Border Grill
Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino,3950 S Las Vegas Boulevard, Las Vegas, NV, 89119
Border Grill Menu
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Bocaditos
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Ensaladas
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Ceviches
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Platillos
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Platos Especiales
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Pasteles
Healthy Meal suggestions for Border Grill
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Bocaditos
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Ensaladas
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Ceviches
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Platillos
-
Platos Especiales
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Pasteles
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Address :
Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino,3950 S Las Vegas Boulevard
Las Vegas, NV, 89119 - Phone (702) 632-7403
- Website https://ad.doubleclick.net/ddm/clk/284948207;111995003;i?https://www.mandalaybay.com/dining/border-grill/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 10
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Brunch, Dinner
Parking : Valet, Garage
Bike Parking : No
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
Categories
Mexican Cuisine
If you enjoy Taco Tuesday, then you have officially fallen in love with the Mexican Food. The main grain of Mexican cuisine is maize. Also known as corn, maize is grown for the past 9000 years after the crop was discovered by the people in Mayan civilization. Mexican empire flourished when they started growing beans, tomatoes, chili pepper, sweet potato and cactus. Till this date these ingredients are used in cooking authentic Mexican dishes and drinks.
Great use of spices, fresh chili pepper dishes like fajitas, tortilla chips, corn chips, salsa, chimichangas, burritos, nachos and quesadillas are invented in America. But when you are looking for authentic Mexican food then you must find a restaurant in the city that serves Rajas con Queso, Garbanzo in a Guajillo Chile Sauce, Pork Filled Chiles Rellenos, Chiles en Nogada, Molcajete Salsa, Pico de Gallo and Frijoles de la Olla. An eye-opening fact – Mexican don't like their food hot. They use fresh chili and other spices to create a flavor that lingers in your mouth.
Mexican food is great for those who are Gluten Intolerant as they use Corn instead of wheat in most of their dishes. Also, you can easily find many beans based Mexican dishes. Another dish which didn't get similar glory as tacos or nachos is the Mexican hot chocolate. If you love something hot on a chilly day, then go for Mexican Hot Chocolate. On merry days, you can enjoy the authentic Mexican Drinks like Tequila, Mezcal, Tecuí, Sotol, Bacanora, Charanda, Posh O Pox, Puebla and Pulque. Mexican Cuisine is for people who enjoy strong drinks and hearty meals.
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Reggie M.
the border grill is a mexican restaurant located in the Mandalay Bay Hotel Casino Resort. It is the last eating establishment along restaurant row. a few of us were already hesitant about eating at a mexican restaurant in section that also has a wolf gang puck's trattoria, red square, fleur de lys, michael mina's strip steak, etc. the decor of this restaurant was outstanding. the vibrant yellow and orange painted walls decorated with mexican art brightened the whole restaurant in the evening. i was very surprised at the size of the restaurant. it has actually two levels with the lower level accommodating larger parties of 6 or more. the lower level connects to some outdoor seating, which i look forward to taking my lovely dining companion on the milder vegas nights for some drinks. we started off on some homemade tortilla chips that had just the right amount of saltiness. it was complimented so well with the salsa roja and salsa verde. one of the other red salsas had a fruity tinge to it, but not strong enough to be identified, so it was uninteresting. we also ordered guacamole, which was a little more bland than i usually like. they were generous on the avocado, but i think they could have done a better job in adding some more kick (spice, tanginess, saltiness). when the waiter mentioned that the Cochinita Pibil was a southern mexican specialty that is rarely found in menus here in the U.S., i immediately knew that i had to order that dish. basically, it is a specially marinated pork that has been slow roasted with or in banana leaf with cinnamon and grilled onions. it was accompanied by black beans, rice, and plantains with orange salsa on the side. sounds yummy, unfortunately after i gave the first bite to the GF, she immediately let me know that i could have the rest of the bite. i said to myself, "OH NO could it be that BAD?" i was disappointed at how tough the pork was and how the whole dish lacked any zest. maybe the tortilla to wrap the meat took away the flavor, or the onions and banana leaf muffled some of the flavors away. either way, the GFs grilled skirt steak was a lot more tastier. she ordered it rare and you can actually taste the marinate of garlic, cilantro, cumin, and lime. she found that her taste buds loved in the beginning and was bored with it towards the end. i also loved eating her charred corn relish, i will have to be honest that the price for our meals were a bit high ~$80/2 people for mexican food. there are tons of other great mexican restaurants/taquerias in las vegas that are much cheaper and better tasting. i will have to admit that i will return for drinks. the mojitos (regular or mango) are very delicious. ask the GF!!! they were extra sweet, very refreshing, with a minty bite. they also have caipirinha (a brazilian concoction, which lacked the tang that i was used to). i yet have to find this drink anywhere else in vegas.
(3)Kristina G.
I'm kind of middle-of-the-road about this place. Undoubtedly, the location is very nice, especially on the outdoor patio as you are right by the pool... But i would say that the food and the service weren't worth the price you pay for it all. I ordered the Huevos Rancheros and the guacamole, and I just didn't think that they were the best I ever tasted. They were good, don't get me wrong, just not the best. The drink orders were slow that day too, because (as the waitress explained) the bartender had a lot of orders to get out to the pool.
(3)Matt R.
This place just doesn't cut the mustard. It's too expensive, too crowded and just not that great. It's OK food. But really, I think it's pretty basic Mexican food served on nice plates with a higher price. I think two of us spent $40 for lunch, sharing something. Service is slow too. I'd love to stop in for a quick drink, late night, but it's always too swamped. I think they have a great location, which is why it's always too busy. They nickel and dime for everything in here, so don't order anything out of the ordinary. If the prices were 1/2 to 1/3 of what they charge, I'd return. Otherwise, no thanks. I do recommend T'n'T over at Luxor. That place was surprisingly good and I thought, much cheaper. I also recommend Isla at TI and Taqueria Canonita at The Venetian. Unfortunately, Margaritas at The Frontier is obviously gone, or I'd recommend that, as well. Anyway, keep looking, this place just isn't worth it.
(2)RJ A.
I LOVE being pleasantly surprised, and that is exactly what happened here. We were walking and looking for dinner without a reservation through our hotel. We decide to check out the Mexican place away from everything else. Great service, really fast, patio dining, romantic lighting (darkness), and pretty good food.
(4)Emily S.
I came here with a large group (15, which isn't that large for Vegas) and was underwhelmed. For a place like Vegas, full of so much good food, I would not waste my time at a restaurant like this again. First off, the service was bad. The food took FOREVER to come out of the kitchen, leaving us all to fill up on chips and guacamole. The salad that I ordered (The Mexican chopped, I believe) was anemically small and had very little corn in it. Also, the beans in it were Pinto, and I would have preferred black. I asked the waitress to substitute steak for chicken in the salad, and to please be sure that it was a lean cut of steak. She assured me that it would be a lean skirt steak, but the 5 small pieces of steak that came on my salad were FULL OF FAT and half of the pieces were BURNT. Conceptually, this is a cool restaurant, but the poor quality of the food at the Las Vegas location and slow service (my water glass was empty for half of the meal) make me hesitant to eat at a Border Grill ever again, even in Los Angeles.
(2)Joey M.
I had lunch here and had the best spicy rock shrimp tacos ever. Huge portion with guacamole, jicama slaw, spicy sauce, refried beans (so good), red & green rice. You could tell everything was fresh and made with high quality ingredients. The mojito with mango chunks was good too.
(5)Tammy N.
i had the fish tacos and then the following day was unexpectedly taken here for dinner and had the chopped seafood salad. both were OK but not great. nice view though of the mandalay bay.
(3)Shanna W.
I had a salad from the Top Chef Masters when I was there and it was YUMMY! Worth checking out when you go. And to top off the experience when I was there Rick Moonen, Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger were seating at the next table. AWESOME!
(4)Rhiannon R.
I loved their brunch buffet. You have lots of choices and the portions are small, so you can eat tons of it. The breakfast burrito and the enchilada were the best. I didn't care for the corn tamale, but the service was great. We had to wait awhile for the food, because of how busy they were, but the server advised us of this. The food for how small the portions were was delicious and appetizing and was actually feeling. I was surprised how much stuff they can stuff into a small portion. The restaurant has a nice view of the pool as well.
(5)Howard U.
Home to the best Sunday brunch in Vegas. Chef Mike's menu is full of goodness. Try the guava empandas, skirt steak and eggs, and the shrimp BLT, which is to die for. There's a reason why my friends and I spotted a celebrity chef at this restaurant, which also offers a great outdoor dining area.
(5)Ann A.
It was what we can agree when there is a group of people and everyone had different tastes. PROS Steak quesadilla and chilliquiles. Listening to live music from the concert going on at the beach. Outdoor Seating and people watching. CONS It is overpriced, though I did return on a different visit for the steak quesedilla.
(3)Sean O.
Very fresh food. Very professional staff. And the food came very fast. We sat in the outdoor patio with a view of the pool and lazy river. This place really had their act together with the wait staff working as a coherent team. I would gladly come back for good Mexican style food at the Mandalay Bay.
(4)Candice S.
These Vegas restos have been really disappointing. I was excited too because I thought we were just going out for a simple Mexican dinner! What's there to really mess up? Melt some cheese, shred some chicken, plop chips and salsa on the table...done and DONE! I had the chicken tamale. I took one bite and said "NO THANKS!" It was sour and tasted FOUL! My friend thankfully split her poblano quesadilla with me and that wasn't that bad. However we both ended up getting sick!!! Most of the night was spent in the bathroom! Next time, I'm opting for TACO BELL!
(1)Peter S.
The ambiance is just OK, but I had the Cochinita Pibil and it was fabulous. The menu description says "Achiote Pork roasted in a banana leaf". Think tender pork with a hint of banana. It may sound odd but I recommend it.
(4)Crystal W.
Amazing...from the chips to the drinks. The complimentary chips with three different salsas are so yummy! We got sweet corn tamales and plantain empanadas and were not disappointed. One recommendation...their non-alcoholic refresher drinks are to die for. I had white peach lemonade and was in love!
(5)Teri C.
Joining the BF's colleagues for dinner, Border Grill was the choice for the evening. When approaching the restaurant after walking through the maze of Mandalay Bay, it may appear that Border Grill isn't very large. However, you'll find lots of large tables available downstairs too. They seat you down with plenty of salty tortilla chips and a tiny platter of three sauces. There was one that was green that I just loved, and another one of the two red ones that was yummy too. Drink orders first! I had their Cruzan Mojito, which is described as "Cuba's most popular cocktail; cruzan estate light rum muddled with fresh mint, lime, and a touch of soda." This was oh-so yum and among the best mojitos ever. However, not so strong but tasty indeed. I also tried someone else's Mango Mojito and it was oh-so yummy too! The BF had the Caipirinha, which is "a Brazilian classic, fresh juices muddled with sugar drowned in ypioca cachaca." It tasted a bit better than my previous experience with Caipirinha, but still a bit strong tasting. Our waiter was super friendly and a such a doll. They get you going when they offer the Guacamole (mashed avocado with cilantro, red onion, jalapeo, and lime). It's standard fresh guacamole, nothing particularly special about it but it does come with a little salad of something or other on the side. Not sure what to order, I ask for suggestions from the waiter and comes up with a few. I decide on the Grilled Skirt Steak, which is "marinated in garlic, cilantro, cumin, and lime; served with charred corn relish, tomato avocado salad, and black beans." I chose my steak rare and it came out nicely to my liking. The initial bite was very enjoyable...tasty and delicate. However, as I ate the rest of my steak, I felt it lacked some flavor. I ended up dipping my steak into the sauces left on the table for the chips to give it a kick. The tomato avocado salad was a nice blend of heirloom tomatoes that was a nice accompaniment, but the charred corn relish was a bit too hard for my tastes. (The BF finished it off though.) And the black beans were standard too. This came with a large flour tortilla that I ended up not eating. The BF had the Cochinita Pibil, which is "achiote marinated pork slow roasted in banana leaf with cinnamon, grilled onions, black beans, and plantain orange salsa." It was recommended by the waiter because it came from southern Mexico and is considered a rare dish to find on a menu. I took the first bite and gave it back to the BF. The pork was nothing special and I was disappointed. The BF wasn't so impressed either as he kept on eating my steak instead. It came with corn tortillas that the BF felt overpowered the pork. And the plantains were okay too. Overall, the food was okay. Dinner for the two of us costs $84, which is definitely not worth it when eating Mexican food. (Both of us have been to central Mexico, so it's a little hard to justify spending so much on this type of food.) I would be curious if they had a happy hour just for drinks and appetizers though. Then you'll see me coming back to drink up on their mojitos! Sidenote: Watch out for their elevator. With the six of us in it, it made a funny sound that had us catching our breath for a moment. And I know we didn't eat all that much now!
(3)Jamie W.
Going to Border Grill is not just going out to brunch/lunch/dinner, it's an experience! My friends & I sat on their lovely patio for brunch for the 2nd time & it keeps getting better & better. Hands down, no Las Vegas brunch can match the quality & price you get at Border Grill. We also had the pleasure of meeting "The Two Hot Tamales," it's great to see a celebrity chef owned restaurant with chefs actively involved in their own restaurant & not just a famous name attached to it! Even the executive chef Mike came out to our table just to make sure we were enjoying everything. I can't wait to go back for brunch, next time I'll try the unlimited mimosas they offer, the table next to us had them & those mimosas looked so refreshing! Thanks for another great dining experience!
(5)Brian N.
Just go for the brunch, you will not be disappointed.
(5)JD D.
I stopped by the Mandalay Bay Border Grill yesterday about 4:30 pm at a pretty busy time and ate in the lounge. Service was prompt and efficient. He swung by with a "how you doing, hun" every once in a while that only needed a nod in response not some round of applause you think they expect at other places. I was looking for something light and ordered a ceasars with no meat and a side of black beans. With tip left at $17. Servings are huge. Chips and salsa the best; fresh, not too thick, not too salty, and whoever made the salsa deserves a medal. How can I make (all three) at home? I totally recommend this place for excellent and affordable food. In a hotel!
(5)Guy A.
We flew in and arrived in around 2 and I had BG on my list of places. We (wife and I). Since I am a professional chef and LCB Inatructor, love to get different things so we can sample as much as possible. Well, so happens the Brunch menu is a nice menu tapas style. Everything was fresh and VERY Good. Of you like a texmex kind of thing you will love this. Only thing, order several things from the start and as soon as you get the order - order some more keep it flowing. Do this,great place.
(5)MC B.
I watched the two owners of Border Grill on Top Chef Masters and Chef Hunter and wanted to try their restaurant while in Las Vegas last week. The restaurant is very bright and attractive. The chips were outstanding, although my husband did not care at all for the salsa. We split one of the specials - short rib tacos combo plate. It was very tasty and there was plenty of food to share. Service was extremely attentive. I am glad we tried this restaurant
(4)Jamie G.
My husband and I came here for the $25 all you can eat brunch and $5 bottomless mimosas. We sat outside on the patio on a beautiful day. Service was EXCELLENT- our server was so friendly but sadly I can't remember her name. We literally had everything on the menu and about 3 mimosas each. Super stuffed after but a great way to start a Sunday, if you ask me. We wil be back!!!
(5)Allen N.
Great food and drink. I had the fish special, very good. Sowas the taquitos. Would go back. I did for lunch the next day
(4)Suzie O.
WOW. WOW. WOW. The food was seriously amazing. I loved it. All of the ingredients made up the perfect meal. I had the shrimp tacos, which were delicious. The other people in our party loved their meals too (chicken enchiladas, carnitas tacos). The service was awesome as well. The complimentary salsa and chips was great. You got 3 different salsas, which were all really tasty! Will definitely come back.
(5)Blair B.
If you're staying at Mandalay Bay and have already hit up Burger Bar and are looking for another casual *RELATIVELY* inexpensive spot (this is the strip after all people), this place is a good spot to try. Cucumber Mojtio: Yummy and refreshing Pomegranate Mojito: Just eh.. kinda had a strong artificial cherry taste. Not recommended. Baja Ceviche: Fresh and plenty to share. Steak enchiladas ($23): Seemed to be an ongoing special of some kind (off the normal menu). Yummy steak with mole sauce.. very very good. If you aren't terribly hungry 2 could probably fill up on this + ceviche and chips making for a relatively inexpensive meal. I couldn't come close to finishing it by myself. Service was excellent. Bartenders were friendly. Best of all our waitress asked if we were locals and gave us a VIP card for 15% off everytime we come... every little bit helps in this pricey town!
(4)Shenan D.
We came to Vegas to see P!nk at Mandalay Bay. After a very long day of walking around we were famished and decided to take a chance and eat at Border Grill since it was right across from where the event center entrance. The food and service was excellent!!!! We haven't had such good authentic mexican food since we were actually in Mexico! They were a little pricey, but what isn't in Vegas. I don't mind spending a little extra money on food this good.
(5)Bill C.
A glass of mostly ice, cheap margarita mix and a rumor of tequila for $16? Wow. Only one bowl of tortilla chips? Wow! Border Grill, you might want to think a little more about giving your customers a little better service and value for the dollar.
(3)Koshka K.
Meh is the perfect description, it's just plain Tex-Mex w a fancy name and price.
(2)B K.
Better than ever... food hasn't got a chance of tasting anything but fabulous when it's made with the love and heart that MS & S put into all their dishes... Great women. Great restaurant. Great friends.
(5)Rafael R.
It is probably not corporate Border Grill's fault, but given that this restaurant is managed by Mandalay Bay Hotel & Casino, where it is located, my primary complaint is that as a guest, one is charged $0.50 for TAP WATER. Ok, it's only fifty cents, however, given how terrible the desert water is, it is a crime that a fee is charged for filtered tap water water, this should be done as a courtesy for guests. We're not talking sparkling or bottled water here, it's plain water from the tap. What's next, a fee for air conditioning? There is no mention of this charge on the menu, it just appears on ones bill. While it is a nominal amount, my guess is that most guests overlook it, however, when one is charged $24.00 for three enchiladas, charging for tap water is borderline abuse.
(3)Shaye G.
Their mole chicken was amazing and HUGE! Again, if I wasn't staying at the hotel on business, I would have packed that bad boy up for lunch the next day. The chicken was cooked perfectly - crispy skin and juicy on the inside. I'm a big fan of Mary Sue and Susan, so I will visit their restaurants any chance I get. So far, I have not been disappointed.
(4)Erin W.
Small magarita for $14, small glass of wine. Food was good, but wouldn't go back.
(3)Allison J.
BLACK CHERRY MOJITO. yes! We ate here just a week ago on a Saturday night and the place was hoppin'. No doubt being located in the Mandalay Bay during a convention is going to pack this place whether it is good or not. But thankfully, this was time and money well spent. The black cherry mojito was a refreshing signature drink. I had the chicken enchiladas and ate the whole thing a long with some of my friend's tacos. Everything was delicious! The service was great and we even joined their locals discounts club which I'll actually come back and use. Be careful of the tortilla chips served at the beginning. They're really addictive and filling. If you manage to hang out at the Mandalay wave pool and float on the river all day... and then come here for a hearty meal. Your day is golden.
(4)Jamianne V.
Our waiter was very friendly and accommodating. We received a gluten free menu, as well as warm tortillas and salsa (our waiter said he didn't trust the chips to be gluten free). We ordered Peruvian Ceviche. Unfortunately, we unknowingly ordered what appeared to be an appetizer. It was still delicious, just not very filling. It was good, but not amazing considering how pricy it is. Will go back again when I have the money :)
(4)Phil H.
Border Grill overlooks the Mandalay pools and is much better for drinks during the day than dinner at night. Granted, some of my biases are not the fault of the restaurant. Such as: 1. Due to the economy, Mandalay in general and BG specifically were a ghost town this past Friday. It was kinda depressing. 2. I prefer Mexican restaurants that are rundown, that serves you margaritas by the pitcher. However there are faults with the service and food of the actual restaurant: 1. We ordered the Queso Fundido. Never got it. 2. I asked for my margarita without salt. It of course came with salt. 3. My scallops were very sour.
(3)Amy R.
This used to be one of my favorite restaurants. Even before I moved here, when I would visit, it was always a "must go to". Then the last two times we have been there the food has been terrible. I mean completely awful. Soggy fish, undercooked, cold food. The only reason that I would give it two stars is because both times our servers were outstanding. I don't know if they have a different chef, or what the case may be, but I certainly would not waste any time, or money, going there. Truly a disappointment.
(2)Dustin M.
The brunch is well worth the money. The food and service were excellent. Will definitely be going back.
(5)Evann G.
Seriously NOT impressed. $20 for nachos?! Yes, there were a lot of them, but still. Read the sentence again. TWENTY DOLLARS. For NACHOS. That's just wrong. And the green corn tamales were COLD. Maybe more like lukewarm, but still. Lukewarm tamales? Blech. Not to mention they were about as big as a person's thumbnail yet three of them cost $10. The only shining moment in this experience was the peach sangria, which was so good it made me want to cry. Extra star for that.
(2)Nickie C.
Had brunch here two weekends ago. Cannot express how wonderful it was. We struggled to rank the items in order of deliciousness because each was as good as the next. I recommend the short rib hash, the shrimp and the tacos as a few of the best things I have ever eaten - with no exaggeration. And (here comes an incredibly egotistical sounding statement) I have eaten at many very famous restaurants. Our server Christopher really made the experience special. Ask for him and tip him well!
(5)Laura S.
I was lucky enough to go to the Santa Monica Border Grill back in 1995 while I was visiting some friends in L.A., and was blown away by it. I was at a conference in Las Vegas this last week, and I was happy to see that there was an outpost of the Border Grill there as well - of course I had to try it. I went during lunch one day, and had the guac to start, followed by the chicken chilaquiles. Whenever I am in Mexico, I try to eat chilaquiles for breakfast, so I was pleased to see them on the menu (even though it was lunch time). The chips were cooked well, but were RIDICULOUSLY salty. I though that maybe I had just received a bottom of the basket set (or something like that), so I asked for some new ones, but those were amazingly salty as well. Once I dusted a large amount of salt off the chips, though, they were good, as was the guacamole. The flavors were nicely blended, and they didn't skimp on the onion. The chilaquiles were a disappointment, though. They were the "green" version (as opposed to red or, more rarely, mole chilaquiles), and the green salsa was very acidic. I like the flavor of tomatillos, but these almost tasted underripe, which made for a weird flavor mix with the queso fresco and the corn tortillas. The chicken in the dish came in big chunks of dry white meat, and didn't taste like it had been cooked with the rest of the chilaquiles ingredients at all. It was very disappointing. For comparison, I was comped a free breakfast buffet at the Wynn, where they had what they called chilaquiles with eggs (really, it was more like a chilaquiles/migas hybrid) - the flavor profile of that dish was much more authentic than what I had at Border Grill. I know that people think highly of the Wynn buffet, but still, when the food at a restaurant that prides itself on authenticity is beaten by a buffet offering, that's a bad sign. I'll hang on to my good memories of the Border Grill in Santa Monica, but I won't be going back to the Vegas one again.
(3)Amy B.
Went on Sunday for their all you can eat tapas and was impressed! Neat takes on benedicts and also mexican food, and they also had churro tots which were awesome.
(4)Steve M.
Really delicious, fresh and filling food. A nice departure from the bland, overdone stuff that a lot of local places serve. I had Peruvian Ceviche, which (although I'm no expert) is a terrific, light and healthy dish. Wife had fish tacos, also very good. Minus 1 star for a little too much salt on everything. But I guess we didn't need that second basket of those yummy chips.
(4)Yukie P.
Came here for lunch during our trip. The food was great! Everything was yummy and the prices didn't break the bank. We has such a great time....our waitress was so friendly and helpful.
(4)Tommy T.
I can't believe I haven't written a review of Border Grill before now. I have had dinner and just drinks here many times and have enjoyed each time. My fiance wanted to go to the Wisin & Yandel concert at the beach on Sunday but we didn't buy tickets in time, so we had drinks at Border Grill so we could listen for free. Clint was our bartender and he made me a wonderful Mai Tai ($12) and then he brought us free chips and salsa (perfect). We always have wonderful service and I think it has something to do with the women who own this (you can catch each of them on the celebrity chef competitions on TV now & then). Sign up for their locals discount card (free) and emails about specials. It is worth it.
(4)Barney B.
Fish tacos done well, served in the sun, mist machines blowing - almost guaranteed perfection (ok, mist machines might be one of the most egregious, environmentally-unaware slights that Vegas bring us - one of the many - but when it's 100, it sure does feel like a good idea at the time) So, misty seats, tacos, almost perfection - yeah, Border Grill delivers. But in its delivery, a few stumbles - or at least lapses. Service was very friendly and cheerful, but promises of 'chips n salsa on its way', 'more water', 'more iced tea', or 'your check' were either followed by a lengthy delay or just never happened. Usually forgiveable when a place is slammed, but this place was near dead and amply staffed, so there was nothing more we could attribute to it other than flakiness. But damn those grilled fish tacos made it all worth it
(3)Fritz L.
Used to be a reliable fave when working here. Positively lousy the other day. Cold and tasteless. Time to close
(1)Sheryl H.
came for sunday brunch. their brunch menu is a all you can eat tapas style for $25, $30 with champagne mimosas. they had a large selection to choose from with lots of vegetarian option. each small plate was enough for 2 people. their staff is friendly and very attentive. the food was excellent. the french toast just melted in your mouth. and the meats (brisket and steaks) were so tender and great cuts of meat. they did charge 50 cents for a bottle of karafe water (which i think was tap) so i thought that was a little weird but its just 50 cents. i also kinda wished there was more of a view. we sat outside by the beach pool so we just saw the gated fence. oh well. i'd come back again for the great food and friendly service.
(4)Ashley S.
Guac was amazing! The charge for their water filtration system is a little off-putting though. I actually thought about having my wedding reception in their lower level area. Great food and drinks!
(4)Howard C.
Susan and Mary Sue did not WOW us. My wife and I were looking for a place for a light bite for dinner and decided to try this place. We shared the Kobe Beef Sopes, Watercress salad and Tecate Carnitas. We told the waiter that we had a late buffet lunch and will order a few dishes to share. He seems to be very concern that we did not order enough food and kept asking if we want to order more. This made us felt uncomfortable. First to come was the Kobe Beef Sopes. It was tiny piece of beef wrapped in two quarter size corn masa topped with mango red cabbage mint slaw. The slaw was well seasoned and very tasty. However, I can really taste much of the beef since it was so small. Next, we had the Watercrest, Jaicama and Orange Salad. The salad was topped with 4 little bacon wrapped dates stuffed with chorizo and blue cheese. The salad was very ordinary and the bacon wrapped dates were salty. Lastly, we had the Tecate Carnitas. They gave us a good portion of the carnitas for this dish. However, the taste and quality of the roast pork is very mediocre. It is like the carnitas you get from an ordinary Mexican restaurant. There was only one piece tortilla came with the dish and it was all dried and cracked. It was not something that I expected a high end restaurant would serve to its diner. When our bill came at the end of our meal, we found that there was $1 charge for tap water in addition to the our other drinks. We dinned at many fine restaurants in Las Vegas and never have anyone charge for tap water.
(2)Kim R.
I live In San Francisco and I came here for my Aries weekend bday party and to my surprise I actually loved this place. IThe food was great differentChef Mike even came out and took a photo w/ us . We loved the empenada's . The cocktails were strong which is a must in Vegas cause you need to have one in your hand at all times. We had a great dining and drinking exp. Would go back in a heartbeat actually I wish I was in Vegas right now with the food and a drink in hand oh well back to work lol
(5)Jason R.
This is some of the best Mexican food I've had. Love the atmosphere especially in the warmer months when the patio by the pool is open. This is a must try when visiting Mandalay, a great alternative to the Beach Grill which also serves great American favorites
(5)Mrs. K.
I'm new to the yelp scene so my review is a few years old (2004)... but I think it's still important to share my experiences at Border Grill. My husband and I hosted our wedding "reception" here at their upstairs partially outside patio (with 50 people). Our ceremony was at Mandalay Bay and we wanted to host a lunch at Mandalay Bay. We were scared off by the ballrooms (sterile environment, boring menus and high prices). We didnt need the dj/dancing, garter/bouquet toss... We just wanted great food and drinks and have fun, which is what Border Grill offered. Plus, their catering menu was reasonably priced compared to the other restaurants in Mandalay Bay. Their staff was always great to work with and we were impressed that everything they promised was executed perfectly. Everyone ranted and raved about the food, drinks and service... and were pleasantly surprised we chose Mexican food as it is not something any of our friends and family had ever served. The ONLY reason they get 4 stars and not 5 is because other times we've eaten there, the service was average and the meals were over priced.
(4)Gia o.
We had our wedding reception in a beautiful private room overlooking the patio. The room holds about 60 sit down, and I think up to 80 stand up. We put down an 800$ dollar deposit, with a minimum of 4,000$, add on tax and tip and round up to about 5,100. They also have a smaller room that holds about 35 people for 3000$ minimum. The banquet coordinator Jessica was unbelievably sweet and helpful. She went above and beyond the call of duty. She helped me with everything. I emailed her about a million times and talked with her at length about everything. Cake, food, rental, seating arrangements, flowers, and even suggestions of other vendors. She helped me find rental chairs and she booked it under her business name and got me a cheaper rate. The Border Grill chairs are an orange-brownish color. I really wanted silver chairs. The rental chairs ran about 10$ dollars each, and Jessica got me her cheaper rate at about 8$ each. She also got me a speaker and microphone for about 50$ dollars cheaper. You don't really need a speaker if your best man is loud enough. Go through Jessica, she makes sure the rental's show up on time.I think she knows about getting a DJ as well. I don't think a DJ is worth it. The Border Grill music is pipped in, the stereo system is awesome. It is kind of Jazzy, Latin music. They can also turn it off really quick when you have speeches. I had already booked my wedding cake with another vendor for about 500$. They add a cake cutting fee, I think 2$ per person. FYI...she is working with the chef on wedding cakes. I think she said they would run about 170$ for 30 people, but don't quote me on that. She had no pictures, so I went with my first option. Talk to her about cakes, see if they updated the website with pictures. They have no hidden charges. She sits with you on the phone tapping away at her calculator. So you know exactly what things will cost. She helped me with my choice of entrees and changes that I wanted with adding on different types of sauces and salads. Their "Set Menu" are very flexible, and the prices are very reasonable...for Vegas. I got about 8 appetizer platters to pass around for cocktail half hour they run anywhere from 13$ to 50$. I had two salad choices, a champagne toast and for the entrees I had fish, skirt steak, and enchilada's. About 65$ per person. Everyone raved about the food. I printed my own menu's, see pictures above. I wish that I had printed a drink menu of margarita's and sangria suggestions on the back of my menu's. I don't think people took full advantage of the full bar and they mostly got wine and beer. So my total cost for 55 people with the ultra lavish food, tons of appetizers, champagne toast, full open bar and amazing rental chairs ran about 9000$ dollars. You can easily go thousands less depending on your guest count, food and rental needs. I also asked Jessica to charge my card for about 1000$ a month for four months so that I did not have a crazy bill on my wedding day. Don't worry, she really only needs the deposit to hold the room. Layaway wedding...less stress. Also if you want to send favors, menu's and candles. Ship them to her office. She told me to send them to her, and I made the mistake of shipping all my boxes to The hotel room. Then they charged me 30$ to deliver to my room and then the hotel lost one of my boxes. Jessica walked over to the postal delivery room and talked with security and had him look through all of the boxes for me. WOW, talk about above and beyond. Thank You. The lost box had my cake server set, thank God Jessica had a nice set to lend me. They do provide beautiful candles in an orange striped color glass, so if your colors match that then your set for the tables. We had a beautiful wedding reception. It was magical. Worth every penny.
(5)Johnny Ring O.
silly me went to the reef aquarium at mandalay bay . which is good . while buying my admission ticket i was given a free coupoun for a free maragretia drink with my dinner. so i was like ok i will try this over priced mexican resturant. oh snap this place is a rip off. while waiting a long time for my free drink which wasnt very good i ran out of salsa and one of the bus boys aksed me if i want gaucolmole so i said yes thinking it was free dip. like the old saying goes theres a sucker born ever minute and im living proof of that. they hustled me in a resturant . i still cant believe i got coned . the gaucolmole was $ 9.00 plus tax . my bill came out $ 25.89 including tax . it should of dawned on me why on a saturday about 6:00 p.m. when i left the place it wasnt crowded and less then half full. the food was good but not worth double the price of planet hollywood. i said to myself before i even went to this hotel i wasnt going to eat there because its so expensive.... " note to john P. -------- follow john P.'s advice and eat denny's instead of this highway robbery "
(2)Danielle D.
A bit pricey, but the food is amazing.
(4)Caitlin B.
I ate dinner here on September 27, 2008. I had heard about the restaurant from my boss, who said it was a must-visit during my trip (he'd only been to the Santa Monica restaurant). Great service. Food was ok. My boyfriend and I had eaten lunch at the Bellagio Buffet earlier in the day so we didn't get into the restaurant until around 10pm. Neither of us was very hungry, but we did need to eat something. We got guacamole for an appetizer. For the amount of guac, the appetizer was fairly overpriced. I've also made guacamole at home that was better than this stuff. My boyfriend got a quesadilla off of the appetizers section, which had chicken and several Mexican cheeses in it. He thought it was delicious. I got the watercress, avocado, and orange salad. I don't eat meat, and so my boyfriend ate the bacon off of the dates so that I could include them in the salad's taste profile (even though the bacon taste lingered...). I blame myself for completely not noticing that there was bacon in the description... so no blame with the server or kitchen there. The dressing was wayyyyy thick in the salad, to the point where I asked if they could make me a new one with dressing on the side. The dressing was also a very weird flavor profile. Lots of black pepper and sour/saltiness that just sort of overwhelmed everything else in the bite. I didn't even taste coriander, just sour/salty/peppery grossness. The server was very accommodating about the dressing, and had a new salad ready pretty fast. I had a delicious coconut lemonade, which was the highlight of the meal for me. My boyfriend had a watermelon mojito, which was ok, but he commented that the fresh mint was strangely overpowering the watermelon flavor, which he wasn't sure combined well with the mint. We also had the Tres Leches cake boxed up for us so we could eat it later, and it was delicious.
(3)Dan L.
The food here is actually very good. The girlfriend and I had carnitas and carne asada tacos. Both were really delicious and authentic...the carne asada in particular was very very good. Really tender and well marinated. Only downsides are really slow, inattentive service and obviously it's way overpriced (but that's expected in Vegas)
(3)Thuy L.
I don't even remember what my main meal was, but I know I was happy with the salsa and guacamole. Since these are the two staples that I used to judge any Mexican restaurant, I would have to say that this place is definitely at least 3.5 stars. I also appreciated that all the waitstaff dressed up for Halloween, and we had a lovely nun serving us lunch.
(4)Elizabeth R.
I was just expecting so much better. So, so much better. I honestly can't remember much about the experience except that I think I got fish tacos that were ok, my husbands chile relleno was pretty good but the big thing was the rice that came with it. It was AWFUL. He called it "hotel rice." Cheap, bland rice. It had color, so I think it was supposed to be flavored but, alas, it tasted like nothing. It was a lot of money for mediocre food. There are a lot of places you can spend too much money on food on the strip -- don't do it here.
(2)Alberto C.
Salsa was ok. Tomatillo was excellent. Rice and beans were bland. Steak taquitos were good and shrimp not so much. Get over the water charge folks... it is what 'tis. Waitress was tad pushy by upselling us to the moon and i didn't like that. Knife had crusty food on it, they replaced it but still gross.
(2)Allison S.
This place is crazy... they offer an AYCE small plates brunch... and I'm obviously also crazy because I did it. I think it's around $35. Come with a big group for the obvious reason that you can share everything. You can literally order anything off the menu. Our server was very personable (told us his crazy Vegas stories) and helpful (he gave us small family style portions so we could try everything). My favorites were the corn tamale, breakfast fries, and steak and eggs. I didn't love the sweet dishes too much (might be just me though). I will admit that after a while everything started tasting similar. I think the running theme of the meal was eggs in every form possible. A fun Mexican-themed alternative to your average brunch!
(4)Dave D.
Wow, what a find!! This place was awesome. I really want to give it 5 stars, so we are really at 4.5. Half a star "off" because of the obnoxious bachelorette party. Anyway, food was fabulous, drinks were strong and cold, service was well done. I highly recommend!!
(4)Stefani B.
Some friends and I dined here for Sunday brunch while visiting Las Vegas in March 2014. Food was wonderful. I had the chicken enchiladas poblanos which was really, quite good. I would order it again in a heartbeat. We also ordered dessert. The Mexican chocolate cream pie was extremely delicious and very, VERY rich. I ordered the smaller portion and still couldn't finish it. My spouse had the flourless chocolate cake and said it was quite good. I had a small bite of his, but between the two, I prefer the Mexican pie. Atmosphere and service are nothing exceptional. It's a perfectly ordinary restaurant that happens to put out some exceptionally good Mexican food. They do get bonus points for sustainable sourcing of the meats though. That's something that's important to my family and I was glad to see them take that stance. I can't say that it's a "can't miss" establishment, but if you have the time and are craving Mexican food, this is a great place to try. I'd recommend brunch, for the added bonus of $10 bottomless mimosas.
(3)Roger A.
What a great find at Mandalay. We went to Border Grill for lunch on a whim. It is located near the convention center so a bit of a walk from the casino. Border Grill overlooks the grand Mandalay pool, specifically the river part. However, it is not too noisy and you can still have a good meal conversation. The food choices are all Mexican. We ordered the bean dip (delicious) and had a few plates of chips. Yum! As for drinks, the margaritas were solid and they have a good selection of Mexican beers (my fave being Modelo Especial). Service was very good. I would definitely come back if in Vegas.
(4)Michelle K.
Beautifully crafted dishes w fresh, sustainable products. I had the Pork en Mole - tender pork in mild dark mole. It came with black re fried beans, guacamole, and something like a cheese quesadilla that had taken a bath in ranchera sauce. The husband enjoyed Ensenada Fish Tacos. Again very fresh ingredients. I also enjoyed a fresh watermelon margarita made with jalapeño infused tequila - sweet, tangy, spicy goodness. Service was very friendly and attentive. Want to try their brunch, which I've read is the best in Las Vegas.
(4)Billy K.
I really wish that review scores were divided based on meal times. THIS REVIEW IS FOR THE UNLIMITED TAPAS BRUNCH: This started out really good. First we had the quesadillas, they were everything that I wanted them to be, cheesy with a little spice to it. Then we got the biscuits and gravy, so good. (Did I mention Im from Texas). Then it started to go downhill from there. There was a huevos ranchero dish that was kind of bland and boring. Then we had these salmon sliders. I wanted to like these so badly but the prominent taste was goat cheese and it was too overpowering that I had a bite and I was done with it. The next dish was a PBJ with a jalapeno in it. The waiter raved that it was the best thing ever, he lied. It made me feel regret if anything. The other items we had seemed like the same thing just with different sauce: biscuit eggs sauce. So boring I cant even remember them. Then there was the churros. I will shit you not, these were literally donut holes with hersheys syrup and a nasty orange thing with it. The bacon bloody mary was OK and for an extra $10 unlimited mimosas but it didn't make up for the food. Susan Feniger is one of my favorite chiefs and was so underwhelmed by this restaurant. It made me feel as if I broke up with someone. Im going to go buy a tub of ice cream and eat my feelings.
(2)Laura S.
I just had the best birthday brunch here ever! I am a fan of trying several tasty things on the menu, and their brunch for $34.99 a person allows you to have a tapas style brunch! It's as many small plates as you like, and let me tell you. They're all amazing!! For $10 per person you can also add bottomless mimosas. But they have delightful flavored like prickly pear, raspberry cucumber and blood orange! Carmie B. Was our waitress. She was just an absolute delight. Besides being so sweet and tolerating out silly jokes, she was very prompt and anticipated all our needs. She really made this experience beyond incredible. I'd give 10 stars just for her!! Ask for her section. Best birthday and Vegas brunch I've ever had. Absolutely will be back!!!
(5)Bruised B.
We paid $67 for 2 dinners, 1 lemonade, and chips and guacamole. I had the fish tacos and my fiancé had the short rib enchiladas and a lemonade. Lemonade was really over sweet and wasn't very good. Everything was really salty (coming from someone who likes salt) The fish tacos were dry and flavorless and what didn't taste that great. The corn tortillas were also flavorless. The shortrib enchiladas were just ok, but nothing to write home about for almost $30. The guac was $9.50 and was about 1/4 cup of over salty guac that was also nothing special. The chips were pretty good. I would have given it 3 stars but the price of the food for the quality of the food made me take it down a notch. It's not right to charge such high prices for However the waitstaff was on point and the hostess was really sweet. I wouldn't recommend this restaurant for the price you can choose so many other great places.
(2)Heather B.
Was not super impressed other than the great view and homemade chips. The dished looked lovely, but my carnitas was greasy and unappetizing even though it came recommended by my companion. She got a pork and plantain special that she liked. The rice was dry and didn't look/taste very appetizing. Blood orange lemonade which was also recommended was SO sweet. The place was busy.
(3)Mike P.
Rachel is why we keep coming back! Yes, the brunch is amazing (see some of my pics separate of this review). Quality all the way through. Served small plate/ tapas style. So... So delicious! Not your average options either- banana foster French toast, churro tots served with strawberry and prickly pear dipping sauce, Peanut butter, jelly and Jalapeño in a fresh biscuit... My mouth is watering as I relive the options And as good as the food is, the service is what makes this place special! We've had the privilege of having Rachel for two of he visits... She's been with the store since they opened and there is a reason for this! This lady KNOWS how to serve and treat people! I eat vegetarian and she would modify the brunch menu orders to accommodate this. She actually gave me ideas on what items to order! Her timing is perfect on bringing food, checking in, making warm small talk, etc. my wife and I have been SUPER impressed A couple bits if info about this location. It's buried in the WAY back part of Mandalay Bay where the convention center is. Walk past Fluer, Light, Starbucks, etc... When you think you've walked too far, you'll find it :-) They are opening a new location located directly on the strip at Ceasars and this one will stay open. They have indoor and outside seating. The outside overlooks the lazy river. The only negative (for me) is I've noticed the vegetarian and vegan options disappearing from the menu. Meat is being added (almost unnecessarily) to items. If you don't care, this won't matter. For me it does. I'll be back for sure. I hope they adjust the menu trend so I can come back many more too! Also, if you sign up to their email club online, you will get a buy 1 get 1 entree free for use within the next ?30-60 days (don't quote me on the length) Please thumb up/comment if you liked this review and I would count it a privilege if you chose to follow me as I review places I travel and visit. Thank you for taking the time to read! ~mp
(4)Rick B.
My girlfriend and I went her last night before we left Vegas. We did a yelp search while in the MB. First off, this is no less than a $$$ and maybe even higher. Some dishes are over $40 and most are between $28/$38. We paid over $60 bucks for three small tacos and three small enchiladas. The food is honestly mediocre at best. The three stars was for the wonder staff and manager that came around to make sure we had everything we needed while our server was busy with other tables. There are way too many amazing restaurants in and around the MB for us to go back.
(3)Steve D.
A rare thing in Las Vegas these days: A bargain. Business takes me to the Mandalay Bay convention center often, and the Border Grill is one of the few celebrity restaurants here (featuring two Top Chef alumni) that provides consistent quality at a price that doesn't send your jaw dropping to the table when the bill arrives. Fresh, refined Mexican cuisine, with familiar items for the less adventurous and plenty of intrigue for foodie types. Also a great bar with fantastic sangria.
(5)Ron R.
OK...I admit I was skeptical of trying this place. Celebrity Chef Mexican themed restaurant. I mean....how good can food be if the concept is Mexican? I've had the best and the worst Mexican around from trips to Mexico and living in Phoenix for 6 years and they all taste fine (it is hard to mess up). First of all let me say, this is not traditional Mexican. This is upscale Tex-Mex with a side of Spain. They have the usual things you'd expect like Chips & Salsa, Guacamole, Enchiladas, Taquitos and fried ice cream. They also have things like Ahi Tuna Ceviche, Peruvian Ceviche and Brisket burritos. I tried a bit off everyone's plate and I must say....everything was delicious. Worth every penny. The service was also top notch! I'd shy away from the drinks here....overly sweet and far too expensive (even for Vegas)
(5)Emaan M.
Lots of food. Lots of variety. Nice poolside atmosphere with great service. Really, what more can you ask for! Check it out if you're looking for boozy brunch too, they have a ton of champagne based drinks.
(4)Mary W.
My Husband and I are here in Vegas for the week, both of us having work driven events. I am the Cooking/Food Network one of the family so I am very familiar with the "Two Hot Tamales". When I found out that Border Grill was here in the Mandalay Bay; it was a must go to while we are here. Last night I made reservations for 2 at 7:30pm and we were seated within minutes (they had to bus and set up the table) on the outside patio against the balcony. Great view, nice breeze and very comfortable. The Chips and 3 salsas came right away along with the water, our server Autumn throughout the entire evening was "Stellar"! Appetizers and drinks were ordered after having the items described to us very clearly: Blood Orange Mojito and the White Sangria (I also tried their Cinnamon chipotle margarita! WOW that was soooo good!) Autumn (our outstanding server) explained many of the dishes to us; convinced my husband to the Tasting Small Bites Dinner ($45 pp) and I ordered the Chicken Mole Verde. What a Gastronomical Delight we BOTH had! I had fun watching the parade of "small bites" coming to our table as I was enjoying my free range chicken, pumpkin seed mole, watercress and the Peruvian corn. Did we have room for desert? Sadly I have to admit that we "Topped" out. But what a great treat this dinner out was. Again I will state emphatically ... our server Autumn was an absolute treat! Helpful, fully knowledgeable of the menu, willing to banter with construction folk, etc. Kudos to you autumn! Border Grill is a place we will enjoy coming back to.
(5)Toni J.
Great outside patio, but overall the dining experience was okay. To start off the server while attentive, was really not very helpful nor did she try to encourage us to try different things on the menu she was very ... Let's just say short with her answers to our questions. I ended up ordering the mushroom mulitas. It was a very interesting - essentially mushroom stacked up apparently stuffed with beans and cheese and greens ...But all I could taste was mushroom and I swear there was not a pinch of cheese in the entire dish! which it desperately needed. I ended up ordering a side of tortillas so that I could chop it up and put it in something otherwise it just really didn't feel like a meal more like an appetizer. Overall the concept was there but it was poorly executed. On the plus side their chips and salsa was very tasty. Again, overall it was not a bad experience, but with all of the dining options in Las Vegas... I would not go back.
(3)Caitlin B.
Came here for a brunch/lunch on our last day in Vegas. With six girls and all varying tastes and preferences, this was a great choice! Mexican food is always a hit, and I particularly enjoy it, so I was really pleased when the birthday girl suggested it! She'd been here on a previous trip to Vegas and recommended it. We came here at 11:00 because that was when they started serving lunch. They also offer an all-inclusive brunch of small plates, but we were not up for another buffet before the long flight home. We did order a couple of appetizers (guacamole and queso). The guac was really good, and the chips were a huge standout. Freshly fried, they were super fresh and difficult to stop eating. They came with three types of salsa, all of which were good. (None were particularly spicy, but they were all flavorful). The queso was a bit on the runny side for my taste, which also made it difficult to share. I ordered nachos for my lunch- if you know me, you'd expect this. The nachos suffered from structural issues in their construction. The beans were spread all over the bottom of the plate, with chips on top of them. Toppings were layered on top and baked, so the chips never stood a chance. They were super soggy by the time they made it to the table. The flavor was good, but I mostly picked the chips from the top and left the sodden bottom layer. I added steak to the nachos, and this was a very good choice- the meat was hot, cooked medium, and made a great addition to the dish. Other girls got tacos, and that's definitely what I would order the next time. Enjoy the crispy chips as an appetizer, but I don't recommend the nachos unless you make a special request to re-structure. Our waitress was nice but pretty absent, and I don't think that type of special request would have been well-received, although I think they would have done it. We sat on the patio, and it was really nice out there! It's covered and there are fans, so even when it's warm outside, this is a good option to get some fresh air.
(3)Brian G.
Mediocre in a number of ways: While the place was NOT full by any means I felt rushed from beginning to end The prices are high (of course - it's Vegas) and the portions are small Asked how large the large margarita was - waiter indicates bucket size so ordered a standard Patron which was small and little if any booze in it - $14 Was dining alone (my wife in the room with broken bones and a nurse) so indicated I would want a to go meal at the end, didn't actually specify what it would be, let alone order it until I ordered my flan - specified TWICE that I wanted the warm to go order 10 minutes after I got my flan. You guessed it!! Rush, rush get the bastard out the door as quick as possible and on to the next - my to go order comes with no sign of the flan. Thanks guys - you pretty much suck when it comes to service The chile relleno ($19) was so so, the side of guacamole ($9.50) pretty tasteless, Carne asada quesadilla ($19 I believe) passable.
(3)George C.
Great place to eat. Try the brunch special and sample a little bit of everything; you will not be disappointed. Definitely coming back. We sat outside in the patio, weather was nice and view was perfect. Alfonso, our waiter was awesome. Great personality.
(5)Batrice B.
Went for a girls long weekend and stayed at Luxor, so, this was a perfect place to go within decent walking distance. One of the girls in our party is Gluten free, and they offer several GF options which, also includes their chips (which are ridiculously delicious). Their prices are similar to a decent Mexican restaurant in BOS which, was great. I am not big on Mexican Food, at all. I strip what everyone loves out of the meals and eat basically the protein, the carb and the cheese, I love the flavors. With that said, the Queso Fundido is AH-MAZZZZ-ING. This is a MUST try! I ordered the carne quesadilla with only the carne and the cheese (no onions, guac, salsa, etc.). This CAN be shared with someone else, the portion is huge. It is cut into 6 slices, in fact, I took half of it to go. Actually, this went for all of our meals, so, try to share what you can to avoid leftovers, especially if you do not have a micro in your hotel. This is in no way a negative criticism, for $19, it is the perfect size. The drinks were great, I did the Cadillac Margarita, it was so good, I had to try it twice.. = ) Our waiter was Michael, he was attentive, and very knowledgeable and considerate to my friends Gluten Free allergy. In fact, I put the flour tortilla from the queso on top of the chips and he has pointed out that I "contaminated" the chips (jokingly of course..) and brought her "her own chips that no one else should touch". He was very witty and made us laugh. If you love Mexican, give this place a whirl. We sat on the covered patio and it was breathtaking.
(5)Yuhi K.
Ok ok ok. So Border Grill actually takes a spin of awesome on Southwestern cuisine-if you go for lunch or dinner! I've been here a few times for their weekend brunch and was less than satisfied. Revert to my previous review to read that nonsense. But tis true. Their regular lunch menu is superb. I've been here twice in the past two days for business lunches. Tried a chicken salad off their special menu and their Pepper Crusted Steak Salad off their permanent menu-now I'm hooked! I'm a sucker for a hearty salad. Someone at the table said this is their go-to on property lunch and I whole-heartedly agree! The sirloin had a perfect sear. Nice and pink inside. A teensy bit chewy but it tasted fantastic. This isn't a salad for the feint of heart. It's packed full of roasted peppers, avocado, chewy corn bits and sprinkled with blue cheese. Perfection. Not to mention their chips are fresh fried in-house and served with a trio of delicious salsas. If in case anyone had an onion allergy, their tomatillo salsa is onion free! Found that out from one of my dining mates. Best of all, it's all complimentary. Which gives you a reason to splurge on their guac ;D Touché Border Grill. Way to prove a girl wrong.
(4)Christina W.
3.5-4 stars, tacos were very good, blanco margaritas were excellent, guac was totally good.
(3)Chris G.
I like this location, if you are in the convention center and want more of a formal meal versus the food court, this is your spot. I had the pepercorn steak salad, and one of their speciality lemondae combinations. The salad was a little heavy with dressing, but had plenty of steak. The atmosphere is relaxed and the food is above average. I like their spin on food, nice presentation also. If you like chips, they have great chips which come with 3 salsa variations.
(4)Lauren M.
BOTTOMLESS BRUNCH WITH BOTTOMLESS MIMOSAS! My boyfriend and I woke up so hungry in Vegas... and didn't want to travel far. We were staying at the Mandalay Bay and wanted something with a little variety. I love the idea of a tapas brunch menu. You can order to your hearts content with one flat fee per person... and add $10 a person for bottomless mimosas. They have so many different flavors, it made my head spin! I tried one of each flavor... so my head was spinning afterwards for a different reason. Service was spot on - they left you alone at the right times and checked back often to see if we wanted to order anything else or needed a refill on our drinks. This was a nice break away from the traditional buffet style that's so popular in Vegas. I will be back!
(4)Christine T.
The steak in my tacos were drowning in sauce/marinade---drowning. Of course, I got through it and ate every bite (I always do), but definitely not worth $28. That's right you heard me, $28 for three mediocre tacos. I don't think any taco is worth $28--ever. What possessed me to order those???? Hunger does strange things to the mind. Not worth it and I was mad all night that I ruined my dinner on the "so not worth it, $28 tacos."
(2)Adam B.
(Dined for lunch on 7/4/14) Understandably popular and busy Tex Mex located down the events center corridor in Mandalay Bay. It's been here since day one of the resort, which says they're doing something right. It's a nice colorful interior and it feels airy despite the fact that there are a lot of tables. Things are placed just far enough apart that you feel part of a group without your neighbor being in your lap. We went the taco route for lunch and they were quite tasty, with the spicy shrimp being the standout. On the three-taco plate, you can mix and match types. The plates come with black beans as well as white and green rice. The chip basket that comes to the table has three salsas, all tasty. When our waiter noticed that we liked the spiciest best, he brought us a dish of another, even hotter salsa to try, which made for a nice personalized touch. In fact, he gave the impression that he genuinely cared about our dining experience. He took care to lead us through the extensive margarita list and gave us some good advice and was correct in his recommendations--the margaritas are delicious! His extra time paid off for him too, since we each tried two margaritas based on his descriptions. The ultimate tariff is kind of high for this type of food, but the quality is on the high end and, of course, it's in a resort.
(4)Helen D.
Complimentary chips come with 3 kinds of salsa. I had the chicken tortilla soup because I had too much to drink and wasn't up for real eating. Soup was good and chunky with chicken. Extra tortilla strips and lime, please. My friend had the enchiladas. He asked for the red sauce to be put on the side but the waiter said it couldn't be done (what?!) and his plate came flooded with sauce. Anyway, we came in between the normal lunch and dinner area and sat in the quiet balcony-patio area. I saw that it was packed with people during lunch hours on my way to see the shark reef aquarium. Was a very pleasant time.
(4)Zach O.
During my time in Las Vegas I ate at some really incredible Restaurants (check my other reviews), Border Grill was not one of them. I went with a party of 6 for a Saturday morning brunch. We had a really nice view of the pool, with semi-outdoor seating. The atmosphere was nice, but that was mostly accredited to the weather..not so much Border Grill itself. The service was good, but nothing special. Now I can save you some time by telling you my entire group tried everything on the brunch menu, and I can save you time and money by telling you everything was average at best. The pancakes were dry and flavorless, the Yucatan Egg Benedict was boring and heavy, the Huevos Rancheros was okay but nothing special, the biscuit and sausages gravy was...again flavorless. If you're staying at the Mandalay Bay, you might as well go here because it's close. If you're staying anywhere else, it's not worth the trip.
(3)Joanne C.
We love the grilled skirt steak here! We've been for both dine in and we've also ordered food to go and brought it back to our room. You can make reservations on open table.
(3)Ian A.
Props to Tommy our server this time! But staff is always awesome here. Mimosa galore
(4)Alexis R.
I can't say enough about the brunch here! It's totally MUST DO if you are in Vegas. It was pretty quite when we got there at 10am on a Saturday, but by 1pm when we left (yes, we brunched for 3 hours but wouldn't you if the mimosas just kept coming?!?) the patio was full. Our table looked directly out on the pool and palm trees on THEhotel. Our server was very attentive, telling us about the option of either ordering from the regular lunch menu or getting the brunch, which consisted of your choice of 22 tapas-style brunch items ($34.99) to which you could add unlimited mimosas ($8) in a variety of flavors including pomegranate, lemon ginger, and apple basil. Of course, having done our research, we chose the tapas brunch, each starting with 2-3 small plates and progressing until we tried nearly all of the 22 dishes among the three of us. The brisket hash, churro tots, potato tacos, and manchaca benedict were some of our favorites, but really none of the dishes we had were bad. We sampled all of each other's dishes and no one left hungry. The server did not rush us and we enjoyed several rounds of mimosas after the meal, making for a great start to the weekend!! It's truly a gourmet dining experience in a relaxed atmosphere. The food was incredibly fresh, artfully presented with attention to detail, and was very flavorful. I loved this place and definitely planning on returning in the future. It's well worth the price!
(5)Stephanie P.
I wanted to like this Vegas spot inside Mandalay Bay. Cool vibe, great decor and good drinks but the praise stops there. The menu outlined flavorful sauces and fresh ingredients but the meals disappointed. My mole chicken didn't have any flavor and nothing that resembled mole sauce. It was dry and had no spices. One colleague ordered the habernero steak and lobster and it was bland. They said the pepper flavor was in the butter but both were hardly noticeable. They brought him the "hottest sauce" in the restaurant and it was awful. I have had jar salsa with more zing. Definitely not worth the price..
(2)Shening S.
3.5 stars considering this place is in lv...and is one of the top chef master's restaurants..i'll say it wasn't disappointing. I started off with the homemade white peach lemonade which was really refreshing, with the right amount of sweetness and tartness! so glad i got it. they give you complementary chips and 3 diff kinds of salsas yayyyy OH and the seating outside is overlooking the mandalay bay pool area= GORGEOUSSSSS i got the special of the day: tecate pork torta= satisfying and hearty. generous portion of pork and this kind of cabbage slaw thing with fries sprinkled with some kind of pepper...maybe cayenne? 'twas pricey...but i guess it was worth it. i would probably come back for happy hour or margheritas p.s. i tried the food truck in la which i enjoyed...and i know there's a location in santa monica...maybe MAYBE i'll go again
(3)Gabi M.
Dropped here after a conference, and it was well worth it. Good food, decent prices, big portions. Sangria & Watermelon soda were yummy, and good guacamole! Really, most of it is bad, this stuff was real. Portions were pretty big; 2 guys got the chicken quesadillas & couldn't finish. I had the ceviche trio, very good flavor. YUMMY plantains.
(3)Dawn K.
We found this restaurant because there was a coupon in my Las Vegas Advisor coupon book - and boy was i glad we did! The best meal of our trip, hands down. We came for lunch - we ate the Chicken Enchiladas and the Banana Leaf Wrapped Pork. Hands down, the best Enchiladas I have had. And the guac was yum yum yummy! We sat on the patio, overlooking to pools which was nice. The waiter was friendly and attentive. With the coupon, lunch came out to about $30 total - awesome! I would go again. :)
(5)Alison D.
....Was here last weekend. PLantain empanadas and tamales were as good as last time. The beef was better the first time. Staff was still pleasant and I know I'll be back. All things considered for Vegas food, this place still remains a good value for the food you get and the unpretentiousness.
(4)Sheila B.
In a city as overrun with Mex. restos, we Las Vegans can afford to be picky. I am a super sucker for a super seafood taco and, after falling in love with Susan Feniger during my obsession with last season's Top Chef Masters, I couldn't wait to sample her cuisine while I was at a work-related event at the Mandalay this week. I wish Susan's cuteness and total cuisine inventiveness on Masters would have translated better on my plate. I went for the Spicy Shrimp tacos and couldn't have been more disappointed. The mini-corn tortillas on which the shrimp sat were soggy because they were overwhelmed with guac and other toppings, which didn't add to the dish's tastiness. The shrimp themselves were well-spiced... but were, unfortunately, served cold... as were the sides (the two types of rice on my plate were hard pellets and the almost-frozen pureed blackbeans were absolutely unappetizing). When I asked for a little hot sauce, Tabasco was bought to the table.... SERIOUSLY??!! I expect Tabasco at most restos... but not at Mex ones.... and especially not at this one. Needless to say, I was a bit under-impressed. Susan -- please come and save your resto in Vegas!!! There are so many of us that would love to love your place!!!
(2)Mark P.
Seriously. Overpriced mediocre food. The yucatan pork was billed as a spice infused pork cooked 8 hours in a banana leaf. One thing was left out-- it also was basted in salt. Wow. Two flavors stood out: cinnamon and salt. The chicken enchiladas were wrapped in a thick tortilla almost impenetrable. The soup was interesting: a stewed tomato taste with subtle heat. Chips and salsa were fine. Was expecting more from this place. Too bad. Nice people work there and they do their best to sell the food as upbeat as possible. The food lets them down.
(1)Chili B.
This place is grossly overpriced. It's mediocre Mexican with a funky twist, and not in a good way. You are way better off going to Rubio's for Mexican. Especially when they are charging 20+ bucks for the same stuff. I will never ever return to this place again and do not recommend it to anyone.
(1)Blue B.
I've always liked the Border Grill in Los Angeles, so I thought I'd take my family to the one in Las Vegas while we were there recently. It's cute, and the food is decent enough. But the service is not nearly as good as the one in L.A. We had two vegetarians in the group who absolutely couldn't eat onions--which eliminates 99% of the menu--and the server did not offer to see what he could do to accommodate. Just kind of shrugged and said, "Sorry." Mid-way through dinner, our table of six was forgotten about. No refills on tea or other drinks. We had to really work to get dessert. All in all, definitely not worth the price for this kind of service. Wouldn't return.
(2)Joe F.
The good thing about this place is that it's somehow off the beaten path, despite being in the Mandalay Bay. And the food is solid. I had a steak salad and it was very flavorful, although they did dress the salad up a bit too much. If I have a salad the next time I go back (and I will), I'll be sure to ask for the dressing on the side. Also, the chips are yummy, chunky, made fresh in the back type chips, which is always a bonus.
(3)Tricia M.
This is more of a 1.5 star meal, and my lord this was one of the top worst dining experiences I have ever had. There were a few good things, which is why I gave them two stars. But the screwups were so bad, and even when the management was made aware of them and didn't really compensate us for it that I'm almost tempted to give them just one star for being so shitty. So we came here because we were catching the Muse show just down the hall at Mandalay Bay Events Center. We had a restaurant.com certificate we wanted to use, and we had seen Susan Feniger on Top Chef Masters perform very well and thought that would translate into a good meal at her restaurant. We ordered the following: Sangria Margaritas - was too sweet but ok Queso Fundido - was good but didn't like all the guac all over the place, and not enough cheese to call it a queso dish. Watercress, Avocado, and Orange Salad - loved this salad, nice and refreshing Fish Tacos - see below, these were awful Grilled Skirt Steak - one of the highlights of the meal I want to specifically highlight that even though we ordered the queso fundido, the waiter did not actually order this dish for us, and accidentally ordered the beef sopes. When we told the waiter there was a mistake and did not order the sopes, the waiter apologized profusely and said the manager of the restaurant was going to talk to us, insinuating that the restaurant would comp us for having to have us wait for them to make new appetizers. She came up to us and apologized and said they were going to hurry with the fundido, but no comp. We weren't sure why she bothered apologizing since the waiter did already. Once we finally got our main courses, I had ordered the fish tacos which I had heard were some of the best in town. I took a bite and they were stinky, fishy smelling, and bland. I hated it. I inspected the dish more and the fish did not seem to even be properly cooked, and the fact that it smelled made me question how fresh the fish was. There was also supposed to be a crema on the tacos, but there was no crema here. This dish was so bad, I actually complained to the waiter and the manager at how awful it was. The manager actually tried to argue with me that the dish was fine. Eventually, she took the dish and said they were going to remake it, but I didn't really want a remade dish, I just wanted to send it back and not get another because it was so bad. However, they remade it, charged me for it anyhow. I had lost my appetite from the experience but took a bite to be polite, and it was better but I was too scared to put a good dent in it, thinking they were going to try to kill me with bad fish. I took the rest to go and threw it away. Anyway, we'll probably never go here again unless Susan Feniger herself calls and apologizes for such a crappy meal.
(2)M J.
Good, but not great. I was disappointed in the ambiance - inside, you're convention-side, drawing conventioneers - what more can be said about that? Even conventioneers don't want to be conventioneers, right? Outside, you are overlooking the backside of the Mandalay wave pool and the lazy river. It felt a little Disney-esque to me. The food - it was very good, fresh and well done, but nothing will rock yor world. ....at all. I was expecting more interesting options. I'd read reviews saying it was not a burrito, quesadilla type menu - but it WAS. Maybe they've had to dumb it down to accommodate the masses? Sad, very sad. The margarita's were too sweet. The waitress couldn't offer up any alternatives? That's sad too. Bottom line - NOT a destination, but just fine if you are there already.
(3)Erynn F.
We were staying at mandalay and we weren't sure where we wanted to eat and saw this place. It was a little late so we got right in, sat outside and view of the beautiful pool. We had the house margaritas which were delicious!! Their salsa was good, hot sauce was hot (obviously) and wasn't that good. My friend and I shared the quesadilla. I dont eat meat and she does so we got it half chicken half not and let me tell you, delicious! I know its not hard to make a good quesadilla, but really, like the best quesadilla ever. The tortilla was soo good that they used i dont know if its hand made, but yumm, along with the cheese, like the best cheese ever. My friend said the best chicken she has ever had, we were big fans! We were with a group and no one had any complaints. Would go back.
(4)Scott R.
Great chips and guac and awesome fish tacos.
(4)Nathan H.
My first experience there was terrible, but this is a great company and they made it right for us in a big way. We were treated like VIP's the second time around and the food was awesome. I can't think of better Mexican food that I've ever had. It is still a little pricey I think, but this is a capitalist country right. They can charge what they want if the food is great and it is.
(4)jrnlmkr b.
i've been a big fan of border grill santa monica for years, even after it got kinda touristy and lame, the food was still great. so, when in las vegas for a trade show, i thought, "why not," and plopped down at the bar and ordered some old favorites. yikes, the food was so vile, i pushed it away after one bite. when the bartender asked if i'd liked the soup, i told him, 'it tastes like tomato paste." his answer, "people say that a lot." really, and you keep serving it? the ceviche was dry and downright awful. i give this place a huge yuck
(1)Julie G.
We ate here on a Saturday night for our girls weekend in Vegas. We were all very excited to see what the 2 hot tamales are all about. We had reservations and were seated promptly in the upstairs balcony. This gave us a perfect view of the Train concert going on in the pool area and provided wonderful background noise. The guacamole was worth the extra money but there wasn't any spice to the salsas with the chips. If there was an alternative available it was not offered. I shared the Peruvian ceviche and sweet corn tamales with a friend. I loved the plantain chips with the ceviche and thought it was very refreshing. The tamales had wonderful flavor but was so wet it had to be eaten with a spoon. For the entree we had the seafood chile relleno. The pepper was nice and crisp with a very flavorful filling. Over all it was a very nice atmosphere and good service. I would definitely come back.
(4)Kristan W.
I can not say enough good things about Border Grill. It's definitely one of my favorite restaurants in Vegas. My most recent visit was due to them updating their brunch menu. The weekend brunch is a fantastic deals at $30 for all you can eat tapas (add on all you can drink mimosas for $5). There are items on the menu to appeal to every taste from 'traditional' breakfast to people who want something more like lunch. If you're a pancakes person, definitely try the mexican chocolate chip pancakes or the bread pudding french toast. The chorizo sausage biscuit and gravy is great, so are the chilaquiles and the shrimp and grits. I love their short ribs, so I was super excited to have the short rib hash. My roommate loved the frittata (also new to the menu) and he normally hates eggs. I love the green corn tamales, but those are on the regular dinner menu too. Be sure to ask them to bring out the guava empanadas. My only criticism is that I want to order everything and I end up completely stuffed. The service is always excellent - the staff and management both makes a point of getting to know their regulars. I always mock the people in the restaurant on the weekends with the lunch menu. Spend the same amount and get a huge variety of amazing food. It's Mexican twists on American dishes and some interesting interpretations of classic Mexican food as well.
(5)David W.
We stayed at Mandalay Bay for a long weekend and I ended up at Border Grill a couple times. The 4 stars are really for the weekend brunch - all you can eat tapas that were interesting and (mostly) tasty. I went back for the margaritas later which were also tasty though not particularly cheap. You'd think the upstairs patio would be a good place to watch the beach concerts but the waiter said it was too dark to see the stage. Alas.
(4)Cheryl R.
If you ever find yourself at a company conference at the Mandalay Bay and you can't stand the banal banquet food that's been sitting under a heat lamp since 9:30AM, then quietly excuse yourself to the restroom and discreetly walk over to the Border Grill. You will not be dismayed. It's okay to ask the host to sit you in the corner so that no one from your company sees you. Be sure to order a Pomegranate Margarita. You will be re missed if you don't order the Plantain black bean empanadas. ...this dish walks a fine line between sweet and savory...it is a taste of heaven.
(4)Mike B.
My wife & I had lunch with friends at Border Grill at Mandalay Bay on 8/18/11, and we LOVED the experience! We sat outside, and while a bit warm, provided great views of the lively Mandalay pool area. We ordered the guacamole to start, and it was perfectly done (you'd be surprised how many places screw up guacamole). My wife had the Chicken Panuchos Tacos and I had the Carne Asada Tacos. Both dishes were phenomenal! Our friends were equally enthusiastic about their choices. In addition to the terrific food, our server, Thomas D., was wonderful - checked on us, but wasn't overbearing. We would enthusiastically recommend Border Grill.
(5)Olga S.
Spectacular place for private dining! We came here in January to celebrate my husband's 30th birthday. Because we were a party of 25, I reserved a private room and worked with the event coordinator on a pre-set menu. That in itself was a lovely experience. The event coordinator was infinitely patient with my constant additions to and subtractions from the number of the party and happily accommodated one of my guests, who was battling morning sickness and could only eat certain foods, by letting me order a special entree for her that was not on our pre-set menu, at no extra charge. The coordinator's nearly-angelic patience extended to the staff. No one even blinked an eye or cracked a frown when 90% of our dinner party showed up almost an hour late for our reservation! And the food was absolutely spectacular! The chips came out crackling hot and the green salsa was so fresh that I could swear I caught a whiff of the grass from the field where the vegetables were grown! (presuming, that is, that vegetables for salsa are grown in a field, which they are probably not, but I digress...) Our starter was a Caesar salad, which was really really flavorful. We had a selection of three main courses - the grilled skirt steak, the chicken poblano enchiladas and the chille relleno. The skirt steak was juicy, tender and really well seasoned. The enchiladas had a delicious spicy sauce. I didn't try the chille relleno, but it looked great. For dessert, we had fresh berries with mint and whipped cream, which came in cute little yummy edible baskets. I also highly recommend the house-made peach lemonade. Overall, an absolutely fantastic experience - highly, highly recommend!
(5)Victor V.
Very, very overprice, food was ok. Waiter service is ok.
(1)Tracy K.
Border Grill stems from the Border Grill and Ciudad restuarant owners based in Santa Monica/LA. There is a reason why another one was asked to open in Las vegas, same reason why any other famous restuarant opens another flagship place in LV, bc it's DAMN GOOD. Border Grill delivers. I typically think mexican food is best served from a whole in a wall near the border with a questionably stolen grade A sign and full of grease fat and hot sauce. However, this is one of the few upscale Mexican places I think pulls off delicous and unique yet tasteful dishes. We got the sampler appeititizer which is the way to go if you want ot try a little bit of many things Border grill has to offer- including the famous Food Network's Too hot Tamales- which YES are very very good. All the food is fresh and has a great upscale spin to the flavors. Along with the view of Mandalay's pools, you sort of feel that you are smack in the middle of a Mexician riveria. I think one major reason why I am SUCH a big Fan of Susan Feniger and her restuarants are the politics and community involvement she always has. She doesn't just cook and make delicous food, but she is active in the food industry in its current revolution. She makes an effort to be responsible to the enviroment and its resources by using organic or sustainble ingredients. She is currently offering special priced dinner in LA where a portion of profits go to Scleroderma research. She constantly offers moderate/affordable pricing to her food (like participating in Dine LA)- even in Vegas where every other restuarant is inflatted to Disneylandesque prices. Best of all, she is an LGBT chef that always supports her local LGBT communties. Ive never seen a chef so involved in her work that continues to care and give back. It makes you feel like all she wants is to have her customers enjoy food and life as much as she does.
(5)Glenda S.
Went to Border Grill in the Madalay Bay Hotel. We had the lunch salad special-WOW. It was served with chicken, but I asked for Talapia instead and Tom had the chicken. The salad was an amazing blend of hot, sweet, and tart. The salad had slices of nectarines, peaches, grapes and spiced candied walnuts. The service was outstanding and Tom Davis was our waiter. The guacamole is the best and the sparkling peach lemonade was outstanding. We had half a piece of the chocolate pie that had the perfect amount of cinnamon. It would be a place to go again and again. Outstanding.
(5)Brian D.
Let me start out by saying the food was great. It was the service that was the big issue. I was attending a large conf. at Mandalay and have eaten at Border Grille and its sister restaurants in LA and always loved it. Yesterday felt like I was in a rest. that was poorly run by a staff who was not centered on great customer service. I sat on the busy patio at a dirty table and with furniture that has seen better days. It took over 10 min. before a server ever addressed me and the table seated next to me that had arrived before. Long story short--my drinks were never refilled without me having to chase someone down even though they were nearby and even after my meal arrived I had to ask for utensils/napkin - the waiter never noticed. Table next to me some situation. Waiter never asked me about my meal. SO....whilst I love their food someone in mgmt. at the rest. needs to consider a serious training day to push customer experience...otherwise, there are many other choices in Vegas.
(2)joyce w.
Delicious! Best Mexican food I've ever had. Usually celebrity chef restaurants under deliver but Susan Feniger's Border Grill is amazing! I got the special of the day turkey in mole, it was soooo good! The quesadilla was so flavorful as was the mole sauce. I will definitely remember this meal.
(5)Diana L.
My mom & I treated ourselves on a trip to Las Vegas this past fall, and it was so worth it. The service was top notch. Our server was forthcoming with recommendations and extremely sweet. The drinks were to die for delicious and our food was divine. I had a pork belly dish (the special - can't recall the name) and my mom had the Green Chicken Poblano Enchiladas. Both were delicious, though I slightly preferred the enchiladas. This was my first time at a Susan Feniger/Mary Sue Milliken restaurant and I was completely satisfied. I also loved that the restaurant overlooks the beautiful Mandalay Bay pool area. Really nice atmosphere.
(4)Jimmy J.
Pricey Mexican. But best guac i have ever had and the steak salad there is a sight to behold. Nice pool view. Worth trying
(4)Malcom S.
Worth the second chance. I change my review to 5 stars. The brunch was amazing. It was a tapas style made fresh brunch. So make sure you order a head if you think you would still like to sample another item on the menu. My wife also enjoyed the place as well. I think we will be back again soon. Not sure if a reservation is necessary but why risk it. It's Vegas, you never know how things are going to be.
(5)Leslie E.
Yes, this place is expensive but get a Restaurant.com coupon and go cuz it's good! Trust me - get the portobello mushroom entree. My friend who "didn't like mushrooms" was transformed with one bite. The green salsa (unlike typical green salsas) is bright and so delicious. Guacamole is great. Drinks are good. Attentive & friendly staff.
(4)Alyssa F.
I could not have been less impressed with Border Grill. I had been looking forward to it for months while planning my honeymoon in Vegas. Staying at THEHotel, I thought it perfect timing to give BG a try, especially after falling in love with Mary Sue from watching Top Chef. The food here was by far the worst I've had in Vegas, and also the worst Mexican food I've ever had,, and Mexican is my favorite. The complimentary salsas were completely bland, the chips stale. The guac was the only half decent thing we had, but at $9, it better be! My husband and I both ordered tacos - me the carnitas, him the carne adasa. My carnitas were just ok - nothing special. He said his carne asada was the same. The most shocking part for me was the rice. It was absolutely inedible. Both the red and green were completely dry tasteless. Completely awful. I expect to pay a lot of money for food in Vegas, but I've had better food from a dirty taco truck than this restaurant. I would never return and would never recommend this place to anyone.
