UPDATE: Tacos & Beer

I find it a little...no a lot...unfortunate that I have to post an update to my Tacos & Beer Happy Hour post. I truly love this place and their tacos, but it's a bummer that they have changed the Happy Hour for at least the third time since I've been going there starting a few weeks ago.

The change? Well, the food is still great, don't get me wrong. That is a major plus in my book. However, the Happy Hour menu continues to shrink. I invited some very good friends to join my husband and me for late night on Friday. I was excited to share our latest discovery with them. I excitedly flip open the Happy Hour menu and an immediate OMG comes across my face. ALL of the fish tacos are off the Happy Hour Menu and the taco selection has been reduced to four. Whaaaat?

The server, who will remain nameless because every time I go there, I request them, was clearly disappointed that I was disappointed in the Happy Hour reduction of selection. "But why??!?!?" I ask the server. "This place deserves a chance and Happy Hour is a great way for people to discover how great the food is at an affordable price and then make them a loyal customer." The server sighs and replies, "I know...but we can't really say anything."

Well, that's a shame. It really is. It's Friday night and the place is near empty. Well, OK. Let's reduce the offerings?!?? I don't get it.

Enough of my rant but here's the update on the Tacos on special during Happy Hour:

Chicken Tinga
Puerco Verde
Beef Adobada
Bean and Cheese

All Mexican beers remain on Happy Hour at $3 each.

Exciting New Place! Tacos & Beer

I was beginning to think that the restaurants in Las Vegas were tightening up and going away from liberal Happy Hours, but I'm excited to report that I've discovered a brand new place - just five months old - that pairs great food with great prices. Plus - it's seven days a week! Farewell are those Saturdays where there are few options for some cheap eats.

Tacos & Beer is located near Paradise / Flamingo (3900 Paradise Road), in the same lot as Marrakech. If you have ever been to Firefly - well, this restaurant occupies its old space. Get this - it is the same management as Firefly. Interesting...

Happy Hour is 3-6 PM and 11-2 AM every day. Featuring $2-3 tacos and $3 Mexican beers, their authentic tasting tacos will surely win you over. Here's a run down of the tacos:

$2 Tacos

Pork Al Pastor - marinated with achiote and chipotle, with avocado cream, pineapple, onion and cilantro. 

This is a refreshing taco that combines a sweetness with the pineapple and the hint of spice with the chipotle. This was my server's favorite and it's a flavor that I hadn't tasted before.

Puerco Verde - slow roasted pork in green sauce, with onion, cilantro and chicharones. 

This is my personal favorite as it combines my love for green sauce with the tender slow roasted pork. It's juicy and super tasty. You may have tasted slow roasted pork in other restaurants, but this one is at the front of the pack.

Beef Adobada - slow roasted with chili and beer, onion, cilantro.

The beef is shredded and very tender and juicy. This taco has a unique flavor with its chili and beer marinade combination.

Chicken Tinga - breast simmered with veggies, with salsa verde, avocado and pickled red onion.

I've had other chicken tacos before, but this taco combines a lot of flavors together. The chicken is simmered to super tender and then pulled. Coupled with veggies and the pickled red onion, it's a very light tasting taco.

Crunchy Taco - "guero" style seasoned ground beef and mashed potato, crunchy shell with lettuce, pico, sour cream, hot sauce and cheddar cheese.

What really struck me first with this only crunchy taco on the Happy Hour menu is that the shell was so crisp and fresh. You can tell it was just made and the crunch of it was awesome. The seasoned ground beef is super tasty, but coupled with the mashed potato gives the bite a great texture with great flavor. Most have had a ground beef taco before, but this place takes it up a notch, once again, with adding more ingredients to the mix that totally knock it out of the park. This taco is filled to the brim and quite filling.

$3 Tacos

Fish Taco - grilled mahi-mahi fillet with mango-habanero salsa, lettuce, chili-lime cream and guac. 

Baja Fish Taco - beer-battered mahi-mahi, slaw, chili-lime cream, guac and pico.

Shrimp Taco - sauteed with guajillo chili, with cilantro lime slaw, pico and guac.

I haven't tried any of the fish tacos myself, but my friend did have the Fish Taco and he said it was very tasty. That's all I can say for now, but judging on my experience with the other tacos, I don't doubt that any of the fish or shrimp tacos would be any less than great.

