Elite Event: Piñata Party @ Chayo

What a great event! Everything was amazing! The location with a view, a perfect amount of people, awesome food, perfectly crafted beverages, attentive staff, great conversation!
I love going to restaurants that have an outdoor seating area with a view! This view looked down at The Linq promenade and the view of the High Roller! What a great location!
The perfect amount of people lead to the ability of meeting new people and being able to have a conversation without yelling!
The food was amazing and perfect sizing! The shrimp ceviche was perfectly spiced and just the right size!
We can’t forget the entertainment, yeap, there was entertainment! Window watching the hotel rooms of the Flamingo! Note to self! Never dress in front of a window! :) On the way out several people tried the bull! So much fun!

A little late on this review but it’s okay! I remember this event like it was just yesterday!
I gotta say, Chayo was probably one of my favorite events. It was fun, filled with food, and had a special show just for us! (cough cough)
First off, the event was held on the second floor of Chayo so we got a wonderful view with the ferris wheel! There was a nice area with a fire so if it gets a little chilly outside, it’s okay! Just sit by the fire! And if it’s already hot outside, it’s okay! Just sit by the fire and sweat!
So we got to try their chicken enchiladas, pulled pork tostadas, shrimp ceviche, braised short rib, seared ahi tuna, pork sopes, pork rinds and guac, churros, sugar cookie sandwich, and flan. I gotta say that my absolute favorite has got to be the braised short rib. The texture and the flavor just melted in your mouth! I also really liked the shrimp ceviche, the sauce that they used for it went really well with the shrimp. I also enjoyed their guac a lot and I’m typically not an avocado lover.
Out of the desserts, the churro was warm and good! The sugar cookie sandwich was just really sweet. Maybe no sugar and just keep the chocolate? Haha! And the flan was just really thick! The flan was definitely different than what I’m used to.
Aside from the food, I feel as though, the main point of this event was to drink. The waiters and waitress were very eager to get you started on some drinks and when they say drinks, they mean their special margarita. In fact, whenever they see you without a drink, they will ask you and offer you some more drinks! Whoa whoa! Is that amazing service or what?! Not only that, our waitress actually offered SHOTS. SHOTS I SAY SHOTS. SHOTS! Yes my dear, shots is the magic word. I think our party had a few. You know, just a few.
Not only did we have top service, the chef himself actually came out to greet us and talked to us.
Oh, can’t forget the pinatas that didn’t want to be hit! :P It took us a while to break them cause they kept «falling» off of their bar.
Overall, it was a great event. The food was great. The service was amazingly awesome. The drinks were fabulous. Thanks so much to Drew, Victoria, and Chayo for having this event!

The wife and I popped into the Chayo Unilocal event for a quick drink, some light apps, say hello to a few friends and enjoy the great upstairs patio. Then we went downstairs to enjoy a full meal with friends who were visiting from Boston.
The food was excellent! The drinks were yummy and our service was outstanding.

You have to ride the bull!!!
The slight hangover was worth this event. Met more elites and drank more than i thought they would serve me. Too bad we didn’t get the extra free ‘show’ involved during the event…
«Look up, everyone!» hah.
Every one got to meet Ernesto the chef himself who was really friendly. Jake (the bartender) helped add some flavor to the Paloma drink by taking my advice and adding pomegranate for a little sweetness. Of course we can’t forget about our one and only waitress Jennifer for doing a fabulous job of keeping us all on a social level. ;)
The food served included Tostada, Shortrib, Seared Ahi, and Mini Enchiladas but the only tasting i was really impressed with was their Shrimp Ceviche! Nummy in mah tummy! X9
To end the tastings, you can never go wrong with some good’ol Flan!.. unless you have high cholesterol.
The overall view on the second floor was splendid and in my opinion the best on the Linq strip being centered and all. Thankfully for once, the event was evenly distributed by the amount of seats the restaurant could occupy. either that or people were MIA lol!
On a serious note, make sure you ride the bull on the way out since it was free to paying customers.
Big ups to Drew, Victoria, and the Chayo staff for putting up with the rowdy Unilocal gang. XD