(2)Lesly S.
So, I have this weird affliction that makes me feel really uncomfortable when someone puts a HUGE plate of food in front of me. I wanted the chile rellenos, but not the supersized plate! Alas, such is the state of dining in most restaurants these days, but seriously, if I would have known the portions were this big I would have shared my dinner with my friend. Still, for Vegas we got a table on a Friday night with no wait and no reservation, the service was very attentive, and the bill was reasonable. My mojito was quite tasty also. So go, share, and enjoy!
(3)Andy H.
Good, not great, Mexican cuisine located inside the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. I had a few tacos and a burrito that were both delicious, but again nothing really outstanding or special, just the usual Mexican fare. I had some great margaritas that did prepare me for a night out in Sin City. I agree with Chili B. too that this place was over priced.
(2)Marchello C.
I was able to enjoy two nights here in the upstairs lounge after a fun-filled day at Moorea Beach. First night I had peach lemonade (too acidic) and the Quinoa Fritters which were excellent. Attention to plating and care in food prep is evident. Second night I had the Chicken Tinga Empanadas and a Cosmo. Drink was delightful and correctly balanced so that not any one ingredient was evident. Empanadas were light, flaky and not the usual "hand pies" one comes to expect. Pumpkin Seed Mole was perfectly seasoned and the appropriate viscosity to thoroughly enjoy. Even caught myself dipping a few remaining chips!
(4)Michelle T.
Food is exceptional. Don't ever expect much of Vegas residents. They aren't kind or hospitable. It's just how it is there.
(4)Sharon H.
All of the men in my family thoroughly love Mexican food and I enjoy a good margarita so on our recent trip to Vegas we decided to try this restaurant which was described to us as "upscale" Mexican. The food was good but not great and not what I expected from two Top Chef Masters. The good - Service was very, very good. The margaritas and cocktails, in general were fabulous and the guacamole was among some of the best I have tasted. One of my guys had the oxacan strip steak and said it was delicious. Now the bad - I had the taquitos and they were tasteless and small. My husband had the fish tacos and his verdict was that they were "OK" but no better than what he can get at home (which is Dayton Ohio - a far piece from the border). I forget what my Son had but he agreed with my husband that the food was just good but nothing he could not get at home. That would be OK but this place was pricey for what we got. Now for the ugly - The place was dirty and the seating was uncomfortable. We were also promised a "view" when we elected to sit on the patio; however, the only people who get a view are the ones who sit in the very front of the patio. We were at the very back of the patio. The overall appearance of the place just seemed to be chaotic and disorganized. Not an enjoyable experience at all. We will not be visiting again.
(2)Jennifer R.
I absolutely love the Border Grill. I have been eating there for years and have had no bad experiences. The food is great and if you're a local you can sign up for their locals club and get a discount every time you go in. The plantain empanadas are my favorite menu item and the desserts are great. I have tried nearly every menu item and love it all.
(5)Lauren U.
I came here with a group of friends on a trip to Vegas and was thoroughly disappointed. We were expecting a nicer Mexican restaurant considering the prices and food discriptions - but I was less than wowed. While the waitstaff was nice, the service was very slow. We waited about 15 minutes for our drinks. Dinner wasn't great either. I had the Mexican Chopped Salad which is supposed to include red peppers, tomato, apple, beans, onion, corn, avacado and lettuce. When they brought it to me I literally thought it was the wrong dish because all I could see was lettuce and chicken. There were no apples or peppers and a sprinking (I mean like 10 kernals) of corn and beans. It was laughable and NOT worth $17. 2 girls ordered the Turkey Tostada, which was a cute presentation on two small corn tortillas, but they complained that the turkey was overwhelmingly salty, and avoided it all together. Others liked the quesadillas and drinks were good, which is why I give this review 1-2 stars. Had the menu been more appropriately priced I wouldn't have been as annoyed - but I could have found a MUCH better meal for $30 somewhere else. Who knew a head of lettuce and a glass of wine could eat up so much money!? ... I should've put it into slot machines, that would've been less of a throw away :)
(1)Telegram S.
I'm really surprised at how all over the place the reviews are. Makes me feel lucky they were "on" during our dinner, because we had a really terrific meal all around. The waiter was friendly, patient, and helpful. One person at my table was having a hard time choosing between entrees so he brought out samples of the two sauces -- that's just one example. Suggesting without "up selling" is a talent and he had it. Runners were equally friendly and helpful, etc. The only exception was the hostess, a young girl who was so apathetic and unhelpful that I'm thinking she was doing her job at gunpoint. When we left I thanked her (forgetting momentarily what a bad first impression she'd given) and she didn't even look up from her Kindle, much less respond. Must have been an awesome book, maybe "How to Alienate Potential Customers." Margaritas were on the light side, true, but tasty and it was 100 degrees on the patio so probably just as well they weren't loaded. One of my friends had a fresh cherry mojito that is literally the best mixed drink I've ever tasted. Ingredients so fresh I momentarily rethought my hatred of rum. Chips were fresh and the 3 salsas were wonderful but the Guacamole wasn't a star. I don't need or expect tableside fresh guac but there was way too much lime in it, which makes me think they keep it around a while. I tasted lime rather than avocado, bad news. We were warned portions were huge (thanks again, mr. waiter) so we skipped apps and went straight to the entrees. I had the carnitas, which had amazing flavor and were served over black beans and some kind of mashed quinoa that were like light, buttery mashed potatoes. The combo was delicious and unique. The portion was indeed enormous and I only was able to get through half of it. Friends had the poblano enchiladas and the taquitos. The enchiladas were yummy, the closest I've had north of the border to a certain preparation I've had in Mexico City. The taquitos were a little bland but only by comparison. Sorry for the limited review, but we were stuffed after that! Prices were high-ish, but compared to other (lesser) Vegas chef joints it seemed reasonable. 3 of us left buzzed and very full for $150 including a generous tip. As I've mentioned in other reviews, I'm no world food expert, but I do know Mexico Mexican, so a note about "authentic" Mexican: Mexico is a huge country with many regions and styles of cooking. Your local place in Minnesota or San Diego may be run by Pueblans, Campechans, or Baja Californians, who have their own ideas of what Mexican food is, and no doubt they've changed the food to suit Yanqui palettes, or just because it's more difficult to find certain ingredients. (If I hear one more Californian tell me only THEY know what "real" Mexican is, I'm gonna nuke the San Andreas fault. The Californian Mexican I've tried is a very specific import from Baja and border states that isn't representative of much of the country's cuisine.) I go to Mexico City about 1-2 times a year and Border Grill is somewhat like upscale restaurants in that city, though maybe more varied (DF restaurants tend to be more regional while Border Grill is all over the place). Thus I found Border Grill more "authentic" than many places I've tried that are run by 1st-generation Mexicans. Just saying.
(4)J T.
This place had the best brunch I've ever eaten. They don't do a buffet, instead they give you a list of plates and you can order as many as you want (included in the price) as many times as you want. These aren't your traditional brunch items, unusual takes like guava empanadas. You can also add unlimited mimosas (they have several types) for just a few bucks more.
(5)Tony N.
This place is good if you are not in the mood for a hoity toity restaurant at the Mandalay. You can pretty much taste the freshness with every bite. The meat is tender and the tortillasare made onsite (you can see the ladies making them.) Mmmmmm. tacos
(4)Narnia P.
The food was amazing. I had a sirloin steak with cactus and some sort of weird quesadilla thing. It was weird, but good weird. It was the best dinner my husband and I had in Vegas during our stay. This place would get 5 stars, but the customer service sucked. I think we saw our waitress a total of four times. One of the wait staff constantly bumped my partner's chair during our meal everytime he walked by. The server who brought our food out did not know which table it went to, and so he just kind of wandered from table to table as it was rejected by customers. Then, as I had just finished and my partner had just a few bites left, the server picks my plate up and then stands there staring at my partner waiting for him to eat his last few bites. My partner takes his sweet time to savor the last few bites, while this server is literally standing a few feet away watching my partner. WTF? I have never seen anything like that before, so yeah, customer service was not hot.
(3)Mark E.
MY WIFE AND i HAD A WONDERFUL DINNER EXPERIENCE food was great, very authentic mexican. we shared a starter of beef questadia. for main i had the sow roast porc which was a little on the dry side i must admit however the plate was beautiful, the meat was still very tasty and all the side dishes, salsa, avocado, sauces etc were very good. my wife had the fish tacos which were very good as well couple of beers later and we were at $90 however everything was very delicious, its a famous place by a top chef master participant so all in all i guess we really enjoyed the food, the service the experience and the authentic feel of mexico we recommend!
(4)Aman M.
This is one of the newer restaurants in the Mandalay Bay. I guess you could call it upscale Mexican cuisine. We started of with some cocktails, I had a margarita and my wife had a black cherry mojito, both were great. We also got the queso fundido, which is like mexican fondue with chorizo, and it was delicious. Had we only come in for drinks and apps I would probably be giving 5 stars. But we stayed and ate dinner. On the servers advice, I had the smoked beef taquitos, they were okay, but they certainly were not $23 taquitos. My wife ordered the fish tacos with crispy fish, they brought it with grilled fish, no biggie as my wife likes both. This grilled fish however, was very bland. You could taste char and little else. The fish wasn't necessarily burnt, just flavorless so the little char that was there from the grill marks was overwhelming. We asked for some extra hot salsa and it never showed up. $140 later, we realized that we should have stuck to drinks and apps.
(3)Justin W.
The Border Grill in Mandalay Bay is perhaps my favorite upscale Mexican restaurant. The food and drink specials are always amazing and a great choice. The last time we went, we got the queso fundido which I couldn't get enough of and for my main course, I got some very tasty taquitos. One thing that sets the Border Grill apart from your run of the mill Mexican restaurant is the sophistication of the flavors. They are always light, fresh, and delicious.
(5)claudia f.
I had lunch there on February 13, 2010 and was left extremely dissapointing. I have watched the Two Hot Tamales cook for almost 15 years. When I heard they had a restaurant at the Mandalay Bay, I was excited to finally taste their food. My reservation was made 1 month ahead. When I arrived there I was not impressed by the restaurant, however I was there for the food, so my husband and I ordered the queso fundillo, I had the enchiladas poblanas and my husband had the carnitas, plus we each had a beer. we thought it was a bit pricey, however a few months ago we went to Fronteras Grill in Chicago, the restaurant that belongs to Rick Bayless and there we spent over $140 for the 2 of us and it was one of the best meals I have ever had. So when I saw the similar prices, I was excited. When we got the queso fundido, I must say it was just ok. Then we received our entrees. What a dissapointment. My enchiladas were bland, small for the $20 price tag, no side dishes, just 3 very skinny enchiladas. My husband's $23 carnitas were ordinary, again no side dishes, just the meat with 1 flour tortilla. My husband said to me, now we don't have to visit Ciudad, their LA restaurant, this food sucks. This restaurant is not in the same level as Fronteras Grill in Chicago, or even Bobby Flay. I can honestly say, very dissapointing 2 hot tamales, you dropped the ball and you lost a 15 year fan. I even have their cookbooks, what a dissapointment. For those of you looking for somewhere good to eat in Vegas, there are so many great restaurant, including Fleur de Lys, also located at the Mandalay Bay, don't waste a great meal opportunity here.
(2)chris v.
We've been here many times since it opened. I am glad they finally removed what was by far the most ridiculous and ugly wall graffiti infesting the walls of the entire place (and it was done by some famous artist...I guess that explains it). Well, at least now it's warmer and you don't have to wander if the stuff on the wall is a finger or a penis. Service is warm and comfortable without being pretentious. The menu is quite accommodative and the dishes are very tasty. Not being as pricy as most strip restaurants is an added bonus. They charge $0.50 per person for water....not the greatest thing, but in the Vegas frame of mine, I will not let it bother me. Ask questions to make sure you know what it is on your plate. Find what sounds good, and chances are very good that you will find it delicious. Always looking forward to coming back here.
(4)Kara S.
Came here twice for brunch while staying at Mandalay Bay because we enjoyed it so much. You cannot beat the price for the amount and quality of food. $25 unlimited brunch tapas, our faces were cinn apple pancakes, green corn tamales and steak and eggs. Coc French toast was delish too. Loved the passionfruit bottomless mimosas for $5 extra! You can even take one to go. Overall great spot for the price, quality food and great service!
(5)David L.
Great food - starting with the chips and salsa. My wife loved the green tomatillo salsa and couldn't get enough. We had Tortilla Soup and Chicken Tinga Empanadas as appetizers which were both excellent. Our entrees were the Carnitas and the Beef Brisket Taquitos. Both were excellent. The guacamole was excellent as well. The beans and rice were just ok. The portions were generous, and the chips and salsa good, such that we didn't have any room for dessert. With a drink each, an appetizer each, and an entree each the bill was around $90. Not cheap, but it's Vegas on the strip. :)
(4)Scott L.
We used to love Border Grill. Our last experience was poor. We ordered the Tortilla Soup. The base seemed to have too much tomato and the cheese was a bit chewy. We were also disappointed with the crab nachos. There was only a bit of crab (seemingly like 1/8 of a cup). It is more of a garnish, not an actual component of the dish.
(3)Laura D.
Before I could write this review I had to check the restaurants website to try and remember what I ate there. It was the sauteed rock shrimp. Now...does not remembering what I ate mean the food was forgettable, or does it simply mean that I killed one too many brain cells this weekend. I'll let you make that decision (one is far more likely than the other). Something that I always fret about are serving sizes. Serve me a massive plate of food with only a little of what I ordered and like 90% rice won't make me happy, but serve me a dish with a generous helping of shrimp on a bed of rice and greens and I'm a happy camper. I'll camp here more often.
(4)Kathryn M.
Decent, authentic Mexican food at a fairly reasonable price - for Vegas. The staff was extremely sweet and helpful in finding a way for me to sit outside when they were full for the afternoon. Getting a little creative, they gave me my food and margarita to-go and let me sit in their currently closed outdoor downstairs seating area. The green chili tamales were good although a bit undercooked and the chips with various salsa accompaniments were all fairly flavorful. I wasn't blown away by the food but the overall experience would push me to return should I find myself at the Mandalay Bay again mid-day.
(3)Nick C.
I have been there four times, and I love it. It's authentic, regional cooking with a creative twist. I always get a shredded chicken and tortilla casserole that is amazing. The prices a somewhat higher than other non-hotel related restaurants. Guess what, you are in a hotel. Hotel restaurants will always cost more money due to the higher overhead. The staff were attentive. Last time, we had a very unattentive server. This time, we were blessed with an exceptional server. We appreciated the experience and the food.
(5)alibee i.
Although this is really a 3 star place, I am tempted to give them 4 stars because in the wasteland of overpriced mediocre food that is the Las Vegas food scene, this place is actually not bad! Fresh handmade tortillas and really GOOD salsas. Grilled chicken tacos were tasty and reasonably priced. I would definitely recommend them if you're looking for a place to have lunch or casual dinner.
(3)Char L.
Great place, great ambiance, great food without completely deflating your wallet. I'll keep this short and simple: SKIRT STEAK.
(4)Ann Y.
I really, really loved Border Grill and wanted to give them 5 stars, however they charge $1 for water (that is filtered tap water, but all restaurants are required to have filtered tap water, so its silly). The restaurant is really pretty inside and reminds me a bit of Frontera Grill in Chicago. We went for lunch and I had guac as an appetizer which was very, very good. The three salsas and chips were great too. My husband had steak tacos and enjoyed them and I had the chicken chiquilles which were good but had too many chip and not enough chicken. My red and green rice was very good too. Now as far as deserts go, we had the two half slice desert. We choose the Mexican chocolate cake which I wouldn't pick again and the banana cream pie which was OUT OF THIS WORLD. Our server was good and I would definitely go back and try something else.
(4)Lisa L.
Love love love me some good Mexican food - and Border Grill is a great spot that I try to eat at every time I am in Vegas. I usually prefer it for lunch (or the take out counter for an in-room or at the MB beach treat) - and the outside patio is very beautiful. The portions are very large, and they serve great salads, gauc, and holy moly - the tamales are the best! Try the sangria or a house margarita - and as a side note, if you do take out they will put your drink in a To-Go cup (gotta love that :) We have always had great service - I would highly recommend this spot if you are staying in Mandalay Bay (or somewhere nearby) as a delicious, reasonably priced spot with great food and drink.
(5)Daniel U.
This has to be one of my fave restaurants when I go to Las Vegas for my annual convention trip in January. And while the food is probably a four star, I give it 5 stars for a few combined reasons. The food is pretty good, the drinks are great, but it is the uniqueness and the total package that this place offers that keeps me coming back. These two Hot Tamales have taken certain aspects of the Mexican menu that you rarely get to see in the states and thrown them into this package of casual dining that is absolutely fantastic. It's not your typical run of the mill restaurant. The tortillas are freshly made as is the salsa. The green habanero salsa is my favorite and one of the best I've ever had. And I know my salsa. Don't get it twisted! You'll find several dishes that you may find in some better restaurants in Mexico along with well executed traditional favorites. You won't see the slop of beans and rice that you see in most Mexican places that are actually run by Mexican families. That stuff to me is not good. I'd rather see more unique flavors that I'm familiar with but you don't traditionally see in restaurants. Needless to say, Border Grill keeps me coming back again, and again.
(5)RA V.
Great food!! My wife and i were delightfully surprised. Fish tacos were very good - the slaw made the taco. The quesadillas very fantastic. Excellent staff, efficient service. Leave room for dessert because the four piece sampler was awesome!
(5)Ashlee And Nicholas F.
I freakin LOVE this place! Try the portabello mushroom mulitas - decadent and delicious!!!! Not too expensive either (for Vegas prices) and the food is so good that any costs are well worth it. I saw a bloody mary with chile infused vodka on the menu that I must try next time!! Great atmosphere, good chips & salsa and friendly waitstaff. I highly recommend!
(4)Dilma H.
Our experience at the Border Grill was excellent!!! This is definite must go in VEGAS!!!! This is the #1 spot the food is great and the watermelon margarita is very refreshing and tasty totally recommend this place
(5)Mark W.
I dragged some friends here as I have been a long time fan of the Two Hot Tamales. Unfortunately, we were let down with atrocious service and forgettable food. My carnitas would have been acceptable for $7.95 at a chain restaurant, but for $23 a plate I should get something at least as good as a taco truck. After we had been there for over twenty minutes our server literally forgot about us - he actually began to reintroduce himself and ask for our orders. Two stars only because our drinks were terrific. The cucumber mojito was done perfectly and my companions' strawberry margaritas got rave reviews.
(2)Vivian E.
Food was great! My compliments to the Chef, and our Server was very pleasant as well.
(4)Chris C.
First, off I don't understand the negative reviews this place gets. I loved it for lunch! We sat outside on the patio and it was nice to watch folks at the pool and enjoying the scene of the great beach and pool area Mandalay Bay has. Food wise I really liked it. I'll be first to say I have no clue what real Mexican food is so I can't say if this even comes close. However, walking into it I knew it would be different than the Mexican we have in Atlanta. We started out with Queso Fundido and it was good. Very much different than the Queso i'm use to. But, good none the less. Also, got Pomegranate Halibut Ceviche. OK this was to die for. I loved the flavor the Ceviche had. As for Lunch I had Steak Nachos and they were very good and filling. Again everything was very different than I'm use to but, very good if you know this ahead of going. We got Ceviche, Queso, 2 Nachos, Cochinita Pibil, Chicken Adobo Quesadilla, and a few drinks we split the tab and each of us paid $37.63 with tip included.
(5)Stephanie S.
Delicious food and great ambience out on the patio. Upscale but not at all pretentious or "Vegas-y." The menu offers plenty of options whether you prefer red meat, chicken, seafood, or veggies. Or if you simply want chips, salsa, and a beverage or two you'll be all set. There's a special which includes a sampling of appetizers, a choice of several main courses, and a dessert. This was a great value, as the apps and dessert were plenty to share with a few people. The Green Chicken Poblano Enchiladas were great, even though I ended up mostly eating the chicken inside because I was saving room for the tres leches cake. Yum!!
(4)Eric L.
I want to say that the food was good. I think it was. Can't quite remember. I went to Border Grill with 14 friends (shoulda been 16, but two of them couldn't get out of bed) for dinner during my bachelor party, and well, damn it if my memory of the evening ain't a bit hazy. I can say this with confidence, however. The staff was extremely friendly and tolerant of our antics, and everyone in our group had a great time. One server brought me so many shots of tequila that I asked her "Como se dice vomit en espanol"? She refused to answer and told me to drink. My kinda place.
(4)mvc j.
Have been coming here on and off for years. Border Shakers are among the best margarita's I have had (particularly for on the rocks margaritas), pricey but very good with fresh ingredients, like the lime juice. I have found the food hit and miss here - some very good things like the tamales and cochinita pibil, and some very big misses like the tortilla soup and traditional flat layered enchiladas. All in all a decent place, but inconsistent in terms of some good items, and others that miss the mark, and one never knows if what they order will be one or the other, unless you only stick to tried and true items.
(3)Arnold E.
Ever watch the Food Network? Do remember that old cooking show (not currently on anymore) with those women who cooked exotic dishes? No, not the Two Fat Ladies! I'm talking about the Two Hot Tamales: Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger! Anyway, they are the masterminds behind Border Grill. This location (there's at least one more that I know of in Pasadena, CA) is in the beautiful Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino, on the Sin City strip. It's kinda tucked way back in the hotel, but I'll travel out of my way just to eat here. Anyway, I love this place. I was walking through the casino one night with my wife and I saw a sign pointing down towards no man's land. I thought the name sounded familiar and remembered the Two Hot Tamales from TV. Lo and behold, this was, in fact, the same Border Grill I'd tried in LA years ago. This place was a whole lot different than what I'd experienced in LA though. This place was hipper, funkier, more colorful, and in Vegas for cryin' out loud! Woo-hoo! Vegas, baby! Border Grill serves up some righteous Mexican/Southwestern/Cuban fusion-hybrid food that has my mouth watering just thinking about it...mmmm... We started our meal with complimentary chips and salsa. However, the salsa was an experience in itself. We received a trio of salsas that were excellent. I'd write more about them, but I don't recall what was in them (roasted tomatoes, chipotle peppers, tomatillos...something like that). It may have also been the tasty mojito and margarita I had before the meal that altered my memory of the meal...*hic!* Our entrees were delicious as well. I ordered a steak (well-seasoned and juicy) while my wife ordered the carnitas. Both dishes were so good that we couldn't stop talking about it the next day. Maybe if we had won some money we could've gone back for more. Oh well... I highly recommend Border Grill for anyone staying in the Mandalay or within a 100-mile radius of Las Vegas. I can't wait for my next meal here...
(5)Tim S.
So much on the menu here is just too needlessly expensive. Another victim of the "Hey it's Vegas, charge 75% more than that would cost anywhere else" mentality. In my opinion, you're better off hogging as many free chips as you can (the three salsas were well liked by everyone) and ordering a salad. That formula should get you full enough while being budget friendly. The salad I got was the Watercross, Avocado and Orange salad. It was delicious once I got rid of the avocado. It came with three bacon-wrapped dates stuffed with chorizo and blue cheese that created a flavor fiesta in my mouth. We had a nice outdoor table on a patio that overlooked the impressive Mandalay Bay pool. The restaurant is tucked in the very back of Mandalay Bay like it's some kind of ugly duckling.
(2)Ken F.
It was only lunch and we were really just out for a nice poolside meal. The waitress was so darn nice and accommodating, though, that she deserves a special call-out. Nice work, Alicia! The kitchen went out of their way to make me a custom ceviche without shellfish, and that was really cool. They could have just said no and sold me my second choice (at a higher price), but they went the extra mile and that also deserves a call-out. Great chips, great ceviche, a beautiful day on a nice patio watching beautiful girls by the pool...with my beautiful wife at my side. What could be better?
(4)Sarah D.
I can honestly say that while we were in Vegas we were treated alright in most of the restaurants, like most tourists, but here was different. We were greeted by the manager, who was so friendly, he chatted with me about my passion for cooking and that I used to follow food television back before foodnetwork times. Anyhow, I digress... What I am getting to is that this place felt like a hometown joint! They service was great the food was delicious, the mojito was crisp and refreshing, and the dessert was AMAZING! This place puts a new and fun spin on traditional, but the flavors were on point, and the whole experience was a blast!
(4)minal s.
Am a big fan of both Susan and Mary-Sue. Expected to be knocked out of my socks by these Top Chef Masters, fell short. First the location is way off the main area, not a good idea. The restaurants is classy with a California vibe. We got the complementary chips with the 3 salsas, salsas were OK, chips were fresh! We asked for a spicy sauce and got a good kick in the butt with the habenero chillies. Ordered bunch of appetizers - out of which the baja ceviche rocked, fresh fresh seafood. The other trio of appetizer included plantain empanadas (OK), corn cream tamales (too sweet) and the chicken tacos (best yet!). We also got the Mexican soup, nice! All in all the food was good but not crave worthy. Service was excellent with water refills, recommendations and offering of hot salsa. Best part of got 15% discount for being CA natives, go CALIFORNIA!
(3)Rachel W.
If it were possible to award an eatery a negative value of stars, I would most certainly have given Border Grill a negative 10. I arrived in the company of four other people, in the late afternoon after going to the Aquarium exhibit. We were all very hungry, and excited to get some Mexican food. We're from Texas, and thought it would be interesting to see how a Top Chef's award-winning Mexican food would measure up to the stellar Tex-Mex food to which we are accustomed. Upon arrival, the hostess was cheery enough, if a bit of an airhead. After being seated, we waited a full five minutes before even being greeted by a server. Following a perfunctory greeting, we were brought chips and salsa (both lackluster and bland) and had to wait another 5 minutes for water. The waiter was nice enough, but seemed to be mostly unconcerned with giving us good service, or making a decent impression. The menu itself was rather pricey. If you're at a place that charges $ 4.50 for a fish taco a la carte (with a tortilla the size of a drink coaster and an even smaller filet of Mahi Mahi), you know you won't be able to leave the restaurant without paying upwards of $ 25.00 per person/ per dish. The food is billed as "Mexican", but there were no true Mexican dishes on the menu. Everything seemed to be more Central/ South American. Let me preface my actual food review by saying that we waited a grand total of 35 minutes for our food to arrive. I was to the point of trying to eat our waiter, who had already conveniently disappeared. I ordered the chile relleno burger, with paprika seasoned fries, and a fish taco a la carte. I asked for the burger rare, because 1) it cuts down on cooking time and I was ravenous, and 2) I simply cannot stand an overcooked, rubbery meat patty. The other members of my party ordered 1) crab nachos 2) beef nachos 3) avocado tacos 4) chicken caesar salad. 1) The crab nachos were adequate. For a self-proclaimed "grill" specializing in seafood, the meat was rather bland and tasteless, and were downplayed by the plethora of toppings heaped upon the actual chip. 2)The beef nachos were already limp when they arrived at the table. The meat was wholly bland, and the kitchen chose to under-employ cheese, making the overall nacho rather boring. 3) The avocado tacos were a great disappointment. As said by the consumer of the food, the idea of the avocado tacos was excellent, but the actual execution of the taco was underwhelming. 4) The chicken caesar salad was probably the worst thing served. You might be questioning how in the world a kitchen can mess up that which is essentially chopped greens and a simple meat fillet. Well, when your "caesar dressing" is the taste and consistency of mayonnaise, and is literally drenching the salad, you tend to look unfavorably upon the dish. 5) My chile relleno burger was probably the best thing served. The burger was cooked to my standard, and the chile relleno itself was decent, if a bit bland. The fries were the only really yummy thing served, and I'm not sure that's something a Mexican restaurant should be proud of. 6)The fish taco was terrible. The corn tortilla (while "homemade") was bland and too thick, and the filet of Mahi Mahi was too thick, overcooked, and bland. The guacamole tasted like something you could get at the grocery store, and was heavily salted. The overall really shocking thing to me was the lack of seasoning. The chefs behind the menu are award-winning and famed, but don't know how to use simple seasoning on their food to make it palatable. The bill wound up being over $ 150.00 (when the checkbook finally made it to the table), and we paid up, left a tip, and got the hell out of there. I wound up with gastrointestinal issues later on that night. If you're looking for good Mexican food, I highly suggest going elsewhere. To give you an idea of how deeply disappointing this food was, I would suggest going to Taco Bell instead. At least there, you're only paying $.99 for a taco, and the diarrhea is cheaper.
(1)Leia H.
Very, very bad. Dinner at Border Grill was so incredibly bad. We chose it as a somewhat affordable option with what would probably a solid menu of known Mexican staples. The prices seemed high, but we were tired and hungry and didn't want to go far. I am not a woman of the most discerning taste. I love a good sloppy enchilada so I'm not a refined foodie. The food at Border Grill was so bad that I actually considered complaining that I shouldn't even have to pay my bill. In the end we sucked it up as a loss because we were too tired to deal with a wait staff that had already proven themselves to be less than adequate.
(1)Neil N.
We came here for lunch on our first day in Vegas. FYI, the restaurant is a lil tough to navigate, so go towards the Shark Reef sign and you'll be there. This time, the remodeling was apparently done since last year so we got great terrace/patio seating outside. The ambiance was great and the food even better. I tried the chicken panuchos and loved the green and red rice, very tangy and seasoned. The guacamole and tortillas stuffed w/black beans make it more filling than the plate looks. Didn't have the energy and tolerance to break in my first drink at 102 degree weather, but settled for the pomegranate limeade, which was very delicious. Don't worry, I met my drink quota later that nite at Mandalay Place, hehe! But we really loved the patio seating. Great ventilation and overlooks the lazy river pool. I dunno, something about eating a nice Mexican meal while watching ppl float down the river in inner tubes that says "welcome to vegas." I'll be back, and definitely ask for the patio seating.
(5)Maria L.
I ate here a while ago, I had a decent experience. The food was ok, was pretty informal for the price we paid tho. I remember sitting on some stools or high chairs towards the front of the restaurant. Overall, I feel like I could of ate better food and had better atmosphere at a cheaper Mexican restaurant. I would come here again tho, and give it another try.
(3)Scott B.
Our experience was dissapointing. The wait staff was not very responsive, our food was just OK and the menu selection was too creative without the basics that we were expecting. For example, our kids just wanted some basic tacos and there were none on the kids' menu, we had to order them some appetizers to share instead. The prices are pretty high for what you get and the food was just OK. Other than the fact that is was convenient in the Mandalay Bay which is where we were staying, I would opt for something else next time.
(2)Rick W.
Happened to pick Borders to dine at prior to a concert at Mandalay Bay. Conveniently located just steps away from the Events Center, the upstairs/downstairs was a nice choice. We chose upstairs, patio, overlooking the pool. The appetizer of pablano chili/potato was surprisingly spicey. I feared indigestion later, but it never came, just the explosion of good enough taste to finish it off. I had the skirt steak, medium and it came out perfect. Slightlly charred around the edge, while it tasted like a rub, the waitstaff said it was a special marinate. Regardless, virtually perfect as well as the side of corn and black beans. My g/f's chili relleno was "the best"; delicate batter, smooth, melting cheese, fork tender and contrasted with green chili rice and tomato based rice, it was the perfect dish for her. With no thoughts to diet, we capped off the dinner with chocolate/cinnamon/oreo cookie, almost like a cheesecake, but a lighter mousee-like pie, was, I hate to overuse the term, but "to die for." Can't say enough about the staff; attentive, informative, courteous and absolutely spot-on in EVERYTHING. As a local, I can see revisiting to try more of the menu.
(5)Wendy L.
I think this is a very generous 3 stars since I would prefer to give this place 2.5 stars...and rounded up because I think my review may have been biased by my strong jonesin' for a burger...and our server was actually quite excellent. Besides that, the food receives 1.5 stars. BUT when you're poolside at Mandalay Bay and you actually want to sit down and eat (not eat on your deck chair...if you're lucky but on the ground if you didn't get a chair), the Border Grill is the closest option. I was starving, famished...and I couldn't find anything on the menu that looked appealing. I thought a burrito would be the next best thing to a burger...but no burritos! Tacos - too small! Carnitas platter - for some reason - bleh! So, I got the chilaquiles. That was probably a bad call - it was essentially a bunch of chips baked into a "casserole" which waslayered with cheese and a little bit of meat. Really, it just ended up being a big mess of soggy chips and a teeeeny bit of chicken. I was so sad... I left feeling full but not the good kind of full - the kind of full that feels gross because you know you just ate a bunch of icky food. I'd a salad before which was just chicken on top of iceberg lettuce, so I thought something more legitimately "Mexican" might be better...but not so much!
(2)Daddy F.
I've been going to Border Grill for a few years and they have really improved over the years! They have a new look, new menu and new chef...very good Mexican food! A bit pricey...it's Vegas!
(4)Cianne M.
I loved Border Grill in Santa Monica back in the day, so I was really excited to check this place out. The plantain empanadas are irresistible. I dunno though...overall not as wonderful as I remember Santa Monica being. Still decent, but not a place I'd get excited about.
(4)kelli s.
My advice: Skip it. We were in the mood for Mexican food so we headed to Border Grill. The menu looked promising, so we decided to give it a try. We were seated on the outdoor patio. Suddenly a man at a table near us started complaining (loudly) about his meal. Our party tried to ignore his rant and enjoy our meal. The chips, guacamole and salsa were all pretty good. I enjoyed my mojito and my friend enjoyed the first few sips of her sangria (after awhile she said it was "like licking a candle"). During our drinks the man at the table near us continued to complain and we noticed that another table near us was speaking to a manager about a problem with their food. We ordered our entrees and our food appeared less than ten minutes later. Not a great sign. My husband ordered the shrimp and portions of the plate were cold. My friend ordered the pork and she said it was okay...not great. My vegetable enchiladas tasted a lot like something you could order at Chevy's. I'm fairly certain that the food was pre-made and just dumped on our plates. Overall, I'm bummed that we wasted a meal in Vegas on this place.
(2)Allan R.
Would have gotten 4 stars if we hadn't had the least attentive waiter in existence. The food was really good. I got the special Chicken empandas. My dad got the skirt steak. The empanadas had a good flavor, but the weren't as crispy as I had hoped. My dad's skirt steak was fantastic. The waiter did not pay attention to anything we said, and was inattentive to fill up drinks and take plates away.
(3)S S.
Average food for a high price. I had the steak quesadilla...very fatty. My son had a cheese quesadilla...did like it. The tecate pork was dried out.
(3)Anna E.
authentic mexican with a gourmet flair. very generous portions also. the best pork tacos ever! Service was also so spectacular. we will be back for sure!
(5)Nicole F.
Pretty good mexican food. I had the carnitas tacos and a margarita on the rocks. No complaints. BUT not worth 30 bucks either.
(3)Inland O.
I had brunch here yesterday and it was the best meal I had on the trip (especially considering I had a restaurant.com certificate to use). The brunch is all-u-can eat and all you can drink mimosas. Its not a buffet, there is actually a menu w/ 17 different items on it from tacos to empanadas to fresh fruit, eggs benedict, etc.. all the items are tapas so 1 person could literally eat the whole menu if he/she were hungry enough... I only made it through 10 items but was full beyond belief. Each dish is unique, full of flavor, and just down right delicious (unlike many of the traditional buffets); the food also comes out fresh-er than under a heated lamp. Our waitress was super nice; only I had the brunch, my wife/son ordered off their regular menu yet they took bites and shared some of my food. The guava empanada was so good we actually asked if we could take one to go (and our waitress made it happen!) I would totally go again and will probably plan on it, on our next trip to Vegas (I've been to Bouchon for brunch, and have to say Border Grill is much better in terms of food, choices, and value)!
(5)Mario S.
I'm not even sure what I had, okay? It was some kind of smoked poblano pepper soup that was sheer awesome. And a caeser. And a couple of house margaritas (en the rocks). Nice joint. All said, this was a good way to start a romp down the strip.
(3)evan J.
If you ever head to Border Grill on Superbowl Sunday watch out for that large table of guys who just stepped out of the hurt locker. There will be about 10 of us drinking tequila and eating bowls of great tortilla soup to get our legs back under us so we can watch the game.... The staff is cool, and they just laugh at our sorry asses when we show up looking like death warmed over. Border Gril has a nice location in Mandalay Bay near the pool(s). Its split over 2 levels and has a great shaded patio on the 2nd floor. The food is excellent for vegas, the kitchen turns out a fine assortment of regional mexican fare that is a step up from most the food you get in Sin City, but stick to the basics, some of their fancier dishes reaveal the limits of their ingredients. Did I mention they serve tequila to jackasses?
(4)Kim B.
Went to Border Grill Sunday night using a Travelzoo voucher. We were given very limited options not listed on the original voucher. The food was very sub par. I ordered the "spicy" grilled shrimp and received what appeared to be bland, boiled shrimp atop a bed of watery rice. Literally. The rice was floating in broth and greens. My friend was given the suggestion of the seasonal fish, so he ordered it. The waitress failed to mention it was resting in a bowl of soup, despite the 100+ degree weather. The dessert, chocolate pie, was obviously premade thawed, and the drinks were overpriced and boring. The strawberry sangria tastes like Franzia. Overall, the food lacked any substance, as did our waitress, who kept telling us yes, then no, and blaming it on her manager for the night. Not worth even the Travelzoo prices.
(1)Adrienne D.
Usually busy since it's inside the Mandalay Bay and there are conventions going on, but you can probably swing a seat at the bar during lunchtime without reservations. The food is good! Try the huevos rancheros. The waiter and chef were also very accommodating, when what I ordered wasn't available they specially made me the huevos rancheros for dinner! I'd had them the day before at lunch and wanted them again. :)
(4)Brianne C.
I am from San Diego and was looking for a good brunch spot in Vegas. This was it! The food was phenomenal and the service was outstanding. The chef even came out to say hello and see how we liked everything. The chilaquiles was the best I have ever had and I never saw the bottom of my mimosa glass! Everything is fresh and Organic. I love it!
(5)Ted S.
I went with a group of 6 to Border Grill for Cinco de Mayo. They have the best Margaritas in all of Las Vegas. All they use is Tequila, lime, and Agave. So many places use sweet and sour mix and I think it is just awful. I ordered a portabella dish and it was excellent. I did ask for it without dairy and they messed it up twice, but corrected the issue with no problems. I used a 15% off card they gave me and a restaurant.com gift certificate, so it was a great deal. The Chef, Mary Sue was in the kitchen and came out to say hello to us as we are Top Chef fans. We were also lucky enough to hear the Black Keys play live. They were playing a private event at the Mandalay pool and since we were sitting on the patio outside we could hear it! I like the patio because it is one of the only places on the strip where you can sit outside and not be on the street. Great service, drinks and food. I will go back soon.
(4)Michelle J.
Great steak salad, didnt like the weird hard tortilla thing it came on but skipped it and enjoyed the rest. The salsa was really tasty, smoky and yummy! The skinny margarita was so delicious, I loved that they had a skinny cocktail option. We went here in a group for a tradeshow and everyone seemed to enjoy their meal!
(5)Lisa A.
Very cool place with a great tequila selection and good food too!! Service was very friendly and they do a pretty good job on the margaritas. I could have sat there all day eating the chips and 3 salsa they give you. They also have a HOT salsa that you can request. Great flavor! I really liked the setup, as they have a to go window and a bar. The restaurant it self is very large. Hey, it's in Mandalay Bay, so of course it's just fabulous!
(4)David R.
Boarder grill has pretty good food, but I've had just ok meals there too. Considering the prices I'd expect every meal to be exceptional but I haven't been blown away every time. It's a special place for the wife and I so we do enjoy going. The drinks are pretty amazing and I leave stuffed every time. I suggest anything with steak in it and you can't go wrong. Not a fan of red meat? Go for the carnitas.
(4)Lisa D.
I'm basing this on only one experience at lunch, but it was excellent! I was having lunch by myself at the end of a weekend with friends in vegas before heading to airport, and decided to hit Border Grill since I hadn't been there before and it was close (we stayed at THEhotel). At the server's suggestion, I had the daily special chicken and fruit salad. I had been thinking I was in the mood for more traditional mexican, but he spoke so highly of the salad that I went with his recommendation. And, I was SO glad i did! It had a great combination of flavors - peaches, nectarines, mangoes, black cherries, spicy sunflower seeds, marinated chicken, and boston lettuce all with an apricot jalapeno dressing. YUM! The service was also very attentive, with multiple folks checking up on me regularly. It was only one experience, but based on that one time, I will certainly try it again next time I'm in vegas. I hope they add that salad to their normal menu!
(5)Sean B.
Probably the best meal we had on a recent trip to Vegas. We were looking for a Mexican restaurant, and our daughter recognized one of names as a Top Chef person, so we went there. The empanadas were both unique and delicious. Our server (Sarah __) was very helpful: when i said how much i liked the empanadas, she offered to ask the head chef to _email us the recipe_! When was the last time you had _that_ experience at a restaurant? She also told us how they make their Black Cherry Mojitos so we can try them at home. Overall a great experience, with great food, and reasonably priced for a "name" restaurant in Vegas. This one we'll definitely go back to.
(5)Kelly S.
i think the only reason it's not getting that precious 5th star is due to the price. i probably wouldn't have flinched at night, but for lunch it was a bit more than i'd planned on spending. we were looking for something a bit less intense than what we'd been splurging on for dinner, without having to resort to the pitiful food court near the convention center. the food, however, was incredible. we picked up some freshly prepared guac to go with our chips and 3 salsas (diverse and fresh tasting). i had a mint mojito with cucumber-infused vodka (heaven, but i'm not sure when something ceases to be a mojito and is just "with mint and simple syrup" ;) i ordered a salad of the special menu that was full of tasty things. i can't even remember everything but i know there was rock shrimp and avocado, and ... grapefruit? and 100 other things i'd never put together in a salad but thoroughly enjoyed. my husband raved about his tacos almost as much. both dishes came highly recommended by the waiter, who clearly knew his way around the menu. along with all this good food was outdoor seating complete with misters--exactly what you need on a hot summer's day.
(4)Michelle B.
I had lunch and dinner here during my stay at Mandalay Bay. Border Grill is home of one of the top chef masters (but what Vegas restaurant isn't right?). Everything is home made in the restaurant and fresh. We tried the guacamole both times and it was so yummy. We ordered Margaritas and the red wine sangria. For lunch we split the pork carnitas (shredded pork) and it came with rice and black beans. The pork was cooked well, but it wasn't shredded but cubed. I thought it would have been shredded already. Besides that, it was very good. For dinner we each had the skirt steak and that came with beans, tomato and cucumber salad, and an amazingly delicious handmade tortilla. The steak was cooked and seasoned well. The sides (salad and beans) were awesome! But the best part of it was actually the handmade tortilla. When you wrapped the steak, beans, and tomato in the tortilla that really made it. The ambiance was so-so, they need to figure out how to give it a better atmosphere. The lights were too bright and the way the dining room was set up was awkward. The prices were a bit higher than I care to spend at any Mexican restaurant, but its Vegas. I'd go back for lunch or dinner if I am in the Mandalay Bay hotel again.
(4)Amy R.
I can't remember the last time I walked out of a restaurant but we walked out of here on Saturday night. Four of us ordered margaritas, the pomegrante & melon were delish but the Original one tasted AWFUl. We were seated at 8:15 and by 9:30pm still hadnt gotten our entrees. One of the girls in our party went to ask the server if he had forgotten about us. He was very rude so we decided to leave. The poor manager was gracious enough to pick up our drinks and appetizer but this really was the WORST dining experience of my life.
(1)Myra R.
I came to this Border Grill a few years ago and pretty much hated it. So I avoided the chain all together until this past weekend. My fiance and I were staying at the Four Seasons and wanted to have lunch outside within close proximity to our pool. We sucked it up and went to Border Grill. My fiance had a hackerin' for some ceviche and I really wanted a cocktail with lunch. They had a special Spring menu chalk full of goodies. We started out with two lemon blueberry mojitos and shared the ceviche. The mojitos were one of the best I have had. It was a perfect call from the waiter. As for the ceviche we couldn't get enough of it. There was nothing left. To complete our lunch we split their Chicken Panuchos. They're like mini harsh shell tacos. The tortillas of the tacos are stuff with black beans and then fried. Of course this was devoured. This dining experience has changed my opinion completely about the Border Grill chain.
(4)Anthony J.
Decent spot, friendly service, nice spin traditional Mexican with things like grilled turkey breast, tropical salsas, etc. Habanero salsa was very good, hot and flavorful. I went with the carnitas, tasty and not greasy. Chips were very good also, nice and thick, stood up to the guac nicely. Great for lunch during a conference, or getting out of the sun when chilling poolside...wish I was doing the latter when I visited.
(4)Brandy P.
My husband and I decided to give this place a try for lunch. The chips were warm and salty- yum, the trio of salsas weren't bad, they could have been in bigger containers though. On to the menu, which isn't vast but we made do. I ordered the flat iron steak strips: it comes with corn relish, cucumber and tomato with pickle red onion salad, and what seems to be puree black beans. This comes with a pipping hot freshly made tortilla that's huge. It was yummy the meat well seasoned, I order medium well and it was a little pinker than usual but still great. The husband who isn't a steak lover got the carne asada tacos which came with pickled onions, guacamole, and beans with two kinds of rice. All of which he killed in seconds- I take it he liked it. For lunch its kinda pricey our meal came to $60 including tax and tip, which only consisted of two entrees. This was a spur of the moment trip that was well worth it.
(4)Stacey A.
I came here before the Muse show at the Mandalay Bay Events Center this last weekend. I'm a huge fan of Ciudad here in L.A. and was really excited about having dinner at the Border Grill. I was so excited that even though my fellow Yelpers warned me about the bad service and sub-par food, I still threw caution to the wind and had dinner there. Apparently, I thought I was special and would get a 5 star experience. I was wrong and I suffered the consequences. The food was ok although nothing special. The $17 ceviche plate was redonkulous - seriously about 5 bites worth of ceviche and not even enough to share. Total rip-off. My plantain empenadas were good but not incredible. The strawberry sangria was so weak it made a wine cooler seem like a strong shot of alcohol and it was $12. I don't get really uptight about paying a premium for good food but not for this. This is what I could have got at a decent taco stand. The service was abysmal. Our waiter was inattentive (to say the least) and even seemed to have some awareness as to how bad the service was and yet, didn't make attempts to improve it. On three occasions he walked by our table and noted, "Oh, your food isn't out yet? It will come soon". Well, it didn't come soon and he didn't make any attempts to go into the kitchen to make sure it was on it's way. At the end of the meal we waited about 30 minutes just to get the check and finally flagged down another waitress and asked if she would get it for us. She stated that our waiter would be by soon and then just headed about her business. Basically, no one is going to make a move to make sure that the customer gets what they need and you just better sit and wait it out. That is expected at the DMV but at a place where I'm dropping $150 for a meal? No, that won't cut it. I did note that our waiter appeared to be covering far too many tables and that this probably played a role in his ability to provide service, which is probably a management level issue that needs to be looked at. All in all, a major bummer of a dining experience.
(1)Brenton W.
Since Vegas has a habit of distorting one's time and reality (and sobriety), reviews should probably reflect that property. Off the bat, BG like most Vegas eateries is expensive, but the last renovation makes the place a bit nicer than in previous years. We've already established that my being from San Diego makes me a Mex food snob by default. I'm thinking BG falls more under the Tex-Mex category. If you're in Mandalay for a convention, BG's location can't be beat. I don't know where I'm going with this review.
(3)Jessica K.
Border Grill at Mandalay Bay was awesome! By that I mean we were only in Vegas two days and we ate there twice. Good, fresh ingredients, quality Mexican food. The weekend brunch was so good and a great deal - like an all you can eat buffet but better because it is prepared to order. There are about 15 small plates on the menu and you can try as many as you want. They were all excellent. We will definitely go back anytime we are in Vegas. Great view from the top patio overlooking the Mandalay pools.
(5)Monique M.
came here after a night of going out with the girls. and boy was it the perfect fix to a night out. we got seated promptly upstairs overlooking the pool. the weather was perfect! so if you're out in vegas during the summer i recommend coming here. i had the chiles rellenos and it was delicious. the peach lemonade was also very tasty, i tasted my gfs' bloody mary and it was spicy and yummy. everyone else was happy with their shrimp tacos and the salsas and chips were good. but maybe the hangover was feeding us much more then we could taste. overall great experience and loved the service and food. will be back.
(4)Heather N.
We ate here when we came to Vegas without much spending money. We really wanted to try it and it sounded like the best place to eat in the area. We ended up drinking water, eating the chips with the many dipping sauces and then splitting the Tamale Sampler. We felt bad for the waitress so we left you a nice tip. I could sense she was mentally rolling her eyes at us when she heard what we would have. Next time we will go all out! Everything was so yummy.
(5)Nikki S.
We wanted to try out Dick's Last Resort, but it was a little crowded, so we bee lined for this restaurant. I love Mexican food, just a heads up.....the Cadillac Margarita was small and not very strong, although made with fresh lime juice, so it's very refreshing. ($14.00) The chips are made with the tortillas there, you can tell, and they are really good......their fresh tortilla were amazing.....seriously some of the best I have ever tried. The Vegetarian Black Beans were great, the cheese is like a feta cheese, not my favorite, but my GF liked it a lot. Her BF ordered the Nachos, and they were just a huge portion size and very very good. The Shrimp Tacos were not too good in my opinion. Just difficult to eat, not a very good sauce and just not very good in general. The Fish Tacos, according to my friend were the best she ever had! My bean and cheese burrito was only $4.00 compared to their $16.00 meals, so I was very happy with it. Very filling, and just make sure you order it with Black Beans, cause I got the re fried beans the first time around and I didn't think they were very good. The salsa they have there is delicious. They are not cheap about it either, they keep it coming. The service was just OK though.
(3)Wendy P.
I liked this place way better than the location we have in Santa Monica. Still, it is not fabulous. They do have this minty, fizzy drink that is very refreshing.
(3)Christopher G.
LUNCH AT BORDER GRILL thesoloreviewer.blogspot… While I don't know who the "Too Hot Tamales" are, I do love Mexican food. I came for a early lunch hoping to snag a nice patio seat but quickly realized IBM and the Rodeo was in town and the restaurant was packed. I was forced to sit at the bar which doesn't bother me to much. I ordered one of there signature margaritas and the guacamole. Now as for the margarita, it sucked. Tasted like sugar water and defiantly not worth the hefty price tag they put on those "Signature" margaritas. One thing I hate the most is when bars feel the cup with ice to the very top so you get little drink. But anyways, onto the guacamole. Very fresh tasting and tasted like your normal guacamole. Nothing special nothing bad but a overall good dish! I went with there Border Classics dish which consists of two green corn tamales, two plantain empanadas, and two chicken panuchos. The green corn tamales weren't bad but not good. Where do they get the green from? It was basically cream corn inside and very little of it. The two plantains were good. Filled with smashed black beans and poblano peppers with cotija cheese on top. Had a nice kick to it which I like. Not to much cheese which a lot of mexican restaurants seem to do. Next were the chicken panuchos which were my favorite. Loaded with citrus roasted chicken, guacamole, and pickled onions all on top of a black bean stuffed tortillas. Now I was a little confused because the tortillas were just plain fried tortillas. Where the heck are the black beans? Maybe a fairy came a long and took my green and my black beans. Hmmm. But they were still good. The chicken cooked perfect with a nice citrus tasted that was really good and not over powering. Service was as good as you can get at a bar. Overall this place is nothing special and I think food network needs to keep some of there Chefs on TV and not in the kitchen.
(2)Jessy G.
The food was excellent. I tried the cranberry mojito and it was so good.
(5)Tim G.
Average Americanized Mexican food -- except for their chips + salsa -- which are fantastico. The best part is that it is outside and you can watch people floating around the Mandalay pool.
(4)gwen o.
I've been to this place many times. It's one of my favorite places to get food, hands down. Unique blends of flavors - not your typical south of the border fare. The mojitos are probably the best I've ever had. They have one called the premier mojito - or is it the ultimate? - that is so smooth you question whether there's alcohol in it. Then you stand up and realize how potent it is. Two thumbs up. Try the turkey tostada. Deeeeeeeeeelicious.
(5)Mr. Marie T.
Disappointing. Two Tepid Tamales.... The fish we ordered was ok- but the service was awful. Don't bring me food with no fork or spoon.... how can I eat? Also, I'm tempted to give this ONE star because I saw the bartender make my $12 margarita with fricken last call margarita mix. That is unconscionably. Good few of the pools and beach tho.
(3)Gabriel M.
Having heard the "Two Hot Tamales" on the radio for some time, I was eager to give their restaurant a fair shake. As we approached the restaurant, a neon sign hung underneath the Border Grill announcing "REAL MEXICAN FOOD." Already, that's a bad sign... Anyway, here's a recap. The food is very good, but certainly not worth the outrageous prices that are on the menu. My wife and I both had one drink, guacamole and a main dish for just under $100. The meal portions are a little on the small side (for Mexican food), but just right for anything else. The ingredients are fresh but both meals appeared to be hurried with very little attention to detail. The dining area is a bit cramped and if you are unlucky enough to sit next to people with children, then you will no doubt listen to the world's most fascinating conversations. In the end, would I go back? Definitely not. There are some real great Mexican restaurants off the strip in Las Vegas, if you have a car, please make the drive. For the price that we paid, we could have feed a family of 6 anywhere else.
(2)Andrew C.
I had rated this at three stars for the food and then I remembered my drink which was absolutely awful so I dropped it down to two. So, the good, GREAT chips and decent three salsas to dip them in. I really liked the chips. Also the atmosphere was wonderful, we sat outside and it wasn't really hot so it was perfect. Also our waitress, Chelsi was very sweet. However, the main dishes were not great. Two had the chicken quesedillas which looked good and with the lime had some flavor. I had the fish tacos, there were three to the plate, I had two grilled and one deep fried. The amount of fish was miniscule and there were big strips of lettuce on the tortilla. Cabbage, yes, but lettuce? I've had much better fish tacos at the farmer's market near my house. As for the drinks, one pina colada, didn't try it but heard it was good, and my horrible mojito. I mean it was unbearably sweet and the mint leaves in the glass were old and brownish. Yuck. Plus price tag for that mean was over $80. That is ridiculous for the quality of what we had. Good chips!
(2)Stacey S.
I was very excited to try this restaurant and especially to try their version of one of my favorite dishes, chilequiles. I was extremely disappointed. Their chilequiles were basically tortilla chips sprinkled with queso fresco...and cost over $20. The service was poor, none of the dishes we tried were exceptionally good and everything was grossly overpriced. What a sad disappointment.
(1)Sean C.
Okay, Yelpers, pack up your bitching and get with the program ... Vegas is stupid-expensive. Get over it, go to Restaurants.com to get a discounted gift card, and then go to the Border Grill. Yeah, it costs you an arm and a leg, but it's f'ing great food. It's not Tex-Mex, you can't get it in your home town, but it's friggin' good and you'll love it if you realize that it's pricey and it's Vegas and it's awesome. And if you can't get over the .50 for water, then just take a sip of the swill that Las Vegas Municipal wants to serve you and thank your lucky stars that Border Grill is setting their bar higher and serving some bougie stuff!
(4)Bradley W.
Love the fun and modern Mexican twist and Autumn our server was plucky and gracious- we will be back!
(5)Meghan C.
We went to Border Grill on our first night in Vegas because it was located in our Hotel, however, upon our arrival my excitement from looking at the menu quickly diminished. It took several minutes to get water, which was okay because it was a busy Saturday night but once we finished our water we never got refills despite asking our waiter several times for more water. The carne asada quesadilla was okay, the meat was delicious and tender but the Tortilla was greasy. We only had one small basket of chips, our waiter did not even offer us more chips. Before we ordered, we stated we would need two separate checks because 5 out of the 7 people I was with needed to expense their meal together but when we received out checks 3 people were together and everyone else had separate checks. It was apparent our waiter either forgot or was not listening to us. I gave 3 stars primarily for the Raspberry chipotle Margarita, it was delicious.
(3)Raphael K.
Very nice spot 7n the end of mandala bay, directly located beside the pool. We come here very spontanious, as we decide to eat mexican and headed to mandalay bay hotel&resort. We then asked inside the hotel and they have 2 mex restaurants in mandalay. We have done the right decision to choose border grill. Avery awesome experience from the beginning. The service was very friendly and helpful. He gibe us the advise to try the plates dinner as we asked several questions about the meals. Its a all you can eat deal annd so then you cannorder diffrent meals. Wagyu beef tacos, and steaks have been delicious! All the plates come in a smaller size so you canntry several plates. We had around 6-8 each. We also liked the place here. Nice decoration, style and overal look. It was a bit crowdy bit thats normal for such a good place at around 8 pm. Definetly can highly recommend this spot when you like mexican food. Very friendly and fast service, amazing meals and choice and nice atmosphere!!
(5)Jenna L.
Wow! Really solid delightful brunch option. For $34.99 sample any and all of the nicely prepared small plates. The attention to detail in the presentation and the taste was wonderful. A bit slow on the service but overall awesome. Highlights include: Yucatan Eggs Breakfast Tacos A Unique Oyster Salmon Slider
(4)Linda C.
3.5 STARS Came with a group of first timers on a Friday night for dinner. No wait and we were able to grab a table in the patio, which looks over the Mandalay pools. The ceiling fans kept it cooler and bearable. But if you hate the heat like I do, I'd stick to a table inside during the summer. Reading through the menu, we were all overwhelmed and excited because it all sounded so good! Finally we ordered the following: - Grilled skirt steak - Short rib taquitos - Tecate carnitas - Chocolate cake - Sangria Unfortunately we were all a little disappointed at the end of dinner. Don't get me wrong everything was good but nothing special. I've definitely had better Mexican food. Service was however amazing! Our waiter was very nice and hilarious! For the most part the food came out in a timely manner. The only thing that took awhile was the dessert. We weren't sure if they forgot about it. This place is great for families too. They provide crayons and paper for children.
(3)Ambi D.
After a long few weeks at work and a rare Saturday off for me, a co-worker and I decided we would seize the moment and make it a day. We planned a brunch at the Border Grill which was delicious. Getting to the restaurant was a little confusing as I have a hard time making my way around casinos and it was located more in the convention and shark reef area. We arrived for our reservation and requested patio seating, it was nice to look outside but it was more enclosed than I would have preferred! Our server, such a nice girl I wish I remembered her name, explained the menu and got us started right away on our $10 bottomless mimosas which she suggested we try one of each. She was so nice and attentive always making sure our glasses were full, our orders were taken, and not rushing us one bit. Brunch is $34.99 all-you-can-eat with a menu of tasty items you can pick one of each of or re-ordering your favorites. We tried just about every item and every mimosa and were not disappointed.
(4)Erik E.
Bland food, tiny portions - dinners looked like appetizers - and big price, not a combination for a positive review or a return visit. Our server was the best part of the meal - by far. Want good Mexican? Go to Juan's Flaming Fajitas on Tropicana, off the strip a few miles, well with the trip ......see my review of Juan's for more info.
(2)Rachel S.
Came in on a busy convention day and was seated immediately. The food was fast and delicious and the wait staff was extremely friendly and professional. The management wasn't hard on the eyes either ;) HIGHLY recommend the tuna ceviche, yukatan pork (my favorite), and the pork burger. Save room for the tres leche or the pastel rufina dessert, you won't regret it!!! You can even do two half slices for a dollar more. Whaaattt??!!! Amazing!! So much flavor, so little time.
(5)Erica S.
Amazing brunch! There were three of us sharing the brunch plates and two of us drinking mimosas. Favorite mimosa was the pomegranate and (some) of our favorite plates were the steak and eggs, salmon sliders, french toast and breakfast fries. But really, everything was great and you should definitely let your waiter suggest some for you.. Thats what we did!
(5)Carla B.
This place is incredible!! The food is too die for you can't go wrong with any of the dishes on the menu. The wait staff is great our waitress Autumn is just phenomenal.
(5)Forrest F.
Good food, some vegetarian options. Most items made from scratch including their drink mixes. Friendly and attentive staff. The Patron Platinum Margarita for $29 is a rip off.
(3)Amanda G.
Service was great. I stopped by for a late afternoon drink and appetizer during some shopping at Mandalay Bay. The server was most attentive and accommodating and the patio atmosphere was wonderful. I took his recommendation on the blood orange margarita and was definitely not disappointed! Must try if you like a little spice in your drink. The guacamole was fresh and made to order with my request of no onions. I certainly plan on coming back to enjoy a meal!
(5)Alicia R.
The best brunch I have ever had! On Saturdays and Sundays they have a tapas and mimosa brunch, which for ~$40 is a great deal. We made a reservation, and I would advise you do the same, so that you can set on the patio close to the pool. We were there in December, but with the heaters and the sun, it was perfect. The tapas included 26 or 27 small plates that you can order and sample. I dined with 2 companions and, between the 3 of us, we were able to sample most of the offerings. The highlights for me were the Negro Modelo-braised hash (super tender meat and a perfectly soft fried egg), the shrimp and grits (so creamy with the perfect amount of spice), the tamales (super creamy), and for "dessert' the churro tots (just like churros, but in the form a donut hole, accompanied by berry puree and caramel). Actually, there were no bad small plates, each one flavorful and well presented. The mimosas were also great (the brunch is $34, and you can add the mimosas for $8) and they have various flavors, including basil apple, grapefruit ginger, cucumber lemon, passion fruit, pomegranate, peach, and orange. I tried most of them, but the cucumber was the most refreshing, with the grapefruit and the pomegranate coming in close seconds. Our service was amazing...we were sat immediatly (thanks to a reservation) at a table along the edge of the patio, so we could see out and enjoy he sun, Our server was also amazing, letting us absorb the menu and never rushing us (even though we stayed for almost 3 hours). He was very attentive, as were the other members of the team including the manager who came by to check on us and the guys bringing us our food and drinks...they were at our table quite a bit:). This was a relaxing and amazing experience, I highly recommend it. If you are not in to all you can eat things, the food that the people seated around us ordered looked great, with large portions and attractive plating.
(5)Sheila W.
Brandon was a perfect server, he was quick and attentive. The food is wonderful! Cheese dip portion was huge and black bean dip was same size. Plenty of food - large portions. Great drinks. There is a TWO TOP TABLE THAT HAS A OUTLET TO CHARGE YOUR PHONE. It's right around the corner on the wall. I love to be able to charge my phone while dining! Superb service!!
(5)Tannaz H.
Horrible service! It's our first time in the city and we cannot believe how rude the manager and hostess were. I would not recommend wasting your time or money here.
(1)VJ V.
This is a "relatively" affordable gem of a Mexican restaurant in Mandalay Bay close to the shark reef and convention center. We loved that the chips were warm and served with 3 different salsas. The generous portion of guacamole was as addictive as crack, and freshly made. Two entrees were sampled. First the ceviche sampler is an option if you want to try all the ceviches on the menu. These had the right mix of acidity, fat from avocados and aoli. These dishes were well executed. Second, chicken enchilada with poblano sauce. It was the creamy poblano sauce with the right amount of heat that brought this dish to the next level. Verdict: affordable, creative and satisfying.
(4)Scott H.
We had dinner at Border Grill on a Saturday night. The place was about 2/3 full, but the patio, where we ate, was completely full. It was a nice cool evening, and they had the heaters on. We were directly underneath them, and I actually found myself a little warm. Not uncomfortably so, but I definitely was noticing the heat. That wasn't an issue however; I clearly enjoyed the meal. To start, you are brought 3 different salsas and chips. Of these, the green was my favorite, although I liked both red salsas as well. Our table of 5 decided to get the queso fundido to start, and 2 of them got guacamole. The guacamole was good, certainly fresh. It could have used some heat for my taste. The queso was FANTASTIC. Made with chorizo, it got crispy on the bottom where the cheese melted against the hot metal bowl. I seriously considered ordering another serving of this, it was that good. Crispy, melty, a little salty from the sausage. Just a fantastic cheese dish. The meal only got better from there. The wife had the short rib enchiladas, which were great. Loved the sauce, and they were covered with a ton of veggies. But, the showstopper was my meal: the gaucho steak. This is a large ribeye (cooked to a textbook medium rare, by the way) on top of a HUGE bed of maybe the best chilaquiles I've ever eaten and served with a roasted onion half and roasted garlic. If ever a dish was composed well, this is that dish. All of this stuff went together fantastically well, you could get a perfect bite with all 4 components. The chilaquiles were soaked in sauce and served with what appeared to be 2 different types of cheese. The garlic and onion were roasted long enough to become sweet, flavorful and soft, but not so long that they were burnt in anyway. I've been to many of the best steakhouses in Vegas. While the gaucho steak isn't going to make me forget the reserve ribeye at Carnevino, it certainly is one of the more memorable steaks I've had on the strip. Can't recommend this enough if you are a beef person. For dessert, the table had the tres leches cake and the chocolate cake (can't remember the exact menu title). Both were good, but I found the chocolate cake to be far superior. Service was good, they leave a carafe of water on your table, which was nice. And, when that was empty, they brought a replacement very quickly. We'll definitely return, and I 100% will order the gaucho steak next time.
(5)Monica D.
Border Grill is not a bad restaurant by any stretch. Our dining experience started off great! We ordered the black cherry mojito and they brought out an order of chips and salsas. The chips were delicious! Hot, lightly salted, great flavor. All 3 of the salsas were tasty as well. Our bartender was very friendly and personable, and also gave us a card for 15% off any meal because we are locals. After we were seated, the dining experience went downhill a bit. Our server was not nearly as friendly as the bartender and seemed a tad bit put off by us. I ordered the halibut special, which I was not a big fan of. The fish was pretty dry, and the risotto patty underneath it (I'm not sure what it was called), was alternately creamy and crunchy. The rest of my party enjoyed their meals, however. I sampled the chicken quesadilla, which was very good. Entrees ranged between $20-$35, which was a little high, but understandable for a Strip restaurant with a celeb chef name.
(3)Vanessa V.
Brunch at Border Grill has left me with mixed feelings. The brunch menu is a bargain. It's $34.99 unlimited small plates and for $10 more you can enjoy bottomless mimosas. Each item on the menu sounded absolutely mouthwatering that you wanted just say "screw it!" and order everything. But then you learn which plates are good and which, well, suck. Salmon Slider: Smoked salmon isn't my favorite, but when combined with other ingredients like goat cheese and jalapeño bacon, it's delicious. This would've been perfect, but sadly the bun was dry. Chicken and Waffle: Meh. The blue corn waffle was dry, and there was a lack of sweetness that I was expecting -- it is chicken and waffles after all. At least the chicken was crunchy, and I really digged the hotness of the mango habanero coulis. Egg White Oysters Rockefeller: I should've ordered 20 of these because this was the best thing I ate. I loved the creamed spinach and the tempura battered oyster. Breakfast Fries: Rich. The fries were soggy-crispy. Blame it on the wetness of the short braised rib and chipotle hollandaise sauce. Steak and Egg: I ordered the steak at medium-well, which was perfect. Except, the steak was very salty when I first bit into it. Service - The waitstaff was attentive, but it took forever to bring out our food. Yeah, I get it, each item made-to-order, but what's annoying is when not everyone's food is brought out all at once. It's awkward having to play that game where you want to eat your food, but you also want to wait for the other person to receive theirs. There were just too many moments when our waitress had to check on our orders for us. Overall - I'm giving Border Grill a 3.5. Brunch is hit or miss, unfortunately. If I ever return, I'll probably skip the brunch option and order off their regular lunch or dinner menus.
(3)Cristina M.
The unlimited small plates, unique and amazing, $34.99. Add bottomless mimosas, $10. Can't go wrong. Great for group brunch! Clint was our server. Amazing! Defiantly will be back, and will sit in his section! :)
(5)Jason S.
Poblano. Chicken. Enchiladas. Incredible! Sauce was amazing. Roasted chiles mixed with heavy cream. Get me a straw! Guacamole was very good. Our server seemed to have a bit of amnesia going on. Water stayed empty after the initial fill, salsa as well. This place is one the high side of average price, but it is convenient to the convention center and seating/serving was fairly quick.
(4)Stephanie T.
Delicious! I got the carne asada salad and it was really perfect. Big, beautiful salad. The steak was cooked to perfection and flavorful. The veggies and greens were yummy. There was crispy pita at the bottom that was a bonus. I also got a watermelon jalapeño margarita and it was unique and tasty. Server was also bartending, so he made it not spicy for me. Very friendly staff, delicious food. Sit outside and watch the lazy river. :)
(5)Reena P.
Came here last Saturday night. We didn't have a reservation, but were seated right away. We opted to sit outside on their patio and had a beautiful view of the pool area and were able hear the muffled One Direction concert going on pool side =) SERVICE: (10/10) Our server was very attentive and went through the menu and pointed out all of the vegetarian options. FOOD: (delicious 10/10) SPICY BLACK BEAN DIP (Spicy organic black bean dip w/guacamole) SEASONAL VEG ENCHILADA (chef's selection of seasonal vegetables, manchego, panela, cotija cheeses, handmade corn tortillas) BORDER CLASSICS (quinoa fritters, green corn tamales, plantain empanadas) I"LL DEFINATELY EAT HERE AGAIN WHEN I'M BACK IN VEGAS.
(5)Compass-Rose X.
Our reservation for valentine's day dinner at Border Grill wasn't perfect, but nothing that would take away from the 5 star rating. We ordered the guacamole and tuna ceviche appetizers, both fresh and beautifully presented. Asked ahead of time for the guacamole to be SPICY (more jalapeños than normal) and it came out bland. Salsas for the table were good, especially the tomatillo salsa. I ordered the chicken chile verde enchiladas and my honey had the Yucatan pork. Both of us thought our dishes were wonderful, generous portions and almost too gorgeous to eat. Love a restaurant that ensures the freshest and organic ingredients. Handmade tortillas really made the enchilada dish. We were wow'ed. For dessert we had the Mexican chocolate pie, which was just like regular chocolate pie, couldn't taste the Mexican chocolate, but it was good. The only issue I had here was that I was sitting directly under a water leak (air conditioning, maybe?) and got dripped on here & there throughout the meal. Didn't want to ruin my dress! Told the waitress about it, she was non-chalant about it. Weird. Anyway: dinner here was a pleasure. Being local, we will be back again. We just won't sit in the leaky dining room!
(5)Jason G.
Ate at the Border Grill at Mandalay Bay recently. Look and feel: Modern Mexican. It's bright, vibrant, and loud. Very Vegas. The food: They start you with chips and salsa, of course. The tortilla chips are great. Just thick enough to be crunchy rather than crispy, and the right level of salt. Two of the three salsas were pretty good, but not even remotely spicy so we asked if they had anything with some kick. Our waiter brought their spicy salsa, but it was really disappointing - kinda bland, not spicy on my tongue, then fiery in the back of my throat - all of the bad of spicy food and none of the good. We went back to the two that we liked. Their guacamole was very good. Extremely fresh and flavorful, and they let the avocado shine. Based on our waiter's suggestion, I ordered their Yucatan pork. It was pretty good, but not any better than I've had in family taqueria's in the bay area. Solid refried beans, completely unremarkable spanish rice, moist pork. The corn tortillas were dry around the edges so I stopped after eating one of them. Probably the best thing on the plate was the plantains. The service was very good from start to finish. My overall impression is that this was a reasonable place that I wouldn't avoid, but neither did it leave me with anything that screamed "I have to return."
(3)Carolyn G.
Had the pleasure of enjoying a late lunch here with my husband while on a business trip. It was hands-down one of the best meals I've had anywhere, Mexican or otherwise. The atmosphere was pleasant and relaxing, the staff was friendly, attentive and helpful, and the food was just plain amazing. We started with the traditional chips and salsa, which at Border Grill, is actually a sampler of three varieties of salsa. All were fresh and delicious, but my favorite was to green tomatillo salsa. It was bright and tangy with a great spicy kick. I order the brisket taquitos and my husband had the Yucutan pork. My taquitos were perfect-crispy without being greasy, full of delicious, flavorful beef and topped with just the right quantity of shredded lettuce, salsa, guacamole and sour cream. The presentation was colorful and beautiful arranged with black beans flanked by petite portions of fabulous arroz verde and red spanish rice. My husband's choice of the Yucatan pork, which he chose based on the server's recommendation, was also beautiful and delicious (of course I tried a bite!). The pork was tender, moist with a fascinating, complicated flavor that included orange and cinnamon. Served with plantains, rice and fresh corn tortillas, it was a meal to be remembered. If I ever find myself in Las Vegas again I will definitely plan to visit Border Grill again!
(5)Gazelle P.
This place was great. From the margaritas to the food. They were not chensy on the alcohol which I appreciate. Guacamole was very fresh and tasty. My husband ordered the Ribeye and said was one of the best ever! I had the halibut which came in a soup like broth. Excellent flavor, unique, cooked perfectly and I liked the veggies that accompanied the dish..
(5)a f.
I'm dissapointed by this place for several reasons. First I was looking for a lunch place after just arriving at my hotel and the hostesses totally ignored me and continued to talk with each other, even after I went inside to look at the bar and then came back up to them. Needless to say I left. I went there again later that day but not by choice. It was my cousin's wedding reception and they had reserved it there, including open bar. We were about 20 minutes early and they wouldn't let us in even 5 minutes before 8, even though we had already paid for everything and were just looking for a place to sit down. So they made us wait until the very last minute. Lastly, while the appetizers and drinks were ok, the main course unfortunately not. Several guests didn't even eat theirs and I only ate mine because I was so hungry. It was paella and it was way too greasy without any flavor. So combination of bad service and food did them no favors.
(1)Paul R.
Staff was great. Atmosphere is awesome as well. I ordered the small plate sampler and was overwhelmed. A lot of food even if you haven't eaten all day. Overall, all the selections were very tasty and flavorful. Pineapple upside cake was a bit dry. Had a great food experience.
(4)Harry E.
This place is off the beaten path and worth finding. It's hidden on the way to the convention center. Probably the only restaurant that has both indoor and outdoor seating. If you're doing the quick lunch at convention time, this place is a go to. Their tuna crudo is an omg. Bruce the manager has game on. Good selection of beer. Margarita menu is exceptional.
(5)Ashley B.
For my girls-only brunch in celebration of my 30th birthday I chose Border Grill. I think for it being AYCE and having unlimited mimosas for a few extra bucks it is not a bad option. However, it is still just sitting at "okay" for me based off of a second experience. Since I had come here last (2012) they have upped all their prices. What used to be $5 for bottomless mimosas is now $10 (BIG price jump). And what used to be $29.99 AYCE is now $34.99 AYCE. Again, another big price jump. As for the food and what I had.... Chorizo & Egg Taco - Still good, and still one of the better plates on the menu. Chilaquiles - OK. I've had better elsewhere. Bananas Foster Crepe - Not good. Came out luke-warm, and not tasty. Salmon Slider - Very good. Salmon smoked nicely, and with the jalapeno bacon and goat cheese, with some spicy sauce, it was delicious. Only down side? The bun was dry. Eggs Benedict with pork on a biscuit (can't remember the name) - Was actually good, with an over-easy egg to break into the biscuit, mixed with the slow-cooked pork inside was a good combo, but the biscuit was over-powering the meat. Smaller biscuit, or more meat please (more meat would be better). I did not indulge in mimosas, however my friend did and they have quite the array of flavors. Although she seemed to enjoy the Peach flavor the most. I did have endless cups of coffee, which is served with sugar and cream. Service was attentive and congenial, but food was slow to arrive, and some plates went missing, only to appear because our server had to go hunt and find them. Overall I think I may have had my fill of Border Grill Brunch and I will have to branch out and find a brunch in Las Vegas that fulfills my needs better.
(3)Ruby D.
I had lunch today. Chicken enchiladas were the bomb!! I sat at the bar and had a Bloody Mary. The bartender was very friendly. I will definitely go back to this place!