Also at Happy Hour, they give you one plate of chips and fresh salsa which tastes very fresh. When your tacos come, they can also provide two bottles of hot sauce. One is a green sauce and the other is a hotter hot sauce. I normally choose to eat the tacos as they come in their marinated flavors but sometimes I like to take it up a notch and put some of that bottled hot sauce on the taco as well.

UPDATED On the Border Happy Hour

Well, it seems as though that Happy Hours are springing up all over the place now and that includes New and Improved Happy Hours. Take On the Border as one. I hadn't ventured in here for a while, but to my surprise, they now have an extended Happy Hour that totally lowers the price points again. This makes everyone a very happy camper!

Available from Sunday through Friday (so no Saturday), 3 PM to Close, there offerings are anywhere from $2 to $4. Las Vegas only has one On the Border location and that's in Centennial at 5630 Centennial Center Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89149. It sits in between Panda Express and Cane's Chicken!

$2

Cup of Queso (Their traditional cheese queso dip is good.)
Cup of Black Bean Dip (Haven't tried this yet so people report back!)
Guacamole Appetizer (Haven't tried this either.)

2 Empanadas: Ground Beef or Pulled Chicken (These are good and what's nice is that the regular appetizer platter of Empanadas can almost be too much and having the small portion option is perfect!)
5 Avocado Fries (When there's avocado, it begs for me to try them! They came out nice and crispy and hot which means that the avocado melted in your mouth. It had a little bit of a spice coating to it. I think they were good, but if you've been to Kona Grill and had their Avocado Egg Rolls - nothing can quite compare to that!)

$3

Cheese Quesadilla (Well, who can really mess this menu item up? I haven't had it but I have had their Chicken Quesadilla before and it was good!)
4 Mini Chicken Flautas (I don't eat flautas too often, but they are crunchy filled rolls that are deep fried.)
3 Mini Crispy Tacos (When I eat tacos here, I just go for the regular sized ones. I saw them come out on a plate and they are kind of small. If you like their tacos, go there on Tuesday where tacos are a la carte at $1.25 each! Yum!)

3 Stuffed Jalapenos (I vaguely remember trying these eons ago, so I can't vouch for them today. Although I've rarely had a stuffed jalapeno that wasn't good. Enough said.)
2 Mini Chimichangas (OK, I've never tried these.)



$4

Queso/Guac Duo (Well, I imagine that it's just a combo of the two items.)
Bean & Cheese Nachos (I'm not a fan of their nachos because they aren't like the typical platter of chips topped with toppings. Their nachos are individual chips, each topped on their own. It makes for more of a soggy chip nacho and I don't dig that.)
Cantina Nachos (I think these might be the traditional type of nachos. I haven't had them so I can't vouch for them. However, the description does say "piled high with all the fixings".)
Crispy Corn Quesadilla (Hmmmm....not sure about this one!)


AND

Add Rice, Beans or Fries for just $1!

Elephant Bar is Atmosphere with a Very Happy Hour!

Sorry everyone! This is my MOST popular blog and I've been on hiatus for a moment - OK - since April, BUT I've returned with good stuff! This post I am talking about the Elephant Bar. Biggest number one perk? Seven days a week! Oh how I wish that they would build another Elephant Bar closer to my residence on the west side of Vegas but it's that good that I am willing to trek over there for the goods!

I'll probably be battling some of you out there for a seat when I arrive next time but it's all good! If I can get you to try their awesome food, I'm happy to do it.

Happy Hour Times are: Monday-Friday - 3-7 PM and Every Day 9 PM-Close.

The Elephant Bar is located at Green Valley's The District which is right next to Green Valley Ranch Casino and is a mix of American food with Asian dishes as well. Yes, I know. It's quite different but while it's not necessarily traditional Asian dishes, I do appreciate their twist on it.

The first item that is always a 100% order for me at Happy Hour is the steamed Edamame with coarse sea salt on it. They give you a lot and while I'm down for Edamame steamed hot or chilled, I absolutely love munching on these steamed hot pods before any meal. A generous portion for $3.50! Go with this first!

Another item I order about 85% of the time is their Wok Seared Chicken Lettuce Wraps. What I really appreciate about this dish is that

they don't over sauce it - therefore making it a very dark and salty dish. They keep it as a very light wok seared dish and the chicken very much retains its light color. It's delicious. The sauce served with this isn't the traditional hoisin sauce but a green type of sauce. I can't say that I know what it is - but it's all good! I've had this dish as a main entree for myself before but it's a great one to share so you can try more things on their menu. This appetizer goes for $5.50.

