I always feel a little sad when I have been someplace I really like, and when I return it has been closed down or renovated into something that no longer resembles the original. When I went back to revisit The Lucky 7’s restaurant at the Plaza Hotel in Downtown, Las Vegas in 2012, it had been turned into a steakhouse.
Paula and I had attended the Affiliate Summit at the Rio in 2008. After the Summit had finished we moved down to Fremont St to the Golden Nugget Hotel and Casino. While there we ate at the Lucky 7’s Buffet at the Plaza Hotel and Casino on a number of occasions for both breakfast and dinner. The buffet was well known in downtown Las Vegas. Probably because it was one of the cheapest buffets available and people from many different hotels went there to eat for this reason.
Whether you were having breakfast, lunch or dinner at the buffet it was always the same price at only $7.77. Well it was a bit more than that. Being from Australia we weren’t familiar with the fact that tax got added on. So I stood in line with the right amount of money only to find it wasn’t. In Oz the taxes are included in the total price and the tax amount is noted on your receipt.
We decided to give it a go after heading to the Golden Nugget buffet and finding that because it was a Saturday we could only partake of the Champagne Buffet Breakfast which was $17.99 each. We really didn’t want to pay that much for breakfast so off to the Plaza Hotel we went.
The Plaza didn’t have a breakfast buffet as such but instead there was a Brunch Buffet which encompassed both breakfast and lunch and ran from 6am to 4pm. I loved this as it meant I could sleep in and didn’t have to rush down to get breakfast.
Because this was a popular buffet, each time we visited we had to queue to get in. Even so, we never had to wait more than 10 minutes but usually it was less than 5 mins. As you would expect, the weekend was busier than weekdays so we had to keep this in mind.
After we had been shown to our seats, we would immediately wander up to the buffet to see what was available. The selection wasn’t as extensive as some of the other buffets we had been to, but the quality of the food provided was excellent.
What was on Offer?
In the main meal service area for the brunch there were a range of breakfast items including scrambled eggs, omelette’s, fried potatoes, bacon, sausage patties, cereals, fruit, fried chicken, sliced meats, roasts and salads. There was also a smaller meal service area where the buffet consisted of mainly Asian style meals and desserts. So you had to make sure to check out both areas because when we went there on the first night we didn’t realise that there was another buffet area around the corner.
Drinks were free (as long as they weren’t alcoholic) and were provided by waiters who would top your glass up as often as you liked. We both had orange juice and a cup of green tea with breakfast.
We found the breakfast foods to be just delicious. The eggs were cooked perfectly, and the fried potatoes and sausage patties were very tasty. I loved those fried potatoes and went back for more.
Evening Meals
For dinner the menu changed to include lasagna, pasta, fried chicken, roasts, baked ham, salads, mashed potatoes, peas, carrots, corn, lemon chicken, Chinese noodles, soups, spring rolls, sweet and sour pork and more.
Again, the variety of foods at the dinner buffet was not as extensive as you might find at some of the other buffets in Las Vegas but everything was tasty, well presented and the quality of the food was excellent. We absolutely loved the fried chicken and always had a piece at each meal. It was, in fact, the best fried chicken I have ever tasted.
Delicious Desserts
The desserts included chocolate pie, apple pie, coconut cream pie, cheese cake and sugar free desserts. There were also cookies and fresh fruit available. We did find that quite often when the desserts ran out they were slow to be replenished. At one point we had to ask for a particular pie from the chef as there was only apple pie and some cookies left to choose from.
Overall this buffet was great value for money. So if you were on a budget but still wanted a great tasting, inexpensive meal then this was definitely the place to go when you were in Downtown Las Vegas.
NOTE: Post updated Oct 2018.
- When the Plaza Hotel underwent renovations in 2010 the Lucky 7’s restaurant was turned into a Steakhouse. I guess the hotel had to move with the times, but when I went back in 2012 I really missed not being able to have the best fried chicken ever at a reasonable cost.
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