TOP BUFFET - Eat Affordably in Las Vegas and-not only at top buffets

How to eat affordably in Vegas: tips and tricks

How to find free or cheap stuff in Las Vegas (including meals): go to this page.

Cheap, late night cheap meals, all-day breakfasts and overall cheap meal deals: click here

Introduction: 'Sin City' is our favorite eating Mecca because we know how to eat really well there and relatively cheaply (much more cheaply than at home!). Unlike Canada (Western Canada) or Western Europe, the US has many restaurants and cafes where you can eat a lot at affordable prices. However, we still think that Vegas maintains the edge, despite some resorts' current attempts to actually make a profit from their dining outlets (as opposed to using them only as a means to attract potential gamblers to their casino, as it was in the ‘good old days’). But here you can still enjoy the very best buffets (and other dining outlets) for affordable prices if you do the following.

Allocate your largest meal of the day to either breakfast or lunch if you don't have a coupon, a voucher or a free meal offer (more on these later on). Any top-quality Vegas buffet (with the notable exception of the at Planet Hollywood buffets and we definitely frown upon those for this reason!) have breakfast and lunch roll-overs. This is absolutely great because you can show up 15 minutes before breakfast ends, pay breakfast prices and enjoy the more expensive lunch! You can also do this if you want to have dinner (show up 15 minutes before lunch ends) because, again, the really classy, top-quality buffets do this (that is they do not have a break between meals) again, except for the buffets at Planet Hollywood, namely the Spice Market and Todai buffets (this is very regrettable and one of the reasons we don't visit these buffets as often we would like). However, talking of Planet Hollywood, this resorts always hands out buffet dining coupons at the entrance, mostly offering only a small reduction, so there is some price re-balancing here, though not offering as good a deal as 2 for 1 or similar!)

At any top Vegas buffet breakfast is usually from $10 to $16.99 dollars, and we feel that this is a great price for practically the very best of everything, including an unparalleled variety of foods (especially if you are in a buffet which allows you to roll-over onto lunch, and most allow you to do this!). Even better, though, you can easily obtain buffet or restaurant coupons (such as 5 dollars off per person, 2 for 1, etc) by browsing any flyer, magazine, booklet and local newspaper you can find. These publications are readily available inside cabs, scattered around check-in or visitors' information areas, just given at check-ins (so always ask when you check in, we are often lucky this way) and of course for sale at newspaper outlets (check the coupons before you buy the newspaper). The Harrah’s group (now Caesar's Entertainment Group) often (especially during low-traffic periods) give out a coupon book at check-in which has, amongst several offers, 5 dollars off coupons for most of their Vegas buffets (but this month it does not include their Rio's Carnival World Buffet, but it's valid for all their other buffets including the higher-end Lago at Caesar's). We haven't eaten a full-price meal in Las Vegas in years. Such offers can also be found - in the same publications - for actual restaurants, so it's the same process for either.

Eat cheap in Vegas.

We prefer a top buffet for our Vegas dining experience because we believe that the best of them absolutely offer better variety for similar quality and, of course, at better prices (and of course because we like to eat a huge amount of foods when we are in Vegas!). However, there are several top restaurants you may wish to try if budget is not a concern, mostly located within most top Vegas resorts (such as the Venetian, the Bellagio, the Palazzo, The Paris, the Wynn etc); most coupons are given when you check in by the resort. Some also publish special offers in flyers and free magazines you can find everywhere, as well as on some local newspapers and other magazines. For example, if you buy a copy of the American Casino Guide (go to bottom of linked page for explanation on this guide) you’ll find a 2-for-1 buffet coupon for several Las Vegas buffets.

As per the special 'free buffet' offer, or '2 for 1 buffet', it is always a great idea to sign up to practically every Players' Club in any resort you are in because, as a newbie, you will be offered these deals with certainty. If you are a repeat customer you may have to accumulate some players’ points, and this varies in each resort (so ask before you play so you can play where your points value the most – we do this religiously – what’s the point in playing where you get nothing or very little for your points?).

The former Las Vegas Hilton (now Las Vegas Hotel) often has great weekend offers which include 6 free buffets. Theirs used to be well below average but it has improved lately, thankfully, and it's probably of low to average quality these days. However, even if it’s an average buffet (at best) when it's free you cannot go wrong! The Palace Station, The Rio also often offer special deals (or half-price coupons) via local newspapers and, of course, if you know anybody who's a local you will enter free or half price practically anywhere as a matter of course, especially into those off-Strip buffets!

A note for a cheap snack or a quick meal-on-the-go : the food court at the fashion mall in front of the Venetian is also a place which offers fabulous deals (they often have all subs for 5 dollars, and similar offers in other food outlets in their huge but very un-crowded food court), so if you just want a quick snack for five dollars or less, at any time, go there.

How to find free or cheap stuff in Las Vegas (including meals): go to how to get free stuff in Vegas.

And... If you are into gourmet food, Fixed Price Vegas restaurants will tell you where you can eat truly gourmet food from great Vegas restaurants for an affordable price.