Thank you for throwing an intimate fireplace event! So many new Elites, congratulations once again! Such an intimate event and yet everyone is still just sitting down keeping to their own party. Did anyone even recognize the lone guy in the back corner who didn’t know anyone? Or was I the only one who conversed with him?
Chayo is located at the newly established Linq, parking for the Linq is either valet or the open lot east of the High Roller. You can also park at the Flamingo Hotel or Quad. I made it to the Quad and was too stubborn to turn around so I parked there, ughh I hate parking at the Quad. The event was held upstairs on the outside patio! We had such a good view of the Linq viewing east towards the High Roller.
When I first walked in, the hostess downstairs was happy and upbeat which was good seeing as how chaotic it seemed to be going on around her downstairs with some of us gathering around the entrance, regular patrons trying to be sat, and people leaving. Then after being checked into the event by Unilocal-​tern Victoria upstairs, I met Executive Chef Zendejas who I mistook from coming over from Oscar’s but coming to find out he just moved out from out of town to open the restaurant. Thank you for coming out and mingling with us!
Service was great, there was constant movement from the servers and constant flow of drinks being made from the bartender. I only had the Paloma margarita on the rocks which was okay but fresh and great if you’re into that flavor, some people took it to themselves to order shots after shots and/​or a different drink they were more satisfied with. I wasn’t able to try all of the food because they ran out and people were grabbing seconds without giving some people in the patio a chance to try some, but the ones I really wanted to try I had to hunt the servers down for it. I ate most of the food with my fingers because the plates were being passed along without utensils (except for the flan). My favorite was the guacamole with chicarones, they might as well have made it table side because it was that fresh. The added pomegranite had a nice touch to it too. The guac was chunky and we were servered tons of it. The first item I tried though was the shrimp cocktail, that was okay and basic. The ahi tuna and short ribs was the item I hunted down because it sounded good by the Unilocalers who already had it. The ahi tuna was seared perfectly and the crust was good, the short rib was juicy and delicious! I can’t imagine this being served together as a dish so as a sampler, it was good. The pulled pork and pork sopes were so good as well. I would order the last four items again. Scanning the posted pictures it looks like I missed out on the enchiladas, churros, cookies, and nutella chips (?!). The Unilocal flan finally came out and I enjoyed it!
The activity during this event was beating the crap out of a piñata. A little technical difficulty with the piñata being held up was no big deal as the Unilocalers were finally able to bust it open for goodies. Andrea hooked it up with gum since I wasn’t able to get close to the action enough to grab it from the ground.
Congrats to the new Elites, many of them having been their first Elite event so welcome! Ignore the minor drama that came and presented itself during the event if you saw it. I only attended four Elite events last year with the last being October’s Aussie Olympics and the last non-​Elite event being Unilocal Helps last year so it was nice to see the old and familiar faces I recognized and to meet a lot of new ones. I’m glad you guys remember meeeee. And an awesome job to Allison and Brian who rode and conquered the bull downstairs! Once again thank you to Unilocal,Chayo for hosting us, and finally to LV’s CM Drew, and intern Victoria for creating this awesome event.

I had lots of fun at this event!
Not only did we get the entire second floor to Chayo to ourselves, but the wait staff were very hospitable and efficient in regards to drinks, refills, food samples, etc!
We had plenty of elbow room, plethora of thirst quenchers, and tons of small eats… went home stuffed personally! Just wish I could have hung out a bit longer that night and enjoyed the open bar: P
Thanks to Drew and everyone that setup, and thanks to all the Unilocalers that came out to have a good time! I had a blast!
Can’t wait for the next event :)

This event couldn’t of taken place on a more beautiful night the upstairs deck where it was held was super cozy. Another party where the booze and yummy food never stops flowing. This was my second Elite Only event and I will admit I always get nervous going places where I don’t really know many people but those feelings left right as I stepped into the elevator. I was greeted with a friendly smile by one of the photographers (sorry I got a bit too buzzed and don’t recall names) who quickly helped put me at ease. Thanks to everyone that I have met who has made me feel welcome and allowed me to join in on conversations and sharing lots of laughs.
When first arriving I was able to seek out the few familiar faces while desperately seeking my first drink. Little did I know it was the first of many drinks of the night as the staff kept our glasses and our bellies full! all evening. They were really friendly too. One of the female staffers even brought me a chair when she noticed I was getting a bit woobly. Everyone I encountered that worked for Chayo was super friendly and attentive and very very eager to please! It really showed that they were there to impress.
The signature cocktail they were serving was a grapefruit flavored Chayo Paloma which was pretty tart but it packed a mean punch. With lots of delicious tequila. I was also able to sample a special drink customized for me by The GM after questioning what sort of things I enjoy drinking. I didn’t catch the name of the cocktail but it was so delicious with a berry infused flavor and yummy vodka. I didn’t have one myself but I was able to sample a taste of the Chayo Margarita from my table mate Lawrence’s drink and it was DELICIOUS. That will definitely be my go to drink next time I come by here.
Now as far as the food goes it was sooo good. I know my fellow Unilocal elites will give the proper breakdown with names and photos but sadly I am not so organized so I will touch base on what stood out as personal top picks. My favorite hands down was the Guacamole and Chicharones. Now I can’t explain to you how much the fat girl inside me was in heaven after just one bite but this was a perfect pairing especially with the papaya seeds mixed in to give some sweetness. I think I may of devoured most of it all by myself. The Guac was really yummy even once my pork rinds were gone I just scooping mouthfuls of it with the crispy chips.
Speaking of the chips I can’t tell you how many times when seeking out which Mexican spot I want to go to its based on who has the best chips and salsa. I have to say Chayo does a darn good job of presenting a really delicious chip paired with yummy Salsa. I have to Thank Amelinda for pushing me towards trying them because I cant tell you how bad I want another chip even now!!! My only tweak might be that they add a bit more spice to their salsa.
The night progressed with a steady flow of lots of samplings and good conversation. They had lots of little desserts the only one I could bring myself to try was the Sugar Cookie with Nutella and it was super sweet! I know the folks I was hanging with were all about the Flan. I can’t give a accurate account of them though because I was too busy drinking my Paloma .
Since the booze was almost too strong I ended up being benched for fear of falling lol and missed out on the Piñata events. Not to mention I got a bit distracted by some «Drama «that took place over things I cant even begin to waste time getting into .Yet I am the type that can’t look away from the car crash so I just enjoyed the show. I should of gotten up to watch it get bust and get some goodies because all the cute little treats people were carrying around after the Piñata busted looked like a good time.
The Party wrapped up with us heading down to watch people take on the mechanical bull. The guy who was employed to run the bull actually went pretty easy on everyone and helped give us lots of laughs. It was a perfect way to wrap everything up and lighten the mood after things got a little DRAMATIC .
This event allowed me to meet some more awesome people on the Elite Team and have tons of laughs and a huge hangover. Thanks so much to Drew and Victoria you do such a AMAZING job putting all these awesome events together. Its great for my budget but bad for my Waistline. I can’t wait to do it again soon! but until then I will be dreaming of making my way back to Chayo for some more Chicharones!

