I spent a couple hours Monday at Resorts World, and I was very impressed by what I saw.
For those of you who don’t know, Resorts World is the newest mega-resort in Las Vegas, and it cost a staggering $4.3 billion to construct.
Yes, you read that number correctly. The resort is more valuable than most pro sports franchises in the world.
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As a notable Las Vegas enthusiast and host of “The David Hookstead Show,” Resorts World reached out a few weeks back and asked if I’d be interested in checking it out. Seeing as how my annual September trip was already on the books, I said why not. After all, life is all about new experiences and getting out of your comfort zone.
Now, I want to be crystal clear here. Most of you reading this know that I’m a pretty blue-collar guy. I enjoy dive bars, cold beer that is cheap and watching football on TV. So, given Resort World’s insane level of extravagance, I had no idea what to expect. But, the crew with me wanted to check it out. So, we shuffled over.
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We hit up two places, and I think Resorts World has found a formula for success. First, we hit up Gatsby’s Cocktail Lounge. As I’m sure you already guessed, it’s inspired by the famous book.
I went to @ResortsWorldLV to try the Gatsby’s Cocktail Lounge and Redtail.
This thread consists of my totally honest thoughts.
Let’s start with the Champagne Bubble Bath, which is a secret menu item. pic.twitter.com/Yf00Jhv7i2
— David Hookstead (@dhookstead) September 14, 2021
This is the part that is going to stun pretty much everyone reading this. I tried a variety of cocktails I normally wouldn’t drink, and I liked them a ton.
Whether it was the old fashioned, champagne bubble bath or the soiree, I liked it all. Plus, the location has an easily accessible secret menu that makes things fun.
Next at Gatsby’s are the three most popular drinks recommended by the bartender.
All were great, but the best in my humble opinion was the Summertime Soirée. pic.twitter.com/GXd0u4nYxO
— David Hookstead (@dhookstead) September 14, 2021
Next up is an after dinner/desert item that was very interesting. As a restaurant owner with me said, a high quality waffle cone.
Not sure I’d drink it often, but every once in awhile, definitely worth it. pic.twitter.com/aGdDcRZBFl
— David Hookstead (@dhookstead) September 14, 2021
Next, we went to Redtail, and I have to be honest that while I liked it because it was a sporty atmosphere and “MNF” was on, I honestly preferred Gatsby’s.
After Gatsby’s at @ResortsWorldLV, we headed over to Redtail for the football game.
One of the biggest Bloody Mary’s I’ve ever seen and I’m from Wisconsin. pic.twitter.com/PQp4iWTcrk
— David Hookstead (@dhookstead) September 14, 2021
The drinks at Redtail were great (check out the review below), the truffle fries were fire and the wings were pretty standard.
There’s nothing wrong with the wings being standard. In fact, that’s a safe choice. They just didn’t blow me away like some of the other stuff did.
Also, got two plate of wings and the truffle fries. Wings are what you’d expect from a sports atmosphere restaurant. Fries are unbelievable. pic.twitter.com/Pcx4nYRGdO
— David Hookstead (@dhookstead) September 14, 2021
So, overall what did I think of Resorts World? I liked it a lot. It’s on the very north end of the strip, which will probably turn some people off to the idea of going.
However, there’s a reason it cost billions of dollars to construct and it’s not because it intends to disappoint.
It’s a state of the art place with unique drinks. As a blue-collar guy, I was pleasantly surprised. When I go back, I’ll probably stick to Gatsby’s, especially if we’re with our significant others.
Finally, I’d heard a lot about @ResortsWorldLV before I showed up for a tour. Despite being a shade north on the strip, it’s a legit atmosphere with the quality you expect out of Vegas.
I’ll be back! pic.twitter.com/twObKqscmb
— David Hookstead (@dhookstead) September 14, 2021
For those of you who have been, fire away in the comments with your thoughts.