(5)Donald L.
The Border Grill is inside the Mandalay Bay casino complex and sports a great outside patio with the view of the lazy river. It is owned by high wattage chefs Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger the two (except too) hot tamales. So a Mexican restaurant with real chefs. A must try. We started with the tuna crudo and it was a little plain. Although I am merely an amateur, it seemed like it needed an acid of some sort. Then I moved on to the short rib enchiladas and chips and salsa. First, the chips were homemade, crispy and went down a little too smooth. The enchiladas were really good but I wish that I had settled for the chicken option. Short rib meat seems like a waste in the enchilada and while good it seemed out of place. Also, I had a cucumber mojito that was like drinking a cucumber. Absolutely delightful. We liked this place but we are suckers for Mexican food. If you find yourself around the strip and you like Mexican food then you should go here. It is top shelf Mexican but not weird gourmet Mexican. I'll be back.
(4)Jimmy B.
When we came here the place had just opened and was bare. However, Rachael was super friendly and very welcoming. She is the benchmark of what other server should be. The other wait staff were super attentive as well. Rachel recommended that I try the apple cider lemonade for a drink and it did not disappoint. It was like drinking an apple pie. That's just fabulous. The chips and salsa were very good and Rachael offered us the habanero salsa if we wanted a really spicy salsa, which I did asked for. It wasn't that spicy, but it was good none-the-less. As an appetizer, my girlfriend and I got cerviche. It was just light and satisfying. I had ordered the torta which was essentially a burger and it was tasty. My girlfriend order 3 tacos with different meat and each of them was packed with flavor. I would definitely come back here for Mexican food if I was in Vegas.
(5)Ernest Y.
Yup I'm a fan of this place. We made a reservation for a sunday brunch. It didn't seem that busy when we arrived but I still recommend to get a reservation so you get a spot for sure. I would rather come here than any other buffets in Vegas because you don't have to wait at all and it was quite good. So we decided to try the all you can eat tapas menu which consist of 15(around) items which can vary from appetizers to entrees to desserts. Our awesome waiter was super helpful in telling us what was good and recommend we could do. Since we had a party of 8, he made it easier for us by simply putting it in a family style plate where 4 of us share and the other 4 share. The food really depends on you but I really recommend the Steak and eggs, breakfast fries, and the corn tamales. Reason why I love the steak and eggs was because it was super flavorful and the steak was actually good quality(and it's all you can eat so go wild man). The breakfast fries were awesome in which it consist of every man's dream...bacon,short rib, fries, cheese, egg....like imagine that into bites of yummyness. However these two items I mention are super deadly, so my personal favorite that is super light was the corn tamales. I personally think it's adorable how they wrapped the tamales. THey provide you with sour cream and salsa. It's not a lot in the tamales but it's really good and light. Then there was our awesome waiter, Mike, that was super attentive and friendly towards us. He made small talk, he helped us a lot with the menu, and I simply befriended him(I wasn't even drunk). So the extra star is for our waiter who made me enjoy my time at Border Grill A LOT more. There it is people...I recommend giving it a try especially if you're not down to wait 2 hours for a damn buffet.
(4)Stacey V.
Sweet corn tamales for a starter was amazing for my main course I had the Carnitas tacos which were also delish only negative was the dirty looking bottles they serve there water out of plus when it was poured into the glass it was foggy and funny tasting should at least have filtered water
(3)David T.
Wow.....my wife ordered the wagu tacos which were perfect. She loved them. I ordered the chicken mole. By far the best Mexican dish i have had at a restaurant. I also had the raspberry Chipotle margarita. So freakin good.
(5)Laura S.
We went here for a later lunch before our show in Mandalay Bay. Everyone from the hostesses, to our waitress, Tiffany, and the other wait staff (chips and salsa guys, etc.) were very nice and attentive. The free chips & salsas here are really good and addictive, it was hard to stop munching on them. Until we got our meals, that is, which were also quite good. For vegetarians, they have a tasty avocado taco dish that I really enjoyed- it was unique and fulfilling. Our server, Tiffany, was really excellent and made our meal that much better. She was fast at refilling our chips&salsa and sodas. At the end, when I mentioned we had to get going for a show, she said she'd bring us our last refills to go- how nice!
(5)Avner M.
This review saddens us. We used to LOVE this place for having one of the best ribeye's in town. We came here last night because we wanted a great dinner, what we got was anything but that. The ribeye's which they charge $38 for was not even worth $10. The last time we were here a medium rare ribeye was very juicy and tender, last night it was dry, hard and a very bad cut of meat. My wife's was so bad she sent it back. The manager came over and apologized saying she did not know if maybe it was the vendor did not have exactly what they ordered this time or what happened. She did apologize and took the ribeye off our bill and told my wife she would also comp dessert or another drink for here. She said she did not want the dessert but would have another drink. Guess what $12 charge for the drink, no comp??? A big deal, NO not really, just another sign of a great place going down hill. I am not sure what happened to the quality of the meat they use, but the ribeye I had was nothing like the last time. Also, when someone tells you they will do something, they should make sure it happens. Our server was new only been there a few months, but the entire feel of attention to detail and service was so different then the last visit we had. It is sad to say this place will now be off our list of good places to visit. I still encourage you to give this place a shot, just know in advance everything is very spicy even though the waiter will tell you "NO, its not spicy at all". This is not a bad thing just something to be aware of as not everyone likes spicy foods.
(3)Monica J.
Yummy food! Service was a little lagging but it was nice sitting in their patio area with our big group. I will say that they do not have many options that they can make vegetarian, in terms of altering their menu; however, I liked the portobello mushroom dish I ordered, even though I am not a huge portobello mushroom fan. Drinks were really yummy, so that was a plus. We all had food coma afterward, which was not good for trying to go out after, but a great meal is always good. Service was okay but our water glasses were not filled very much and once the food was ordered, they didn't come by much to check on us. Overall, check it out if you eat meat/fish. For vegetarians, there are not too many options to check out the menu first before going.
(3)Jessica W.
Came here for brunch on my anniversary. No question about it, I would give 6 stars if it was an option. Brunch is unlimited tapas style plates for 34.99 and unlimited mimosas for $10 more. We loved every dish that we ordered, including a "secret menu" barbacoa slider which was definitely the highlight of the meal. We tried every flavor of Mimosa that they offer, the blood orange is the best! Our server Rachel S. was awesome, we never waited long for anything and she gave us some great locals spots to visit in the future. Would definitely recommend to anyone who wants to have a good brunch on the strip!
(5)Jessica O.
Solid brunch. But doesn't quite measure up to the other culinary delights that Vegas has to offer. Pros: Delicious empanadas Awesome fruit salad with chili powder - refreshing, spicy, fun Bottomless mimosas for $10 in 8 different flavors? DELICIOUS - the lemon cucumber was my favorite. Chicken and Blue corn waffles were pretty great. Cons: The rest of the food was pretty average. It tasted good, but nothing really stood out. The eggs benedict came in a huge, dense biscuit that wasn't really conducive to trying lots of small plates. The red velvet pancakes were a little dry. Don't know if I would go out of my way to go again, but wouldn't put up a fuss if someone else wanted to go.
(3)Juju K.
We wanted simple, but we couldn't resist the "ultimate grill experience." For$42/pp you can literally try pretty much everything on the menu and order more of things you liked. Not everything was a winner but it was fun to try everything and wonder what would come out next. Dishes are tapas size, but you do get full pretty quick. It was very hard not to fill ourselves with their freshly made chips and salsa. The chips were warm and with just the right amount of salt. They were totally addictive. I wish I could remember the amazing server we had. She was so friendly. She chose the best dishes from the menu for us to try, and we weren't disappointed. I asked for duck chilaquelles (sp) at the end because that was the dish I wanted to order full size at first. I'm glad I didn't because I wasn't too crazy about that dish, but it could have been because I was so stuffed from eating 6-7 dishes at that point. I think it was a nice break from Vegas high-end buffets. You pay about the same but get the full service experience and prettier presentation. We didn't have room for dessert at the end, unfortunately. If you have a big appetite, do give Border Grill a try.
(4)Gabrielle S.
I have to start off by saying that my husband and I are food snobs from New York with very critical taste. With that, we both agreed that Border Grill was probably the best meal we've ever had!! It was our first meal in Vegas, and we were hungry and thirsty. Our waitress, Carmie, suggested the brunch tasting menu and some fabulous drinks. So happy we listened to her. Everything we tasted was phenomenal and our drinks were on point. The steak and eggs, tres leches french toast, serrano ham waffle, churro tots...MmmMmmM.... to die!!!!!!!!!! Carmie was an excellent waitress!!! She was personable and professional. We can't wait to return.
(5)Cathy C.
My family and I went here for dinner after watching a show. We were pretty excited to eat here since we're fans of Top Chef. We started off with their excellent guacamole. It was creamy and fresh. For our entrees, we got beef brisket taquitos, steak tacos and sauteed shrimp which were great. The meat was tender, juicy and full of flavor. Too bad I got the grilled fish tacos. The tacos were nicely plated with red, white and green rice. However, I had fish bones on my tacos and had to send them back 3 times! By the third time, I still had fish bones and I just gave up on my entree. A girl could only take so much bone swallowing in one night. They comped my tacos and our desserts which we appreciated: Flourless Chocolate Cake, Tres Leches Cake and another dessert. They were ok. It was a disappointing meal. I felt bad for our server who had to keep sending my plate back to the kitchen. I'm not a diner who's a PITA and I don't make complaining a habit either but seriously, whoever was in charge of de-boning and filleting fish that night shouldn't be let back in the kitchen. Border Grill fish tacos? NEVER again!
(3)Amanda N.
I was surprised at how much I enjoyed Border Grill because I wasn't a fan after trying their restaurant in Los Angeles. I thought the outside patio would be a nice comfortable setting for a casual business meeting. While I was waiting for the others to arrive I ordered a lemonade and was brought tortilla chips with three different salsas. The tortilla chips were crisp and tasted like they had just been fried even though there was no visible sign of grease. I also enjoyed the freshly squeezed strawberry lemonade which had a balanced flavor. I ordered the house guacamole, tortilla soup, and a chicken Caesar salad. Both the house guacamole and the chicken Caesar salad were executed well. The guacamole was seasoned well and the avocado had a lot of natural flavor. The chicken in the salad was grilled to perfection and the Caesar dressing was just right on the anchovy. I wasn't as thrilled with the tortilla soup. The tomato broth was a little thick, it had big chunks of unmelted cheese, and it didn't come out hot. Our waitress, helped us out with a discount for locals and told us about the Sunday Brunch where you get unlimited plates. I like the concept of all you can eat plates because the quality of the food is normally better, you don't have to hassle with other people, and it's more sanitary. I will be back eventually to try brunch.
(4)Rick H.
Topas brunch. Great selection of food. Topas as it was explained to me and as i experienced is a selection of small dishes served fresh and cooked to order. There were 21 different items on the menu and me and my friend were only able to sample nine of them before this brunch filled us up. Again all the dishes were all the dishes were made to order, we at first ordered a few to start and while we were eating the attentive serving staff asked us what we would like next and the that order was placed and came out fresh. This is amazing. The serving staff was great and attentive without being bothersome. Next time I am in Vegas. I will be at the Border Grill.
(5)Jen H.
3.5 solid stars After a long day in Vegas, we were ready to pig out for dinner! Ordered 1) Guacamole and chips (the chips came out warm and fresh) were delish! 4/5 2) Skirt steak: 3/5 my expectations were higher..not the greatest plate on the table; the spice/seasoning on the steak was not my cup of tea 3) Yucatan Pork: 4/5 this plate was delish! I would order this plate next time. Overall, solid food.
(4)Fiona H.
DELICIOUS! This was my first time at this restaurant and the hype from my friends was certainly legitimate. I've never been to any of the ones in Los Angeles, but supposedly (according to my fellow Yelper, Cori G.) the Vegas one is far superior. We came here for lunch after driving all day and I had peeked at the menu ahead of time so I was already prepared to order the Baja ceviche. The waiter then informed me that if I wanted, I could order all three or mix two different ones together which was intriguing. I opted for just the one but I think next time I will have to try all three because I was totally blown away by the Baja one. It was bright and acidic with lots of onion and delicious tender chunks of fish and shrimp. My mouth is watering right now just thinking about those tart, tangy flavors with just a little bit of spice from the jalapeno. Yum! We had also ordered the guacamole and a couple plates of the crispy rajas tacos and both were equally delicious. The guacamole could have been a lot bigger in my opinion but it did the trick, and the tacos were a very unique appetizer. They were simple, crispy potato tacos accentuated by the salty cotija cheese and the sweet roasted corn. All the flavors came together very nicely in this dish, but it's a shame that you only get two for $10! Of course, the prices here are pretty high but I was expecting that for a restaurant inside the Mandalay Bay. Overall, I would definitely recommend this place to anyone in the area that doesn't mind splurging a little on a meal. I am also really interested in trying the Los Angeles chains, and hopefully they are equally as good.
(4)Shatara W.
I've been here twice and enjoyed the food both times. Yesterday I had some stuff off the brunch menu. The churo tots, spicy chicken tamale, and the biscuit with chorizo gravy were pretty good. The plantain empanadas are amazing! Definite must. My 4 year old daughter has gone with me on both visits so it is a restaurant you can take your little ones to. For mother's day they gave moms a red stem rose which I thought was nice.
(4)Rebecca G.
The Border Grill is a Santa Monica favorite of mine, so I was happy to get to have a tried and true dish while we were in Vegas last time. His plate: Kobe beef tacos, grilled pineapple salsa, guacamole, handmade flour tortilla, black beans Her plate: Grilled Skirt Steak (ordered rare), charred corn relish, black beans, handmade flour tortilla The salsa selection provided is always great - usually a bright verde, a smoky chipotle, and a fresh, light pico de gallo. I had previously marveled at the freshness and flavor in each, and ordered all of Mary Sue Miliken and Susan Fenniger's books so I could make these at home. I'm happy to report that their salsa recipes are easy to make and very close in flavor to the restaurant's. (Look for some recipes on the blog soon!) The steak here is some of the best I've ever had - and from the two times I've had it before in Santa Monica, I can also report how impressively consistent it is. Great marinade on tender, high quality steak is always a winning combination. D liked his tacos, though isn't as in love with this restaurant as I am. An important note, for the Vegas patrons who live on points and rewards - they may be located within Mandalay Bay, but this restaurant is actually independent - you do not earn nor can you use reward points here. Not that it should discourage you from going at all, just good to know!
(4)Selena H.
We were very pleasantly surprised by our dinner. If we had looked at the menu online we probably wouldn't have come in. Sitting down looking at the menu we were a little skeptical that it didn't seem like traditional Mexican food. Don't let that stop you from coming in. I had the brisket taquitos and they were so good. My friends had quesadillas and they were made with fresh tasty tortillas. They didn't stop raving about how good the tortilla were. The guac at our table was really good as well. The chips are fresh and crunchy. I ordered a pineapple vanilla margarita and it was delicious. The patio is great because it's covered so we weren't hot out there. Our server was very knowledgeable and so friendly. Fast service and always had fresh drinks ready to go.
(5)Chris D.
I wish there was negative stars. Reservations or not and you will wait for 30 mins plus. Then you sit down and You wait forever for drinks and food making you late to whatever evening you plan on having. I'm writing this review while waiting on dinner and having a show to go to in 2 mins. Stay the F away from this place.
(1)Lil Feisty P.
This is the second time I've been here and this time I was a bit disappointed. The scallops and shrimp I ordered was lackluster. The scallops were fresh and perfectly seared. However the shrimp was small and overcooked. The seafood was wading in a pool of some kind of bland butter wine sauce. I thought I ordered an entree but I was served something more along the line of soup. The greens of some sort that were also in the dish were too bitter for my taste. There was some rice I dig out of the bottom of the dish, but nearly enough. The service was extremely slow after the meal. The server, while attentive in the beginning, was no where to be found after we said we didn't want the dessert menu. Mind you she only had one other table in our section and out still took more than 20 minutes to get the check signed and get out of there after declining the dessert menu.
(2)F N.
Food and Service were mediocre. We walked in at 3:00pm and were seated all the way in the back. The server must not have been informed that we were seated in the back because she did not show up until 10 minutes AFTER we were seated. The food was close to grossness with no flavor. Even the kids did not like their meal.
(2)Isabel S.
Even with the $50 dining credit offered, I would have paid full price for this meal. It was so flavorful and something quite like nothing I have ever had ! I thought for sure the enchiladas wouldn't fill me up w/out rice or beans but I was wrong. 1 enchilada in and I was ready to burst. It may have been the hot chips and awesome salsa but either way those enchiladas were amazing ! Handmade thick corn tortillas stuffed with shredded, smoked chicken breast then covered in green salsa and cheese and this to DIE FOR corn, mushroom, raja mix. I will definitley be back and definitley try another dish. Job well done Susan!
(5)Tera E.
I had never heard of Border Grill, but when family that we were in Vegas with suggested heading there for their tapas style all you can eat brunch on a Saturday morning I was in. When they say all you can eat.. they mean it! We were there for about 3 and a half hours enjoying their delicious offerings plus $8 bottomless mimosas. We sat outside near the pool since the weather was perfect and really enjoyed our brunch. Because there were more than 5 of us they suggested ordering family style so the food would come out a little more quickly so we did and it worked out quite well. After being seated were were automatically brought out some tasty guava empanadas and fresh fruit to much on while we decided on our mimosa flavors (did I mention there were 7 flavors to choose from??) and our first few menu items. We ended up trying 11 of their 22 dishes and some of the favorites were the Shrimp and Grits, Breakfast Fries and Bread Pudding French toast. Almost every dish was in some way super decedent and rich and it worked out perfectly to just have a few bites and move on to the next dish. Our waitress, Rachel, was amazing. She was super helpful with suggestions and answered any questions that we had. She also amazingly kept up with our mimosa and food requests as well as refreshing our plates, silver wear and water glasses when needed. She also never got tired of us asking her to repeat the mimosa flavors (maybe listing them on the menu would be a good idea). Great experience and I would definitely choose this over a buffet any day!
(4)David W.
We came as a party of four without a reservation. We had about a twenty minute wait, no big deal so we sat at the bar. I Decided on a mojito that was great. Cheers to the bartender. We were sat at our table in the outdoor dining area. There was live music playing below our seating area that was great. This was the end of our positive experiences here. The service was lackluster, not terrible, just nothing special. Any drinks ordered seemed to take some time before coming to the table. Everyone ordered a different meal from the menu. The food was nothing to write home about. Our appetizers came out timely, some melted cheese & chips. Then came entrée. It was $30 for three small tacos that were not very impressive. Finally, the desert. A very bland banana cream pie. I'd give this place another shot. There were some other choices on the menu I'd like to try some time.
(2)Jeremy H.
Definitely the culinary highlight of our weekend in Vegas. You can get a three course menu that lets you get a great sampling of what they have to offer. The foods were both familiar and unique--a sweet corn tamale, chilaquiles with duck confit, plantain empanadas--just enough of a twist to make it stand out without trying too hard. Everything ran to the spicy side, which was more than fine with me, but be warned if you don't like a little heat. I balanced it with a cranberry margarita. For dessert, the pastel Rufalina was an excellent choice, but probably large and rich enough for two or three people. While the food was great, what really stood out was the customer service. We received excellent service from start to finish--especially from our server, Jeff. He knew the menu backward and forward, and made great suggestions without being pushy. We also got terrific service from the bartender and the hostess. After a ruined anniversary the night before at Craftsteak, this experience more than made up for it. I'll be making this a must stop whenever I'm in Vegas.
(5)Catherine S.
I love the Border Grill. Every time I visit LV, I go for the brunch. I give it 5 stars for the overall experience and because when I like something there, I usually REALLY like it. As an overall rating for others though, I would probably give it 4 stars . At $34.99 plus $10 for unlimited mimosas, I think the brunch is expensive but for my dollars, it delivers good value. I expect to spend 2 to 3 hours being served small plates and trying new and old flavors of mimosas. The food and mimosa menu is constantly changing, so if I get something I really like, I pretty much keep ordering that until I'm full. A couple of years ago, I had a grapefruit mimosa there that was so good, I stopped eating so I could drink more of them! Champagne with grapefruit, honey and a little gin. So very good. So good that I experimented until I got the recipe down for myself. I don't eat beef, chicken or pork, so my options are a bit limited but like I said, when they hit their mark with something, it is fantastic, like the SEASONAL FRESH FRUIT SALAD - housemade granola * lime zest * cayenne yogurt * buñelo cone . Not only the flavors but the different textures of this dish are perfect. The beauty of the small plates is that if you don't like something, you can just stop eating it and get something else. Even though the menu changes and they may not serve something I really liked previously, it's fun to try new dishes and take the time to savor and rate them.
(5)Christine P.
We came on a Saturday at 10 for their all you can eat tappas brunch. Now all I can think about is going back! We had a reservation and were seated a few minutes after they opened. Our server was one of the best servers I have ever had somewhere. While we were looking at the brunch menu, she suggested she could just get us started by ordering a few items while we decided specific items we wanted. A few minutes later our came the items she selected and ever dish was better than the last. When we ordered more, she got thm out timely and even brought some on her own. When we said we were full, she told us to sit a few minutes so we could make room for more! We never felt rushed or like we ordered to much which is the case so many times when it is all you can eat. All the food was amazing. The most memorable was the has with fried egg. The meat was so flavorful I could have eaten this alone and given the restaurant 5 stars. I also loved the shrimp and grits, french toast, and pork belly with waffle. They kept our drinks full and took away plates that were empty quickly. This will be a regular stop on every Vegas trip from now on. I can't wait to try "regular' menu items because if you can get that many dishes right, then the other stuff has to be good!
(5)Monika S.
There are so many great restaurants in LV now - you have my permission to AVOID this one. Worst food I should have just downed the salt shaker I would have saved time waiting for what was a salt laden and uneatable meal. The drinks and doused in sugar and I don't even like the chips I caught a few stale ones and those leave a horrible taste in your mouth.
(1)Chrissy S.
Fabulous food! Loved the pitcher of margaritas, fresh ingredients, organic black beans to die for! Friendly staff. Wonderful chocolate cake for a birthday dessert. Our group varied from lamen food eaters to foodies and we all enjoyed our meal.
(5)Sijara E.
How could I forget to write a review about this place!? Me and my teammate stopped in for "tapas style brunch" after a tournament. For a few extra bucks, brunch came with bottomless mimosas. Now, I ate here earlier this summer, so I don't remember EXACTLY what we had, but all I can remember was how awesome everything tasted and next time I'm at Mandalay Bay on a weekend, we WILL return for brunch. Food: 5 stars man, it really was delicious. Keep in mind, this review is for brunch, so I don't know what the rest of their menu is like. Brunch was tapas style, so servings were small, which allowed us to try so many different dishes. And each dish had like a lil twist. There were shrimp and grits, steak and eggs, eggs benedict. I know, sounds like standard brunch fair right? But it was so good y'all, trust me. There were like 10 flavors of bottomless mimosa, and I think I got to like 6 before I was like ok it's too early for me to get drunk off champagne. But all were good except the cucumber one, that one was weird. Rest were quite tasty. Service: two thumbs up. Dangit I can't remember our servers name, but she was knowledgeable of the menu, friendly, attentive, she gave good suggestions, and was all around great lady. We left her a bomb ass tip. Atmosphere: We ate on the outdoor patio, overlooking the hotel pool. The sun was shining in, the air was fresh. Loved it. Maybe it was Vegas, maybe it was the drinks, but either way I was quite wooed by the whole experience.
(5)Kayla K.
Great service. Alfonso was so sweet and attentive. He also did not judge my friend and I for ordering 3 helpings of Shrimp and Grits. I would absolutely recommend this place to a friend. The bottomless mimosa deal is a great perk as well.
(4)Kay R.
I have to say... this place is good. I would definitely come back here... if we were staying at Mandalay but not if we were staying anywhere else. I am a fan but it is not so good that I would go out of my way to come over here. With that said - the guacamole is to dieeeee.... so yummy. Perfect for when you're starving and you still can't decide what to order and you've been at the pool/beach all day and cannot stomach another margarita. Order it as soon as you sit down, as they are handing you the menu. You will not regret it. My boyfriend and I got the unlimited $45 thing they were doin' - here is my breakdown. Tacos - just okay but I live in L.A. and we got some good tacos over there Ceveche - good, kept getting a few of each Whatever that salad was with the bacon wrapped date - salad was good but the date was amazeballs! Please give more than one! Scallop and shrimp soup - I thought it was good but my bf really complained about it. Said the scallop was overcooked. If you're staying at Mandalay and are flipping through your guest room book, trying to figure out what to eat and not manage to spend $100/person and maybe eat something a little better for you than another damn cheeseburger. Head over to Border Grill!
(4)Dominic A.
Horrible food- Great Service The waitress was so nice I almost did not write this review. I had the most bland tasteless pork their "signature dish" which was over cooked, reheated, not fresh, and bland. The empanadas were the WORST I have ever had, soft and chewy, instead of crispy and flaky. The drinks were equally bad, over-priced cocktails that tasted like everything was made fresh from a mixer bottle. Nothing about this place was good, except for the friendly waitress and the good guacamole
(1)Audrey C.
My bf loves mexican food and we came here before the One show. It was a Saturday night around 7 and we got a table right away. Once we were seated, the water came to our table as did the chips. Idk what it is about their tortilla chips, but they are delicious! We ordered the spicy black bean dip..they were good but def not spicy at all! For entrees, we got the carne asada quesadillas and the wagyu beef tacos. Both dishes were scrumptious. Prices were pretty high for mexican food, especially coming from SD =P But it was worth it! Pretty dark in the main dining area, but the light shining off the wall was bright..which made me squint. But really, the meal made it 5 stars. I don't care for the ambiance. Service was also good and tentative, in the perfect amount.
(5)Frank C.
Wedding Anniversary Dinner we didn't make reservations and there was a convention in town, but the hostess seated us almost immediately. she was friendly & sat us cordially our busser greeted us & offered us drinks & brought us chips & salsa (salsas were very yummy - they brought us three types but my wife & I had our favorites) our server came by very promptly & was very friendly to us she guided us through the menu & answered all of our questions thoroughly we ordered the Tortilla Soup & Green Corn Tamale Appetizer, she also brought us a complimentary app - a Blue Corn Crusted Plantain, which all were excellent. Extremely flavorful & perfect temps & presentations we ordered the Confit Duck Chilaquiles & Carne Asada Quesadilla The chilaquiles were perfect, layered well, with bountiful amount of ingredients & heated throughout, duck was flavorful & tender The quesadilla was full of ingredients & crispy. perfectly cooked & delicious we were full because we ate every single bite but we wanted to at least taste the dessert & take some home - our server(who was phenomenal) bought us dessert. we opted for the Pastel Rufina - puff pastry with cream cheese chocolate chunks & fresh berries - we took one bite & realized we were not leaving until we finished EVERY bite...needless to say -it was over the top & extremely delicious. Our server went above & beyond for us & treated us very sweetly & gave us awesome service Thank you Border Grill, for making our special day, even more so
(5)Jeff D.
We love this place! Great food (especially their brunch), awesome friendly staff and they take reservations on Open Table. We haven't had a single bad meal or experience here.
(4)Vicki B.
We chose Border's Grill for my daughters wedding reception in April 2015. We had a casual brunch with several different dishes, which were delish with free-flowing mimosa's. Not to mention, at a reasonable price. We made most of the arrangements from afar and the planners were absolutely awesome - helping us with menus and options. Everyone there was awesome - from the wedding planner (Destiny and crew), to the staff. They allowed us to bring in our own decorations and had many options to choose from. If you want a great place for a wedding, party or whatever event, you should consider this venue - truly a great experience and all the guests loved the food, mimosas and atmosphere
(5)Erin B.
"Death by All You Can Order Brunch" On our search for a good Sunday brunch on the Las Vegas strip, my husband and I came across Border Grill on Yelp. We have been to Border Grill in Santa Monica for happy hour, and really enjoyed the tacos we ate there, but when we saw the brunch menu here, we were sold. You see, my husband is a huge fan of anything "all you can eat", but I don't love buffets because the food is often mediocre and the thought of people digging through the same food kind of skeeves me out. Border Grill serves an "all you can eat" brunch for $34.99 per person, but you actually order small plates off a menu. The best of both worlds for us, especially when for an additional $8, you can add bottomless mimosas! We made a reservation via Open Table for 11am, and were sat at a great table on the patio overlooking the pool area at Mandalay Bay. We started off ordering 2 dishes each, and subsequently 1 dish each thereafter. We never felt rushed by our server, which was a pleasant surprise. Before our first dishes came, we were brought some delicious flaky empanadas, and the best corn tamales I've ever had (not being a fan of tamales, this was a great surprise)! The mimosas were great, generous on the champagne, and there were many flavors to sample. We had the typical orange juice mimosas, as well as peach, pomegranate, and my favorite, cucumber lemon. Here is a list of the items we sampled, in the order we ate them, and our assessment: Breakfast Enchilada- good, but the corn tortilla was hard to cut Shrimp and Grits- DELICIOUS, shrimp were cooked perfectly Skirt Steak and Eggs- best thing on the menu. The steak was perfectly medium rare and well seasoned Short Rib Hash and Egg- average Crispy Potato Rajas Taco- crispy and yummy Biscuits and Sausage Gravy- gravy was delish but 1 biscuit would have been plenty Breakfast Fries- smothered french fries, so delicious and bad for you, in a good way Bacon Jalapeno PBJ- a unique blending of flavors, but I didn't love it as much as I thought I would Lobster Pancake- I enjoyed this, my husband did not like Waffle with Pork Belly and Syrup- a wonderful blend of sweet and savory Skirt Steak and Eggs- SO GOOD WE ORDERED IT AGAIN BUT CAN'T FINISH IT Bread Pudding French Toast- decadent and delicious, but I'm starting to feel like there's a brick in my stomach Churro Tots- oh dear God we ordered too much and I feel like I might die The food was so delicious we could not stop eating until we literally felt like we were going to explode. It was all so amazing and delicious. I don't regret our gluttonous brunch whatsoever because the food was just that yummy. Suffice it to say we wobbled back to our hotel, took a food/champagne nap, and didn't eat much of anything for the rest of the day. It was so worth it, and I can't wait to go back to Border Grill for brunch so I can experience Death by All You Can Order Brunch once again.
(5)The-Pizza-Nazi S.
Since you can't eat pizza for every meal in Vegas (your friends get annoyed).....we had dinner at Border Grill. I had read lots of good reviews; so, wanted to check it out. We had some taquitos, guacamole, chips and the "sampler" ceviche. I had a mojito. Atmosphere- "upscale" Mexican Drinks- very good Food- very good Service- good Atmosphere- good Prices- it's Vegas......so like most strip restaurants.....high 3.5 stars for PN
(3)David S.
Brunch and I have a love hate relationship. I love me an excuse to drink early in the day. I love me the straddled line between breakfast and lunch. I also love me the $35 something price tag for their all you can eat brunch. Add $8 for all you can drink mimosas and I am on my way to a great Sunday afternoon. They do small plates for all of their brunch offerings. If you are there with a large party, they will prepare items on platters and present it family style. What we had: Green corn tamales- It was less a solid tamale and more of a corn pudding style in consistency. The flavors were amazing. It has a little kick, but the corn was so bright and sweet. Plantain Empandas- The sweetness of the bananas balanced out the saltiness of the cheese and black beans. The green chilies made it a well rounded dish. Bacon Jalapeno PB&J- Loved this dish. It is a fat kids dream. A breakfast sandwich jammed together with every kids favorite simple sandwich makes me drool a little bit. I won't lie, I make these at home from time to time and this version is everything I want it to be and more. Peruvian Shrimp and Grits- Uh, yes please. The sauce has a kick and the grits are creamy. Skirt Steak and Eggs- The meat and eggs are cooked to perfect. The best protein on the menu. Yucatan Eggs Benedict- Too much biscuit. It is basically a toad in a hole, but overwhelming. Machaca Chiaquiles- A pile of mush. Odd dish. Short Rib Hash and Eggs- Too many eggs by this point. How many innocent casualties must be left in our path! Churro Tots- Not as good as they sound. Odd sweet and sourness to them. Not quite a beignet, not quite a doughnut. Fig & Blue Cheese Quesadillas- The figs were the best part. Everything else got left behind. Lobster Pancakes- The biggest disappointment of the day. Little to no lobster sprinkled on top and it was an actual pancake. Weird combination. By the end, we were all tired and stuffed. The beginning half of the menu is by far the better half. I could have stopped at the Churro Tots and not think twice about the rest.
(4)Steve K.
My friends have eaten here for dinner and enjoyed it. So, we decided to come for brunch. Bad decision. After placing our orders, we waited over an hour for our food to arrive. When it did, it was cold. Eggs congealed, shrimp & grits a solid mass. While enduring our wait, I Had 2 "special" bloody mary's with chili and with bacon-infused vodkas. Marginal; nothing special. We were far from the only table experiencing problems: during our wait, we saw the manager putting out fire after fire. One table apparently reporting long wait & cool food too (we found out they were right); at another table, 2 young ladies had a mimosa poured on top of them. It should be noted that the manager did step up. He took care of our bill (drinks only; we did not eat the cold food but left still hungry & went elsewhere to eat) and offered to take care of our bill the next time. However, we live out of state, and while my friends come to Las Vegas annually, who knows when or if I might be back? The point is, the manager should not have had to "make it right." Very disappointing.
(2)Mary T.
Delicious!!! Perfect meal before a night out on the town. I got the carne asada nachos....so bimb! Took the recommendation from our server who was such a sweetheart. Never had an empty glass. Such a relaxing atmosphere out on the deck overlooking the Mandalay bay pool. Definitely would come back!!
(5)Brian W.
Come for brunch, and come hungry. AYCE brunch items for $35, and 15% discount for locals. And, it's all small plates, so you can order one of everything if there are a few of you. There is something for everyone: savory, sweet, boozy, whatever. I won't go item for item since the menu is constantly changing, but we had our post-wedding brunch here, and everyone left happy -- from foodies to folks who associate "Mexican food" with Chi-Chi's. Sit outside by the pool. I haven't found a better brunch spot in Vegas. They were insanely helpful with the group for the wedding, and service is always on point. They appear to have done away with their bacon bloody mary, which if true would be tragic, but I'm sure they can recommend a suitable substitute. For brunch, this gets my highest marks.
(5)Hillary B.
We ate brunch here on the last day of our trip - it's $35 flat and you can order as many small plates as you want. They are all Latin themed and realllllly good! Some favorites: Bananas Foster crepes, fried chicken with a blue corn waffle and spicy mango sauce, egg white oysters rockefeller, anything with the bacon (it was awesome, thick and crispy without being overdone). You can order multiples of the same dish if you like it (oh you can bet we did this). I think I had three of the egg white oysters.... Between three of us, I think we ordered almost everything on the menu (to share) and left stuffed. We were less impressed with the red velvet johnny cake and the churro tots, but loved everything else.
(5)Rebecca S.
This is by far my favorite brunch spot in town! Mimosas were delicious..... Steak and eggs always a good choice.... Shrimp and grits so unique and tasty... Churro tots, get those too! Amazing.... Service from Rachel S. is was quick and fabulous and I will definitely be coming in again.
(5)Rhondi S.
Mary Sue and Susan always punch the envelop on Mexican flare, taste sustainable ingredients and presentation. We come here anytime we are at the Mandalay Bay..variety of ceviche - Baja, Peruvian and ahi combo gives you a variety of spices and taste - yum, duck enchiladas, hubby had the carne asada quesadilla..great service, good decor, yummy chips with 3 yummy salsas...will always come back.
(4)Zee S.
We went here for an early dinner last night. The food was average. The margarita was mediocre. The waitress kept forgetting things. I asked for no salt with my rita, but she didn't even notice when they brought it out lined with it. She didn't return with water like she promised. The fish tacos smelled fishy. The guac was bland. It needed some spunk. This place is not worth the price.
(2)Jennifer E.
OMG! Unlimited mimosas of all different flavors (peach, blackberry, prickly pear, blood orange, etc) for $10 and unlimited small plates (steak n eggs, chilaquiles, french toast, etc) for $35 (which are not small at all). This place is THE BEST brunch spot in Vegas. Plus the service is beyond impeccable. RACHEL our server was AMAZING, she brought us every single dish on the menu, continued to keep our glasses full during our 3 hour stay and was such a sweetheart! This was the best spot for MOMs B-Day bc we were able to enjoy the beautiful outdoor seating view with all 12 of us family members. A must visit spot for all foodies and big groups. Tip big, it's worth it.
(5)Shiva A.
Had an awesome dinner here before checking out the Michael Jackson One show. Highly recommend their margaritas and Baja ceviche as an appetizer. I had the skirt steak which was cooked perfectly medium as I had ordered and the tres leches cake was a tasty dessert. I would definitely come back again as the food and service was awesome!
(4)Capri R.
We seriously love this place!! We're all locals and we come here for brunch all the time. Today we had Carmie as our server and she was constantly bringing out mimosas and our favorite tapas! See you next weekend!!
(5)Nathan D.
The best deal in Vegas for sure. The tapas style brunch was the best dining experience I've ever had and that was mainly due to the service we were given. Our excellent server Carmie was the most attentive and kind server I think I've ever had at a meal. All the tapas plates were just perfectly executed flavor bombs. I will be going back whenever I'm in Vegas. PS. Go for the endless Mimosas
(5)Emily R.
When I asked my mom what type of food she wanted for her birthday, she suggested brunch or Mexican and the first place that came to mind was Border Grill. I have been on numerous occasions in the past for both brunch and dinner and have always liked Border Grill, but hadn't been in quite some time so was excited to see if they have stayed consistent over the years and what new dishes they had to try. We arrived at 11 on the dot and were seated quickly on the covered patio. Our drink orders were taken and the fruit and guava pastry was brought out for us to enjoy. We ordered just about everything off the brunch menu but here are a few of the notable items we tried. Loved: -GREEN CORN TAMALE (sweet corn * sour cream * salsa fresca) I'm a sucker for sweet corn tamales, so there really wasn't much I didn't love about this dish. -PERUVIAN SHRIMP AND GRITS (aji panca chile marinated shrimp * roasted poblano chiles creamy parmesan grits) - nice kick and flavor. -SKIRT STEAK AND EGG (egg cooked your way * crispy poblano potatoes) - My fella loved this dish so much he ordered it twice. The steak was cooked well and had a great texture. One of the highlights of the meal. -MACHACA CHILAQUILES (slow cooked beef brisket * crispy corn tortilla chips mexican cheeses * roasted chiles * egg cooked your way) - My mom's favorite dish. The brisket was moist and flavorful and the dish had a nice kick. Definitely a must order. -WAFFLE AND PORK BELLY WITH MAPLE SYRUP (french waffle * crispy pork belly * maple syrup) - This was one of my favorite dishes. Pork was cooked well and I really enjoyed the sweet and savory flavor combination. Big fan. Liked: -SHORT RIB HASH AND EGG (negra modelo braised beef short ribs * boniato yams * caramelized onions) - This dish was just ok. The short ribs were entirely too sweet and I had entirely too many onions for any of our tastes. -BREAKFAST FRIES (hand cut fries * crispy carnitas * chipotle hollandaise jalapeño bacon * sunny side egg) - The carnitas were great and had a fantastic crisp to them. The flavors were amazing, but I wasn't a huge fan of the fries, wish they were crispier or had more flavor. -BREAD PUDDING FRENCH TOAST (caramelized bananas * coconut syrup) - This rendition of French toast is overly sweet, but still had nice flavor in moderation. Make sure you share this and order it for dessert. CRISPY POTATO RAJAS TACO (roasted potatoes and chiles * mexican cheeses guacamole * grilled corn relish * chipotle aioli) - Nice and spicy, definitely a good dish, if only it had some protein or meat in it to balance it out a bit more. LOBSTER PANCAKES (savory corn lobster pancake * chipotle sauce sunny side egg * crispy leeks) - This dish was enjoyable, not a lot of lobster in it and I wish the pancake had a fluffier texture, though. Hated: -CHURRO TOTS (dulce de leche infused churros * cinnamon sugar * whipped cream) - This dish sounded amazing in theory, but when they arrived, they were hard little balls lacking flavor and texture. Definitely pass on these. -YUCATAN EGG BENEDICT (manchego cheese biscuit * yucatan roasted pork slow cooked egg * hollandaise sauce * pickled onions) - I can never resist an eggs benedict, the exception lies here. The cheese biscuit was overly doughy and pretty unappetizing. Nothing about this dish worked for me, which was disappointing. -BREAKFAST ENCHILADA (citrus chicken * guajillo sauce * mexican cheeses black beans * fried egg) - This dish was the worst of the worst. First off, it came out cold. Nothing could be a bigger turn off. The flavor was meh and since it was cold we had no interest in delving further into it. Overall, my mom had a fantastic birthday meal and that's all I wanted from Border Grill and they definitely delivered all that and more. They even surprised my mom with a chocolate mousse cake to cap off a very nice brunch experience. I can't believe I've left if off my radar for so long in between visits. Make sure to get their rewards card if you're a local as they offer discounts!
(4)Yvonne L.
Really amazing staff! And not sore on the eyes either. Food is standard Mexican at a decent price for Vegas standards, but come to think of it you don't really find Mexican grub on the strip so I guess it's a gem! That was a run on sorry. Also very accommodating to big groups and children :)
(5)Dru C.
*Thumbs up* Aside from the Border Grill truck, this was my first time trying the restaurant. I've passed by the LA location numerous times, but never actually dined. After hearing about the AYCE brunch from everyone else, it was time to give it a try. My wife and I tried 15 dishes total from the brunch menu, and I thought all of the dishes were well executed. The dishes with the protein like carnitas, brisket, and steak were all tender and nicely cooked. The eggs were runny. The churro tots and the bread pudding was the perfect ending to the brunch -- even if it meant stretching out my stretchy pants even further. *Thumbs down* After a while, the dishes started to taste the same... mainly because I ate so much. Most use the same ingredients over and over -- pico del gallo, corn tortillas, sunny side egg, omelet, etc -- just repurposed for a different dish. About $80 something for 2 people, including tax and tip, which is pricey... but if you eat 10+ dishes, I think it's worth the price. If the price came with endless mimosas, of course then it would be really worth it.
(4)Jen Y.
This place was cute but so overpriced. Lunch for 8 was $600!!!!... ridiculous. Margaritas were really good except they were out of the organic ingredients for the organic margarita I ordered off the menu. I had a house margarita and a Sangria margarita and they were both excellent. Not sure worth the $29 price but they were good. Salsas were odd, it was a blend of 3 sauces. The citrus/cilantro blend was good, the others were odd tomato pastey runny dips. We ordered guac which was better than the salsas. I was disappointed by the menu to see nothing vegetarian, so I ordered the tostadas w/out the meat that it comes with. They were pretty good. Service was terrible. Our waiter was pushy, even convincing us to get margaritas to go to take w/us to the pool (he didn't mention we weren't supposed to take them into the pool area... we had to smuggle them in). It took forever to order and get the missing silverwear and then when someone in our group spilled water into one of our chip baskets it was a big ordeal to find someone to request (and then wait) for more. It was good light Mexican but I'm sure there's much better outside the hotel. If you want to hang out by the pool this is the closest sit down place.
(3)F T.
Food: 4 stars Service: 5 stars Value: 4.5 stars The restaurant is owned by a celebrity chef, Susan Feniger, who appeared on Top Chef Masters on Bravo TV. We used a Restaurant.com coupon ($25 off with purchased of $50 or more) and we got to try out some great dishes. The meal started with a basket of nacho chips with four different salsa. We ordered a pepper crusted steak salad with shrimps ($22, grilled sirloin steak, heirloom tomatoes, roasted tinkerbell peppers, avocado, blue cheese, spring greens, grapefruit jalapeño vinaigrette, guacamole, and black beans on a giant grilled flour tortilla), grilled fish tacos ($19, cucumber citrus slaw, guacamole, black beans, red and green rice), three glasses of sparkling white peach lemonade ($5, $2.50 refill), and a 2-scoops of mango and pear sherbet ($5). The salad was excellent! My fish tacos were a little bland, but the sides were good. The peach lemonade was so yummy that we ordered three glasses! Overall I was very pleased with their food and service. We would definitely come back for more!
(5)Summer P.
Love, love, love this place! The food is absolutely delicious, great variety, lots of options. A little pricey, but well worth it. Try the fresh lemonades or margaritas, fabulous! The outdoor patio overlooks the pool and they managed to keep it pretty cool, even on an afternoon with temperatures in the high 90's. We ate here two days in a row on vacation we loved it so much.
(5)James H.
When you go to Vegas, even for a day, you have to try a restaurant so we chose the Border Grill for lunch. "Freebies" - really tasty salsa varieties and nachos, room temp water I wasn't thrilled with. The grilled chicken torta was absolutely delicious, and surprisingly well balanced - you could taste each ingredient and nothing overpowered. And best of all, the sandwich didn't go soggy as so many do. I wanted to like the smoked paprika fries, but honestly, nothing special. Citrus Chicken quesadilla was easily the best quesadilla I've been able to try in my somewhat limited experience. 4 people, $100 lunch all told. Tasty food and good atmosphere. Worth a second trip for sure.
(3)Willie L.
The downstairs outdoor dining is wonderful. The best chile chile rellenos out there!
(5)Allan M.
After checking out the Shark Reef, I was hungry for sushi but I felt that eating sushi after gazing at aquatic animals for the past 2 hours would of been morally wrong. Okay, on to the review. First of all, I'd like to say I love guacamole. I put it on everything. Undercooked chicken? Guacamole. Overcooked rib eye? Guacamole. Guacamole fixes everything and makes it magically delicious. With that said, I DID NOT eat the guacamole at Border Grill BUT I did see someone who sat diagonally across from my girlfriend and I who was GETTIN DOWN on some guacamole. I was jealous. Instead, I satified my palatte by slamming 2 strawberry margaritas back to back and some Baja Ceviche. The Baja Ceviche was awesome, the seasonal fish and cilantro ailoli gave it a nice flavor! Unique to any other ceviche I've tried in the past. Highly suggest it. I finished my meal with a trip to the dessert menu where I got the Pastel Rufina. The description says, "layers of puff pastery, sweetened cream cheese, chocolate chunks, and fresh berries". So I'm thinking this is gonna be some mini dessert. Well, it turns out, this dessert is MASSIVE. But luckily, I have a bottomless stomach so I destroyed it without much struggle. Kudos to our server, she was very helpful and knowledgeble of the menu. She also looked like a girl I've seen on NaughtyAmerica ....but that's a whole different review.
(4)Laura W.
We sat out on the patio and opted for the Sunday brunch. They brought out fruit empanadas and fruit to get you started; don't waste your time, that is just cannon fodder. Go for the small plates 2 per person, at a time. They cook fresh to order and it is such a smart way to brunch. Who needs food sitting on a steam table when it is cooked when you order it? Here is what we had:Green Corn Tamale (excellent, order 2), Skirt Steak and Egg ( we opted for no egg), Yucatan Egg Benedict (I'm not a fan but my boyfriend loves egg benedict), Crispy Potato Rajas Taco (only one per order so we ordered 2), Machaca Chilaquiles (very tasty) , Short Rib Hash and Egg (we opted for no egg but maybe that was why our dish was dry) and we finished with Churro Tots so good you'll say "Tots! all day! Very very good food we left way too full.
(5)Eugene L.
Went here because it was close to the Project convention at the time. The decor and service were good. The place overlooks the Mandalay Bay pool which is gorgeous. The chips and three salsas were tasty. The skirt steak was good but pricey @ $24 (for lunch). My girlfriend had the fish tacos which were about $15 and they were good too. This place is better than Tacos & Tequila @ Luxor which happens to be ranked higher than this place on Yelp. I'd go here again for lunch if I was in the area.
(4)Jerrica J.
Running around Vegas choosing a place to eat is a little difficult. So many options and so little time to try it all. We walked around Mandalay Bay and found Border Grill. The chips and salsa they bring to the table is really good. I had the shrimp tacos which comes with a side of rice and beans for lunch. YUM. It wasn't anything special but it was tasty. Service is decent too. I would recommend it!
(4)Andrea S.
I know Border Grill from Santa Monica, so I knew the food would be good. I was surprised how it seemed even better in Vegas. We got the ceasar salad, the skirt steak and the grilled fish tacos and every bite was amazing. We had a waiter, Jimmy, who treated us like we were fine dining and took care of us with such care even though I know he was busy. This Border Grill experience had that out for dinner, special vibe because of the food, service and decor. Impressive! I don't think it's a 2 money sign place though. It's more expensive than that. I did bring a restaurant.com coupon for $25 off which makes it more fun.
(5)William K.
The first time I went here I had called ahead and found out they closed at 10 I showed up at like 9:50 the hostess had a few friends hugged and chit chatted with them while my buddy and I stood there. A few minutes later she asks if I'm there to eat, I tell her I am, and then she says oh well we stopped seating at 9:45...Let alone the fact that no one was manning the hostess both so we stood there before she showed up and started reminiscing with friends for a few minutes before that. Worst economic recession in over 50 years and we've started closing early? So we go the next week. Get some Filet with lobster sauced enchiladas, and I mean, the food was so salty that if my dad were to eat it he'd go into Heart Failure. Worse than that our appetizer had some little potato food thing the size of a quarter, and two shrimp. Not worth it! Our server was nice and the salsa for the chips and dip is pretty good, but for a mexicanesque restaurant you need better than good salsa and appetizers that fill an infant to get on my good graces. Also hostess staff and all staff have to realize that you don't close until customers stop coming.
(1)Kati T.
We went for brunch on a Sunday morning after reading about Border Grill in Vegas/Rated magazine. For $24.99 you get an all-you-can-eat brunch - but this isn't your usual Vegas buffet - everything is made to order and served tapas style. We started with the fresh fruit plate and guava empanada. The guava empanada was heavenly...the filling was almost like a guava cream cheese. Next, we tried the chilaquiles and the green corn tamale. The green corn tamale is sweet and delicious with just a little sour cream. We followed this with the Yucatan eggs benedict - not as delicious as all of my fellow Yelpers let on - and the steak and eggs. My husband was a huge fan of the steak and eggs...I think he only shared one bite. The breakfast enchilada and the chorizo and egg taco were last. I am not a huge chorizo fan so I did not enjoy the taco, but the breakfast enchilada was amazing. The chicken was so flavorful and tender and I loved the cotija cheese. For dessert, we ordered the coconut french toast, which was a perfect ending to a fabulous meal...just the right amount of sweet. Our server was tremendous - very sweet and always there with a refill for my all-you-can-drink mimosas (only $5!). The passionfruit one is incredible - I may have overindulged! Check out restaurant.com to see if they have a gift certificate available. We got a $25 gift certificate for $10 before we went.
(5)Karey R.
I am giving Border Grill 4 stars because I paid $25 for a $75 dollar meal thanks to Restaurant.com . Border Grill is waaaaaaay overpriced, but when you take 50 bucks off the bill it starts looking like a deal. So lets focus on the flavor shall we? I had a delicious Mango Margarita to start. I ordered the Kobe Beef Tacos and hubby ordered the short ribs. I have to tell you I LOVED eating off of Hubby's plate. I ordered tacos because HELLO we are at a Mexican place, but the short ribs were DIVINE! I can't wait to return and order a plate for myself. The tacos were very good, but nothing in comparison. We ended up sharing both and enjoying the company around us. The staff was very attentive and always offering more alcohol or appetizers to the point of almost annoying, but still better than the alternative.
(4)Andrew P.
3 meals. 2 days. All of them 5 stars. We lucked out like crazy here. 1) Great chips and salsa (I hate salsa. However, the smoky-flavored one with no chunks? I ran a train on that bitch.) 2) Plaintain empanadas were good. Not the best thing I've ever eaten, but I definitely would get them again. 3) Caesar salad with skirt steak: excellent, excellent steak. Cooked to perfection. Salad could have used a bit more dressing but it was good, that nice Mexican spicier Caesar dressing. 4) Beef taquitos.... yeah, that was the shit squared. The best taquitos we have ever eaten. Period. Phenomenal stuff. Black beans served with were also good. Green rice not so much. But I don't like green rice anyway, so no harm done. 5) Friend's pork... nice cinnamon rub, excellent flavor. We dug it highly. Only real downside was the 50-cent water per person slammed on the table as soon as we sat down, and seeing the bit on the menu at the bottom in small print about being able to refuse it about 5 minutes later after we already drank. Meh. But for food? We are very glad we finally got to try it. Thanks, Top Chef Masters, for the heads up.
(5)Rebecca Z.
my friends and I had the unlimited tapas and drinks for brunch and it was amazing! We ordered at least 2/3 of the menu and we reordered our favorites. It was a great deal because the food was great and we sat outside where we had a beautiful view of the lazy river.
(5)Katie B.
In Vegas, where you have SUPER expensive, divine dining options (Joel R.) and VERY mediocre somewhat expensive dining options (say, Rain Forrest Cafe)... Border Grill is a VERY refreshing alternative. People complain about the prices, but considering all the other restaurants in that wing are $59 pre-fixe... it's all relative. Tucked a bit farther away towards the convention center, it was MUCH less crowded than other dining options in the area. Our service was excellent, and the food just as good as their location in Santa Monica, CA. The Sweet Corn Tamales and Ceviche were excellent. If I ever find myself back in Vegas, I will definitely go back here.
(5)Ahmad S.
WOW! THIS is the experience that marks my return to Yelp! I watched a special on the food network where they selected a new chef for the Border Grill restaurant in Downtown LA. So while staying at THEHotel (part of Mandalay Bay), I was pleasantly surprised to see the restaurant had a location right here at my hotel (by the Shark reef and overlooking "the beach"). Three wonderful people greeted us and the host stand and quickly sat us at what looked like a prime spot in the patio right by a heated lamp overlooking the city. A handsome young and very tall guy came with chips and salsa and asked if we wanted some fresh guacamole. YES PLEASE! Our server (not as tall or handsome as our chip deliverer) came by 20 or so minutes later and without much fanfare took our order. Friend and I both got the $42 special which comes with a preselected appetizer sampler, 1 entree of our choosing and 1 dessert. For what I thought was going to be high-end that sounded reasonable. I ordered a spicy sangria as well (based on the servers recommendation). After we ordered, I asked our waiter for more chips (gimme a break - it's a Mexican restaurant for gods sake and I'm in Vegas so i can have more than one cheat day) and I reminded him that our guacamole (our $10 guacamole, mind you) never came. He apologized and said he'd get that right out. Got my Spicy Sangria, it wasn't bad. My friend said it tasted like cough medicine. Once he said that, it was over. I could do nothing but taste cough medicine. ICK! After 20 minutes passed, our food came out by a runner. I told the runner that I really needed the chips at this point AND the guacamole. I wasn't playing around anymore. Another runner brought out more chips. Where's our waiter?? We'd seen so many others at this point that I couldn't even remember what our waiter looked like to begin with. He finally showed up. I told him to cancel the guacamole that never came....which in restaurant language should mean, "bring the goddamn effing guacamole but you better make sure you don't charge for it so you can still get your 20% tip and make up for the sh***y service so far. He sort of apologized but really couldn't care less. The appetizer sampler consisted of 3 items on a plate (sorry I don't know what any are called) and was fairly good. My dish, Kobe beef tacos, consisted of three mini soft tacos with dry lukewarm pieces of Kobe. PASS! My friend got the chicken dish which wasn't so bad and, unlike mine, didn't look like a tapa or appetizer plate. For dessert, when our waiter finally reappeared (I swear to god I have never had such terrible service, not even at my local Marie Calendars) I ordered the Tres Leches which was DIVINE! I don't even have much of a sweet tooth and I almost devoured that thing. It was just the right amount of sweetness. No extreme flavors and the texture of cake was just perfection. My friend got the flourless choco cake which he enjoyed. I thought the chocolate was just to overbearing. Anyway, the bill came out and we were charged for both 3 course specials and the sangria BUT as our waiter put down our check, he did apologize again for the guacamole.......could he get anymore sincere. He could've made up for it by bringing us a free item, a discount OR by actually starting to be more attentive to us and giving us better service. He does none of that but as soon as its time to write down his tip, he blurts out an apology. So uncomfortable. Anyway, I kept the receipt and I'm mailing a copy directly to Susan Feniger, who, based on that food network show, doesn't look like she would put up with any of that in one of her restaurants.
(1)Ricci S.
I actually still have a bad taste in my mouth. Ugh... There was definitely no quality control. My husband and I split an appetizer plate. The tamale and taquitos were average, but the empenada had a funky taste to it. My husband had the Baja ceviche as his main course, it was a good ceviche. My dish was the Jumbo Shrimp. The shrimp were fine, nothing special, but the rice and veg served with it were so salty, it was inedible. It was this that caused the before mentioned bad taste. We finished by splitting the Pastel Rufina. Soggy pastry, way too thick cream and not much taste except the chocolate chips. I really wanted to like this place, I like the idea of sustainability. I like the Two Hot Tamales. I will say our service was great, but I go out for a great meal, great service is a bonus. Sigh, I hoped for much more.
(1)John S.
I was dining alone and was offered a table outside on the patio overlooking the pool. View is nothing special but it was a beautiful day so it was nice to enjoy the fresh air. Server was friendly, helpful and knowledgeable on the menu. This was my first visit so I decided to try "The Ultimate Border Grill Experience" 3-course meal which offered a sampler plate of apps, and your choice of entree and dessert. I chose the grilled Skirt Steak and Tres Leches cake. All of the food was good and I had an enjoyable dinner before catching my flight back home.
(4)Rachel P.
Sunday brunch on the patio, before hitting the pools. For $24.95 I got: huevos rancheros, a fruit plate, pastry basket, AND bottomless mimosas! And yes, we took full advantage of the term bottomless! I had 4 and my boyfriend had 5 before we went down to mandalay beach for a day in the sun. My huevos rancheros were good, not the best I've ever had, but still quite tasty. My boyfriend had chicken enchiladas from the same $24.95 brunch menu and they were great, I loved the flavor of the guajillo sauce. I've been here once before with friends for margaritas and apps before a concert, but I'd say brunch is way better! check it out! bordergrill.com/PDF/BGLV…
(4)Jenn P.
The Border Grill took great care of us and our 50 guests for our May wedding. We rented the north side dining room and patio. The weather was mid-80s so the 7:30 pm ceremony and reception were outside...beautiful, perfect and plenty of room! We supplied the decorations the morning of the wedding, and Gracious and the staff decorated for us. Talk about awesome ~ It allowed us more sun time at the pool with our friends and family! Autumn and the crew were attentive and fun. The food was delicious. We selected a variety of passed appetizers. It was a great way to sample a bunch of different bites while mingling. Dessert note: The tres leches cake is a must ~ so amazing! The whole event was easy and relaxing. We highly recommend Border Grill for someone looking for a classy yet laid-back wedding and reception venue.
(5)Angela C.
I had ordered the tortilla soup because I am a big (huge) fan of tortilla soup. And I have to say that it felt that the soup was maybe chilled? It was really chunky. I liked it but it was more spicy than anything. I couldn't finish the whole thing. I didn't like it. The soup itself was good because it was thick and not brothy. I liked it. I had then the chicken quesadilla and I have to say that this was enough for just an entree. It was large. Others had the carne and said it was delicious too. Overall, the food was decent but I wouldn't go back for the food. I'd go back for the service. Our service was amazing.
(3)Adrian H.
Headline: WOAH! HOW MUCH???? It's the opening day of the MMS 2011 conference, and I'm being a booth babe at the Splunk booth (if you are here - stop by and say hi). We decided to take a wander to see what deliciousness awaits us in this gastronomic wonderland that is the strip. Not wanting to stray too far from the Expo Hall, we settled on the Border Grill, which - the sign will tell you - was featured on Top Chef Masters, or at least the chef was, or something like that. So I was expecting top notch food - after all, that's what you would expect from someone who has been featured on Top Chef Masters. Alas, the fame must have gotten to her head - either that or she has decided to quit her day job, because the food was really average. But we are getting ahead of ourselves. First off, where is it - It's in the Mandalay Bay Hotel & Casino complex, relatively near to the convention center. The atmosphere can only be described as "the same as the rest of the place - hectic, frantic, please I just want a quiet place to eat lunch!" The efficient staff poured us water into the cute wine glasses (I'd prefer a bigger glass and some ice, personally - alas, it was not to be). After a while, we ordered - I ordered some nice guacamole and a Chicken Poblano Torta with fries. Nothing special - just the basics. We got the chips - cold - and three different types of salsa, in bowls so shallow that we could hardly scoop. Nice enough, but very very average. Then the guacamole came. Ok - this stuff is a little bit above the average, but you want HOW MUCH for this Guacamole? NINE BUCKS? Seriously underwhelmed here. Maybe we are being punished for not being comped. The Poblano Chicken Torta was alright - average. The chicken was well cooked, and the poblano was spicy, so it was a good sandwich, but you want HOW MUCH for this sandwich? It isn't really a Torta, so we'll call it a sandwich from now on. $19 for that? Oh, and the fries were cold as well. Seriously, folks, if this is the best that a Top Chef Master can do, I'm disappointed. I can get this quality from somewhere else for quarter of the cost and still be satisfied.
(3)Brenda D.
If you've read my reviews, than you know I am a huge critic when it comes to Mexican food. So of course when I heard the name "Border Grill" I rolled my eyes and expected to have the worst dinner of my life... Surprise, Surprise! I was WRONG. Yes I said it, for once I was wrong. The food was actually very satisfying. Great flavors, nothing dry or overcooked. A little different than what I am used to in terms of cooking style but nonetheless a very good meal. Customer service was also excellent. Loved our waiter. And even though they were out of the drink I wanted to try (the berry paloma) the other drink I tried was very good. So, overall not the best in Vegas but definitely not the worst...
(4)Ashley B.
We went with a group of 7 to Border Grill on the 4h of July. Our service was excellent, Paris did an amazing job. Food and drinks were good, but nothing amazing. The best part was the server and chips and salsa!
(3)Andrew B.
Have been wanting to go to Susan Feniger and Mary Sue Milliken's restaurant since being awed by their performances on Top Chef Masters. I was not disappointed. To start off, the staff were lovely - attentive, humorous, engaging and very helpful. The decor is inviting and vibrant, setting the tone just right for a fun night. Yeah, it's just Mexican food, but it's fricking delicious Mexican food. To start, would recommend the appetizer sampler - the most amazing corn tamale ever along with other succulent delectations. I also recommend the braised short ribs - some of the best short ribs I've ever had, and believe me when I say, I've eaten a whole bunch. My wife had the special which was a seafood chile relleno which was a little heavy on the carrot salad and sauces, and a little light on the crab. All in all, worth the trip down the strip.
(4)Martini S.
Had lunch here on Thursday 4/14 at around 3:00pm. While most of the reviews i've since read complain about the quality of the food matched with the high prices for Mexican food, I actually found this to be a respite from what we had become accustomed to during our stay. For once, I thought the two nearly equaled each other, although again, we've had much better. Had the fish tacos which were fine. The fish was grilled nicely, no bones, fresh cole-slaw on top. Nothing to really complain about. GF had some kind of pork sandwich which looked messy. She didn't seem too impressed as she didn't finish it and avoided the bread entirely. Good drinks to start (nice to see 'Chelada' on the menu) accompanied by warm, fresh chips and three types of salsa. Should have just stuck with that combo. What really distracted me from the experience once again was the service! This time it was the hostess. We were greeted and when I asked if we could sit outside she said she had 'nothing outside'. OK, well can we wait? I asked. Irritated glance and pissy attitude in full display, we were told we could wait at the bar. Fine by me. Then when she came by not 7 minutes later, she asked if I had settled my bill with the bartender, as if we were the ones holding her up. To top it off, she seated us at the back of the patio when there were many more tables that had just been cleared which overlooked the pool area. It later became apparent that she was either holding these tables for friends or for those who were willing to shell out for the extended service. Oh, and she didn't give us menus. The waitress had to go back and get them. Nice job.
(2)Ayla B.
THE best mexican food I've ever had.
(5)Deb P.
Food was ok. I had the chili relleno and it was not memorable. My friend had the chili relleno burger and he said it was great. Service was pretty good.
(2)Patricia W.
Unfortunately, we did not have a good experience dinning here. As hispanics we expect this place to satisfied our appetites with some real mexican food. We ordered fajitas, margaritas, chicken nachos, quest fundido w/chorizo (which came highly recommended by the waiter). All the food was drowned in oil including the chips. We started with the queso fundido and it was just horrible. There was so much oil we literally tasted it once and couldn't continue. The fajitas was also drowned in oil. My husband couldn't even eat the bell peppers because of the amount of oil on them. He only ate 1/2 of his meal, and he is not the type of man that leaves food on his plate. My chicken nachos were so oily that I only ate a 1/3 of it. I paid for that later on that night. I couldn't even enjoy being in Vegas because I spent the rest of the night in the bathroom. I would not recommend if you want REAL Mexican food, especially if you want to enjoy your time in Vegas without running into a restroom. I'm so upset that we wasted $80 on food we didn't eat or enjoy.
(1)Angela G.
I love (!) Susan Feniger, but it seems like the price-gouging in Vegas turned this place into a yawn. Way overrated for upscale Mexican, but still an okay meal if you are stuck (nay, trapped) in the Mandalay Bay and need to eat. I still can't fathom why restaurants get away with $9 tableside guacamole service out of the cost of 50 cents worth of ingredients. I should just hand over $10 bucks, have them punch me in the face and then tell them to keep the change. Guac was perfectly fine, but not for $9. Crab nachos were a good sized portion, but light on the crab. Again, no surprise given that this place is stingy when it comes to the good ingredients. Carnitas tacos were tender and succulent, but ridiculous at $17. They were literally $2 taco truck tacos. Mango margarita was delectable at the time, but not memorable. I don't know, kids. Maybe I'm old and grumpy, but I don't feel like I'm any stingier with my dough. I just want to pay out the gills if the food will absolutely warrant it because it's going to blow my mind. Border Grill didn't blow my mind so much as my pay check. I'm over it.
(3)David W.
loved their sunday brunch!!! amazing tapas!
(5)JoAnn W.
Suprising as yummy as Santa Monica .I'll be back ! Open one in Scottsdale will u ?
(5)Pineapple C.
Not impressed. Our server didn't introduce himself to us. Food wasn't especially memorable---I had the grilled skirt steak (black beans, to me, were plain), hubby had chicken poblano enchiladas. The only thing I enjoyed was the homemade flour tortilla that came with my meal. I'm still going to trust Yelp users to scope out new places; maybe there were different cooks when we went, new kitchen management,... ??
(2)Justin R.
My recent visit to Border Grill was not as positive as my previous visits. My first review was based on a few trips to the establishment, which were great experiences. Since then, they have remodeled and things within have changed. In my first review I mentioned that the service could use a little improvement. The service in my opinion has taken a step forward. The food didn't taste the same. This establishment has changed. What I used to, widely regard as the best Mexican food I've ever had, no longer is. The service takes a step forward while the food takes a step back. The skirt steak, still tender but was a little saltier than I remember, smaller portion of steak too. I had the citrus chicken burrito, which my waiter recommended as the best item on the menu. It wasn't the best item!!! The fish tacos are still the best item they have to offer. Which I had a little bit of. The beer battered chicken strips, was terrible for the kids menu. I'm very upset with my latest experience at the Border Grill. I can't say I would go back, next time I'm in vegas. The experience was very unsatisfying. Adding brunch menu probably not the best idea.
(2)Gail K.
Great place for an excellent lunch! After spending a little too long on the lazy river at Mandalay Beach and floating by the sign one too many times we decided that the Border Grill would be the perfect place for lunch! To start the fresh chips and salsa were great although the salsa verde had a strange after taste that we couldn't place and made for a weird lingering on the palate. This salsa bad enough to take away a star! We started with the Border Classics on suggestion from a fellow yelper that the Plantain Empanadas were a must. The Border Classic is a sampler platter consisting of 2 Plantain Empanadas, 2 Green Corn Tamales, and 2 Chicken Panuchos. The Plantain Empanadas were amazing both sweet and savory all at once and a hint of Queso Fresco in every bite. The Green Corn Tamales almost brought tears to my eyes because they were the first sweet corn tamale that has ever come close to the ones my Great Aunt used to make me when I was a kid! As for the Chicken Panuchos my wife Bogarted those because she hated the other two choices, but her loss was definitely my gain! For a main dish we went with the Albacore Avocado Ceviche which did not disappoint! It was half an avocado pilled high with sushi-grade albacore and a decadent lime-salsa mixture! The only thing that was missing was a spicy kick to top of the flavor combinations. To top it off the waitress we had was super attentive, knew the menu by heart, and even warned us not to over order when we tried to add another entree to our order before we had even seen the appetizers. We will definitely be back to the Border Grill!
(4)Craig H.
Very loud and crowded atmosphere. Tables are almost stacked on top of each other. Very over priced for so-so Mexican food(Tacos/Enchiladas/Taquitos.....). Portion sizes are very small. 14.00 drinks. The service was also terrible. There are many other options in Vegas. I would not recommend this establishment. The best part of the experience was the Management!
(2)Carla L.
This restaurant wins the award for the best fish tacos I have ever eaten! Had lunch here. The prices are on the high side, but the food is worth it. Had the grilled fish tacos that are made with a cucumber citrus slaw on homemade corn tortillas and served with black beans and both red and green rice. So ridiculously yummy and very filling. Should have stopped after two tacos, but they were so good I had to eat all three. The Watermelon Mojito, on the other hand, was a different story - very disappointing. It didn't taste like watermelon. Maybe if you closed your eyes and tried really hard, you could taste a very faint hint of it, but otherwise not really.
(4)Derek H.
We really like that the owners are so hands-on with the restaurant and reaching out to its customers. They send out email updates, do special events in the community such as cooking classes, and don't come off as rock stars! We have eaten here probably 10 times. The Tortilla Soup is one of our favorites!! We usually get the special they are offering. Last time was Barracuda and it was so good. We were just expecting to develop a severe underbite afterwards :) Eat here whenever you are hitting up a concert at Mandalay Bay and need a great, close place to eat!!
(4)Kelly C.
Group of 6 on a 4 day vacay in LV Sunday, 11am, made reservations (didn't seem necessary that early) Our waiter (so sorry I don't remember his name) was awesome and did an excellent job of guiding us through the all-you-can-eat small plate brunch menu option ($35). Add in the $5 bottomless mimosas and this was a great dining experience. Out of our table of 6, 4 of us did the AYCE small plates and we shared them, family-style. Our waiter suggested that they bring out everything on the AYCE menu for us to try in waves. I was in 7th heaven! All the small plates were awesome; my favorites being the pork brisket, fritatta, churro tots, and several others that I can't recall. And each round of mimosas were something new for us to try: pomegranate, peach, prickly pear, etc. It was a great experience with an opportunity to try a lot of different items. I called it a lazy man's buffet because they bring it all to your table! I would definitely recommend this to anyone wanting so yummy Mexican brunch food.
(5)Derek D.
Just got back home from our week long family vacation in Las Vegas. We were starving after our visit to the Shark Reef so we stopped in for the Sunday brunch before leaving and it was amazing! We had several children in our party and our server Rachel S. was a DREAM! My kids adored her. She was very patient! Loved the food and the experience... will def be making this a regular stop for upcoming trips.
(5)Christina C.
Got into Vegas on a Sunday night and came here because my boyfriend had been here for during the holiday season and just loved it. It was a great place, took us a min to find in the Mandalay hotel but once we did we were pleased. Sat immediately with smiling faces and sat at a nice table. The decor was contemporary, I loved the glassware. Chips and salsa were good but could've been better (salsas just weren't to my liking-personal preference) they were too...um...watery? I like thick/chunky salsas but then again maybe it was good so I didn't fill up on them because the chicken quesadilla I ordered was great, my boyfriend ordered the beef tacos, delicious! had cadillac margaritas too...can't have mexican food without a margarita! :) We'd definitely go back.
(4)Chelsea D.
Amazing food and drinks! All 5 of us in my group left more than satisfied. If you are in Vegas, Border Grill is a MUST!!
(5)Jan B.
Delicious Mexican food. We stopped in for dinner after Photoshop World. Friendly fast service. Airconditioned. Wonderful carne asada. Great salsas especially the green one. unlimited chips. So nice to be able to order Diet Pepsi. Pretty expensive like the other restaurants at the Mandalay hotel, but the plates were full enough for 2 of us to ask for take home boxes. We ate lunch there a couple of years ago. Soft tacos and enchiladas were just as good last week as before.
(4)Arthur M.
Was very for a short period of time but managed to enjoy an amazing margarita as well as their Kobe Beef Tacos. From the hostess to the seating girl to the waiter everyone was very nice, polite and helpful. I asked the poor waiter several questions and hey helped me make some great choices! My fiance had a chile relleno stuffed with cheese, potato, and some slaw that was delicious as well. It is quiet a walk to get to through Mandalay Bay but it is good and you wont be disappointed if you like mexican style food!!
(4)D. S.
First off, Boarder Grill has the coldest bottled beer my wife and I had to drink during our entire time in Las Vegas. Our waitress took the time to completly describe every peice of food prior us making our order and seemed totally interested in whether we enjoyed it or not. The service was great and the food was even better. I'm a pretty picky eater and I would not have been so adventerous if it wouldn't have been for our great waitress. The Ultimate Border Grill Experience * only $42 per person! three course dinner including our amazing appetizer sampler, your choice of any signature entree above, and your choice of any homemade dessert. APPETIZER SAMPLER Green Corn Tamales three sweet corn tamales * sour cream * salsa fresca 10 Plantain Empanadas roasted plantains * black beans * poblano peppers * cotija cheese 9 Kobe Beef Sopes guajillo chile marinated kobe beef * corn masa "little boats" * mango red cabbage mint slaw 14 ENTREE Grilled Skirt Steak roasted corn relish * black beans * seasonal salad * handmade flour tortilla 27. DESSERT Chocolate Cake
(5)Sharon D.
We go to Vegas several times a year. The first time we went to the Border Grill, we weren't too impressed. Can't really remember why, but this trip we gave it another try. It was great. Loved the outdoor seating as we had just walked over from the pool -- we didn't want the standard pool food. I was very excited about all the gluten free selections and my fish tacos on corn shells were wonderful! We will definitely go back on our next trip.
(4)greg s.
My wife and I had lunch here and were very disappointed in the food and prices. I don't mind spending $40 on 2 dishes of good mexican food but the good we got was horrible. The grilled fish tacos were super small, fishy, and just bland. The sides of rice were too salty and the beans were dry and looked liked yesterdays beans. The chicken salad also was bland and the dressing was just horrible as well. I was also disappointed on the 3 salsas that came with the chips. My local senor fish has way better food and salsas. The only thing the was nice was the upper deck seating and the service. You can do way better for $50 after taxes and drinks.
(1)Stephanie H.
Eating at Border Grill while in Las Vegas seems to be a choice centered more around necessity than the desire to eat there. Oh, Stripsteak is full up for the night? You mean I can't get a table at Fleur de Lys? Well I don't want to eat at the buffet again...screw it, let's go to Border Grill. It is not that the food is bad, or the decor lacking, it's just well, ordinary. The prices are Vegas prices...no not $5.99 prime rib Vegas prices... more like $23 fish tacos Vegas prices. Not exactly the best value for a quick and casual sit down dining experience. We decided to come here because well, we had reservations at Aureole that we missed because I unfortunately had to keep working about 2 hours past the time I was set to take a dinner break. So what was a 2.5 hour dinner break turned into about 40 minutes to eat something fast. Since this location is close to the convention center at Mandalay Bay, and they have an area in the bar where you can eat quickly, we settled on this. The food was good, but not great. Thankfully the server was attentive and when we told her we were in a bit of a hurry, she was certain to speed things up for us. Overall, our dining experience was not disappointing but it would certainly not be my first choice for a nice sit down dinner at the Mandalay Bay hotel.