My first Elite event as an Elite. Woo!
Fortunately, I’ve been to this area because otherwise I would have been lost (I’m horribly directionally challenged). The Elite party took over the second floor and the first thing I have to say is how beautiful the view is from the balcony. There’s a fire pit and Chayo’s balcony lets you people watch and has a wonderful view of the High Roller.
I hung out with some awesome Unilocalers I met up with in previous events and we bonded over the delicious food, drinks, and various topics we talked about during the night.
We had Chayo Paloma and a margarita for drinks and they were yummy. The alcohol didn’t hit me until the second Paloma.
Shrimp Ceviche (acapulco style + guacamole) — I liked it. I only wished there was more.
Marinated Pulled Pork Tostada (black beans + queso fresco) & Pork Sopes (chorizo + queso fresco) — they came together on the same plate. They were yummy and between the two, the sopes was my favorite of the two.
Seared Ahi Tuna (mole verde + sesame crust) & Braised Short Rib (chayotes + chipotle glaze) — They came together on the same plate. Both the ahi tuna and short rib were delicious and the mole verde and mashed potatoes were a dream. I was ready to lick it all off the plate.
Mini Chicken Enchiladas (cascabel chile sauce + toasted almonds) — Oh. My. Goodness! I don’t normally eat enchiladas, but this was so good. Soooo good. I would come to Chayo just for this.
When it comes to dessert, we had Churros (cinnamon sugar + cajeta), Sugar Cookie Sandwich (nutella + chocolate drizzle), and Flan (vanilla bean custard + caramel sauce) that spelled out Unilocal before it was distributed to the rest of us. They were all good, but my hands down favorite was the churros. I think all of us at the table would have ate the entire thing and then some.
It was time to whack the pinatas, but I could only knock it off its string. Oops.
There was some sort of mixup or something when it came to tagging. People started putting their tags on me and because this is my first Elite event, I just rolled with it.
The evening ended with riding the mechanical bull. Since that’s been on my bucket list for awhile, I rode that sucker and it was so much fun.
Chayo Mexican Kitchen’s staff was as amazing as their food, and I’d love to come back again. Thank you to Drew and Victoria for the awesome event!

Unilocal Elites partied Mexican style here at Chayo Mexican Restaurant located at the brand new LINQ center. We took over the entire top patio deck with perfect views and perfect setting to mingle with fellow Elites and friends. The décor is classy and modern which I love when a Mexican Restaurant can accomplish this without neglecting the Latin feel.
Chayo Executive Chef Ernesto Zendejas has the right stuff going on in his kitchen and we got to sample some of it tonight with some delicious Shrimp Cocktails, Chicken Enchiladas, Sopes, Short Rib plated with seared Big Eye Tuna, Tostadas and Guacamole topped with pomegranate seeds accompanied with chicharrones and chile dusted chips and salsa roja and verde,
We then sweetened up with some delicious churros which we got to dip in some Mexican hot chocolate (abuelita brand). As a nice surprise these Churros were made from scratch and not frozen and shipped. The sugar cookie sandwich and flan were seriously delightful and they went as far as to spell out Unilocal with the flan. Nice touch!
Their signature drink of the night was the Chayo Paloma made with Pellegrino, grapefruit and Don Julio Tequila but my favorite was the standard margarita served on the rocks. The alcoholic drinks just kept flowing throughout the night. Salud!!!
Then it was piñata time! This was fun, and everyone reaching down to grab the goodies were nice enough to share!
At the end of the night as tradition allows, a random person is tagged and Amelinda was «IT» and tagged accordingly with our name tags. Although there was a little Kanye West and Taylor Swift action she was ultimately still IT!!!
After some picture taking we took the elevator down to see a few Unilocalers ride the mechanical bull which is situated in the middle of the restaurant. High Five to all who rode the bull! Serious laughs with this one!
Gracias, gracias, gracias to all Chayo staff involved with a special thanks to our servers Cesar, Luis, Anthony and Jennifer who really really took care of us throughout the night and of course Unilocal, Drew, Victoria for an awesome experience!!! Hasta pronto!

