hotel room revenue accounted for 33.5% of total Strip resort revenue, while gaming revenue accounted for 26.1%.

Of the roughly $21.1 billion the Strip produced, rooms generated about $7.1 billion.
Gaming generated about $5.5 billion.

Gaming remains enormously profitable. The story isn’t that gambling became unimportant. It’s that the rest of the resort became just as important.

But….. Doesn’t that feel backasswards? (yes that’s a word)

Read more

Let me ask you something… Do you regularly shop at these places at home? They’re always priced pretty high. In Vegas, you get lost in the fact that it’s cheaper than the casino, but you’re still grossly overpaying. It amazes me that people will pay $30 for a cocktail but not an extra $10 for an Uber / Lyft / Taxi stop on the way to the hotel…

Also, who wants to carry supplies down the strip, through the hotel, and to your room?

So I’m gonna share my plan with the list that saves me hundreds a trip and probably thousands a year.

Before I ever check into a hotel in Las Vegas…
I make one stop.

Not CVS.
Not Walgreens.
Not ABC Stores.

One pickup order that I have already scheduled from home, and five minutes later, I’m done buying almost everything the Strip will try to sell me for the next four days. It’s so stupidly simple that you might think…. duh…..but I promise I have mentioned this to hundreds of people and seen the lightbulb go off in their heads. Every person that travels with me seems to call me the week after and say how much more fun they had not coming back to a bill triple their mortgage…

Here’s the exact routine.

Before I Leave Home
↓
Land at LAS (order already waiting)
↓
5-minute pickup
↓
Hotel (bellhop takes order with the bags)
↓
Vacation starts

Don’t Pay the “I Forgot It” Tax

These cost almost nothing to pack.
On the Strip they become emergency purchases.

✓ Phone charger
✓ Portable battery
✓ Charging brick
✓ Watch charger
✓ Ibuprofen / Tylenol
✓ Pepcid
✓ Allergy medicine
✓ Blister pads / Band-Aids
✓ Prescription meds
✓ Sunscreen

Become Your Own Hotel Gift Shop

✓ Refillable insulated bottle / Yeti
✓ Small insulated tote or collapsible cooler
✓ Zip-top bags
✓ Electrolyte packets (Liquid I.V., LMNT, etc.)
✓ K-cups (most rooms already have the coffee machine)

Things I Request Before I Even Arrive

☐ Refrigerator (tell the hotel it’s for medication)
☐ Late checkout if status allows
☐ High floor
☐ Strip view, only if it’s worth paying for, or if status allows free upgrade
☐ Digital key, use the app to check in the day before if available
☐ Early check-in if status allows

My Vegas Pickup Order

☐ Water
☐ Wine
☐ Creamer (ok… Baileys)
☐ Beer
☐ Liquor
☐ Mixers
☐ Coke / Dr. Pepper
☐ Peanut butter filled Pretzels
☐ Chips
☐ Jerky
☐ Cider
☐ Snack Mix / Candy
☐ Disposable cups

People always ask which store is best.

Honestly? It depends on whether I am condo living at Vdara or staying elsewhere, but I’ve used.

Total Wine -Just south of Mandalay, probably the easiest.
Sam’s Club. -Great if you are in a condo on the strip.
Walmart.
Target. (not the one on the strip, they have a “convenience upcharge.”

Just be aware of the store’s pickup times and your flight. Even if you run the next day, you’re still saving a ton, and if you don’t want to buy liquor or beer (but, where’s the fun in that) some services will deliver to the hotel lobby.

The store doesn’t matter.
The order waiting does.

You’ll be back in the Uber within minutes. Water alone is worth it.

Things I Never Buy on the Strip

Water
Coffee
Pain reliever
Sunscreen
Phone chargers
Snacks
Beer
Basic liquor
Soda

Things Worth Paying Vegas Prices For

Great dinners (even the uber off the strip)
Shows
Specialty Cocktails
Blackjack
Spa
Concerts
A room upgrade
A memory

The First Thing After Check-In

Before I even unpack…
I make sure the refrigerator I requested is actually in the room.

If not, that’s my first phone call.

It’s amazing how much money a cold bottle of water saves over four days.

If you’re going to end up carrying drinks around the casino later anyway, start with the insulated bag. You can already be on beer number two before you even leave the property. You’ll likely need a bag for stuff anyway, and they make some great insulated backpacks these days.

