The Golden Nugget has undergone a remarkable transformation recently, making over the aging queen of downtown into a luxury resort worthy of taking up residence on the Strip. Among the many features of this makeover is an all-new buffet located on the second floor overlooking the brand-new pool area.

Buffets are, by and large, difficult to review and difficult to distinguish from one another, so I usually sort of group them by strata. There are those in the upper tier -- such as those at Wynn Las Vegas and Bellagio -- that are expensive and epic. Those in the middle tier -- like the ones at Luxor and Harrah's -- are pricey but not outrageously so and fully stocked with solid choices. The lower basically provides fuel so you can get back to gambling.

The Golden Nugget buffet used to be at the lower end of that middle tier -- better than fuel, but not by a lot. While the new buffet doesn't quite move it into the upper tier, it certainly gets it close with a beautiful new room, a terrific array of dishes and a price point that keeps it affordable, at least in comparison to the big buffets on the Strip.

Let's start with that room. Done in varying warm gold, brown and cream tones, the centerpiece is the expansive set of windows overlooking the pool area. The natural light, mostly absent in joints like this, is a welcome relief, and the lushly landscaped recreation deck make for a great backdrop.

The buffet line, like most these days, is not a line but a series of stations including those for salad, various cuisines of different ethnic genesis, a dessert station and more. I visited for their Sunday champagne brunch and in addition to the typical breakfast entrees -- eggs, bacon, sausage, waffles and the like -- there were made-to-order omelets and other nice touches that set this one a cut above. A carving station, Asian selections, sushi and seafood, and a host of other selections provided a good array of choices to ensure you'll not walk away hungry, although it is probably important to note that this is not quite as epic as the spreads at Bellagio or Wynn.

Everything my party tried was great, hot when it was supposed to be and cool when it wasn't, aided by the chilled salad plates and warmed dinner plates placed strategically near the stations.

As is too often to case with buffets, the disappointment came with the dessert portion of the program. We need a journalism crew to do some sort of investigation as to why the buffets in Vegas can do so great in all areas but then stumble when it comes to the dessert. I guess that just provides an excuse to stop somewhere else to get something sweet afterwards.

Prices are more than reasonable, with breakfast and lunch at or below $10, brunches from $10 to $17 and dinners $17 to $20, the higher price points being for all-you-can-eat seafood nights. That's a solid $5 or $10 less than you'll pay at similar buffets on the Strip these days, so it is absolutely worth the effort to come check it out.

The Golden Nugget Buffet
The Golden Nugget
129 E. Fremont St.
Las Vegas, NV 89101
702-385-7111
Mon. to Fri., 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Sat. and Sun., 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

The Full Story

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