What a great night! Drew and Victoria have done it again, providing an amazing experience for Elite Unilocalers!
This was my first visit to The Linq, and I think its awesome. Next time, I’ll have a better idea of where to park, since I wasn’t sure where to go this time… but I enjoyed the walk up to Chayo, having an opportunity to look around at all the cool places that are popping up here.
When I got to Chayo, we were shown upstairs to a beautiful patio, with an incredible view. I checked in with Victoria, and was immediately handed a drink by one of the servers.
So, here’s the breakdown of the drinks and food:
Chayo Paloma: I really don’t like grapefruit. But THIS was really great! I had a couple. Very strong tequila taste, which I enjoyed a lot.
Chayo Margarita: Wow, this one was delicious. I put away at least 2 of these. I love margaritas anyway, but these were strong and tasty.
Chips and salsa: there were two salsas, red and green. I’m not a fan of spicy foods, but the red salsa and a nice kick, and they both had good flavor.
Chicharrones with Guacamole: I shouldn’t have tried this… I’m allergic to avocado… but I just couldn’t help it. I took one tiny bite, and enjoyed it very much. Luckily, the one tiny bite did NOT make me sick, like avocado normally does. :)
Shrimp ceviche: This was great. I avoided the avocado at the top, just in case, but I liked the shrimp, and it had a nice little bite to it. More like a shrimp cocktail, but I liked it.
I wasn’t a fan of the braised short rib, I thought the flavor was good, but the texture wasn’t great. I’m also just not normally a fan of ribs.
I LOVED the Seared Ahi Tuna. That was my favorite, along with the mini chicken enchilada. I wanted to lick the plate. :)
The Pork sopes and chicken tostadas were really good too.
I only tried two of the three desserts: the churros, which were amazing, and the flan.
Now…I went to Argentina about 6 years ago, and had flan, and hated it. So needless to say, I was REALLY nervous about trying this, but I had to. They spelled « Unilocal» with the flan, how can I not try it?
I was actually really impressed. The texture was good, the flavor was not too sweet, and it was just, in general, really tasty.
The service was wonderful. I always try to observe the servers when they aren’t surrounded by dozens of review writing Unilocalers… this group were upbeat, happy… even dancing around behind the bar when no one was really looking. Everyone was super polite, and made sure that everyone had a chance to try everything.
My only disappointment in the night was that I didn’t ride the bull, but responsibility took over my sense of fun, and I ended up having to go home… but not before putting a shark piñata on my head as a hat. ;)
I really had a great time chatting and joking with new friends. I can’t wait till the next event. Thank you all so much for a great night.

Great event, like always. Thanks to the staff of Chayo who served our event, as well as Drew & Victoria: D
Arrived in the area a bit early, since I wasn’t familiar with this «side» of the strip. Parked at Harrah’s and walked over. Easy to find. Located near the «front» (west) end of the Linq area.
We had the entire balcony area reserved for us which was nice. Gave a great view (refer to pictures) and had a nice warm (sizzling hot. ow my back) fire warming us up in the middle of the exterior area. The balcony area is small but spacious in a way. Nothing too cramped. Lots of seating.
Their Specialty Margarita — Chayo Paloma — San Pellegrino pompelo, and don jlio blanco tequila — Not a bad drink, but lots of «bitter taste. It’s like a grapefruit and alcohol, essentially.
Now the all important … FOODDDD !!! :D
Fresh fried chips with two salsas (red which was mildly spicy, green which was sourish, sweet) — chips were warm, like freshly made. Seasoned with some chili spice on it. Red salsa was yummy. Though wished it was more spicy
Shrimp Ceviche (Acapulco style + guacamole) — bright flavors. Small cooked shrimp stuffed inside a tall shot glass. Didn’t realize there was guacamole but whatever the style it was, it was yummy. Bright and refreshing. Shrimp was nicely cooked and «crispy». I like: D
Pork Sopes (w/​chorizo + queso fresco) — Small little bite size thing. pork and chorizo was nice and flavorful.
Marinated Pulled Pork Tostada (w/​black beans + queso fresco) — Not exactly bite sized. Took 2 – 3 bites for me. Pork was nice and tender. Flavorful sauces throughout.
Seared Ahi Tuna (w/​mole verde + sesame crust) — thin slice of ahi tuna with a sesame crust. Couldn’t really taste the mole verde. Fresh fish though.
Braised Short Rib (w/​Chayotes + Chipotle demi glaze) — didnt realize the chayotes part but the short rib was super tender. fork tender. falling apart tender. Nice and fatty as well. Demi glaze gave it a nice but not overpowering sauce.
Mini Chicken Enchiladas (w/​cascabel chile sauce + toasted almonds) — didn’t realize the almonds in this enchilada. What i remember of this was the tortilla was a bit, like… overheated? like it wasnt soft, but actually a bit firm to the bite. Like if u microwaved? too long, it got hard. Nothing too particular about this dish
Cinnamon Churros (w/​mexican chocolate + cajeta) — churros were nice and fresh. crispy on the outside. soft on the inside. dipped in a cinnamon sugar. There was a small espresso cup filled with a chocolate? sauce. Could omit the sauce and it will still taste great =P
Sugar Cookie Sandwich (w/​nutella and chocolate drizzle) — omg Q_​Q so much sugar on this sugar cookie. Cookie was nice and crispy. Put the entire thing in my mouth. Tons of sugar… and some nutella… thats all i can say lol
Flan (vanilla bean custard + caramel sauce) — DAT FLAN X_​x i called it the «solidified condensed milk w/​caramel sauce». This dessert. SOOOOOOO UBER RICH and SWEET… The FIRST thing i thought when i put this in my mouth… «omg am i eating a solidified piece of condensed milk?»… Flan should be lighter and not so overpowering and paring with the sauce it usually is with. This flan, itself, was already super sweet and rich. Caramel sauce didn’t help it at all. It added to the richness and sweetness. x_​X
Overall, great and fun experience. I think i drank too much T_​T I’d like to thank the waitress that was serving a few of us SOO WELL (… maybe a little too well Q_​Q) as well as the head chef of Chayo. Thanks for coming out and seeing us. Good to see the main man behind the scenes.
Little downside was Charles didn’t get to try everything, despite a request to the waiter. I know its been said its not supposed to be a full meal and our group were sharing, but yeahh =X
Thanks again to Drew and Victoria for organizing such a great event, again ! :D