The Real Difference

Most people think Vegas gets expensive the moment they check in.

I think it gets expensive the moment they stop planning.

Fifteen minutes before your vacation starts can completely change what your money buys for the rest of the weekend.

And for the “if you can’t afford it, don’t go” crowd…. You crack me up because…

You meal prep.
You shop at Costco.
You buy gas where it’s cheaper.
You wait for Amazon Prime Day.
You use coupons.
You comparison shop.

You take the cheapest flight that’s at 5 am!!

You’re already doing the exact same thing at home, but somehow think it’s “cheap” in Vegas.

If your idea of luxury is paying three times the price for the exact same bottle of water because it’s downstairs…

Go for it.

Mine is spending that extra money on another great meal, another blackjack session, another concert, or one more night in Vegas.

-Jason

Follow Vegas Uncomped on X • Instagram • TikTok • YouTube • Threads • Facebook for Vegas Hacks, Stories & More.

© 2026 Vegas Uncomped

As always, my thoughts are my own; they are NOT sponsored, I pay for my experiences, and I reserve the right to praise and talk shit about whoever and wherever I feel warranted… Hope you enjoy!

Was He Drunk?…. NO
Was he Rich?… Probably Not
Was he getting ripped off?… I think so

He was doing exactly what Las Vegas trains you to do. He was downstairs from his room at the Casino “Convenience Store”. And that’s when I realized…

Vegas isn’t expensive.
Convenience is.

The Strip might be the greatest convenience store in America. For every extra 30 seconds that you don’t want to spend, it is going to cost you more money.

Read more

Before we sat down for dinner, someone started singing. Then a burlesque dancer was doing some table dances. A mermaid was on a food cart. Then a group of people on unicycles. The lights were already dimmed. There was no announcement. There was no extra ticket. It just happened.

And somewhere between my chicken parm and dessert, I realized...

Vegas forgot one of its best tricks.

Let’s be honest. Vegas nostalgia has become its own industry and a split social topic. People complain about casinos they never walked into. They mourn attractions they skipped for twenty years. The second something closes, suddenly everyone claims it was their favorite. If it re-opens, people still don’t go. People are funny like that.

I don’t actually miss everything.

I miss the things that made Vegas feel unpredictable.

Bellagio’s fountains don’t require reservations. The Mirage volcano didn’t care if you bought dinner. Carnival in the Sky wasn’t hidden behind a VIP package. Even walking through a casino used to feel like something could happen, not because it always did, but because it could. And I’m a big believer that nostalgia can work, but it still requires some evolution.

We’d already seen The Party a few months earlier and loved it…

So when Restaurant Week rolled around, going back to Superfrico was an easy decision. It’s been a year or so since we had been. The place was packed, like it always is. Psychedelic. Loud. A little chaotic, but that’s the Vegas I love.

Superfrico has never been my favorite restaurant because of the food (although it’s pretty good). It’s one of my favorites because of the feeling. The little gem salad is excellent. The chicken parm is different and better than most. A three-course meal for $80 (Restaurant Week special) with continuous entertainment is a pretty reasonable deal in this town. But I didn’t leave thinking about the plate. I left thinking about how long it’s been since dinner itself felt like the show, without really paying for….. A show!

Somewhere along the way we decided restaurants should only serve food. Entertainment moved to theaters. Music moved to clubs. Magic moved to…. well IDK who even does it anymore that’s good. Everything became its own purchase. Vegas used to blur those lines, and that’s what made the city feel alive.

We’ve seemed to have lost the feeling that anything unexpected might happen before the check arrives. Hell, most of the time the “check” is the biggest surprise of the evening. These days we wait in line for “secret” bars with hashtags. We reserve experiences months in advance. We buy VIP access to surprises that have scheduled start times.

If I had $500 million to build a casino tomorrow, I would NEVER DO a celebrity steakhouse. I’d start with dinner shows. One mob. One Rat Pack. One Rock n Roll (Hard Rock are you listening?) One completely ridiculous. Because memories don’t happen when you’re sitting quietly looking at your phone. They happen when something interrupts dinner.

People always say they miss “old Vegas”, the volcano, the pirate ship show. I don’t even think they miss free shows. I think they miss not knowing what was going to happen next.

For a couple of hours, Superfrico reminded me that Vegas can still surprise you. Not because the food was unforgettable. Not because the performers were world-famous. Because for a little while, I forgot what was coming next.

