Las Vegas Wine & Food Festival

This is my first time attending this event. I was so impressed at how well the event was run. The food and wine/​spirits were amazing! The line moved very quickly so you had plenty of time to sample all the food and drinks, big portions and plenty of them. The event was held at Red Rock Casino Resort Spa pool area. They closed it for this event. It was beautiful and plenty of seatings to hang out with friends.
Definitely worth your money. I’ve heard from people who have attended in prior years that it gets better and better each year. So I will be back again next year for sure. So many, I mean MANY, delicious food! I am drooling over the pictures I took just looking at them!

Wow!!! One of the best wine and food events that I’ve attended since moving to the area. The venue (by the pool) was lovely! The food was yummy! The wine was tasty! I will definitely attend this event again next year and for many years to come. Also, the Red Rock Casino and Resort property was the perfect location. PS — The VIP ticket was worth the extra cost!!!

WINE FOOD LIQUOR!
I was impressed! The venue it self was gorgeous! Well lit w/​lots of white spheres that we’re lit up bright like a star! The moment you walk in you can see everything so it was quite a view especially w/​all the people buzzing around & drinking wine & eating yummy food. They were passing out TOSSWARE plastic wine glasses that you could just throw away or take home w/​you & you could also click multiple together.
The staff that checked us in were a little grouchy but I would have to say that was the only down side about this thing… I get that it gets annoying to tell people they need to wait. but when you see something that gorgeous. & you paid $ 100 for an event… the staff at the beginning could definitely be a little more pleasant rather than barking at us yelling we can’t go in yet.
So many delicious food vendors were on site that night! My favorite would have been CAPITAL GRILL… MONTA RAMEN… CRAVE… props to you guys on putting out some hot & awesome food!
UNFORTUNATELY I can’t remember all the names of the food I ate so forgive me… as a couple of sips of wine at the beginning on an empty stomach in the heat did not help aahahahaha
PROSCIUTTO WRAPPED CHEESE — OMG this was AMAZING! & it was hot as they were making it on the spot! Also came we/​some cherry tomato halves & I think a balsamic reduction. I wanted it over & over again but the hubby said don’t be greedy so I only got to have it once… THE CAPITAL GRILLE. I shall visit your mother ship!
BAHN MI — cute little tiny bahnmi sandwiches we’re so cute & stuffed into my mouth in 2 bites. They we’re also serving a dessert which I cannot remember the name of for the life of me but it was DERICIOUS! NOODLE BAR located inside red rock casino will definitely stop by especially since they were giving out free app cards too!
WHITE CHOCOLATE POPCORN — there we’re multiple different flavors but this one was my choice & did I choose right?.. indeed I did! Not too sweet it was just awesome POPCORN GIRLS!
KIMCHI BURGER — mini little sliders… I was definitely a little disappointed tastes way better in full size… maybe they we’re getting a little burnt out at the end… BACHI BURGER grilling on the spot.
PASSION FRUIT DESSERT — FRENCH MACAROONS I definitely wanted the macaroon ice creams… but at this point I didn’t wanna waitnin line… just wanted to sit down & sober up.
BLOODY MARIA — they were serving some BOMB tasting bloody Marys from HABLA DIABLO which I also got a free shirt for liking their FB page!
STUFFED CHICKEN — dunno where this came from since the bois brought it to me… but it was heavy goodness! I just shoved the whole thing in my mouth! Wish I knew where it came from so I could visit the resteraunt! =[
PORK TACOS — these were the most tender & juicy freaken tacos packed w/​tons of flavor! Go CRAVE!!!
FOIE GRAS ROLL — also from CRAVE from the sushi side… I think it was foie gras sushi. ahahah regardless flavorful!
MARINARA PASTA — the texture of the pasta was chewy goodness & the marinara sauce was dericious. Kinda had a texture of gnochi & pasta put together which I will definitely have to ask the next time I go to LAVO!
WHISKEY MEATBALLS — these meatballs were a burst of flavor! Served w/​thai noodles I believe & you definitely need to eat it w/​the noodles otherwise it is too salty by itself. SAUCED was the vender & boi were those balls sauces!
PORK RAMEN — OMG I’m not a fan of going out & buying ramen from a resteraunt… but MONTA RAMEN you may have just changed my perspective w/​your pork belly ramen! Broth scorching hot when served it sobered me up so good! Noodles had the perfect texture complimented w/​a piece of juicy soft pork belly! O_​O DERICIOUS DELICIOUS!
STEAK TARTARE — from SMITH & WOLLENSKY served on a crispy baguette it had a kick of Dijon mustard & was pretty good even though I don’t like mustard.
UNFORTUNATELY I did not get around to EVERYTHING! Which was definitely my goal… but bumping into a lot of different people that I wasn’t expecting to see made it a little difficult to get around to everything especially when there is alcohol involved!
DIRTY TEQUILA was another vendor there that made AMAZING margaritas that comes w/​a spicy salt rim & they we’re just so friendly we pretty much spent the last 40 minutes of the 2 hour event there!
RESQ water was another awesome thing about this event! An anti– hangover water that is packed w/​electrolytes we’re being handed out as they advised everyone to drink some after a couple of drinks to prevent hangovers which it definitely worked! I deifnately tried it again when I was sober… it was not a pleasant taste… but it tasted fine w/​alcohol ahahaha
Will DEFINITELY be back for this event again & maybe just purchase the VIP pass so that I could get a head start before it gets super packed.