The Baja Chicken Quesadilla is also very good. It's a full-sized quesadilla that is filled with flavorful chicken. The Spinach and Artichoke Dip (not good for diets!) is great and as a precaution, any time that I order this appetizer anywhere, I always ask for it to by bubbling hot - it's the best way to eat it! As of lately however, as tempting as this dish is and I do drool when others order it, I've been staying on the route of the Edamame and chicken wraps. Both of these items go for $4.50.

I am also a fan of the Tempura Salmon Rolls. It's a sushi dish but has a lot more complex flavors in the roll that has made me a big fan of it. While it may not look like a huge dish, it definitely satisfies my stomach when I couple it with the Edamame once again. This dish goes for $6.50.

There are some items that I have not yet tried - but I can say that visually when they are served to someone else they've been looking pretty darn good!


Here's a breakdown of more Happy Hour Menu with some combo items that pair a dish with a draft:

$3.50: Edamame, Creamy Macaroni and Cheese, Sweet Potato Fries
$4.50: Spinach Artichoke Dip, Baja Chicken Quesadilla
$5.50: Buffalo Chicken Tenders, Chicken Lettuce Wraps, Big "E" Burger, Parmesan Crusted Green Beans
$6.50: Quick Fried Soy Ginger Calamari, Tempura Salmon Roll, Korean Beef Tacos, Coconut Shrimp Skewers

Combos:
$6.75: Big "E" Burger + Regular Size Domestic Beer
$7.50: Korean Beef Tacos + Regular Size Domestic Beer or House Margarita

Arizona Charlie's Super Special Graveyard Buffet

So Arizona Charlie's Casino on Decatur has a Ham and Eggs and Steak and Eggs breakfast special in their Sourdough Cafe (next blog!), however, I stumbled upon - on accident - another deal that only happens every other Tuesday evening through the morning. I was headed to Arizona Charlie's because I was craving breakfast for dinner. Yes, I wanted Steak and Eggs just after 8 PM. I walked up to the Sourdough Cafe in AZ Charlie's and saw the dreaded sign: Closed for Cleaning from 8 PM-6 AM. Ugh! My plans ruined!

Reluctantly, I headed upstairs to their buffet. My $3.99 Steak and Eggs breakfast/dinner was about to become a $11+ expenditure. Well, let me tell you that I was pleasantly surprised when I saw the buffet sign that read: Graveyard Buffet 8 PM-6 AM. $6.99 regular price. $6.29 with your Blue Ace Play Card. $5.24 with your Orange, Green or Red Ace Play Card.

Yes! They had definitely compensated for the inconvenience of the closing of the Sourdough Cafe for cleaning and gave their diners a perk for eating at the buffet. So, this Graveyard Buffet ONLY happens when the cafe is undergoing cleaning. Yesterday, April 2nd was a cleaning day. So, count on your calendar for "every other Tuesday" to find this buffet.

The buffet overall is quite fair. I think their salad bar is pretty good. There's lots of veggies to choose from and two pots of hot soup at the end of the line. Now, on the special Graveyard Buffet price, they do close down the Asian section which typically has an on-the-spot Stir Fry where you pick your veggie combo. I enjoy that. The American/Italian section has a carving station with ham and beef brisket. There's spaghetti and sauce and your starches as normal. The Mexican section has tamales and taquitos as well as a sign that shows Fajitas made-to-order. Now, I didn't see the guy, so I'm not sure if it was actually available on the "special" night.

The dessert bar has plenty of selection and they even have pies that aren't readily seen. For example, I saw someone ask the dessert server for Key Lime Pie and it comes out of the fridge. It's tucked away so you don't know, unless you know, that it's available. They probably have a few items like that.

Overall, for the price you pay, it's not a bad deal at all.

Fridays are Always Happy at B-Dubs

OK, so if you know what B-Dubs is, then you're familiar with Buffalo Wild Wings. B-W-W - hence the shortened version of B-Dubs that we all prefer to say so we save ourselves a few syllables. While most restaurants would never think of having any Happy Hour on a Friday night, I'm glad to see that BWW thinks otherwise. They don't over think their "special" times, they just do it and it works.