Another awesome event in the books and this one will be going down as a memorable one. From the private upstairs patio complete w/​a fire and great views of the Linq, among other views lol, to the great staff, food and many many drinks, I probably had a little too much fun w/​my fellow Elites.
During the evening we were able to sample various food items including pork sopes, chicken tostadas, chicken enchiladas, pork rinds w/​guac, churros, sugar cookie sandwiches, and Unilocal flan. My favorites were the pork rinds which were perfectly fried and crispy. I was sad that I didn’t get to try any short rib, but I guess they ran out early.
This event definitely was more about the drinks than food and we had plenty of drinks including grapefuit margaritas (not sure what they call them at Chayo) and SHOTS!!! We had a friendly waitress that encouraged us to get our drink on and my table definitely stepped up to the challege, with Andrew C matching me drink for drink.
Towards the end came time to bust open the shark and t-​rex pinatas, which seemed to just keep separating from the string they were hung from instead of busting open. After a handful of Elites took their swings, the pinatas finally cracked open and candy came flying out. Instead of candy I managed to snag a t-​rex food and shark torso as souvenirs, which was way more cool haha
I really liked how the chef and staff kept coming around during the event to see how we liked the food and drinks and to make sure we were being taken care of. Big thanks again to Chayo, Drew and Victoria for putting on this party!

Chayo is located in the heart of The LINQ, directly across the entrance from Flamingo Hotel. It’s architecturally beautiful with outside dining and a really nice upstairs patio complete with firepit wall. I love the furniture and décor as well. It was full Unilocal takeover of the upstairs patio where we were spoiled with passed hors d’oeuvres and flowing cocktails. The weather was gorgeous and it was such a nice setting for us to meet and chat with our fellow Elite. The servers were quick to offer us cocktails and the food kept coming!
Their tortilla chips were crispy and most importantly, flavorful. It was actually salted (so many places don’t) and I loved the dusting of chile seasoning. I didn’t try the green tomatillo salsa because I couldn’t get over the delicious red salsa. Fantastic flavor and the perfect kick of spicy! Definitely one of my favorite restaurant salsas.
When I was handed this double shooter, it was introduced as a Shrimp Cocktail, however, Ceviche started getting thrown around (supposedly Acapulco style). Whatever Chayo calls it, it’s delicious. Three plump and really well-​cooked (it had that nice bite/​crunch) shrimp were stuffed into a double shot glass with a yummy concoction of juices (tomatoes, citrus, etc). It was topped with tiny slices of avocado and micro cilantro. Really refreshing!
Then arrived a plate of Pork Sopes (Black beans, chorizo, and queso fresco, topped with chives and radish) and Pulled Pork (or Chicken) Tostada (Black beans, topped with micro cilantro and marinated red onions). Both were tasty. Both loaded with flavorful meat and accompaniments.
Our next dish had a great slice of Sesame-​Crusted Seared Ahi with Mole Verde, yum, and a tender piece of Braised Short Rib with Chayote Purée and Chipotle Demi Glaze. These were good. The short rib was definitely my favorite of the evening. Wonderful flavors all around!
Next, we had the Chicken Enchilada covered in Cascabel Chile Sauce and topped with Queso Fresco, chives, red onions, and avocado. I’m not usually into enchiladas, but I absolutely loved this sauce and addition of queso fresco was a nice touch. The chicken was also really good.
Our savory offerings were rounded out with Guacamole topped with pomegranate, served with Chicharrón. The guacamole was awesome! I loved the little pockets of spicy and the really faint sweetness of the pomegranate seeds. And although I don’t normally eat Chicharrón, these were so great. If you order the guacamole, definitely opt for the Chicharrón because it was a much better combination than the chips!
For dessert, we were offered Cinnamon Churros (served with Mexican chocolate and Cajeta), Sugar Cookie Sandwich (Nutella!), and Flan (vanilla bean custard, caramel sauce, and fresh strawberries). The churros were lightly fried pieces of dough (rather than the crunchy sticks we’re accustomed), drizzled with Cajeta and powdered sugar. It was good, but not amazing. I liked the Mexican hot chocolate that came in the small teacup (yes, I really drank it, lol). I also enjoyed the texture and flavor of the flan. The cookie sandwich was good, but also not something I would care to have again.
I stuck with their beverage of the evening, Chayo Paloma, made with Don Julio Silver Tequila, San Pellegrino Pompelo, and fresh grapefruit. It was refreshing, not overly tart, nor too strong. However, it was lacking a bit of flavor. I would like a little more grapefruit action and/​or sugar.
Throughout the evening, Executive Chef Ernesto took the time to personally introduce himself and made sure we were enjoying the food. The GM also made sure of this and everyone made us feel welcome. When we informed a couple servers that some Unilocalers hadn’t gotten any food (since they had arrived later), they were on it, quickly bringing plates from the kitchen. Everything was wonderful!
I can’t forget about the piñatas! T-​Rex and the shark didn’t stand a chance against the mighty strength of Unilocalers! Shoutout to Stefany for grabbing a prize for me. After the party wrapped up, a group of us headed downstairs for the mechanical bull. Kudos to all that participated, everyone did so well! It was extremely entertaining (the operator was hilarious). Good times!
Shoutout to our Vegas CM + Unilocal-​tern team for the fun fiesta! Also, I appreciate whoever decided to «name tag» me at the end of the evening and everyone for tagging me, since I’d never been «it» before, even if it was for a brief moment. You guys are awesome! :)