Let me start off by saying that this was the first Las Vegas Wine & Food Festival that I have attended so I don’t have any of the past events to compare it to. I went mostly for the food. I’m not a big wine drinker.
Nothing really stood out for me. I liked the N9NE slider, Monta tonkatsu ramen, BLT Burger nutella cocoa puffs milkshake, Orleans chicken wing, Lao Sze Chuan lo mein noodles & spicy, dry chili chicken, District One hamachi taco, & Popcorn Girl gourmet popcorn. The rest of the food were OK or just meh.
For the drinks, I tried RumChata. That was really good. It reminds me of a creamy horchata with cinnamon, Duvel Beer from Gordon Bierch, & some Bloody Mary mix which I didn’t catch the name of. There were Hoegaarden and Leffe Belgian beers which I have tried before but got some anyway. I wish there were more water bottles. I was parched at the end.
For the venue, I always liked Red Rock Casino. It was semi-​crowded after you entered and for some of the popular spots but it wasn’t bad where I felt uncomfortable. For the most part, I thought it was spacious. Plenty of beds and areas to sit, chill atmosphere in a beautiful pool setting. Excellent service from the Red Rock staff. One of the employees saw us waiting in line when we first entered and took our ticket and helped us right away. The line wasn’t long, only 4 – 5 parties ahead of us so that was a good start. Vendors were professional and most were happy to explain what they were offering.
Right before we left, I got a VIP bag with one of the Vegas magazines and four Paul Mitchell samples. Also, grabbed an anti-​hangover drink called Resqwater. You’re supposed to drink it before you start drinking though. I saw it too late. Oops.
Overall, I liked everything except I wish the food selection was better, more restaurants participated, more water bottles available, and more desserts. I only saw a few desserts. I didn’t see some of the restaurants that were supposed to be there that night. I think if all the restaurants participated on both nights, it would be a greater success.

I don’t understand the bad reviews for this event, but maybe I wasn’t super disappointed because I got a special LivingSocial deal and paid about half price for the VIP admission. Yes, this foodie event was very small and yes, the wine that was being poured was absolute crap (I mostly drank the free ice water at the bar and the sparkling wine) but it was a fun way to spend a couple of hours on a Saturday night.
We never encountered any huge lines that plague other foodie events in town (and yes, I’ve been to almost all of them). The atmosphere was great and the entire pool area was open so you could sit in the comfy cabana beds while you stuffed your face. While the Red Rock pool area is intimately small, we never felt packed in and could move freely. There were also plenty of places to sit and relax.
None of the food was that memorable except for the sea bass as others have mentioned, but it was fun to get little nibbles at every station. There weren’t a lot of vegetarian options but there was enough variety to make both of us happy. We ate beef sliders, seared scallops, Indian curried potatoes, meatballs, brushetta, fresh-​shaved salami, gourmet popcorn, butter cake, chicken wings, chicken salad wraps, short ribs, bison meatballs, jello shots with pop rocks as a chaser, crab bites and more — leaving super duper full.
I’m not a liquor drinker but my husband enjoyed trying some of the products offered — rum, whiskey, vodka and more. Most of the booths had frou-​frou cocktails which seemed to be a huge hit with the «I’m gettin’ DRUNK tonight» girls in high heels and even shorter skirts.
The wines being poured were abysmal. There was nothing even remotely drinkable. This is NOT an event for serious wine drinkers. If you want good wine, splurge on the Wine Spectator Grand Tour that hits town every Spring.

