It was a rough couple of months for Las Vegas restaurants. The end of summer saw dozens of restaurants close for a variety of reasons. Here, we touch on the most notable of them. Adding to the spring restaurant closures and those we lost this summer,
it’s been a difficult year for restaurateurs looking to stay afloat in Las Vegas.
Lotus Of Siam/Naxos Taverna (Red Rock)— With a federal lawsuit and years-long drama surrounding this Lotus of Siam location, which opened in 2022 inside Red Rock Resort, its closure came as no surprise. Court documents allege the partnership between Penny Chutima, the daughter of founder and James Beard Award winner Saipin Chutima, and Bua Food Group’s Lou Abin soured when he altered recipes and threw party brunches that harmed the Lotus brand. Red Rock also cut all ties with Abin’s other restaurants, including Naxos Taverna. Both Lotus and Naxos will close October 29.
Jardin— For nearly a decade, Jardin helped Wynn guests wake up and welcome the day. But after closing in April for what was supposed to be a refresh, the cheery, bright breakfast and lunch spot never reopened. Wynn officials confirmed the closure in June, saying a new American-style restaurant will take over the space inside the Encore resort.
St Felix Sin City— Despite its success and popularity in West Hollywood, the St Felix experiment in Las Vegas was short-lived. The bar and restaurant never found a footing in the city’s southwest neighborhood and closed after operating for just seven months.
Yui Edomae Sushi— Regarded as one of Las Vegas’s top sushi restaurants, Yui Edomae Sushi shocked customers when its owners announced, in a statement to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, that it was closing after 11 years in business. The Chinatown restaurant was known for its fresh fish selections and omakase tastings. It closed on September 24.
Chapala’s Mexican Restaurant— The family behind Chapala’s Mexican Restaurant is bowing out. Jose Flores told customers that he and his siblings plan to retire and will close the restaurant in November. Chapala’s has served sizzling fajitas, big burritos, and fried whole tilapia to generations of customers from its eastside Tropicana Avenue store since 1965.
Bang Bar by Momofuku— David Chang’s Las Vegas empire is slowly shrinking. The chef, who once ran four restaurants in town, closed quick-service eatery Bang Bar by Momofuku inside the Cosmopolitan food hall on October 4. The move leaves Chang with only Momofuku in Sin City. Bang Bar debuted in April 2021.
Diner Ross Steakhouse— The music stopped on Spiegelworld’s “DiscoShow” at the LINQ in January. Now, the company has closed its companion restaurant, Diner Ross Steakhouse. The throwback diner’s last service was September 26. Both venues opened on September 7, 2024, but struggled out of the gate. No replacements have been announced.
La Neta Cocina y Lounge— For five years, La Neta Cocina y Lounge was a Downtown Summerlin staple, giving shoppers a reason to grab a midday margarita. That ended September 29, when the restaurant closed permanently. La Neta paired Mexican cuisine with a top-notch tequila program.
Mama Rabbit Mezcal + Tequila Bar— Mama Rabbit has shuttered at Park MGM. Operated by Los Angeles restaurateur Bricia Lopez, the bar — which opened in August 2019 — celebrated Oaxacan culture and all things agave. Mama Rabbit offered more than 500 tequila and mezcal labels displayed across a 40-foot-high glass bottle wall. The tequila bar served its last margarita on September 14. No plans for the 4,400-square-foot space have been announced.
One Piece Cafe— One Piece Cafe, which was themed around the adventure Japanese manga series about a boy pirate and his crew of Straw Hats, closed on October 2. Owners took to social media with promises to take the popular cafe on the road for a series of pop-ups.
Mulberry Street Pizza— A popular Los Angeles-based pizza shop has closed at Resorts World — Mulberry Street Pizza served its last slices September 14. On Instagram, founder Ritchie Palmer addressed the closure and the future, writing, “Resorts World was Mulberry’s first location outside of California, so it’s been an important chapter for the brand and one we’re incredibly proud of. Our store was a thriving success from beginning to end…we would like to thank the more than one million customers we’ve had the privilege of serving over the past five years. Las Vegas…we’re not cashing out! See you soon.” Amici New York Pizzeria has already replaced Mulberry.
Bad Beat Brewing— “After 12 years, we finally found a hand we couldn’t win,” Bad Beat Brewing wrote on Instagram. Owners of the Arts District taproom and brewery attributed the August 2 closure to rising costs.
Old School Pizzeria (Lake Mead)— Old School Pizzeria, known for its sourdough pies and monster slices, has permanently closed its Northwest location on Lake Mead Boulevard. The pizzeria’s two other locations on Blue Diamond Road and in North Las Vegas remain open.
Uncle Paulie’s Deli, Yu-Or-Mi Sushi, and Vesta Coffee Roasters— Durango Resort continued the purge of its food hall, announcing the closures of Uncle Paulie’s Deli (September 30), along with Yu-Or-Mi Sushi and Vesta Coffee Roasters (both closing November 10). This comes on the heels of Villa’s Tacos replacing Marc Vetri’s Fiorella Pasta Bar earlier this year.
Smoke & Fire BBQ— “Six years. Countless memories. Forever grateful,” read a Smoke & Fire Instagram post announcing the barbecue restaurant’s closure September 26. It went on to say, “With everything going on right now, it’s not something we can keep going. While this isn’t the ending we hoped for, we’re incredibly grateful.” Signature Smoke & Fire dishes fans will miss include loaded barbecue fries, blueberry chicken sliders, and smoked chicken wings.
Sambalatte— For 16 years, European‑style coffee house Sambalatte served lattes, espresso, and pastries to Summerlin residents. The Boca Park location closed on August 27 after the owners said they couldn’t come to terms on a new lease, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal. The coffee shop has moved operations across the street inside PKWY Tavern at Tivoli Village.
Crush American Grill— MGM Grand’s Crush American Grill permanently closed on September 12. Run by restaurateurs Jenna and Michael Morton, Crush’s menu focused on burgers, steaks, wood-fired pizzas, and house-made pasta.
Crown & Anchor Pub— Two years after Crown & Anchor closed its UNLV location, the restaurant’s Spring Mountain Road outpost is also shutting down. Both locations were known for their British pub fare: fish and chips, Yorkshire pudding, and cottage pies.
The Eagle— The Eagle, a historic Las Vegas gay bar that opened in 1988, closed September 30 after nearly 40 years. The bar’s owners addressed the closure on Instagram, writing, “To everyone who has walked through our doors, sat at our bar, danced with us, sang with us, celebrated with us, worked alongside us, and supported the Eagle through every chapter, thank you. This space has always been about the people on both sides of the bar, and we could not have made it this far without you.”
Luckley Tavern & Grill— Luckley at Rio Las Vegas has closed and been replaced by Revolution Tavern & Grill; the shift is part of a wider turnover at the casino, with the closure of Hash House A Go Go and Guy Fieri’s El Burro Borracho in the past year. Little has changed in terms of menu or design. The restaurant still features a standard American menu and a rock ‘n’ roll theme with a wall of vinyl records displayed on shelves.
Salad and Go— Salad and Go, known for its on-the-go salads, wraps, and breakfast bowls across the Southwest, abruptly closed all 70 Nevada and Arizona locations and filed for bankruptcy protection on August 5. Dutch Bros later announced an agreement to purchase a majority of the closed shops for future coffee shop locations.
