Joël Robuchon

Joël Robuchon is a good reason to keep one evening completely free. The dining room at MGM Grand has the scale and decoration of an Art Deco townhouse, with marble floors and a garden terrace; dinner here belongs to the small-table, special-occasion part of Las Vegas. Choose it when the meal itself is what you want to remember, particularly if your other evenings involve grandstands, concerts and a late finish.

The cooking builds layers of flavour into very small, carefully arranged dishes. Le Caviar Impérial brings together caviar, crab, a crustacean gelée and cauliflower purée. That combination gives you a useful idea of the kitchen's approach: luxury ingredients matter, but so do the contrasts between a delicate gelée, a smooth purée and the seafood. It is a different proposition from ordering a large steak and a side for the table.

Other dishes on the restaurant's menu include king crab with a farm egg and caviar, and asparagus served with tomato water, seasonal vegetables and caviar. These examples are a starting point for choosing the restaurant rather than a promise of the exact sequence on your date. A seasonal menu is part of the appeal. If you particularly enjoy fish, shellfish or vegetable cooking, tell the reservations team what interests you when discussing the available menus.

Executive chef Eleazar Villanueva leads the kitchen, with separate pastry and bakery specialists. That division of work helps explain why this should be treated as a complete dining occasion, rather than a quick main course between appointments. Ask for the menu options and their expected duration together: the longest sequence only makes sense if you have the evening to give it. Wine is another choice to make deliberately, whether that means a pairing or a bottle shared across dinner.

For a couple celebrating an anniversary or making one major restaurant booking during the trip, the intimate setting is a strong part of the case for staying in. For a larger group who want to share dishes, move around and talk over a lively room, Bazaar Meat offers a different kind of evening. Here, the attraction is the attention given to your table and the progression of the meal.

MGM Grand is a large resort, and the restaurant sits near KÀ Theatre rather than directly at the front doors. Leave time for the indoor walk. The published Grand Prix-week opening window is earlier than the ordinary dinner schedule, so build the reservation around the actual evening you are buying. A long tasting dinner and an F1 session are competing commitments.