It would be easy to write off Bobby’s Burger Palace as yet another gourmet hamburger restaurant on the Las Vegas Strip. We’ve got a bunch of ’em, and several are backed by celebrity chefs like Gordon Ramsay, Hubert Keller and Mario Batali. So Bobby Flay’s brand-new shop—located directly on the Strip in front of the towering Mandarin Oriental hotel, technically part of the stunning Shops at Crystals—might seem to fall into a well-populated category.
The sleek, modern environment will only reinforce that assumption. Take a few steps inside the Palace and feel a bustling energy, notice gleaming tabletops, artistic portraits of common burger toppings and swooshing accents of bright, fresh green and crisp, glowing yellow and golden brown.
It’s got a big, famous name and it looks fantastic, but this restaurant isn’t quite like the others. Bobby’s Burger Palace is no fancy restaurant. It’s an honest burger joint, dedicated to making the great American sandwich as great as it can be, minus the elaborate add-ons and ingredients. Order at the counter and take a seat wherever you like. The menu keeps it simple: burgers, fries and shakes, with a few griddled sandwiches and salads tossed in for fun. And Bobby’s burgers are no first-time Vegas experiment; they’re a proven commodity. Flay operates more than a dozen locations all over the East Coast. This guy knows what he’s doing.
Vegas Burger
The perfect burger starts with great beef, certified Angus ground fresh and formed loosely into a sublime patty. (Of course, the customer is always right, so sub ground turkey or a whole chicken breast if poultry floats your boat.) Flay’s signature sandwich is the Crunchburger, one of these patties covered in two thick slices of American cheese and topped with crispy potato chips. That’s it, and it’s mighty tasty—especially once you experiment with the condiments on each table, ranging from straight-ahead ketchup or yellow mustard to chipotle ketchup and hot jalapeño sauce.
Other options take inspiration from other locales. The Philadelphia burger is cheesesteaked out, with provolone cheese, grilled onions and hot peppers. The Carolina utilizes smoked cheese, a tangy mustard-based barbecue sauce and a green onion cole slaw, while the trendy L.A. burger has a luscious avocado relish similar to guacamole, cheddar cheese, tomato and watercress. Looking for a flavor combo with some heat? Look no further than the New Mexico, flush with roasted green chilies, pickled red onions and velvety queso sauce. Cool off with a thick mint chocolate chip shake, or upgrade to one of the Palace's spiked concoctions like vanilla caramel bourbon.
By keeping things simple and running a tight ship, Flay and his crew are able to focus on the small details that make all the difference ... like truly lovely french fries, fresh-cut and perfectly crispy. Switch it up to sweet potato fries or beer-battered onion rings, or combo your favorites for a half-and-half order. A solid beer selection and a few margarita options (shades of Flay’s Mesa Grill creeping in) round out the offerings, but really, you don’t need any extras. All you need is a great burger, and you’ve come to the right place.
The Shops at Crystals, 10 a.m.-midnight daily. 702.598.0191
