Mabel’s BBQ at the Palms Casino Resort

July 20, 2019 — Staff Writer

At a glance: Mabel’s BBQ is a new barbeque restaurant at the Palms, brought to life by Chef Michael Symon. Offering a rich menu of slow cooked and smoked meats, entrees, and sides, guests will be able to enjoy great flavors and fine dining, without the pretense. This is about having a good time, and making it better with an impressive selection of bottled beers, drafts, cocktails, and select whiskeys.

mabelsbbqlv.com

Quick Information

The Palms – Next to the Sports Book
Open Daily at 11:30 am
Sunday – Thursday: 11:30 am – 10:00 pm
Friday and Saturday: 11:30 am – Midnight
No Reservations Needed. Walk-ins Welcome.
702.944.5931

A sample platter of slow cooked, smoked, and barbequed meats, vegetables, and sides — From the pickles and sauerkraut to the Alabama white sauced chicken to the smoked beets, this looks good enough to eat! I give the composition of this image 5/5. Image: Michael Symon

In full: A good part of the United States runs on BBQ. It is an American tradition that brings flavor and community to the simple act of eating. Friends and family gather round, have a few laughs, and bond over cooked meat, vegetables, and an open fire.

Well, Las Vegas is part of that tradition. Whether it is Rollin’ Smoke Barbeque or Smoked Burgers & BBQ, there are plenty of options in town, representing Memphis to Austin, with Korea and Japan thrown in for good measure.

The interior of the restaurant with exposed beams which looks styled after a European lodge — This looks pretty upscale for a BBQ joint. We can do some serious eating here without harming our business semi-casuals. I give the whiskey inventory 5/5. Image: Palms

Chef Michael Symon has put his own hat in the ring, hoping to expand the roster with some genuine Cleveland taste at Mabel’s BBQ at the Palms. This restaurant is part of the major 700 million dollar expansion which has seen a host of improvements and upgrades at the property, bringing in fresh talent and ideas from across the nation.

For those who don’t know, Symon is a chef who cooks with soul, and his honest and delicious dishes have won him awards and praise at the highest levels, from Iron Chef to the James Beard Award. Las Vegas has wanted to get him to open a restaurant for years, and he has finally come to Sin City. Blending a Greek and Sicilian upbringing, this Cleveland native has a background that draws from a rich Mediterranean tradition, favoring big tastes with fresh ingredients.

Symon creates boldly flavored, deeply satisfying dishes. At his growing repertoire of restaurants, including Lola, Sarah’s, Roast, Bar Symon and B Spot Burgers, he has been noted for bringing taste back to fine dining. His exuberant, approachable cooking style goes well with an infectious laugh, making him something of a cooking celebrity. His appearances on Iron Chef, the Food Network, and as host of Burgers, Brew & ‘Que on the Cooking Channel, as well as formerly co-hosting on ABC’s The Chew, have established his bona fides.

Mabel’s BBQ offers a Las Vegas inflection to the classic American culinary tradition. This is fine dining where you can let your hair down, much in the style of the best BBQ joints throughout America. Enjoy classic barbeque staples, blended with Symon’s subtle twists. These are favorites given the best of a diverse art, representing cuisines from around the world. There is a vibrancy to the menu which is both fun, exciting, and satisfying.

And it is not just for carnivores. Symon’s wife and business partner is a vegetarian, and makes sure there are plenty of options on the menu. Enjoy some great favorites such as smoked beets with horseradish, or a remarkable chopped salad. We love the poppy seed coleslaw.

Of course, most will come for the meat. And it won’t disappoint. There are a variety of styles, such as your traditional Carolina or Memphis barbeque. Symon also offers his own Cleveland style using authentic Bertman Mustard. And some things you might not have heard of, like Alabama White Sauce. And this is a great way to try everything from turkey to burnt ends, to delectable slow cooked ribs. There are options to make every dinner different.

This is food you can enjoy, and really dig into. But as we all know, you’ll need something to wash down all that food.

There is quite the list of bottle beers and drafts on tap. We think most patrons will have fun discovering local and imported brands and seeing how well they pair with the chicken or pork. We also like the cocktail menu, since it is rare to dig into a smoked meatloaf sandwich while sipping at a mint mojito. There are plenty of great options, including a select menu of remarkable whiskeys. And these are right behind the bar, not saved only for the highrollers.

Poster card for Bluegrass Brunch all you can eat BBQ on Sundays — The proliferation of all you can eat barbeque in Las Vegas is forcing us to hit the elliptical machine more often. I give AYCEBBQ 5/5. Image: Palms

But if you really want to enjoy Mabel’s BBQ the way it was intended, you have to come for the Bluegrass Brunch. For the low price of $29 per person, you can have a 2 hour feed. This is all you can eat of some well cooked meat. You can even try the spicy kielbasa benedict, or the brioche French toast. This might be better than any of the Vegas buffets.

And for the true connoisseurs, you might want to take advantage of the crispy tails, ears, and cracklin’. Some might turn there nose up at these pig parts, but they are absolutely spot on, and something fun to try for the adventurous.

Notes: If you are looking for a different experience, there is a secret restaurant hidden inside Mabel’s BBQ. Sara’s is a refined steakhouse and speakeasy offering up a unique experience. Enjoy table-side carving, waiters in tuxedos, and a remarkable cocktail menu.