This is one of the better events I’ve been to in a while. More intimate than others in the past, I felt I really got an opportunity to chat with fellow Unilocalers since there was plenty of food and space for all to truly enjoy the evening.
Chayo is located in Linq, just across from the Flamingo entrance and was easy to locate. Service was great and I had a good time and had a chance to chat with just about every Unilocaler in attendance at one point of another. The view from the patio was nice and the seats were incredibly comfortable and well spaced out. I got to chat with some of my favorite Unilocalers and meet some new ones as well. The drinks were were favorite part, I’m a big fan of grapefruit so I thoroughly enjoyed the Paloma and my favorite foods from the evening were the guacamole and shortrib. The other dishes were hit or miss.
Thank you Drew and Victoria for organizing such a fun event.

Unilocal 365 CHALLENGE 2014−(84÷365) «Chilaxin’ at Chayo»
QUE BUENA FIESTA!!!
Unilocal Elites met up at Chayo Mexican Restaurant located at the newly opened LINQ shops between the Flamingo and Quad. We were lucky enough to have the entire top patio deck for our little fiesta. I love the décor of the venue, from the light fixtures, wood tables and modern touches make Chayo very inviting.
After checking in with Drew and Victoria, we got to mix and mingle with fellow Elites, both veterans as well as a few first timers, then we got to meet PR Coordinator Jaime, and Chayo Executive Chef Ernesto Zendejas who went over the restaurant and its concept, and also the following items we enjoyed:
CHAYO PALOMA-​Pink Pomelo juice and Don Julio Tequila Blanco with Pellegrino floated on top was a very refreshing combination
CHAYO MARGARITA-​The stronger of the two, went down pretty smoothly, but is a creeper!
CHIPS AND SALSA ROJA Y VERDE-​Chips were lightly seasoned and came with a spicy red salsa as well as a vibrant tomatillo one as well
CHICHARRONES CON GUACAMOLE– The addition of pomegranate seeds to the guacamole added a nice hint of sweetness to to this item
SHRIMP CEVICHE, ACAPULCO STYLE-​This tasted more like a shrimp cocktail and it was okay
MINI CHICKEN ENCHILADAS WITH CASCABEL CHILE SAUCE AND TOASTED ALMONDS-​great little bite with nice contrasting flavors
BRAISED SHORT RIB WITH CHAYOTE PUREE AND CHIPOTLE GLAZE-​Nice, tender short rib cooked perfecty and easily one of the favorites
SEARED SESAME CRUSTED AHI WITH MOLE VERDE-​Ahi with Mole? Yup, it works!
COCHINITA PIBIL SOPE WITH CHORIZO AND QUESO FRESCO– This was one of my favorites of the evening, packed with textures and flavors that make your tastebuds dance!
CARNITAS TOSTADA WITH BLACK BEANS AND QUESO FRESCO-​This two bite tostada was gone in no time!
CHURROS CON CHOCOLATE ABUELITA-​Fluffy churro bites dusted with Canela paired with a demitasse of Chocolate Abuelita? WINNER!
ALFAJORES DE NUTELLA-​Dulce de Leche is given a break, and Nutella fills the cookies which are very tasty bites!
FLAN MEXICANA-​Arranged to spell Unilocal, this decadent version of crème caramel was a great end to our trio of desserts…
Servers Anthony, Cesar, Luis, and Jennifer did a stellar job with taking care of us from beginning to end, and before you know it, piñata time was here! Cherie, Rachel, and Regina hit the Unilocal Raptor and Shark with such might, knocking them both to the ground, and still not split open, Drew and Victoria spiked the pinatas to the ground to break them open where there were a few lucky prizes. Towards the end of the evening, We originally chose Amelinda as our traditional «IT» person to get tagged, but a few actions by some newer Elites resulted in Cherie being the tagged person. Totally no bueno and uncalled for…
After a group photo, we all headed downstairs to witness a few brave souls take on the mechanical bull. Great job to everyone who attempted this! BIG MAHALOS
to the entire team at Chayo for going above and beyond tonight, and last but not least, Drew and Victoria for another great, memorable evening! We will definitely be back! ALOHA!!!
Shaka Meter: \uuu/​\uuu/​\uuu/​\uuu/​\uuu/​5
*A SIDENOTE ON BEING «TAGGED» AT THE END…
This has been a Vegas tradition since Unilocal Las Vegas started in 2010… Towards the end of every event, we collectively decide on a RANDOM UnilocalER to become the «IT» person and bombard him or her with our nametags. Even our CMs and Unilocalterns have been chosen, so it is NOT the newbie of the bunch, nor is it decided by a person’s first Unilocal Elite event. Just thought I’d clarify that so it NEVER repeats itself ever again…