(3)Cisco E.
I really it the first time we ate there but on our last visit I had such a terrible service and shrimp dish wasn't good. I almost inclined to rate this one star based on my last experience. We came with a big party of 16 people and I get it that it not the easiest task for a server to help a big party like that when you are busy. They split us in two tables by outside patio. This is where it got bad. Somehow my friends sitting on the other table, which actually is basically next to mine, got their food 45 minutes after we started eating. Only thing we got from them was a lot of sorries eventhough the bill came out to $700 with tip. And my shrimp dish some lemon shrimp dish was mediocre at best. I will pass on this place from now on.
(2)Jessie N.
Hooray!!! Thank you to the Top Chef Masters for AWESOMENESS!!! The Halibut Ceviche was astounding.
(4)Sarah M.
I had tried this place before for lunch and thought it was just OK. I've since tried the brunch and, let me tell you, that's where it's at! Oh my goodness, so delicious! We sometimes plan our whole trip around making it to that weekend brunch. It's outstanding! Our favorites are the Steak & Eggs, Chilaquiles, and Coconut and French Toast. Skip the shrimp BLT--pretty strange.
(5)Josh H.
Border Grill is another great restaurant under the roof of Mandalay Bay. It has a unique menu, great tequila selection, and fun, modern decor and atmosphere. Yes, it's in a hotel, and can be kind of inconvenient to get to for a casual outing, and because of its location is probably slightly overpriced. However, it is still definitely worth checking out. My personal recommendation would be to go for prix frixe brunch, which is an all you can eat menu full of interesting and delicious items.
(4)Dan J.
The dish I had as described in the daily special menu. Chicken Enchilada - Smoked Chicken & Oaxacan string cheese in a chipotle cream sauce, with an Ancho chile corn salad. The dish was preceded with homemade corn chips and 3 salsas. There was a tomtailo, red chile, and a smoked chipolte. All 3 were good. The chips were a little greasy but were still good. They were made from thick homemade tortillas and were crispy. The enchilada dish arrived promptly, and the presentation was very well executed. The plate had a base of the chipotle sauce with streaks of cream streaked through the sauce. The three chicken enchiladas were topped with a corn salas which consisted of asparagus that had been thinly sliced and cooked just till tender. There were also slices of Ancho chiles, corn and onion in the salad. This was topped with the string cheese. The Chicken Enchilada's were made of homemade corn tortillas, rolled around the chicken and cheese mixture. This dish might have been the best enchilada dish I've every had, except for at Orlando's in Taos, New Mexico. The thick tortilla and the chicken mixture had just the right texture and flavor. The restaurant advertises themselves as Real Mexican, it is not the standard Tex-Mex fair. The restaurant was created by Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger. They had a Food Network show called The Two Hot Tamales when the network was still new. I still have some of their recipes. I would give this restaurant a must visit while in Las Vegas.
(5)Susan H.
Excellent service. I did not like the food. Corn flan was the worst I have ever had. Pulled pork was good and with the cinnamon yams was a really weird combination. Chips were great and the margarita was well done but very light on the alcohol.
(1)Christine T.
The best kept secret and deal in Vegas !!!!! As a frequent visitor to Vegas and self proclaimed foodie, I have tried every celebrity chef restaurant up and down the strip. This is the jackpot, I do not like mass made food like buffets where food gets overcooked as it sits under heast lamps, here everything is cooked to order and is worth the wait. At 29.99 with an extra $5 for unlimited mimosas, not a better bargain
(5)Jermaine C.
Not impressed....
(2)Ilya K.
Very slow service! Waitress has too many tables to handle and service suffers. Parts of the order was missing, staff is disorganized. Overall under-staffed.
(2)Maika H.
While walking through the Mandalay Bay, my mom and I had a hankering for some tasty mexican and thought Border Grill would be a good bet. The menu sounded delicious but ended up feeling greatly disappointed with both the drinks and food. We ordered the "special drinks of the day" a mojito and a margarita and both were overly sweet with very little alcohol. In regard to the food, the salt shaker seemed to have taken the place for any spices or real seasoning. My mother was not even able to finish her pork tamale for fear of the effect it would have on her heart. We went in with high expectations but the whole experience left us feeling cheated and we weren't even in the casino.
(2)Tiffany W.
Border Grill is located in Mandalay Bay, just down the hall from the wedding chapel. When I visited, my friends wanted to sit outside on the patio. One plus is the patio outside is completely covered. It's almost like a room with just the one wall to the outside missing. So you get the breeze and the fresh air, but still feel like you're slightly indoors. Also, the patio overlooks a pool with a stage and you can enjoy whatever live music may be playing. Another plus is their menu has a lot of different and interesting items from which to choose. I ordered chicken panuchos, which is black bean stuffed tortillas with chicken. I've never seen black beans stuffed into the middle of a tortilla before, so that gave it a nice twist. But unfortunately, the chicken was very dry. I had to add A LOT of salsa to give it some moistness. A couple of negatives. The restaurant has this weird policy that they bring you their special filtered water and pour your glasses, and if they refill your glasses - then they charge you extra. It's stated on their menu, but the problem I have is - why even bring the water without asking if the table wants it? And the waiter didn't fill one of the glasses full, and although the person never touched the water - he filled it up to the top when he returned. This meant we would have been charged, when he never even filled it all the way to begin with! Sneaky? You be the judge. The other negative is, there is no restroom on site. You have to go somewhere downstairs, which is a little ways to walk. Instead, I went down the hall to the wedding chapel. If you don't make eye contact with the receptionist, you can go in and the restroom is right there at the entrance :)
(3)Ali S.
Planned a large dinner party for a work event at Border Grill for the 2nd year in a row. After spending hours in a trade show hall, it's nice to dine out on the patio! :) Great service, great prices and super tasty food! I would recommend the skirt steak and their guac rocks. Had dinner on Tues and then lunch again on Thurs. Love this place.
(5)Alex H.
2 stars....and barely. Por que... Por que I had no idea this place was associated with Cuidad which is better. But this place is a major let down. Food is very average. I had the poblano enchiladas... kinda of dry... nothing special. Other people at my table had similar uninspired food. The location is poor, down a convention center hallway away from the action and the people watching. The patio overlooks the pool but during the summer it is hot as balls... and that kinda of defeats the purpose. The rest of the inside decor is blah The real problem with this place is it is an absolute terrible value. Not the worst Mexican food but priced like a fine dining establishment with average food and decor. El Torito Mexican food a chain is just as good if not better. They also charge for WATER! What! Overall I really hated this place, but cant give it one star because the food is average.
(2)Joy T.
A-ok...Celebrated our wedding anniversary here just before we went to the Michael Jackson show in December. Food was just ok...prices were over hyped.
(3)Jennifer L.
Sadly, I made a meal out of their chips and salsa (omg so good) so couldn't quite stuff myself with their food like I wanted. Everything was delicious and the sangria was FANTASTIC.
(4)Monkee C.
Had dinner here with the BF prior to seeing the Lion King. Of course did a quick survey of Yelp reviews prior to dinner to make sure we weren't walking into a minefield. Actually the prices were quite reasonable, even taking into account being in Vegas...appetizers were $8 to 12, entrees $20 to 35, and desserts (which we didn't have room for) were all around $8. Plus their "prix fixe" deal is pretty good at $39, considering that you aren't limited to certain entree or dessert options as per usual (hence the quotes) but can pick anything off the menu. So pricewise not out of line for any nice big city downtown restaurant. We were brought chips and a selection of salsa verde, a chipotle salsa, and a "regular" hot salsa. The chips were good, freshly made and crunchy and not greasy. The salsa verde might be too acidic for some, but I like vinegar...the chipotle salsa was quite good too. We then split a queso fundido appetizer that was surprisingly large (easily could have been split amongst four). The queso came out bubbling and with a dollop of guac. Suffice to say I would have licked the serving platter if I could have gotten away with it, but I had to settle for using the flour tortilla (also yum) instead. Our entrees (tecate carnitas and cochinita pibil) were also surprisingly large. I can't resist me some good pork, so I was in heaven with the carnitas. The BF's beef was also awesome, the only thing I thought was just ok was the rice, but I have a hard time liking anything but short grain white rice, you know how Asians roll. Everything was full of flavor AND in large portions. The atmosphere is appropriate for the price, and our server was prompt, attentive, and even threw in an intermission tip for while Simba was taking a breather. A good choice for some upscale Mexican prior to a show at Mandalay, or even just in general!
(4)Lauren F.
Everyone else was feeling like a baller. Saturday night was the night that many of my Vegas cohorts decided to go spend $100 on dinners at fancy pants restaurants that me and my broke ass last minute trip to Vegas self couldn't afford. I wanted to eat a nice meal, but one that I could afford, so a few of us ended up at the Border Grill. I was pleased with our choice for sure. Dining on the patio in the heat with the misters every so often cruising our way, it was a gorgeous time of dusk to dine. Sipping on my Cruzan Mojito and enjoying my two appetizers, tortilla soup and plantain empanadas, I was just reveling in the fact that this meal wasn't going to break my bank. It felt upscale, but the average $25 entrees were reasonable. Everything about the service, location, drinks, and all the entrees on the table had a hint of class to them, I was just stoked to be able to afford them....this way i could go and, instead of spending $100 on a meal, just hand the money to the blackjack dealer and say, "here, I think you need this more than me". That experience would only take 5 minutes, as opposed to the 2 hour or so meal i could have enjoyed with it. I mean, you see my point right? 5 minutes i can deal with...2 hours of tasty food...yah, like ill ever get that 2 hours back. OK...ill pull the bitter back, and just say that it was a delightful choice for a meal. Company included.
(4)Angela R.
Loved this place! The food was awesome and the Sangria was fantastic! Everyone was friendly. We went back the next day for dessert and more sangria because we were too full for it after our dinner.
(5)Charlie Y.
I've tried all kinds of mexican food from New Mexico, regular Mexico, back home in San Diego and many places in between. This is not any of that. This is crazy psuedo-mex from Miami or something. The only people they could fool are east-coasters and Las Vegas convention goers who get lured in by passing through all the time. Everything tasted like lime. The corn tortillas were a pasty, dry mess and terribly under salted or not salted whatsoever. It's hard to imagine a mexican place that can screw that up. The truth is, however, real mexicans could not have had anything to do with concocting the food served here. This place exists to sell cocktails and $6 lime ades. If you're going to eat at Mandalay, head over to Burger Bar not too far away. If you're looking for mexican, go elsewhere.
(2)Sara A.
Went here with my family on a Monday night. Place was so hard to find. We ran around the hotel forever looking for it. There was a Lowe's conference taking place there, and getting through the crowd to get to the entrance was quite an adventure. It was dark and pretty much empty in the restaurant. Our service was excellent. We ordered the trio of salsas and the guacamole. Very good. My mother and siblings all ordered humongous margaritas. They looked great. I was nursing a massive hangover, so I had a Pepsi. I ordered the plantain empanadas (not mexican, BTW). The presentation was lacking- they were just there on the plate. Almost like some frozen snack you microwave and toss on a plate. I abhor sweet with savory, so this was not the dish for me. The filling is not appealing to the eye and is sweet. They weren't horrible, but I just couldn't get past the sweet. Next time I'll try the green corn tamales. My sister's friend ordered the tortilla soup. The "soup" was too thick and didn't have much flavor. However, the soup has these cubes of cheese that are so damn delicious...I just gold-mined those out of her soup throughout the meal. They were absolutely my favorite of the evening. I could eat a whole bucket of those cheese cubes!!!
(3)Tom D.
2.5 stars This was another restaurant on the last trip to Vegas that really wasn't anything too special -- but priced as though it were. It certainly was ok -- chips were fresh and warm -- though the salsas weren't anything to get excited about. Fish tacos were good, but hardly memorable -- and their standard Margarita tasted all fakey fake.
(2)JJ M.
Staying at the Mandalay for an industry event, we spent a great happy hour at Border Grill. So, I don't do five stars, but I'll slip one in for BG or a couple of reasons. Cantina Tex Mex is such a great cuisine, and so often under served. This food here was really good, reasonably priced and completely unpretentious - a nice change for a Vegas venue. The Margaritas were excellent. The ceviche sopas were fresh and snappy, not o saucy and just macerated enough. The guac and salsas were super fresh and flavorful, with enough house flair to make them mentionable. I see short ribs all over the place these days, but the rendering here was a Delicious little taquito that did it for me. El Yum-o. If in the Mandalay, the BG is a great bet for happy hour, or just a quick bite on your way from the convention center to the hotel. Andale to the Mandalay, con mucho gusto.
(5)melissa f.
The food here is good, and the presentation of our meals were kind of fancy. Everyone at my table really liked their meal. The atmosphere is just okay, but I heard they have outdoor seating? I wish I would've known! I love sitting outside. Food and atmosphere gets a 4 out of five star rating. I have a lot to say about the cocktails, I'd give them a 3/5 rating.. maybe a 2. I came here with my husband's family and I knew I was in for a pretty boring dinner. Might as well have a couple martinis to make the visit more bearable! The espresso martini tastes amazing, I had two of them. They had a very spicey southwest taste to them that was fantastic and unusual, but WTF, where's the alcohol?! I usually am pretty comfortably buzzed after two martinis but I didn't feel any love from the two I had here at Border Grill. I sat through the rest of my dinner and day with the inlaws totally SOBER and pissed off about it. They lose a star for being stingy with the alcohol.
(4)Matthew O.
Every time I am in Vegas I go to the Border Grill for a drink and appetizers. They have the very best margaritas I have ever had. They are a little pricey but in this case you get what you pay for.
(5)Lisa N.
I am staying at the Mandalay Bay for 4days and ate here 3 times. Service is excellent, lamb tacos from the daily special were excellent. Guacamole and the salad it comes with are excellent. Ceviche was excellent but you should be a fish fan, one of them has a fishy smell. Cocktails were tasty and good pours.
(5)Chris H.
The Food and Service were both wonderful! There were 6 in our party and everyone was very happy with all of the choices. The Grilled Skirt Steak and the Tortilla Soup were particular favorites and the Guacamole was terrific. This will be on the list of restaurants to return to on our next trip!
(5)Fabi R.
I don't know why, but I tend to be Mexican food averse in the face of other options. Maybe because I live in San Diego and have lived in Tucson - both places with exceptional, traditional Mexican fare. But, Border Grill is outside the Convention Center at Mandalay Bay, so I end up there when at abrade shows. And the food never disappoints. The house made tortilla chips come with three delicious salsas. Addicting. Fresh, crunchy and perfectly salty. The salsas are insanely good - very flavorful. I had the flank steak which was so very good. Perfectly seared, perfectly sliced, perfectly cooked (medium rare). Came with a tasty corn relish (vert good) and black beans (which were just okay). My friend had a quesadilla, which seemed pretty basic, but which he inhaled. The service was great, the food perfect. Great job, ladies! Two stars off because, as others have mentioned, it was overpriced. Way overpriced.
(3)Susan C.
If I could sum up my visit in one word, it would be disappointed. We accidentally found this restaurant while sight seeing and was pleasantly surprised because we had seen Top Chef Masters and her food looked great. We ordered the Baja Ceviche, Fish Tacos, and the Kobe Beef Tacos. The ceviche was good but nothing memorable. We thought that it would get better but I found the tacos to be average and lacking flavor. It definitely needed a bit more of a kick to it.
(2)Kate W.
Wedding Reception at Border Grill = Awesome We had our wedding reception at the Border Grill at the Mandalay Bay and it was a blast- great food, great drinks, great service all around good time for everyone. We wanted something hip and new and fun and the Border grill definitely provided that. They also provide a coordinator at no charge to help you plan everything from the menu to decorations to music and anything else you want. We worked with Destiny Hampton and she was amazing. Very attentive and helpful. She definitely knows how to plan parties. All of our guests raved about the food and how much fun they had. I highly recommend this as a wedding reception location in Vegas.
(5)Chastine V.
i have been wanting to try out border grill's brunch for a few weeks now. with my birthday on sunday Dan decided to take me here. woohoo!! how have i never tried out their brunch?? it was the best brunch I have had here in Las Vegas. Everyone was so delightful and even made me a birthday card. Our waitress was friendly and helpful with selecting what we wanted. for $25 it is an all you can eat made to order brunch. did you read that? MADE FRESH! ALL YOU CAN EAT! YUMS! we started with a guava empanada. it was good, but i knew i had to get my share of the yucatan egg benedict. I should have saved that for last though.very filling for such a small plate. the biscuit and sausage gravy was amazing too. steak and eggs were an A+ and Dan's favorite. the coconut french toast had me wide eyed with a giant smile. very heavenly. i wish i could have tried more. this is when i wish my stomach was larger. our waitress brought me out a mexican chocolate birthday cake which was awesome. something to order when it is not included in the all you can eat menu. for $5 more we added on the bottomless mimosas and i am so glad we did. they have a few flavors to choose from including the classic mimosa. I was very pleased with this brunch and I am sure I will be back. The covered outside patio had me feeling like i was on vacation even though I am a local. The food was amazing and the staff beyond friendly when they didn't have to be. They made my birthday! They also offer a locals card with your Las Vegas ID for 15% off which is an added bonus. This place was def money well spent. Can't wait for the next brunch!
(5)Jack M.
First off this restaurant is located next to conference rooms and not so close to the other restaurants. We visited on a Thursday evening and it was dead in the dining room while the bar was full of loud conference attendees. The food is fine, overpriced like much of the restaurants in Vegas, but not outrageous. The problem was the service, the wait staff was just not bothered, even the manager hung out in the bar area. It took forever to get menus and after our meat almost 15 minutes to get the check, which was ridiculous considering there was only three tables and two servers. We won't be back.
(2)Candie L.
I was starving when I showed up here so I figured anything I ordered would taste good. I ordered the blueberry pancakes with jalapeno bacon brunch. On the menu it said that it was served with a basket of fruits and pastries. I never received my fruits and pastries. When the pancakes arrived I was very disappointed in the COLD BACON. I mean, COLD. Could they not even microwave it? Also, I was not given the option of adding my own syrup, the pancakes were already drowning in syrup. I don't like that much syrup, but the waitress disappeared, never to be seen again until she dropped off the check later. There was so much syrup on my pancakes that the top pancake literally disintegrated. I tried to eat some but it kept triggering my gag reflex. I ate some of my husband's food, hoping the waitress would come back and I could order something else. Finally, I gave up and pulled out the middle pancake and ate it because it wasn't quite so wet. When the waitress finally came back, I complained about the pancakes and she scowled. She didn't offer to bring me something else, or refund my money, or, I don't know, maybe bring out the pastries and fruit that were promised to me on the menu! I didn't feel like I had the right to really press the issue because I had already eaten about a third of it. To add insult to injury, that pile of crap cost me TWENTY DOLLARS. My husband was embarrassed that he had been talking that place up to me. It's a week later and I'm still feel nauseated every time I think about those nasty, nasty pancakes and that cold bacon. There are too many good restaurants in Vegas to put up with crap like this. SKIP IT!
(1)Amy H.
I wish I could have given this place a 5...I really do. The food was excellent. My friend had the chicken mole and I had the chicken enchiladas...delicious! The service was great...until the storm hit. All of a sudden there was crazy wind and rain, and I guess their computers went down. We waited for over 30 minutes in order to get our check. Our poor server tried his best to keep us happy, but he was a bit frazzled himself. After finding out it was only his 3rd day on the job, I was much more impressed with how he handled things. If it wasn't for that crazyness, and no manager addressing our table when it all happened, there would have been 5 stars. Good food. Job well done, Jason. Thank you for the birthday cake!
(4)Irene B.
I would say 3.5, but a -.5 because they charge .50 cents for water. Seriously? I could be totally off and maybe this is quite common in Vegas, but this is the first time I was charged for tap water at Vegas. Grrrr.... Anyway, we stopped by for some light bites. The chicken and steak quesadillas were good, but nothing out of the ordinary. I ordered the fresh fruit sangria which happened to be blueberries and raspberries that day. It was super carbonated and tasted like a fizzy blueberry soda, but maybe you like your sangria like that. I don't. Plus, they do not offer pitchers. Goodness, of all places in the world, why must you not have pitchers? My favorite of the night was the Watercress, Avocado, and Orange salad that came with bacon wrapped dates stuffed with chorizo and blue cheese. It was sinful I tell you. The salad was light and delicious and balanced out the heaviness of the bacon wrapped dates very nicely. Just for the salad, I might forgive you Border Grill for the whole water fiasco, but I won't forget.
(3)E S.
We recently visited this restaurant for the first time. We had been working a trade show and were pretty hungry when we arrived. Their chips and salsa were yummy and we ordered some guac which was tasty as well. We ordered a poblano quesadilla and Border classics appetizer to share (2 corn tamales, 2 plantain empanadas, and 2 chicken panudos). We weren't sure what to get, so the Border Classics was recommended. The quesadilla was pretty good, but the cheese was a bit rich. The corn tamales were my favorite. I love this type of corn filling, being from the South (where it is sometimes called fried corn). The plantain empanadas were soggy and bland, so we did not finish those. We are 99% vegetarian but were hungry so we each tasted the chicken panudos.....the chicken tasted boiled and very bland, so we did not eat more than the one bite and I wished that I had not tasted it at all. The worst part of the experience was that everything was pretty darned expensive. We went during a very busy time, yet the service was still pretty good and everyone we encountered was pleasant. They kept the beer coming, and we had a good time overall, so I might give it another go when I'm back out that way.
(3)Sara A.
I am not the biggest mexican food fan, but this was a really good restaurant. The brisket taquitos were amazing and my siblings liked there choice of dishes too. Great service and outdoor space.
(5)Debbie C.
I would have given 5 stars except, I felt the service was rushed. Before we could enjoy the chips, salsa and guacamole, the appetizers came. Before we could finish the appetizers the entree came. Then the desert. There was no breathing room in between courses, and that is too bad, as the food was amazing. That said, the guacamole was the best I have ever had. The chips divine, not oily not stale, just perfect. Two of ordered the 42.00 per person deal, which includes one app, one entree and the dessert. The appetizer was a trio of appetizers. One fried plantain, one beef taquito and one tamale. The fried plantain was great crispy on the outside, warm sweetness's on the inside. The beef taquito crunchy and delicious. I never got to the tamale, the entree came before I could try it. I did not want my entree to get cold so I bypassed the tamale. I had the boneless beef short ribs or corn polenta. Fabulous, the beef so tender the polenta had a little kick but not so overwhelming. My friend had the special rib eye gaucho steak. I had a taste, it was great, had I know I would have ordered it. My other friend had another special she did comment it was spicy. It was stuffed peppers I am not sure the name. The portions were huge. We took half home. Now the dessert was fantastic, it was the special for the day. Banana cream pie. Not your ordinary banana cream pie. This had 3 layers of banana bread each separated by luscious layers of banana cream with fresh bananas, whipped cream on top and swirls of chocolate sauce. Honestly one of the best tasting meals I have ever had in Las Vegas. If I do get to go back I hope the service will be slower, so this wonderful food can be savored and enjyed as it was meant to be.
(4)Fredy V.
Let me begin by saying that I'm a big Border Grill fan. I go to the Santa Monica location all the time and it's pretty good. The prices at the Las Vegas location are really high, but understand because of being inside the hotel. That said, the food was awful. I ordered the Ensenada fish tacos and they were tasteless. Tortillas were cold. The rice was cold. And it took over 30 min to get served. My opinion, not worth the price.
(2)Jay Y.
Had a great experience eating here with a group of friends. It was definitely nice probably because we were in great company, the mimosas got us drunk, we were outdoors in perfect weather, or the comped meal thanks to MV. Either way, we had a blast and it was fun trying their unlimited brunch "buffet". We had a reservation for 6 and were seated outside immediately. We ordered a lot of food... maybe too many to list, but I would have to say that they were all pretty good....except one or two plates, but they were still edible. Definitely, no complaints... maybe because I was already drunk anyway.. :)
(5)Natasha B.
"It's like a dim sum for brunch". This place is sooooo gooooood! You order 2 things, they bring it out on a small plate and you can share it, then you order 2 more things while you are chewing round 1. Everything we tried was good (except the Oyster Rockefeller) sampled almost everything on the menu. They are the perfect size so that you can try everything and not get too stuffed... well, not TOO stuffed ;-P We will definitely come back here. Brunch is served Sat and Sun 10-3
(5)Elizabeth K.
I have been wanting to try this place for years. It did not disappoint. Pricey, yes..but that's Vegas. The difference is that they serve big, filling plates. So, you actually get your $$'s worth. The margaritas are FANTASTIC. Chips were amazingly fresh and crispy and I loved that they served three different salsas. The shrimp tacos were heaven, but my hubby got the carne asada which I think were the best. GREAT service and worth a try!
(4)Tessa Y.
This place is awesome. ALWAYS ask for Tom. He honestly was one of the best servers I've ever had in Vegas. He can almost feel your personality. He understands everything you want whether it be good wise or alcohol wise. He constantly was checking on our table and making sure we had everything we needed. Going forward I will ask for him every time. Border Grille Gould recognize this employee. Without him I wouldn't be writing this review
(5)Dave O.
On a recent trip to Vegas we decided to eat dinner in the hotel since we got in a little late and decided to explore other options outside the hotel over the next few days. The Border Grill was a real find we called ahead but since it was a Tuesday night it wasn't overly busy so we were able to get a table for four right away. We started out with a nice cocktail while exploring the menu everything looked so good. I started out with the Blood Orange Cerviche this turned out to be a great choice we ordered a mixture of different entrees to share wow this is gourmet Mexican Food. Our server was perfect and we ordered from her recommendations and wasn't disappointed. We found everything we orders delicious and the presentation was over the top. There are so many great places to eat in Vegas we had plans to eat another meal here but that didn't work out. I will definitely bookmark this for future reference if you are in the area and decide to try them out you won't be disappointed
(4)Lucia R.
I was at the Hospitality Expo at Mandalay Bay and decided to stop by and grab a quick bite at Border Grill. It looked like they were packed with people from the convention and the servers looked really overwhelmed. There were empty tables but however the hostess told me the only available seating was either at he bar or high tables at the bar. Me and some other expo attendee agreed to share one high table but we were waiting for the waitress for a long time and no one came to the table. I spotted one empty seat at the bar and ran for it. Once finally seated, I ordered a few tacos and a water and the person at the bar gave me an annoyed look for ordering only water and finally when my order arrived it was not correct and arrived with no silverware and napkins. Since I was sitting at the bar I tried to put my purse down and looked down and the floor was filthy and disgusting, It would be nice if there were purse hooks. I decided because of the lack of time to take my food to go and finish my meal at home. I ordered pork tacos & it was an unbelievable amount of fat with the meat. When someone cuts the meat for the taco you would think they would remove the fat but the tacos were about 50% fat. yuck!
(1)Vince R.
We went back and ordered off of the menu. Tasty food.
(4)Stephanie S.
Absolutely the best Mexican food I've ever had! The queso Is AMAZING - worthy of a meal in itself. We had batter-dipped fish tacos, carne asade tacos, and chicken penuches, and they were all phenomenal. Flavors are well-balanced, nothing over-seasoned, and very creative recipes. VERY GOOD FOOD! Lovely decor, excellent wait staff (especially Jessica) and good drinks. Definitely a great choice for lunch, if you're anywhere near Mandalay Bay.
(5)Camilo A.
Found this place to be just average. As a Mexican food lover, the food was ok. Had the fish tacos that we're just blah. Great service though.
(3)Danielle Y.
We had breakfast here because it was close to the convention we were attending. The choices are very limited, the service wasn't that great and they are very pricey-even for Vegas. I do not believe my vanilla latte was really that, it tasted more like just coffee. The French Brioche with caramelized plantain syrup was very tasty, although I believe the "plantains" were actually bananas. The music was so loud we asked our server if they could turn it down. After what felt like an eternity it did seem to drop a few notches but only momentarily before the noise level was again unbearable. This is just my two cents, take it for what it's worth.
(1)John L.
We went with friends for restaurant week. It was a later reservation then we would normally make, but the place was full. The service was good. The food was good. A special request due to allergies was the one downfall. It didn't occur and one member of our party unfortunately had to leave early with benadryl in tow. Except for that it was a very good meal and we'd likely give it another try. The 4 star rating is mostly in regards to their inability to manage a simple one ingredient food allergy.
(4)David P.
I've been to this restaurant more times than I can remember and it never disappoints! The chicken poblano enchiladas are my favorite! Their margaritas are always good as well, especially during summer when they have seasonal ones.
(5)Michael U.
Items selected: Iced Coffee Fresh Fruit with Honey Guava Empanada PLANTAIN EMPANADA - roasted plantain * black beans * poblano * cotija cheese BACON JALAPEÑO PBJ - peanut butter * homemade grape jelly * crispy bacon * jalapeño * biscuit PERUVIAN SHRIMP AND GRITS - aji panca chile marinated shrimp * roasted poblano chiles, creamy parmesan grits BREAD PUDDING FRENCH TOAST - caramelized bananas * coconut syrup CRISPY POTATO RAJAS TACO - roasted potatoes and chiles * mexican cheeses, guacamole * grilled corn relish * chipotle aioli MACHACA CHILAQUILES - slow cooked beef brisket * crispy corn tortilla chips, mexican cheeses * roasted chiles * egg cooked your way BISCUIT AND SAUSAGE GRAVY - homemade buttermilk biscuit * chipotle sausage gravy SHORT RIB HASH AND EGG - negra modelo braised beef short ribs * boniato yams * caramelized onions SWEET POTATO PANCAKE - cinnamon whipped cream * toasted pecan maple syrup CHURRO TOTS - dulce de leche infused churros * cinnamon sugar * whipped cream BBQ BAKED EGG - housemade bbq sauce * roasted potatoes * caramelized peppers, crispy serrano ham * baked egg FIG AND BLUE CHEESE QUESADILLA - caramelized black mission figs * maytag blue cheese, chipotle aioli * candied walnuts WAFFLE AND PORK BELLY WITH MAPLE SYRUP - french waffle * crispy pork belly * maple syrup CRAB PANCAKES - savory corn lobster pancake * chipotle sauce, sunny side egg * crispy leeks Waking late after the gluttony of Carnevino the previous evening breakfast on Sunday would feature not only the culinary stylings of Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger but also new friend and fellow blogger/local gourmand Clint at Border Grill's all-you-can-eat Mexican brunch. Having visited the original Santa Monica location with family many years ago and coming away impressed by the food but less so by the service the style of the Mandalay Bay location was decidedly different with a large, open floorplan including al fresco dining and typically professional Las Vegas Strip service delivering selections two at a time as we progressed through 90% of the menu, most of it exemplary in quality considering the $35 price. Featuring bottomless coffee and beginning with fresh fruit and empanadas before progressing through plates both sweet and savory utilizing organic proteins and produce plus house-made jams, jellies, sauces, and creams highlights of the menu for myself included the fluffy biscuits surrounding peanut butter, jelly, bacon, jalapenos and a fried egg as well as the quesadilla and excellent shrimp and grits but all-in-all it would also be foolish to overlook the quality of the pork belly atop the crispy waffle, clever churro tots, or creamy French toast either - the only problem with these being that I had a real estate appointment and the combination of limited time and so many other choices prevented the ordering of a second round.
(4)KAyla R.
Yummy! Came for the endless border brunch The sweets were delish. My favorites were the French toast, fried green tomatoes and banyan foster crepes! Ohhhh and the oyster Rockefeller! It's tapas style Sunday morning. $35 for endless brunch and +$10 for endless mimosas. Delish overall. The tapas are not that small. So I suggest going with someone and each person getting different things to share
(5)Shelby O.
We get to the restaurant before leaving and they first tell us that the wait is 20 minutes. We go to the bar to sit and drink some WATER and food & they kick us out Because I don't have my ID. Yet, to state law in Nevada you are aloud to stay in a bar section if they serve food at this hour. I would understand if I went to order alcohol but it was strictly water & instead of going far to get my purse from the car I decided to wait because they told us that it is 20 minutes. We wait outside for 30, then after asking 3 times if the table is ready and getting now more snotty attitude from now not only the bartender and now the hostesses, we finally get seated. We get the option to sit inside or outside, thought that was odd coming from the fact of it being a 10 minute longer of a wait. We choose inside and there is at least 8 empty tables. 4 of them being dirty our entire meal. The food was okay, but GETTING MY FOOD OUT BEFORE A SIMPLE GLASS OF WATER.. Is dumb. The guy next to us in a suit had a whole tray spill on him. It's been like 30 mins and the other people next to us haven't even got their drink order. I thought customer service was a good thing to get them to return.. But instead of saying it is all because of it being "busy" You should all say because we're lazy bitches who don't know how to clean a table or even check on their customers. IF I had the option to give it 0 stars. I would. If you're at the convention at mandalay bay, save yourself and walk over to another restaurant . As I write this a bunch of glasses fall and break too. Haha.
(1)Bethany E.
Border Grill is great! We were at Mandalay for a concert and wanted to grab something to eat beforehand. I'm so glad we picked this place to eat. When we walked up, it looked very busy and no open seats. We asked how long the wait was and the hostess told us there was seating downstairs at the bar and also on the patio! Since we didn't know what to order, our waiter/bartender recommended the Queso Fundido! It was so delicious. With the chorizo added in, it had a great unique flavor. I think we would have licked the bowl if it wasn't frowned upon. He also recommended the Border Classic which had 2 of three appetizers. This was perfect for us. Tomales, Chicken Tacos and Empanadas. Yum! If you are here for an event or just a fun night, definitely stop in! Great service and great food!
(4)Laura J.
No salt and pepper at the table...And there was never a need for it anyway. Perfection. And a somewhat hidden gem of Las Vegas. A Las Vegas local and this gem is my favorite.
(5)Melesio M.
Had dinner on Saturday night right before MJ show at Mandalay. I had the wagyu beef tacos, marinated and grilled pineapple, flavor reminded me of the best AL pastor tacos but not pork. Very good. Wife and I shared some raja tacos & guacamole. Very fresh & chunky. Wife had tortilla soup. Incredible broth and roasted chili flavors. Only think I didn't like was the Paloma drink special, had zero grapefruit flavor. The food had so much attention to flavors, texture & colors but the drink was prepared poorly. Fresh strawberry lemonade was one of the best we've had though.
(4)Andrew M.
I regret not visiting the LA Border Grills when I lived there because I'd be there weekly. After the previous night's disappointment at Fleur we decided to try something a smidge more casual and Border Grill ended up being our first choice. Why is it great where Fleur failed? 1) The food is actually cooked well and didn't confuse salt and fat with flavor. Seasoning on everything was perfect from the chips through to the desserts. The food all had nuance, even the steak which is usually one of the more boring things on the menu was seasoned spectacularly well. The accompanying quesadilla would have been a great appetizer in its own right. I don't think it's possible to go wrong on this menu. 2) The service gives a shit. Our server was awesome, he steered us in the right direction on recommendations, telling us what he wouldn't order, and why, and making sure that everything was there when we needed it. At one point we needed a spare steak knife and didn't need to flag someone down, it just appeared as if by magic. Everyone we interacted with was awesome, and they got the pacing perfect. We never waited for anything but we also never felt rushed. 3) Casual is, well, casual. Border Grill manages to do a bit upscale without being stuffy. This is just an easy restaurant to be in. The energy is great throughout and the patio is a great place to be, overlooking the pool at the Mandalay Bay and it was even comfortable in the beginning of summer. Nothing is forced. 4) The drinks are great. There's a bunch of different spins on Margaritas on the menu and they're all worth drinking and all perfect for summer. Order anything from the cocktail menu with confidence. It's all great. Some restaurants have great food but the service is off, or they have great service but the food leaves something to be desired. Or there's great food and service, but the bar is weak. Border Grill is one of the few restaurants that hits on all cylinders.
(5)Brandon S.
The service is good and the food has good flavor. The cost is holding them back. The food is priced too high for what you get. The value is not there because the portions are small for the price. I started with the queso fundido. It has good flavor. As an appetizer about three people could share this. I then had the crispy potato rajas tacos. They were quite tasty. Once again the portion is the problem. You get so little for your money. Our servers were friendly and helpful.
(3)Bev A.
Amazing brunch!!!! They have different flavored mimosa from cucumber lemon, to pomegranate, watermelon, peach...... They have small plates tapas style that is made to order, everything I ordered was pretty good my favorite one is the tamales, oyster Rockefeller, shrimp with grits. Definitely will be back again
(4)Gerry W.
Just love the Border Grill especially if you can get a table outside. The patio has a great view of the Mandalay Bay pool and lazy river and some shaded tables. Our server was great, very helpful and friendly. She was willing to go the extra mile to help us have a wonderful lunch. The following dishes were excellent. The Guacamole was creamy and tasty. Carne Asada tacos and the mahi-mahi fish tacos were juicy and perfectly prepared. We were not big fans of the 2 different syles of rice but the beans are a keeper. Of course do try the Margarita's. O-Lay Tip- join the VIP club and receive a 15% discount on the entire check
(5)Malia M.
Many less than stellar reviews seem to be for dinners, or after shows when the crowd may be too much to handle for this place. However, we went for BRUNCH on a Sunday at 11am. We had a party of 6 people and were able to make RESERVATIONS. Seats inside and outside, where food can be enjoyed on an outdoor terrace overlooking Mandalay Bay's fabulous lazy river and wave pool. Too far down strip for you? Catch the Deuce or the SDX on Las Vegas BLVD. We caught the SDX from the Bellagio and it was a quick ride and well worth the trip. Without a doubt, this is the best brunch I've ever had. What's more surprising is that this falls in the top 3 meals I've ever eaten - breakfast, lunch or dinner. The deal is all you can eat small plates for $34.99; choose to add bottomless Mimosas (Cucumber, Pomegranate, Strawberry, Passion Fruit, et al) for $8.00. As an example, we paid $30 for a fabulous buffet brunch at the Aria; but for $4.99 more Border Grill was like a serious fine food experience. We were able to try the Bacon Jalapeno PBJ, Peruvian Shrimp and Grits, Skirt Steak and Egg, Bread Pudding French Toast, Yucatan Egg Benedict, Biscuits and Sausage Gravy, Frittata Tart, Short Rib Hash and Egg, Churro Tots, Waffle and Pork Belly, Sweet Potato Pancake, Brisket Omelet and Fig and Blue Cheese Quasadilla. My personal favorite was the Guava Empenadas. Each and every one of these easily blew away the finest the Aria had to offer. Least favorite was the Frittata. Please do not misunderstand, the Frittata was excellent, but it was like choosing between Labron and MJ, someone has to lose. Consensus had short rib hash was a heavy favorite, followed by the Shrimp and Grits, Brisket Omelet, the....oh, damn. Seriously too hard to choose. Just go to brunch there, already. Stop reading. You won't find a better tasting brunch, I guarantee.
(5)Brian A.
Fantastic dishes and service. The chicken quesadilla may have been the best I've ever had. If and when I come back to Vegas, I will be back.
(5)Franklin H.
Three star food - plus another star for good service during a busy tradeshow and it's away from the tradeshow floor. I think this will be my standard place for eating lunch during conventions. I'm in the Mandalay Bay Convention Center multiple times out of the year - and when I want to eat, I want some form of reasonable peace and quiet. Well - I won't get absolute peace and quiet here during a tradeshow - but what I will get is reasonably healthy lunch that is more reasonably priced that that replicated crap that is served at the Food Court. Yes, it's a bit of a further walk - but an extra few minutes of walking, I can usually get a seat at the bar in a few minutes, have a shot or two to take the edge off, enjoy my fish tacos, chips and salsa and then head back into battle with the convention.
(4)Peter W.
OMG!! The carnitas were out of this world they come served with a freshly made corn tortilla grits and a black bean paste the pork was soooo tender and savory but also had some crispy pieces mixed in also. The service was prompt and the wait staff plus the manager came over and asked if everything was good I couldn't be happier A MUST EAT PLACE IN VEGAS!! WILL NOT DISAPPOINT!!!!!
(5)Maggie Z.
Now that BG has a new chef, I decided to update my review! Menu overhaul has happened, the faves are still on board and some new treats to try. We are still major fans! We've been thrice since Chef Chris came on board and have yet to be disappointed. We brought a bunch of friends here in March and loved our time. We had some food allergies in our group so we begged not to do family style and were elated when we were given the approval. Came again in May with family and for the first time, remembered to ask for the Chef's secret brunch item (that wasn't so secret since it was on Facebook). The waitress looked at us like we were insane and said "we don't have secret items here." Then, when shown the picture: "Oh, we must not be giving those to the public." Lady, I'm pretty sure I've seen 4 other tables get the delicious Jalapeno Sorbet. Queue bringing the items out. She explained she just started in April... probably something that should be discussed before sending her out during brunch service. Hopefully one of these times we will meet chef Chris since we've met Chef Mike several times (gotta get to Truck U!!)
(5)Jackie K.
I had my wedding reception here on Saturday and I couldn't have asked for a better experience. Everything from the food to the service was absolutely incredible. Christina, the wedding coordinator, went above and beyond for us. I am so grateful to them for making our day that much more special.
(5)Rick S.
great food, down to earth wait staff and relaxing atmosphere. Everything we ordered was a hit & drinks delicious. One of the best all around meals in Vegas for us so far ! The pork dishes were especially outstanding.
(5)Darlene D.
Yesterday I attended the Doraemon Launch Party during the Licensing Expo because I was working as a Guide with the girl who actually played the Doraemon character. The staff were so friendly, accommodating, and attentive to us while we were there. It was very difficult for my co-worker to walk around in her costume and they were gracious enough to let us use their office for breaks since the original location where we were supposed to take breaks was a little bit of a walk. They offered us plenty of drinks and even made us a food plate. The quality of the food itself is excellent. I used to eat at Border Grill when I used to work at Mandalay Bay years ago and hadn't been in a long time. I will definitely make it a point to bring both my local and out-of-town friends to the restaurant more often from now on. Thanks to the Border Grill staff for everything. You ROCK!!! :-D
(5)Lori F.
We were at the Border Grill on Valentine's day, the food was amazing!! I had the chicken poblano enchiladas and they were incredible! Our waitress on the other hand was not so great! A man delivered our menus and chips and he was much more friendly and helpful than our waitress who referred to Him her assistant, should have been the other way around. Once I got a drink it was great, but she was slow, rude and didnt even tell us the specials. I asked for a side of something and my meal was over by the time she had it delivered. Then we waited fifteen minutes just to get our check! Great food! Bad waitress! Would go again and hope for a better server.
(4)K H.
I'm a big fan of good tortilla soup & fish tacos, so I ordered both here. They were mediocre. If I was here again I'd try something else. If you're in LV and want a good fish taco go to Border Food Juarez/El Paso at 412 N. Eastern. You get real fish (not some rectangular deep fried hunk), lightly floured/fried & served with all fresh ingredients. I would eat here every day if it were closer to my house. If you're in LV and want good tortilla soup get in a car and drive 8 hours to the bay area of CA and go to Una Mas. They take a delicious broth, add chunks of GRILLED chicken, SPOON IN fresh pieces of avocado, and sprinkle it with grated cheese & fresh strips of tortillas. They assemble each bowl to order. Best tortilla soup EVER. One thing I'd definitely get if I went back to Border Grill is a drink that went past me on a tray. I have no idea what it was but the glass was trimmed with toasted coconut and it looked great.
(3)Orchid R.
Salsa, chips, pineapple-vanilla margarita, tamales, cilantro chicken, carnitas, carne asada tacos, fish tacos, and mexican chocolate creme brûlée were all super delicious! The service was great!
(5)Philip T.
Outstanding weekend brunch!! We had been drinking til wee hours and were on the fence about rolling out of bed at noon to do this. I am sure glad we did. Eating on the outdoor patio is definitely where it's at. Mandalay Bay still has one of the prettiest pools in town and you can even enjoy the outdoor concerts at night without buying a ticket fyi. Initial thoughts glancing over the menu was that a group of chefs in a bong circle came up with all of it. How else does one come up with a "bacon jalapeno peanut butter and jelly sandwich"? That was surprisingly good and definitely hit the hangover spot but probably would've even tasted better at 4:20am for some I reckon. The "short rib hash and egg" was another standout. I felt like I could actually taste the negra modelo the beef was braised in but it was more likely my lingering beer breath. I also can't say no to machaca ever and their chilaquiles were something I gladly had thirds of. Weekend brunches are getting more extravagent by the week on the strip and so are the prices. $29.99 for all you can eat plus only $5 more for bottomless mimosas makes me feel like I got an amazing deal. My only wish was that they ran this until 4pm instead of 2pm. Gogogogogogo!!
(4)Alex O.
I found Border Grill on Opentable.com and booked reservations for brunch. My friends and I were pleasantly surprised as to how good the food was. The service staff was friendly and fast. For an extra $10/person we got bottomless mimosas and that was a great decision. It was all-you-can-eat and drink but it was much nicer than those typical Vegas buffett's where you have to get your own food. They bring you want you want so that was really convenient. We plan on going back to Border Grill the next time we're in LV.,
(4)V. B.
We had such a good time here for Saturday brunch that I had to give the wait staff credit. We were a very rowdy group 5 girls visiting for a bachelorette party. We showed up around 1pm and I know that a couple of us were already a little buzzed. I feel horrible that I can't remember our waitresses name but she was awesome. She just started sending out plates of the best things on the brunch menu, and all of the food was so good. They probably sent out 7 or 8 course of food and I liked everything that came out. I also had a few blood orange-cayenne margaritas and had some shots of their house vanilla-pineapple tequila. All of it was great. Also, our group was doing the standard bachelorette party scavenger hunt and that staff was being such good sports about our antics. The waitress found us another server to serenade our bride in the restaurant, our waitress arm wrestled someone in our group, and we even (jokingly) led a prayer in the bar before taking shots and the bartender prayed with us! lol... we had such a good time!
(4)Julie S.
I came for Sunday brunch and shared about a dozen plates with my party. The food is served family style, so we were able to sample just about everything. I. Ate. So. Much. The dishes were very innovative and I appreciated the different flavors. I especially liked the bacon jalapeño pbnj sandwich! I really didn't think it was going to be good, but the hot/sweet/spicy/salty combo was almost addicting. I also really liked the sweet corn tamales. They were full of sweet corn and very moist. Lastly, I can't forget to mention the bottomless mimosas! My favorite was the cucumber mimosa. I tried grapefruit, apple and pom, but cucumber won (another flavor combo I was not expecting!) I recommend coming for brunch and bringing a large group to share dishes. We had so much fun and stayed for almost 2 hours laughing, eating and drinking. A wonderful Sunday!
(5)Firstname L.
I was in Vegas for work and attended a week-long conference at Mandalay Bay. I didn't plan out lunch very well and on the first day I ended up in the food court eating a Nathan's foot long hot dog and fries for $11 and I was pissed. I was determined to find something better, and I had walked past this place called "Border Grill" while walking from the convention area back to my car in the parking garage, so I looked it up on Yelp. It had good reviews, so I tried it out for lunch the 2nd day of the conference. Pros: -Food is good and authentic -Seating is fast and they will get you out on time to get back to work -service is fairly good Cons: -a little rushed -expensive, if you're not paying attention. As I was seated, the waitress said "Chips and salsa are coming, do you want some guacamole as well?: I should have known enough to ask what it cost but I didn't. I think they rely on most people assuming that it is free. I was served a plate of decent chips and salsa, and then a huge plate of chips and guacamole. I ordered the special smoked salmon bagel, which was very good. In fact, it was extremely filling considering it sounds like a brunch item. When I got the check, though, I saw the guacamole plate was ten dollars! This raised my lunch from ~25 to about ~35 bucks. Kind of a scam, if you ask me. The waitress should tell you the price of the guacamole when offering it, I've never been anywhere that a guac+chips plate was more than 4 or 5 bucks. I left a minimal tip (don't feel too bad for her, my minimal tip is 11%). She should have told me up front what the costs were. Anywyay, lunch was very good, certainly better than Nathans, and I would go again, but be careful about what you order.
(4)Christina K.
Horrible....what happened??? Food is about the same as del taco. Beans were bland, taco were slightly warm, guacamole need a balance of acid and salt. Ceviches, uh no, just say poached fish with lemon juice. They said the chef is from Mesa grill, well now I know what Gordon Ramsey was talking about. As for the service and the restaurants standards? Water glasses were all spotty, silverware was spotty as well. Edges of the resturant was very dusty, debris on the floor, dirty tables, and as i was sat down the busser nor servera ever wiped the seat from the prior table. I seen my busser more than I did my server who may I add was either talking to Co workers at the bar or elevator. I guess the idea is to come to work and watch sports and chill out, thinking we will some tip. Better service at a local pub. What is the direction of this place to discourage people from coming in hope to send them to the new location? I have been here a few times from past to present and I understand every restaurant has its quirks, even the one I work at. But brunch has always been great, an affordable dinner before a show or event was alway good for a mexican restaurant. We have been back for both and since the change of a chef and what looks like to be managers this place is not worthy of a honorable mention from Al in his reviews. I know he has a soft spot for the owners, but I think he really needs to revisit. Or maybe it just too much tequila shots while he is here. Lol.
(2)Melita W.
We came here on recommendation from a friend who finds it hard to find decent Mexican food in Vegas. The good? They have pretty good service, decent guacamole, and my friend's scallops were great, just doused in sauce. Oh, and she ordered a blood orange margarita that was delicious! The rest of our meal? Salsas are quite bland, the steak nachos were covered in some orange sauce that made my stomach do somersaults almost immediately...Strangely enough, the carne asada on our nachos was better then the carne asada plate we ordered. Also, I specifically asked what veggies came with the meal because they said we could substitute. The waitress told me squash and zucchini. Perfect! My friend and I both ordered the veggies. When our meals were served, she got the veggies and the ones on my plate were tomatoes and cucumber--more like a tiny Greek salad. I was highly annoyed. For dessert, I just ordered my toddler berries with whipped cream. The berries came in a bowl of a side dish--maybe a dozen total. The whipped cream was a side of creme fraiche. For a toddler. Really? She's two. "Me no like it" is what kept coming out of her mouth. Lastly, the pricing. I paid $138 for two appetizers, two main courses, a tiny bowl of fruit, one alcoholic drink and two sodas--and only ate about 65% of the meal. Huge disappointment. What I'm more confused about is the pricing of the items. I understand it's Vegas and you pay for location. Seriously. I get it. But since when do scallops and shrimp have the same price as a quesadilla or enchiladas?? I'll admit, the quesadilla looked appetizing, but my soul wouldn't let me order it. Quesadillas are what we eat when we need to throw something together quick! I would not eat here again. I would rather spend more money and indulge my taste buds. I think most of us don't enjoy their meal when it's overpriced and below satisfactory. My bf barely finished the meal and in the words of our daughter said, "me no like it."
(2)Vy R.
Stopped by here for lunch with some coworkers while we were attending a convention. Yum! We were all pleasantly surprised! Great customer service, great food... can't lose. I had the Baja ceviche that really took me back to Baja California. Spot on. Have you seen Ratatouille? The moment the critic took a bite of that ratatouille dish and he had a flashback memory of when his mom would make the dish? That was me.. except it took me back to a Carnival cruise I took to Baja several years ago :) I also had the white peach lemonade which was delish but more on the sweet side than expected. No complaints really; it was still really good. Some of my coworkers got the blood orange lemonade, and I swear they were talking about it the remainder of the day... and into the next day. I guess I should've ordered that one! My coworkers all ordered different tacos, and they all said it was much better than expected. We ordered the guacamole to share, and it was really good too! I was expecting something along the lines of El Torito, but it's significantly better.
(4)Ellen C.
Border Grill has the best brunch in Vegas. There. I said it. So why doesn't it get 5 stars? Two minor issues, both of which can be easily fixed. (More on that later...) We sat on the patio for Easter brunch. Although it was crowded, service was pretty fast, and the food--as usual--was delicious. For $40 each (plus $15 each for bottomless mimosas), my husband and I tried the following (in order of preference): Breakfast Fries (The BEST! Can't go wrong with Mexican poutine!) Chicken and Blue Corn Waffle Yucatan Egg Benedict Chorizo and Egg Taco Smoked Salmon Slider Fried Green Tomatillos Machaca Chilaquiles Fresh Fruit (served in a pastry cone) Egg White Oyster Rockefeller (too much egg; not enough oyster) Bananas Foster Crepes Plus copious cucumber mimosas for me and traditional ones (with OJ) for him Per usual, we ordered from the menu, and the staff brought out the food in waves. As I said, the food was great, and our waiter kept the drinks coming. I was pleasantly surprised by the cucumber mimosas, which I'd never had (or heard of) but are now definitely my favorite. Unfortunately, there was some miscommunication between the kitchen and the servers, because our food kept going to the wrong table and we kept getting food that we didn't order. That wasn't too big a deal, because all the diners around us were friendly and had no problem passing over the correct plates, but it seemed like the tickets were somehow one table off. The other minor problem was that there was nothing to put your used silverware on while you were waiting for your next plates to come out. We ended up tearing an empanada in half and using it as spoon rests for our forks and knives, but it would be great (and easy) to just bring out a couple of little plates for diners to rest their silverware on. (Especially for us diners on the patio, where the tables were a little dusty.) That said, we will definitely be back to Border Grill, and I hope I can bump my grade up to 5 stars next time around. (And I hope they put the Breakfast Fries on the permanent brunch menu. YUM-MY!)
(4)Mohini N.
Great food and wonderful service... We ordered vegetarian food and still had many delicious options to choose from.. And then the tres leches!!
(5)Rebecca F.
Love this place! I ordered the chicken enchiladas on a recent trip and then went back and got them again later in the trip..the green sauce is so good! Their chips, salsas, and margaritas are all very good and the bartenders will mix you up something special if you sit at the bar and tell them what you like. A very good spot hidden by the convention center in Mandalay.
(4)SoCal C.
31 May 2014, 08:00p I've been to the Santa Monica and Downtown LA locations before so there was no objection from me when our local friend wanted to try this location. Hubby finished early so we decided to go to the restaurant and see if we could get seated earlier than our 9p reservation. It would take our friend a little while to get there so we sat at the bar and ordered a Border Shaker for Two. Our cocktail waitress was very friendly and shortly after we ordered the bar got pretty crowded. We were at a table and enjoyed our order. It was so tasty that I was actually wondering if there was tequila in the drink as it was not noticeable at all. Hubby did get quite buzzy, so that answered my question. The shaker for two comes with two cocktail glasses, a shaker, a small bottle of tequila (enough for two shakers-full) and an extra glass with the other margarita ingredients. The shaker contains the first round of the margarita mix and the tequila is added at the table before it's shaken (without a top). When you're ready for round two, pour the second batch of mix into the mixer and add the rest of the tequila. Note, the first round only had about a third of the tequila in it and the second round was too much to fit into the mixer. We actually had to pour the tequila into our cocktail glasses. Well worth the $29! Our friend arrived and we were able to be seated an hour earlier than our 9p reservation time. We were seated outside and even though it was still in the 90s, the sun had set, there was a breeze and it was actually quite comfortable. Water was poured and chips with three types of salsa were brought to the table. The chips are very light and crispy and appeared to be flour tortillas versus the traditional corn tortillas. There is a red salsa, a green salsa and a chipotle salsa. All three are good, but the smokiness of the chipotle easily made it my favorite. The green came in a close second and the red seemed a bit pedestrian, possibly for the non-adventurous. We ordered: Blood Orange Margarita - for our friend Corn Chowder (on the special's menu) - for our friend Ceviche Trio (Peruvian, Baja, Tuna Credo) - for me and hubby Chicken Poblano Enchiladas - for our friend Gaucho Steak - for hubby Tecate Carnitas - for me The Ceviche Trio arrived first and it is a small sampling of the three different types of ceviche listed on the menu. The trio is not listed, but our waitress informed us that we could do any combo of any of the ceviches. We opted for the trio so we could try them all. The Tuna Credo wasn't very exciting. The seasonings weren't prominent enough and tasted pretty bland. The Peruvian and Baja were a little more flavorful. Hubby enjoyed the Baja the best and my favorite was the Peruvian. All three had large amounts of fish (and shrimp in the Baja), but the portions are probably only large enough to share between two people. Our friend had the corn chowder and he said it was very tasty, albeit a bit spicy. He enjoyed the kick to it, though, and finished the entire bowl. Our entrees arrived and all three were generous portions. Our friend enjoyed his enchiladas and finished them. Hubby ate about half of his steak which he really liked. It was served over a bed of what appeared to be "chilaquiles", but he said it was a little odd. My carnitas were excellent! The presentation was pretty interesting as well, with the black bean salsa layered with what the corn grits above and then finished with a huge pile of carnitas, jalapeno bacon and onions. A singular large flour tortilla accompanied. I was only able to eat about a third of the meal and I was full. Hubby and I both took our leftovers back to the hotel and had them the next day. Still good! It's been awhile since I'd been to the Border Grill and it was nice to have another experience to remind me why I enjoy this restaurant. The staff and service were excellent and the generous portions of the tasty food don't hurt, either!
(4)Terry B.
How anyone can think this is good Mexican baffles me. The food was mediocre at best. The server highly recommended the guac dip so we got it. When he asked how we liked it I told him it was just barely "ok" and he didn't know what to say. A professional in a class restaurant would have tried to fix our concern. Most mom & pop Mexican restaurants in the Chicago suburbs would blow this place away. The food is nothing special and is over priced. The service was poor.
(2)Debbie E.
Had a great dinner out on the patio last night. The three salsas were wonderful, so much so I plan on making them at home. The ceviche sampler was delicious as was the chicken mole. Wine by the glass generously poured and service very professional.
(5)Martin R.
I had a great dinner tonight at border grill. The service was excellent from beginning to end. The hostess jaqueline was amazing and friendly. She accommodated our large group very quickly even though we did not have a reservation. Oh and the food was super good! The gaucho steak is hands down one of my favorite things from the menu. Oh and the tres leches cake was tasty!
(5)Jun R.
Awesome small plates - tuna and Baja ceviche, queso fundido, wagyu beef and watercress salad. Dinner is even better with Gaucho steak ribeye. We sat at the bar and Tanya was absolutely fantastic server/bartender. I would very much recommend Border Grill!
(5)Irene V.
I really enjoyed my brunch here! We tried several things since items are served tapas style. This is a big plus for me since I can never decide on one item to try. I love options! Green Corn Tamale - Very good! Slightly sweet tamale served with pico de gallo and sour cream. A good combination of both sweet and savory. Yucatan Egg Benedict - very different from traditional eggs benedict, but delicious. They are served on a homemade corn biscuit and topped with shredded pork. Yum! Mexican Rice pudding parfait - I love rice pudding! This wasn't the best I've had, but good. Plantain empanadas - These were good but probably my least favorite part of the meal. Machaca Chilaquiles - everyone at the table agreed that the chilaquiles were the best item we ordered. Very cheesy and flavorful. Peruvian Shrimp and Grits - another favorite. I loved the sauce! The grits were also quite tasty. Guava Empanadas - flaky and perfectly sweet. Fruit - Fresh except for the strawberries. Slightly disappointing since strawberries are my favorite. It included honeydew, cantaloupe, strawberries and pineapple. Bottomless Kinky Mimosa (passion fruit, pomegranate and blood orange) - yum! I'd never think to combine those flavors in one drink, but I approve! I would highly recommend checking this place out!
(4)Erin T.
Total bummer. Saw a picture in a magazine in the hotel and went. Menu was basic Mexican. Flavor was mediocre, prices were high for what we got. Service, well, that alone was enough to make us never come back, none of the staff seemed to want to be there. I really wanted to like this place but just couldn't muster up even 2 stars.
(1)Amy L.
Bf and I came here for Restaurant Week. We sat outside in the patio so that we would have a pool view (suggested by one of the yelpers when I was reading the review). It was nice out and a little sticky (humidity was 35%) and they turned on their huge outside fan about an hour later. I ordered: - Tuna Crudo - Duck Chilequiles - Whoopie Pie and Cinnamon Horchata. The bf ordered: - Mushroom Empanadas - Gaucho Steak - Whoopie Pie and Cinnamon Horchata I will have to say that THE BEST DISH we had out of all of them was hands down the Gaucho Steak. OMG, It was the most softest steak I've ever had. That literally melted in my mouth. No chewing for a million years, it was just absolutely freakishly good! My Duck Chilequiles I was not too impressed with. Barely 2oz of duck and majority of the plate was filled with tortilla chips drenched in like an enchilada type sauce. It did taste good with the meat that I did eat but not worth it because of so little meat. As far as the appetizers went, the tuna crudo is really good if you eat it with the tortilla chips they give you when you first sit down. Adds extra texture. It's also warmish, not cold which threw me off but still good. The empanadas weren't that bad. I'm not a mushroom kinda person either. The whoopie pie to me was alright. Bf liked it a lot as it was not sweet and he's had the cinnamon drink before whereas, I've never had it so to me it was eh. Service was really great up until we finished our 2nd course. Our waiter was no where to be found. The guy who took away our plates also took away the water pitcher and never brought a new one back and my glass was completely empty. It took probably 20+ min before we got our waiters attention to bring our last course and to pack one of them to go. Other then the slow service at the end, I would definitely come here again and DEFINITELY recommend the Gaucho Steak. That stuff is legit!
(4)Jennifer W.
The weekend brunch is to die for! All you can eat tapas style dining. They have recently changed this to make some of their plates a little more family style. Items are all still delicious! Peruvian Shrimp & grits is my favorite!
(5)Steff P.
Border Grill isn't anything mind-blowing & I wouldn't go out of my way to eat there but it's a solid option if grabbing a bite while at Mandalay Bay. In my case, I like to make reservations there before events. The service is lukewarm but not bad. The chips, salsas & guacamole are yummy... as are the chicken enchiladas & quesadillas. But both flavors of rice & the black beans are quite bland. The restaurant itself is kinda cool, with several different dining areas with different personalities.
(3)Sarah S.
We walked to hell and back to get here... all the way from the Mirage! It was long but we were happy to get seated immediately and have a frosty peachy sangria. It was delicious and came in a large glass. Yum! Very good for a sweet sangria lover. We also started with guacamole, which was good. Loved the chips here, as they were just salty enough. They bring you 3 kinds of salsa, and our waitress also brought us a very hot version, which my friend enjoyed more than I, as I'm not a spice lover. The guacamole portion was huge! I ordered the plantain empanadas, and my friend ordered the vegetable quesadilla. We didn't think we'd be able to eat an entree after all those chips and guacamole. Plus the heat had gotten to us and we weren't as hungry as we could've been. Our waitress recommended the empanadas, as I was on the fence about what I wanted. She described them as sweet and salty. The "dough" instead of being dough was from plantain, and they were stuffed with black beans, cheese, and poblanos. They were really delicious! My friend enjoyed her quesadilla, which was huge and came with more guac and sour cream, plus pico de gallo. We ordered a brownie dessert to share, and it was large! It came with ice cream and was rich and delicious. Our service here was the crowning jewel. Jamie was our server and she rocked! She was personable, gave great service, chatted with us and gave us great recommendations. She was the best server we had in Vegas. We'd definitely come back (and take a cab next time)!
(5)Daisy S.
I couldn't try the guava empanadas, because I missed brunch. Weak. Food was ok but I expected better. We got the pork tamales. It was ok. We loved the chips and salsa. The plantain empanadas were the best thing they got.
(3)Jessica P.
My first experience with Border Grill was a delicious dinner with my husband. He loved his pork chop and I enjoyed my tacos. I felt that it was a little pricey for what you get, but the food was good. I love that they offer a locals discount and you can get restaurant.com gift certificates, so there are discounts available. One of my favorite meals is brunch and I was pleased to learn that they offered an all you can eat small plate brunch. So I immediately set up a brunch date with my girls and it has been our go-to brunch restaurant ever since. The small plates are super awesome, again it is a little pricey, but it is all you can eat! I love that they start the table with fruit and guava empanadas. The empanadas are flakey and absolutely addicting, I seriously dare you to only eat one. Some of my favorite dishes are the skirt steak and eggs, short rib hash and eggs, breakfast fries (super yum), chilaquiles, and I always order at least two potato tacos. There are a few misses for me as well, the plantain empanadas just taste burnt and the churro tots are way too dense. Since discovering the delicious brunch, I have been here at least four times. The last time we were seated downstairs and it is by far the best place to sit when it is too hot to sit on the patio. It's all glass so you can still see the pool outside and you get plenty of sunshine. If you want to have a fun, delicious, and laid back weekend brunch you absolutely must check out Border Grill.
(4)Sherri C.
Border Grill is great for AYCE and drink Mimosas! AYCE - $35 with Bottomless Mimosas add $8. We sat outside on the covered balcony/patio which overlooks the Mandalay pool. The weather was great! The AYCE has about 20 different small dishes you can pick from. Mimosas had about 7-8 fresh juices to mixed your champagne with... By the time you try them all you're pretty buzzed. I think my favorite flavors were the Mango or Passion Fruit, which I had to get seconds of... YUM! : Skirt Steak & Eggs ** really good ** Peruvian Shrimp & grits Plantain Empanada w/ passion fruit drizzle? Breakfast Fries Churro Tots The service was great too. We were able to order right away each time, and the food came out fast. Can't wait to come back for the skirt steak and mimosas!
(4)Camellia S.
SO good. Had the tacos which were out of this world. Also had the spicy bean dip-- which was majorly spicy. I thought the spot was perfect for a quick casual work lunch. My coworker really enjoyed it and felt like we got a nice break from the Convention and Vegas craziness. The service was also very good. They were very attentive and hannnndsome!
(4)Mike Z.
We attended the brunch. It is a must do! You will absolutely be amazed at the menu, quality and service. Please treat yourself to this experiance.
(5)Diana H.
If you're Mexican you most likely will not like it it's very Americanized I'm used to eating authentic Mexican food may be it will help if they had a Mexican chef .
(1)George R.
They start you out with free chips and a variety of flavorful but not spicy salsas, which was refreshing. For my entree, I ordered the mushroom mulitas, which were very flavorful. These were mushrooms done well, which I think is tough to do. There was a ton of flavor, which pretty much masked the taste of the mushrooms. My girlfriend ordered shrimp relleno tacos, which she thought were awful. There were way too many sauces and competing ingredients, which did not blend well together. The tacos were so unpleasant she wasn't even able to finish half of her entree, and she is not a picky eater. At this price point, the food shouldn't be so terrible she is unable to eat it.
(3)Keawe C.
Great food and atmosphere. The menu is pretty big so there's something for everyone. They have some great specials that compliment the menu rather than detract. A little pricey but it is located in a casino so no surprise. The outside patio is also quite warm even at night, didn't feel uncomfortable at all in a light sweatshirt.
(4)Jonathan H.
Holy crap the queso is amazing!! I had the carne asada tacos and were delish as well. Great magarita selection all of which taste amazing as well makes this a great place to eat lunch while hanging around the pool
(5)Isabella I.
This place is amazing! The food is wonderful (although some are better than others) and the service is generally very nice. I had the price fix menu (a great option). I went here with my parents for my 21st birthday, and I have never experienced such wonderful food. First was the appetizers - We had the sampler (which for me, since I'm gluten- intolerant, was altered). It contained two plantain empanadas and the most exquisite thing I've ever eaten in my life - a green corn tamale. It was sweet and just wonderfully delicious. Then came dinner - a HUGE and perfectly cooked portion of premium grade steak with a small fresh field salad, mole and aoli. Divine. Then dessert - the most rich and wonderful gluten free chocolate cake ever. With vanilla bean ice cream. This place is amazing. I would recommend this place for those of you with gluten intolerance because its amazing. But skip the shrimp.
(5)Kathlin C.
Instead of going to a buffet we decided to eat at this fine dining establishment. The food was good, and the service was superb! Their stuff is very pleasant and attentive. We will definitely be back next time we are in Las Vegas.
(5)Nahid D.
Sit on the patio - it was a warm evening but sitting on the patio drinking a sangria was wonderful! I'd stick to their mixed drinks next time though. I ordered the Beef Brisket Taquitos and was very happy with my order. I loved that the ingredients are so fresh and tasty. Their salsa fresca was delicious, as was their guacamole. The restraurant seems to pride itself on being environmentally aware. They actaully offer to take meat out of the meal if you so choose. They have dishes with "at least 80% plant based ingredients."
(4)Mike G.
The food was good. I am not quite sure it is worth the 20 a plate but it was good. We had the carne Asada tacos and chicken enchiladas. The service was very slow was about 30 mins after we were done to when we had our check. With so much to do in Vegas you hate waiting at a restaurant for no reason. The chips and salsa were very good.
(4)Amy C.
Amazing all the way around! The staff and food were top notch! I would return here repeatedly.
(5)Danny N.
The Sunday brunch was awesome. You have a pretty long list of mini versions of great breakfast plates which were all very good. They encourage you to keep ordering. You can add bottomless mimosas as a reasonable price. Highly recommended.
(5)Corri G.
Great atmosphere and killer service! Food was excellent not your everyday Mexican it was unique and really good. Great beer/wine/drink selection really good
(5)Juan V.
Tried the brunch menu and it is good beyond comprehension! Food is an explosion of flavors! Love love love it! The servers are attentive and professional. Met the restaurant manager Melody, very attentive to the customers and menu knowledgeable! If your in Vegas a must visit for sure!
(5)Teri W.
I dined at Border Grill for dinner before a Justin Timberlake years and years ago. This was my 1st time back since then, and a large group (7 of us) dined for brunch on Father's Day. The restaurant offers an awesome brunch on Saturdays and Sundays. It's $35 per person for all you can eat small plates and an additional $8 if you would like bottomless mimosas - which is the way to go....I ordered a bloody mary, which was not very good and came in a very small glass and was $11. :( Anyhow, they didn't offer anything different for Father's Day, which was great. 5 people in our group arrived early and were sat before I (the reservation holder) even got there. That's all fine and dandy, but kind of weird, because the other 5 people didn't know each other, and I wasn't even there yet. I don't feel like they should be seating people before the reservation holder is even present. Whatevs. Also, there appears to be some sort of construction going on, because a large part of the downstairs was curtained off. And there was a VERY foul smell - it started while we were in the walkway outside of the restaurant and smelled like sewer. While it may have nothing to do with the restaurant, it was pretty disgusting. Our server was very friendly. She started out by saying that, with larger groups, she likes to serve everything family style, and rather than have everyone order, just send out some of the favorites and most popular items on the menu. We all agreed that sounded good. So the food started coming. Wow, it was delicious and seemed endless. Some of the things were really good, some we didn't like so much...but each person at the table had varying tastes, so everything was devoured. The meal started out with some fresh fruit and emapandas and then other items came out from there. Some of the favorites were: sweet potato pancakes, chilaquiles, breakfast fries, steak and eggs and the bread pudding french toast. Some of the less favorite items were: shrimp and grits (I liked them, but a few people thought they were too spicy), lobster pancakes (I also like these, but most of the diners were expecting something sweet, because they were pancakes, but they were savory), and the hash and eggs. Here is an important note: there are eggs on EVERYTHING. So if you aren't a fan of eggs or have super high cholesterol or something, maybe this isn't the place for you..... As I said before, the bottomless mimosas are by far the way to go, even if you plan on having only 1. $8 is a great price, and they had a TON of flavors to choose from. In hindsight, I wish that I would've ordered these. There were orange, peach, watermelon (the tables favorite), pomegrante, etc etc. There was some confusion when it came to the check, because there was auto-gratuity added, although their policy states for "parties of 8 or more," and there were only 7 of us. Our reservation was originally for 8, but we had 1 no-show. Although our server was very friendly, she was a bit slow, and I do think we would've tipped more had the auto-gratuity not been on the check already. Or if we had been at least told about it beforehand. This is one of the better brunch deals in town, based off of the creativity and quality of the food, the atmosphere and of course the cost. $35 per is well worth it!
(3)Kenn E.
Came for brunch AYCE. Great: Skirt Steak & Egg Breakfast Enchilada Peruvian Shrimp and Grits OK: Lobster pancake with Sunnyside Up Egg Fig & Bleu Cheese Quesadilla Churro Tots Fritta Tart Yucatan Egg Benedict Waffle & Pork Belly with Maple Syrup Good food overall.
(4)Allison H.
Located in the beautiful Mandalay Bay Resort on the Las Vegas Strip, Border Grill has a bit of a history. It is opened by Chef Susan Feniger and Chef Mary Sue Milliken. Sounds familiar? Yep, they are indeed the chefs featured on Bravo's "Top Chef Masters"! Being huge Top Chef fans, how can we resist? As with all restaurants in these large hotel/casino/resorts, Border Grill was tastefully decorated. In hindsight, I wished we sat on the patio, which supposedly overlooks Mandalay Bay's beach and pool. We started with chips and salsa, as well as a good old Margarita. We had the following dishes: Oaxacan Strip Steak - seared 16 ounce steak, mole colorado, charred wild mushroom quesadilla, avocado tomato relish Yucatan Pork - achiote pork slow roasted in banana leaves, caramelized onion, orange, cinnamon, honey lime yams, caramelized brussel sprouts, pineapple jicama salsa The Yucatan Pork dish was quite tasty, although I was only able to have a few bites. Please come to my blog for my Vegas trip, I have food photos! ;) simplygluttonous.blogspo…
(4)Vicky B.
I am officially a fan of buffet style type brunches where you never leave your seat. You just order off the menu and the food keeps coming. I do suggest ordering about two to three items at a time and once delivered it's a good idea to let your waiter know what you would like next as the wait for the food can vary. Add to that you may not love everything you order so you will have options. Bonus points, this brunch comes with bottomless mimosas in a variety of flavors for an additional $8. My boyfriend and I met our tourist friends here for Memorial Day Weekend. Even with it being a holiday there was no problem getting reservations and no wait. My favorite mimosa was the pomegranate but I also loved the watermelon and the strawberry. The food standouts for me were the steak and eggs and the sweet potato pancakes. The majority of the items I tried were on the spicy side minus the pancakes. My least favorite dish was the pork belly waffles. I like pork belly but this was just a piece of flavorless fat. If you are a local make sure you sign up with your waiter for the 15% off locals' deal. We sat inside for this visit but weather permitting I would love to sit outdoors next time.
(5)K L.
Amazing food and service! I had the enchiladas with a lovely salad on top and my husband had the yucatan pork. Both were delicious and portions were generous. Chips and salsa were tasty too. If you are a fan of Jose Andres or Rick Bayless, you will love this as well.
(5)Susie M.
large group so breaking down the bill was an issue BUT aside from that loved everything about this place from the Prickly Pear Piña Colada to the Queso Fundido to the Brisket Taquitos.... Autumn was our server - pleasant knowledgable and not too overpowering ... we'll be back
(4)Alexis K.
You've got to go at least once for the brunch at this place. It's $30 for all you can eat, and add $6 for unlimited mimosas! There are also many different areas to enjoy your meal: inside, outside on a covered patio, or completely outside by the pool (shaded by trees). I love me any place with some patio seating. The brunch food comes out as small plates, so you can try a lot of the different dishes and get your money's worth. I guess the best way to describe it would be like tapas. I really enjoyed the shrimp and grits. Like...so much I got three orders of them. My other favorite was the chorizo and egg tacos. My one complaint, I felt like some of the dishes had too much egg in them in proportion to other ingredients. I can only take so much egg! But the Mexican twist on breakfast favorites was something I'm really glad I tried. The mimosas come in different flavors like classic orange, pomegranite, and passion fruit. And they don't skimp on them! They come in some pretty hefty pour flutes! You know, in all honesty, I don't know if I'd go again just because it's quite a bit of money to spend on breakfast, but I would definitely say you have to go at least once and expereince this!
(4)Greg B.
My last visit here was a wonderful experience. The queso fundido was again delicious, though the tortilla was as hot and greasy as Al Pacino on his prom night. The mixed drinks were decent, and the bartender was willing to alter a few ingredients to my taste. I am not a fan of agave. I decided to try the Oaxacan Strip Steak. Magnificent. The steak was soft and tasty, almost like a rib eye. The mole sauce was as complex and flavorful as any I tried in Mexico. Wow! Despite the high price, I will return here everytime I am in Vegas, and never try any new dish. I'll keep experimenting with their drinks, however. As for their desserts.... I'll never know because I am always stuffed before the main course is done.
