Restaurants opened around the globe but perhaps most famously in Beverly Hills, where the tiki-hut wonderland became a celebrity hotspot in its heyday and later a bit of cheesy tourist fun where you could get tropical drinks in faux pineapples and coconuts.

The Vegas version at Planet Hollywood is more classy than kitschy with a soaring space fronting The Strip complete with a big outdoor patio. Tiki Gods guard the main dining room and the wall of windows infuses the otherwise subtly designed space with lots of welcome natural light.

The menu is not exactly Polynesian or Hawaiian although there are plenty of representations of those cuisines available. You’ll find crispy prawns, barbecue pork spare ribs, and “Bongo Bongo” soup (oysters in a spinach veloute) in the appetizers section and Hawaiian pork chops, broiled Oahu Wahoo, and more in the entrees. But the Americanization of the dishes makes it safe for the less adventurous at heart with everything from burgers at lunchtime to steaks at dinner available.

We visited at lunch and although the menu during the day is decidedly limited, my party of four still managed to find things worth sampling. The crab cake appetizer was served with several dipping sauces including a hot wasabi and a tangy barbecue, the latter of which also drenched the sultry spare ribs.

A steak sandwich with tender chunks of beef was the clear winner at our table but the Kalua pork sliders (plum braised chops on Hawaiian rolls) were both inventive and tasty. The burger was good as far as burgers go but nothing to get excited about while the salad options were pedestrian in both presentation and preparation.

The big news and biggest draw here is really the drink menu, which was about eight pages longer than the food menu. I had to have the traditional Mai Tai of course and while it wasn’t something I would make a habit of, it was a bit of Island fun and easy on the palette even after the previous night’s indulgence at a series of free bars during Planet Hollywood’s grand opening. Fruity, strong cocktails are the rule here – entertaining but a bit dangerous because many of them taste like harmless party punch. The moral of the story here is easy-does-it.

Prices are moderate for a Strip restaurant. We did lunch with appetizers and cocktails for about $100 before tax and tip. Without the drinks and starters the average check per person would probably be in the $10-15 range so not bad. Dinner will depend on how extravagant you are but figure under $30 before you start piling on the libations.

Service was friendly and knowledgeable although a bit slower than I usually like considering the fact that the restaurant really wasn’t that busy when we visited. It hadn’t been open for very long so I’m willing to chock that up to a “working out the kinks” phase but it’s something to be aware of it you have a show to get to.

Trader Vic’s is a fun new addition to the Strip’s offerings of eateries.

Trader Vic’s
Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino
3663 Las Vegas Blvd. S.
Las Vegas, NV 89109
Tradervicslv.com
702-405-4700

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Question: We were considering going to Las Vegas for New Year’s Eve. Since it’s on a Monday this year, are prices any cheaper?

Answer: Based on my random spot check of the hotel Internet reservations systems, not really. I looked at more than a dozen different hotels and prices are as high as they are always are for New Year’s, traditionally one of the busiest times of the year in Las Vegas.

Mandalay Bay is not requiring a minimum stay like many hotels but they are charging $500 for the one night of New Year’s. Next door at Luxor they have a 2-night minimum that will run you over $600 total while Excalibur is about the same.

MGM Grand also doesn’t have a minimum stay but their one-night room is going to run you $510.

If you’re looking for a package deal, Monte Carlo is offering an $800 rate that includes three-nights plus two complimentary buffets, spa passes, and more.

Planet Hollywood is running $600 for New Year’s and the night before.

Paris is at $450 per night and requiring two nights while sister hotel Rio is about $690 total for the two nights and Flamingo around $800. Harrah’s and Bally’s are currently showing as being sold-out.

Caesars Palace is going to run you about $1400 minimum for the two nights.

Unsurprisingly, Bellagio and Wynn Las Vegas are the most expensive on The Strip with the former going for around $800 a night with a two-night minimum and Wynn at $900 a night.

The Mirage is just over $900 for the two nights and Treasure Island is a little over $800.

The Venetian is at $600 a night for the two nights while the new sister hotel Palazzo is sold-out.

A basic room at the Sahara is going to run you just over $200 on New Year’s Eve while Circus Circus is at $215 but they aren’t allowing arrivals on the 30th or 31st so you’ll have to stay three nights to get that rate.

Moving Downtown could save you a little money but it’s still more expensive than it usually is. The Golden Nugget is at $259 a night and the Fremont is at $300 for two nights. Many other Downtown hotels are already sold-out.

And if you go to the neighborhood casinos, you’re still going to pay a sizeable tariff for your rooms. Boulder Station is running $159 with a two-night minimum, Santa Fe is at $179, and Palace Station is at $550 total for three-nights.

Probably the best bargain vs. what you get for your money that I found is at Red Rock Resort, offering rooms at $239 a night with a two-night minimum. It’s a long ways from the heart of the New Year’s action but that’s a great price for this hotel.

The big question is whether rates will stay this high. In general, prices have a tendency to get softer the closer they get to the big day if they still have a lot of room inventory left. But waiting for those last minute deals could mean you’ll get a “sold out” message from the reservations agent.

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