What an honor to eat amongst those who enjoy food the way I do. Thanks so much for the invitation and warm welcome!
I read some reviews from previous events to get an idea of what to expect. Anticipating a line I arrived a bit late. To my surprise this event was quite intimate. I had already missed plenty. I met my Unilocal friend Kevin as he came by to share his chicharrones and guacamole. Drew also took care of us and had a couple items sent over for us to try. =)
Located at the opposite end of the Ferris wheel. Cozy upper lever patio seating. Features a bar and fireplace.
Chayo Paloma — grapefruit and Don Julio
It was easy to drink and not too sweet. All I needed were 2 and it kept me pretty buzzed the whole time.
Chicharrones con guacamole — pork rinds and a large helping of guac garnished with pomegranate. More guacamole than needed but I’m happier with more rather than less. The pomegranate is a nice touch as it really isn’t the same without it.
Mini enchiladas — shredded chicken
Tasty with the sauce.
Pork tostada — pulled pork.
This was flavorful and tender. I enjoyed it and could have eaten a few more.
Flan — presented in Y E L P fashion I was so excited! I LOVE the richness of the flan. It was so thick and creamy. I’m used to it being light and I like that this is different. I will be coming back to order this.
I was able to snag a push pop from the mini piñata. (So that’s what the zoro masks were for.) A few spins and a hit with the stick, the t-​Rex and jaws dropped to the floor before they broke open. It was a fun ending to watch everyone ride the bull. I was impressed some elite had excellent skill. They have a tv displaying the bull rides in the front of the restaurant so that everyone can watch.
This was super cool I’ve been Elite for a week. Did I miss the handbook? More and more I realize there is some Unilocal Elite etiquette to learn. I will keep that in mind. Thank you to Unilocal and everyone I met. It was a pleasure. Shout out to everyone at Chayo. Lovely night!

Remember the first time you went to Disneyland? The very first ride you got on instantly became the «Greatest Ride Ever!» Then on the very next ride, «No, wait, THIS is the Greatest Ride Ever, EVER!» And that trend would continue throughout the day until you were so overwhelmed by all the great experiences it was hard to pick just one as the «Greatest».
This happened to me last night at Chayo’s Piñata Party. There were so many great little bites, from the Shrimp Ceviche to the Braised Short Rib to the Ahi Tuna with Mole to the Flan (Oooo, flan! :). Great food just kept coming all night, and every new bite became the «Greatest Bite Ever!»
The staff could not have been more perfect, they were having as good a time as the rest of us, and everyone did such a great job I want to become friends with all of them.
Drew and Victoria were amazing as usual. They pull these events off so effortlessly one could easily forget how much they do to make these events fun for everyone.
And you cannot forget all the great Unilocal Elites! — ambassadors each and every one of them. I dare say they helped make everyone’s night a little better, even the regular guests were having a great time watch all of those brave Elites take on Chayo the Bull.

Woot Woot! This was a super fun and memorable event. Everything was just perfect… the food, drinks, staff, mechanical bull entertainment, and of course, the company of other fun and no-​drama elite Unilocalers. Even Chef Ernesto came out to say hi to everyone, table by table.
Awaiting for us Unilocalers were chips and two different salsa (green and red). The chips have spicy seasoning on there, which is quite unique because I have not yet seen it done. We also got the chicharrones with guacamole that was topped with pomegranate seed. I loved it because the pomegranate seeds were so sweet. It brought the guac to a whole new layer of flavor.
The shrimp ceviche was our first tasting. What a great way to excite our palate for the rest of the tastings. The braised short rib (oh so tender) and seared Ahi Tuna was served on one plate. The sauce went so well with each of these delectable items. Then came the marinated pulled pork tostada and pork sopes. The queso fresca worked so well with the sopes. To finish off the tasting, we got to try churros with hot Mexican chocolate. But didn’t stop there. Out came the sugar cookie sandwich that is similar to alfajores. BUT, instead of caramel, there is NUTELLA… yum yum in my tum. Then came the flan that was initially art (spelled out Unilocal). The flan was very creamy.
For drinks, I tried the Chayo Paloma and the margarita. The margarita was delicious. I am not much of a drinker, but I finished the margarita. It was perfect. Enough to get me buzz.
I must commend the staff. Cesar, Anthony, Luis, and of course, the beautiful Jennifer. They are so friendly, attentive, and personable. Because Stephanie got there a bit late and didn’t get to try the enchilada, Anthony was kind enough to secure one plate of this for her. Cesar and Jennifer made sure that we were well taken care of with our drinks. Never just a glass of empty margarita unless we say no more.
Then it was piñata time. I have never hit a piñata before. I finally get to hit one tonight. Yay!!! It was fun to see the goodies spilled out of the shark. I felt like a kid again.
Then we went downstairs to catch some entertainment. Unilocalers tried out the Mechanical Bull. Kudos to all that rode the bull. It looked super fun, but I have to try another time.
Big thank you to Drew and Unilocal-​tern Victoria! This was a super fun event guys. You guys should really pat your back for putting together such a wonderful evening!
Big thank you to Cesar, Anthony, Luis, Jennifer, and the amazing Chef Ernesto! You guys rock!