(4)James M.
After eating at plenty of great places around Vegas, this place was absolutely disappointing. There's a lot to say, so I'll keep it to bullet points: - For this price $38, the steaks were tough, under seasoned, and overdone. - Service was horrible. Water was warm, server was inattentive, sour cream was liquid. - The worst part, saw multiple busboys wipe down tables, then wipe plates with the same towel. Wouldn't recommend this place to anyone. Do yourself a favor and keep walking.
(1)Kayla Q.
Came here while hanging at the pool for a change from the greasy pool food they serve. It was pretty good, not too pricey, and chips and salsa were pretty decent.
(3)Kishory M.
Went on Valentine's Day, was amazing. Literally shed tears at how beautiful it was. We sat up stairs outside, being from the east cost and coming to vegas in the Winter time and being surrounded by palm trees was amazing. The food blew my mind. Was the best food I have ever had. The desert was even better, believe it or not . I am not a huge desert person, but wow did it blow me out my seat. It was amazing and by far my favorite place to go to now when I spend time in vegas. Loved it, and they had a locals discount, extra points for them! Loved it, if you are debating on going , don't debate anymore. GO! You will not regret it!!
(5)Jenny F.
Brandon M. Took amazing care of us for our 20th anniversary. He made a fabulous recommendation that allowed us to sample virtually everything on the menu! Every single item was delicious! I don't like guacamole but yet I loved theirs! My husband and I were able to try dishes we wouldn't have ever ordered but LOVED! The ceviche course - perfection! The scallop and shrimp soup/rice dish - amazing! I cannot recommend this restaurant highly enough or Brandon! He was so sweet to send us home with anniversary desserts since we were beyond stuffed. Thank you Brandon!
(5)Mike L.
No bad at all the steak casadia was very good, the grilled fish tacos were not that good, will not order again. Guacamole was awesome
(5)Nicole S.
My favorite Vegas eatery hands down!!! Great GF, veggie, vegan options. Sustainable and organic. Such a great spot! Faves are quinoa avocado tacos, ceviches, mojitos, and sweet corn tamales.
(5)Nicole A.
For NYE dinner in Vegas, I chose Border Grill because, after seeing Susan Feniger on Top Chef, I have always wanted to try her cooking. Border Grill definitely lived up to my expectations. The restaurant is located in Mandalay Bay and is very nice. It's dark inside and the walls are covered in interesting modern art. The food was delicious! While the menu had a wide variety of choices included kobe beef tacos with a pineapple salsa and duck nachos (!), I chose the Border Classics, which is an appetizer but can easily fill you up. The appetizer included chicken panuchos, green corn tamales and plantain empanadas. This was a great choice. The chicken panuchos were small but delivered a powerful spice. The green corn tamales were sweet and I couldn't get enough of them, the texture was unbelievable. As for the empanadas, my god, they were absolutely fantastic. The combination of the sweetness of the plantains and the cotija cheese was wonderful. I enjoyed my dinner with the cucumber cooler, which is a mojito with a cucumber twist. Delicious and refreshing! After coming here, I can confidently say that I'd love to go back to Border Grill again and again, I'm glad there are a few near where I live!
(5)Lisa S.
5 stars! Wonderful spices and flavor combinations. Couldn't have been better. Can't wait to come back! The tomatillo sauce is amazing!
(5)Cece C.
I want to update that from my last review, I received a very sincere apology and message from Border Grille on my experience and I really find that respectable and amazing that such great customer service still exist. Thanks again Chris.
(5)Joanna G.
Went here for a birthday brunch, and was Amazed at the experience!! The brunch is an all you can eat small plates. You can also add endless mimosas (I highly recommend) they offer those in several flavors. Now, for the food. The best I've had. There were six of us and they brought ours family style. We must have ordered 8 to 10 different dishes and not one disappointed!! The service was outstanding!! Never once did we have an empty glass or plate. Will definitely come back and recommend to everyone!!!
(5)David O.
Once upon a time Chi-Chi's had the Seafood Enchilada, it had a creamy sherry sauce. Well, when the better half and I stopped into Border Grill during a trip to MMS they had a Seafood Enchilada with a creamy sherry sauce. I hoped against hope that it was the same thing. Unfortunately it was 35 dollars. And it wasn't the same. I grant you this is entirely my expectations vs. reality. But because it wasn't what I wanted it to be, I didn't really care for it. So it felt like 35 dollars wasted. The better half got the Quesadillas which WERE really good. So she was happy. My other frustration is the Las Vegas Mexican restaurant trick of asking if you want "Fresh Guacamole". This is code for "Would you like to pay 9 more dollars?" They rarely inform you it's an extra cost and they ask so nicely. Don't be fooled. Fortunately I knew from a previous bad experience. The chips and salsa were very good, and our waiter was excellent. When I explained the Chi-Chis story he said "What's Chi-Chi's". (Now I feel old!) Overall, I can't say it was bad, and as long as you don't mind the somewhat high cost of the Mexican food. I would absolutely come back for the Quesadillas
(3)Mitchell D.
Ordered the Gaucho Steak. Loved how it was seated on a bed of fresh tortillas with peppers and cheese. Steak had balanced flavor and tender. Service good but on the slow side. Would recommend.
(4)Noor B.
I'm surprised this place has such a low rating. I thought it was pretty good! The restaurant is pretty, and the staff is really nice. If the weather is nice, I would recommend sitting on the patio. It has a really nice view of the Mandalay Bay Pool, and it's well shaded with fans. The restaurant starts you off with a nice salsa trio, each of which has a nice, distinct flavor. The carne asada quesadillas are really good - the beef has a great flavor, and are nicely crisped without being greasy. The guacamole is simple but fresh and tasty. The pepper crusted steak salad is really good. The steak is cooked really well, and the salad is a nice bed of fresh greens with avocados and blue cheese. So good! I would definitely go back!
(4)Tony O.
We have visited the Border Grill every time we have come to Vegas. It's a great spot with great food. On this trip we had carne asada tacos and Yucatan pork tacos. The carne asada was well marinated. It's not a small meal. The Yucatan pork tacos were sweet and the tortillas were stuffed with black beans and added a good balance to the sweet meat. Definitely going back in our next trip.
(4)Ayanna H.
Yes! Yes and YESSSS!!!! I had the short rib enchiladas (angels singing). They were FANTASTIC!!! I am not a "foodie" and I have very simple taste but chile let me tell you.... Desert wasn't as awe inspiring but not bad either. Our server was knowledgeable about the menu and he was very attentive. The hostess (can't remember her name) was very friendly as was our server. You have to walk a country mile to get to the restaurant but once you get there it is well worth it. Enjoy!
(5)Anthony V.
Had lots of food. My cioppino was too salty. Other than that, it was fantastic. The highlight was the horchata panna cotta.
(4)Ray L.
About four years ago, I had the best meal of my life at Border Grill. Unfortunately, I wasn't a proud member of yelp at the time so it went largely unnoticed. Back then, I ordered an adobada pork chop that came with mashed potatoes and greens. The thick cut pork chop was smothered in an ancho chile sauce that makes me smile just thinking about it. Unfortunately, my wife and I didn't make it back until this past Saturday night. Was it a special occasion? No, not really. However, thanks to our older daughter, we were able to get out for a date night- our second in almost 3 years. So, yeah I guess it was a special occasion -for us anyway. So off we went hoping to recapture that memory of what we long considered to be one the best meals we have ever had the privilege of eating. Before I could sit down or even look at a menu, I yelled out adobada pork chop please! Our waiter Rob apologized and said that dish was no longer available on the regular menu. What? What do you mean? There must be some mistake! Rob told us that every now and then the dish is offered as a special-just not Saturday night. Now what? Instead of walking out kicking and screaming, we decided to give the new menu a shot. I settled on the tecate carnitas plate, and my wife chose the Kobe beef sopes. My dish was presented well with the tender pork in the center of the plate surrounded by fantastic guacamole, salsa, onions, cilantro, and a crunchy slaw. Since I ordered both flour and corn tortillas, I prepared my own tacos and ate till my shoes started feeling tight. The Kobe beef sopes were great! The portion was small (3 little sopes about the size of mini muffins), but the flavor more than made up for it. The cilantro mint slaw on top was heavenly. As far as the service is concerned, we couldn't have been more satisfied. Rob was friendly, attentive, and very knowledgeable about the menu. He provided us with a 10% discount since we signed up for their rewards card a number of years ago. I am glad he asked, since I forgot we did that. Border Grill also treated us to a free dessert since my wife and I were on a date for the first time in years. Well played Border Grill-well played! Call it what you want--- tex-mex, Mexican food, or fresh-mex. Bottom line, this place offers quality food with complex flavors that will make you want to take your wife/husband out for more dates. Oh yeah, can someone let me know when the pork chop makes it back on the menu?
(5)Alan L.
I don't usually go out of my way for.Mexican food. But this place.may be an exception. We had 2 dishes that each had a slightly different mole sauce. Great unique flavors. The guacamole was excellent as well. Solid restaurant.
(4)Karine M.
Amazing Mexican restaurant! Amazing food, amazing service, amazing drink just WOW! So glad i discovered this gem. There dips are great, i had the enchilladas and there mojitos are great to beat the Vegas heat. Will definately go back next time i am in Vegas.
(5)Cristina R.
12 girls for dinner they were more then accommodating to all of us, checks were split from the beginning which was so nice. The food was pretty good, restaurant was not busy at all I don't think we had 1 complaint about the food. The walk from the front was a little far for girls in dresses and 4 inch heels. If your staying at this hotel I would recommend trying it out.
(3)Chris P.
Ordered the border brunch for $35 and received plate after plate of amazing food. Great presentation. Great taste. Great environment. The view was great. The servers were incredibly nice. Absolutely would recommend. Try the fried green tomatillos, egg white oyster rockefeller, and everything else.
(5)George P.
Great brunch. Worth every penny. Will go back.
(5)Les L.
For brunch on our last day in Vegas, we opted for the AYCE brunch at the Border Grill at the Mandalay. Although it is an AYCE brunch, the format is not that of a brunch buffet. You can order as many tapas sized plates from the menu as you want. The restaurant recommends ordering 3 per person. We ended up ordering approximately 5 per person, but probably only ate 3-4 as some were misses that we didn't finish. When you arrive, plates of cut fruit and guava and cheese empanadas are quickly set on the table. Simple appetizers as they are, they were some of the best things all day. The fruits included a spear of pineapple, a few of watermelon, honeydew, and a few slices of strawberry with a passionfruit puree. The fruit and empananadas were a great start to the meal. The fruit was sweet and the puree was very complimentary. I loved the light, flaky crust of the pastry and the guava jam was delicious. The absolute best dish of the day were the steak and eggs over a crispy potato cake. Hot steak, crispy potatoes, egg yolk, guacamole = perfection. Also good was the sweet corn tamale, which was subtley sweet with kernels of yellow corn inside and offset by the bright pico de gallo and the cool sour cream. The Shrimp and Grits was also popular with its spicy sauce. Some of the other dishes didn't fare as well. The chicken enchiladas and the chilaquiles were clearly pre-assembled and had been reheated but not to optimum temperature. They were barely warm as compared to the hot seared steak and hot steamed tamale, above. The flavor of the enchiladas were okay but it just wasn't hot enough and with the chilaquiles, the chips were totally soggy. Some dishes were just imbalanced. The short rib hash with yams were overly sweet from the yams. The PBJ biscuit with bacon, PB & J tasted exactly what you might think it would, and the eggs benedict had a bit of clashing flavors with the yucatan pork, marinated red onions and hollandaise. Also, everything was served with pico de gallo and sour cream. Lovely condiments, generally, but it was tiring to see them so overused. We had little room for dessert so we asked for more fresh fruit and shared one order of the Churro Tots. These are more like mini doughnuts rolled in cinnamon and sugar but I must admit they were nicely fried and light. All in all, it's a good brunch concept but the food isn't perfect. Reflecting on everything we tried, it was hard to overlook the combination of the lukewarm pre-assembled food and the not quite natural assemblage of American and Latin flavors. If you were to come, stick with the Steak & Eggs, Shrimp & Grits and some of the more standard Mexican fare.
(3)Lynn E.
Gaucho steak was cooked perfectly. Seared greens awesome. Guacamole out of this world.
(4)Bryson H.
The dinner is very good, don't get me wrong, but it's right on the edge of "I think I'm paying too much for this". The brunch, though? Oh lordy lordy, the brunch...I will attempt to describe it in my mere mortal words. Bottomless mimosas for $5. I could probably end the review right there. Endless small plates for $30. The plates are so amazingly delicious. My mortal words fail me! And don't forget to ask for the Chef's Special plate. He's always got something new you can try that isn't on the menu, and you can follow him on Twitter to find out what it is or just ask for it when you get there. I haven't had a brunch plate yet that I'm not a fan of. Border Grill also takes pride in having their ingredients be fresh and as locally-sourced as possible. The only thing I can fault them on is that the beef isn't grass-fed, and for the price it definitely could be but I'm not going to complain too much. The chips and salsa are optional for brunch, if you tell them you're there for it they won't bring it out unless you ask for it specifically. The habanero salsa is definitely spicy, but has a GREAT flavor. I encourage you to mix and match the four salsas as well. They all go very well with each other and you can't go wrong with any combination. The guacamole is also stellar, although the portion is a bit small. It seems to me that the plate is a small pile of guac and a majority of veggies dressing up the plate. Well, maybe it's the unlimited chips that make it seem small, or the fact that everybody at the table is in a race to eat as much of it as they can before it's all gone. I go here least once a month for brunch and try to make it every chance I get. Friends that have come with me to dinner here and were only okay with the place have also jumped on board with the brunch and make a semi-regular pilgrimage as well. Seriously. Go here for brunch right now. Weekends, 11:00-15:00. Do it.
(5)Nicole B.
I came here for the fixed Sunday brunch menu. There are some fun things to try but I did not feel it was worth the $50 price. If they brought it down to $35 or $40 I'd be more into it but spending $60+ dollars each after (if you get a drink) seems really ridiculous for Sunday brunch.
(2)Eric I.
The brunch is amazing! Amber was the best waitress! She had great recommendations she took care of us well. I will be back and I will recommend this to anyone and everyone.
(5)Sheree N.
Went for Easter Brunch to try the unlimited small plates. Most of the plates came out lukewarm, were supposed to be served to order but were a major disappointment! The "breakfast fries" with a sunny side egg were scrambled... There was no jalapeño bacon on the smoked salmon slider, and the list goes on... The dessert bar had what tasted like day old cinnamon buns and an unidentifiable cake.... The best thing was the bread basket containing banana bread and guava pastries. We will not be back anytime soon....
(1)Born F.
We went to this restaurant after reading the reviews. Was excited to eat at this place also because of the chefs that started this restaurant. First of all, our service was not excellent. The food was ok. I have had better shrimp before. Will not be returning to this restaurant as there are better options in Vegas.
(3)eva e.
Good food. Very different but really overpriced. It's not the Mexican food that you would normally relate to. If you want chips salsa and guac. Stick with the authentic Mexican restaurant. This is very Americanized Mexican food. I won't repeat this again.
(3)Kathleen V.
Yummy, great change of pace from your normal AYCE brunches in Vegas. I came here this past weekend to celebrate a friend's birthday, and they set us up in a private dining room for our 40+ person party. Must Get: Green Corn Tamale Plantain Empanada Peruvian Shrimp and Grits - A fav amongst my friends Skirt Steak and Egg - Top dish here! Breakfast Fries - Reminscent of lomo saltado Fig and Blue Cheese Quesadilla Green Eggs and Ham Waffle and Pork Belly -Generous pork belly portion Ok: Machacha Chilaqueles Biscuit and Sausage Gravy Lobster Pancakes - The lobster was really just a tablespoon of shredded lobster Skip: Churro Tots Breakfast Enchilada - The tortilla on the bottom was hard Sweet Potato Pancake - The syrup was too thick! I would imagine the pancake by itself is good. I would definitely ask for the syrup on the side next time Yucatan Egg Benedict - The bread absorbed the egg flavor too much, imo. Unfortunately, for a party this big, they charged as all for the unlimited mimosas, although a good number of us did not have mimosas. We made sure they took away our glasses for people who didn't drink, but one of the waiters even said "I don't believe that you're not drinking". I thought she was joking when she said that, but I guess it was true because when the bill came, they charged us all for mimosas. Kind of upsetting, because at the very end, people had already left cash for the bill and left, and the birthday boy ended up eating the rest of the bill. The service for the mimosas was great though, they basically left bottles of champagne on the table for us and brought new ones when we ran out. Overall, the food here was really good and a lot of these dishes had a generous portion of scrambled eggs. For the sweets dishes, they were all a little too sweet though. Service was good, they kept coming out with food and they were even nice enough to give us just steak when we asked.
(4)Kathryn Y.
I went here with family as we had a Groupon to use for the "Ultimate Border Grill Experience". It's a restaurant in the Mandalay bay. We sat outside and had a nice view of the hotel towers. Very pretty the atmosphere is very nice service was very good. We had: Plantain Empanadas Brisket Taquitos Green Corn Tamales Chicken Poblano Enchiladas Baja Ceviche Fish Taco Ensenada Assorted Desserts
(4)Mallie M.
It's all about the ceviche trio. Oh, and the staff was awesome. One star off for the heaters on the patio. It was pretty cold outside and each heater they rolled over for us was out of fuel making a lot of effort for no payoff. Eat indoors and you'll be fine.
(4)Candace E.
Eat here if you're looking for a gluten-free-conscious menu and awesome customer service! Everything from the chips and salsas, to the raspberry chipotle margarita, to the beer-battered fish tacos (GF!) was excellent. DELICIOSO! We sat on the patio which was covered and lovely. Our food came out quickly and was awesome. We'll definitely be returning on our next trip to Las Vegas. I'm very happy with our choice tonight.
(5)Lindy S.
We stopped in the Border Grill for lunch after our trek to the Shark Reef. Quick review: if you know anything about how Mexican (or even Tex/Cali Mex) should taste, don't eat here. The restaurant is contemporary, while not as large as many other strip restaurants, it was a good size and relatively busy, even at an off time. The service from the waiter we had was good. The chips and salsa were not bad. I preferred the tomato over the chipotle flavor, and the tomatillo offering was pretty good as well. The chips were warm and tasty. I ordered the chicken quesadilla, my husband steak nachos. Neither of us considered our entrees to be edible. The chicken in my quesadilla was grey and gristly. The cheese, described as "manchego, panela, cotija cheeses" was dry and crumbly. Unsure how any kind of cooked cheese maintains such a texture. Even though the tortillas were rather good, I could not stomach more than one bite. My husband's nachos were also unappetizing. The steak was rubbery and he was unimpressed that the sauces were out of a squeeze bottle. The cheese are described simply as "mexican" for this dish, but were the same dry, crumbly variety that were in the quesadilla. We spoke to the waiter about or dissatisfaction with the meal and he removed the plates. A manager came by and asked what was wrong with them and after our explanation, told me the chicken was grilled Mexican style (which is why it was grey?) and that they use Mexican cheeses, but they serve more Americanized Mexican food.
(1)Bill G.
You cannot foo-foo up Mexican food and have it taste like real Mexican food. How bout cheddar cheese on my chicken nachos instead of feta cheese. Who eats crumbly cheese instead of melted cheese on nachos!? I know for rich people, it either has to look like crap or taste like crap to be fashionable, but when I heard this was a really good Mexican food restaurant, that's what I expected. They did nail the high end price though, $90 for 2 nasty dishes and $7 for a Corona. If you want good Mexican food, don't go here, even Taco Bell would be better. However the benefit is you are inside Mandalay Bay, so go play Blackjack after you throw up and you can win your money back that you wasted on this dump.
(1)Jill E.
I so want to meet the chef owners of this place. We keep going back every time we are in Las Vegas and are absolutely never disappointed. I had a skinny margarita and when my husband mentioned we'd had a prickly pear margarita once, they concocted one for him. They had a fish special which is what I had and oh so good. My husband had fish tacos which he said were delicious. Their chips are some of the best around and the guacamole, well it's wonderful as well. We've never had room for dessert so I have no idea if it's good or not.
(5)Katie R.
The food was good and the service by "Carmie B" was simply outstanding!! She made the dining experience awesome! Will definitely be back :)
(5)Rockne H.
It was a Christmas brunch in the making. The guest list was set. The location was made and it so happened to be the Border Grill in Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino. Thank goodness this brunch was set right after the Packers Game, because I did NOT want to miss it. So I've been hearing a lot of great stuff about this place from many friends, Yelpers or not. It's a Sunday Brunch for $29.99. This brunch menu includes and array of tapas style small plates, ALL YOU CAN EAT! We had a party of 8 and Border Grill was super cool to transform the small plates into a family style platter to accommodate our party. The best part: pay an extra $5 and you have a bottomless mimosa special. STEAL!!! For the mimosa, I stuck to the same flavor which was amazing: the pomegranate mimosa. They literally have a selection to choose from. It's awesome!! For the brunch portion, here's what I got and here's what I thought: Short Rib Hash and Eggs - Beer braised Short Ribs hashed with caramelized onions and yams with a sunny side up egg. This dish was to die for!! The short rib was rich in flavor from the Negro Modelo. The yams made the dish a little sweet, but in an AH-MAZE-ING way. Crack the egg and the yolk adds a thick depth of flavor to the dish. I LOVED IT SOOOOO MUCH!! Peruvian Shrimp and Grits - Chile marinated shrimp, poblano chiles and Parmesan grits. The shrimp was a little spicy but super flavorful and cooked perfectly. I even grossed my table out with the tail. I'm a proud Filipino who happens to love eating the crunchy tails of the shrimp. Don't judge me! LOL. The grits were good, but certainly an acquired taste. Yucatan Egg Benedict - Manchego cheese biscuit, roasted pork, poached egg, hollandaise sauce served with pickled onions. Not the favorite, that's for sure. I don't know if it was dense and soggy biscuit, or the poached egg or the texture of the pickled onions. Something just didn't add up. Crispy Potato Rajas Taco - YUMMY!! Potatoes and chiles, Mexican cheeses, guacamole, corn relish and chipotle aoili. This was a GREAT dish! My mouth is still salivating over this taco. Who would have thought?! A potato taco! Churro Tots - dulce de leche infused churros, cinnamon sugar, caramel and pear dipping sauce with whipped cream. This was the perfect end to our very huge brunch! The churros were little bite sized goodness and the dipping sauces were the perfect touch!! All in all, we had a great time. We were sat on the outside deck. Although in the winter, the warmers made it feel comfortable. The decor was a little eclectic but it worked. I definitely think you should try this brunch if you have not. It's a little pricey, but perfect for the strip and great for a Holiday like Christmas!! I'm definitely going to push for making this an annual event :)
(4)Demian D.
We had dinner here on Friday and it was excellent! Our server was one of the friendliest I had and was eager to help us decide what to order. The margaritas were great! Our group of 3 had the wagyu tacos, the chicken chipotle enchiladas, and the short rib enchiladas. All were quite good, although the chicken enchiladas were my favorite. The 15% off for locals is quite nice -- not easy to find on the Strip!
(4)Paula C.
Ate here after a show. The service was good but unfortunately the food was awful. Ordered the steak which came with what can only be described as a complete mess served underneath it. Consisted of tortillas and cheese dumped on a plate. Really bad presentation and taste not much better! Worst meal we had in vegas!
(2)Greg E.
Wanted Mexican food that wouldn't take a long time. We had a show to get to. To be truthful, I thought it was "On the Border". It was not. We were seated quickly and the waitress was super nice and very helpful. The layout was nice, but from my seat, I was staring out the door to what I think was a patio, lots of sun to blind me, and I didn't see any sun shades. We got the guacome to start. It was very authentic and tasted fresh and delicious. The chips were fresh and had a great flavor. My wife had a Sangria. She thought it was a little watery. But, not being a drinker, the alcohol snuck up a little. I had a chelada. The lime was a little overwhelming, but good. I ordered the skirt steak. It was seasoned perfect and cooked awesome. I loved it. The mole sauce on side was great. It came with one giant handmade tortilla. So wonderful. It rocked. My wife had the short rib enchiladas. She said they were good, but did not rave about them. For dessert we got the banana cream pie. Get it. That's all I am saying. It was a little pricey but really good.
(4)Joy M.
Wow. The best carne asada, skirt steak cooked medium. My Officemate talks about this place all the time, I never tried it even we go to Vegas a lot. Finally decided to give it a try after attending a trade show and wow. The chips are fresh and you have three options for dipping. I order the skirt steak and the corn that came with it on the side was amazing. It tasted so fresh, I can eat there over and over. The staff is amazing, it's good with kids so don't worry about that. It looks too intimidating but it's not. They have kids meal and they give kids paper and crayons to keep them busy.
(5)Raymond J.
Came here for dinner with a friend before seeing a show at the Mandalay Bay Events Center. Knowing it can get busy on a Saturday, especially on the night of a show, I made a reservation on OpenTable. Got there on time and checked in at the hostess stand. I wanted inside seating because eating outside during a Vegas summer isn't preferable while dressed up for a show. However, the wait for an inside table was going to be 20-30 minutes. Doesn't that defeat the purpose of my reservation? Since we had a show to get to, we reluctantly took the patio seating to get seated immediately. Our server Carmie was very nice. She was very helpful when asked for appetizer recommendations. We were torn over which ceviche to order, but she informed us that we could split a ceviche order in half and get a bit of each. Perfect solution. We tried the Baja Ceviche and the Tuna Crudo (the recommendation of Carmie). Ultimately, I preferred the Tuna Crudo. Props for the recommendation. Because we're locals, Carmie suggested we sign up for the VIP Club, which would get us 15% off on future visits, as well as the current visit. Saving money is always appreciated. As for my entree, I ordered the Ropa Vieja off the specials menu. It was braised beef short rib, carrot puree, mojo, and crispy yucca. Knowing I'm eating on the Strip, I was a bit worried how much short rib I'd get for $27. Once the dish came out, I was pleasantly surprised at the portion. It was a ton of short rib. Very tender and I could pull it apart without the need for a knife. Overall a good experience, but not perfect due to the inability to seat us inside even though we had a reservation.
(4)Amelinda L.
I've been to BG a couple times, but it's been about five years since my last visit and I've honestly forgotten about the great food. Well, I'm really glad for my visit last week and the wonderful experience we had. The food was delicious and the service was insanely fantastic. Our server, Jessica was the most thoughtful, kindest, and simply amazing. Everyone seriously deserves high praises for the top-notch service! Border Classics ($19): Chicken Panuchos (Black bean stuffed tortillas), Green Corn Tamales (Sweet corn, sour cream, salsa fresca), and Plantain Empanadas (Roasted plantains, organic black beans, poblano, cotija cheese). I absolutely loved the panuchos; so good! The tamales were pretty great considering that I don't usually like sweet versions. The empanadas were okay. Wagyu Beef Sopes ($14): Guajillo chile marinated Wagyu beef, corn masa "little boat", and mango red cabbage mint slaw. The meat was delicious and tender (although a bit sweeter than I prefer), plus the fixings worked well. It was interestingly just one sope and the price is a bit steep for it. Restaurant Week 2015 Dinner $50.15 Donation Level: Silver Platter ($4) FIRST "Chorizo" Beef Tartare: Quail egg and potato puff. Very good beef tartare and I loved the puff - wish there was more! SECOND Gaucho Steak: Grilled ribeye, chimichurri, crispy garlic potato, and huitlacoche butter. This steak was very generous in size and cooked well. The whole dish was super flavorful. I loved the potato! Just really good steak. THIRD Smoked Chocolate Brownie: Cinnamon smoke, chocolate sauce, and almond ice cream. The stack of brownie was covered in one of their short glasses, filled with smoke. The cup was removed as soon as the plate hit our table and you could still see the smoke swirling. Very cool. The brownie was delicious and I loved the addition of smoke. Great ice cream, too.
(4)Rodney H.
I read that Border Grill had one of the best brunches in Las Vegas. So decided to check out the Mandalay Bay location for their Border Brunch. For $35, you get unlimited made-to-order tapas. It's really a great deal! First off though, finding Border Grill was a bit of a pain. It's really deep within the resort, basically near the pool area. If you're coming in from the monorail, basically keep walking past the casino and through restaurant row. You'll know you're on the right path if you pass Aureole and then eventually you'll see signs pointing to Border Grill. It was a beautiful day outside, so I decided to so sit at their Patio. Even though I had a reservation, I opted to sit at the bar since the table they provided me had too much sun shining down on it. But let's get on to the Border Brunch. They provide you with a menu of about 22 dishes to order and you basically order anything you want. For a solo diner, they recommend ordering two at a time and four to five dishes at a time if you're with a group. Here in chronological order is what I ordered: Empanada with Cinnamon Butter -- bit.ly/1SxW5oq This was like an amuse bouche and came with the Border Brunch. Tomatillo Egg Benedict -- bit.ly/1BtOm6v Cornmeal battered tomatillo, hominy grits, epazote hollandaise, roasted tomato, baked kale This was a good dish to start with. Fried green tomato with a nice runny egg on top. Delicious!!! Breakfast Fries -- bit.ly/1TCYAHA Beer braised short rib, manchego cheese, bacon, sunny side egg This was very dish but I'm glad I got to try this. It's a breakfast poutine essentially since you have cheese, short ribs, and a runny egg. This is probably a dish better suited for a group to share because, even though this was only my 2nd dish, I was already starting to get full. Serrano Ham Waffle -- bit.ly/1K1R5H7 Manchego cheese, maple syrup, butter I liked this! It was a good combination of sweet and savory. Peruvian Shrimp and Grits -- bit.ly/1IpX4Qk Aji panca salsa, roasted green chile, creamy parmesan grits Ordering this seafood dish was a good way for me to get my money's worth out of the $35. The shrimp was cooked nicely and had a very nice kick to it with the chile. A very unique take on shrimp and grits. Oyster Taco -- bit.ly/1ewZ4iE Cornmeal battered oyster, flour tortilla, pickled chayote, tomato, buttermilk aioli At this point, I was pretty stuffed but I still wanted to try more. This oyster taco is really about the size of a street taco so it was only a few bites, but that was more than enough for me. I really enjoyed it! Churro Tots -- bit.ly/1GxS79Z Dulce de leche infused churros, cinnamon sugar, chocolate ganache, passion fruit puree From the beginning, I already planned on ordering this last since it's pretty much like a dessert. As small as these tots were, they were pretty dense but had good flavor. The two sauces worked well with them. Overall, I thought the $35 AYCE tapas Border Brunch was worth it. But I was really limited to my stomach capacity since I only got try 6 dishes out of the 22. I highly recommend coming with a group if you plan to try all 22 dishes. As for Border Grill, it's a really nice restaurant! It's a nice take on upscale Tex-Mex food similar to Mesa Grill. I did visit the other location at the Forum Shops which I'll review later, but I like this location a lot better, especially if you can snag a table outside. I would definitely love to come back again to them for dinner.
(4)Heather N.
Border Grill is one of my favorite spots in Mandalay Bay. They have a great weekend brunch. It's only $34.99 for brunch add $10 for unlimited mimosas. My favorite brunch dishes are the shrimp and grits, breakfast fries and chilaquiles. It is so nice sitting on the patio and service is always great. Drinks are kept filled and we never feel rushed. I've been a few times for dinner and love their nachos and fish tacos. They make great margaritas but I prefer the prickly pear pina coloda or rum punch. Locals should join their VIP club for 15% off and special offers emailed throughout the year.
(4)Naomi R.
I came to Border Grill today because it was one of the few bottomless mimosa restaurants with good ratings. I was definitely impressed. I ordered the unlimited tapas brunch as well as the bottomless mimosa. Each mimosa was different with a different type of juice, not similar to your regular orange juice and champagne. They were all very good. The tapas as well as the guacamole were very good. Some of my favorites where the steak and eggs, Peruvian shrimp and grits, and the stuffed waffles.
(4)Michelle S.
Simply one of the best brunch spots in Las Vegas. The unlimited food is quite tasty and the bottomless champagne mixtures (mimosa, pomegranate, peach, prickly pear, watermelon, blood orange, strawberry, etc-- try them all if you can!) are very fun. Although not a traditional breakfast food, be sure to order the BBQ sliders- delish! Best of all, the prices aren't bad and the view over the Mandalay Bay pool "lazy river" is pretty nice as well. Don't miss out on the Shark Reef either-- it's right by the restaurant and has a locals discount.
(5)Naomi R.
We were staying at the Mandalay and went here twice- once to the bar, once for dinner. Service is TERRIBLE. AWFUL. Just terrible. The slowest service ever. It took asking the bartender four times to get our check, just for 2 margaritas and chips. Dinner we gave it another chance but HUGE mistake. I actually left money on the table and never got my food because our waitress disappeared. HUGE disappointment.
(2)Alison T.
Ernoica is awesome. Attentive, sweet, wonderful. Ask for her and tip her well. Small plates concept (all u can order) and all you drink mimosas for $10 more and they come in all different flavors. A great deal and amazing service. Fully worthy of a later Sunday flight.
(5)Abigail B.
Very good food. Lots of fish dishes but a wide variety of everything. A lot of different tacos and dishes. The tuna crudo is excellent and a very large portion. The watercress salad is amazing. I love the peppery taste of watercress and you don't see it often. The jicama really added to this. My only complaint is it had a bit too much dressing on it. The shrimp tacos were spicy but not too much. The shrimp were cooked very well. I would have preferred a flour tortilla to the corn one but it was excellent. The cilantro rice that came with it was amazing. I don't eat beans so I didn't try those. They start you with chips and three salsas. One is smoky another and the other too are equally good. My chips were pretty much crumbs but others I saw were fine. Overall a good experience.
(4)Dafne J.
Where do I start?!? The service was amazing. Carmie was the one taking care of us. Super sweet and knows her menu very well. The chips and salsa were really good. They give you three types of salsas... all are very good. Then my fiance had the jalapeño carnitas burger... wow wow wow!! Sooo good. Could not stop eating. It came was delicious fries. I ordered the Baja ceviche which comes on a tostada and let me tell you! That fish and shrimp was very fresh. I'm picky when it comes to seafood but this was amazing! For dessert we got this rich chocolate almost mousse. Amazing! The other dessert that came with it was good too... but I'm still stuck on the chocolate one. I will definitely come back!
(5)Amanda P.
Service, food, ambiance = excellent!!!! This restaurant has everything I would expect of a 5 star place! We had no idea what we were getting into as we had never been here before and we're just passing through the Mandalay Bay outside of the Shark Reef. Hungry for dinner and some good seafood, we decided to stop in and give them a try. Service: Fast, friendly and very knowledgeable about all the menu items! Our server, who I believe was named Candice, was super friendly and knew the details of so many menu items. She even have us her favorites without asking! She saw my drink getting low and quickly refilled. Awesome. She was super fast with service and very friendly. Food: Amazing!!!! I've never had more tasty ceviche! We ordered a three sampler version which provided a good variety and was super fresh. This place prides itself on being fresh and it was! My dinner was the strip streak with a mushroom quesadilla. I ordered mid-rare and it was cooked perfectly. I got the mushrooms without the tortilla and they were the bomb! The steak was soooo big I could not finish it. Overall: This place doesn't disappoint at all. I would highly recommend no matter what! You gotta try this place!
(5)Nick C.
I saw BG listed as #2 as best Sunday brunch place & I have to say the folks at Eater have little experience with LV brunches. Brunch is $40 for all you can eat. It is not a buffet or butler service, it is an order your small plates and wait for 20 minutes and hope you get what you order situation. Service was painfully slow and dishes were forgotten on three different occasions - out of only five chances is too many mistakes. Water and teas were often empty too. Food was decent, but seemed very repetitive. Maybe I'll come back for dinner again, but there are dozens of Sunday brunch options that crush this place. vegas.eater.com/maps/46-…
(3)Rod M.
My wife and I were at Mandalay Bay for a trade show and we needed to get a quick lunch so we had lunch at the Border Grill. We got the margarita for 2 and it was really good, prepared table side, that was a treat. We started off with the 3 sweet corn tamales and these are the best! I got the carnitas tacos, two were good, the 3rd one was full of fat, not much meat, that was a disappointment. I could have sent it back but we were in a hurry. Who ever prepared the tacos, must have been blind to include all that fat. My wife had the spicy shrimp tacos, I tried one and they were tasty. Our server was really great, very personable. I thought the prices were a bit high but we are in Vegas, kind of on a short leash so we endured the expensive lunch.
(4)Scott P.
Border Grill is hands down THE BEST brunch on the strip- and you heard it from me, C. Everet Bruncher the 3rd. Their brunch combines usual breakfast fare- waffles, eggs, hash browns, with southwestern flavors- tomatillos, guava, chills, and then throws it at your face tappas style instead of trough style like many inferior brunch buffets. When I moved to Vegas I had just finished watching the season of Top Chef pro or whatever its called were Mary Sue came in second place so I was extremely eager to try this place. As I walked through the desolate Mandalay Bay (apparently there was no NASCAR event or P Diddy concert, the only things that seem to make this place busy) and got to the restaurant which was only about 1/2 full I started to get a bit worried. Had I wasted the precious calories it took to walk here from self park? That walk took at least 4 minutes and I don't undertake such journeys lightly- too large a risk of orcs. As soon as we were seated we were brought a trio of regular human salsas and then a 4th devils brew salsa seemingly designed to make GITMO detainees talk. Service was attentive but not annoying, and since for this brunch you are dependent on your server to bring you the food that is crucial as even a 5-10 minute gap could result in a riot. The menu changes every 2-3 months or so, but it is always around 20 small plate items, 3-4 of which is more than enough to fill up the average person. Combine that with all you can drink mimosas- that come in like 15 different flavors- and breakfast margaritas... which as far as I can tell is just a regular margarita with a little vanilla in it. What a glorious place where you can get drunk at 10am as long as your drinks have a splash of vanilla. America. Some menu highlights Pigs in Blanket- comes with a manchego cheese dipping sauce that I would drink by the glass if possible- BY THE GLASS I say. Churro Tots- I mean, if you needed me to tell you to order these than there is something seriously wrong with you. Breakfast fries- basically hashbrowns with three delicious sauces spread around them. Waffle - I have had this twice, once it came with pork belly which was amazing, the other time it came with "ham" which appeared to just be bacon cooked inside the waffle itself. The pork belly was definitely better but I'm not gonna split hairs over a bacon stuffed waffle. Eggs Benedict- this comes with like picked red onion or picked radish or something on it that sort of taints the dish and makes it all pink. Order without that. Steak and eggs- great. You prob get a solid 6 ounces of skirt steak with each order. It has a delicious black bean puree underneath it all. A must get. Oyster Taco- this came with way more vegetables than I was expecting so I just ate the cornbread battered fried Oyster. Would eat again. Some things to Avoid Brisket Sliders- these are prepared like a Vietnamese sandwich. You know all those people who when eating good BBQ brisket say "damn this needs some carrots and cilantro"... oh wait thats no one. Fruit Creme Brule- meh, I mean its yogurt, not sure why I ordered this. My b
(5)Gandhi D.
Awesome food! Awesome staff!!!! The presentation and taste of every dish delivered to our table met our entire families taste buds! (Not easy) They knocked it out the park!! We will be back often! Angel the host was warm and welcoming!
(5)Laura D.
I understand Las Vegas is over-priced. But $50 for a pitcher of mediocre sangria - more than 1/2 way filled with ice - with not a slice of fruit in sight? ANNOYING. Friendly staff. My food (fish tacos) was not nearly as good as the time I had it before. It is conveniently located very close to the convention center so it gets packed when events are going on.
(2)Simone W.
It was a very nice place with an upstairs and a downstairs. We were asked if we wanted to sit outside and we said yes since it was such a beautiful day. We sat at a table where you could see part of the pool and it was very nice, Service was quick and friendly. The server was very nice. She brought chips and 3 types of salsas. Two of us order the Grilled Fish Taco's. I am sorry but I have had much better. The fish tasted as if it was old and chewy. They were not very good. It was $25.00 dollars for 3 small taco's and an Iced tea.
(3)Brian S.
We had a perfectly delightful lunch. Yuca tan pork was very good as was the tuna ceviche.
(4)April Rose P.
Brunch will never be the same. It has been a week since we were here so I already forgot my servers name.. But he was AMAZING. We opted for the AYCE menu with the AYCD mimosas. Since everything on the menu sounded delicious, he started us off with his recommendations. He also informed us that they had different flavored mimosas so each time he refilled our glasses, it was with a new flavor. We tried every flavor they had to offer. And boy were we tipsy. My favorite dish was probably the shrimp and grits! Again, if you haven't noticed a trend in my reviews.. I LOVE SEAFOOD so anything with it, I will love it. Other faves were the steak and eggs, breakfast fries and the waffles. YUMMMM and out of the mimosa flavors, my favorite would have to be the peach one! Will definitely be back next time I'm in sin city!
(5)Veronica M.
Great Food! You must have the brunch. It's a great experience, many flavors. Beware you can oveate, everything is so delicious you just want to keep trying new dishes. I had a great experience. All waiters were very attentive. Tamera W. You rock. Great suggestions and great service. Definately coming back!
(5)June N.
Nice place, friendly staff but I gave only 3 stars due to food and beverage. I order shrimp and scallop with garlic white wine sauce. And my food came out like a soup. I asked the staff later and he said it shouldn't came out like this. He was good and offer me to change the new dish but I already ate all the scallop so I told him it was ok. On the other hand, scallop and shrimp cooked perfectly. That's a plus! Their lemonade was really really sweet. However I will come back again to try Wagyu beef taco! Let's see how it will turn out.
(3)Aubrey J.
Border Grill has become a Las Vegas staple for us specifically because of their weekend brunch. The unlimited cook-to-order mini plates (that are still a lot of food) are full of bold, unique, southwest inspired flavors and are all available for one set price of $34.99. We signed up on the website for the free VIP club and immediately received a coupon for a Buy one get one free entree which really lowers the cost of the brunch. They have recently changed the menu to offer some new brunch options including some amazing pigs in a blanket and bbq brisket sandwiches. They also changed the recipes on some of the favorites to give them a different flavor as well. A common theme was manchego cheese and spicy avocado sauce. We were very happy with all of the options because all of the flavors are just so unique. The service was impeccable. We had the pleasure of having Carmie as our server and she was very attentive, was able to anticipate our needs, and the food came out at perfect intervals. We chose to have our brunch with water and coffee and the coffee was great. I would definitely recommend this restaurant, and more specifically the brunch, to anyone. Carmie also informed us that they've added a similar all-you-can-eat tasting on the dinner menu all week as well. We can't wait to give that a try.
(5)Tony A.
When you go for trendy decor and miss, you end up with Border Grill. The lighting is terrible and while menus in plastic sleeves is a thrifty approach, they are barely legible. Interestingly enough, the bathroom is hidden in another floor. Having said this, the brisket tostada is worth the trip. The pork belly taco is a work of art. Unfortunately, the good gets lost in the other problems. Save your $ and find a good taco truck.
(2)Cindy R.
This is a great brunch spot! We love the bottomless mimosas and tapas style breakfast menu. You literally get to sample all the flavored you want! We've also enjoyed their tequila dinners. Be certain to sign up for email so you can find out about their special events!
(5)Fredy Y.
If you are hungry and gambled away all your money, no worries. At Border Grill, the portions are huge, so you can split an entrée. The border might be wide open, but who cares, they give you free chips and salsa!
(4)Anavmy F.
Went for the Sunday brunch, and it was amazing. The food was really tasty.. it was tapas style, so we ordered 6 dishes and shared them into 5 (Plus: they give you refills on those said tapas! So no need to fight over the last bite). Our server, Eduardo, was on point and really helpful and friendly. Definetely will come back next time we're in Vegas. We didnt have a reservation, and got a nice table on the patio... I'd still recomend to make a reservation (it's Vegas, everything is busy lol)
(5)Sean F.
Excellent meal from start to finish. The coconut mojito and orange margarita were great. Enjoyed the appetizer platter, entrée, and dessert which were all flavorful and delicious! Also the guacamole is made fresh to order at the ceviche bar. I would highly recommend this restaurant if your in the mood for Latin food / Mexican
(5)Kimberly D.
Had a great experience at Border Grill a couple of nights ago. We had just come from the Shark Reef at Mandalay Bay so this was a convenient choice right around the corner. We were seated in the back corner of the restaurant which was nice. It was dark but intimate and quiet. Our waiter was not the friendliest guy but he did let us know about the drink menu and the special of the night. I feel like when he found out that we were going to only get an appetizer and one entrée (two of us) his attitude got even worse. We started with the raja potato tacos appetizer which was amazing (there are only two tacos as an appetizer so not really enough to share.) They were different than any other type of taco I have had and really a flavor explosion. I'm not sure how to explain the texture of the potato but it was almost like a mashed potato that had been fried on a hard fried tortilla with chipotle crema. It also came with guacamole and a corn salsa. I would definitely order these many times again. In fact I think I will be craving these with no way to get them :( We also had the carne asada quesadilla. It was also delicious. The carne asada was probably the best I have ever had. The meat just melted in your mouth along with the cheese. It was a tad bit on the too salty side but the guac and sour cream countered that a bit. Overall the flavor was great, just cut down on the salt a bit. Overall we had a good experience. Our service was just okay. The food was great. I would come back on another visit to Vegas.
(4)David H.
Review for unlimited brunch: I don't like eggs and would take a bloody mary over a mimosa so I'm not usually a big brunch guy but I've gotta say I enjoyed this one. As others have said, it's all you can eat and you keep ordering 2-3 items at a time rather than continually trekking to the buffet. The downside is you wait to stuff your piehole, the plus is your food is always fresh. I liked everything I tried but the shrimp n' grits (with a spicy tomato sauce and lots of shrimp), churro tots, and the fried chicken with blue corn waffle stood out. I'm also not usually a mimosa guy but the $10 for unlimited is worth it here since they have lots of different types including peach, strawberry, coconut, pineapple (order this one half coconut and half pineapple). Service was very friendly but even the waiter commented at one point that the food was slow. We sat outside on the patio on a warm and sunny day so it was a good brunch. I'd come back here for all you can eat brunch. Oh and a wedding reception was taking place inside right behind us so that was a little weird that we could see the whole thing.
(4)Kelly R.
I have to take the time and write you a 5 star review for our tremendous experience that we had yesterday & for the fact that Amber is a rock star! The food was delicious - the steak & eggs were amazing and the tres leches French toast was fantastic! But really, Amber was awesome keeping the food & the five million different flavors of mimosas coming for the 4 hours we were there!
(5)Larry M.
I really have to give this place a true five stars. I couldnt find a single thing that wasn't done right. The atmosphere, ambiance, and lighting was comfortable and inviting. Our service was top notch! Drinks were refilled before we even noticed they were getting low. Our server offered menu suggestions including her personal favorite, house favorites, and the daily special. My girlfriend asked for a specialized custom menu option and the border grill was more than pleased to abide. Our food came out very quickly. We had the ceviche trio appetizer which was some of the best I've ever had. The chips and salsa that came to the table was complimentary. And SO fresh, wow, i mean seriously the salsa was so great! I had the braised short rib enchiladas and am sad that I don't have anything that can compare to this excellence back home. If ever you are near the mandala bay, visit the border grill!! Really, even if your not near by, visit anyway!
(5)Kaulana F.
Had a late lunch here using a travelzoo deal. Our waitress Tiffany was awesome. We went with all of her recommendations and were not disappointed. We had the queso fundido to start. It was delicious. Gooey, chessey deliciousness!!! Would definitely get it again. The yukatan pork was tender and sweet. It's served in what appears to be a small-ish portion but it is actually a very filling size. I had leftovers to take with me. We will be going back for sure!!
(4)Lane M.
We are here at lunch I had the steak nachos and my wife got the grilled fish tacos. Let me start out by saying they offer you bottled water but they don't offer you regular water then they want to charge you 8 dollars a bottle. The fish tacos were dry and the fish had a strong fishy flavor. The rice and black beans were very good. The nachos was good and the steak had a great flavor. But it's not worth what you pay.
(3)Joy H.
We had an amazing experience with Carmie! She was friendly, witty, accommodating & suggested an amazing meal for us! The all you can eat tasting menu is phenomenal and totally worth the price! Our favorite was the strip steak, but we enjoyed everything we tried! Well done border grill, and definitely ask for Carmie as your server, she's one of the best servers I've had in Vegas! Did Vegas locals that are picky, we will definitely be back!
(5)Chriselle A.
The best brunch that I could have imagined in Vegas. Unlimited mimosas and there were several types to choose from. Each dish was a work of art to look at and to taste. Amazing Mexican fusion. Delicious!!
(5)Grace H.
Our waitress, Rachel, was amazing! She was very attentive and friendly. She made good recommendations on the menu. I would come back here just because of her. The food is also delicious. The black cherry mojito was fantastic, as was the watermelon margarita. We shared the carne asada quesadilla. It's was really tasty. Thanks again, Rachel, for making our lunch great. :)
(5)Norm K.
I had been to the Border Grill once before for their Sunday brunch and I found it excellent. Today, we stopped in for a late lunch and had another excellent meal. We got an order of bacon guacamole for an appetizer and it came with four wedges of seasoned chips. The guacamole was excellent. The cotija cheese gave the guacamole a super flavor in addition to the bacon. The chips tasted a bit stale and didn't have the crispness of their taco chips. We were brought the complimentary chips and 3 salsas and all three were good but the inferna was the best flavor, yet it wasn't that spicy. For our mains, I got one of the lunch specials--turkey mole enchiladas. The enchiladas were spread inside with a thin layer of very good masa. The enchiladas were covered with an almond mole that was complex in flavor and very good. The enchiladas were filled with well seasoned turkey meat and there was a small frisée salad on top with some very thin fresh peach slices. My wife got the carnitas tacos. There were three soft tacos with two kinds of rice and some black beans with cotija cheese. I ate one of the tacos and the pork and toppings were very good. The chipotle salsa was very good. We waited for awhile and then ordered two half desserts. They allow you two pick two desserts and get a half portion of each. We got the pastel Rufina. The menu describes it this way: layers of puff pastry, sweetened cream cheese, chocolate chunks, and fresh berries. The berries were raspberries, strawberries, and blueberries and the dessert is made with eclair-like puff pastry and topped with the cream cheese and chocolate chunks. It was superb! The other selection was a small wedge of their flourless chocolate truffle cake. The menu describes it as rich, delicate chocolate truffle cake with prickly pear lychee sauce and raspberries. The chocolate is very rich in flavor but it is not delicate. It was very dense although very tasty. Service was good although we waited for a time to get an iced tea refill. I really like Border Grill and I'll be back.
(4)Jay F.
Best upscale Mexican in Vegas. We mostly come here for brunch and order small plate after small plate of flavorful quasi-Mexican options, both sweet and savory, while watching people float by on the Mandalay Bay lazy river beside us. The menu changes seasonally, but some of the standbys worth sinking your teeth into are the churro tots, tamales and breakfast fries. I tend to like their sweet items better than the savories. But you really can't go wrong with anything. And making your way through a brunch-long flavored mimosa flight is nothing less than the perfect way to spend a Sunday.
(5)Cindy D.
It has been way too long since I've been here. Great place to eat on the strip, but it's not one I'd frequent a lot because of the pricing . I have fond memories of dining here with my Mom. The food was great, I do remember sharing their appetizer plate, it was more affordable and a good selection if you couldn't decide! I need to go back...
(4)Rod U.
The sun still rises in the east. Birds do fly south for the winter. And Border Grill Mandalay Bay, after 15 years, remains a solid, "Mexican" dining experience. Note: This visit was prompted after less than stellar visit to Border Grill's newest location at Caesars Forum Shops. By the numbers: 17 dishes, 4 drinks, 3 hours, 2 overly stuffed friends, 1 great meal. It's called "Small Plates". For $45pp it include EVERYTHING on the menu (or in our case, server selected and coursed dishes). It is an all encompassing gastronomic view of the restaurant well worth the thousands of calories. BURP! The result, unexpected standouts. The green corn tamales, excellent. Filled with umber sweet corn and balanced with a simple but acidic salsa. The peppery watercress, crisp almost apple like jicama and sweet orange salad topped with bacon wrapped, bleu cheese stuffed dates and a creamy coriander vinaigrette, another win. Beautiful balance of flavors and textures. Very well made ceviches The Baja (shrimp, fish, lime, tomato, and jalapeno aioli) a true standout. The sweetness of the shrimp is accentuated by the fresh, acidic tartness of the lime. The tomato provides a perfect bridge between the flavors. Slight spiciness adding complexity. For mains, if there's mole, it's a winner. Great Oaxacan strip steak. Tender and juicy. It's beefy flavor heightened by he earthiness of the slightly spicy mole. The pork en mole, porky, earthy goodness. The addition of pickled veg brightens the palate after every bite. Very weak selections of wine and beer. Well designed selection of hand crafted, margaritas and mojitos. Be very careful with the blood orange margarita. Jalapeno in the drink and rimmed with spicy mole; it packs a very spicy punch. Excellent, friendly service. Per the restaurant, the menu is being updated in the coming weeks so act fast for a last try of the favorites. Redemption.
(4)Danielle F.
I had to eat here a few times while at a convention and I'm not a fan. It's ok. The tortillas are undercooked, the rice is dry, and the food came out cold everytime. Chips and salsa are good. Save your Vegas meal and go somewhere else.
(3)Yohana T.
Best Brunch in Vegas! For about $35 per person, you can experience about 25 different small plates all of them prepared to order. My personal favorites are the French Toast (with berries, tres leches syrup and whipped cream), the oyster taco, the sweet corn tamale and the shrimp and grits. I've tried almost everything and trust me, all dishes are great, I just have my favorites. Service is excellent and best, no wait time on Sundays.
(5)Troy P.
Mandalay Bay is huge! Border Grill is on the conference side and for that reason is convenient. We were here for lunch and sat at the bar outside, depending on what events are taking place it can get packed. Barbacoa tacos were actually really good and it's a nice serving, I left content with my choice. The rice and beans were meh, but who we kidding? It's rice and beans... I wasn't expecting the food to be as good as it was considering the million other taco options they had, but they were actually tasty. The Corona was also tasty and even on tap if you prefer Corona Lite. If you do prefer Corona on tap or Corona Lite, then you're doing it wrong. That shit has to come out of a bottle as Corona Extra with a lime wedge! It's actually a rule, look it up...
(4)Snuffles B.
Small plates tasting = best deal ever. $42 to order almost any item from the menu was a no brainer considering one app and one main would easily put you over that. The mini portions are freaking enormous. We got a little scared after the first few came out. But I proved that I still got it, our waiter said most people poop out after 5-6, he was the one who looked nervous when I did 13. GOOD (not very good though) Green corn tamale Yucatan pork Shrimp & scallops Chips/salsas OK Vegetable quesadilla Plantain empanada Short rib enchilada Peruvian ceviche Baja ceviche MEH Beef sope Jicama salad Duck chilaquiles Pork mole Fish taco Loud venue, live mariachi band overlooking the Mandalay Bay pool if you sit outside. Fast service. Less about the food than the exhilaration of going hog wild on the menu.
(3)T A.
The chips are soooo good. Lol I had the chicken tortilla soup. It was good but would have been better if they added the chicken. Hence the 4 stars but it was good nonetheless. Customer service was good.
(4)Mike R.
Had the Sunday brunch. It was pretty excellent food. All you can eat and for $10 more they have unlimited mimosas. As for the food it was served tapas style. Was a little concerned about how quick they would get the food out to us but the service was on point and the food was fresh. Would definitely go here again. I only drop it down one star because it's a little pricy ($35 without mimosas) but still worth it
(4)Westie W.
We have frequented this restaurant ever since it first opened, but our recent visits have been for the highly regarded weekend brunch. After signing up my wife for the VIP club, I printed off a 2 for 1 entree coupon that we decided to use for dinner. We were started off with a bowl of fresh taco chips and 3 salsas. Each of us decided on chile rellenos for an entree - the roasted poblano peppers were enormous with each accompanied by 2 types of rice and earthy refried beans. Service throughout was very good.
(3)Stacy H.
The sangria is very blah w/ almost a water downed taste and no spice or fruit floating in it or even a hint of flavor from them. The salsas are very one note. The manager walked around and didn't ask one person how their experience was thus far. I'm disappointed so far...
(1)B. Ann M.
Our personable server, Jeff, not only welcomed us after a crazy afternoon at Daylight (needless to say, we were fairly intoxicated), but he also made us feel at home. Very knowledgeable and flexible with menu options. Thanks to the Chef too! You will never have been chips than Border Grill's chips!
(5)TennisBum P.
We've eaten this brunch five times in the last four years. This last time, everything went perfectly. Plenty of great food. The small plates are being rotated (the PB&J is gone... for awhile). Only one dish disappointed me (only a little, it was the skirt steak). The passion fruit mimosa is back (thus they're getting 5 stars instead of 4). Pricy and not for everyone, but we love it.
(5)Lindsey H.
Brunch is the hot thing right now, right? If you didn't know, now you do. This place is hands-down the best brunch spot I've been to in LV. First, it's huge - upstairs, downstairs, outside patio. Second, the bottomless mimosas do not stop. We've all been to those places that bottomless means whenever you can get the server's attention. Well, not this place! Our super amazing server Amber kept them coming. And in a variety of flavors. The all you can eat tapas is the way to go, especially with a group. It's served family style and you just keep ordering. Everything was so tasty and there's something for everyone. My personal fav - PB & Jelly Jalapeño Biscuit Sandwich. Try it, you're welcome. Price: 34.99 unlimited tapas brunch 10.99 unlimited mimosas If you're a local ask about a discount card, saves you 15%. If you're not a local, go anyways! And ask for Amber, she's fabulous!
(5)Joel J.
I will always like border grill but I think it's slightly overpriced but that's the cost of location location location. Speaking of the patio is sweet if it's not 110 degrees out and the bar is always cold and tasty too. The house special pork is the way to go for a first timer and an old regular.
(5)Daniel D.
Rick Bayless has nothing to fear from these wannabes. Sure the ignorant masses will lap up this Disneyland Mexican, but it is badly over-priced and the pop art bunker of a restaurant without a bathroom blows. The food is good, but I will take a taco truck over this joint any day.
(2)Erin W.
Light and gourmet spin on Mexican food. The "Chicken Mole Verde" dish was to die for. Steal tip Enchilada was good and light
(4)Carly B.
Will make your wallet cry, but your tastebuds will sing! By far the best taquitos I've ever had with a $22 price tag to match. The raspberry chipotle margarita was a little too sweet for me. Needed a stronger chipotle kick.
(5)Charles T.
Where can I start... Margaritas served in a standard water cup. Hello !!! And you guys are FAMOUS for your Margaritas.. ?????? Ice cold Guacamole like it was pre-made and sitting in the freezer to keep it from turning brown. It was also flat. Most high end restaurants make this fresh at the size of your table, and ask you the level of peppers to add and will mix it to taste. Why not here ? As if we did not have enough corn chips ( they come with the meal ) they severed a steak on an enormous bed of YES more YES MORE CORN CHIPS !!! Geeez Enough is enough !!!! Waitress did NOT know the menu. I ask what the Fish is served with and she says it is a SOUP and is not served with any sides. and then she recommends the Scallop and Shimp dish instead.... OK . so I order this and GUESS WHAT.... it is a SOUP !!!
(1)Briggs A.
Just when I thought that I'd ran out of superlatives to describe the Border Grill, they find a way to up their game even more! Seated outside on the lower level, I was thrilled to have Diane as my server once again. As she did last time around, Diane brought out a steady stream of mimosas (I asked her to "surprise me" every round -- and was never disappointed) and absolutely delicious small plates, accompanied by her infectious laugh and amazing personal service. As just one of many examples, she tuned in the Indiana-Michigan game on the bar TV so that I could catch the hoops action (and check on my sports bets) between swigs of mimosas and bites of unforgettable dishes Thanks (again) Diane! I was also introduced to manager Andrew and he was warm and welcoming -- which is pretty much par for the course for everyone I meet at BG. Speaking of managers, Melanie was there -- and she greeted me with a hug and a huge smile. I was tickled pink to see her again. I would be remiss if I didn't mention bartender Chris. Not only did he create a delicious pomegranate mimosa, but he also rooted for Indiana as I watched them defeat (but sadly, not cover the spread) Michigan. That was fun! It was a great morning that spread well into the afternoon (at BG, there's absolutely zero pressure to leave. In fact, they encourage you to while away the hours sipping and savoring while enjoying the music and the views of Mandalay Beach). But the best part of all: When I asked Diane what Chef Jamaal's special was for the day, she told me it was some sort of cake (I can't remember the exact name). I told Diane I wasn't much for sweets, so took a pass on the special. But that's not the end of the story: Diane told Melanie about my "disappointment" about the special -- and they got together with Chef Jamaal, who whipped up a new special -- Texas Redfish ceviche tacos -- just for me! My, oh my, were those tacos amazingly delicious! Signed, sealed, delivered -- food coma! Said it before. Say it again: I'll be BACK!!!!
(5)Kevin G.
Came here for lunch. I was skeptical of the Border Brunch because it is all you can eat, and I didn't want to eat all I can eat. However, the plates are small tapas style. It's easier to manage the gluttony. Everything is great. We had the breakfast fries, the esquite lettuce wraps, spicy chicken tamales, Peruvian shrimp and grits, steak and egg, huevos rancheros, Spanish omelette and the Chile relleno. It was all great.
(5)Nae F.
So you get 3 awesome salsa with chips when you sit down. We had a few Cinco de Mayo inspired drinks which were appropriate considering it was May the 5th. My man ordered a chile relleno burger which he loved. I had the fish tacos... I have to say we had just landed and went straight there, I was a little hungry. My stomach hurt after the first taco and I still dusted the plate cause I couldn't stop-too good.
(5)J.L. L.
The next time I'm in Vegas, I will be stopping here. My friend and I arrived pretty late--part of the restaurant was already shut down. We asked to sit outside and they made it happen. Our waiter was so great. I chose the "small plate" special for $49 and my friend chose the chicken enchiladas. I tried about eight dishes and love them all. Their mole sauce is excellent! And even though they were closing, we never felt rushed.
(5)Yelena K.
Oh Border Grill, how sad am I that you, somehow, inexplicably, don't have a location in the Bay Area. We would welcome you with open arms! I would single handedly pay your rent for a year the first month out! There's not just one thing that sticks out about Border Grill, but it's a culmination of everything, executed to perfection. The drinks are imaginative, strong, sweet, spicy, tangy, whatever you want them to be. The food kind of sucker punches you with how exceptionally delicious it is. I mean, I knew it'd be good, but not that good! Shouts of "WHAT IS THIS?!" accompanied by vigorous head nodding could be heard echoing throughout the restaurant with each bite of my plantain empanadas. The Oaxacan strip steak is as delectable as it is huge. And if that mesmerizing mole doesn't win you over, you don't stand a chance against the wild mushroom quesadilla. Not. A. Chance. If you're as undyingly full as we were but stubborn enough to force down a dessert because everything else was so amazing you could never live with yourself without having tried it, they do two half portions of any of the desserts so you can "share" but still get the one you want! Fair warning: the half portions are pretty much as big as a full portion anywhere else. The service is effortless. Ryan was awesome; he knew the menu inside and out, made some great recommendations, and gave us good tips for ordering. Someone give the guy a raise! The ambience is perfectly cool and casual, so we felt totally welcome to take our time ordering, just sit back and lounge and keep the drinks on coming. And all this for way less than it has any right to be! I'm just so angry! Where are you back home when I need you, Border Grill?!
(5)Stephanie A.
I was under the influence of one too many slushees with alcohol, but I don't believe I was looking through beer goggles when I fell in love with this place. To be sure, when I woke up hungover, I dove into my cold steak quesadilla I left sitting out in our room overnight, and it was still freakin' delicious. Found out about this gem from my friend's co-worker. It was all the way at the opposite end of the strip from us, but SO worth it! Started out with an amazing pina colada with toasted coconut on the edge of the glass. (Because the best thing to do when very drunk is keep drinking, of course. Well...at least in Vegas) Only complaint was that it was SO thick that I couldn't even get it through the straw! Had to wait til it melted a bit, and even then, was still difficult to get. For appetizers we started with chips, salsa, and guacamole. All items were SO fresh and the chips were salty and delicious. We ordered some quinoa fritters which were amazing and definitely unique! Quinoa and cheese deep friend in batter...heavenly. That's what I love about this place, they make healthy eating fun, by dipping the healthy food in melted cheese and then deep frying it. Ordered queso fundido which was perfection and probably the best I have ever had. Sooooo creamy, cheesy, and flavorful. It was a bowl of melted cheese sauce with a crunchy layer of cheese on top, which is the best idea in humanity's history. Afterwards, got a steak quesadilla which was PERFECT. The most flavorful steak I have ever had in a quesadilla. Even the next morning it was to die for. I'm happy that even though I was drunk when I met this quesadilla and took its leftovers home, when I woke up the next morning and it was still delicious, I was able to say I took home a "10" the night before. I feel like this is one of those places you never hear people talk about, but I do...all of the time. GO! The hype is real!
(5)Isaac Z.
Every now and then, you stumble into a restaurant that has just the right mix of attentive staff, authentic food and reasonable prices. The Border Grill in the Mandalay Bay has all the components mentioned above. In fact, they have motivated me to write this glowing review. Our server, Autumn D was outstanding. She treated us like family and guided us through the menu like a professional. Autumn was on point with all of her recommendations. From the pomegranate limeade to the shrimp relleno tacos, we could not be happier with our dinner. The food is pricey by the taco shop standards in San Diego. That said, The Border Grill is a modern restaurant in a beautiful hotel in Las Vegas. The menu prices are entirely reasonable when you consider the facts. Not to mention the quality ingredients and expert preparation that cost a little more. The kitchen is not afraid to roast chiles here and stuff them with delicious shrimp. Those are some damn good tacos. Put them on the permanent menu if possible. This meal was well worth the trip, and I look forward to visiting again. Here is what we had to eat... Guacamole with chips Tacos de rajas Pescado Veracruzana Shrimp stuffed poblano chile tacos Banana cream pie Mexican Chocolate cream pie
(5)Heather H.
Where have you been hiding, Border Grill? How have I lived in LV and missed this place for the last 7 years? In the span of two weeks, I found myself here for dinner and then Sunday brunch. I feel like I should be embarrassed about this, but I have no shame. If you force me to choose, I would say brunch is the star, but dinner was pretty fantastic too. The chips and salsa in this town can be very hit or miss. Border Grill's delivers. I had chile relleno for dinner and loved it. When I returned for brunch, I was corralled by a friend who swears their brunch is the best in town. I am a die hard DW Bistro fan so I was prepared to set her straight. Then I tried the chilaquiles. And the skirt steak and eggs. And the breakfast fries. For $34.99, you get unlimited small plates. The quality of the food is unexpectedly good for this price point. Everything is fresh and the small plates allow you to try several things instead of limiting you to one large dish. The only negative is that a few of the hot dishes did not come out piping hot, but this is likely due to the rush of people in the place. You really cannot compare DW and Border Grill because the food, ambience and intentions are totally different. This is a great spot for endless food options, bottomless mimosas and Mexican inspired brunch. Can't wait to go back.
(4)Vanessa V.
Delicious brunch and they let you make reservations on the weekend! Brunch is $34.99/person + $10 for bottomless mimosas/person. What a great deal! Food, drinks and service were great. Our waitress offered to just bring out plates at random. It was perfect, since we could focus on enjoying our company without having to keep looking at the menu. Will come back for sure!
(5)Rebecca B.
Sat down at 11:35...still waiting for our food at 1:03pm. Server sent over the manager with some weak excuse that they're down to 1 kitchen - wait, what?! Server said, "I'm trying to find your food." Was it lost somewhere? Did the two chicken soups, quesadilla and taquitos go in adventure somewhere, never to be found? Every table around us that arrived after us has eaten and paid...I'm getting HANGRY...
(2)Maria S.
Border Grill is an oasis of calm amidst the hustle and bustle of Mandalay Bay. In need of a gluten free lunch during the AWEA Windpower conference, I found this charming spot near the convention center, grabbed a seat at the bar, and proceeded to relax and let the excellent staff take care of me for the next hour. Almost everything on the menu is or can be made gluten free. The chips and salsa are a nice way to start your meal, and I washed them down with a hand-muddled traditional mojito. Delicious! The bartender recommended the Border Classics for my meal. This tasty sampler plate is a good way to try a little of the Mexican-inspired menu. You get two chicken tacos, two plantain empanadas, and two green corn tamales. I enjoyed every single bite. Highly recommended, even if you don't have a gluten allergy.
(4)Lee H.
Chilaquiles... OMG the chilaquiles! In case you don't know, chilaquiles is a Mexican dish of fried softened tortilla chips covered with salsa or mole and cheese and broiled. They are one of my favorite foods and I've ordered them at countless places. Border Grill gets them right. Very right! If you don't care for chilaquiles, this review isn't for you.
(5)Y K.
The wait was long for a table at Border Grill so I decided to sit in the bar area. The service was excellent and our waitress was also one of the bartenders. For an appetizer I ordered Plantain Empanadas, for my meal I had the Citrus Chicken Quesadilla, and for cocktails I had a Mexican Mai Tai and a Fresh Fruit Mojito. I was disappointed in the Quesadilla because it was not "cheesy" but the "buttery" flavor of the tortilla saved it for me. Everything else was great!
(4)Julie C.
My bestie and I had lunch here and really enjoyed the food and service. We had chicken tacos and the steak nachos. Didn't love the Dorito-like flavoring of the nachos, but overall, it was delicious. And Tommy, our waiter, was awesome.
(4)Dick C.
Very friendly, terrific greeting! On a side note, restaurants should really pay attention to the host or hostess that gives us first impressions. They win big in this department. Server was great and really knew the menu, they offer gluten free options as well. Dinner was terrific. Every dish tasty, hot and great. As we walked out the hostess thanked us for our business and sounded sincere. The restaurant was packed and every moving part was 5 stars.
(5)Heather L.
Bottomless mimosas and endless tapas brunch was amazing. Funky food and kick butt servers! Rachel in particular was super friendly and knowledgeable! We literally wanted to stay all day. I am not kidding about bottomless and endless food and drink...amazing deal for 45 dollars!!
(5)Lynne G.
As I suspected, our last trip here was an anomaly. Had the absolutely divine sweet corn tamales, chili rellenos, shrimp rellenos tacos with sangria margarita and classic margarita. Just no words to describe how absolutely perfect everything was! And the wait staff was amazing as well. Attentive without being obtrusive. A must eat in Vegas, without a doubt!
(5)Ivan M.
I have been fortunate enough to work with Susan and Mary Sue through their partnership with the California Avocado Commission and have tasted their food from the LA restaurants and food trucks alike. Everything has been as wonderful as the chefs themselves. This LV location is not representative of that tradition. At least not on the night I brought my family here. We sat and had our drink orders taken. The Arnold palmers were sweeter than dessert should be. Traded them out for iced teas instead. Chips and salsa were mentioned but didn't make it to the table until after the appetizer hit us. Bit of a fail in the service. The appetizer was the queso fundido. Great. Except that an appetizer meant to be shared by the table of 4 came with 1 flour tortilla! Really? If you're going to give us 1 tortilla to share then cut it up into wedges at least, so we don't all have to try to be polite about our tiny portion of 1 tortilla to share! Should have been at least 2-3 instead of 1. An extra one cost a buck so why not add the buck to the original cost if $1 is the issue? The main course was a little bit of a lot of stuff. The Guatemalan ceviche was perfect. Bravo ceviche bar! The carnitas were run of the mill. No seasoning, nothing memorable at all aside from the presentation. Yucca fries in chimichurri with garlic aioli were also basic AF. We skipped dessert because we did not want to be disappointed one more time. The personality and creativity this team of chefs has was so underrepresented in this meal that I just gave up on the night. Went back to the room and got some zzzs to put the day away. I thought going to the two hot tamales in Vegas was a sure bet but the gamble did not pay off. Oh yeah. And something made me sick. It's 10am and I can't imaging eating still.
(3)M S.
We had an excellent time at Border Grill! Our server, Carmie, was super attentive and helped me find a good vegan option on the menu. The food and drinks were delicious and the patio was such a pleasant way to enjoy lunch.
(5)Joanna R.
We received great service from the host, but once seated the service just dropped off. Our server was just unavailable. It took forever to get basics like silverware or water, and the chips/salsa were probably a good 20 minutes after we sat down. We waited so long just to get our cocktails that we started playing the game, "So...do we leave? Do you want to leave? Where would we eat dinner? I'm so okay leaving, I have no problem getting up and just going. Lets give it 3 more minutes? What time is it now..." But then our cocktails were served and we felt we had to stay. Mr R ordered a really good pork plate. I had the short rib enchiladas. They came alone, without any sides except for a few greens on top. It was all really good. I was very impressed with the kids menus - tons of options for $4-6 a plate. We ordered a $5 plate of the green corn tamale which came with rice and beans. The tamale reminded me more of a corn casserole - not my favorite (nor the favorite of my 18 month old, but he had spent an earlier part of the dinner sucking green salsa off his chips and eating crayons, so not sure his opinion should count). The patio was beautiful and heated in December, it was a decent place - just not someplace I'd go again.
(3)Krystle L.
Edmon was the best! Such great service! I will definitely come back! The churro tots, steak and eggs, and shrimp were so good....& bottomless mimosas! Yay.
(5)MeikaiLani K.
Excellent....order the Steak Nachos and Ceviche Sampler (trio of baja, fusion poke, carribean). The nachos had a burst of flavor, all the way down to the homemade chips. I also enjoyed the chips and trio of salsa before the meal. .....if you are in vegas, this is a spot you need to try at the Mandalay Bay. This place Rocks!
(5)Danielle F.
We almost always eat here when we are attending an event at the Mandalay Bay Event Center. The food is generally delicious no matter what you try. The complimentary chips and salsa are great. We also ordered the Baja Ceviche and the Queso Fundido as our starters The Ceviche is outstanding and quite large. You could definitely order this as your entrée. The Queso Fundido, which is a cheese dip with shredded beef, was also really good. Surprisingly, it was not as greasy as I expected it to be which was a total plus! I had the Sautéed Shrimp and Scallops. The scallops were perfectly cooked and had an excellent texture. They were not at all rubbery. The broth that the scallops and shrimp were in was very good and the added rice completed the plate. My husband always orders the Chicken Mole Verde and he loves the Peruvian corn that accompanies it. I was very underwhelmed by dessert which is my favorite course. We ordered the Pineapple Upside Down Cake which was dry and the Banana Cream Pie. The Banana Cream Pie was highly recommended by our waiter which was shocking because it was completely tasteless. The service at Border Grill can be hit or miss and the service last night was definitely a miss. At the bar, I ordered a Sangria Margarita. This drink is so good, but I order it with sugar on the rim in lieu of salt (salted rims are really gross to me). The drink came with the a salted rim. I am not one to send something back so I just wiped the salt off and moved along. At the table the second drink I ordered was also incorrect. Our waiter kind of lacked personality. I asked him if he knew where their new 2nd Las Vegas location was opening. He explained he "wasn't moving there so he didn't know." and seemed visibly annoyed when I asked him if he could ask another server for me. Then he never answered the question. Despite this review, based solely on my experience last night, I would still recommend this spot. We've had better meals here on other nights and I will definitely update my review the next time we go.
(3)Trace R.
Food is pretty good - service really friendly. Nice fun atmosphere.
(5)Krystal A.
One of the most amazing breakfast/brunch places. The waitress was amazing . We never had empty glasses and the food was too quality! Not like other all you can eat buffet. Everything we ordered was delicious except for the Spanish omelette. They have many many flavors of mimosas. I didn't even have to have extra sauces for the food.
(5)Devon A.
