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| - Thank goodness I was raised in a pretty traditional Chinese family, because even at a young age I tried and fell in love with all kinds of seafoods. Thus, my expectations for what Rio calls "the only seafood buffet in Vegas" is for it to be a spectacular and intense party in my mouth. Did Rio meet my expectations? Hell yeah... but it does miss its mark by just a bit. (3.5 stars for this buffet)
This joint is one of two buffets at the Rio, and is arguably the more famous one. When my sexy lady friends (including Angela Y. and Tiffany D.) told me about it, I was expecting it to be only seafood inside, but luckily there's more to it. For $40 and a fifteen minute wait before seating, you get a large variety of foods that will be sure to hit any taste buds.
On the right side of the buffet, there are a lot of hot foods including pastas and even Chinese food (such as dim sum). In the center masterpiece, you get all of the seafood options you'd expect from a Vegas buffet (grilled, steamed, fried, and of course- raw) along with prime rib. Finally on the very left side, there is a large dessert area to end your meal on the sweeter side.
Tiffany D. and I became eating buddies, so we tackled the seafood first, and here were some hi-lights and low points:
[Cold Options]
1. Alaskan King Crab Legs - Decent... they were a bit small in my opinion, and took a long time for the workers to refill them afterward.
2. Sashimi - Tuna was rubbery! Blech... the only decent option was salmon, and it's hard to get that one wrong.
3. Oysters - I piled all of these on my plate all at once. They were a bit small for me, but weren't bad at all.
[Hot Options]
1. Fried Calamari - Not bad at all! Although the pieces of squid seemed a bit small for me, I was enjoying these small bites.
2. Lobster Tail in Sauce - I'll admit that none of the other buffets have this option. The lobster tails were very flavorful and not too strong, however, there wasn't enough to go around during the evening.
3. Baked Salmon - Good flavors all around. The herbs that cooked with it gave it an extra kick.
After plates of seafood and a slice of prime rib, it was time to dive into desserts. The gelato here was incredible! I haven't had much in my life, but these topped it. The strawberry and coconut flavors were epic, and I remember tasting them again later in the evening after I had burped. A must try!
So for the food I can give it a solid 4 stars (with a few exceptions), however, the service our night was horrendous! Our waiter was terrible- we had to call him out after he passed us multiple times for our drink orders (non-alcoholic), and I swore that our plates of crab shells were uncomfortably piling up! I've served before, and can understand when it is busy you can get caught up, but we felt extremely neglected the whole night there, even when it was not busy.
The Rio is definitely a must try, but my favorite Vegas buffet awards still go to The Wynn or the Buffet at the M Resort (off the strip). Parking at the Rio was tough that evening, so be prepared to hunt down a parking space if you come.
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