That’s the Vegas I hope never disappears.

Do you miss that old feeling of not knowing what might happen next, or are places like Superfrico enough?

-Jason

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© 2026 Vegas Uncomped

As always, my thoughts are my own; they are NOT sponsored, I pay for my experiences, and I reserve the right to praise and talk shit about whoever and wherever I feel warranted… Hope you enjoy!

If your best taco comes with shredded cheddar cheese, we already have a problem.

Nothing exposes Vegas pricing faster than tacos.
They’re supposed to be cheap.
They’re supposed to be simple.
Yet somehow Vegas keeps turning them into a $40 experience.

I’ve spent hundreds trying to figure out which ones actually deserve your money. Some are excellent. Others feel like pure content-farm hype. A couple would get laughed out of a south Texas parking lot.

I’m not ranking them 1 through 6. That’s useless.

I can’t go a week without a taco, so that’s probably why I keep putting myself through this, and since I practically live on the strip half the year, it’s a necessity.

Here’s how I’d actually decide where to go depending on what you want that night.

Read more

Celebrity chefs have become one of my biggest pet peeves in Vegas.

Somewhere along the way, the chef became the attraction.
The food became the supporting act, and if you’ve followed me for more than a week, you’ve probably heard me say it.

Then I had dinner at Best Friend…
Roy Choi showed me exactly why most of these guys piss me off by doing the complete opposite.

During the week of the Stanley Cup Finals, we reserved a spot at Best Friend because it was close, we were hungry, we knew we were watching the fireworks that night, and honestly… we didn’t feel like overthinking dinner. Come-as-you-are spot. Staff in custom Adidas jumpsuits. Retro LA vibe with the lights and music. Kind of nightclubbish with a DJ and 90’s hip-hop vibe.

We were sitting at a table inside, not crazy far from the entrance, right across from a walled-off room in the back. Food kept coming out of there all night, big orders, serious celebration energy. You could tell somebody important was back there. I honeslty thought about asking if we could move just to avoid it.

Then the cake came through.

A gigantic LA-themed cake. Couldn’t miss it.

That’s when I noticed the security posted outside the doors.

Someone said,
“That’s Roy.”

Four women at the next table got excited, jumped up, and started walking toward the room. Security stopped them.

“Roy’s celebrating tonight. We’re not doing photos, ladies, sorry.”

Roy looked over.
Smiled.
Waved.
“Thanks for coming.”

That was it.

That kind of respect is also why I didn’t take any pictures or videos of the area as well.

Roy Choi Wasn’t Trying to Become the Experience. He Was Protecting It.

That was the moment I understood why his restaurant feels different.

If this had been most other celebrity-chef spots, the whole night would’ve revolved around the name on the sign. Giant portraits. TV clips looping on the walls. Merch for sale. Selfie lines. Sometimes it feels like dinner is the side show.

Best Friend never felt like that. Even with Roy in the building.

Roy Choi changed food culture. Kogi helped launch the gourmet food truck movement. He inspired the movie Chef. He could easily make every appearance about himself.

He didn’t.

That’s confidence.
People who know they’re good rarely have to remind you.

The Best Thing I Took Away From Best Friend

The Korean Wings were fantastic.
The Kimchi Fried Rice and Garlic Chicken is still one of my favorite dishes in Vegas.
The Orange Creamsicle cocktail should probably come with a warning label that you’ll feel like a child with alcohol.

But honestly…

The best thing I took away from Best Friend wasn’t the wings.
It wasn’t the fried rice.
It wasn’t even seeing Roy Choi.

It was realizing the best celebrity chef in the room was the one who refused to act like a celebrity.

Vegas has no shortage of famous chefs.
What surprised me wasn’t finding another one.

It was finding one who trusted his restaurant to speak for itself.

Ironically…
That made me respect him even more.

So sure…. I could have done “another review”…

But I’d rather tell you that you won’t be disappointed by visiting Best Friend; you also won’t have to feel like you’re supporting someone famous for a stupid haircut, or a “chef” famous for yelling at folks and calling them “Donkeys”.. I’m sure you realize that’s all fake, and if you don’t believe that bleeds into those restaurants, you’re sadly mistaken…

Roy started a movement by cooking great food his way, and from my observations on this night, he seemingly still wants the food to speak for itself.

What’s the most underrated celebrity-chef restaurant in Vegas? Or do you think celebrity chefs have become bigger than the food? Let me know.

