Buffet at The Wynn

Okay, before you give me grief about spending $65.00USD per person on a buffet, let me explain.  I realize that you can get a proper sit-down composed dinner for that price, yet when in Vegas, people do irrational things.  Furthermore, it is more for the experience than getting your money's worth (hmm like most irrational experiences in Vegas???).  Besides, I really wanted to compare with the Bacchanal Buffet at Caesar's.  Here is a tip though - if you do not want to lineup for possibly hours, go do an online reservation first.

Now, the first thing I hit was not the salad or appetizers, I went straight for the Seafood.  Selection was rather basic with Snow Crab Legs, Stone Crab Claws, Clams, Mussels and Baby Scallops/Shrimp Mix.  I thought the clams and mussels were good, however, the crab was rather disappointing.  Being snow crab, I wasn't expecting much, but it was a bit watery and not that meaty.  Crab claws were worse as the meat was a bit dry and bland.

I did grab a Salad and Clam Chowder though.  Thank goodness my parents weren't there, they might've shook their heads in disappointment...  Anyways, other than the chowder, there was Minestrone, Organic Vegetable and Chicken Noodle Soup.  Although it wasn't a huge salad bar, the veggies were very fresh and neatly kept.  I found the clam chowder to be quite rich with lots of ingredients and a smoky bacon flavor.  Nothing special, but fine.

Onto the Meats, we found Rotisserie Chicken, Roasted Turkey, Pork Loin, Pulled Pork Sliders, Honey Glazed Ham, Breakfast Sausage, Beef Short Ribs, Polish Sausage, Baron of Beef, BBQ Beef Brisket and BBQ Pork Ribs.  I did try the brisket and it was a bit chewy and bland.  The pork ribs were softer with a sweet BBQ sauce.  Viv had the short rib and it was Maui-style.  I loaded up on the veggies (trying to be healthy) and they were perfectly cooked.  Pretty hard to do for a buffet, but the veggies had bite and weren't soggy.

One thing that I thought that was really lackluster was the Sushi.  Not only was the selection poor, nothing looked particularly great.  One bite and yah, the sushi rice was a bit gummy.  I prefer the sushi at the Bacchanal hands-down.  There was also a selection Dim Sum next to the sushi and that was mediocre too.  Someone was raving about the Shrimp Siu Mai, but they must've never had good Dim Sum before...  It was mushy.  Tried the Tonkotsu Ramen and it was meh.  Broth was actually decent with a meaty saltiness.  However, the chashu was dry and chewy.  Didn't like the addition of sprouts either.

Onto the Desserts, I found the selection decent but smaller than the Bacchanal.  In addition to little treats, there was a gourmet crepe station, a rotating wheel of gelato & sorbetto and soft-serve ice cream with toppings.  For the items I did try, they were fine, but not particularly memorable.  I did like the sugar-free cheesecake as it was rich and tasted quite good even without sugar.  For those who are vegan, there was a whole section devoted to those desserts.  Overall, we were not that impressed with The Buffet at the Wynn.  It pales in comparison to the Bacchanal and for me personally, I like the Wicked Spoon the most.  I agree, that the money spent could go towards a proper meal instead, but for those who want selection and endless food, it is still fun to experience a Vegas buffet.  Just maybe not this one.

The Good:
- Pretty atrium
- Great service

The Bad:
- Mediocre food
- Selection smaller than Bacchanal