Got no complaints. I showed up here for a lunch alone during a conference and the special was a braised pork taco plate. I checked the toppings closely (don't eat tomatoes or weird things) and it sounded great. As soon as I was seated someone brought me chipotle salsa, which I devoured (two of them!) with chips. When the tacos came out, there was guacamole on them & I was so confused. It said it nowhere on the description. I'd already ate the beams but he immediately took it back and had them remake it (even more beans and yummy rice!) THe ambiance was upper scale mexican, and I sat outside so I could look over at the Mandalay Pool area. The large fan will keep you cool enough and the seats are totally comfy.
(5)Dion S.
First time visiting the Vegas location and I must say it was really tasty!! We had the guacamole and Baja ceviche to start...... Guacamole = good flavor but it needs more heat since I like spicy guacamole. Ceviche = was really good with a good blend of flavors. Dinner HERS - Sautéed Shrimp n scallops = both shrimp and scallops cooked perfectly. MINE - Grilled skirt steak = cooked medium rare was like butter melting in my mouth, the organic black beans, roasted corn and veggies were a perfect flavor compliment to the meat, and the monster flour tortilla was awesome!! Drinks HERS - Prickly pear piña colada = delicious with the toasted coconut rim MINE - Blood orange Margarita = was a refreshing drink with a little bit of spice! Service/server = Ryan S. was very attentive, courteous and had a pleasant demeanor. Overall this place is really good and we'll definitely be back on future trips.
(5)Gina R.
Yum, yum,yum. Yucatan pork rocks and plantains were cooked perfectly. Waitress Sunday was great. Bar was a bit under staffed, wine order took too long, but ultimately they came through. We will be back.
(4)Sarah D.
I dined here for their famous all you can eat brunch with 7 friends for a fun business meeting. I have heard of it and always wanted to try it! Food pros: The brunch has a great variety of different dishes and are considered small plates. With that said they are definitely generous "small" portions. The price is right at $35 and to top it off you can add endless mimosas for $8. It was lots of fun ordering and tasting different dishes. My favorites were the skirt steak, shrimp and grits, frittata tart, and the waffle with pork belly. Some things I tried weren't my favorite, but that is just my personal taste. The lobster pancakes had an odd flavor and needed more lobster! That's what makes it so fun and enjoyable, there is something for everybody! Everything came out mostly hot, a couple things could have been warmer. Our server was great and accommodating especially dealing with 8 women. There are 10, that's right, 10 different flavors of mimosas! Each equally delicious and refreshing. Food cons: A few dishes weren't as hot as I would have preferred. I am sure the kitchen was crazy though as it was a busy Sunday morning. A few dishes weren't for me, but most were amazingly delicious and filled with flavor. I would suggest having a selection of the brunch menu available for ala carte or available as a full entree. Service: The staff was pleasant and helpful. Our server was very busy but still attentive to our table. He was lots of fun and accommodating. I would definitely go back again! Maybe next time for lunch or dinner. I would be more likely to return for brunch if they offered their brunch items ala carte or available as a full entree. Overall it was a tasty and fun dining experience.
(4)Darren G.
Really great brunch... The service was outstanding. Loved every bite, from the fried green tomatillo to the secret beignets. The staff was top notch. I will return! Thank you Francisco.
(5)Mel M.
Super blueberry lemon Meyer sangria; the carnita and carne asada tacos were very good and service was excellent. Mary P our server was super! !!!
(5)Robert L.
The Saturday tapas brunch was fun and tasty. The creations are fun, inventive and worth the price. Most tapas I've had overload you with too many, often boring small plates but Border Grill seems to have found the sweet spot of selection and creativity. Would come again.
(5)Lee Y.
Omg. As soon as I saw Susan Feniger's face, I had to try the restaurant. I had one of the chef's specials. Fig quesadilla with shallots and maytag blue. It came with a small arugula salad. Every bite was a flavor bomb. The staff were efficient and friendly.
(5)Swedish Fish C.
I love border grill in Santa Monica and DTLA. it's a shame that the service at their Vegas location is so horrible.
(2)Mallory M.
I planned a bachelorette party (group of 5) and came here for Saturday champagne brunch - what a fantastic experience! It was really a highlight of the day, and we had a lot of fun stuff that day. Definitely make a reservation (like everywhere in Vegas, it seems). The wait was long, but since I'd booked on opentable, we were seated immediately. First, the service. Our server (Carmie I believe) had a ton of tables, yet she checked on us frequently and never left us with empty champagne classes. She was so sweet. We did unlimited small plates, and she started us off with some of her favorite/the most popular dishes and then let us order anything we wanted. Even though she was obviously super busy, she had a huge happy smile all the time, and managed to chat with us for a moment each time she stopped by. I don't know how people like her do it. Second, the food. It was outrageously good. I can't believe I've never had breakfast small plates before - you don't have to choose! The shrimp and grits, short rib hash, and frittata were favorites with us. We ate like kings for a super reasonable price, in a cute location. We were STUFFED - brunch was at noon, and none of us was hungry for dinner at 7pm. By VEGAS standards, this place is $$ I think; by yelp's listed standard, it's $$$. Unlimited small plates cost I think $33 per person and unlimited mimosas on top of that was $8 or $9. Highly recommend this place.
(5)Cynthia D.
My husband and I recently ate here and could not have left any happier and pleased of our meal. We had planned on the three course pre show choices but our server made the suggestion of the all you can eat tapes menu for $3 more. Omg the best decision we made. We were first told that we would get to pick what we got up our server ended up picking for us. We basically at all the apps and over half the main courses. What we enjoyed most was items we would have never even considered ordering actually ended up being some of the best food we ate all night. Now of course there was a few items we didn't enjoy but when you end up getting 19 plates that is a given. We left feeling stuffed and really just wanted to sleep off dinner at the table, but we are so thankful to an amazing server for telling us about. This was the best Mexican food we have ever had and recommend to anyone if you can do this you so should.
(5)Allen O.
Had brunch with great service from Alisha. Food was great service 5 stars and a perfect location. Bottomless mimosa's during the entire time. Alisha timed everything perfect. Highly recommended this place if you are anywhere near MB on a Sunday looking for brunch.
(5)Anita A.
Came here with a large group of 8 after the MJ Cirque Due Soleil show. While we were seated promptly it took forever for any server to come and give us water. We decide to order the guacamole which was bland and lacked any flavor besides a strong onion flavor (some spice, salt, and lime was needed). Unfortunately the meal was far from redeeming. I ordered the beef quesadilla. The outershell was soaked in oil and unedible and it was loaded with so much cheese that it overpowered the beef so I ended up picking the quesadilla to push everything to the side except for the beef, which was cooked well but could have been seasoned better. It had an expansive menu which was great for people who have a wide range of preferences in food, however that was unfortunately the only good thing I experienced at Border Grill.
(2)Amit P.
My local friend and I came here during restaurant week (last week). We each had the 3 course tasting menu, which by the way, is on the regular menu but is marked up $8 additional during restaurant week. They say it's because $4 goes to a children's charity, which is great, but what about the other $4? I had the mushroom empanadas, the shrimp enchiladas in "lobster sauce", and the only dessert option which was some dark chocolate cookie sandwich (whoopie pie) and some cinnamon cream (?horchata). My friend had tuna tartare (more like a a hawaiian poke) and the steak. Food: Where do I begin? Oh I know...umm yes, the food was disgusting!! I'm sorry, I never like to say something like this, but both us felt the food was absolutely horrible. I even took home my leftovers and tried to eat them later, but I couldn't. I had to throw them away, and I don't usually throw food away. The flavors were completely off, did not compliment each other at all, and were very unbalanced. They have a sign outside saying this is the most authentic Mexican food. That could not be further from the truth. It seems as if the chef is trying very hard to create gourmet dishes, but ended up creating very very pretentious dishes that did not taste good at all. Whoever is in the kitchen does not appear to know how to work with ingredients and flavors. The Hawaiian-poke-style tuna tartare: very very strong flavor of dark sesame oil and soy sauce. Sesame oil is a strong flavor, and is supposed to be used lightly. The chef dumped it onto the tuna as a sauce. Same with the soy sauce. Mushroom empanadas: The three small pieces were fried, but the crust was chewy and almost stale tasting, instead of crispy. The filling had almost no flavor. The sauce made of black beans, also had no flavor. The shrimp enchilladas: Very salty, but flavorless. The filling had a fishy taste, which I didn't expect for shrimp, but otherwise had no flavor. The tortillas had a soft, doughy texture that was more like cornbread. The sauce was a pretty shade of orange, but tasted like salty cream, no real flavor at all. The dessert: This was absolutely the worst dish. Neither of us could eat it. The stuffed cake/cookie thing was stale and had a strange chewiness. It was a very very dark chocolate and had almost no sweetness at all. The cream filling was sort of hard, not creamy, and did not taste sweet or good. The accompanying cinnamon horchata was ok, but very strongly cinnamon-flavored, and nothing else, not sweet. I cannot comment on the steak, because I don't eat beef. Right after I left Vegas, I read an article about the chef/owner, Susan Feniger, in Westways magazine. The article presented her as doing innovative things with authentic Mexican food, which is something I would be interested in trying. I was very disappointed that I had such a poor experience. To be fair, the article was about the (original) Santa Monica location, which hopefully might be better, and I would be willing to give it a try. Prices: Ridiculous! I know it's Mandalay Bay, and it's also a "gourmet" restaurant, but even so, the prices were way over the top. My plate of two enchilladas (with NO accompanying beans or rice or anything) would be $27 if a la carte. The cheapest entree was an a la carte chile relleno, which was $19. Our three-course menus are normally $42. However, the exact same menu was bumped up to $50 for restaurant week. When we asked why the price was elevated, we were told that $4 per person is donated to a children's charity during restaurant week. That does not account for an $8 price increase. Ambience: It's ok, like a typical four star Mexican restaurant. The patio seating overlooking the pool is nice. Service: This is the only reason I'm giving two stars instead of one. Our server, Kelly, was very friendly, accommodating, very attentive, and just overall amazing. She was very pushy in the beginning trying to make us order more items, but other than that, it was some of the best service I've had. PROS: Service, location in Mandalay Bay CONS: FOOD (very poorly executed, bad taste); price BOTTOM LINE: Something seems to be lost in translation between the chef owner who is in California, and the staff of this Vegas location. The food is horrible!
(2)Jeff H.
Sat/Sun Brunch is definitely worth it - $35. Unlimited Mimosas, great tapas...this isn't a buffet - they are brining you fresh tapas from the kitchen - just pick the things you would like or do what I did - just tell them to steadily bring you things and this beautiful selection of breakfast oriented tapas just keeps coming. My favorites by far: the Chilaquiles and the Shrimp and Grits - excellent. Also love the oyster rockefeller, the fruit cup, and the salmon slider. Sat downstairs by the pool - outside - great people watching because you can see Mandaly's "Lazy River"...take your time - I spent 2 hours just casually eating, drinking mimosas, writing. Also - excellent service - some of the best I have seen in Las Vegas
(4)Riely O.
We had such an amazing dinner here! Great service, great margaritas and the steak quesadilla and the chicken enchiladas were fantastic. Order the guacamole to start, it's so good!
(5)Ariane A.
Dined here tonight before Lionel Richie concert, hadn't been in a while and was looking forward to it. I loved the special menu created by the chef who worked with Bobby Flay. I had the ahi tuna , eggplant , and chips with guacamole. Filling, great to share with two people, and just fantastic.. I have yet to be disappointed by anything at this place. Even the non alcoholic drinks were just right & refreshing. Fresh limeade and sparkling pomegrante juice D: The service always exceeds expectations, our server knew exactly what to suggest and knew his menu thoroughly.. It's always nice when a server can make suggestions based on what you tell them you like. He also mentioned the vip club for 15% off our bill. Food was brought out promptly and presented well.. I really enjoyed the wasabi mashed potatoes with my ahi, and everything else that just complimented my dish well.
(5)Emily C.
Maybe it's because I'm from San Francisco and we're spoiled with good Mexican food but this did not cut it. At all. Sorry. Service was good, food was not outstanding to me and drenched with sauce so I couldn't really taste the actual food. The only item I liked was the tamale. But honestly, this is overpriced (I know this is Vegas though, so whatever.) Yay for salsa + chips though. They were good.
(2)Elisa D.
Not what I expected from this caliber of establishment. The service sucked. I requested items on several occasions, & received none. I ordered the shrimp & scallop dish. Shrimp was over-cooked and scallops were raw. They told me to scoot my scallops onto another plate to re-fire. Totally not right. Brought them back still under cooked. Really? Then they put on super spicy chilis onto the plate. I almost burnt my mouth off. Don't go there. You can do better!
(2)Elizabeth M.
Would give it five stars, but the food was a little too "fancy" for my tastes... (I am sure that if I ordered something a bit more straightforward, it'd have been five stars, though, as all the components of the little creations were yummy, even through I preferred to deconstruct them.) Still, though, the little Sunday brunch dealio with all the little plates was a neat experience... and the service was EXCELLENT! Many thanks to Jay and all the other staff who kept busy taking away plates and delivering us more. Great job, guys!
(4)Clint B.
I've got to add Border Grill to my list of Top Chef Masters restaurants that disappoint. It joins a couple other spots I've had the misfortune of visiting: Zentan by Susur Lee in Washington DC and RIck Moonen's RM Seafood Room here in Vegas. I've been to Border Grill three times now and either the quality has slipped or my expectations have risen because with each visit I leave less satisfied. We decided to come here for a family night out -- yup, we had the kid in tow and were looking for a family-friendly spot that would make him happy and have good enough food to make us happy. They get points for having a kids menu (and they also have a gluten-free menu for anyone looking for that). Unfortunately, the food didn't thrill any of us. The plantain empanadas ($9) are filled with a mixture of roasted plantains, black beans, poblano peppers and cotija cheese. The sweetness of the plantains dominated the flavor of the dish. I love plantains, so that isn't necessarily a bad thing, just an observation. The empanada dough was more mushy then flaky, which was a disappointment. There are four per order, so plan to share. The Baja ceviche ($15) is a huge order of lime marinated halibut and shrimp sitting on a corn tortilla with slice avocado sitting on top. There was too much lime and the fish didn't taste all that fresh. This also seemed like a dish that was mass produced and was probably sitting around in those lime juices for quite some time. The first entree to make it's way to the table was something off of their 'Specials' menu. It was shrimp stuffed with crab and wrapped in bacon with some sort of cilantro pesto sauce or something (I can't remember exactly) ($26). It sounded awesome, but it turned out to be a hot mess. Too much bacon, no detectable crab in or near the shrimp, and a million ingredients that over-complicated the dish. The Negro Modelo braised short ribs ($29) were much better. It came with two large chunks of boneless beef atop corn polenta and a cherry tomato salsa fresca with a molasses habanero BBQ sauce. The beef could have been more tender, but the flavors were pretty good with a slight bitterness from the Negro Modelo and sweetness from the sauce. It wasn't overly spicy. The kids cheese quesadilla ($4) was filled with cotija cheese (I think?). Fine for adults, but for a 3 yr old with developing taste buds... no. He wasn't a fan. Too bad they didn't just have a cheddar/monterey jack cheese blend. Our little guy did get a scoop of chocolate ice cream ($3) accompanied with fresh berries. He loved the ice cream, but is still learning to like berries. The wife and I split the flourless chocolate cake with prickly pear lychee sauce and raspberries ($10). It was heavier/denser than we expected but still rich and chocolatey. The crust and bottom of the cake were slightly overcooked and hard. Along with mediocre food, we had spotty service. Our server was friendly but very busy and disappeared often. This isn't fine dining but at the prices they charge they could step things up a bit. Little things like clearing empty dishes and replacing silverware would make a big difference. The whole atmosphere was more laid back then I remember (the last time we were here was probably 2+ years ago). It almost felt like a small step up from a Chevy's Fresh Mex or one of those type of places. They also charge fifty cents for water per person. Although my son didn't get water they charged him anyway. Another thing that was annoying was how they decided to sit people right next to us when most of the dining room was completely empty. Why not space people out more? It was a pricey meal for what we got, but at least we were armed with a restaurant.com gift certificate. We also tried to use the Border Grill VIP card, which normally gets us a 15% discount but management said they couldn't take both the gift certificate and VIP card.
(2)Samantha G.
I pretty much deem Border Grill the best Mexican restaurant in Vegas. Open for brunch, lunch, and dinner. Food is always great. And service is always exceptional. I have never had even a slightly so-so experience at Border Grill. Everything has always been fantastic here. And that's over the course of a few years and at all times of the day. Personally, I prefer to eat outside on the patio (which overlooks the pool area). And you can't go wrong with choosing a drink or entree off the rotating list of specials. The various margaritas and mojitos I have tried have all been great. And my favorite standard menu item is the chile relleno. Absolutely one of the best chile rellenos I've ever had anywhere. And be sure to check out their brunch menu. The entree offerings are interesting and flavorful. And seriously some of the best (and biggest) cinnamon rolls ever. I also really appreciate the fact that they have a locals VIP club. When you join, you get a discount card for 15% off your meal every time you visit and you receive various special offers via email. You gotta like Strip restaurants that offer some locals love.
(5)Phyllis S.
Okay, so there I was, this past June, in Las Vegas, for the Licensing Expo. I had no idea of the reputation of this place, I just knew it was supposed to have really good Mexican food. I had the shrimp tacos. They were very good, but kinda salty. They had three kinds of salsa. Oddly, the mildest one was the tastiest. ( I LOVE spicy food.) I enjoyed the food, but I suspect that I did not choose the "WOW" items on the menu... The place was extremely busy and full, and thus, kinda loud. Our waitstaff was distracted/forgetful, and not as on the ball as I would expect. Must have been a very busy day. I see mention of bottomless mimosas and all you can eat tapas....THAT has my attention. Maybe next year I'll get to check them out.
(3)Bruce S.
I want to give this place more stars but just found the place OK. My wife did love her chicken caesar salad...but how hard is that kind of dish? I had three different kinds of tacos (the waitress suggested this when I could not decided). I was really looking forward to this but nothing about the dish made me say wow. I think I enjoyed the tacos at Tacos El Gordo more for much cheaper of a price. The best part of our meal was our appetizer of plantain empanadas...yummmm...that I could eat every day for sure.
(3)Steve S.
Borders Grill... Food was awesome and our waitress Tracy was great! Definitely I would go again! I recommend the nachos and cold beer.
(3)R P.
I cannot say much; however the brunch tapas buffet is amazing for the price. There is a gigantic selection of different plates to try with items that include pork belly or breakfast nachos. With a big selection in mind, it is not a bad idea to go with a big group so that you can share and try a good variety of what they have to offer. Excellent Blood Mary's as well!
(5)Rudy S.
The service was weak (it took a long time to be served even though that place was three quarters empty and our server was not very responsive to our needs), the food was not that great , even the guacamole tasted like store bought . Good tortilla chips but the salsa was weak. The tacos were fair, some of the food tasted under done. The atmosphere was fair to poor. I would not recommend this place.
(2)Tara D.
FOOD: 4 stars AMBIENCE: 4 stars SERVICE: 5 stars VALUE for price (taking location into account): 4.5 stars Would give it 4.5 stars if I could, but I'm generous of heart and round up. What we had: Beef Brisket Taquitos: 4 stars (5 stars for plating) Yucatan Pork: 4.5 stars (4 stars for plating) A Tecate and a Corona re: food - one of the nice things about Border Grill is that they clearly place an emphasis on consistency. I've frequented their LA location, and noticed no difference in the style or quality of the food. This shows great management. Beef brisket taquitos were very good (but sauce was too mild for my spicy-loving tastes); Yucatan pork was the winner. I also love that Border Grill doesn't overcook rice. re: ambience - typical Border Grill decor, but not their best location. Patio overlooks the "Lazy River" at Mandalay Bay - a slow-moving waterway filled with children and extremely fat adults floating along in inner tubes. I cam to think of it as the "River of Pee," but I digress...) It was pretty warm that day. The gigantic fan outside is misleading; it doesn't seem to do anything to circulate air or cool the patio down. Seems poorly designed. It was also a little loud thanks to the packed pool. But not awful. Inside probably would've been the better choice, and we chose incorrectly. re: service - Border Grill Las Vegas delivered big on service with a fabulous plus host/waiter (we thought the charming man who seated us was the host, but we later saw him waiting on another section.) Our waiter was also attentive without being over-bearing. Never had to wait for anything or ask twice. re: price - cocktails looked to be about the same as LA prices. Food had roughly a 20-25% Las Vegas premium over LA prices, but I suppose that's to be expected because 1) it's the Strip, and 2) they're probably trucking a lot of fresh ingredients into agriculturally-challenged Vegas.)
(5)Brian A.
Food was good but could be better. I swear the wagyu tacos was skirt steak... too tough to be wagyu. They are trying to take Mexican food to a 4 star level. Just do Mexican and do it good
(3)Jenny L.
10.15.10 We got to meet Susan Feniger! Thanks to our friend, whom I fondly named Mama Ry, we got a comp meal at Border Grill (so this may be a bit biased). Fresh guac to go with crunchy, crispy chips. Bacon wrapped dates. Skirt steak. Plus many other dishes (see photos). Like!
(4)Brandi m.
I had the skirt steak and it was amazing!Our friends had the taquitos which were spicy but very good and my other friend had a pescado dish with an amazing broth! The guacamole was also excellent like everybody said. Am very impressed and will come back again next time I am here. Our server Tam was great too!
(5)Tom A.
Food was decent and the drinks as well. Not overly impressed for the money. Typical casino eatery and typical casino prices.
(3)Michael C.
I couldn't agree more with the opening line of Sandy N.'s review of Border Grill: This restaurant IS "a must when visiting Las Vegas." Ever since my first visit to this location in Mandalay Bay in '05, I've made sure to visit every chance I have when I'm in Vegas. Located in the restaurant wing of Mandalay Bay, it's definitely a trek to get here, but totally worth the trip (if you get to the Shark Reef you've walked too far.) I would recommend making reservations, but it's not necessary. Upon our arrival, the hostess was very friendly, polite, as well as courteous, and promptly showed us to our table. After having 1-2 minutes to briefly look over the menu, our server arrived at our table greeting us, and asked for our drink orders. Well, as you might have guessed there are a fair selection of drinks with Mexican/Spanish roots on the menu, but my friend and I choose a drink special that evening: the Cranberry mojito. Priced at a Vegas-reasonable $9.00, it was a definitely a cool and refreshing start to our meal. To start, we ordered the fresh house guacamole. YOU MUST order the guacamole should you choose to dine here. Not ordering the guacamole would be a travesty on your part. It would be something like vacationing in Vegas but NOT gambling. Ok enough said. I should mention that there are complimentary chips and salsa with your meal as well. The chips come with 3 types of salsa: roasted pablano, tomatillo, & red jalapeño. In addition to our guacamole, we decided to split a chicken empanadas from the appetizer menu. This was served with pumpkin mole` and apple salad. So delicious and just wonderful overall. For dinner, I decided to order the chicken enchiladas, while my friend decided on a special for that evening, the turkey rienos with mole sauce. I would have to admit that after sampling my friend's food, I would say I liked his much better than mine. Don't get me wrong, my chicken enchiladas were delicious, a great dish overall. It's just that I thought my friend's dish was well.....just better. Needless to say, we both were very satisfied with our food and finished every single morsel on the plate, even most of the sauce was gone. Just vanished. 2 dinner entrees and 2 cranberry mojitos later, we were 2 satisfied but stuffed customers! SERVICE: Terrific. Wonderful. Phenomenal. Excellent. I could think of more adjectives but I think you get the picture. The service was some of the best I've ever experienced in Vegas...ever. Our server was just so "on it" the entire evening. And when we mentioned that this wasn't our first time dining here, she said something to the effect of thanking us for choosing to dine here again. After a wonderful meal, she provided us with a complimentary sorbet for dessert. Now THAT was the icing on the cake. Fantastic service. Bottom Line: Make sure to head to Border Grill to experience some of the best Mexican food and customer service Vegas has to offer. You won't be disappointed.
(5)William K.
Candice was an excellent waitress and a real pleasure. Had the chicken mole verde which was great. We had six in our party and no one left hungry.
(4)Nancy L.
My husband and I wanted to stay in Mandalay Bay for dinner before watching Michael Jackson One. We wanted a somewhat quick sit down dinner. Border Grill seemed to have the highest reviews and only $$. Chips and 3 types of salsa: the chips were too salty for our liking, maybe it was just our batch? Guacamole: Amazing! Worth the $9 Plantain empanadas: Comes with 4, very delicious, not as sweet as you'd think, which I loved! Green corn tamales: A must get before your entree! Chicken poblano enchiladas: Just like the chips, they were so salty. Sips of water between bites were needed. If you plan to watch Michael Jackson One, Border Grill provides a dinner package with show tickets. $42/person for a first, second, third course and dessert and discounted show tickets. My husband and I weren't too hungry so we decided not to take advantage of the package. But I think it's totally worth it!
(3)Tim C.
Wow this place has gone downhill! I ordered crane asada tacos and they brought out what they claim is wagyu tacos which were horrible. The house made tortillas were undercooked. Tortilla soup had so many onions it should have been called onion soup also no lime with the soup. The beans were cold and nasty! The kitchen doesn't like to do modifications here so don't ask obviously there's a chef with an attitude back there who needs to go. It's no wonder the place was empty. This place used to be one of the best Mexican restaurants in town and I used to recommend it to everyone. Just goes to show when ownership gets big (Susan) and popular and has multiple restaurants and gets corporate they don't pay attention to the places that got them there make sure to avoid this place and go somewhere else for dinner. Boooo border grill shame on you!
(1)Y S.
A great place for a weekend brunch. For about $30 per person it's all you can eat. You choose from their brunch menu and they bring you tasty selections. All you can eat so they keep the dishes coming til you tell them to stop. Also bottomless mimosas for $10. The food is great, Mexican with a twist. Very flavorful! Try the brunch so you could try a little of everything! Never had a problem with service however, the restrooms are outside the restaurant and quite a walk if you've got a broken foot like me.
(4)Chris C.
too hot tamales celebrity chefs who travel regularly to Mexico but another meh meal at the grill the other night...carne asada enchiladas and fish tacos Ensenada meh certainly not worth 19 & 23 dollars respectively...not again even for convenience as there are plenty other options in town...should have tried the Baja ceviche as read that was good?
(3)Pat K.
Absolutely fabulous, upscale, delicious, best Mexican food in Vegas and we've been here 20 yrs! Trendy but laid back - love it !! They put a modern take on everything - mostly all organic - can't say enough positive about it and their friendly staff!!
(5)Dave G.
Wow reviews are all over the place for the Border Grill. I think this is a make sure you order the right thing kind of place and after reading all the glowing reviews about the Carnitas, I sure did. Do your homework people, that's what Yelp is for. I've been on a non-strip dining kick lately and down on the expensive absentee Celebrity Chef Restaurants that adorn every mega resort. So I was pleasantly surprised that Susan Feniger & Mary Sue Milliken's Border Grill in the Mandalay Bay is serving up some great dishes worthy of the Top Chef Master's themselves. Of course they aren't back in the kitchen, but everything I had tasted like they were. Hats off to executive chef Michael Minor and his staff for putting a lot of love into these dishes. I'm sure when you work in a celebrety chef's kitchen, it's hard to get any notoriety, even though you are the one making all the food. If you've watched Susan & Mary Sue on TV over the years, you know they are about ultra fresh organic produce. This is totally evident in their salsa and fresh seasonings mixed in their dishes. The chips and trio of salsas, were very freshly made. I usually don't like tomatillo salsa very much, but this was wonderful and my favorite of the three with a beautiful lime taste. The guacamole was on the mild side allowing you to taste the avocado. Sitting next to it on the plate was a pico de gallo, and some greens. I'm not sure what variety, I just balanced a few on each chip along with the pico and guacamole for some extra flavor and texture. I forgot to snap a photo of my own so here's Tracy W.'s yelp.com/biz_photos/bord… The Queso Funditio was very thick, full of melted authentic Mexican cheeses, chorizo, and roasted red peppers. There was also a nice amount of guacamole cream on top that satisfied both looks and flavor. Even though their chips are very thick, don't think you are going to be scooping this dip up with the chip, you will need to place it on your chip with a fork. yelp.com/biz_photos/bord… The star of the show was my Tacate Carnitas. The shredded pork was moist and very flavorful. It was served on a bed of roasted corn grits. These grits were delicious and contained lots of butter for sure. You could really taste the corn meal flavor to them bringing to mind the flavor of a tamale. Surrounding the edge of the plate was a bold black bean puree. The black beans are mixed with huitlacoche, which is a mushroom like fungus that grows on corn. It has a very earthy flavor that really made these black beans something special. How do you make a pork dish even better? Top it with crunchy bacon of course. Not just any bacon but chipotle glazed bacon. It really added a texture here that made each bite enjoyable, after all there is a lot of mushy stuff on the plate. It was served with a giant flour tortilla. I just ripped pieces off and used it to balance all of these wonderful flavors together with each bite. This is a true 5 star dish and the best carnitas I've had. yelp.com/biz_photos/bord… My wife's dish was a little more plain, the Carne Asada Tacos. I can see being a little disappointed with this dish, especially in comparison with my carnitas. The chopped up carne asada was a little dry and needed to be dressed up with salsa and topped with some black beans and oaxaca cheese, otherwise it just seemed like plain old street tacos with a $18 price tag. The two different kinds of rice were nicely infused with fresh herbs, although it added to the dryness of the plate. yelp.com/biz_photos/bord… We came here for lunch on a weekday, thinking it should be no wait, but was packed. The location is right next to all the conference rooms at the Mandalay Bay, thus everyone was dressed in suits and trying to grab a quick nearby bite. After a few minute wait we got a table outside on the patio overlooking the Mandalay Bay Pool. It wasn't too hot since it was April, but I couldn't help but notice they have a Big Ass Fan that covers the whole patio. It's the size of an airplane propeller. It's one Big Ass Fan. yelp.com/biz_photos/bord… I'm now a Big Ass Fan of Border Grill, go have the Tecate Carnitas and you'll be a Big Ass Fan too!
(5)Natalie N.
How is this possible? This is at least a four+ restaurant. The service was excellent, as was the food. The fact that it's Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger's restaurant, and I am a huge food show junky, doesn't hurt as well. They are the best duo! We had a group of 8 on the back patio, which was the perfect setting in Las Vegas summer. It overlooks the "lazy river" at Mandalay Bay, but at night it just looks like trees. The server was attentive and took care of whatever we needed. The price was not bad, and everyone loved the food so much we came back 2 more times. 2 more times people!! The best of the best is the Chili Poblano Burger. (I think thats what it is called). Also, the baja fish tacos that are fried are very good. Just enough batter to salsa/toppings ratio. The Peach Lemonade is a very refreshing non-alcoholic drink too. Sit outside if you can - It's the best spot!
(5)Max K.
It's not Mexico but as close as you will get in Vegas. I love the chefs authentic spin on Mexican cuisine. The salsas are amazing and food will not disappoint you. Located right next to shark adventure at the Mandalay bay. Highly recommended
(4)Maribel H.
Came to Border Grill for my sisters Bachelorette and it was a fun time with the girls but the food was ok!!! Service was slow maybe we got there late and staff was over us also it took forever to get water hello am hungover!!! The food I think had great balance and lovely presentation but the rice was hard and cold and so was my tortillas very cold. I ate and didn't complain I was starving probably won't go back.
(3)Jennifer R.
Ever since I checked out the brunch menu online a few weeks ago I have been dying to make it down to Border Grill, and it did not disappoint! We made reservation through Open Table and were seated as soon as they opened. Our server Autumn was great, and I never got to the bottom of one mimosa before another one was at the table. The mimosas are some of the best I've ever had and come in a variety of flavors (passion fruit, grape fruit, peach, etc). My husband had the cafe de olla which was also really good. We made it through 10 of the 22 tapas plates. My favorite was the waffle since it was nice and crispy, and my husband liked the steak and eggs so much that he ordered it twice. My least favorite was the Churro Tots, because I was expecting something crunchy like a churro while they were actually more like doughnut holes. We will definitely return to finish off the rest of the menu!
(5)Joanna T.
Probably a 3.5 - definitely better than average, but not really authentic. That said, Border Grill is a good place to get a margarita or have a dinner with a view of the pool. I wasn't drinking, so appreciated the good sized selection of non alcoholic juice drinks. Sometimes these are sugary and gross but my pomegranate limeade was delicious and I didn't miss the alcohol (too much...) The guac was really "meh" as were the trio of salsas that came first. The green one was the only one with any real flavor. My carnitas plate was also "ok" - the meat was a little dry and definitely on the salty side but the veggie slaw was refreshing and crisp. Definitely one of the better "reasonable" options in the Mandalay.
(3)Therese M.
We had the Saturday Brunch, small plates tasted 12 of the like 20 items on the Brunch Menu plus bottomless Mimosas. One word to describe it... DIVINE!! Everything thing was delicious , complex layering of flavors to tickle every taste bud upon the tongue. If you have not experienced a "tapas" type meal I recommend Border Grill. Our server Mike was fantastic knowledgeable about the menu and knew intuitively what would tickle our fancy. Also very personable and funny! A treat to interact with! He made my young daughter feel at home and engaged her in banter and recommended the Ceviche Trio for her. SHE adored it, for a child she is very adventurous when it come to food. I cannot over state how wonderful the food , service and atmosphere is in Border Grill. Go ahead take the plunge and try it! You wont regret it!
(5)Shirley A.
We initially visited the Mandalay Bay for the aquarium but were in severe need for a meal and a drink. So glad we used Yelp and decided to drop by. The steak quesadilla was very delicious and different since they use some not so common cheeses like cojito (I think). The steak nachos weren't bad either. My fiance got the cucumber cocktail and I got the mojito. Both very yummy! Overall a great experience here.
(4)Mitch W.
Sunday brunch is good stuff, Rachel was the best :)
(5)Elle B.
I've been to both their Santa Monica and LA location and this one is just as good as the originals. Great quick service even though they were slammed from a convention rush. The corn tamales are sweet and delish! You can taste how fresh everything is. The tortilla soup is hearty and has a good spicy kick to it.
(5)Scott A.
Great modern mexican food. Really tasty!! Gluten free options are clearly identified on the regular menu, along with a few items which can also be made g/f on request. Nice location inside Mandalay Bay with an outdoor terrace as well.
(4)Kristie L.
OMG love this place. The food was awesome and so was our waiter Jeff. Took a cab from the Cosmo ($11.00) to Mandalay bay to eat here. It lived up to to the hype. I had the skirt steak. It was cooked perfectly. It came with a roasted corn and refried beans,also yummy. My partner had the short rib enchiladas and was very happy. The guacamole was very good also. We both had a jalapeño margarita that was delicious. It was so good we almost went back the next night for dinner again. It's a must try when in Vegas. Next time in Vegas I may have to book my stay at Mandalay bay just to be close to border grill!
(5)Yaer E.
The food here is ok. We came in a party of 6 with 2 kids for the Sunday brunch. Overall we mostly enjoyed the hash dish as well as the pb&j with bacon and jalapeño. Based on the food I would go back however based on the service I would not. 15 minutes just to get water. Two in our group had bottomless mimosas which were only refilled once in almost 2 hours. I understand that service suffers when they are busy but they were barely at half capacity. With so many great brunches in Vegas to choose from this one is ok. I give it a "meh"
(2)Stacia J.
I love Mexican and was on the lookout for a brand new spot to try and a friend suggested Border Grill at Mandalay Bay. Strolling in I had high expectations. At first glance I really liked the decor and ambiance of this spot. The hostess was pleasant and that is where the good service ended! It was a slow Monday night so you would think the service would be stellar since our waitress had three possibly 4 tables. She did quickly greeted us and took our drink order and then disappeared for what seemed like forever, realistically 15-20 minutes, but that is a long time when you are in need of an excellent margarita and some yummy Mexican food. Our waitress was then absent nearly all of our meal with someone else refilling our waters and delivering our food. Our drinks were okay however weak, particularly for the price. They charge for tap water?? Really that is simply strange. I ordered the spicy shrimp tacos since I like spicy food and I was fairly dissatisfied with them. The portion was small and they forgot the spice! A label saying medium shrimp tacos would of been more appropriate. My friend ordered the Kobe beef tacos and was equally disillusioned with the portion and she said were unusually salty and dry. I expected better quality food and service for the price ($97 after tip for two entrees and some drinks). There are too many nice Mexican locations in Vegas so I am putting Border Grill on my "Skip It" List.
(1)Chels M.
Locals discount - yes. Tapas brunch - YES. Bottomless mimosas - YAAAAS. Eat here and you will not regret it. Service was amazing, food was even better. Waitress even let me take an extra mimosa in a to-go cup. Guava empanadas are killer. Can't wait to go back.
(5)James S.
One of my favorites on the Strip. Gr8 food, ambience, view, service and value. Love the brunch cooked to order, Regular menu is creative Mexican dishes that will explode unique flavors into your palate. Drinks are the bomb. Cerviche, shrimp dishes, tamales, fish tacos, enchiladas-all good. Come hungry and bring binoculars.
(5)Kelly W.
I have been here a few more times since my last review and it's still the same great quality every time I go! It's been remodeled so the place is nice and new. We came around lunch time on a Thursday and we were seated right away. The waitress and staff were SO friendly, definitely the best service that I received on my trip. We ordered their famous watermelon lemonade and peach lemonade and both were GREAT! The watermelon one is a little better though. They do pour you distilled water and they leave the carafe at your table so you can refill your water if you need to. But they charge for it tough...it was only a $1.00 if I remember correctly so it's not a big deal. We ordered the guacamole, tortilla soup, green tamales, and an order of their steak enchiladas. Everything was FANTASTIC! The food is so flavorful and they use fresh and exotic ingredients. Also the waitress knew that we were splitting everything so she had everything split into two dishes...a really nice touch. The bill wasn't cheap though. I think we spent around $85.00 including tip but it was well worth it. I love you Border Grill!!!
(5)Andy N.
Surprisingly very good place! It was really crowded here. They have Top Chef masters contestants that cook here. The menu is fun with an upscale way of making Mexican food. The service was pretty friendly and we started out with the chips and salsa. The salsa wasn't very spicy. We then ordered the Guacamole and that was delicious! So addicting! For my main dish I went with the skirt steak. It came cooked medium rare, purple refried beans, corn salsa, and flour tortillas. The meat was very good. The beans were nice as well. A good clean texture. The corn salsa was whatevers.. It didn't do it for me with the lack of sweetness. The flour tortillas didn't taste like much. My buddy got the carnitas plate.. OH my goodness! That was a hit. The carnitas with the cheese, beans and rice WHOOO!!! I definitely recommend getting that dish. Recommendation: Carnitas plate and guacamole for the chips.
(4)Brandon M.
1st time in and I will certainly be back.
(5)Karen C.
Margaritas... chips... guacamole, what more can a girl want out of life? We arrived around 7pm on a Sunday night sans-reservation. There was a 30-minute wait, so we grabbed a seat at the bar for some drinks & guacamole. I started with the Blanco margarita and the boy had a Cadillac. I really liked the Blanco, it was crisp and refreshing, everything a margarita should be. The guacamole here was great, it had a heavy lime flavor & wasn't overly spicy, read: very Karen C. friendly. For dinner, I went with the Fish Tacos Ensenada, and they were delicious! I skipped the beans, and they instead served them with 3 different kinds of rice... all were so flavorful. The boy had the Sautéed Shrimp, which I admit to stealing a decent amount of because it was SO good! The sauce was so flavorful and seasoned perfectly. The only complaint is that the red rice on both of our plates was a little too salty, but other than that, it was great. It definitely isn't crazy authentic Mexican, but that's not what I was looking for, so I'm down with that. I like the ambiance here, and would have liked to have been sat outside, but there was a huge birthday party so that was a no-go. Very random, but I love the glassware they use. Overall, I'm very glad we checked this place out!
(4)Sokha S.
We went there for the all you can eat brunch and mimosas on Saturday, 03/09/13 with a party of 7. We made reservations 15 minutes before arrival as suggested by the restaurant when we called a week before. They seated us promptly on arrival. The food was fantastic along with the service. Chef Mike even came out and greeted us and gave us some recommendations on what to try. We tried the bacon jalapeno pb&j sandwich and loved it. I know it sounds disgusting but it tastes amazing. Food recommendations: Skirt steak and eggs, biscuit and sausage gravy, machaca chilaquiles, and churro tots. Drink recommendations: They had four flavor of mimosas: Peach, pomegranate, rasberry, and oj. The mimosas were unlimited for an additional $5. They hooked us up with a 15% discount. You can get it by joining their membership. It's free.
(5)Vonetta Y.
Best meal I had in Vegas. Come for brunch, please: ALL YOU CAN EAT TAPAS ($30) with UNLIMITED MIMOSAS ($5 -- TOTAL, NOT EACH). I couldn't believe what a great deal it was. And on top of that, my friend had a Restaurant.com giftcard to make the deal even sweeter. I'm trying to remember which tapas I had (Oh, the tapas are larger than any tapas I've ever had, so don't think they were pussy little blobs of food on a plate. No way, miss). Hmmm... Yeah, what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, even your food memories, apparently. But trust me, all of the savory dishes were amazing, as were the chocolate chip pancakes (which I do mysteriously remember). I intend to visit Vegas again (when I'm not a student and have time and money to spend excessively), and if this place is still around, I'm so there again.
(4)Pepper T.
The food is OK but I did find they have a very heavy hand with sour flavors here. They give you three sauces with your chips. One is smokey, another is spicy and the green one was painfully sour. I went with the lunch special that was a halibut Torta. I thought it was nice that I could have spicy watermelon instead of fries. The watermelon was marinated in too much sour lime juice and was very painful to eat. The torta was OK but had a small amount of fish compared to the very large roll. My husband had the lunch burrito that was filled with chicken rice and black beans. He said it was OK because the chicken was moist but could have used some sauce in it. OK food, it will do.
(3)Mark B.
I'm not sure where all these 5-star reviews for Border Grill are coming from with words like "yummy" and "delish" liberally sprinkled throughout. I was taken to dinner at Border this evening and the experience was miserable. While the service was good, the restaurant was so dark in the dining area it was difficult to see or read the menu. The drinks available are very high-priced and were small. The cheapest margarita was $11. The food was not much better than a frozen Mexican entree you can buy at any grocery, in fact, the frozen food would probably be better as well as cheaper. Chips were provided, unheated and accompanied by three of the smallest portions of different salsas I've ever seen. I had the "famous" Yucatan pork with a mess of stuff hidden under a pile of lukewarm greasy meat. The carmelized plantains promised amounted to two small slices of plantain that were cold and had the texture and appearance of hockey pucks. There were a few other things on the plate, all cold. No one at the table received hot food. The impression was that all the orders were simply pulled from a steam table and thrown on the plates. My dining companion had a quesadilla which appeared to not have been grilled. It was the Market fresh something or other, a cold and dry flour tortilla with some suspicious looking vegetable matter inside. It was so dark you couldn't really tell what was going on. Not one person out of four ate more than a fraction of the food. No one asked to take the leftovers home. The bill was outrageous for what was served. We won't be going back, especially when one considers the number of really excellent authentic Mexican restaurants available here in Vegas. Border Grill is just another high-priced tacky tourist spot among many others at Mandalay Bay. No real flavor and too much "Top Chef" showing off by using ingredients not suited to Mexican cuisine. Feta cheese on tacos? Avoid and spend less money for much better food elsewhere.
(1)Neil H.
We had lunch here and the food and outdoor seating was very nice. Chile relleno and quinao fritters were very good. Green corn tamales tasted good but were too wet and just fell apart into mush. Prices were reasonable for vegas. Food was better than the other upscale mexican restaurant we ate at (Hecho en Vegas).
(5)Julia Cameron D.
First thing to know about me is I am not a Vegas kind of girl, I hate the incessant lights, the gambling, the tackorama, the crappy cheap free food all over, so for me to love a place in Vegas some things must be in order, the things I love about Border Grille are, clean and beautiful, calm, natural soft light open healthy feel with the high windows and higher ceilings. The food was probably the best mexican food I have had in america. Artfully displayed and delicious and clearly fresh. I loved they have their signature cook book displayed and the staff was courteous and calm. A nice antidote to the hype and manic energy of Vegas overall.
(4)Dave F.
I was glad to see one of the better Santa Monica Mexican restaurants in the Mandalay, where I was "stuck" for several days on business. The restaurant has both indoor and exterior seating and after being in the smoking, dated Mandalay, I was super happy to enjoy 3 lunches at Border Grill. As with every Border Grill lunch or dinner, complimentary house made chips and sals are rolled out. We shared the guacamole which is every bit as good as good as the SaMo location. There is a lunch special ahi tacos on the menu which sounded good, but I really wanted a light salad. I asked if they could take the ahi and substitute for the the steak on their normal steak salad. This, with a light vinaigrette made for a very refreshing and light meal. I love the flexibility! Great service in Vegas!
(4)Samantha K.
Big flavors and big portions! My girlfriends and I loved it here so much we dined here twice in our 4 day trip! You can not go without ordering the Baja Ceviche - it's to die for, and this coming from someone who rarely eats seafood! The guacamole is decadent and the chicken poblano enchiladas were fantastic, especially with some of their salsa verde.
(4)Olivia T.
This place is great for brunch. We came there for lunch and made reservation through Open Table. We got seated outside which is a nice change considering we dined inside a lot in Vegas. I had the three fish tacos. It came with Green & Red Rice and also Black Beans. Tacos were tasty. Service was good and they accept restaurant.com certificate as well. Lunch for 4 after the certificate came up to $60. Not too bad for Vegas and well know chefs restaurant. We will be back.
(4)Paul T.
We usually stay at Mandalay Bay and so when we're not in the mood for gorging at another buffet, Border Grill is a great alternative. It really helps that Border Grill offers certificates on restaurant.com . We usually use the $25 off of $50 coupon. This makes a very good meal 1/2 price here! We've had the Oaxacan Steak and actually liked the flavors better than a much more expensive steak that we had at the glitzy steak restaurant downstairs, Strip Steak. The atmosphere at Border Grill is also much more down to earth than other restaurants. Once inside the restaurant, you blissfully feel like you've left Las Vegas and the casinos behind. And sometimes, that's a very good thing!
(4)John D.
3 years after I first found this place I came back with my wife, and this place is still going strong. Good food, moderate prices, excellent service. If they have seating available on their patio and the weather is cooperating, do it.
(5)Diana V.
Well, well, well.... If it isn't my Mexican blood boiling and rattling for some Mexican food, for my Mexican ass :) Was in town with a few friends to celebrate a Bday (woo hoo -_-) and was down the hall looking at some sharks and endless fish (The Aquarium). When the appetite kicked in, I remember seeing this little joint & figured ''Ehhhh, why not?''. I have my good ol' pal take me and the feast begun. They greeted us w/ ice cold water & chips w/ salsa :) Their salsa is to die for. The chips were warm, as if they had just taken them out the oven. The setting was very charming and dim :) I liked the attentiveness that the staff carried. It being my first time, I remember asking the waiter for any recommendations and he suggested I tried their Posole. I did just that, and I do not regret one bit. It was perfect. Kind of reminded me of my Grammy's cooking :) Over all, it was a pleasant experience. -Ps, thanks for the salsa I had to go.... It spilled in my purse :) but thanks anyway!
(5)Brandon S.
If I could give 6 stars here, I totally would. A year ago my wife and I (then engagaed) were looking for a reception venue. We shopped all around the strip at various hotels and chose Mandalay Bay. We wanted to have the reception within walking distance. Reading other reviews about various venues had us concerned and since we weren't spending a brazillion dollars we were given peasants' treatment. We decided to check out Border Grill and it we just couldn't say no. All in all we have to thank the manager Destiny for making it a wonderful experience without issue. Fast forward a year later, the experience was right on the mark. We had Alicia as our server who was the right amount of attentive, the orders were turned around quick and service with a genuine smile. The entreés are well priced and delicious. The skirt steak and goucho steak were two items I have tried and liked the best. I prefer mine a little rare and the seasoning was just right. Expect a hint of char. My wife had the chicken chilaquiles which were delightful - highly recommended. Their signagure drinks are the house-infused margaritas and sangrias. All are fantastic. And let's not forget dessert. I am a big fan of the tres leches cake. A year later I am trying to find a way to replicate it. In summary - the price is great for the high-level service and quality of food/drink. I can't recommend Border Grill enough.
(5)Joseph J.
Gotta give Border a thumbs up for serving good food in relatively short order in spite of a huge crowd. It is tough to find a combination of healthy and hearty, but several of the salads and tacos fit the bill for me. They also have several awesome, house made salsas that make everything taste better. It is also super-cool that you can sit outside after being imprisoned in the hotel/exhibit hall all day.
(4)Renee E.
Had an awesome meal here! The salsas were great and the guac and black bean dip are delish! Must haves! That and a couple blood orange margaritas and I didn't really need anything else. But of course tried the carne asada quesadilla. Everything was so good and Sunday was our server. Would for sure go back again!! Great night with gal pals!
(5)Adam W.
We had brunch there today and tried the all you can eats tapas. Everything was fresh with great flavor. We ate almost the whole brunch menu and left full and happy. We love Border Grill and frequent it in LA. One of my top 5 restaurants of all time.
(5)Charmaine P.
Food is great. Love the skirt Steak and the guacamole is fabulous. A must stop whenever u are in mandalay bay.
(4)David P.
Stay away from this place. Way over priced. Also, they do false advertising. On Open Table and Yelp they advertise it as "$$," but average dish is about $30 a dish and more. I don't mind paying that kind of money, but I expect a clean restaurant, professional waiters, and good food. The carpets had food and trash all over the restaurant even though our reservation was at 7:00 pm. Our waiter looked unkempt and my daughter had to send back her drink because it did not taste right. I also expect that a restaurant this expensive would have a restroom! Yes, this is not a typo. This restaurant has NO restrooms. If you want to go to a restroom, you have to walk out of the restaurant, then walk down two flights of stairs, turn left and then walk even more before you find the restroom. My steak was cold and they left part of our food out and we had to remind them to bring it to us. Here is another false advertising, they have a picture of skirt steak which is so big that covers from one side of the dish to the other. But, the one we got was four inches long and looked like less than half of the size of the steak advertised. Three of us had ordered the skirt steak and we all got the same size steak, which was less than half the size of steak they advertise on Yelp. There are so many other good restaurants in Vegas - but this is not one if them - not even by a long shot. Save your money and try a different place!
(1)Denise T.
We went to Sunday brunch here, and saw the menu offered a buffet brunch. Twist on this... it's done tapas style, and there were about 20 different items on the menu to choose and the price was $34.99 per person. You can order as much of anything you wanted on this list, and bottomless mimosas were offered for $8 (I was told they were $12 each, so this was a great deal already). The bottomless mimosas are only offered with the brunch, not the regular menu. I would go back, the menu was different than the usual brunch you're used to.
(4)Nina Q.
I love this place! Eaten here a couple of times while in Vegas, and we have always been able to get a table very quickly. Service has been variable, but often a little slow. Love the cucumber jalapeno margarita, most of the dishes that I've tasted have been very good. I have had the achiote pork and the pork mole, both good. My friend had the special roast duck with bbq sauce the last time we were there, and that was fanastic! This place is definitely an upscale spin on "traditional" Mexican food, but I love that everything tastes really fresh and healthy.
(4)Laurel S.
Staying at the Mandalay Bay for a convention and decided to have Mexican for breakfast. Had the Huevos Rancheros. Very delicious. Really some of the best I've ever had and for $18 it should be!
(4)Ashley N.
Someone stole our reservation (they heard the receptionist say my name and took it even though I checked in and let them know id be at the bar) and after waiting 20 minutes we still didn't have our table (we found out right away but they weren't making them move)! They said they want to make everyone happy yet these people stole my name and my reservation and we are the people waiting ... I could not believe this happened- they had two managers working on this and then they called the GM over- the GM finally made them move (I guess they made another table for them?!?) after about 30 minutes- one of the managers finally came over and said sorry. My thought was why didn't you make them move 30 minutes ago since we knew what was going before they were all even seated- he said they couldn't physically remove them- yes that's true but they could have denied service but they didn't... They still got their drinks and chips while we were standing there waiting. I just felt like this could have been handled better- I kept having to walk over to see what was going on... They weren't coming to me or at least bringing us chips while we waited. Once we got seated we had great food, a round of free drinks, and a great server but having to wait 30 minutes while those name thieves munched on chips and the managers not handling it quickly made me pretty HANGRY!
(2)Sarita M.
Pretty sure that this is the worst mojito I have ever had. The food is mediocre at best. This is not a place I will come back to or recommend.
(2)Mike M.
Way overpriced food which isn't an authentic Mexican restaurant. Mexican food is one of my favorite cuisines but this restaurant didn't deliver. Food is ok but won't recommend it.
(2)E e.
Went deeper into the menu this time. Chicken Mole is the most tender , tasty chicken dish we ever had. Gotta have the gaucho steak if u like that char flavor. Great again.
(5)Heather B.
This review is for the all you can eat $37 something small plates brunch. I'm not convinced it was worth it, honestly. I tried many things, including the bourbon French toast, the crepes, the johnny cakes, the fruit salad, and the huevos rancheros, but nothing wowed me (except the cinnamon croissant like things that came before the meal). My husband really liked most of it though. I guess it depends on how hungry you are whether it will be worth it? :) Next time I'll stick with my tried and true lunch or dinner.
(3)Jr H.
We had dinner here, we eat out a lot and I have to say by far we received the best service we have ever had at any restaurant. Rachel started us off and Crystal took over, both were incredibly personal, attentive and very knowledgable. The food was outstanding, flavorful, hot and large portions. If you like grits, you MUST try the Tecate Carnita's. There were six of us so we ordered quite a few dishes...the Queso Fundido was very good and any dish with the short ribs I highly recommend! I could go on about this place, but I think you get the picture. We will definitely be back. It's located at Mandalay Bay.
(5)Mary Ann J.
Excellent service and flavor! We had the half chicken and sauteed shrimp and scallops.
(4)Bobby C.
This place serves quite possibly the best brunch I've ever had. The service from our guy, Armando was second to none. We read that it was the best brunch in Vegas so decided to give it a whirl. We were pleasantly surprised when we found out it was the restaurant of Mary Sue Milliken, chef celeb who we ironically saw in a Cadillac culinary taste challenge in LA a few weeks back. Her food was awesome so I was extremely happy to try her restaurant. The brunch works like this: Instead of the bacteria infested all you can eat buffett as most LV joints. Here you have a server who brings you out a tapas portion meal you can share. There are about 17 options and we had 8, sharing everything between 2 people. OUr goal was to order 1 of everything but just couldn't do it to ourselves. The brunch for $30 per person also includes bottomless mimosas. NOTE: DO NOT GET THE GUACAMOLE THEY OFFER--ITS A SCRAM TO BUMP UP YOURE ALREADY RICERY BRUNCH. TRUST ME YOU WILL BE SO STUFFED,, DON'T EVEN FILL UP ON THE CHIPS. Everything was great but a few things did stand out: -The breakfast enchilada -The eggs benedict -Biscuits and gravy -Asada taco Left feeling really satisfied and the cost with our 15% discount by signing up for some Border club they offer was a reasonable $55. LOVE THIS PLACE--just don't get the guac!!!! Oh and sit outside weather permitting, lovely view of the pool.
(5)Lisa R.
The NYE prix-fixe, four-course menu with champagne was a tremendous bargain and unbelievably satisfying. The oxtail tamale was so good...I'm telling every abuela I know to start making these! The beef tartare and mushroom empanadas were both outstanding as the second course. The dessert...the blueberry ginger très leches cake was good on the outside cake part, but the blueberry ginger tasted neither of blueberry or ginger. However, that didn't detract from the cake. The entrée had some issues, some related to the kitchen and others related to the service. The biggest problem we had was with our server. Several times during the meal we had no silverware or water, and he didn't notice until we flagged him down. Then, my entrée -- an amazing 22-ounce porterhouse -- came out medium to medium-well instead of the med-rare I ordered. He didn't seem to even notice that it was cooked incorrectly when I showed hi. (it was gray in some parts...GRAY!). I told him if it would take too long, to bring me the short rib instead (it looked great on other tables). A few minutes later, he said it wouldn't take long to fire a new steak. At least 15-20 minutes later, a manager delivered it and apologized profusely. My dining partner was already done eating his steak...not a great way to spend NYE. The filet of the porterhouse was phenomenal, but the NY. strip steak, which was chile-rubbed, still lacked flavor and needed either a sauce or butter finishing. Too much meat to have not enough flavor. Not to mention, what was that horrendous corn cake/casserole slice served on the side? It was...pretty disgusting. I didn't let it ruin an otherwise good meal, but it made absolutely no sense next to a beautiful steak.
(3)J P.
It's okay. Not bad, but I expected more of a food selection. Not much of a beer selection either.
(3)Jason J.
Service was top notch, waiter was extremely attentive and gave us a great recommendation. Try the short rib enchiladas!
(5)Tuana B.
We were here for lunch on a Sunday. I didn't mention our reservation initially because there were only 3 tables full and the entire place was empty. The hostess told us 'there is quite a bit of a wait list'. What??? With about 50 empty tables I can just glance at? Regardless, told her I made a reservation - thank god I did, who does that for lunch anyways - we were seated right away. Then both the hostess who seated us and the server told us it may take 3 hours to bring our food, or maybe just normal time -they can't be sure- because there is 'only one kitchen running'. What??? Did you just say it may take 3 hours for our food to come? We are talking about a taco plate. Eventually it did not take so long (phew), our plates came in 15 minutes. Our server was pretty attentive. The food... Guacamole was perfect. Salsa was like a premade jar salsa, but tasting ok. Margaritas were meh. Fish in the fish tacos was pretty bad. The carne asada tacos were a much better choice, a little drenched in oil though. Overall, $80 for 2 for mediocre taco plates and 2 drinks is pretty steep.
(2)Gail F.
Every year when I hit Vegas for my convention, this is my lunch spot. New menu this year that shows gluten free options. Service is always great and the food and beverages are yummy. The mojito choices are brilliant, as are the margaritas. Go and enjoy!
(4)Bobbie S.
Carmie! Carmie! Carmie! My husband and I went to brunch with another couple today. We were greeted at the hostess stand by two young ladies. The four if us were seated immediately. We sat indoors, there was a wait for the patio. Carmie, our delightful server, came right over to the table and introduced herself. She took our drink orders, mimosas for the ladies ($8 extra for endless) and coffee for the gentlemen. We all decided to have the brunch. It is very cool how it is small plates, like a buffet, but you never have to get up from the table. At this point Carmie took over our experience. She anticipated all of our needs, she took the liberty of starting us off with a few things, and when she saw that we were all sharing and passing plates and having fun, she just kept them coming. She brought mimosa refils right on time. Just as my colleague was about to place his empty coffee cup on the table, she was filling it up. IT WAS AMAZING!!!! Before we knew it we had tried one of everything. Carmie asked if we wanted seconds on anything. We ordered two more things and tapped out. Outstanding service!! The food was so good that I didn't even think to take pictures of it.... everything was incredible. Must trys: brisket omelet, breakfast fries, French toast, biscuits and gravy & of course ALL THE MIMOSAS!!! Thanks Carmie!!! We'll be back!
(5)Urban L.
They try for high end Mexican but really miss the mark. Palomas and guac are good, chips are greasy. Ordered citrus chicken quesadilla that was to come with carmelized onions but got none. Tasteless, blah do not recommend. Boyfriend got the yuca tan pork that had very strong cinnamon flavoring--nothing subtle about it. Service was ok but you feel like you're just getting pushed through. Wouldn't return...except for a quick drink.
(3)Jack R.
I'm not a regular writer of reviews here or anywhere. I was, however, so impressed with this restaurant that I am moved to share. I haven't put much stock in Yelp to date and any person, site or entity that gives Popeye's Chicken 4 stars lack credibility in my mind. So I'm giving my honest opinion here from a person who eats at all types of dining establishments often. This may be the best Mexican food I have ever eaten. I chose the Skirt Steak and a Cucumber Jalapeño Margarita. I enjoy spicy food as much or more than most people as long as it's not a substitute for flavor. I half expected the Margarita to be a throat searing eyes watering nose running test of heat tolerance. It was quite the opposite. There was a little heat but the Cucumber was very cool and refreshing. Score a big one and I've not eaten anything but the chips and salsa and that was very good as well. Three salsas were presented and all were mild with excellent flavor. I liked the Tomatillo best. The main course for me was the Skirt Steak. I asked for medium and it was cooked perfectly. No small feat for a cut as thin as the skirt steak. The cut was tender and juicy with an excellent layering of flavors that let the meat be the star of the show. The black beans had a bit of Cotija cheese, but not overly salty. Also included on the plate was a cucumber, onion and tomato salad that made an excellent accompaniment. The portions were appropriate for a dinner that might include three or four courses. It was all I ate and I was pleasantly full and took no leftovers home. We sat on the patio, though being on the second floor and completely covered it barely felt like being outdoors. The breeze blowing through occasionally, made for a comfortable atmosphere reminiscent of a Pacific Coast Mexican restaurant. The patio was a bit on the noisy side as there were few soft surfaces to dull the sounds of the many conversations going on around us. The wait staff made fine recommendations and were attentive to our needs. Our waiter recommended my meal and drink and I'm glad he did. I thought the prices were reasonable for anywhere in the US and exceptionally reasonable for Las Vegas Over all I would say that if you are in Las Vegas and have a hunger for Mexican food, grab cab and head over to the the Mandalay Bay and get yourself a table at the Border Grill
(5)Mel L.
Came by in a group of six before the Brad Paisley concert. We all found something to eat with our varying budgets. The food was good, the service was really prompt and friendly. We were in a bit of a hurry and the server made sure we got everything we needed and were out of there before the concert started. We also had a Restaurant.com certificate which helped with our food bill so that my friends could instead spend that money on the alcohol they wanted! Wonderful way to start off our evening!!!
(4)Joe S.
Fun place, great drinks. Food is definitely good if not terrific. But for being an easy place to get into during conferences it is a great find!
(4)Dyane P.
Came here for brunch - brunch is $29.95 all you can eat tapas style plus $5 for bottomless mimosas. The mimosas come with different flavors - orange, pomengranate, peach, and mango. The food is pretty good. I would recommend the sweet corn tamale and the potato rojas taco. On my blog ( wordpress.dplumly.com ), I wrote a full critique of all the dishes that we tried. For Vegas, I think its a pretty good deal. TIP - It opens around 10 for brunch and ends around 3 on Saturdays and Sundays. We came at 2:30 and the kitchen closed down on us so we didn't necessarily get to try everything and they "ran out" of champagne. I highly recommend getting there early and planning to spend your morning/afternoon eating and drinking away.
(4)Porcha D.
visited here on a Tuesday evening, we asked to sit inside as it was only a second date. we got seated outside there were a few babies so here and there a laugh and a scream. we ordered and were trying to have conversation, a huge group walked in. we could barely hear ourselves think let alone hear each other. the group kept getting bigger and bigger. I was finishing up my meal the queso dip that wasn't that great. A lady came over and said someone said we wanted to talk to her we didn't we only wanted our check. she contuied to apologized and then said that they tried to seat the group down stairs but they weren't having it. this is where I think she let down her customers. she said that the group keep getting bigger and bigger. She offered to buy us some drinks not even help with our bill. we spent 70.00 for crap food and worse environment. will never visit here again and will tell everyone.
(1)Pete C.
I had their brunch buffet ($30) and added the unlimited mimosas ($5). It was not like normal buffets. The brunch buffet menu had 18 dishes. You can order as many of those dishes you want for the brunch buffet. I tried nine of the dishes. The steak and eggs were pretty good. I also like the Egg Benedict dish.
(4)Brian H.
It was a delightful day and we decided to sit on the patio which was the perfect choice. I was here with my family for a sad occasion. My mother had passed and we were in town for her funeral. Our server Alan was so accommodating on such a hard day. We were going to have lunch but he recommended brunch and i am glad we took the bait! The steak and eggs is a must but I suggest medium rare. The bacon peanut butter jelly biscuit was an unexpected treat. My Little ones Susie and Jonah were acting up and our server brought some chips and crayons to calm them down. He really took care of us. Jonah spilt his milk all over the table and into his lap and Alan and his server assistant cleaned it up without hesitation. A manager stopped by. She was soooo sweet! We even had a chef stop by. I can hardly believe it. We even made a joke about being royalty. I give this place my highest rating. Make sure you save room for the French toast and churro tots!
(5)Stacy W.
So, first off I must say that I am a wimp when it comes to spicy food. Medium salsa is my limit. That being said, the steak quesadilla was really good! Everything else on the plate was too hot for me to eat. I'm from Texas... I live on good Mexican food. It doesn't have to light you up to be good. My husband loves spice and he got the steak nachos which he liked. .. unfortunately they didn't set too well. He's having some stomach issues now. That's why I only gave them 3 stars.
(3)Cara H.
Brunch. Do it. It is tapas style so you get to choose a few different plates or share them family style. It is all you can eat for $35 with $8 bottomless mimosas (inquire for a "locals" discount). There are about 20 different things to choose from. Sweet, savory, vegetarian and carnivorous. Everyone in your party will be pleased. If Vegas is having great weather, the outdoor patio is at pool level with umbrellas if needed. This place is a brunch gem!
(5)Lilian H.
This place has a variety of Mexican/Tex Mex as well as latin food and I only say latin because I had the torta Cubana but for the most part the menu has to offer more Mexican dishes than anything else. It is located at the Mandalay Bay hotel. All of our dishes taste wonderful, I really enjoyed each and every one of them. They start you off with Chips and 3 different types of salsa. We then had a plate of fresh fruit drizzled with honey, empanadas were also good. Next we had the queso fundido topped with chorizo and a side of flour tortillas. I also had the Tortilla soup and it was delish!. Our main dish torta cubana and pulled pork followed by dessert, flan. I highly highly recommend this place. Service is very good.
(5)Anne F.
Fantastic! We went to Vegas last month and I am still thinking about our meal here. They had so many unique twists on traditional meals. Their drinks were fantastic as well. We could have easily licked our plates clean!
(5)Carolen M.
We were starved. The House of Blues had a 2 hour wait, the show for the Lion King was in 1.5 hours, there was no time to waste. We needed to find food. Earlier we were walking around the pool area in Mandalay Bay since we were done with the smoke filled casinos. We needed fresh air. Good thing we were paying attention because this was where we headed to for dinner. It was so out of the way that no one would know this existed and we're sure to get a table. The food was just ok and so was the service. Can't complain again since we didn't have any other place we could go for dinner.
(3)Adrian A.
Both dishes were excellent. From the specials menu: Lamb Tacos and Chicken Enchilada. The Enchilada had a roasted pepper sauce and over easy eggs on top. Such a perfect combination. There were many unique margarita options as well. Service was thorough and snappy. Plus they provided endless fancy pitchers of water, and who doesn't need that while in Vegas?
(5)Tami S.
Food was fantastic, service was superb. Drinks were full at all times. Waygu beef tacos and chicken mole were top notch! Try the ultimate grill. 3 samples of appetizer, one entree and desert! Yeah
(5)Cindy W.
This place was just ok. We sat outside and it was very loud but that is not the restaurants fault. We loved the chips and salsa and were looking forward to our meal. I ordered the fish tacos and hubby ordered the short rib enchiladas. I was shocked to see my tacos, they were so small, like an appetizer, the tortillas were smaller than fajita sized tortillas(which is the size I expected). There was a chunk of fish in each taco( there were 3) but the piece of fish on one of the tacos only covered half of the tortilla. So, I take a bite and although presentation was good, these tacos were so bland to me. I tasted a hint of lime but that was about it. Hubby said he would rather eat Taco Bell! He said the taste wasn't horrid, but his dish was way overpriced. Service was horrible, we were checked on once during our meal by our waitress. We had more interaction from the bus boy!! The water we were served was barely cold, after filling our glass once, we were given a carafe of room temperature water. I guess their ice maker was broken. We ordered the guacamole, it was good, but way overpriced as well. It came with two oversized chips to which hubby and I both exclaimed "that's it?!" Maybe we both got bad dishes, or the chef was having an off night and forgot to season our food. If you are recovering from the flu and need bland food, I highly recommend this place. :)
(1)Cristina B.
Brunch brunch brunch NOMMMMMMMMMMM Some friends and I hit this place up for brunch this past Sunday, and I was BLOWN AWAY but this hidden treasure. $25 for a tapas style brunch, $30 for all you can drink mimosas. I tried the shrimp BLT which was my favorite, the chilaquiles which was a close second, the crane asada tacos. The carne asada was tender and flavorful, an excellent choice. I di dorder the breakfast enchilada but it wasn't my favorite so I passed it a long. A teensy bit too spicy for my palate. I wrapped up my meal with the fruit plate, and it was divine. Oh, and the best part? The bloody mary with BACON infused vodka. Do yourself a favor, order it. It will leave you craving another a week later when you're not even in Vegas anymore. Our server Tom was as good as it gets and a breath of fresh air after some of the experiences I had in Vegas. Hes a delight, the food was amazing, and it was walking distance from my hotel room which made it well worth everything.
(5)Eric H.
Best Margaritas ever. Really fresh ingredients. The guacamole and chips were really fresh. Only warning I will give is that the food is spicier than expected. Good thing I love spicy.
(5)Nora G.
Yummo. Had the all-you-can eat brunch here on a Saturday morning. Between two of us, we ordered about eight or nine of the dishes of the 21 options available. The high points were definitely the steak and eggs, chilaquiles, the frittata, pbj & bacon sandwich and the giant fruit plate (with passionfruit sauce!) that they brought out initially. Everything is made to order, so you get the variety of going to say, a buffet, but also the freshness of eating in a regular restaurant. The service was very friendly as well, so no complaints there. At $35 per person, you definitely need to bring your appetite, but I still would highly recommend.
(5)Chris T.
My boyfriend and I were visiting Las Vegas for a basketball league he was in. It was our last day and wanted to end our trip with a nice lunch before driving a couple hours home. We had just finished looking through Mandalay Bay`s Shark Reef and were getting hungry. The first place we came across was Border Grill and immediately gravitated towards it when I saw Susan Feninger`s name. Well-known chef for her modern twist on Mexican cuisine and cheftestant on Bravo`s "Top Chef Masters" season 1. Looked at the menu for a bit. Border Grill doesn`t have that many options, so we decided to walk around Mandalay Bay to see if we were interested in anything else. Most of the restaurants in that part of the hotel weren`t open for lunch. We walked as far to Rum Jungle, didn`t want to walk to the other side of the hotel where they had more restaurants, and made our way back to Border Grill. Border Grill looked to be very busy, even for lunch, the place was packed. As we were taken to our seats, we saw a couple things on people`s tables that intrigued us. The first thing to hit your table are fresh chips and three kinds of salsa. The chips were hot and not at all greasy. We took a glance at the menu and looked for some of those things that we saw on the way in. One was the Steak Nachos. They looked so good, so we knew we had to get an order of that to start. For our entrees, I ordered the Spicy Shrimp Tacos and my boyfriend got the Chicken Poblano Enchiladas. When the Steak Nachos arrived at our table, I didn`t realize how big it was. I could have had that as my entree and would have been totally fine. Border Grill definitely doesn`t skimp on the toppings. A lot of good small sized pieces of steak, plenty of melty gooey cheese, onions, tomatoes, jalapenos, and big dollops of sour cream and guacamole. So amazing! The Spicy Shrimp Tacos we were really good. Chipotle marinated shrimp, cucumber slaw, guacamole, and a chipotle aioli. The tacos also come with rice and refried beans. The Chicken Poblano Enchiladas had smoked chicken, wrapped in corn tortillas, topped with poblano cream and a mix of grilled corn, mushrooms, and poblano chiles. OMG... that poblano cream was the best thing on that dish! So good! I would definitely go back for the poblano cream alone. Everything on the menu should be served with poblano cream. Yummy...
(4)Mark H.
Bad service!! First off the bar was sticky...a bit gross. Ordered a pork dish, but they brought me the wrong one...the guy down the bar got mine... For as expensive as this place is that's really unacceptable. Rather than make a fuss I said I was fine... There was no offer for a free drink or anything for the mistake...would have been a nice gesture... The waiter did say to someone that a mistake happened but we were both fine... He could have been much better. Overall the good was good but a bit heavy. The service was a total failure,
(2)Brandon D.
This place was great! Mexican doesnt seem too attractive for Brunch but our party of 4 really enjoyed it! Rachel was our server,AMAZING experience. She helped us by explaining how the all you can eat brunch worked, as well as giving us the low down on what was the best plates. Will definitely return! THANKS GUYS
(5)Craig A.
Waiter at the Border Grill tried to bill me for $8 for sparkling water when the menu says it is 50 cents. And I double checked when he brought the bottle. Shame on you Lars.
(3)Matt G.
This place was so good I had to come again. The Tomatillo salsa first off is amazing! Bright and citrusy and the chips are obviously not Tostidos. I had the Yucatan Pork and it was just delicious. I hate yams but the yams it came with were amazing and complimented the warm home made corn tortillas wonderfully. A little pork, some yams, and those tortillas was heaven. Love on a plate! The second time I went I had the special which was Short rib tacos with a roasted corn salsa and cheese grits on top of their home made corn tortillas. It was dry rubbed so it had a nice spice to it and just fell apart. Delicious, amazing, delicious, no words can describe how amazing it was. I will def. be going to the Border Grill close to my house in Santa Monica, I am a customer for life. Autumn was amazing. One of the best servers I have had since I was in Vegas though the 2 days I went to Border Grill the hostesses were sub part. One was suppose to bring me a bunch menu and just completely forgot and it wasn't even busy. That aside this place was pretty much flawless!
(5)Darryl R.
Came here for lunch during a convention (reservations definitely needed). The short rib taco special was tasty, as was the recommended guacamole. Portions were perfect if you don't want to overeat for lunch. The service was prompt considering it was packed. They really advertised the celebrity chefs, but they were no where to be seen. While the food was good, it did not "wow" me - I have been to many other gourmet Mexican restaurant that have.
(4)Dan K.
Fantastic lunch with avocado tacos and the pepper crusted steak salad. Service was great and we sat on a great patio.
(5)Marcus B.
The food was average. The price to me was insane. The atmosphere was intimate. My wife and I had taco shop food, placed lovely on a plate, for about $100 2 drinks. I got carnasada. That was the smallest steak I ever seen. my wife got sopas. I kid you not they brought out 4 sopas the size of a quarter. I couldn't believe it. This place is probably better suited for tourist. It just isn't really for me.
(3)Shari S.