Have you ever thought that a place had Happy Hour only to arrive and realize that you misinterpreted the Monday thru Thursday but not Friday night, however Sunday is good and so forth. You get what I'm talking about. BWW is straightforward: Monday-Friday: 2-7 PM and 10 PM - 6 AM. Period. Plus, on all of the weekdays, the 10 PM hour is traditionally an awkward one where most Happy Hours haven't started yet and you don't dare enter an establishment that's about to close because the kitchen staff will want to punch you for making them whip out their pots and pans again. (You know it's true!)

Besides the traditional Wing Tuesday special of 50 cent wings and Boneless Thursdays with 60 cent boneless wings, Happy Hour gives you enough food and drink items that they know you'll probably order something off of the main menu anyways.

The pricing is simple, everything I'm about to list is $3.

Drinks: 
Tall Domestic Drafts
Jack Daniels
Captain Morgan
Absolut Vodka Drinks

Food:

Mozzarella Sticks - I've had these once before. I always like to tell any place to make them well done so that the cheese is ensured to be melted and gooey. Who ever wants to eat fried cheese that's like a block?

Chili con Queso Dip - Once again, as the ultimate fan of being served food that is piping temperature hot (hey, it just tastes that much better!), I, once again, request any dips to be bubbly. This is a really good dip! It's mainly a cheese based dip that has chili in it. It's served with tortilla chips that if served right, should also be warm. 

Mini Corn Dogs - I've never had these here. Why? Corn dogs bring me back to childhood when I was puzzled at the school lunch line when all of my friends would be darting for these hot dogs wrapped in a cake like fried batter and to fit in, I started eating these things. So, in my lifetime, I've kind of had enough corn dogs. But not to say that these aren't good here by any means. I just can't give you a first hand account.

Garlic Roasted Mushrooms - It says "roasted" but it's a garlic flavored crusted mushroom that is fried. These are pretty good. I've had them at least once before. However, my dining partner isn't a big mushroom fan so I tend to not get to eat these too often. 

Chips & Salsa - This is what you would expect. I do like their tortilla chips here because they are light and crispy and no the super thick ones. 

Every B-Dubs has the same feel with a little bit of a different layout. The servers at my local B-Dubs are great but I can't attest to the other wait staff valley wide. So, you may have to show up and see but in any sense, you've got a wide range of hours including Friday for some economic eats!

Late Nite at Southpoint Casino

The beauty about Las Vegas is if you live on a schedule that is more unorthodox than orthodox, you run into specials that are often a steal - that is - if you are into eating late night. It's a 24-hour city and shifts are always getting off while shifts are just about to begin. I've eaten breakfast at 3 AM before and have sat next to someone who had just gotten up and was having breakfast before they headed into work. Plus, at this time, you see the club goers who have consumed too much alcohol and need some grub! This is beautiful! Late night specials can satisfy a variety of people!

On the very very south end of Las Vegas Boulevard...Mandalay Bay's direction and keep keep keep going, you'll find Southpoint Casino. It's gold/yellow in color and it has a world class equestrian arena. OK, so what does this have to do with specials? Nothing...but just saying.

From midnight to 6 AM Southpoint's Coronado Cafe (their 24-hour restaurant) serves specials. You must be 21 years and older to order these dishes.

Buttermilk Biscuits and Gravy - $2.25
Two Eggs, Hash Browns, Toast & Jelly - $2.95
Pancake Sandwich: Buttermilk Pancake, a Fried Egg & Sliced Ham - $3.45
Ham Steak & Two Eggs, Hash Browns, Toast & Jelly - $3.75
Cheeseburger: 1/2 lb Burger with French Fries - $3.75
7 oz N.Y. Steak, Two Eggs, Hash Browns, Toast & Jelly - $3.95

I rarely get to dine at Southpoint late night, but on the few occasions that I have, I remember that their dishes are good. While I'm very specific in my posts about the dishes on special, I don't have anything terribly specific to recall about these items, other than I don't have a negative impression. So, it must have been fine.

Overall, the cafe has good food. They have a Chinese menu that is separate from the main cafe menu and sometimes you need to request it because it isn't always handed to you. If you order off of the Chinese menu,  they typically give you the Chinese Hot Tea for free as it comes with most of their entrees. There aren't specials on the Chinese per se, but if Chicken Fried Rice is $5.95, their prices are definitely within reason on most fronts.

They also have a $12.95 Prime Rib or Porterhouse specials. It comes with your salad or soup as well.