Drew and Vicky have done it again. I’m always so thankful and amazed by these Unilocal Elite events. This one was no different. Everything was fantastic!
Chayo is one of those new hip spots on the strip. This Mexican Kitchen and Tequila Bar is located in the center of the Linq, Las Vegas’ hot new spot. When you arrive, you notice the open environment, a couple of aesthetically pleasing business signs, a lot of seating and a second floor. Since our group is too rowdy, they had to separate us and put us on the rooftop. What an amazing space! Both indoor and outdoor tables, this rooftop decks offers great views of the Linq. Both spaces have their own bars, the inside contains a very big light focal point with chairs and the outside has it’s own dramatic fire pit. The staff was on point and super attentive. Food and drinks were coming at all directions, at all times. At one point, the PR coordinator, Jaime, the owner and the executive chef, Ernesto, came around to thank us and answer any questions we might have about the restaurant and food. What a humble bunch of folks! I was definitely WOWed by that. For the food and drinks, this is what I thought:
Chayo Paloma — San Pellegrino Pompelo and Don Julio Blanco tequila — This was a great drink! Usually grapefruit juice turns me off and is super sour, but this drink was sweet. You could taste the tequila was not grossed out by it. Awesome drink you guys!
Mini Chicken Enchiladas — served with cascabel chile sauce + toasted almonds. The chile sauce really brought the dish to life. One thing I appreciated was the amount of chicken they put in each enchiladas. It was packed and flavorful. So good!
Mini Marinated Pulled Pork Tostada with black beans and queso — Such a great dish! Lots of flavors but definitely worked well together. If I remember correctly, this was the smaller item on a plate shared with the Pork Sopes
Pork Sopes with chorizo and queso fresco — WOW, what a dominant dish for the evening. You get an open faced type taco FILLED with ingredients. It was definitely a flavorful dish and worth every bite! The dish was topped with a little white cream sauce which only enhanced the overall flavor!
Seared Ahi Tuna over mole verde — Now we’re getting to my favorite plate this evening. This tuna had a sesame crust and was top grade. The mole verde was not over powering and really made the tuna a star. This plate was shared with my favorite dish of the evening.
Braised Short Rib with chayotes and a chipotle glaze — The best dish by far tonight! The short ribs were braised for 4 hours, as explained by Chef Ernesto. The Chayotes was a cheesy sauce and went well with the glaze. By far, the BEST thing!
Shrimp Cocktail, Acapulco style with chopped guacamole — It was served in a tall shot glass. So awesome and served with huge whole pieces of shrimp. Great dish!
Churros bites covered in cinnamon sugar and cajeta — Who doesn’t like a churro?! Drizzled with caramel and a small cup of cocoa, WOW, my favorite dessert was served!
Sugar Cookie Sandwich stuffed with nutella — At first we kept saying this was the Mexican version of a macaroon but man, this was delicious! Everything works with Nutella!
Flan, molded into the Unilocal sign — It was served with caramel sauce and sliced strawberries. Super rich custard and super sweet. This decadent dessert is a perfect way to end the evening!
As you can see, I’m a HUGE fan of this place. The food and drinks will keep me coming back again and again and again! I’m so glad Drew was able to get this place so early on in it’s opening. Now we can confidently tell others about this place. I will for sure come back at another time. Although our group got a little rowdy and caddie at times, I still had an amazing time. Thank you so much, Unilocal for making another amazing event.

By far, this is my favorite Unilocal LV event yet. The patio setting and phenomenal view, plus the great personalities and free hooch made an atmosphere that really encouraged interaction. I’ve never met so many other Unilocalers in such a genuine way before! Hooked up with my Unilocal BFF, Cherie P, and met Tracy, Lawrence, Jay A., the ROTD guy with the sombrero, and «the Real David» and his lovely lady, and too many more to count.
The food was well-​timed and tasty! By far my favorites were the pork sopes and the guac, honorable mention to the shrimp ceviche (which seemed to me to be more of a shrimp cocktail?), killer short ribs with potato purée, and ahi tuna. The mini chicken enchilada was cool, but hard to cut and for me, the determinant of a good enchilada is the chile– the sauce, which i felt could have benefitted from more of a kick or a smidge more heat. I’m not a dessert fan at all, but the Nutella sugar cookie sandwiches could are legitimately crave-​worthy. I joked around to my group that they were awful, and threatened to eat the whole plate of 4. The flan and churros were tasty, but not my thing. Would suggest either to future sugar-​tooth diners.
Speaking of heat, in addition to a killer view, the private patio rocks a fabulous fireplace, which kept us quite warm. I loved that the owner (Jaime?) and executive chef (Eduardo?) took the time to come out and mingle with us. My only regret is that I hadn’t prepared a list of interrogation questions ahead of time, and turned up blank and star struck when he came around.
Major, major thanks to the staff of Chayo for hosting our group– I know some members did get a little rowdy towards the end. Those drinks are no joke, by
The way… The staff went out of their way to inquire about what we needed or wanted, and went above and beyond to deliver. Absolutely stellar.
Final shout out to the mechanical bull, who I refused to ride, despite the combined and convincing efforts of Leslie and anyone else he could find. According to the website, he is named Chayo, in reference to the namesake of the restaurant itself.