We've now visited Border Grill for dinner, for lunch, and for tapas-style unlimited brunch, and I think it's time to stand up and applaud this inventive and tasty spin on Mexican cuisine. I don't know that BG will be to everyone's taste, but it's unique enough that anyone who likes Mexican food should try it. If you're a vegetarian, go for the brunch "buffet." $25/pp gets you all the small plates you can eat, but it's not the price or the endless-eating that's the draw for me. It's the potato tacos served "rajas" style - onion, cheese, chile, and maybe a touch of crema? For some reason these aren't available on the lunch menu with all of the other taco offerings, a serious oversight. The coconut French toast is as good as it sounds (and bigger than you'd expect). Brunch also has our staple appetizer, the plantain empanada. These are bold in taste and easy to inhale, although if you prefer a firmer empanada you might be disappointed. Likewise on the green corn tamale, which instead of a firm slab is more like a sweet-yet-savoury oatmeal neatly tied up in a husk. It sounds kind of iffy, I know, and if you love (traditional?) firm tamales (as I do), you will be surprised, but one of these with a little of the bitey, tangy, pico de gallo is just a perfect, nuanced addition to the parade of brunch dishes. (When we ordered the tamales as an appetizer with lunch, we found ourselves less interested in eating more than one, though.) Even though I claim to love all empanadas, the guava jam empanada was a little too coarse/dense for me, and the guava flavour seemed to make a counterpoint to sing out. The waitstaff suggests these for starters because they have them ready to go, and I was glad we had them early on, so everything afterward was that much better. The fruit plate sounds boring, I know, but it's another "ready right then" item at brunch, and the passion fruit sauce is quite captivating. I almost ordered another one (but there was so much else to try). The huevo ranchero was a little ordinary but good in taste, but it was so pretty that I didn't mind. Even at brunch you still get chips and salsa. I don't really know how to describe these. They're not my favourite in town, but they're a little different from the usual and therefore interesting. For lunch I get the poblano quesadilla off the appetizer menu, a concoction that vanquishes any worries that one is settling for some tired variant of cheese + bread. The cheese combination is exciting (sturdy manchego, melty panela, and tart, dry cotija), but the roasted peppers are just as much a star, and I've already sung the praises of the salsa. (I could just eat it by the spoonful. Soup spoonful-size, even.) The only other "substantial" veg option for lunch is the chile relleno, which I instinctively avoid, having had too many oily, unmanageable, flavour-free chile rellenos in my life that would've been right at home at a carnival. (Not even good enough for a state fair.) But BG has impressed me so much that I think next time I'll give it a go. For dinner there is one vegetarian main dish - the portabello mushroom mulitas. I would describe it as a huge pile of mushrooms, peppers, beans, onion, and sauce that somehow works. It's not something I've craved since, but again, it's unique enough that I wouldn't mind having it again at about half the size and half the price. BG boasts of its pro-environment position and its quality ingredients, which shows in that even the less interesting items are worth trying. Save room for the flourless chocolate cake. It is angelic. How can anything be so light yet so packed with everything I like about chocolate and cake at the same time? Drink service (soft drinks for us) is steady, with our bottle of table water always being replenished before it's empty. One of the best/worst decisions I've made here is to order the seasonal watermelon lemonade. It's toooo good, and my frugal side won't let me get refills. The staff is always friendly at BG, and if you're a local, you can join their club and get a discount card for all future meals. (I think it's 10% off?) We've only ever sat indoors at the tables, but these are so comfortable that we've never bothered to ask for a half-booth. The noise level is average, with all of the bar action in a side room. I'm docking a star because I think BG, especially with its earth-friendly stance - needs to add potato tacos to the daily taco line-up for lunch, and I think they need one more vegetarian main item for dinner. The mulitas are ambitious and tasty, but for me they get dull and repetitive after four bites. I'm grateful not to have to settle for cheese enchiladas, sure, but some kind of enchilada for vegetarians done in the polished, creative BG-style is something I'd really like to see.
(4)Patrick R.
Great Restaurant. Expecting a mediocre meal, we were pleasantly surprised when the server brought our food. It was extremely fresh with unique flavors. This is a Vegas must have.
(5)Laura T.
I feel like this place doesn't get the traffic it deserves because of its location, way off the regular path in Mandalay Bay. Service was great and food was awesome. Loved my plantain empanadas and steak quesadilla, just wish there wasn't quite so much butter on the tortilla, made it really heavy. This is a great choice if you're looking for tasty Mexican and some al fresco seating.
(4)Mandy d.
When we were planning our trip to Vegas, my boyfriend knew one thing: we were going to go to Border Grill for brunch. With an menu boasting an all-you-can-eat tapas and $5 bottomless mimosas, it really didn't take any convincing on my part, especially since we hadn't really ever been able to get to the Border Grills in LA. The restaurant itself is contemporary looking, with big line drawings on the wall and an open feeling to it. We were sat immediately on the outside patio that looks out over the Mandalay Bay Pool, not a bad place to sit at all. Their menu is tapa style and you order the ones want throughout the meal. I was determined to try them all, and got a decent way through the menu. I think we could all agree the short rib hash was the most amazing thing we put in our mouth, but the shrimp and grits gave it a run for its money. You also cannot leave without trying their churro tots, so make that part of your selection too! The food was so amazing, and totally worth the price (especially because you're in Vegas) and add the $5 unlimited mimosas, and try all the different types they offer! This is a must go to while in Vegas!
(5)Rebecca B.
Border Grill - Mandalay Bay Our last night in Las Vegas, we decided to take a stroll over to Mandalay Bay and have dinner at Border Grill. This place was highly recommended on the gluten free sites and showed on their website to have a dedicated gluten free menu, so needless to say I was pumped to check it out. The hostess was not very friendly. I gotta say that I am a stickler for happy, positive employees because they are the face of your business and crucial to customer satisfaction. I was pleased to see such a large gluten free menu until I opened it and realized 2 of the pages were filled with alcohol choices. We decided to try the Queso Fundido, which they brought out with corn tortillas and the chips are gluten free there. The dip was pretty tasty for sure but it didn't knock my socks off. Our waiter was aware of celiac disease and gluten free preparations so that made me feel at ease too during our time there. I ordered a shrimp and rice which came out on a plate filled with rice and then a strip of shrimp down the middle. The rice was in a pool of liquids making it a bit soggy. I have to say that I can't stand wet rice so I just ate the rice off the top and picked at the shrimp. The dish was disappointing and I didn't leave there feeling like I had an amazing gluten free dish coming from somewhere that specifically has a gluten free menu. The cost of my 10 small shrimp and rice was also $28 which I found to be completely out of line for the quality of the dish. Now, had that dish come out and completely wowed me, I wouldn't blink at spending $28 on vacation in Las Vegas for dinner. It just didn't do it for me so I can tell you I won't likely go back on my trip to Las Vegas next year. I would recommend Border Grill because they are educated and understand gluten free meals but I'm not sure it would be my first pick for someone. It's the safe choice.
(2)Christy B.
My Fiance and I just spent a few days in Vegas and what a great time we had. A friend of ours told us we MUST try Border Grill when they found out we would be staying at The Mandalay Bay Hotel. We are thankful that we listened to the recommendation, what a great place full of ambiance, delicious food and impeccable service. Our servers name was Jessi and boy did she ever make our experience unforgettable. Welcoming us to the restaurant and asking if we have dined with them before. She started us off with a Holiday Margarita and I will be honest I had my doubts about this "holiday" drink but boy was she ever correct in her recommendation. To be honest I normally brush off entree specials that are suggested by servers but Jessi described the Mahi Mahi special so well that I could not turn it down. (it may have had something to do with her deep Mid West Accent that sold me but whatever it was I am thrilled I took her suggestion, what a great dish!) My Fiance had the Yucatan Pork (another suggestion of Jessi's) and he could not stop talking about it! Jessi made us feel as if we were her most important guests, we never had an empty glass, never had a dirty dish sitting in front of us and I personally felt that Jessi anticipated our each and every need. Being that we live so close and visit Las Vegas quite often we have decided that we will make this our regular spot every time we visit. Way to go Border Grill,with so many options to eat and drink in Vegas you have managed to gain 2 new fans of not only your food and drink but your staff!!!
(5)John D.
After walking around Mandalay Bay looking for 20 minutes looking for the Border Grill, we finally found it tucked away near the Shark Reef. The only reason I'm giving it 2 stars is because the restaurant itself is very very nice. The chips? Terrible. It comes in a tiny tin jar so you can't even get a good amount when you dip the over-cooked chips. The water they give you tastes exactly like tap water (maybe even toilet water- not that I would know). The main course I had was cheese enchillada and I have honestly never had an enchillada that looked like a pancake and tasted like throw up- until now. The rice that they provide (OH WAIT they actually charge you $5 for the rice but don't tell you) tastes like it was Uncle Bens that was made in a microwaveable pouch. The alcoholic beverages are also tiny and over priced (but was probably the highlight of the meal) Needless to say $85 for a crappy meal isn't worth it
(2)Sunny C.
Decor and ambience is nice. Food portions can be generous but the prices on the menu were higher than the quality of the food (latter of which was good). We wanted to know what the mole dish tasted like, and our waitress brought out a sample of the sauce. I liked that. The yucatan pork dish was very generously portioned and filling. The plaintains were my favorite. Overall service is unwelcoming.
(3)Jacon C.
Had a great time at this place. Seated promptly on the patio with our two kids and our server was great. Got us chips and salsa quickly, along with water, so we could keep the toddlers occupied. My wife had the Yucatan Pork Tacos which the waiter recommended. No leftovers for me! She obviously loved them and was very happy, since we were having lunch a little late after going to the Mandalay Shark Reef. I had the Chicken Poblano Enchiladas which were fantastic! The charred, smoky flavor from the poblanos is unforgettable. I'm still thinking about it now. I also had a bloody mary with lunch which was really good. After reading some of the other reviews, I think next time the wifey and I will have have to do brunch here sans kiddos!!
(5)Eric Y.
Nice atmosphere, and nice decor... But, worth the price? I don't think so. They charged 4 dollars (50 cents per person) for water... WTF? My buddies ordered water, and they charged that for tab water? Bogus if you ask me. Another thing, we asked if we can be seated outside, but the lady at the front desk ignored us and said sorry, you table is here. She didn't even bother to answer the question or tell us that theirs no available space. I didn't like the attitude at all. Food? Decent! $20+ for Kobe Beef Taco? First of all, fake Kobe Beef... Tasted exactly like American beef. The same thing can be found at Taco Bell for $0.99 cents when they are on promotion. Why spend $20+? I wouldn't come here...
(1)Chanda R.
My review is for their Sunday brunch. Let ME TELL YOU!! I am not a big fan of Mexican no matter what kind of twist you put on it. BUT THEIR BRUNCH WAS DELISCIOUS! It was 20 bucks and some change for the AYCE brunch add another 5 for their AYCD champagne. I don't remember all of what I got because it seemed like I got it all. Definatley get the Coconut french toast. Can't make up your mind??? Just ask your server. She was so nice and attentive. I asked her to bring out whatever was the most popular and she did exactly that... and kept it coming, AND COMING, AND COMING. Never the same dish twice unless I asked for it... like the french toast. I had my sister at the table who ordered off the regular menu who forced me into ordering a few items for her because she was JEALOUS! Dishes are served in small portions and rightly so! I had to take a togo box (unheard of for AYCE, right?) BOMB!
(5)Richard B.
You got to love the grilled fish tacos. Petite sized tacos stuffed full of halibut, cabbage and a wonderful Mexican style guacamole. Three stars right there. The green and red rice is a perfect foil, and better yet, the black beans finish it.
(4)Danielle R.
Their Carnitas is the best I've ever had!!! And the outside patio seating is killer on a gorgeous Vegas day. But definitely big enough to share! We started with the Peruvian ceviche and it was delicious. Our waitress was busy talking about her kids to another table so we got to wait for her for like 5 mins to finish up her conversation prior to taking our order. She also never stopped by to check on how everything was. She dropped the check off to our table without saying a word to us. It was very odd to say the least. They also charge $.50 for water per person, I'm not really sure why, and it seems like such a nominal fee that it doesn't make sense to even do it. I have never seen a place charge for water before.
(4)Tawny A.
We had a great dinner experience for my last night in Vegas! I had been to the Border Grill in Pasadena (which closed a few years ago) and loved it, so I guess I knew I would like it here before I sat down. We had reservations for 9:30pm and were seating as soon as we walked in. Our table was in the middle of the room, which was crowded, but the table was large so I was comfortable. We were brought water immediately and our server got our drinks in maybe 3 min. at the most. They were really busy and the servers seemed to be really on top of it. HONEYDEW MARGARITAS. oh boy. The waiter told us to try the plantain empanadas, and i didn't need much persuasion. plantains are a favorite, pablano chilis are my favorite and i put cotija cheese on everything, so basically this was a match made in heaven for my mouth! (they also have black beans in them, which i prefer over pinto, but still usually stay away from). The three of us liked them so much we ordered a second serving. At this point we knew we were in trouble. I was already getting full and we hadn't even had our entrees yet. Round 3 of margaritas had just arrived as my main course of Chile Rellenos was placed in front of me. The dish comes with rice and beans but I asked them to substitute their mashed sweet potatoes and garlic vegetables instead. The mashed sweet potatoes may have plantains in them too, or something else tangy. They were buttery and hot. I was soooo stuffed about 3 bites in...but I kept going. My bf ordered Pibil thanks to my recommendation, which is a stewed pork dish. OMG I ate a lot of his. They add cinnamon to their sauce and it really gives the pork a whole new flavor. Its subtle but not just spicy......its aromatic. AND it comes with plantain orange salsa, which was asked for a bowl of because we all loved it soooo much! My friend had chicken enchiladas, which she always orders. These are hard to do wrong, and usually are good everywhere you get them....even Taco Bell. She likes them with a lot of vegies, which is exactly what she got on top. Corn, peppers, onions, mushrooms......(i am allergic, so I didn't try her dish). We also foolishly ordered a caesar salad to share. It was really crispy and the cilantro dressing was good, but TOOOOO MUCH FOOD. Round 5 of margaritas......i don't feel so good and I'm giggling like an english school boy. time to relax. we let ourselves digest for about 10 mins....then the damn waiter told us about the desserts. and, well......when in Vegas, right? Mexican Chocolate Pie. GOOD GOD. I died and heaven was in my mouth. Orange Cheesecake. So creamy, so good. I only got a little bite because the boyfriend did not want to share (maybe because I didn't let him try mine.....) My friend opted not to have dessert and instead played on her iphone. Fool. The dessert was fantastic!!!! All the food was complex and unique. Its not Mexican, its not Tex-Mex, its not Brazilian, its not Oaxacan, its not Argentinian, nor Peruvian. Its Border Grill. P.S.- Even though we were all dressed up and ready to go to out.....we waddled our way back to our room, lay on my bed and watched a movie. I couldn't even take off my shoes.
(5)Kathryn R.
AMAZING FOOD! This is the best place for Sunday Brunch in Vegas. Forget about the boring buffets with their lukewarm and dried out offerings. Every plate at BG is made fresh to order. For the price of the average brunch buffet you can eat the menu--fresh and delicious--for only $35.99. You can add $8.00 all you can drink mimosas (they have about 6 different ones). Our favorite dishes were the Maple Pork Belly and waffle, the Short-Rib Hash, Papas Rajas Taco and the French Toast Bread Pudding. You will not be disappointed.
(5)Kat K.
Ok... I have mixed feeling about this place.... I really do.. This came on a recommend and it wasn't bad... but it wasn't knock-your-socks off either. There are a few things I didn't appreciate, and that tainted the whole experience there. For one, when the tortilla chips and salsa came, the guy asked us if we wanted any gucamole to accompany the chips, and we said ok... not realizing that they were going to charge us for it, seeing as that we had just sat down ad were getting our bearings.. It wasn't until we open the menu and saw that guacamole was on the appetizer size of the menu that we realized that there was a charge. I'm just saying it would have been nice, if they asked us if we wanted the guacamole and tell us that there was a charge for it, rather than say you want the guacamole, here you go and find out that they charge $ for it at the end of the meal. We might have ordered it anyways, but I really really really really hated the way they were sneaky about that. I was prepared about the water charge $0.50 per person, but once again they didn't ask us about that, but luckily I was prepared for the diming of us there and so didn't mind so much. Service is attentive, but I would like to know that service staff was more ... communcative with each other. I mean one guy knows we ordered dessert and puts a pair of forks and napkins on the table for us, so when our dessert comes we can share; two minutes later another waiter comes by and tries to take it away... I mean really seriously.... I appreciate the attentiveness, but at least communicate with each other... *exhales* The restaurant itself was ok; but these issues that I mentioned above really ruined what otherwise would have been a good experience here. I appreciate how they are trying to go local, and organic and be responsible about sourcing their food, etc. But there are ways to around it, that don't make the restaurant, and by extention the owners/chefs look like complete ***** in the process. Food was good. I recommend the Border Grill experience and we thought the braised short rib was better than the fish tacos, and their Tamarind Ginger Cheesecake was amazing. The fact that I made a reservation on Opentable and they had our reservation and table ready when we walked in was nice., Front of house was efficicent, but like I said in regards to the issues I listed about... If you do decide to come here, I suggest the outdoor seating, but make sure there isn't a large party out on the balcony; otherwise it is a mite too noisy to enjoy the company you are with. Border grill does not meet my Las Vegas Recommend must-visit List.
(2)Me M.
We were calling up to get information about the brunch buffet costs, we were told that a child is half off. When we said a 1 year old costs 17 bucks to eat? the worker Nikki laughed under her breathe and said yes. What poor customer service, and what business charges a one year old 17 bucks for a brunch buffet? I've never heard of that.
(1)Krissy K.
Just writing a quick update. I would like to give a 4 star amended review on service alone based on a message I received from a manager at Border Grill after I posted my initial review. Although they really didn't do anything horribly wrong during my visit, the manager apologized for not providing a wow experience, thanked me for my feedback, and invited me to contact them in the future for a complimentary meal. It is so nice to see a business that does not get defensive in the face of criticism, let alone one that goes out of its way to display such gracious behavior. Certainly, this type of welcoming, open, and friendly customer service is rare and should be commended. Thank you, Border Grill!
(4)Ingrid C.
Food was very fresh tasting and well seasoned. We really enjoyed the Baja ceviche. I had lunch with my daughter and she didn't know what that was and our server( Sarah) wad very helpful. She was very good at explaining the items on the menu. My daughter had the skirt steak, it was so delicious! I had the Yucatan pork which was good but the steak was way better! I had a Cadillac Margarita that was really good! It is pricey but it is delicious! We did have a dessert it was like a tres leche churro minis, it was terrible! Do Not Order! It sounds delicious but this kind of restaurant should never let it leave the kitchen. The churro's were not crispy and the filling wasn't even in the them anymore. That was my only complaint.
(4)Christopher C.
Good Mexican food. I love Vegas!
(3)April S.
I felt so proud to share the Border Grill with my husband. I was a manager for them in 2003-2005 and even though the layout of the second floor has changed the delicious creations in the kitchen have not. We started off with the queso/ chorizo appetizer. It was so scrumptious that it was gone before we knew it. I had the pina coloda with toasted coconut. Wow what a drink. I love the chicken quesadilla, something I crave! You can not beat the fresh hand made tortillas of Border Grill. We also shared the Border Grill Classics. I wanted my husband to taste the well balanced flavors of the empanada and the sweet corn tamale. They were just as if had tasted them in the years of my employment. Thank you Border Grill Mary and Susan. I loved working for you and your flavorful fare did not disappoint and impressed that of my beloved.
(5)Kimberly H.
We love this place! Every time we come here we have to stop. The brunch is the best I have ever had. We were probably here for 2 hrs and never once felt pressured to leave. Our waitresses was fantastic. She helped with the selection of dishes and I felt she was on the mark for all her suggestions. We had bottomless mimosas. I am behind on writing this review. We were in vegas at the 1st of the month. I asked our waitresses to write her name down and then I washed my jeans with the paper in them. :( I believe it was Camber. I also spoke with the manager on duty when I left and told them what a great time we had and how awesome she was. Get the shrimp and grits, corn tamale, oysters Rockefeller, & the French Toast! I loved the chicken more than the waffle. We will be back!
(5)A C.
I was excited to try this Top Chef Masters establishment, and I was not disappointed! I am a Mexican food lover, and although this is not authentic - it's delicious. First, they give you a huge basket of crispy tasty tortilla chips with three different types of salsa. Perfect with the blanco margarita! I could have been fine on this alone. I ordered the seasonal vegetable enchiladas, and my husband ordered the fish tacos. Both plates are exceptional. My enchiladas did not look like ordinary enchiladas. Instead, the tortillas were stacked with veggies and cheese between them. It reminded me of Mexican lasagna. I loved the fact that my enchiladas had roasted eggplant, zucchini, and brussell sprouts! My husband's fish tacos were crisp and fresh. He was quite delighted. All in all, the service was friendly and pleasant. I would go back in a heartbeat!
(5)Megan F.
If you want to treat yourself to authentic, creative, and just plain yummy Mexican food, it's GOTTA be Border Grill! Brought to life by the Two Hot Tamales and their amazing Chef Mike, Border Grill has something for every mexican food lover. My favorites are the Beef Brisket Taquitos, the Yucatan Pork (carnitas, black beans and grits, OH MY!) and the Tres Leches cake for desert. If you're a Margarita lover like me, treat yourself to a Cadillac Margarita that is topped with Grand Marnier with lots of extra salt, on the rocks. I can't say enough about this restaurant. The ambience is killer. The staff is attentive. The ingredients are fresh. It's just the best all around. As a native Southern Californian, this has my LA girl seal of approval for Mexican!
(5)Kick S.
Ate here 1.29.13 Best dinner the whole week we worked in Las Vegas! Had a booth at the Mandalay Bay convention center right around the corner from this place. Seriously so good! :o Everything is fresh, fresh, fresh! Service is extremely attentive, friendly, and prompt. Chips and salsa are super tasty plus they give you a variety of 3 different types of salsa. I ordered the chile renello, by far the BEST chili renello I've EVER HAD! Sorry mom :/ I also got their seasonal mojito with lemon and blueberries! Yamaaah! My husband got the skirt steak, he said the "cut was premium, flavor was amazing, and was cooked to perfection!" He also loved his blood orange jalapeño margarita, which he said," was a welcomed distraction from the average margarita!" ;) We will be back for sure next yr!
(5)Danielle T.
Border Grill is one of my favorites because the food, service, and atmosphere are all fantastic for any time of day and any party size. I went for brunch this time - they have my FAVORITE brunch by far in the city. Bottomless mimosas and endless small plates of gastronomic brunch food. My date and I ordered a few things and then our excellent, friendly server took over, bombarding us with deliciousness. The chilaquiles (sent by the server) were my favorite, and I also loved the Jalapeño Bacon PB&J and the shrimp and grits. I'd avoid the bloody marys (kinda boring) and stick to the bottomless mimosas - they come in a variety of flavors and you can't beat the price. I can't wait for the next Sunday I get to spoil myself here!
(5)Olivia W.
This is probably more like 2.5 stars. I've always been suspicious of Two Hot Tamales but gave this place a try because it is in our hotel. We had a sample platter to split with three dishes: Chicken panuchos, green corn tamales and plantain empanadas. The plantain empanadas were by far the best of the three. Basically, the exterior of the "empanada" is a seared plantain stuffed with a cheesy black bean mix. It is topped with a spicy sauce and a generous amount of crema. Delicious. I could have eaten a whole platter of these. The other two dishes were weaker. The green corn tamale was more like a polenta in terms of texture. The flavor was good but a bit sweet even for me (I love sweet). Still, topped with crema and salsa it was tasty enough. But the chicken panuchos were inexcusable. The chicken was utterly flavorless. The avocado was nice and the radishes added a much needed bit of brightness but the chicken was so lackluster that it dragged down the whole dish. The complimentary salsas were also weak: none of them had any spice and at least two of them were extremely bland. Service was friendly and efficient. Cocktails were delicious and standard Vegas prices. A fine place for a quick casual bite but nothing to write home about.
(3)Rick C.
The service the food top notch. This is surely an excellent place to dine. They fully understood the food allergies and all precautions were taken
(5)Mucio V.
Amazing! I had the carnitas plate and it was so good. They also had a great tres leches iced coffee that as good and strong, it came in useful for the concert we war scheduled to see right after dinner. Loved this restaurant and i will definitely go back, glad theres one closer to me in los angeles!
(5)Jennifer A.
I went here for my birthday dinner last month, and the experience made for a really nice birthday. I haven't eaten out too many places since the celiac diagnosis, because I'm too sensitive to risk the gluten exposure, but i was meeting up with my folks in Vegas for the weekend and I was determined to have a birthday dinner. I emailed ahead of time and they were so enthusiastic about making me a safe (glutenfree) and vegan meal, I was immediately excited. Since there isn't much on the menu that's GF and vegan (there's some great GF *or* vegan items though), the chef made my partner and I something special... little tiny veggie tacos on little soft corn tortillas that were positively orgasmic. When I have tacos at home now, I'm always sad they're not those delicious perfect little soft corn tortillas from Border Grill. The guacamole was delicious, and the chips were warm and fresh. They accidentally put cheese on our black beans, but fixing the plates were no big deal and was done graciously. Also? Those black beans were DELICIOUS. I wish I knew their secrets. Or that they'd open up a location in San Francisco. I can't even find the words to do this place justice. If you're in Vegas, this is worth every penny. (And it wasn't as many pennies as I expected, either.) Note to the gimps like me: It's quite a trek from the entrance to the restaurant, but it's an easily accessible straight shot on wheels. Sometimes you have to really go out of you way to get to the ramps and elevators. Not here.
(5)Gary K.
Stopped in for the Sunday brunch and was not disappointed. Brunch consists of a large menu of small plate items to choose from, all made as you order. Everything I had was wonderful, except for the bacon and peanut butter biscuit thing. Just not a good combo of flavors, even though I love bacon. The machaca chilaquiles were wonderful, as well as their eggs Benedict. When you get the brunch though, be prepared to eat a LOT of eggs. I think it was about $30 per person, but it was good quality food. For another...$8 I think, you can add bottomless mimosas. You can even get one more mimosa to go :) If you're in Vegas and need a great hangover recovery meal, this is it.
(4)Kim D.
Had the $35 unlimited tapas brunch. Two "loves" & one "not so much." Creative combos: loved the Benedict but the egg was very under cooked. Shrimp and grits were tasty. Fig & cheese quesadilla was great. Lobster pancakes (well my bad for thinking that was a good combo...it tasted a lot like it sounds.) Nice finish with bread pudding French toast. The pineapple margarita with vanilla infused tequila was a great choice. It's a nice splurge but won't be a regular stop.
(4)Wally H.
Great food Excellent flavor Priced little high but expected Worth the extra money
(4)Juanita J.
Love this place! Brunch and bottomless mimosas on weekends...si por favor! My favorite dish is the carnitas. Their Baja ceviche is great as well. Their rice is NOT my favorite at all, too bland. No really, it's BLAND. They do have a delicious quinoa salad though.
(4)Andrew T.
This is a strong 3, but not quite 4. Still pretty good. I stopped here the last day of my stay in Vegas, after walking past every day of the previous 4, and thinking it looked nice. And it was. I had the shrimp and chorizo taquitos, which were tasty but a little schizophrenic. The shrimp and chorizo was an odd (but good) combination, even if neither are particularly strong, but the three taquitos were served "glued" to the plate by some good tangy guac...topped with a sweet lobster cream sauce...and then with a vinegar dressed cabbage salad with roasted corn. Lots of stuff going on here, and all of it is good, but it's a lot of fighting flavors. Not that I didn't eat all of it, mind you. That wasn't a problem. I will say their outdoor patio is nice - I was there on a very nice day, and it was really pleasant to sit outside, look out over the pool, and watch nearly tame finches dart amongst the tables, swooping in to grab the tortilla chips I kept tossing on the ground, and anything people left behind at the table for anything more than a microsecond. I found myself very contented. If I was back, and I was close, I would probably go back for a nothing special type of meal when I want up for anything requiring more effort. But I don't know if it'd make a journey for it, especially considering everything else I've eaten this week.
(3)Carrie C.
The Cesear salad was excellent and so was the Pumpkin Spice Margarita. It was like Thanksgiving in my mouth. Yum.
(4)Samara B.
Amazing service & food. I hosted a happy event last Thursday at the main bar and they accommodated us without a reservation. They pushed tables together for us and were very helpful. Tracy was our server and she was WONDERFUL. She worked so hard. We had about 50 guests come in and out for drinks. She even stayed passed her shift to serve us. I would definitely recommend this place and go back again!!!
(5)CASSIE L.
Best brunch I've had in years, and our best meal of the trip. We took a trip to Vegas for my 30th birthday this past weekend and originally planned on trying out a Bobby Flay restaurant. Once I realized Susan Feniger had a place attached to our hotel (we were at the Luxor) I changed our plans - I have the chance to eat at a Bobby Flay place any day of the week but Feniger only has restaurants on the west coast. Anyway. We had a reservation for 11:30am through OpenTable. When we arrived we were greeted warmly by the hostesses who took us immediately to our choice of table - outside on the patio flanked by two heaters. Our server, Christopher, was right over to see us and was incredibly friendly. He honestly made what was already a wonderful experience twice as great because he was attentive, helpful, and really enthusiastic. We placed our bottomless mimosa orders - one classic, one grapefruit, one white peach, and one pomegranate - and he brought them right away and kept bringing them. Often they showed up when we were only halfway through the last one. The four of us had 23 mimosas and we were only there about an hour and 15 minutes so they weren't skimping on the drinks. They were all great, but I was partial to the peach. Very fresh and tasty. I had hoped we would try everything on the menu of all you can eat tapas (for $29? what a bargain!) but we ended up way too full. We did try all of these: Guava Empanada - These came out before we ordered and I passed, as I'm not a fan of guava. One of our friends has celiacs and cannot eat gluten so he also passed. The other two said they were hot, flaky, and delicious. Biscuit and Chipotle Gravy - We got a platter of four servings done of these (easier if everyone wants to try something) in our first flight of items and they were very good, but not great. Chorizo and Egg Taco - This is on all of our lists of best things we ate there, as well as the entire trip. The tortilla was clearly made in house, fresh, and very tasty. Had there been room in our stomachs at the end, we would have gone for another platter. Frittata Tart - Another of our first items, this was so light and tasty I was kind of amazed. We spent a good 15 minutes discussing egg white techniques to figure out how this was done. Peruvian Shrimp and Grits - Glad we ordered a platter of these, because otherwise I would have had to scrape everyone elses plates. The shrimp were delicious, the grits were easily the creamiest and best I've ever had (hard to admit, for a born southerner), and the sauce was something I could see eating on everything. Literally. Forever. We did everything short of licking the plate clean. Yucatan Egg Benedict - This was also very delicious, and the key was the crispy carnitas stuffed inside the bread under the egg. A great combo of sweet and spicy, creamy and crunchy. I'd easily eat a full size portion of this for breakfast. Crispy Potato Rajas Taco - Crispy fried potatoes inside a fried tortilla shell drizzled in creamy spicy sauce, grilled corn, and avocado. Nothing crazy, but still tasty. I imagine these would be a great hangover food. Machaca Chilaquiles - I was the only one at the table who knew what this was before it came, so it was great to see this be the first time my friends had chilaquiles. These were delicious. Just enough crunch left from the chips to give it a great texture. Churro Tots - No shame, I ordered two plates of these just for myself. So good. Light and fluffy inside, crispy outside. Hot and cinnamony, just little balls of perfection. Who knows what the two dipping sauces tasted like, I was too busy shoving them down my gullet to care. Green Corn Tamale - Sweet and creamy, but not heavy. These were a bit of a surprise as I had misread the menu and thought they were green CHILE tamales, but nonetheless we scraped the husks clean. Breakfast Enchilada - This was delicious. Fresh and bright, a hint of citrus, and not overly goopy and cheesy like restaurant enchiladas you usually find. Short Rib Hash and Egg - This was easily the ugliest dish we ate all day, and hands down the overwhelming favorite. We shared one portion, then promptly ordered three more. The meat was mouthwatering, the onions were perfect, and what could have been easily ruined by an ill prepared egg was accented by the perfectly scrambled ones atop each portion. We talked about this dish in bed that night and on the flight home. I can seriously throw down in the kitchen but I don't know about recreating this little plate of awesome. It was so great, I'd be scared to tarnish our memories of it. My one friend is rarely one to wholeheartedly recommend a place to eat - if you ask her about somewhere she's been she will only recommend somewhere that gets a full five star rating from her. She said halfway through the meal that she would easily tell someone they had to eat brunch here. We all agreed, wholeheartedly.
(5)Misti Y.
I am not changing my star rating, but I wanted to share that sadly, I do not recommend the vegetable enchiladas. They are chock full of solid, seasonal vegetables and served in homemade corn tortillas. However, this season, they are covered in a grayish sauce (I think it may be mushroom-inspired?) and served in such a way (one enchilada on top of the other) that the entire dish looks like limp fish. When it came out, I was wondering what the heck my husband ordered, but then realized it was mine. They did have Brussels sprouts, which was exciting, but the flavor was very rich and creamy, which I did not expect. Overall, this dish was my first disappointment.
(4)Bronsen K.
Went to pick up some tickets at the House of Blues in Mandalay and thought to stop in and try this place out. Attending conventions at the Convention Center in Mandalay Bay, I usually scurried by this restaurant and didn't stop to take too much notice. The only thing I did notice was that it was always busy (good sign?). Amber K. suggested we try it out as it has good reviews on Yelp and since we were in the area, I said 'why not?' We walked up and were quickly seated and attended to promptly by our waiter Lars for the remainder of the night. I decided to try the soft shell crab tostada appetizer and roll with the grilled mahi mahi tacos for my main entree. The food was very nice and Lars also hooked it up with some habanero salsa for our chips in between each course of the meal. We finished off the night with a "Mexican" banana split which consisted of mexican chocolate, pineapple, and raspberry ice cream topped off with a little bit of coconut. Overall, the food was delish and I left sastified. Also, just being locals, Lars signed us up for the Border Grill VIP card which gave "VIP" locals like myself 15% off of the bill every time we rolled into Border for anything outside of happy hour. Good night? I think so. Will be back soon to try one of the many other options available at the Border Grill!
(5)Jennifer O.
Leading up to my trip to Vegas, I was very excited to try this restaurant. I, like everyone, had seen the two chefs that own this restaurant on Top Chef Masters, and their food looks so good! I went here on Monday for lunch, sat outside overlooking the pool, which was very nice, but was halfway disappointed. SO I had ordered the Border Grill Classics (I think that's what it was called), but it had little mini portions of chicken tacos, green corn tamales, and a tostada -ish thing with a funky name (can't remember right now), and it was just so boring! I was shocked that something that was supposed to give a taste of multiple menu items was just bland and not exciting AND cost 19$...not cool. Now, on the flip side, the BF got the potato tacos and they were one of the most delicious things I have tasted. They were spicy, creamy AND crunchy (fried shell), and had a ton of flavor. It came with two different types of rice, green and red, which were both good also. All of this for 16$! I really made the wrong choice... Anyway, I might have given this place 4 stars, but our service was not so great. Our server, Erica, seemed like she was in a very bad mood and talked to our table with attitude, especially after we declined drinks or appetizers. I would think about going back here for the potato tacos....but I wish it was a bit more consistent.
(3)AJ B.
I really wanted to like the food here. It yelped well so I took a chance knowing well hotel food usually sucks. I had the tortilla soup. It was more like tomato basil with tofu and some tortilla strips. $14. Not great. Not worth the money. I next had grilled fish tacos. They were OK however the rice and beans were cold. And, why is it you can never get decent hot sauce? Good service. Bad food. Good ambiance.
(3)Candace C.
The Skinny: underseasoning with odd textures do not make a good combination (2), service - shout-out to Dale our server... for him, the service rates a (5), value - it's expensive because the food just isn't that great. (2). I'm torn about what to say about this place. Went to dinner with my hubby last night and came armed with a Restaurant.com coupon. They do have a VIP club for locals but the Restaurant.com coupon offers a better discount than 15% off the check. Just to say, the service is amazing! Shout-out to Dale our waiter who was a whirlwind but still took the time to ensure that we were well looked after. He introduced the menu to us and ensured that we got the most of our experience. Our water glasses were full and our food was served in a timely manner. While our food was okay, I saw him deal with an unhappy customer who didn't like her dish. He took the food back right away without question and apologized because he recommended it. Kudos to Dale! Okay, on to the food. My husband ordered the Border Grill Experience which was $42 for 3 courses which included an appetizer sampler, a steak dish with quesadilla, and tres leches cake. I, being less hungry, just ordered an chicken enchiladas for $26. The chips were perhaps a little overcooked for our tastes. The salsas in general lacked salt and acidity (I like the flavour of lime to come through). Of the four we received the chipotle and the diablo salsas were the only two that seemed to be seasoned properly. The appetizer plate came with a plantain empanada, a taquito, and a corn tamale. The plantain empanada had great flavour but poor texture from sitting underneath a sauce for a little too long - it really killed the crispiness of a empanada. The taquitos were nice but were a little on the bland side. The corn tamale had the taste and texture of creamed corn. It was one big, hot, gummy mess - a big miss for me. The steak entree was good - the marinated tomatoes, cucumber and avocado had a nice acidity that cut through the richness of the beef. The steak itself was a rather large portion which we took part of it home. The accompanying quesadilla however was a little too strong on the cheese flavour for me but had a nice crispness to it. My enchiladas were good but yet again a little blander than what I was expecting. Overall, they could have used some more of the filling as well. The combination of chicken, corn, and peppers was ok - not outsanding. The tres leches cake had the correct flavours but had difficulties with texture. The sponge was right but wasn't luxuriously drenched in a lovely milk all the way through. So the result was the bottom layers were nice but the top layers were a little on the dry side. Overall, there are a lot of issues at Border Grill with regards to execution. Normally, I would have given this place a two however in light of our excellent service, I bumped it up to a three.
(3)John S.
An elite brunch! I've always been a fan of Border Grill but didn't even know until very recently they served brunch. Went there this morning and I am still trying to break out of the food coma I was put in. It's a tapas-style serving with a huge list of unique gastronomic concoctions. Some really wild recipes... all very delicious. The only thing I will say is that I was a little disappointed in the bacon bloody mary, but the food more than made up for that. It's especially nice to be able to sit out on the patio in mid-November and enjoy the spread in this unusual warm weather. Definitely try this out... foodies will enjoy it!
(5)Heidi G.
We visited Border Grill this past week while in Las Vegas for a quick family getaway. We were there for dinner on a Thursday night, we had reservations. We have two teenage kids and found it odd instead of seating us in the main dining room, (with several empty tables) we were escorted down a flight of stairs to a large room. There was a large party, as well as another family with one child. Perhaps this is reserved for families? Not sure. We were seated in a corner, so not the best seating. The hostess handed our teenage kids crayons and paper. Kids were amused, but found it odd. As far as the food, my husband enjoyed his skirt steak. It was over-priced, but expected. I ordered a caesar salad and the plantain empanadas. The salad was stale, and mostly croutons. Also stale. The empanadas were good, but not great. I think my son had the best meal. He raved about the fresh tortillas with his burrito. Service was also subpar. Never saw the server. Tried to find her at one point so we could get a refill on our tea. We had a great experience (food & service) a few years back at Border Grill, this is why we returned. After this experience, I do not think we will return.
(2)Tiffany O.
I've been to the Border Grill in Santa Monica several times so I was stoked that there was one in the hotel we were staying (Mandalay Bay). We wanted to find a particular restaurant that is by the Mandalay Beach but couldn't find it. We saw the Border Grill straight ahead so we went there instead. We got seated right away and our waitress was very bubbly and attentive. They bring you chips and three different salsas while you wait for your meal. They are all different and good. We ate all the salsa so our waitress brought us another tray. I ordered the thing that I always order: The Border Classics (plantain empanadas, corn tamales and paunches)...I get this because it's a bit of everything. Plantain Empanadas: outside of the empanada is made of plantain, not flour dough. They are filled with black beans and topped with cojita cheese. So savory and delicious, yet so healthy!! Corn Tamales: creamy sweet corn crapped in banana (?) leaves. Sweet/dessert-like. Reminds me of that sweet corn dessert that they have at El Torito. My favorite Mexican dessert!! Panuchos: chicken on a thick homemade, fried tortilla. Good, but not my fav. My bf got the carne asada quesadilla: grilled steak, carmelized onions, arbol salsa, cojita, manchego and panela cheese. This is a quesadilla on steroids...very scrumptious. If you're in the mood for a quessadilla, this will HIT THE SPOT. The other things I've tried at the Santa Monica location are the ceviche and the jalapeño cucumber margarita. I love both of them and highly recommend them to first timers!
(4)Alexandra P.
My boyfriend and I went here as part of a pre-birthday celebration while we were staying at Mandalay Bay. We had made a reservation for 830 and were seated immediately when we arrived. They brought us drinks right away and the margaritas were pretty strong, which was great. We ordered enchiladas, a steak quesadilla, chips and guac and some sort of pork appetizer. All of it was really good. We also mentioned to the waiter that it was my birthday tomorrow and they brought out a complimentary Mexican chocolate cake, which was a nice touch. I definitely would recommend for a casual dinner or lunch if you are staying at Mandalay.
(4)Victoria C.
If you like over priced, bougie Mexican food, this place is the place for you. I don't even really know how Mexican food can be bougie but this place figured it out. Their menus had convoluted descriptions for very basic Mexican dishes. Their tamale appetizer was crap. It was supposed to be a baked tamale but it ended up being mush. It wasn't even cooked properly. If that is the way it's served than don't call it a tamale, call it corn tamalito or corn mush. And btw, if I wanted corn mush, I would go to Chevy's not a "fine dining" Mexican restaurant. They don't set the table with salt or pepper, which I think is really weird. When I asked for salt, the waitress said, "What is it for? Your chips?" Like I couldn't have it otherwise. When the salt arrived, they served it in a side dish. Not a shaker. YET, they sell cookbooks. "Don't come back to our restaurant, cook your own food with these books." BAD marketing. This place isn't worth it when there are so many other restaurants that don't need to try as hard as Border Grill does. And, they will offer you salt.
(2)Stephanie F.
We arrived a bit late for our 9pm reservation because the Mentalist show ran over. We decided to sit outside, which I regretted initially since it was so loud out there, but a big party left after too long and it quieted down. I ordered a pomegranate margarita and my bitch sister-in-law ordered the sangria and we both really liked them. Chips came with three kinds of sauces and I thought the green tomatillo was really good. I'd studied the online menu and knew I was going to order the chicken poblano enchiladas, which I were able to get without the mushrooms - yay! They were SUPER delicious. They came with a corn and poblano relish on top, which added a bit of crunch. Wow, they totally lived up to the food I'd seen Mary Sue and Susan cook on TCM. My husband got the Kobe tacos and didn't particularly care for them. He said they were bland and they also caused him some stomach problems later in the night. Fortunately, he ate the rest of my enchiladas and was really happy with them. My sister-in-law got some taquito dish that she really enjoyed. My bro-in-law got the chicken enchiladas and loved them too. Since both couples had just gotten married and it was my husband's birthday, they brought us over 2 free desserts. One was flan and the other was a rich chocolate mousse cake. Both were yummy.
(4)Ryan S.
My husband and I are here before seeing Michael Jackson one. We did the pre fixe menu and couldn't have been happier. The food was amazing. Our waiter Manuel was incredible, recommending dishes and making sure that everything we ordered was perfect. My husband ordered the Pescado veracruzano and Manuel was worried that they didn't have the mahi so suggested alternative dishes or substitutions to the dish to make sure it was perfect. The staff was so attentive and the food was delicious. We will definitely be back next time we come to Vegas.
(5)Seth G.
One of my favorite restaurants in Los Angeles has made it to Las Vegas. The vibrantly colored, upscale Mexican restaurant with cuisine created by celebrity chefs Susan Feniger and Mary Sue Milliken has been a legend in Santa Monica for decades, but they recently expanded their business by opening a new restaurant in Downtown LA, sending a food trucks out into the streets of Los Angeles, and launching a location in Mandalay Bay. I'm happy to say that the Vegas version of the iconic restaurant lives up to the reputation of the original created by the "Two Hot Tamales." Stuffed Plantains, Chile Rellenos, slow-cooked Carnitas... the menu is made entirely of perfectly crafted Mexican deliciousness. And their strong, flavorful, and Margaritas are unforgettable (unless you drink too many, in which case you'll forget more than the drinks you had at the restaurant). The Mandalay version also features the same energetic and colorful graffiti art on the walls that the Santa Monica version is known for, with views of Mandalay's pool area. I love The Border Grill so much and the Vegas version does not disappoint.
(5)Kent L.
Because we were staying at THEhotel at Mandalay Bay, I had read up extensively on the restaurants within the area. Border Grill had gotten rave reviews and sounded like my kind of restaurant, given my love for Mexican food and restaurants with rave reviews :). It was a nice day and we sat out on the patio area, though there really is no view unless you have one of the seats on the very outside.. then you would be able to overlook the Mandalay Bay beach and lazy river area, though I'm not sure it would have been much of a view either way. I ordered the Grilled Skirt Steak (also referred to as their "marinated skirt steak") based on positive reviews from my fellow Yelpers. For $24, it's a little pricey for what it is outside of Vegas, but it does come with a pretty generous serving of steak. Also comes with tortillas, sides of corn, tomatoes, and baked beans (forgive me if I did not describe them in fancy terms.. if you want that, you can check the menu on their website). The food is delicious and very flavorful, definitely characteristic of "upscale Mexican." My girlfriend got the Duck Tacos at $19, which comes with the same sides of corn, tomatoes, and baked beans. The duck tacos are relatively small, but I did get a taste of the duck and it was very good. My girlfriend didn't think they were anything special, but she is definitely more food snob than I (sorry babe, but it's true!). If this review were just up to the food, I would give Border Grill 4 stars. However, service was NOT good. Our waitress was just never around, and that alone can shift the mood of the dining experience drastically. The waitress took our order while we continued to look over the drink menu, but was then never to be seen again until after our food came out. Because of this, we never got to order our drinks. And guess what, she never checked on us again until we were done eating. And damnit, the restaurant was not even busy!! Because of lackluster service and $1 for regular water (what, you couldn't throw free water with a $50 lunch?), I am giving Border Grill 3 stars. If service had been just average, I'd of given Border Grill 4 stars. And if service was excellent, 4.5 (nice atmosphere). Check out my photos for pics of the food.
(3)Melanie K.
Okay, I admit I wanted to try Border Grill because I have a girl-crush on Mary-Sue Milliken. Now it's our go-to Mexican place when we're craving South of the Border flavors in Vegas. After a long-ish trek past all the other restaurants and convention areas in the Mandalay Bay is the colorful and tasteful Border Grill. The margaritas are great and a pitcher goes quickly. The chips and three salsas are quite tasty... And now on to the real stuff! My sister swears the steak she ordered at Border Grill was one of the best she's ever had. And she's had a lot of steak. My mom's half chicken? Moist and flavorful. My kobe beef tacos were delicious. The carnitas were a bit dry, but the flavor was good. We were too full for dessert. The staff - from the host to the servers to the busboy - were a delight.
(4)Lauren G.
We recently hit up Ciudad (Susan Feniger's DTLA restaurant) and felt it was imperative we try Border Grill the restaurant before we meet the food truck bearing the same name. Got hooked up on Restaurants.com for a wickedly good deal. Check before you go anywhere new! Located inside Mandalay Bay, all the way on the remote ass side by the convention center and the pool, is Border Grill. Sorta feels like a reject location since you pass like 18 sub-par restaurants on the way there. Anyway...we sat on the patio despite it being 100+ degrees at 7:30 pm. They have the biggest ceiling fan in the world (it seems) and the patio faces Mandalay's pool so if they're having a concert, you can hear it for free AND enjoy your food! Service was amazing from the waitress (Thank you Alicia!) down to the busboys/water people. Basically Border Grill offers fancified Mexican/Central/South American foods...a slight fusion if you wish. I HAD to order the Sweet Tea Vodka Arnold Palmer drink. They make their own lemonade AND infused vodka with black tea leaves?! Delicious. We snacked on fresh (and perfectly crunchy) chips with three different types of salsa. We ordered guacamole as our appetizer not anticipating we would be getting more appetizers with our meal. Guacamole was perfectly seasoned, no sour cream or mayo or whatever some places put in it...just perfect. We probably ate 3 baskets of chips. Chose the Top Chef prix fixe dinner. Basically it comes with a preset trio appetizer and your choice of any entree and any dessert on the entire menu, including specials. MOST excellent! Appetizer Trio- Sweet corn tamal, Beef Brisket taquito and a black bean+plantain+cheese empanada. Almost full at this point but so eagerly anticipating my Pistachio crusted Ahi with Poblano risotto that I actually have the foresight to save room! I was kinda wary about the pistachio tuna but thought it was so out of the box for me that it couldn't possibly be ruined. And it wasn't. The only thing was that they stressed that the tuna would be lightly seared, but I received it fully cooked through, possibly even slightly overdone. But somehow it maintained its moisture and it was incredibly delicious. Banana flan. As if flan could be better? Wow...somehow I found room for this in my stretched-thin stomach. Beautiful meal.
(5)Donald G.
I went to Border Grill the 1/30, but was full from House of Blues earlier in the day. This probably had an affect on my review, but nonetheless. Ordered: Ice Water- Nice touch.. they pour it from a bottle. Felt very classy! Tortilla Soup - What the hell is this. I don't believe its $9 ! I rather have Campbells soup than your Tortilla Soup. It must have came from a can! Chips w/ Guacamole- mmm-Good! The Chips are complimentary and you have to pay for the Guac, but it's totally worth it! However, if you do not favor chucks of white onion; I must advice you to stay away. The soup killed it for me. I'll be back to review this place one day when I'm hungry and I have no choice, but to eat here (this will never happen).
(2)Jenny A.
Great location overlooking the pool and the food was good! A little pricey for how basic the meals were, but nothing above the norm for the M.Bay.
(3)Jacqueline B.
I love unique flavor combinations that are not overpowering. Most of the dishes have a unique ingredient that gives it a new twist, without taking over the traditional base. My favorite dish by far here is the Baja Ceviche. It inspires me to make my own ceviche at home every time i have it. A delicate blend of fish, shrimp, red onions, tomato, avocado and a fresh cilantro sauce drizzled over. My other favorites from prior visits are the empanadas and the sweet green mini tamales. Last night I had the chicken poblano enchiladas. Let me say I have been craving green enchiladas for about 6 months. I loved the chicken filling and loved the addition of thinly sliced portobello mushrooms, corn, nopal and poblano on top, BUT there was WAY too much Green sauce, drowning some of the awesome flavors. Would have been much better with a drizzling of the green sauce and the addition of some melted white cheese. After all it can't be great enchiladas without lots of cheese. My husband had the carnitas, which were delicious. Again unique ingredients added a twist, bacon, citrus and a bed of polenta underneath. His flour tortilla was the yummy authentic type. My other favorite last night was the CABO RITA, mmmmmm, pear puree in a margarita made with fresh lime juice and agave, versus sweet and sour and triple sec. One of the best margaritas I've ever had. Sadly the service SUCKED. Our waitress never once came to check on us. We had to wave her, or the busboy down every time we needed something. It even took 20 minutes just to get and process the check and we had to ask 3 times to move it along. Also, sadly, when we made the reservation, they promised a pool view booth which was not available when we got there. there was a front pool view table, which we said we would take, but it was "reserved" to make a big table for a future reservation. When we left, it was occupied by another couple, not a big table. Being lied to doesn't make the guest feel appreciated. Had it not been for the service and the over abundance of green sauce, and the slight overprices, I would rate 5 stars. The awesomeness of the Ceviche and the Margarita, raise it from 3 stars to 4. If you like unique tastes, I would still recommend. The night was capped beautifully by a fun shopping excursion at my stores, Misura, Paradiso and Ruby Blue near the valet entrance!
(4)Angela D.
I didn't know Susan Feniger was at Mandalay!! I saw her face plastered on the wall next to Hubert and Rick advertising their restaurants at the hotel. Decided to go to her restaurant to try it out. Seated outside and served freshly made chips and salsas. YUM. The tomatillo salsa is sooo good! Opted for the Machaca Chilaquiles off the Brunch Menu. The machaca was perfect. Flavors melded well together. They forgot to bring out our pastries and fruits (comes with Brunch) but then I told our server and she packed them up so I could take to-go. Our server was Jaime. She was really nice but overall service was slow. Good thing I was on Hawaiian time and didn't care. I was happily basking in the Las Vegas sun :)
(4)Joyce D.
And the academy award for best brunch in Vegas goes to the Border Grill in Mandalay Bay. Absolutely freaking knock-me-over amazing,,,,I kid you not!!! With all the places I checked out in Vegas during my one week stay this was the place that impressed me the most. First off the patio is so cool overlooking the lazy river pool; one of the nicest pools in Vegas btw....perfect breeze, lovely day and fantastic service. It is an all you can eat and there is a long list of tapas from which to choose from. I tried about 3/4's of the list and each one that came out just got better and better. Far too many to mention just try them all you will not be disappointed. My faves were the empanadas, skirt steak and the potato tacos....wow!!! What a refreshing concept to the typical brunch. Check it out; it really was all that and much much more.
(5)Hector G.
"Executive chef. Mike Minor Dropped by the table to ask ,"how was brunch". It was amazing, eclectic, weird, and fabulous. Our waiter, Jeff was accommodating , friendly, and he made our experience one of the best meals ever. Eat it all and let Jeff decide what to serve. Our favorites included the pork belly waffles, the steak and eggs, the peanut butter and jelly biscuit with bacon and jalapeno, brisket in any form, lobster pancakes, in other words everything was great. "
(5)Michelle V.
Not too bad of a spot for decent Mexican food at our hotel. I'm currently staying at Mandalay Bay for the Interop 2010 tradeshow. Our first day on the floor for setup, we stopped here to grab some lunch. Main reason why I'm giving this place 4-Stars? The tortilla chips and salsa they serve before we order our entrees. Mmmmm mmmm yum! Chips were delicious! They had the right amount of salt and crunch to em! I ordered the rock shrimp tacos with jicama slaw. Really really yum, it also came out with red and green rice. I might have to stop by here again for lunch today since it's gonna be another long workday at the booth.
(4)Joe Z.
A little pricey, but amazing food and great service. I reccomend the chicken cuban sandwich. Sit outside, great bartender taking care of you. Try the mojito with kumquats!
(4)Sim S.
Truly a Top Chef Master Showing! Our dining experience started with being promptly sat when we arrived at the podium met by the friendly hostess. We had 3 adults, 1 3 yr. old and a baby and were sat in their downstairs dining room which was our first experience in that location. Couldn't of been happier. Noise level was accommodating (baby didn't wake up) and our 3 yr old was entertained by the crayons and kids menu brought to the table by Las Vegas's Most Friendly Most Knowledgeable Waitress Autumn. She interacted with our 3 yr. old, remembered his name and made us feel like the center of attention throughout the meal. One of the best service staff's I've had the dining pleasure of. One thing I like to do when I dine is start off with "What's the best thing on the menu?" 8 out of 10 you will have the Server "push" either the most expensive dish on the menu or the "catch of the day". This was not the case at all. Autumn recommended we start with the Quinoa Fritters and Peruvian Ceviche. Both were excellent choices and not to be missed. Side note is that today's Peruvian Ceviche used "Ono" so there was a little fishy taste, but we've had this 2x on other occasions and the flavor was on point. In regards to entrees, Autumn recommended the "Chicken Mole" and the "Pescado Veracruzano". I had the Chicken Mole, which might have been the best decision I have made ALL month. The Chicken breast was juicy, the skin crispy, the flavors completely delectable and not overly salty. A HUGE portion as well. Buyer beware if you fill up on their delicious Chips N Gauc. Needless to say, i'll be reheating this tomorrow. Our other two diners both received the Pescado Veracruzano which is pan seared sustainable seasonal fish *tomato * kalamata olive *jalapeño * oregano * white wine garlic broth. They were both thrilled as the Olives were not overpowering and it's more of a soup. This dish's secret weapon is that it's made with a slew of Jalapeno peppers, so if you don't like heat, request without. Our party loves the fire, so the more the merrier. We finished with the "Tres Leches" and the "Banana Cream Pie". Tres Leches (three milk) was super sweet and a great touch to finish the meal. I would recommend ordering a strong espresso to go with this. Overall, can't wait to go back. One of the best dining experiences in a long time and with food and service like this, a true pleasure and tip of the hat to Chef Susan and Chef Mary Sue. Visited March 2013
(4)Sam K.
My girlfriend and I wanted to try this place every time we walked by. We ended up feeling a bit hungry in between meals (we were going to go from 1-9PM without eating) so we dropped in for a snack. We had a tuna something that was the special for the week. I'm not a big tuna fan, but it was pretty decent. The dessert was great, though. We ordered the bread pudding, also a special. It wasn't like any other bread pudding I've ever had. Definitely a lot more cinnamon present in the preparation. I was also glad that it didn't have raisins! All in all, a pretty good choice for a quick snack. I can't wait to go to have a full meal. If this visit was indicative of the level of service and quality of food, the full meal should be wonderful.
(4)Laura G.
WHOO HOO - another Top Chef Master restaurant to try. I loved Susan Feniger on the show - her food looked inventive. Stopped for a quick lunch - had the steak salad and my husband had the Plantain Empanadas and Green Corn Tamales. The chips and salsa were a bit too good, should have not eaten so many! The corn tamales were fresh and delicious. The steak Salad was delicious - I really tried to only pick out the steak because I ate too many chips.....cooked perfectly and flavorful. The Empanadas were not only delicious but we took some back to our room and ate them later that night - Never had anything like them, they were like a dessert. I will have to go back (to the Santa Monica location) and try some of the Steak Tacos. I don't typically LOVE Mexican food but I love this style of Mexican food. It's cleaner and flavorful. Wish I could exert better self control with the chips and salsa....
(4)Regina C.
The five of us decided to come here for a lunch get together before one of our friend leaves to Hawaii. Chips and 3 types of salsa: Man hold up! Green salsa in my cup! I usually shy away from green salsa since it is usually tasteless. Not here...we ask for more. Green Salsa: 5 stars Guacamole ($9)-Nothing special. Just plain guac. I like guac with sundried tomatoes. 2 stars Green Corn Tamales ($10)-I thought the tamalito was the bomb, this is super yummy too! I made this appetizer my entree!!! It came with a side of sour cream and pico de gallo, but I didn't even need it. Plain is good for me!! 5 stars!!! Duo Ceviche ($15)-two types of ceviche, baja and peruvian on one plate, but they share one thing in common...PLAIN. 2 stars Achiote Chicken Caesar Salad ($15)-chicken was juicy. 3 stars Spicy Shrimp Tacos ($19)-chipotle shrimp...but my friend expressed that it tasted like butt cheeks. She hated it. I tasted it and even though I don't know what butt cheeks taste like, I know that I won't be eating anymore of this shrimp. She gave it 1 star Machaca Chilaquiles-brisket, crispy tortilla chips, cheese, eggs, onions, roasted peppers, all mixed together in a pile. Because this is brunch, my friend got a plate of fresh fruit, cream cheese pastry and a sticky bun. He gave this 5 stars. I agree. Service was wonderful, but as you can see, the number of stars given to each particular dish fluctuates.
(3)Naomi R.
Had dinner before a concert. Food was delicious. As a party, we had enchiladas, ceviche, tortilla soup, tamales and bacon wrapped dates. All of it was exceptional. The service was friendly, the waiter recommended awesome drinks, dinner was served quickly and it was in the mid-price range compared to other restaurants at Mandalay. Planning on taking the hubby back for date night!
(5)Rachel H.
The best brunch you could ask for in Las Vegas. It's a tapas style, all-you-can-eat brunch, with many delicious small plates to choose from. Each weekend also has a secret dish of the day, so make sure to ask about it. And you definitely can't go wrong with $5 bottomless mimosas. I honestly haven't had one bad brunch dish yet! My top favorites: Short Rib Hash & Eggs, Bacon Jalapeno PBJ and Biscuit & Sausage Gravy.
(5)Lisa Y.
We were really excited to try the Border Grill. When we arrived, we were seated promptly with a reservation on a busy Saturday night. That's when it went downhill. We ordered our appetizers right away with our drinks, but 45 minutes went by before we actually got them. Our appetizers were soggy - you could just tell everything had been sitting. We were too hungry to send it back, especially since we had no idea how long it would take the second time. The plantain empanadas tasted good, and I enjoyed the spice of the quinoa fritters. Which I suppose at one point were crispy. Our entrees had also been sitting, and arrived right as our appetizers were being cleared, resulting in our having no silverware. Everything had sort of started to congeal together. Unable to flag anyone down I had to resort to taking utensils off of another table. The pork special had very nice flavors, and my husband inhaled his chicken mole. The salad that accompanied the mole was quite tasty! I think the food would be good if delivered promptly but I would not return due to the service. Maybe eating over in the bar would be better.
(2)William K.
03/17/12 BRUNCH. I haven't reviewed BGLV before this? I'm surprised. We went almost every Wed night that Mary Sue was competing in "Top Chef Masters" last year. Sat in the bar with other fans, ate/drank for 1-2 hours, it was great fun. Great staff, bartenders, waitresses. We, spouse and I, are ANCIENT foodies, and have known the "2 Hot Tamales", Mary Sue and Susan, since they started off in a storefront and only using hot plates, along Melrose Blvd back in the early 80s in LA. I experienced all of their iterations in the culinary world, most especially City Restaurant. I miss City. And Ciudad. I love Street, and try to return there when I can, when visiting LA. But you know what is the best thing about THIS Border Grill, the Las Vegas location? The man they have in charge at the stoves, Executive Chef Mike Minor. Every time we dine there, his dishes are simply wonderful. Well, last year they introduced Brunch at BGLV. We thought it really good, but needing a few changes. Even Mike, who is in charge of the Brunch dishes, admitted that we visited too early, and should return later in the year. Well, the Brunch is only from March until October. We missed his changes. (If we had tons of money, we would have returned, and quite often.) Well, THIS time around, today, it was a very different menu, and EVERY DISH was astounding. I split dishes with my spouse, and we tried as many as possible, but couldn't get thru half the menu, still going home feeling like pythons after consuming an antelope. But MAN, what we ate! I don't even need to mention the dishes. EVERY DISH was just sublime. (But the shrimp and grits, those I could eat all day long.) And the $5 bottomless mimosas were great, too, with a huge selection of variations, with things like blood orange juice, pomegranate, etc. So try the Brunch. You will NOT be disappointed. It's normally $29.99 pp, but as BG LV VIP card holders we got a one-time half-off offer thru the email, ending Mar 25. Look into that, if you are a local Nevadan. But believe me, even without a discount, we WILL return this year, especially if we have friends visiting LV to introduce to this Brunch.
(5)Doug M.
Wonderful food. So very fresh and great service. Chicken mole is the best and the boar special was amazing. Came after catching a show (MJ-ONE) and enjoyed the border experience menu option. App, entree, and desert. Great value. Would recommend to anyone.
(5)Aja B.
What a waste of 50 bucks. I gave it 3 stars because the pineapple/vanilla infused margarita was A-mazing. Got the fritters and tortilla soup. Both were mediocre at best. Was still hungry but decided two strike outs was enough for 1 night (well 3 if you count the skinny margarita), so we left.
(3)Christina S.
Average unauthentic Mexican. Went for lunch from convention and was ok. Would be a rip off for a real meal. No way for dinner. There is not much nearby from the convention center and the service stinks. Too many tables that they are really slow in taking your order or bringing food.
(2)Kourtney L.
When I saw the menu I wanted to walk out. I hate places that cook with fruit in dinner dishes. I stuck through it and so glad I did. My service was impeccable, the food was amazing and the view outside was to die for. I thought it was overpriced for mexican though.
(4)Kristen S.
Met my colleagues for lunch here after my flight. I love the outside seating, and I will say this was some of the nicest service I've ever experienced. From the host to the waitress, everyone was phenomenal. Was a little concerned about gluten cross contamination, so I had the caesar salad without croutons. This is my old standby, and it was delicious! Everything had a nice presentation as well.
(4)Katherine S.
Yum yum Mexican food!!! This restaurant has officially ruined me for quesadillas and tamales. They were SO good that everything else from now on is going to taste sub par. The sweet corn tamales and citrus quesadillas were absolutely incredible. Guacamole is also a must.
(4)Teigan L.
I loved the Adobada Pork Chop! Always ask your waiter what their fave dish is, everywhere you go. We did that here and ended up with the best meal of our lives. The pork chop is served with a sauce over it and I can't remember what it was, but I would drink it if it came in a glass. I dipped the side of spinach in it and altogether the flavors worked well. A little pricey, but well worth it!
(5)love lv f.
Met a college buddy today for lunch at the bar! He ordered the shrimp tacos, I did the fish. We then traded each other one. This fish was moist, topped with a nice slaw and creamy guacamole. The shrimp, a bit spicy but tasty. They too had a nice slaw topping. Both were served with black beans, a cilantro rice and spanish rice. Both rices were very flavorful. Speaking of flavor, the trio of sauces and chips they serve you before hand are delicious. The green sauce... I could drink by the gallon! Service was great and quick... Definitely a place to reccommend to friends who are staying at Mandalay Bay. For locals, its not the easiet place to get into...
(4)Diane C.
Came here for dinner last Friday and it's so improved from last time! Everything was PERFECT! From the staff to the drinks to the food, it was all superb! First of all, Rachel (our waitress) Chris and Destiny were all attentive and very helpful. We had the following... Guacamole with chips and salsa Ribeye Empanadas Chile Relleno Ahi Tar Tar Blood Orange Ginger Margaritas Vodka B----- (can't recall the name but so refreshing) :-) Everything was perfect. I am salivating every time I think of the Tuna Tar Tar and that yummy green sauce it was served with. Although this was the best meal we had in a long time and we were stuffed, we decided to finish it off with Tres Leches. I never had anything that good. I will absolutely be back here every time I am back in Vegas. I highly recommend the Border Grill for anyone that wants a great meal and service. They have seating inside and outside and it's equally good for groups as it is for romantic dinners. Thank you Border Grill for a GREAT experience! Keep up the GREAT work!!! :-)
(5)Tamie S.
I love watching cooking shows. I had just moved to Las Vegas and my friend took me to Border Grill. Everything I had from the beans, rice, and Shrimp were beyond over cooked. I am from Houston and I grew up on Mexican food. I have been all over Mexico and I have Hispancis in my professionan that can cook better. I then went to a convention for healthcare and we once again met at Border Grill. Every appertizer was not good. They served some thick, thick, pastey that was not good and filled with serval different iems. If I was the one paying for this I would demand my money back.
(1)K S.
Two words...don't go! I was so excited to try this place because of the chef/owners. I've seen them on many culinary shows and they seem to cook really yummy stuff. CLEARLY they don't check in on this place and they should. Giving a one star is generous as I don't have the zero star option. We started with a margarita, which was not good at all. My husband got a mojito and it was un drinkable. In fact, we sent it back three times. Finally the manger, Ryan, came by the table with the fourth one, which was only passable. When he inquired about our food we told him it was mediocre at best and he seemed shocked and only replied really maybe three or four times...he didn't seem interested in righting the situation. We stopped after we had their chorizo fondito, which was lackluster - banal and boring. We also had their signature appetizer dish - the tamale was unlike any I've had - not held together and cloyingly sweet. The empanada on the plate was okay and the chicken app was beyond tasteless. Needless to say I didn't waste my calories on it. Alas, it was a chip and salsa lunch. And, well folks, they weren't good either....sadness! I say these two need to hire someone who has their best interests in mind to manage this place.
(1)Laura A.
The drinks were good. Try the sangria margarita, my favorite. The food, while decent, does not coincide with the higher price point. The Yucatan pork was dry, the fish tacos were not flaky melt in your mouth. The best thing about Border Grill was the staff and the outdoor seating. The hostess was pleasant and the waiter was attentive and very helpful giving menu recommendations. The outdoor seating was pleasant and blocked from the Vegas sun and wind. I would have given Border Grill a higher review if the food price was more in line with the food quality compared to other Vegas restaurants. Go for drinks and apps when they offer a brunch or lunch special (which is frequently).
(2)Steph B.
I loved my meal but not the service so I'll focus on the lunch. I ordered the Yucatan Pork plate and was thoroughly impressed. While we were waiting to be seated a woman already eating said, "this is the worst Mexican food I've ever had." Considering the location and reputation of the chef I thought that was a little overly dramatic and possibly overstated but it still made me concerned. Anyway the menu was full of standards--quesadillas and taco options--but I wanted to have something that required enough effort that the chef couldn't just mindlessly throw it together so I chose the Yucatan Pork. It was a business lunch so I was concerned that the portion would be a little much but I went for it and so did the gentleman seated next to me (a former bball player built like a lineman, so my portion question remained). The pork was tender, fall apart, melt in your mouth good and season perfectly. The mountain of pork was more than enough and so distracting that the tasteless tortilla accompaniment was unnecessary and unmissed. A side of sweet plantains with a bit of crunch was excellent! I considered taking my table mates portion since they weren't of interest to him but kept some form of etiquette and decorum. I'm not sure what the concoction was but the black bean paste on the side was another great edition with the cheese and rice. Ignore the mile long trek through the restaurant to be seated outside on a freezing Vegas afternoon, and the young "too busy for you" waitstaff and I would go back specifically for this dish!
(4)Maura O.
My favorite entree here is the grilled skirt steak ($27). The steak is so flavorful, mine was cooked perfectly. The combination of flavors with the corn relish and black beans in that soft, handmade tortilla is just amazing...makes my mouth water just thinking about it :) It was even better with some of the guacamole that we ordered as a starter. My husband had the chicken mole, which he said was delicious as well. Our server was wonderful, she recommended the black cherry mojito and the sparkling white peach lemonade, both of which were amazing! They even brought us a complimentary dessert for my husband's birthday...the pineapple upside down cake served warm with pineapple ice cream...we devoured this dessert! The only misses that I've had here were during a lunch visit: the Yucatan Pork (mainly because I didn't like the orange flavor in the pork, too sweet for me), and the green corn tamales (also because it was sweeter than I expected). We used a restaurant.com gift certificate, which made our dinner fairly reasonable for the strip. I can't wait to come back for their weekend brunch!
(5)Punam K.
I'm not even going to talk about the costs. I know I go to Vegas to spend money (or someone else's money). If I didn't want to I should stay home. Moving on. Even though there were some vegetarian options on the menu, it was mostly cheese based. We ordered several dishes. It really didnt look like anything was made at the restaurant. Some of the items tasted like they were from a heat and eat box. Their deserts definitely didn't taste fresh. Sure other people may like the food, I personally do not prefer it. There's a cantina up the strip I find a lot better than this place.
(1)Karl S.
Best place we ate at in Vegas this trip. Nice ambiance. Food was delicious, Imaginative menu. Nice interpretation of traditional fare. Prices no more or less than what you'll find in Vegas. Wait staff was friendly, attentive and quick with recommendations.
(5)Houssam A.
I was served some salsa (3 types) and tortillas when I ordered my dinner. The three salsas served with the tortillas were very good. The prices for the entrees are on the pricy side for a classical Mexican menu. I had the chile relleno. It was good, but not the best I have had. The staff was great, and service was fast.
(3)Michelle Z.
We had to try this place since we were staying at the Mandalay Bay AND because I'm a big fan of Top Chef:) It was great authentic Mexican food. Authentic as in what you would get in an upscale restaurant in Mexico. We loved it. Can't wait to go back.
(5)Sara S.
I would give this place 3.5 stars. If you are at the Mandalay and in the mood for Mexican, this is the place to go. My favorite thing is the chips and salsa. they bring out 3 different types of homemade salsa -- the green one was my personal favorite. They are all mild, but you can ask them for a spicer one they have in the back. I ordered beef taquitos. they were good, but loved the black beans and rice that came with the meal. I would definitely come back, but feel its a bit pricey for what you get.
(3)Michele G.
Ah the Yucatan Pork dish. How far I've traveled just to eat you. (Boston.) Well, while not entirely true, I did make Border Grill the first stop on our gluttonous trip through Vegas, and my friends agreed that it was delicious. The guacamole is also not to missed. Our waiter may have been a sociopath with a bright future in sales, as my group all succumbed to his recommendations -- and were not disappointed.
(4)Anita W.
I ate at this restaurant three times because it was close to the conference center in the Mandalay Bay and was good at avoiding an allergen (milk). I loved the homemade green salsa that was heavy on lime, and I liked the chicken burrito, pork tacos, and shrimp salad entrées I had. I also liked the outdoor seating by the pool. The pomegranate limeade was weak. The food was more nouveau Southwest than true Mexican, but still good.
(3)Heather P.
I think that everything was a bit over priced. We sat out by the open air that overlooked the pool and that was nice.
(2)Ty D.
I came to Border Grill with no expectations: I was staying in Vegas with my fiancee and had unexpectedly run into my brothers (who are always looking for an excuse to come from L.A. and gamble). No one was in the mood for anything too fancy, and one of my brothers is a vegan, so we searched around online until we found a spot that had the potential to make everyone happy. Mission accomplished, Border Grill. Everything you could want in a Mexican restaurant was here: friendly service, a wide variety of quality margaritas, great salsas and guacamole, and entrees that were inventive yet at the same time familiar (in a good way). Everyone, including the vegan, came away happy, which is no mean feat with such a picky group. I definitely would eat here again and look forward to trying some of the other locations.
(4)Mary S.
I'm a Chicago native and know a heck a lot about good food; however, most of food here was very disappointing. Was a dinner treat and felt that $300 was a waste to be blown for our table. The fish in the fish tacos was so bland and had too much onion that it was an overkill. Pretty much could have eaten a handful of red onion and that was what the fish tacos were like. The $30 fish based soup wasn't as good either. I would rate Taco Bell or even Del taco way better just solely on their soft tacos. Salsas were bland that just the store bought salsa molcajate would fare way better. I think the best food was the Oaxaca steak dish that the table next to us had. Lets just say my eyes got a better deal than my mouth. Just looking at theirs seemed tastier than what majority of us on our table were putting in our mouths. Please save your time and money by finding the nearest chipotle or Roberto's.
(1)B W.
Went here based on good yelp reviews, really disappointed. It Has a "mall restaurant" feel to it. Full windows, but it is designed with a large wall blocking the entire patio/window- why??? Hard wooden chair that make you sit at an awkward angle.One pitcher of margaritas was $70. The mole dish was not mole, still trying to figure that one out. The queso appetizer was good, but my taquitos were literally being burped up the whole night. Only way I can describe the waitress is "snobby". She repeatedly told us it was a "celebrity chef" restaurant. who cares?? I just want good food. Bill for four, was $240, and food was mediocre at best. Will NEVER return.
(1)Steven D.
I have not had anything else on their regular menu, but anytime my friends are visiting Vegas and it is a Sunday, I bring them to brunch here. The small tapas are all absolutely perfect. Great portions, the flavors are all there. My favorite dishes are the Yucatan eggs Benedict, and the shrimp and grits. All for a a 30 dollar per person. Also if you are a local 15% is awesome. when I have the money and time this is there i go for brunch.
(5)C K.
Hoping for the best..started out good..Margarita's were good..Guacamole was great! Then our entrees came..sorry.. but they were terrible. Chicken enchilada's & Beef short rib enchilada's. Won't go back..to many other places in Vegas to visit.
(2)Christopher G.
Great atmosphere, excellent customer service, the food is delicious. This restaurant is not your average mexican food restaurant.
(4)Henry L.
My girlfriend had a conference at Mandalay Bay and we made reservations for lunch at Border. The place was filled and glad we made the reservation. We started with the Guacamole. It was a hit. She had a carne asada quesadilla. The steaks were grilled perfectly and was the best quesadilla she ever had. She pair the quesadilla with a tasty margarita. I went with Yucatan Pork Tacos. The pork was fork tender. The pickled habernero onions were not hot. Of course, nothing was spicy after our Thai meal the night before. Overall, this might be the second best restaurant we had in Vegas. Definitely, ranked very high in our list. We like it more than Mesa. Sorry Bobby Flay but imho, Mary Sue Milliken won this throw down.
(5)Jen W.
i love chef susan feniger...i love watching her on top chef masters...and i love that she is a strong lesbian in high ranking in the culinary world. we need more of you chef feniger!!! this was our last foodie stop on our trip before we headed out to the airport...and my oh my, we weren't disappointed with our experience. we were 45 minutes late for our reservation. we called to let them know but instead of having a cow, they sat us right away when we got there, with a smile...stating that she was saving a table for us. woowee...and i thought we were going to get yelled at. haha. anyhoo, if you want water, they charge you 50 cents each person. they don't serve tap water here...so don't be surprised when you see that extra charge on your check! so we started off with the ceviche duo..wifey and i were split on that dish. i loved the orange habanero ceviche while she liked the baja ceviche better. both were extremely refreshing and hit the palate like WOW. oh! wifey also ordered a watermelon lemonade...DELISH!!! for our entrees, wifey had the mexicana breakfast off the brunch menu...and i had the grilled skirt steak and eggs...also off the brunch menu. these items go for 19.99 and include a side of fruit and pastries. both of our dishes were cooked PERFECTLY...so freakin perfectly that even the eggs were delicious! and seriously, how often do you hear people say that their eggs are delicious? the tortilla that came with my dish was definitely homemade...the best tortilla i have ever had! BUT...the best item i had at border grill today...was the GUAVA CREAM EMPANADA. yes! you heard me right...fresh out of the oven...they were apparently a little behind on pastries so this item came out towards the end of our meal. (btw, the service was just average...but good enough to not dock any stars) saved the best for last right? everything about it was perfect...the flakiness...the creaminess of the hmm...cream? and the flavor...omg...the guava just took over my taste buds! i've never had anything like it before...and sadly, i must go all the way back to vegas to have it again...sigh. wonderful...everything was just wonderful...i can't compare border grill to any other mexican place i've eaten at...it's just some serious gourmet mexican food that is untouchable...i can't wait to go back!!!
