If you’ve heard about the new COTE Vegas Korean steakhouse opening, you’re not the only one. A recent grand opening gala of the Simon Kim restaurant at The Venetian Resort attracted such names as Dr. Dre, Nas, Steve Aoki and Anderson .Paak, who played a DJ set at the party.
The COTE-branded restaurant joins Gracious Hospitality Management’s founder and CEO Kim and his other global restaurants in New York (COTE is Michelin-starred here), Miami and Singapore. “Las Vegas is where it all started for me—studying at UNLV, managing restaurants and casino floors, and learning the fundamentals of hospitality,” Kim said in a news release.
Inside, an intense experience awaits, with dramatic tiered seating levels handling up to seven guests per table. In the lower front level, a massive bar dominates the scene, with the soaring ceiling layering a flower motif to create a huge installation (Cote means “blossom” in Korean). Larger groups can indulge in private dining rooms looking out over the room.
For the design of the restaurant, David Rockwell of Rockwell Group had a particular vision for the Las Vegas restaurant, the first that the Rockwell Group designed for Gracious Hospitality Group. “For Las Vegas, we leaned into the city’s energy, scale, and continual evolution,” he told Las Vegas Magazine. “We translated the restaurant’s iconic flower emblem into a spatial choreography—the glowing, petallike ceiling installation, the tiered banquettes, and the runwaylike procession build anticipation as guests enter. The lighting, music, and tableside grilling create a multisensory dining performance that feels both unmistakably COTE and uniquely Vegas.
“The energy of the Strip, the spectacle of lights, and endless possibilities have always lived in the DNA of COTE, and now we’re bringing that full circle,” he continued. “Opening COTE in Las Vegas is not just a personal milestone, but a defining moment for our company as we expand to the West Coast with intention and integrity. “
Once you’re in, start with a classic cocktail from COTE Vegas’ beverage booklet, a delight to peruse (as is the menu). Each adds a wealth of information to your decision. There are several wonderful cocktails to indulge in, like the signature Showgirls, a refreshing blend of Ketel One vodka, Select aperitivo, strawberry and lemon. The King combines Michter’s bourbon and the flavors of peanut, banana, sherry and grape in an homage to Elvis’ favorite sandwich.
The menu lets you explore every facet of the beef cuts while deciding what’s on your plate for the night. Each table here includes a grill, where you can cook preferred meats and seafoods. The Butcher’s Feast is an all-in-one prix fixe with four beef selections, ban-chan, black truffle gogi cha, spicy kimchi stew, savory egg souffle and more. A decadent steak omakase lets you experience even more of the amazing variety of beef to be found here.
And there are plenty of sides that reflect Korean flavors, like kimchi jiggae black cod; the dol-sot bibimbap with veggies, a poached egg and gochujang; the kimchi wagyu paella with kkakdugi (radish kimchi) and wagyu beef fried rice plus a poached egg; and savory doenjang stew with anchovy broth.
The Venetian Resort. 702.607.2683 or venetianlasvegas.com
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