-Jason

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Follow Vegas Uncomped on X • Instagram • TikTok • YouTube • Threads • Facebook for Vegas Hacks, Stories & More.

© 2026 Vegas Uncomped

As always, my thoughts are my own; they are NOT sponsored, I pay for my experiences, and I reserve the right to praise and talk shit about whoever and wherever I feel warranted… Hope you enjoy!

I don’t hate walking the Strip.

I hate feeling like I have to defend my wallet every fifty feet.

Planet Hollywood.
Horseshoe.
Paris.
Harrah’s.

Linq Promenade

Before I even make it through the first set of doors, I already know what’s about to happen.

“No thanks.”
“No thanks.”
“I’m a local.”
“No thanks.”

Eventually…
“Guys… fuck off.”

If you’ve been there, you probably laughed.
If you haven’t…
Give it time.

This Isn’t Really About Timeshares

It’s about interruption.

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Six months later…
Here’s the scoreboard.

• $21.54 for five nights in an upgraded suite.

• $565.77 for seven nights in an Executive Suite.

• $111 for eight nights during the Stanley Cup Finals.

That isn’t a flex.
It’s proof that the system works if you understand how it’s actually designed.

Back in January, those numbers were hypothetical.
Today they’re sitting in my MGM account.

The Scoreboard

I hit 75,000 Tier Credits early this year, before summer.

I already had some help from last year (I earned 125k+ points in 2025, which gave me 7,500 + 17,500 rollover Tier Credits into 2026). Once I crossed 7,500 this year, I got the $100 celebration credit. Then the MGM Iconic Credit Card kicked in with the $200 annual resort credit and the $250 comp night from hitting $25k spend last year.

Between the rollover, the card bonuses, and actual spend this year, I cleared Gold with room to spare.

Here’s exactly how the three main trips broke down:

Grand Total from these three trips alone: 45,955 Tier Credits

That’s almost 46,000 Tier Credits from just three normal Vegas trips. (Remember to charge everything to the room.) Add in regular everyday spending on the Iconic card, last year’s bonus points, and I was already over 75k well before summer. Oh, and this doesn’t even include gambling..

The Biggest Mindset Shift

The biggest mistake people make is treating MGM Rewards like it’s only a gambling program.

It isn’t.

It’s a loyalty program that rewards spending first and gambling second. Most people play it backwards.

Just like I said back in January, the Iconic card on normal life (groceries, gas, dining, bills, Amazon, etc.) is quietly doing a ton of the work. That regular, everyday spending is what pushed me over the line early and made the whole thing feel easy instead of stressful.

What Gold Has Already Put Back in My Pocket

• Resort fees avoided: $1,000+

• Celebration Credit: $100

• Annual Resort Credit: $200

• Complimentary Night (turned out to be resort credit): $250

• VIP Check-in on most stays

• Free self-parking on every stay

• Better room offers & upgrades (look at the suites I’ve had)

January was the blueprint.
This is the proof.

Which means I don’t spend the second half of the year chasing status anymore.
I spend it cashing it in.

Now I spend the rest of the year enjoying Vegas instead of chasing status.

Vegas Uncomped Tip
Pull up your MGM app today and check your actual Tier Credit total. Don’t wait until November to see where you stand. If you’re under 50k right now, there’s still plenty of time to add one more smart trip and lock it in. If you’re already over 70k like I was… congrats. You played it right.

How’s your 2026 count looking? Drop your number (or just say “on track” / “behind” if you don’t want to share exact figures).

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-Jason

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© 2026 Vegas Uncomped

As always, my reviews are my own; they are NOT sponsored, I pay for my experiences, and I reserve the right to praise and talk shit about whoever and wherever I feel warranted… Hope you enjoy!

I know I did.

Every time I cut through Bellagio from Vdara or Cosmopolitan, Harvest was just… there. Nice open kitchen. Pretty bar. Never crowded. Every single time, I kept walking.

Bellagio already has the celebrity lineup. Prime. Lago. Spago. Mayfair. Carbone Riviera. Harvest always felt like the place you ate if you couldn’t get into somewhere else.

Turns out… I had it completely backwards.
Harvest wasn’t Bellagio’s backup plan. It was mine.

Restaurant Week is one of the few times Vegas actually rewards curiosity.

Normally, we all play it safe. We book the famous restaurant, order the signature dish, and leave thinking we “did Vegas.”