(5)Rob M.
You can get in and out for about $40 per person for dinner. Not bad for a solid meal in Las Vegas. A relative value. Order the chicken poblana enchiladas. Eating this made me wonder why mushrooms and creme sauce are not employed more often in enchiladas. Overall, it was excellent. Importantly, nothing was too spicy. And that's really saying something since I am a lightweight.
(4)John S.
Had a 12:30 reservation for brunch. This place was great! Tapas (small plate) style all you can eat brunch! Rachel was our server,she was great! AMAZING service and great suggestions. A manager even touched the table to inquire how everything was! Never had to ask for anything! All in all A+++ to staff,management,and owners!
(5)Robert H.
We had a party of 8 for a bachelor party Friday night. What a great time we all had. The service was extremely attentive and fun. The food was very good and everyone loved their margaritas. Would totally recommend this place.
(4)Christina S.
Topline: Go for Brunch if you like (hence the name) border style Mexican breakfast foods. You won't be disappointed, and due to the way it's served, you can get all you can eat without worrying about the previous guess sneezing on your eggs. Would have never tried it due to location, but got a comp to eat at Border Grill Brunch in Mandalay. It's not a "buffet" brunch, but a tapas all you can eat for $29.99 and you can add all you can drink Mimosas for $5 (of various flavors), where they bring you tiny little plates of some of the tastiest Baja/Northern Mexican breakfast food I've ever had. Not to be missed were the Chilaquiles, the Plantain Empanada, and the Short Rib Hash and Egg. I live in Seattle, but miss the food I used to get at hole in the wall places readily in San Diego and Los Angeles. This comes mighty close, and the outdoor patio overlooks the pool area which can make for some...amusing...people watching. WARNING: This is Cali/Zona border. This is not Tex Mex. I read so many reviews saying things like "Lack of BBQ" or "Not really Mexican". Mexico has regional cuisine, just like the US or any other land mass. Just because it's not what "YOU" consider to be border food or Mexcian food, doesn't mean it isn't... Baja is not the same as Gulf. Yucutan is not the same as Oaxacan. This is more of the NorthWestern/Baja Mexican. Go in knowing that, and you'll be fine! I may have stumbled upon it due to a comp as a first timer, but from here on out, it'll be the one "lock" on all my future Vegas trips.
(5)Lily F.
After a long day of travel & convention set-up I was hungry & looking for some yummy eats. After an underwhelming culinary experience at the last hotel I stayed at (um a Toby Keith tribute bar is all you got? Really?) it was a pleasant change of pace to be in s hotel with multiple options. I initially chose BG because I was thinking chips & a margarita would be the ultimate treat but after perusing the menu I settled on a black cherry mojito instead. The chips were amazing & crisp and I never once regretted my decision to sit on the patio. It overlooks the Mandalay Beach and the sight of palm trees, desert sky & a warm breeze was awesome. My drink arrived and didn't disappoint: slightly sweet syrup + fizz + mint = delicious! I decided on the grilled fish tacos and they arrived less than 10 minutes after I ordered, a definite plus since I was starving. The tacos themselves were delicious, the fish wasn't oily, the veggies were fresh and it was all topped off with a creamy sauce. I picked at the slightly underdone rice and suspiciously black as night beans and luckily had kept the chip basket to keep munching as I ate dinner. Staff was friendly & very accomodating, my server was nice and offered her suggestions (hello mojito!) to make for a very enjoyable meal. I never felt abandoned or neglected & for those who dine solo this can sometimes be an issue. Thanks for a nice evening Vegas I'll never go back to that faux country western music video hell again!
(4)Violet G.
We came here for lunch and used a restaurant.com coupon. With the coupon, the prices seemed ok, but the menu prices are high for the quality of the food. I live in California, where we have access to tons of Mexican and "Mexican," so perhaps that colored my opinion. We ordered the quinoa fritters, which were a little oily but had a great flavor. My husband and I split an order of three tacos and sides (you can mix from the tacos listed on the menu, which was a nice way to sample more). We had the avocado (ok, kind of dry), the carnitas (pretty good, not exceptional), and the chicken panucho (extremely oily, no real flavor). This came with beans and rice (red and green), which were ok. This was easily enough for the two of us to share. Our dining companions ordered the three tacos (shrimp and Yucatan pork were both deemed "good," can't remember the third) and the Border Classics (chicken panuchos and some tamales and empanadas), which was also "good." There is a .50 charge for water, which I thought was odd; it included still or sparkling water. Service was very good.
(2)Alex G.
Everything was outstanding with our visit to Border Grill. Read about this in Vegas magazine and was so happy we decided to go here. My girlfriend was really looking for a good meal with lots of flavor and this didn't disappoint. We walked from the Wynn to Mandalay Bay to take in Las Vegas on our last night, so definitely worked up an appetite. The margaritas were very clean and crisp with a hint of spice and paired great with the ceviche sampler that we started with. After we demolished the delicious starter, we moved on to entrees - she had the Chicken Mole Verde and I went with the Yucatan Pork. Both were incredibly filling and so very flavorful. The Chicken was succulent and the pork was just delicious. We had eaten enough that we didn't dare eat dessert and ended up taking some of our entrees home with us. The wait staff topped off the experience by being involved, friendly and attentive. Would highly recommend and plan to go there again when in Vegas.
(5)Kathleen L.
Horrible Food, Excellent Service. Food served ice cold.
(3)Adam M.
Being from San Diego I never want to go to Mexican restaurants while traveling cause they are never as good as at home but I was impressed with how good this place is. Excellent service too
(4)Sara T.
I absolutely love Border Grill. It is one of my favorite restaurants on the strip. I especially love their weekend Border Brunch! With unlimited mimosa and all you can eat small plates, this restaurant is a must visit when in Vegas. Chef Mike's Bacon Jalapeno PBJ, Yucatan Egg Benedict and Churro Tot's are to die for! They have an outdoor patio and bar area that is perfect during the summer. Overlooking the Mandalay Bay pool, it always feels like you are on vacation!
(4)Jason E.
Overpriced and Overrated. This was some of the most boring Mexican food I've ever had and on top of it I paid too much. We ate here for New Years and did not do the prix fixe. The chips were good, but overall the salsa was boring. One of them was smoked, which has a really good taste to it. The $14 Cadillac Margarita, was weak and tasted like it was mixed with Lemon-Lime Gatorade and crap tequila. Couldn't even taste the Grand Marnier that was allegedly included. For the meal, I had the skirt steak. It came out lukewarm at best and was undercoooked (I ordered medium) but I ate it anyways. Not impressed, the meat was nice and tender but also pretty tasteless. If you're looking for good Mexi in Vegas, get off the strip and head down to Viva Michoacan in Henderson for some good food.
(2)Darren B.
For $18+ avg per plate I would expect above average food. The food was VERY disappointing. Quantities were small, not enough for an adult. Kids food was dry and tough. Service was good. Guacamole was okay. Salsa was decent.
(2)Carsten S.
so i read a lot about this place. it was supposed to be one of the best mexican places in LV. at least on the strip. i will say the service was good but i use service really only if it was exceptional or miserable, or if it was good or bad as influence if i am not sure about the food. to me food is the main indicator for a rating. and the food here was just not that good. it was more calimex or tex-mex but not mex-mex. but to be honest it was mostly salt-mex. because every dish was way too salty. in that price range there are way better restaurants in LV and for good mexican it might be better to get away from the strip.
(2)Deanna G.
I came here last week while on vacation in Vegas and thought this place was great! The restaurant design was really nice. I came here for lunch but there was hardly anyone there. I think it gets busier for dinner time. Well I got the Yucatan Pork dish and it was so good. Never like anything I had. I immediately scarfed the whole thing down which kind of made me a little sick later, but that was my fault. Well worth it. I wish we could have came back here one last time before I left, but I'm glad to know that there is two locations in California. One in Downtown Los Angeles and the other in Santa Monica. Can't wait to try the other locations.
(5)Mayur A.
What a lucky treat, we got here on Meatless Monday, I highly recommend this option for vegetarians. The service was excellent, deep knowledge of the food and preparation. I had the Molitas (off the menu) which was the highlight for me, great smokey flavor in the sauce and greens, anchoring a portobello mushroom entree. Another standout was the plantain empanada, part of the appetizer sampler along with quinoa fritters. This place was a little out of the way and it wasn't as cheap as I expected .... but was well worth it.
(5)SacTown G.
Their homemade tortillas are OFF THE HOOK good! Just come for drinks and apps and you'll love it. A marg, some guac and some of the fresh tortillas (corn and flour). Yum! We had a late/light lunch there today. Beans, rice, tortillas and also some friend plantains (WOW!). Our #1 place when we go to Vegas.
(5)Tyson Y.
I went here on a Sunday morning for brunch with my wife. We found out that the brunch menu is actually sort of tapas style- it was around 25 bucks per person but you could get unlimited of any of the brunch items. This was pretty fun because we got to try smaller portions of more plates. I tried the Huevo Ranchero, Green Corn Tamale, Potato Rajas Taco, Coconut French Toast, and Cinnamon Apple Pancakes. They sound sort of strange to combine those items in the same meal, but it worked out fine. I liked the Huevo Ranchero and the Coconut French Toast the best (even though the french toast tasted more like the sauteed bananas than coconut). The Green Corn Tamale was pretty cool - it is very sweet. Overall it was fun trying everything- I wasn't blown away by the tastes of these vegetarian dishes...but they were pretty good (though i'll pass on the apple pancakes if i go again). It was a fun little experience and nice to try something other than a buffet in Vegas
(4)Edward D.
If you have the power to write what every you want with out any recourse. You need to be responsible. I am still learning this, just because I don't like something. Doesn't mean someone else won't like it! After posting a 1-star review on Border Grill, their management messaged me and asked for me to come back again. They were willing to make it right. When a restaurant is reaching out and trying to make right. You have to give it to them. Now I did tell them, I probably will not go back. Because I am rarely at the Mandalay Bay! But I did appreciate the offer! So! I am going to add another star, I am still not impressed with their food, and we might have been their on a bad day for them. That does happen!
(2)Nadiyah S.
Got the chicken enchiladas and they were mushy and gross. We also had the brunch tapas which were OK. The whole in the wall Mexican joints I go to are ten times better than this place. Not coming back.
(2)irina b.
Was there for workers compensation convention in November week before thanksgiving. Party of four. We had a one hour lunch break. Ordered food that came in 1.5 hours. Food was cold and stale. Will never go back!
(1)David P.
My experience at Border Grill was, in a word, underwhelming. I ordered the Chicken Poblano Enchiladas. The biggest problem was the sauce. Presentation wise the dish is very inviting but I've never tasted a more bland and hotless sauce. I am told the anejo margaritas were amazing, but at $15 a pop I guess they should be. I guess that is the rub. For 4 people we got out for $160, and I just wasn't feeling it. You want the blandest Mexican food you've ever had? This is the place for you!!
(2)Kiesha R.
Very good sangria margaritas, and chips and salsas are tasty. I found the food to be good, but if you're looking for what Californians traditionally consider to be Mexican food, you may be thrown off. For example, I had beef brisket taquitos with a pineapple pico de gallo, refried black beans, and a red and green rice. My husband had some sort of pork in plantain leaves. So, definitely not your typical taco/burrito/quesadilla joint. That said, I think they're going for a more upscale vibe the likes of spots like Rosa Mexicano in NYC. While the food fits, the atmosphere is off for such a place, as there's no denying you're in a Vegas food court.
(3)Stephanie S.
Sooooo super disappointed with my meal. I've watched the Two Hot Tamales on TV for years, when you could only find them on PBS. So I was pretty excited to have a chance to dine at one of their restaurants. My first issue was with the property itself - there's no restroom in the restaurant. I only wanted to wash my hands so it was more than inconvenient to trek down a flight of stairs to do so (out in the casino). At a minimum, they should have a sanitizer dispenser available. I just hope the staff has some place more convenient for frequent hand washing. Gross. Then the service was just so-so. I had one single refill during my meal and I had to ask for it! Even then, the waitress took another 'forever' to honor my request. She came up just as I was heading to the bar to get it myself. All of that could have been forgiven had the food been remotely intriguing. But it wasn't. The guacamole had some funky twangy creamy action going on. We trued doctoring it with the tomatillo sauce. My friend's grilled fish tacos were over cooked and served on some stale tortillas. Other flavors leaned towards bland. Our other companion had to salt his carnitas. Turns out, he paid dearly for his selection. He spent much of the night on the throne. My chicken quesadillas were just 'meh'. I've had better Mexican/Tex-Mex at chains. I don't expect much from those and in comparison- easily get better. Really disappointing.
(2)Kota U.
This place is so sick. Our servers summer and Tim were awesome! 5 stars for sure for the brunch.
(5)Dawn Q.
I had my birthday dinner here last Thursday night. It was amazing! The food, the service, the timing. Everything was perfect. I had a party of 24 and this was the one restaurant (out of 15) that was happy to accommodate my party with an open menu, no service charge and no table minimum. Thank you very much and of course we will be back!
(5)Karla A.
Not good the dessert was really bad ! The food was ok nothing g memorable .. Only good thing about this place is customer service! Won't go again
(2)Nicole S.
So had dinner here before going to see the lion king. wanted to try it because I was a fan of mary sue on top chef masters. Great decor in the restaurant, and our waiter was very friendly and helpful when it came to making decisions on food. The food was very tasty and good portion size. Great place for dinner and def recommend the skirt steak.
(5)Joshua M.
Visited Border Grill for a breakfast event and was treated to some delicious food to start the day. From I recall I tried Peruvian Shrimp and Grits, Bread Pudding French Toast, and my favorite was the Bacon Jalapeño PBJ, Nice location inside Mandalay Bay and look forward to coming back again for their Sunday Brunch.
(4)Amanda M.
I was hoping that I would like this place more, but the food was not what I would expect from the Two Hot Tamales. To start, my house margarita was just how I like it, lots of fresh lime and a little salt, and they brought out warm chips and a trio of salsas. I may have filled up on chips while waiting for our food, but most of it failed to impress. The sweet corn tamal was certainly not like my husband's abuela used to make, but the flavor really reminded me of a corn pudding casserole that my grandma makes for special occasions. Her's involves cans of creamed corn and a roux that is cooked in a microwave; the rest is a family secret. The chile relleno was OK, but lacking in some areas. The batter was soggy rather than crispy and the cheese medley just didn't have that oozing, melted quality that every good relleno needs. The beans on the side were bland, and the red and green rices provided more color than flavor. However, the biggest offense here was something labeled on the menu as "Peruvian ceviche." It beared no resemblance to any ceviche I've ever seen a Peruvian make, even appearing to contain mayonnaise?! The plate was messy, and my husband was unhappy. If you want to be bashed by my husband for eternity, serve him a bad ceviche. Worse yet, throw some watercress and orange segments on the plate, so I can laugh at the poorly planned garnish. Our dessert was a simple plate of flan with 3 pieces of strawberry. I'm delighted to say that the flan was perfect: rich, dense, and creamy with a nice dark caramel flavor. My husband commented that this was the only dish he'd think about coming back for. It was not filled with air bubbles from overbaking, as many restaurants tend to serve it. Overcooked flan makes me want to cry. I can't say much for Border Grill, but at least the meal started and ended on positive notes.
(3)Gary O.
I ended up eating lunch here and I must say I was pleasantly surprised. The food was extremely fresh with great flavors. The salsa and chips are made on site and were really good. I also got the guacamole which was good but it was a bit small but I cannot complain since it was reasonably priced. I had the Yucatan Pork tacos which were incredible and full of flavor. I would love to go back another time to try their dinner menu. Overall, it was a pleasant dining experience with a very helpful wait staff!
(4)Johnny W.
Pricey. Carnitas were fantastic and the guacamole was exceptional. Margaritas were watered down and my girlfriends fish tacos were dry. Mexican restaurants should have better drinks than this.
(2)Paul P.
Border Brunch... this combines 2 things that I love the most.. delicious Mexican Food and Breakfast. There is no way you can go wrong with this plan. The cost of the brunch is $25 and it is "all you can eat" but none of it is buffet style, instead they have created 17 items that are all tapas sized so that you can try any number of them and share them with your dining partners. The server mentioned that you could amp up the brunch with all you could drink mimosa's for only $5 more but we did not partake, this time ;-). The brunch is served downstairs on the patio that is located next to Mandalay Beach so when the weather is perfect like it was this past weekend you can enjoy the elements and the food. Every brunch starts off with the Chips & Salsa Trio.. all 3 salsas are great but the tomatillo is PERFECT. I wish I had read the review telling me to ask for the spicy salsa but I will save that surprise for my next visit. We shared the following dishes: Huevo Ranchero - Not my favorite dish, there was something about about the sauce that I wasn't fond of. BUT, the next item was great... Breakfast Enchilada - This is not your typical rolled enchilada but it is a stacked version that was delicious. I would order this one again. Coconut French Toast - This was the biggest surprise of the brunch. The coconut was not overpowering and the sourdough bread was perfectly cooked. Biscuit and Sausage Gravy - Not much "Mexican" about this dish but the sausage gravy was great and the buttermilk corn biscuit was yummy. Mini Breakfast Burrito, Chorizo and Egg Taco and the Carne Asada Taco - All were very good. Machaca Chilaquiles - This was my FAVORITE dish of the day. I could have eaten a full sized order of this or multiple small sized portions. Chilaquiles is something that I am always on the look out for and once you add amazing beef brisket you get a dish that you will remember forever. Overall the atmosphere, food and service were great and I would go back for this brunch anytime. If you are in Vegas or come to Vegas and don't try this brunch you might possibly regret it for the rest of your life...
(5)Tasha I.
Recently visited Border Grill for lunch due to it's close proximity to the Mandalay Bay Convention Center. Overall, the food was good. I ordered the grilled fish tacos and while good, they really were not anything special. The service was great though and the bar area had nice ambiance. I wouldn't go out of my way to dine here again but definitely one of the better places near the Convention Center if that is where you find yourself :)
(3)Tina C.
The food was good but not good enough for more than 3 stars. The best dish was the steak. They make fantastic chips and salsa though. The fish tacos was really good. They give 3 large pieces of perfectly battered fried fish. The yucatan pork was flavorful but some of my pork pieces were dry and hard. The server was exceptional.
(3)Ali O.
Very nice place with good crab nachos. ( had never had those before) also excellent peach lemonade!
(4)Edward H.
Underwhelming! First of all, you have to get past all the cardboard cutouts of Mary Sue Milliken about how wonderful the restaurant is because she was on Top Chef. Frankly, the place is overrated for the food quality at their prices. Beware of any house specialty drinks, because they gouge you for higher prices in smaller glasses and frankly one gets bored with how many ways to drink a margarita. I had their specialty Yucatan Pork, which I sent back because it was too dry to eat, and it took a LOT of negotiations with the server to remove it from the bill, although they did later. They came back and told me the Kitchen said it was perfect - - - every time I watch Top Chef and if the customer isn't happy, then why in the hell argue with me? We sat on the enclosed balcony which was a little cold, although they had heaters. However all the servers used the doors closest to the table which were seated and each time they entered and exited, cold wind blew in. I asked the Servers if they could use the doors on the other side of the wall where no one was seated so that the cold air would not blow on us, but they would not. The Server did her best to comfort us, and it took THREE attempts to get a hot cup of decaf coffee and all I heard about was excuses. When I did get a hot cup of coffee the cream was spoiled and curdled in the coffee. So would I return? No. Top Chef? Yeah right. The restaurant doesn't practice what it preaches. With the quality of restaurants in Vegas, and those I haven't had the opportunity to eat at, I would rather try something new then come back again. I find it extremely arrogant to make a play off Top Chef when it doesn't live up to its name.
(2)Alexander L.
First let me say that my wife and I got married in the Wedding Chapel next door to the Border Grill in Sept 2010 and had our reception lunch at the Border Grill right afterwards. We just went back to Las Vegas and we had to have dinner at the Border Grill because we didn't have a chance to appreciate the food with all of the post-wedding excitement. The service was superb! From our greeting, to our waitress, to the gentleman that took our plates, poured our water, and brought us tortilla chips. Friendly, warm and genuine people. The food was perfect. I ordered the fish tacos and my wife ordered the Kobe tacos. I have never had such fresh and well-seasoned fish tacos anywhere and my wife's Kobe tacos were incredibly tasty. I also ordered a Blood Orange Margarita and I wish that I could have another...just sitting here...man was that good. The atmosphere was relaxing and soothing, the staff was attentive but not overbearing, it was just a perfect experience and the highlight of our Las Vegas dining experience. I would highly recommend the Border Grill to anyone that is a fan of refined Mexican cuisine. You are in for a surprise.
(5)Sandy N.
Border Grill is a must when visiting Las Vegas. Reservations are recommended especially during holidays and conventions. The restaurant is clean and services excellent. At the top of our list of must have's are the Grilled Skirt Steak and their Shrimp entree (don't remember the name). The steak is cooked to perfection and the shrimp are always tender, never over cooked or over spiced. If you are like me too much salt is a bad thing. The Chef will not add salt to your dish if you ask. No problems there. The three sample salsa & chip dish they give you is the best. The guacamole is also a must have. Always fresh and tasty.
(4)Kellee K.
Border Grill's chips were excellent, two of the four salsas were good; we requested hot and we like the tomatillo. Our $49 meal deal from travelzoo came with house margaritas that weren't very good. We had an appetizer platter (chosen for us) to start. It had taquitos, empanadas, and sweet corn tamale. The taquitos were the best, we only wished we had known they were coming because my husband ordered the entree so he was stuck with more of the same. I had beer battered fish tacos which were tasty. I liked that they lacked the creamy slaw that so many places like to add. For dessert, we shared Tres Leche cake. It was drier than those I've had before, but still good. Service was attentive, but the overall meal was just ok. I'm glad we got it at a discount, but I see no reason to return.
(3)Mihir P.
My friend and I had drinks on the patio. Our waitress was very sweet. We were given chips and salsa. Sadly the chips were thick, hard and cold. I wanted no part of them. It was a nice time until I got shat on by a bird - minus one star. We got our check and they charged us for water!!!!! WTF?
(2)Jen H.
Went here for lunch with coworkers and everyone really enjoyed it. I think it is a great place for lunch and wouldn't mind going back for dinner.
(4)Erin R.
On my latest trip to Las Vegas I stayed in THEhotel and ended up going to Border Grill 3 times. It is just that good. If you are staying at Mandalay Bay or THEhotel you HAVE to go to Border Grill. Prices are decent especially for Vegas and the food is delicious. I have never had something I didn't like. My favorite was the brunch tapas menu. For a set price (I think it was $20 for brunch plus $5 for mimosas) you get unlimited tapas and mimosas. The tapas menu had about 20 items on it and everyone I had was amazing. I was so full I had to stop. The plantain empanada, mini burito, and Machaca Chilaquiles were particularly amazing. My mouth is watering thinking about them. The service was also amazing. We had a group of 10 and it was very fast even with the large group. There is both indoor and outdoor seating. Overall the food is inventive and delicious. If you are in Las Vegas you should definitely try Border Grill especially for the brunch. AMAZING!
(5)Shawn B.
I wish I could give this place 41/2 stars. I was here recently and on a previous visit to Vegas in 2010. I like the restaurant overall. The first time I was here I thought the food was really good and the patio was nice. This year they were filming a commercial inside, the patio was sort of crowded, and there were some loud large groups out there. The food was good and the banana cream pie is a real winner for dessert. The service was adequate, but the server seemed a little, off ,in terms of timing. Last year the service was excellent.
(4)Henry V.
What a great meal we just enjoyed at the Border Grill in Mandalay Bay. We are local to Las Vegas, and like the Border Grill because you can get in and out of the place without having to valet park or use the garage, so its convenient for locals. That is just one of the benefits, the food has always been great but tonight we had a tasting menu and we were very impressed. I had the Fillet and my wife had the scallops as the main course, but the appetizer and deserts were just as amazing. The price is very fair - locals ask about the VIP discount plan. Great enjoyable place. Check it out.
(5)Micki N.
We thoroughly enjoyed our Tasting Dinner at Border Grill LV! The entire team is terrific. Our server was Ryan. His service was as delightful as his British accent. One of the managers, Melanie, also came to our table. During our visit, she said she loves her job and it definitely showed. Chef Juan came out to chat with us numerous times during the 8 courses. We loved them all...from the Smoked Brisket Taquitos with layers of flavors and the plantain empanadas that were crispy on the edges and sweet inside...to the Surf & Turf with Kobe beef. What a special treat!!! We also appreciated the beautiful presentation of the Steelhead salmon placed atop sautéed greens on one side and the mashed potatoes with whimsical tortilla strips on the other. (The tortilla chips looked like candles in the mashed potatoes.) For dessert, the carrot cake with passionfruit puree was scrumptious but we just had to take that home so as to not explode right there in the restaurant. My husband is a teaching chef and I am often his sous chef. As such, we know our foods. The Tasting Menu at Border Grill is a flavorful gourmet experience. Come hungry because although the servings are small, you will be stuffed at the end. Bon Appetit!
(5)Ty D.
I've been wanting to try the Border Grill in LA for the longest time. But I was in Las Vegas for the weekend staying at Mandalay Bay, and there was a Border Grill at the Mandalay! So me and my friends decided to give it a try. I'm not a Vegas person at all since I don't like to gamble. So I was just there for the pool, drinks and food! Susan Feniger of the Two Hot Tamales is the mastermind of Border Grill. I've heard a lot of great things about it, so I was very excited to try it out! We started out with the Cadillac margaritas and guacamole and chips. I like my margaritas on the rocks no salt. The waiter delivered mine with salt. No biggie, I just wiped the salt away. The guacamole was okay. It was a bit on the creamy side for my taste. I prefer guacamole on the chunky side. One of my friends just loved the guac. I decided to order one of the specials for the evening, which was highly recommended by our waiter. It was tuna encrusted with pistachio served over a pobalno risotto topped with a jicama slaw. My other two friends ordered the chile relleno and the pork slowly cooked in banana leaves. The tuna was way overcooked. So overcooked that it was dry. The waiter when explaining the special said it was cooked medium (slightly pink). The risotto was also a big disappointment. Some parts seemed like it wasn't cooked enough. My dish was a big disappointment. Also, my meal wish lukewarm at best. It seemed like it was sitting out for a while. I should've returned it after the first bite but I didn't since I had a second cadillac margarita to wash it down. My friend's meals were way better than mine. The chile relleno was very good. But I thought the best meal was the pork slowly cooked in banana leaves. It was cooked perfectly and great flavor. For dessert we shared the empanadas stuffed with dark chocolate, milk chocolate, and white chocolate. And we also shared the homemade ice cream, a scoop of vanilla bean, and a scoop of kahlua chip. The dessert was the best part of the meal for me, unfortunately. I really wanted to love Border Grill. But my tuna special was a big disappointment. I may give it a second try...this time checking out the LA restaurant.
(3)Ken A.
Stopped in last summer for a late lunch (3:00 ish) and was impressed by the generous portions and the outstanding service. I wanted to try a few different taco offerings that are sold in 3s by the plate. Our server suggested that I pick 3 to try and he would combine them as one choice. I also had some black beans and rice, guac, homemade chips and salsa. It was very good. Our server answered any and all questions we had regarding the food, the restaurant and the Good for the Planet operation that they tout. He was extremely knowlegable and friendly. I wasn't sure what to expect from the Border Grill, but was impressed with the entire experience and will return to try the dinner menu.
(4)Michael C.
Still some issues at the front of the house. My friend and I came in with reservations at 9 pm and were seated promptly. The runner came out with water and chips, and that concluded the timely part of the service. We sat there for fifteen minutes and filled up on a whole lotta chips. We ordered the guacamole which was good, I personally prefer less lime in my sauce but I can see how somebody would like more. After discussing the menu items, evaluation of the probability of a downgrade of U.S. debt, outlining all of the eventualities of a default, and analysis of the political barriers towards a deal, the server took our drink orders. Her claim was that she had two sections to cover because somebody was out for the night. I am a little skeptical since there were several servers working and a management call to simply give one person two sections seems unreasonable. The food, however, was outstanding like the last time I was here. The server upsold me on the tuna tartare on chips as an appetizer; delicious, but the tuna ought to be cut into fine pieces - I had to take the tuna down in one hefty bite. My other complaint is that $14 for two loaded chips is comparable to my earlier experience at T&T, needless to say, not the best deal. I had the short ribs as an entree, it was mixed in a smoky and sweet cayenne sauce over a bed of corn polenta, I definitely didn't leave hungry nor unsatisfied. I also tried my friend's quesadilla, the blue cheese and mushrooms are a nice twist on a staple dish. The tres leches cake was decent, not too interesting, but alright if you need to finish on a sweet note.
(4)Minzi T.
We stay at THE Hotel about 99.9% of the time we go to Vegas. On the last night, we always eat here. The 1st couple of times we came to Border Grill, it was not a hit. They remodeled the interior, tweaked the menu, and we are hooked. My drink of choice has been the watermelon lemonade. It is not the same as the 1st few times I got it. It was a very slushy watermelon drink, like put a watermelon in the blender, add some lemonade and voila. Its more watered down now which is unfortunate but I've been getting this with a shot of patron silver in it, and I really like it. My husband usually gets the fish tacos, you can get beer battered or grilled or both. He goes between the both. I like the kobe beef tacos. They have a habanero salsa you can ask for. Its not one of the 3 they bring out. Its VERY good, but very hot. I highly recommend everyone try this. We usually sit in the bar. The service is great, its just a little more casual, they have 2 TV's set to some type of sports event and I think thats why we're in there. If we have the kids, we're in the restaurant, but just us : Eating in the bar. Good menu. Good drinks. Check it out.
(5)Lesley C.
When I'm in Vegas Border Grill (inside the Mandalay Bay) is one of my favorite places to eat, which is why I am so surprised by it's rating. The food, service and atmosphere are all fantastic. In my opinion, whoever gave this place less than four stars doesn't know what great Mexican food tastes like and should stick to chain restaurants like El Toritos. The staff at BG is amazing. Everyone is friendly and welcoming from the moment you check in. We love to sit in Jamie's section because she is friendly, very attentive and full of energy. She is also very knowledgeable about the menu and how the items are prepared. She goes above and beyond to make sure we are happy. We never feel rushed or pushed to leave so that they can turn the table. That's rare at most restaurants in Vegas. When you first arrive at your table you are welcomed with a basket of fresh homemade tortilla chip and a trio of homemade salsas. Its a great way to start your evening. I love to order the guacamole as well. Its chunky, thick and simply delicious. As far as drinks are concerned, I have tried many of them and have yet to be unhappy with a single one. The selection of mixed drinks are fabulous. I am, however, a big fan of the red sangria. Its just the right mix of wine and juice and it goes well with the chips and guacamole. If you are in the mood to try a Border Grill culinary feast then I highly recommend you order the Ultimate Border Grill Experience. You get a trio of appetizers, an entree of your choice, and then a dessert of your choice. You really cant go wrong with this deal! My ABSOLUTE favorite dish on the menu is the BBQ beef short ribs. They are wickedly delicious and mouth watering good. The ribs are so tender that they fall apart and melt in your mouth. The BBQ sauce has just enough kick to it, but isn't overpowering. The ribs are served atop a creamy corn polenta that is to die for. I sometimes crave the dish... which, I must say, is worth driving to Vegas for. Dessert is my thing and honestly you can't go wrong with any of the desserts on the menu. I have tried many of them and I haven't been disappointed yet. Border Grill is definitely worth going to while in Vegas!!
(5)Kristina M.
I really enjoyed this restaurant! Best restaurant in Mandalay bay. The service was impeccable and the atmosphere is great. There is outside seating and indoor seating area. The guacamole was fantastic! Worth the extra cost. I would highly recommend it. The tamales were wonderful. I got the green corn ones and they were sweet, moist and omg--- delicious! The fish taco meal was perfect size. Not too much food but definitely would fill you up. The fish was very flaky and tender. The carnitas were tender and extremely flavorful. The sides completed the meat with and outstanding hand made flour tortilla. The dessert was----- WONDERFUL. We tried the tres leches
(5)Monica M.
We ate here our second night in Vegas after suffering through the first night eating at RM Seafood (also located in Mandalay Bay). I had the skirt steak which was excellent! Very tender and marinated in garlic, cilantro, cumin and lime. My fiance and I shared the Tres Leches for dessert. yummy! Reasonably priced and excellent service! We felt completely ripped off after eating at RM Seafood the night before so we were very happy to receive the level of customer service you'd expect in Las Vegas. Looking forward to going back and eating here again!
(5)Mike P.
The wife and I went to Border Grill a few days ago with a Restaurant.com $25 gift certificate. The restaurant was pleasant and the servers very welcoming and friendly. We ordered plantain and black bean empanadas to share for an appetizer. These were really delicious, you could really taste the plantains. I could sit on my sofa at home and eat thirty of these things. For the main course, I ordered the Carnitas which were tasty, though I would have preferred them in Tacos. I know I was taking a little risk ordering differently from usual. The carnitas came with some small, fluffy tortillas and a variety of fixin's - pico de gallo (which was a little sour), a slaw of some sort, guacamole, and a little salad of chopped red onion and cilantro. Overall it was very good, though I'd probably order more in line with my usual preferences next time. My wife had the Mushroom Mulita which she enjoyed very much, although I'll let her go into that in greater detail when she writes her own review. We had enjoyed our experience here so much that we were tempted into dessert. Something I really like about Border Grill is they let you get half slices of two of the dessert options for $9 as an alternative to a whole slice of one of them for $8. This lets you try two different things. We went with the Flourless Chocolate Truffle Cake - absolutely melt-in-your-mouth incredible, and the Pastel Rufina, a sort of cream cheese cake in puff pastry and topped with profiterole-like objects. This came accompanied with an attractively arranged display of fresh berries. The Pastel Rufina, even for a half slice, was enormous and we couldn't finish the thing between the two of us. I'd hate to have to finish off a full sized slice! While Border Grill is a little on the expensive side, the restaurant.com coupon really brings it down into the realms of casual affordability. The food here is prepared with a deft hand and is really delicious. I can't wait to try the lunch options!
(5)Lisa C.
Good good and mmmm good. Was in Vegas for a trade show and came here for a sit at the bar order a few things and share kind of lunch. DEEEELISH!! Guacamole was delicious, as were the carne asada quesadillas and ceviche and the steak salad OMG all sooo goood!! If your idea of great Mexican is Rosa the rip off Mexicano then get ready for a wonderful treat. If you are staying at the Mandalay Bay or at The Hotel and you want to throwdown some great Mexican ... totally hit Border Grill. YUM!
(4)Honest R.
Great service, incredible food, very memorable! Executive Chef personally visited each table and provided a personal touch to our dining experience. Highly recommended to all dining enthusiasts!
(5)Jenna M.
Great atmosphere and customer service... This restaurants best selling points. food was only ok - priced way to high for what you get.
(2)Carrie D.
I am not quite sure how you can justify charging $25 for a plate of mediocre tacos, or $29 for a large margarita... Don't get me wrong, I am a big fan of Ciudad in Los Angeles. I have a special place in my heart for the "Two Hot Tamales." But seriously, the Border Grill in Vegas is highway robbery. In a city where there is so much good food, and cheap food, and good cheap food, it is insane to waste your time and money here.Go elsewhere for some good cheap food and then get a football or the Eiffel tower filled with margaritas for $5
(1)Lindsay L.
Wondering around Mandalay while a little lost and hungover and encountered Border Grill for brunch. The hostess seems a little confused about what the plan was since we wasn't selling it over well. Once we figured out what the deal was, I was very exicted to eat there. For $25 (or $30 with bubbles), you got to order from a Mexican style tapas menu with about 20 items. It's also an all you can eat set up, so you can taste as many of the items on the menu as possible. The same hostess tried to seat us at the worse table in the restaurant - a 2 top right by the kitchen door. I asked if we could set anyplace else and she seems confused (again). Luckily we got a larger table and everything went pretty smooth after that. For some reason our waitor was held up somewhere and the manager came over to explain. I'm glad that we ended up with the waitor that we did because she was friendly and did a great job. We also tried a couple of their cocktails. Since some of the other people mentioned that water issue - here is my take. We were charged $1 for two waters and they must make their own water because it comes in special containers and tastes much softer. Nothing like a $100 breakfast for two!
(4)j k.
Great place for delicious mexican food. I had lunch here today and have had dinner here about 3 or 4 times even before Susan Feniger was on Top Chef Masters but now I have a better idea of why the food is so good! I had the shrimp fajita tacos on their specials menu. Delicious! The shrimp were so juicy with a hint of spice. We also had the pork tacos which were also amazing. The pork is cooked for 3-4 hours which makes it very tender. We also had the chicken enchiladas and fish tacos. If you like spicy ask for the diablo sauce which is a habanero salsa. The specialty drinks are dangerously good. Sometimes they have the pozole soup on special which is amazing. Pretty much if you are craving anything mexican, you can't go wrong here!
(4)Alan L.
Came here for lunch one day and ordered tacos for lunch. The tacos themselves were just ok nothng too spectacular. The sides (rice and beans) were dry and i didnt care for them all that much. The chips and salsa that get were sadly probably the high point of the meal. For the price, this place is a bit over priced. I had hopes for this restaurant but was disappointed.
(2)Shauna B.
Went back tonight for dinner with some good friends and it was delicious!!! We started with the Baja Ceviche and the Scallops with Peruvian potatoes for our appetizers. I had the Chicken Tinga Empanadas which I loved. My friends had the fish tacos and corn tamales. We all left very full and extremely satisfied. The servers were wonderful, always there to refill our drinks and see how we were doing even though it was a busy Saturday night. I would recommend this place to locals as well as visitors to Las Vegas. I have watched Top Chef Susan Feniger and love that I am able to go to her restaurant here locally. Each time I have gone I have had different selections from the menu and I am never disappointed.
(5)JP G.
Another excellent meal. The scallop special was incredible. The manager Sylvia was extremely friendly and came over to our table to inquired about our meals. The service was excellent espically during a packed house on fight night. Border Grill gets another A+
(5)Jen E.
Unfortunately I have to agree with all of the so-so reviews. My sister and I dined here on a Saturday evening. Although our waiter was quite attentive to us, the meal was just so so for the cost. We ordered the mole chicken and Kobe beef tacos. We like to split things often, so it was great that they did it for us in the kitchen, very appreciated. Both were delicious items, but worth what was charged? No. We had margaritas too, which were quite tasty, however just don't think the whole meal was worth over $100.
(3)John Mark I.
Been here twiceactually - In the summer of 2011, some vendors suggested drinks and dinner here. Fusion TexMex fare. The grilled steak Carne Asada tacos with carmelized onions were good but the sauteed mushrooms were out of this world and were only $6. It was crowded and busy so the staff did their best considering. The Limeade was great. The second one was even better!
(4)M M.
As most everyone has mentioned, me and my family came here because of the "Top Chef Masters" influence. We came in and were immediately seated and treated to delicious chips and salsa. Did I mention that all of the three salsa's had a smokey flavor to them? YUM! The waiter we had was a bit arrogant or was trying to pull off the "we're a high class restaurant" vibe. Oh well, he turned out to be a great asset and offered many suggestions. I always appreciate when someone tells me what I should or should not order. We also ordered the guacamole which was so good. It came with a little salad with some sort of juice (lime). I appreciate when restaurants offer their own spin on a classic dish. In regards to dinner, I ordered the chicken poblano enchiladas. They were amazing. The tortillas were wrapped around the meat so tight which is cool. (I can never get my tortillas to do that at home -- amateur chef that I am). The green sauce was great and was almost sweet but in a good way. My one complaint is that there was so much sauce that I couldn't enjoy it without some chips. No one had refilled our chips and looking back I should have asked for more. All around, a great experience and a place I would come back too when I am in Vegas next.
(4)Jessica P R.
So good. Fresh, quality Mexican food and (by Vegas standards) very inexpensive. The chips and salsas were great. It was different to have a variety of salsa to start the meal. The one thing that really stood out was my entree. I wish I hadn't gorged on the chips and salsas, some guacamole, and an appetizer. The mushroom entree was one of the best things I have ever eaten. Service was good. So was the atmosphere. We ate outside and had a nice view of the lazy river. Anytime I am in a city with a Border Grill, I will go there. What an excellent experience!
(5)Janet C.
I spent a wonder four days in Las Vegas recently after a period of time since my last visit. A friend encouraged me to go to Border Grill saying I would not regret the long walk to get there from the casino I was staying at. I will say Border Grill was my favorite meal while I was there. I had the daily special of the smother pork burrito and I have to say it was the best burrito I have ever had. The pork was extremely tender packed full of flavor. The dish was visually appealing and quite deceiving. ha ha. It is a large portion but you just can not stop eating it. My friend had the fish tacos and I never thought I would like a dish like that but she insisted I try it. To die for!!! I thought the fish was nicely seasoned, crispy and just the right amount of ingredients blended together. I also had the sangria margarita. Yum!!! I am lucky enough to be returning in two weeks for another four days in Vegas and I am definitely going to make border my first meal when I arrive. Fantastic job Border Grill. Nice staff, great food, best view on the patio a must see in my opinion. See you soon.
(5)Derek H.
Stopped in here after visiting the Shark Reef Aquarium. We service was prompt, and the food was excellent. The crab nachos were flavorful, and crispy. The lamb tacos were amazing. I'll definitely be eating here again.
(5)Steve T.
We tried their all-you-can-eat brunch...the dishes were about tapas size but can order as many as you can eat for $27. Everything on the list was great especially the guava empanadas. $5 more will get you endless mimosas. Very authentic...but need to come back and try their lunch and dinner menu.
(4)Heather T.
We had a lovely beer-soaked lunch on the covered patio here last weekend. The chile relleno burger called to me, but I couldn't rightly order a burger at a Mexican place like this. So, I opted for the shrimp tacos and did not regret it. The shrimp were plump, the tacos spicy and the sides of beans and rice were light and fresh. My husband had the chilaquiles, which were amazingly good. We had to physically restrain ourselves around the chips and salsa, and the delightfully oniony guacamole. My only complaint (and the reason for a star loss) is that they charge 50 cents a person for their water. But I didn't learn that from the waiter. He just showed up and started pouring. Nope, the note about the extra charge was buried in tiny print on the menu. I know it's just 50 cents, but a) that adds up over time and b) it's just bad form to sneak stuff like that on people. It would have been nice if the waiter had stated the charge up front and let us decide whether that was okay.
(4)Terri R.
My friend has a VIP club card to this place and, as result, got a 2-for-1 coupon on the weekend brunch today. I can honestly say it was the best deal I've had in a long time, and that was about $18 (including tip) for all-you-can eat food plus mimosas (regular and pomegranate)! The champagne brunch normally goes for $29.99 per person, but we had the VIP hook-up. This is a tapas-style presentation, so you just order to your heart's content--heaven! We had chips and salsa, cinnamon apple pancakes, guava empanadas plaintain empanadas, fresh fruit plates, carne asada tacos, green corn tamales, machaca chilaquiles, chipotle shrimp BLTs, and coconut French toast. Ay yai yai--muy delicioso! The plaintain empanadas were not that great, but I would definitely recommend the green corn tamales, carne asada tacos, and chipotle shrimp BLTs. We sat out on the patio, had great service throughout, and our waitress never blinked an eye when we kept ordering more food and mimosas! I love a great deal on great food and that's what we got today. Buena suerte!
(4)Brandy Z.
Pricey place to eat. ordered Pescado Veracruzano which was pan seared sustainable seasonal fish * tomato * kalamata olive * jalapeño * oregano * white wine garlic broth basically a big bowl of soup carged me 25 dollars for it. didnt even have much seafood. ordered a side of guacamole. chips were pretty good and so was the lime salsa. ordered a margarita also ddnt do much for the alcoholic buzz bill was 56 with tip. Ony good thing about coming here was escaping the crazy mahem of the Rock Roll Marathon crowd that for some reason got jammed up in the Mandalay of 44, 000 people...
(2)Elina T.
Loved this place. Service was first-rate, we sat at the high tops and our server didn't miss a beat. Our food took a while to come so the bartender brought a free round of margaritas without us uttering a word. Given that this was happy hour and the margaritas were already $5, this was a steal. And, the margaritas were great. The highlight of the meal were my husband's beef nachos. Homemade chips, perfectly cooked beef, sweet corn, beans and melted cheese = perfection. I liked my fish tacos too but had to have some of his nachos because they were so good. The Top Chefs did not disappoint!
(5)Ashley L.
Once again my love of Top Chef (masters) drove me to give this place a try. The food is on the more expensive side but we had a deal so it ended up being a great value. We went on a Friday night and was surprised to find only a few occupied tables. The hostess was very friendly and pretty much let us choose our table. She did, however, recommended sitting poolside and in hindsight I think the upstairs patio would have had better ambiance. Nevertheless it was still beautiful and extremely peaceful. The sangria was refreshing and added to the mood. For dinner I ordered the grilled fish tacos with avocado crema. The fish was delicious; very light and fresh. I wasn't a fan of the green rice but it was fine because the meal was also served with a tomato rice. I wouldn't say there was anything extraordinary about this restaurant but I enjoyed my meal and left completely satisfied.
(4)Angelica D.
$30 for the brunch buffet, $5 unlimited mimosas. My favorite from the buffet was the steak and eggs, and the mimosas, delicious. The service was great. And it was a nice place to stop by before going to the Mandalay Bay Aquarium (which is awesome, too).
(4)Allison L.
Three words for you: Brunch; Allyoucaneat; Tapas Did someone say all you can eat brunch tapas?!? We went on a Sunday morning, and the place was surprisingly empty. This was one of the best brunches I've had as it played perfectly to my dislike of commitment / deficit of attention, plus the food was super flavorful, perfectly cooked, etc. Between the 4 of us, we tried almost everything, I think. Table faves included the Chilequiles, Huevos Rancheros, Chorizo and Egg taco, Steak and Egg, Guava Empanada, Yucatan Egg Benedict, and Coconut French Toast (for dessert, of course). So all that is $25 each, and for $5 more, you get bottomless mimosas-- The orange mimosas were boring, but the pomegranate and passion fruit were quite tasty. Our server was great too - had our next mimosas out before the one before it was empty... kept the pace up faster at first, and then slowed down as we got more and more full, attentive but not pressuring. Great atmosphere sitting outside overlooking the Mandalay Bay pool area, too. All around a win - I'm already looking forward to going back!
(5)David S.
They have the best brunch that I have found in Vegas!
(5)Lauren V.
Delicious food, amazing service, great drinks, good vibe.
(5)Brandon H.
For the money I was expecting more service and a more unique taste. I am from Salt Lake City but have also lived in California and Texas and I have eaten more Mexican food from more Mexican restaurants than any other type of quinine. Fred's Mexican in California and Sonora Grill in Ogden Utah are every bit as good if not better than Border Grill and the cost is around a third of what it is at Border Grill. It was obvious to me that when you eat at a restaurant inside of a casino in Vegas you are really paying for convenience and atmosphere, not necessarily a culinary experience. My advice to you if you are reading this review is to save the cash for the shows and gambling, eat at Chilis or any other decent place and then you won't be disappointed.
(3)Vicky T.
I ordered the Spicy Shrimp Tacos, which consisted of three shrimp tacos topped with guacamole and cucumber slaw. The dish included rice and beans, but I opted for rice only. Does anyone else despise menu items that are deceivingly labeled "spicy"? Since when did "spicy" become "not spicy at all"? (insert eye roll here) After some eavesdropping, I learned that you could do a triad of taco options. I would've done shrimp, pork, and carne asada if I overheard that before I ordered. The waitress was friendly, but the hostesses are completely clueless. I stood at the hostess table for a few minutes before they realized I needed a table. Due to the unnecessarily high prices (each plate is at least $15), I'll opt for one of the many other Vegas eateries the next time I'm in town.
(2)Lee R.
While at the conference, this was a convenient place to meet for lunch. The food is ok. The drinks are ok ... but nothing special. If you ask for water, they charge 50 cents a glass. We were surprised.
(3)Robert M.
Brunch. Fun combination of all-one-can-eat for a price situation that one often finds at brunches and ordinary menu ordering with food prepared to order. I'm sure you'll find a litany of descriptions of each of the tapas throughout the reviews here. I was partial to a very delicious rendition of eggs Benedict, with a Yucatan flair. If I could have one of those right now, I'd rather enjoy it. It had good atmosphere and very friendly and congenial service. I would take that brunch for another spin.
(4)Scott K.
Loved eating here. Had a 2 yr and 2 month old in tow for an early dinner. The staff was great in accommodating us. We both had a three course Border Grill experience with yummy plantain empanadas, corn tamales & a taquito. Both of us had the skirt steak which was cooked to order and delicious. The refried black beans were a great addition to the dish. For dessert, we had the Mexican chocolate cake and a puff pastry dish. Both were excellent. Definitely going to eat here next time we are in Vegas!
(5)Amy C.
My favorite place that I ate in the Mandalay Bay! Had the ceviche duo (YUM) and tried the veggie quesadilla (just ok). Service was ok, and the watermelon lemonade blew me out of the water - best lemonade ever!
(4)Christina A.
I had the pleasure of sitting on the patio and it was wonderful. Shaded by trees and seats were comfortable. I love the beef taquitos, the Baja ceviche and the strawberry margarita. Tres leche cake is delicious.
(4)Tanya J.
If you're at the Mandalay Bay Beach and pool, check out Border Grill for some fresh eats. I was most impressed by the way they make their tortilla chips - I haven't had anything like this since Mexico! The drinks are eclectic and the food is gourmet, fresh and healthy. I vegetarian-ized the turkey tostado salad and it was yummy, as were the sweet corn tamales. No blown mind experience here but definitely a nice lunch.
(3)Emily W.
Border Grill is now serving brunch! I love a good breakfast - and they do it right by me. Brunch is served as a tapas menu, perfect for trying a little bit of everything. For $29.95 you can get an 'all you can eat' brunch with champagne - or pomegranate mimosas as I had (delicious, by the way). There is nothing wrong with eating chips and salsa at 10 o'clock in the morning - especially their fresh, homemade varieties Border Grill has to offer, my favorite being the salsa Verde - it is so flavorful. Make sure to ask for the spicy salsa if they don't bring it automatically, it is amazing too. The tapas menu is a great idea to try a bit of everything and not get too full off just one item - the waiter will take about 2-3 orders at a time, and spread the delivery out so you are not overwhelmed with food on the table. With the menu consisting of about 15 or so items, it is perfect for a variety of flavors to start your day. For starters, I had the Eggs Benedict. Now, this is not your average Eggs Benny by any stretch of the imagination. Instead of an English Muffin, they use a light and fluffy biscuit topped with Yucatan pork, a poached egg, fresh Hollandaise sauce and pickled onions. Heaven. Next on the list was Steak and Eggs. I have honestly never ordered this as a breakfast item - so I figured it was time to try it. The tender carne asada was sliced thin, but not too thin, sitting on top of a poblano potato pancake and an egg (over medium for me please) sitting on top. I will never be able to order Steak and Eggs any where else now. I tried the Shrimp BLT - sounds more lunch-y, but hey, where there is shrimp, so am I. The bread was sliced thin, which was great since by this point, I am already starting to get full. Inside lies shrimp, bacon, lettuce and tomatoes, all seasoned to perfection. My friend ordered Coconut French Toast. I am not a French Toast or coconut fan (which is why she ordered it..) Although, it was actually pretty darn good - this consisted of Sourdough bread, coconut syrup and sautéed bananas. Sweet, but not too much, a definite surprise - I might even order it on my own next time. The Green Corn Tamale came out next - and dear Lord - if I could eat this at every meal, I would. Trust me. The presentation is great, part of it is in a tamale 'purse' - the other part served along side sour cream and fresh pico de gallo. Yummy. We also ordered the fresh fruit they were offering on the brunch menu. The fruit was perfectly in season with a drizzle of passion fruit sauce. Oh My. Besides the food being excellent, the service is something that is outstanding as well. Every wait staff member knows the menu inside and out, has great recommendations, and provides a level of service that you will remember almost as much as the food itself. Good customer service will never go out of style, and as far as I am concerned, neither will this Brunch. Border Grill nailed it, again.
(5)Nathan H.
Bought a Restaurant.com coupon to try this place out and Im glad that I did. Great food. Great vibe. Convenient location. Excellent service. About the only thing that I didnt like about the place was the weakness of the specialty drinks. They were actually very disappointing. But other than that, I would recommend to anyone I know to try it out. I know Ill be back again.
(4)Dave N.
First the great review. My second visit here and this one the food was awesome. We had chips and guacamole which was tasty and well made. We had shrimp tacos and yucatan pork tacos both on corn. The shrimp had a nice smoky flavor with some heat and fruit flavor, the pork tacos were cooked well and I could have eaten them all day. But the tacos are small and loaded with taste so you leave feeling sated by taste but not in pain form over eating. Now the bad. As we sat on the balcony a large loud group of hotel media people crowded onto the balcony all around our table talking about lining up shots and ignoring all the customers. Not a warning from the restaurant management or apology from the rude camera crew and snotty on camera people. Food - 100 Management for allowing Thai circus -zero
(4)Lorraine R.
sooooo good!! best flavors. salsas were amazing. mojitos and margaritas best ever!
(5)Michelle S.
Just had dinner here for the first time and loved it. The good was fantastic. So many great menu choices! I can't wait to come back for Sunday brunch.
(4)Lori P.
Ate here on December 16. This was the first stop after checking into our hotel. I always make Border Grill a priority on my Vegas trips and again, I was glad I did. The service was great. They are always so helpful answering questions about the menu and making suggestions. I had the fish tacos and my friend had the special of the day, a pork burrito. They were both excellent. I always get great service and great food at the Border Grill.
(5)A B.
Ok, the all you can eat tapas brunch was the best brunch of my life. Hands down. And I like to brunch, a lot! Each item, each bite, was outstanding and amazing. The mimosas were also good and strong. My husband and I managed to get through about 14 of the tapas items and 3 mimosas each. We had to take a nap after but it was totally worth it! It's a MUST if you like mexican food.
(5)Warren D.
KOBE BEEF TACOS!!!! Melts in your mouth, literally. The tacos came with a pineapple salsa that I didnt think was gonna go good with it but they made the tacos and I usually dont like fruity salsas. Girlfriend got the chicken enchiladas and they werent that hot (good). It had a pablano puree and it wasnt that tasty and didnt go with the enchiladas. The staff was really good and friendly, the server knew a lot about the courses and how they were prepared. Ambiance was, eh. Personally didnt really like it. All in all, I would go again but would be scared to venture the menu and would stick with the kobe beef tacos.
(3)Jessica R.
I come here for the brunch and bottomless mimosas every chance I get. SO DELICIOUS. I usually don't like Mexican food, but this stuff is spectacular. The churro tots are divine.
(5)Denise Hawkins W.
Great place! Loved the patio seating. Candace was the best server in Vegas!! Carne asada tacos were delish.
(5)Courtney A.
Had an amazing lunch today! My friend for the chile relleno and that looked fantastic! I had the short rib enchiladas and oh my goodness...heaven on a plate! So juicy and delicious and I would definitely come back for more. The service was good as well, our waitress was very knowledgable and attentive. All in all...good place!
(4)Mallory R.
Bottomless mimosas with tapas brunch was the perfect way to start our Saturday! Candace was a great server! I have a lot of food allergies and she went above and beyond to make sure I had the best meals that fit my dietary restrictions. This is a spot we will come back to every time we're in Vegas!
(5)Mimi L.
Modern Mexican food by celebrity chefs Mary Sue and Susan Feniger. This hip , urban cantina overlooking the river of Mandalay bay beach, 2 floors of patio dining, main bar area in the front. We were going to shark reef aquarium at Mandalay bay, saw this restaurant on the way, decided to give it a try. Decor: 3.5 Food: 2 Service: 4 View: 4 Total bill for 2 with one margarita: $93 Complimentary chips and salsa: delicious, loved the 3 sauces Soup of the day with bread: not so good Baja Cecivhe: very good , liked the crab, shrimp and fish in it, very flavored Caesar salad with chicken: the chicken was burned, not much Caesar dressing in there, very plain, yuk... Kobe beef tacos: disgusting according to my hubby... The food was bad, the service was great, our waitress was super nice and attentive. The view from our patio table was great, it would be even better in summer. Not impressed by this 2 celebrity chefs, liked this modern Mexican restaurant, but didn't like the food, Americanized Mexican food didn't work for us. :(
(3)Ann S.
Disappointing! Better Mexican food around. The food was kind of bland and lacked flavor
(2)Mario P.
Nice restaurant with a very nice ambience but the food is slightly above par which makes this place fall short because how overly priced it is. I ordered the fish tacos, for 23 bucks I was expecting a larger portion.
(3)Tom S.
We were a bit disappointed. My wife said it was better that last time they ate at the restaurant. For me the atmosphere (inside dining room) was depressing, everything in shades of gray, along with the remote location with little foot traffic kind of lulls you into thinking "I really don't feel like i'm in Vegas anymore...zzz". That said the food is pretty good, the flavors and sauces are sophisticated, as one would expect from the well known chef owners. Beware of the salsas on the table, two of the three were pretty hot, and I typically like spicy food. We noticed a new location for Border Grill in the Forum Mall, this will be an welcome improvement, look forward to trying this location when it's completed. I'll give it another chance.
(3)Jarrod F.
I thought this place was really good. Our table had a bunch of different appetizers and of course drinks. I had some good tequila and ice cold XX; it went perfect with the guacamole and empanadas that i ordered. Keep up the good work and hopefully next time I can try and actually entree.
(4)Orly P.
Interesting that most of the hidden reviews are 1 star reviews. Seriously Yelp? Was here 2 weeks ago and was really looking forward to trying this place but left without trying it due to inconsiderate service. Planned on ordering a few entrées and a couple of their desserts, including the tres leches cake since I have heard much about their food. Came here at 8 PM this evening and asked to be seated with two kids. Hostess told me we could be seated right away and directed me to go to the downstairs dining room. I proceeded to walk down the stairs went to the hostess booth and there was nobody to be found. Waited for a few minutes then went to an employee standing close to the area to ask where we should sit. She shushed me immediately, mid-sentence. I was quite taken aback as I'm not sure why she shushed me. I was not being loud at all and the kids were silent. She then said to me "we're having a wedding" and directed me to go down the hall to where the tables were. I was pretty ticked off at being shushed but grudgingly walk down to where the tables were and stood there for five minutes with nobody acknowledging me. Finally gave up, told the manager what happened and left immediately. The manager said "yeah we're having a wedding", proceeded to ask me if i had a reservation (after i told him what just occurred) and offered to seat me but at that point the damage was done. Walked over to the Subway shop in the Mandalay Bay food court and while the food was mediocre the service was extraordinarily better than my experience at Border Grill. Thanks for making me feel like an unwanted customer. With the amount of restaurants in Vegas, the least you could do is make a new patron feel welcome. And yes, while i understand there was a wedding going on in a separate outside area--not inside--even if it it was the royal wedding itself, you should never ever be rude to a guest. If quietness was a concern, then it is the restaurant's responsibility to rope that area off or maybe don't seat people downstairs if your employees don't want anyone asking them questions. Never again.
(1)Jo-Lene H.
Brunch = amazeballs
(5)Kat L.
If you are looking for a consistently good dining experience, go to Border Grill! I am always pleased with the entire experience.
(5)Heather B.
This place is amazing! I ordered the Grilled Skirt Steak and it was the best steak I have ever had ! The chips and salsa at the beginning of the meal were very addictive as well. Definitely worth a stop if you're in Vegas :)
(5)Roc R.
Seriously the best food ever! I went here 3 times during my work trip and everything I ordered did not fail to amaze me. The service was on point, the environment was super cute, and drinks were yummy! Must try at least once if in the area.
(4)Ebony T.
Im late sorry. I went to Border Grill Vegas back in June but im still drooling over it! The service was great, the waitress was amazing! All you can eat tapas style!!!! what more do you need? Be sure to try everything :) esp Shrimp and Grits, Steak and Eggs, sweet potato pancakes, etc Plus unlimited mimosas!! This place is sure amazingness for brunch
(5)Molly T.
I went for the famed brunch with one of my trusty restaurant.com coupons. Small plates have become just about my favorite thing in Vegas, mostly because I'm gluttonous, but also because I like to try all the different flavors. Brunch seemed to be the best use of my certificate! We were seated immediately overlooking the pools--what a cool view! Our server came by and took drink orders. My friend who was flying out that day ordered bottomless mimosas, and I, her trusty chauffer, went for the minty lime "refresher" that was basically a mojito without booze or simple syrup. It was delicious and its title as a refresher was apt. We ordered a few to start, but the server informed us that he would be sending some things our way as well. We ended up trying nearly every small plate on the menu. Standouts for us were the rajas taco, shrimp and grits, breakfast enchilada, biscuit and gravy, french toast/bread pudding, Oaxacan pancakes, egg benedict, and the fresh fruit with the passion fruit sauce. (I just basically listed the whole menu for good ones. Not so much were the plantain, black bean and cheese empanadas (they were straight up weird) and the jalepeno PBJ (again, weird, and somehow misses the mark). The PBJ was served on a little biscuit with an egg, bacon, peanut butter, jelly, and raw jalepenos. It didn't work for me. When we started ordering, the server asked how we wanted our eggs prepared for egg dishes, and so it was assumed that I wanted an over easy egg for the PBJ--I think maybe scrambled would have worked better? But I wasn't entirely sold on the flavor combination. I deducted a star for the cramped seating on the patio. Every time I moved outside my little box to put on a sweater or stretch my arms, I felt like there was a server or server assistant right behind me. I watched Phineas and Ferb on a girl's cell phone with remarkable clarity two tables away. It was too close and I couldn't imagine being a server there with alllll those plates to get out. They did it all amazingly, though I wish there was a little more space for dining. I want to try the other meals here! I loved the decor inside and it seemed to be a fun place, if off the beaten path of Mandalay Bay.
(4)Kimmy G.
I had an epic four hour long brunch here with my hockey teammates. The restaurant sat us at a table outside where it was just us, which was nice. The staff was very friendly, and the food was good, because we were such a large group they just brought out trays of every single item they had on the brunch menu, and it was a TON of food. You can definitely find something you'll like here. They have a lot of interesting flavors. The Bacon jalapeno pb&j were good, but super heavy. The eggs benedict was popular, and the breakfast fries weren't half bad either. Definitely come hungry. The price is great and they have plenty of room.
(4)BK S.
I've been here many times for its convenience to the Mandalay Bay Convention Center and the gluten free friendly menu. The flavors are wonderful! Today, however, was my last visit. The chef refused to make a dish without a pepper cream garnish. The waiter relayed the chef's response that the enchiladas "must be covered." We asked to substitute his pepper cream with his in-house queso. Our waiter was very apologetic (and embarrassed) when he told us that his chef would not comply. The two people at the table with allergies had to eat elsewhere afterward. We have not had this problem with previous chefs at this location, who altered their set dishes to accommodate our food allergies.
(2)Angela T.
This review is for Sunday brunch menu. Came here on the recommendation of our server from Verandah when we were there for RW. Brunch is my favorite meal, and this was so disappointing. We had a reservation for the patio, which was basically a fully covered seating area with one half of it open, wouldn't exactly call it a patio. The brunch menu is tapas style, all you can eat for $29.99, and you can add bottomless mimosas for $5. There was about 18 items on the menu, and since there was 3 of us we decided to just try everything and go down the menu. Brunch was started with fresh fruit that was drizzled with some kind of mango sauce and also guava empanadas (fresh fruit would have been great without the sauce on top). I started noticing a theme after the first 4 dishes came out. Everything was so sweet and heavily sauced. The Green Corn Tamale was so sweet each of us could only handle two bites, the Mexican Rice Pudding Parfait (I love rice pudding) was so overpowered my the taste of cinnamon it wasn't edible. The Bacon Jalapeno PBJ intrigued me, I am really into wierd food combinations, this was basically Jiffy PB & grape jelly thrown on a biscuit. No points. The Peruvian Shrimp & Grits I was excited about as well, but the grits were stuck together and hard like they had been sitting prepared for awhile. The Yucatan Eggs Benedict had shredded pork, again I we tasted was cinnamon, we asked if there was a mole sauce on it and our waitress said no, it was what the meat was marinated in. I came to the conclusion that the ingredients they use were sub par, so having to marinate the meats to cover the meat is what they do. Pork shouldn't need a lot of added marinate. The only item that the 3 of us actually finished was the Skirt Steak & Egg and the Huevos Rancheros. Pretty bad odds out of 18 dishes. On to the $5 bottomless mimosas, I should have known not to go there, they offered 5 different flavors to add to the champagne, we each tried them and couldn't finish any. I mean I know they aren't serving PJ but rather Korbel....I had the worst headache for the rest of the day after that crap. Have you ever felt so gross and swollen and lethargic after eating a terrible meal? Well this is exactly how I felt. If you're looking for a Spanish style brunch, check out Firefly's brunch.
(1)lien h.
Presentation looks nice but food doesn't taste good, the only thing that we liked was the ceviche, waste of money and calories
(1)Kiki P.
Border Grill in Mandalay Bay is probably one of the better cusines in the Resort. For lunch, I have tried the grilled chicken torta, this is a sandwich which consists of jalapeno bacon, poblano aioli, saint andre cheese, roasted poblano, caramalized onion and avocado. I have also tried several other appetizers such as the chicken quesedillas, sauteed shrimp, empanadas and bacon wrapped dates. All of which are pretty good. I would probably eat here again if I was staying at Mandalay.
(3)ACAP P.
I am a faithful patron of BG and can say it gets better and better each and every single time I have gone! But if you go you MUST ask for server, Carmie. SHE IS THE BEST SERVER I HAVE HAD IN MY ENTIRE LIFE! What a great experience!
(5)Duke C.
Was at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center and instead of eating at the food court, I wanted something a bit better. Border Grill is actually in between the convention center and the casino so decided to check out Vegas's location. The place was pretty packed, thanks to the convention crowds. Originally I wanted to grab a seat at the bar since I was by myself, but Vegas was storming, so the end of the bar was actually wet from water leaking from the roof! Mandalay Bay definitely was showing its age... but I was able to grab a small table at the bar area without waiting thanks to one of the really friendly waitress! I've been the LA's Border Grill a few times, but only for happy hour so I was pretty excited to check out the regular menu. Asked the waiter what his favorite was and went with the Carne Asada Quesedilla. It's essentially their carne asada, with several types of cheeses. It's not the best carne asada I've had, but the beef was good. Quality's good and I like how the tortilla is crunchy. I wish it was cheesier but the pico de gallo and the guac goes very well with the quesedilla! If you want to add rice & beans, it's an additional $4 on top of the $18 for the quesedilla. A little pricey for quesedilla, but the quality's good. Food alone, it probably was a little average, but the service was great, from the waitress that helped me at the beginning, to my server. They definitely need to fix the leaking problem though :P
(4)Shannon S.
Our server was a young guy named Mike S (insert italian name I can't spell) and he was awesome! Very personable and attentive. Made us laugh and put in our orders so that we were never waiting too long for our food and it never piled up on us. We had a group of 4 for brunch and each ordered 5 plates. We were so full by the end but it was totally worth it! Some favorites: shrimp and grits, bacon jalapeño PB&j smoked salmon sliders and the fried tomatillos.
(5)harold b.
Came here for dinner since we were staying in the resort. Ordered the skirt steak nachos & a mojito. I did not care for the nachos but my daughter who wanted them thought they were fine. The Mexican cheeses were not good. Tasted rotten, even though it wasn't! The chips/salsa are quite good. Chips are very fresh. Tomatillo salsa is very refreshing. The mojito was fine. I prob won't eat here again.
(2)Rick D.
Yum. The kobe tacos were great, and the chicken in mole was awesome too.especially the chocolate mole.that was definitely my favorite. Great service in vegas style.would definitely go back.
(4)Diane C.
Enjoyed brunch here today. Unlimited small plates and mimosas. Gave us a chance to try several really unusual but delicious dishes. Every bite was fantastic. And best wait staff ever! Dan was attentive, helpful, super pleasant, and cute . (Looks like Brendan Fraser.)
(5)John S.
Food was good though nothing was remarkable about the experience. Ordered the special oxtail quesadilla which had Huitlacoche - the flavor wasn't really remarkable or memorable. It tasted all right and I'm glad the restaurant strives for sustainable practices. Plenty of other places on the strip to try - probably wouldn't go out of my way to come back.
(3)Michele H.
Restaurant week restaurant two where the food was so good and the portions so big I could barely eat for 24 hours following and took some of my meal home! Lol Manuel was the server and he was great... Very attentive and made great recommendations. I got the skinny mango margarita and it was really good but not enough mango flavor. The tuna ceviche like appetizer was great as the tuna was really fresh and the flavors popped. The date salad had too much lime for me. The seafood enchiladas were great with a fresh slaw on top, very filling and very good. The steak was fatty but the nachos underneath it were gooey and yummy. The whoopie pie dessert was nice and light but the cake was dry without a lot of chocolate flavor. But the horchata cinnamon milk and the caramel that came with it were fabulous... Could have drank a whole glass and the caramel wasnt heavy so added a nice touch for moistness. Definitely enjoyed the meal and saw some other things on the main menu I want to try! As a big top chef fan it was nice to try this place. It isn't near the other Mandalay restaurants so it's easier to park near the convention center than the garage and we sat outside because freezing inside but the fan outside did little to keep us cool. The view of the Mandalay pool at night was really a nice touch though.
(4)Stevie C.
I came to Border Grill while I was on vacation a couple weeks back. I'd found a list of the 10 best brunch spots in Vegas, saw they had one with a Mexican/Spanish influence and booked a reservation. Initially I wanted to come because of the bottomless mimosas but after a very long and trying Friday night instead I ordered a 'refresher.' Note: refreshers are the best hangover helpers around. I was with four other girls and we had the best waitress ever, whose name I wish I could remember! I just remember she had medium length dark brown hair and knew everything about the food. She ordered a few things on the menu for us to get everything started. All in all everything we had was fabulous. We had: churro tots, fruit, home fries, pastor taco, tamale, shrimp and grits, biscuit and gravy, lobster pancake, quesadilla.... and so much more I can't remember. The only thing I wasn't a big fan of were the biscuit and gravy. If you're in Vegas, check it out! This place is definitely worth a trip. Ask to sit on the patio so you can look out on the pool.
(5)Steve G.
It says real Mexican but it wasn't my idea of real Mexican food. Very modern but Mexican fusion would be a better description to me. The food is very good. Would definitely come back. If your looking for a good ol burrito you might look elsewhere.
(4)Duane C.
Didn't think there would be good mexican food in Las Vegas but this place proved me wrong. The drinks were strong which made them worth the price. The mojitos were excellent! Other reviews said get the Tuna Ceviche but the wifey didn't give it her Mexican stamp of approval. She said it was too creamy even though I thought it was pretty good. I had the pork dinner (I can't remember the name) and it was super tender and very flavorful. My only complaint was that the rice was hard. It wasn't too busy when we went and they have indoor and outdoor seating as well as a bar area. The service is good. The price is actually not as high as other restaurants in Vegas but still higher than outside Vegas. Stop by here if you are craving Mexican and are on the southern edge of the Strip.
(5)Vanessa S.
Was shopping in Mandalay Bay with a friend and wanted to grab a bite and we decided on this place. As we approached the hostess, she said they had happy hour at the bar.....SCORE!!!!! 1/2 price margaritas. Wooooo hoooo, me loves me some ritas! We are starting off fantastic. The bartender came over very quickly for our drink order. I ordered the happy hour margarita and in a jiff, he came and delivered. Talk about fast! They barely had time to drop off the complimentary chips and salsa! It was not the best margarita. Maybe its' because I make my own with fresh squeezed lime juice, I make my own simple syrup and I add a Grand Marnier floater. This was lacking. I didnt taste any alcohol at all. Boooooo! We ordered the (me) veggie quesidilla, and my friend the carne asada. The presentation on both was so pretty (see pics). The flavor on the veggie quesidilla was good. I didn't like the "fried"/crunchy feeling of the flour tortilla. I'd ask next time for it just warmed up, but that's me. It reminded me of taco bell and I dont eat there. The guacamole and salsa on the side were very delish. I enjoyed those tremendously. My friend really enjoyed her tacos too. I'm glad I tried, and I might be back, but it's not a "have to" place for me. There is a total divey place (name I can't remember) on Durango and Westside that has great Mexican food. It's worth the drive in my opinion. This place is like most places on the strip, flashy and expensive.
(3)Maddy O.
Really delicious. Really. They were doing a special for $40 where you could order unlimited (!) small sample plates of anything on the menu. Stand-outs for us were Wagyu beef slider, enchiladas, and scallops! Always on the hunt for impressive scallops and these were superb.
(4)Keith A.
Either this is a brainfart moment or someone at yelp is messin' with me. I was sure i posted a review after posting several pics of my eating experience at Border Grill. The gf and I were at a poker party where we met a new foodie friend that gave high praise to the Border Grill weekend Brunch. We decided to give it a try. It costs $29 / person but locals get 15% off. The added champagne option costs a reasonable $5. You order from a special "tapas" menu and the plates are brought to you - all you can eat. We did our best to get through all the options on the menu but not even close. The highlights: The mexican chocolate chip pancakes the churro tots the banana bread french toast The sausage biscuit/gravy The pbjc ( peanut butter jelly and bacon ) - AWESOME Shrimp and grits - AWESOME Chicken enchilada ( the sauce was amazing) mexican eggs Benedict Ok : The sweet corn tamales the short rib hash ( will be much better if served with an over easy egg instead of the provided scrambled eggs ) chilaquiles empanadas Service was excellent and we enjoyed speaking to Chef Mike when he made the rounds in the dining room WE ARE COMING BACK !
(5)Aravind G.
Amazing!! Worth the time trying to find this place in Mandalay Bay. We didn't have reservations so we say at the bar but the ambience was just as amazing. We went on a Sunday to try their famous brunch and it is one worth the hype. Make sure you go with a totally empty stomach so you can savor all of those dishes. The chicken and waffle, the biscuit and gravy and the seasonal fruit plate were or favorites, but everything else was nice too. They were also serving complementary steak tacos tapas switch was delish.
(5)Tiffany S.
Of all of the restaurants that we ate at during our stay at the Mandalay Bay this was the worst experience of them all! We had a large group, so that might have been the problem, but it took forever to get our drinks. Some of us didn't get them at all. Then refills took forever rather they were alcoholic or non!! The chips were good but the salsa was not. Also, trying to get salt to add to my chips was a nightmare! I asked 3 people for it! The menu was pretty expansive and had a lot of new mexican food and traditional mexican food. The table ordered nachos, quesadillas, ceviche, tortas, tacos and guacamole. The best of all of it was the guacamole but as you can guess there was NOT enough of it for the money! I know its Vegas but if you are going to pay $10 for guacamole at least give me one whole avocados worth of dip!! The tacos were VERY SMALL, they are more like street tacos, so if you are looking for big portions do not order this. However they were very tasty! The nachos were probably the biggest hit at the table. The crab and steak ones were tasty and plentiful, you could share these with two people. The service was also very slow and not what you would expect at a resort like Mandalay Bay! I was very upset with the waitress by the end of the meal.
(2)