Craftsteak

The Verdict

Craftsteak earns its place at MGM Grand through consistency and a genuinely considered menu, not Strip spectacle. If you are planning a special-occasion dinner in Las Vegas and want a steakhouse backed by a James Beard Award-winning chef, a 3,900-bottle wine inventory, a kitchen philosophy built around small-farm sourcing, this is a strong call. The dinner-only format means there is no lunch trade-off to weigh here: every booking is a full evening commitment at the $$$ price tier, so come with appetite and a reservation secured well in advance. Booking is hard — plan at least two to three weeks out for weekend dates.

About Craftsteak

Tom Colicchio's Craftsteak has operated out of MGM Grand long enough to become one of the Strip's reference-point steakhouses, the kitchen under chef Mike Chapman continues to deliver on the promise the name carries. The sourcing story is not decorative: vegetables, fruits, proteins come from local, small farms, which separates the menu from the commodity-cut steakhouses that crowd the corridor between Bellagio and Mandalay Bay. Angus beef and Australian A5 wagyu both appear on the menu, the braised short ribs — a Colicchio signature that takes three days and 24 hours of braising to complete, represent the kind of labour-intensive cooking that justifies the price premium over faster competitors.

The wine program is a genuine asset. Sommelier Troy Grenstiner oversees a list of roughly 850 selections drawn from an inventory of 3,900 bottles, with California and Bordeaux as the twin pillars. The corkage fee is $50 if you prefer to bring your own. For a special occasion where wine pairing matters as much as the food, few Strip steakhouses offer this depth at the by-the-glass and mid-range bottle level.

On the occasion-suitability question, the room delivers. Large round banquettes in the main dining area work well for groups of four to six, while the bar area provides a quieter setting for a two-person dinner when counter seating is available. Business casual is the dress expectation, no tuxedos required, but treat it as you would any $66-per-head-plus dinner. Pastry chef Carrie Chesto rounds out the meal; the monkey bread served with brown sugar sour cream ice cream is a house specialty worth ordering if you have the room.

The vegetarian tasting menu is a practical option for mixed-group dining. Dishes like crispy sunchokes with thyme and roasted beet salad with clementines show that the kitchen's small-farm sourcing philosophy extends well beyond the protein section of the menu. Families should know a limited kids menu exists, which is uncommon for a steakhouse at this price level on the Strip.

Dinner at Craftsteak

Because Craftsteak serves dinner only, the experience is direct to frame: you are committing to a full evening, the three-course tasting menu is the most efficient way to cover the range of the kitchen's output. The lobster bisque, tarragon-spiced, with four ounces of lobster, is the recommended starter if you want surf-and-turf without committing to a large entree. The braised short ribs justify the lead time in preparation; ordering them is the clearest way to understand what differentiates Craftsteak from a competent but less considered Strip steakhouse.

For a broader read on where Craftsteak sits among Las Vegas dining options, see our full Las Vegas restaurants guide. If you are planning the wider trip, our Las Vegas hotels guide, bars guide, and experiences guide cover the rest of the itinerary.

For context on how a chef-driven American steakhouse at this tier performs elsewhere, compare against CUT Singapore and Peter Luger in New York. Other chef-driven American fine dining references include Le Bernardin in New York City, Lazy Bear in San Francisco, and The French Laundry in Napa.

How It Compares