Restaurant Week makes me do the opposite. At $60 for three courses, Harvest finally got its shot.

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I’m really glad we didn’t.

One of the things on the list for our last Stripcation was catching the America250 fireworks show; we planned a later dinner at Best Friend (yes, I’ll review that soon, and spoiler: Roy Choi was there) around it and knew we could easily watch them on the bridge.

While getting ready (ok, the wife was getting ready… I was drinking bourbon), I could already see tons of people were flooding onto the pedestrian bridges to watch. Phones were already in the air. Everyone wanted the “best view.” It was one of those rotating Saturday night shows, and on June 13th, the South Strip launch sites were MGM Grand, ARIA, and Planet Hollywood.

We took one look at the growing crowd from our hotel window… And said….. Fuck That!!!

Then we:
Made up some more mixed drinks in the room.
Stayed inside.
Opened the curtains.

Turned out the lights.

It was our best decision of the night.

Here’s what it looked like from our window:

We weren’t even in some premium Strip-view suite. Just a regular room facing the right direction.

It reminded me of something I forget all the time:

Before you sprint toward the crowd in Vegas, stop for ten seconds and ask yourself…
Can I already see this from where I am?

If you missed the whole rant on the Park MGM stay…. Was I slumming it, or was it perfect? You can find it below…

The Real Vegas Hack

We spend so much time chasing “the best.”

The hottest restaurant.
The newest casino.
The viral cocktail.
The “secret” pizza.
The rooftop everyone says you have to visit.

Vegas quietly convinces you that everyone else knows something you don’t. That the real experience is happening somewhere just out of reach. So you keep moving. Keep chasing. Keep standing in lines and crowds because that’s what you’re “supposed” to do.

Sometimes the best experience is the one without the crowd.

Vegas Uncomped Tip

Before following any crowd in Vegas, ask yourself one question:
“What do they know that I don’t?”

Usually… the answer is “nothing.”

The Verdict

The fireworks were cool. But the real win was realizing we didn’t have to chase them.

We almost fought for a spot on the bridge.
Instead, we watched the show with cold drinks, air conditioning, and our own bathroom twenty feet away.

Looking back…
I still think we had the better view.

Maybe that’s the real Vegas hack.
The city is constantly convincing you that the best experience is somewhere else.
Sometimes all you have to do is stop chasing it.

-Jason

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© 2026 Vegas Uncomped

As always, my reviews are my own; they are NOT sponsored, I pay for my experiences, and I reserve the right to praise and talk shit about whoever and wherever I feel warranted… Hope you enjoy!

I booked it because I had already spent the hotel budget on hockey.

I didn’t expect to see the Golden Knights get so deep in the playoffs, but there was also no way in hell I was missing a chance to see them win another Stanley Cup (unfortunately, that didn’t work out). After spending thousands of dollars on tickets for games four and six, and last-minute airline FU flight costs, something had to give, because my bank account was screaming for help.

I figured the hotel would be the sacrifice.

Turns out… it wasn’t that simple.

Park MGM used to be Monte Carlo. For years it was the definition of the most dangerous word in hospitality: “Fine.” Not amazing. Not terrible. Just… fine. When MGM bought it and rebranded it, a lot of people assumed it would stay mid-tier filler. Instead, somewhere along the way, Park MGM stopped trying to be flashy and started being useful. Walkability. Good food. Entertainment. Smoke-free. Easy access to T-Mobile Arena. It quietly became the Strip’s living room.

The Room Situation

I went in expecting the room to be the weak link. We got a Stay Well room. The bed was actually better than the ones at Vdara. The room smelled clean. No random shit left behind from previous guests like I’ve seen at NYNY and Excalibur. For $110 total for all eight nights…. What could go wrong?

Here’s the full, unedited video so you can see it for yourself:

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So I figured I’d give it another run.

My verdict hasn’t really changed.

And honestly? I think the real secret is that you ate it once at 2 a.m., three sheets to the wind, and thought it was the greatest thing ever. I once felt the same about Jack N The Box tacos…. 😂

Secret Pizza at The Cosmopolitan is a hidden, “New York-style” slice joint with no official name and no signage. You find it at the end of a long, narrow hallway plastered wall-to-wall with vintage vinyl album covers, Frank Sinatra, Elvis, and a ton of classics. It’s a fun little speakeasy-style walk that makes you feel like you’re in on something.