This event was average, just ok. Nothing special, although I did expect special considering it was $ 100 per ticket. It was semi-​small, without the variety of amazing food and drinks that I expected. Yes of course there were a few that stood out more than others. But with Vendors such as N9NE, Mastro’s Ocean Club, Capital Grille, and Roy’s, that sets the bar pretty high. There better be SOMETHING GOOD.
I will break it down, Pros & Cons.
Pros:
A gift bag with Paul Mitchell products for VIP guests.
Mastro’s sea bass. The best thing I tasted all night. I went back for seconds, and maybe even thirds.
The weather. (luck)
The frequent hand washing stations. Although they were not used much, at least we had the option.
The alcohol variety. (not to be confused with quality) I enjoyed that there was way more than wine. I actually expected more wine! I was not impressed with the selection of semi-​cheap wine, mostly all reds. I was, however impressed with the rumchata, the bloody marys, the cucumber mint drink, and the martinis. Patron even had a booth. Some would say the $ 100 was worth the open bar samples alone.
Cons:
Sliders from four booths and chicken wings from two. Yes, those are easily hand held foods, I get it. But to the people in charge– we don’t really want that many duplicates! Maybe screen the menus prior to the event. For the record the best sliders were from N9NE!
Advertised people who were not there. I think it should be the same vendors on each night. If Kerry Simon has a booth on day one, day two also expects that. Where was Herbs & Rye? One of the reasons I bought a ticket. Fail.
Wine selection. WEAK SAUCE! Pinot Nior and Cabernet from every booth? Switch it up a bit! I barley seen any white wine, and none of my personal favorites. UHH, LET DOWN!
The layout. Sure, it was beautiful around the pool, but when you have 10 – 30 people trying to walk by a booth as well as grab a sample, it was one big CLUSTERF*%$!!
Certain booths were easy to get to, others were not. I would also love some pop up tables and chairs! (not only 25 when there are 200 guests)
Hooters. Come on now. Hooters at the Las Vegas Wine & Food event? Is there even a Hooters still in Vegas? I just don’t see how they match up to some of the fine dining places that were there.
So there you have it. I would go again, but I would not pay the amount. A bigger venue, with more food options. Or sell less tickets. No one wants to be elbowed by an impatient drunk who wants a mini burg.
Foodie Fest read their reviews and changed some things around, I hope they do the same for this event.

TLDR: More than 50 food/​beverage sampling vendors; outside, paid event; good food, not enough water
Red Rock Hotel & Casino has brought back this annual food/​beverage show to showcase the culinary cuisine and delectable delights that are available in the Las Vegas Valley. Guests have the options of selecting from hundreds of dishes and booze options all-​included in a price upwards of $ 85. From wines and liquors to raw fish and cooked meats, this event is sure to satisfy any taste buds. While the event is outside and is open to the public at 9p, the warm summer night accompanied by the scarcity of drinking water makes for an unpleasant event. The festival also has an advertising feel, especially with Direct TV trying to get new clients. I would rather save my money for Bite of Las Vegas in the coming weeks.

When will I learn my lesson. I keep going to these food events even after I swear I’ll never go to another one. No one to blame but myself. It’s almost like I keep holding hope that «this one will be better».
This was a last minute decision to go as I had a friend in town and we both decided that it was worth a try. So we grab the VIP tiks, show up at 8p in hopes of having a good time. This is my first time going to this actual event, but I went to another Barcelona event last year at Yellowtail and was sorely disappointed.
The first stop we make we are served a cold meatball and one cold fingerling potato. Not a good sign. This is supposed to showcase your venues food and you choose this?
To cut this short, only a few items stood out, the halibut from Mastro’s (and of course their butter cake) and the slider and Nutella Cocoa Puff shakes from BLT Burger. Oh and there was a truffles ricotta from a place opening up in October called Hearthstone. The alcohol served usually got tossed in the trash (the wines were equal to box wine from a grocery store). I wasn’t looking for a headache.
This event was most definitely not worth the $ 100 ticket. Save yourself the time and go have a nice dinner somewhere else.

Not having gone to prior year, and buying on site for $ 100 at 9pm, I really liked it. Very high end alcohol, Patron silver, but just so much alcohol that the event and music was $ 100 worth of alcohol alone. The food was notable for district one and their fresh fish tacos. The red rock steak house had a delish salad with pulled pork. There was Roys with shrimp, the Chicago Chinese food chain was there too with some really spicy noodles that nearly burned my face off. The best was actually a surprising Indian crêpe, full size Indian crêpe that was a lot like a Vietnam crêpe called Ban xeo, but it had potatoes in it. Just the most amazing dish. I had so much alcohol I forgot the name. Gotta look up Indian crepes in Las Vegas and go there tomorrow for lunch. I am dreaming of those Indian crepes.

The food was very good.
Samplings from Fuku Burger & 9ine were also good but not outstanding. My wife loved the green tea mochi.
The big downer was that it was so hot this evening. I don’t understand why this couldn’t have taken place later October during the evening? There should have been more water bottles; there was too much booze and not enough H2O.
Overall,
I felt this event was more for the fake and plastic people of the Las Vegas night life, not serious food and wine connoisseurs. More people were seen floundering about, drunk, rather than enjoying the atmosphere, food, and wine.
Vendor representatives spent no time explaining their products; more like them just passing them out for flavor. The DJ, dance floor, and annoying music made me think twice about attending a «food and wine» event by a pool again.

Wow, what a disappointing affair (2014).
They spread it out over 2 days and even with the living social discount my friends and I felt cheated at least compared to the year before and compared to any other Las Vegas food and wine event (of which there are plenty).
The amount of restaurants participating were about 50% of what they had the prior year and the food was cheap and nothing special. Nothing stood out. Meatballs and pork sliders… no thanks. The first wine and food event I’ve attended where I walked out completely unfilled.
By the way, hooters was there with wings. If you are having a wine and food event where the retail price of a ticket to the event is around $ 100…and you have to invite hooters to put out wings and cold fries… you had a problem attracting participants.
I was looking forward to this event as it was excellent in 2013, but I’ll erase this from my list next year.
A shame.