Carnegie Deli

Las Vegas, Nevada               Date of Visit: 12-20-09

http://www.mirage.com/restaurants/carnegie-delicatessen.aspx

This short trip across the street in Vegas had me worried on more than one front. First of all can you realistically take a New York landmark and successfully replicate it in Sin City? Then I have never been to that particular deli in NY, is it a landmark simply because it hasn’t closed for so long, or is it that good? So much potential for disappointment. The place was packed in the middle of the night…promising. There is a very Italian looking gentleman madly working the front of the house with a very Brooklyn sounding accent…uh huhn. His frenetic pace got us to a two top much quicker than expected and we ordered the Woody Allen (corned beef and pastrami) and the brisket. Somehow we forgot the legend of where we were and ordered fries as well. Stupid, stupid, stupid.
 

 
 
Brisket Sandwich with Au Jus

Amazing Pickles
 
 
  Our server brought pickles to our table. They have to make them themselves, you aren’t going to find them anywhere else. My wife wouldn’t eat them, you can actually almost see a mystic haze of garlic and spice floating off of them. If you enjoy pickles, what she hates about them will make them special for you. Then came the sandwiches…you see the pictures…the stories are true…this is wrong…but oh, so right. Not only are they gargantuan, these monstrosities are delectable, highlighting the great care with which they are prepared.

Read below about how I was able to devour the Woody Allen, single handedly...like a very manly man...
 

 
 
The Beast Looms
 

Already stuffed...I won't accept defeat
 

Take that...Now, I'll finish the fries...
 

No!!! You can't see my to go box
with 8 pounds of sandwich in it!
 
  ...did I also mention that I devoured it over a period of days? At one point, I thought, I should eat some fries. They won’t travel and there is no way we are not walking out of here without take-out boxes but the sandwiches were so good we just left the fries sitting there like the smelly kid picking his nose at the prom. If you are in Vegas and are interested in a serious approximation to a NY deli, go anytime day or night, just make sure your hotel room has a fridge, a pretty good sized fridge.
 
 
  Ratings  
 
Food

Service


Ambiance

What's Best

What's Worst


Overall
 
  A B C A N/A B+  
        Pickles and Corned Beef Nothing Horrible Yet    
 
All Restaurants By Ranking Restaurants By Date These Are A Few Of My Favorite Things Steph's Favorite Things
Home List of Restaurants by City The Ratings What's Rated Random Thoughts