The interior is narrow and standing-room-only with white subway tile. It leans hard into that gritty, no-frills East Coast slice joint vibe, right down to the retro spice shakers on the counter.

The food? Well….. It’s okay Vegas pizza.

Not life-changing.
Not destination-worthy.
Not something I’d cross town for.

But that’s kind of the point.

I’ll even go as far to say it’s not even close to the expereice of Eevl Pie, or maybe that was my 2:17am drunking mind experience…

Nobody is booking a Vegas trip because they heard about a slice of pepperoni pizza hidden inside Cosmopolitan.

If Secret Pizza was located next to a Chevron in Henderson, nobody would be making TikToks about it.
It’d just be another pizza place with decent foot traffic and a Yelp page.

So why do people lose their minds over it?

The secret isn’t the pizza. It’s the experience.

You walk through that cool, dimly lit record-store hallway tucked away in the back of Cosmopolitan. It gives you that “I found a hidden spot” feeling. It’s fun. It’s gimmicky in the best Vegas way. It makes you feel like you’re in on something special.

That hallway does a lot of heavy lifting.

It’s the perfect storm for late-night degenerate activity: you’ve been drinking, you’re starving, and suddenly you’re in a “secret” pizza spot with your friends. Of course, it tastes amazing at that moment, but your drunk brain is not a reliable food critic.

The Verdict

Secret Pizza isn’t a restaurant.

It’s a Vegas moment.

The hallway.
The hunt.
The smell.
The fact that it’s somehow 2:17 a.m. and you’re still awake.

The pizza is just the receipt.

Just don’t confuse a great Vegas memory with great pizza.
They’re not always the same thing.

What’s your late-night drunk food spot in Vegas? Drop it below (and be honest).

-Jason

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© 2026 Vegas Uncomped

As always, my reviews are my own; they are NOT sponsored, I pay for my experiences, and I reserve the right to praise and talk shit about whoever and wherever I feel warranted… Hope you enjoy!

It’s no secret that I am against reality TV Vegas, so I was fully prepared to hate Venderpump.

So I went in with the attitude of, " Was I right?”.

The whole rebrand felt like peak Vegas reality-TV nonsense. A celebrity name slapped on an old property. Different lighting. A target audience that definitely wasn’t me.

I walked in expecting overpriced drinks, influencer vibes, and the kind of place I’d last maybe one round before bailing.

All videos are unedited…..

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Maybe I’m becoming the old guy yelling at clouds.

Thirty years ago Hard Rock gave Vegas one of its most recognizable signs.

In 2026 they gave us another advertising screen. Vegas was more fun when every new project wasn’t trying to monetize my eyeballs.

I finally got a look at the new Hard Rock Cafe guitar and the wrap-around billboard. I incorrectly said 3D in the video, (I’ll fix that for socials), you get the raw content, maybe it was because I did this after a few too many…. IDK. However, a lot more can be done with this.

What I do know is that this is just another way to shove more ads down your throat. I get the Happy hour content and a few spot promotions, but am I the only one who thinks more people would visit if there were a few cool programmed shows in between?

It’s not like this place is packed every night, and although I enjoy a “Southern Rock” (that’s a drink, btw), on their patio, I feel like this cafe will take a drastic backseat to the one that is planned in the new Hard Rock Casino…

All the new ad signs popping up in Las Vegas these days are so opposite of what I love about Vegas. Is it changing, or will the Seminole’s Hard Rock Guitar tower start changing things back?

I guess we will have to see.

-Jason

I’m getting back from a long stripcation btw, and fell really ill. Expect posts and newsletters to get back to normal next week… You’ll wanna check it out!!!

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© 2026 Vegas Uncomped

As always, my reviews are my own; they are NOT sponsored, I pay for my experiences, and I reserve the right to praise and talk shit about whoever and wherever I feel warranted… Hope you enjoy!

Everyone talks about the giant LED screen, the mind-bending visuals, and how it’s “revolutionizing live music.” And sure, it’s impressive to feel like you’re watching a very expensive light show with a band somewhere in the background.

Meanwhile, there’s a venue that just quietly does what a concert venue is supposed to do: let you hear the music, see the artist, and actually feel the show, without needing a second mortgage or a neck brace from staring at a 160,000-square-foot dome.

That venue is Dolby Live at Park MGM.

And it’s probably my favorite place to catch a concert in Las Vegas right now.

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