Michael Mina

I came here to enjoy an intimate evening with my fiance, but instead, we found ourselves literally inches away from other guests in a very noisy environment. The restaurant was entirely overcrowded. It seems like they care more about how many people they can squeeze in there, rather than the overall ambiance of the restaurant. The 5 course sample was okay at best. The lobster pot-pie was exotic, but honestly, this place only confirms my belief that the best dining in the US is still in New York City. Save yourself the money and skip Michael Mina's. more

I just ate at Michael Mina's last night, and couldn't wait to wirte my review. I was shocked to see several less than stellar reviews of this resturant! Yes, it is expensive, but the food and service were superb.\r \r The setting is simple, and upscale casual. Very welcoming...not intimidating nor stuffy in the least. Our server was friendly. courteous, prompt and very helpful in suggesting menu items. Before even giving the menu a complete rundown, a complementary sashimi and caviar crostini came out with a matching flute of belvedere vodka... excellent.\r \r After reading the succinct menu, I settled on the Chef's tasting menu with premium wine pairing. 5 courses perfectly paced and matched with wine... incredible. The 2 standouts of the meal were the tuna tartar and lobster potpie... very savory, and perfecly cooked lobster. The one slightly dissapointing spot of the meal ( and this is being VERY picky) was the 4th course... the American Kobe Ribeye with truffle and potato puree. Excellent preparation and presentation, but I think there was a slight holdup at the serving line, because it probably should have been out at the table a few minutes earlier.... still delicious, but could have been a bit warmer. \r \r This was an incredible dining experience. The meal comes with a hefty pricetag, but the experience was far better than most resturants in this price range. I feel that many resturants in Vegas tend to treat people as the one-time customer, but not at Michael Mina's. This was great all around. Pros: Service, Food more

Michael Mina was a pleasant surprise in that it actually lived up to the hype and though we spent $300 for two people with NO wine, we actually left feeling that we got value for our money. The tasting menu included generous portions of dish after dish of things we actually wanted to eat (lobster, kobe beef, fish, tasty desserts). Service was a bit spotty and my cocktail was just ok, but otherwise our meal was perfect. What dresscode? The room was a bit loud and the tables are a somewhat tightly packed, but the quality and flavors of the food more than makes up for any other small shortcomings. Creative, yet familiar, delicious dishes presented in a beautiful manner in a lovely setting. Pros: GREAT Food, Friendly Service, Awesome Desserts Cons: Room feels a little frantic, Quite Expensive more

Honestly, for the money, this was one large disappointment for me. My small salad was $14, my 4oz steak was $68, they charge you $8/bottle for water and $4 a cup for coffee....of which was never refilled by the server. To sum it up, when you eat a meal that costs well over $100 a person, you expect to get a lot more than reputation and ambiance. I wanted to leave full and satisfied and I couldn't help be disappointed by a lot of unmet expectations. I will admit that this is the most expensive meal I've eaten in my 31 years of life, but I don't know that someone who's used to fine dining, wouldn't have said the same. What I can say is that the service was quality. We were well served and left without complaint. Pros: Service, tasty food, ambiance was enjoyable Cons: prices, prices, prices more

I was very excited to come to Michael Mina because I love seafood and where better to have a great meal then the Bellagio. When we first walked in we were very underwhelmed. The restaraunt was very small and compact. We ordered a shrimp and scallop appetizer. The scallops were above average and the shrimp was like something you would get at Olive Garden. :( We both had the Surf and Turf for $85 a piece. The lobster was mushy and flavorless not to mention the size of a large shrimp. And the filet mignon was dry and blande. We were both very sad by dinner since we were looking forward to it for so long. Not to mention the server was very nice but we only saw her three times the whole two hours we were there. And she made no attempt to correct our dislikes. Overall, I've had better meals at Denny's. If you're looking for a place to see and be seen then this is your place but if your looking to spend quality deniro on a five star meal then go elsewhere. We expected much more from one of the best hotels in the world. We'll just keep going to Nobu. Pros: Seated quickly with reservations. Cons: Food, Ambience, Service more

I am shocked to see how many people think Mina's is overrated or not delicious! My husband and I ate there last week and absolutely loved it from start to finish: the food, the atmosphere, the service. We consider ourselves somewhat-foodies, live in NYC, and we thought Mina's was a good deal for what you get. We both had the traditional tasting menu and were incredibly full and satisfied for the $105 per person charge. We did not do the additional $85 wine pairing because we don't like to be so drunk as to not taste our food by the fifth course. We opted for just a bottle but the wine list is amazing and includes all price ranges. The tuna tartar appetizer with garlic and quail egg yoke was prepared at the table and delicious. The lobster pie is so rich and out of this world I can still taste it. The miso fish was a little salty, but it too was delicious. The tuna steak over potato was like eating a filet. I was so full my husband had to finish. The dessert included mini rootbeer floats, coconut flan, cookies, and warm chocolate cake--a ridiculous amount of food but worth every bite (and every calorie). The service was swift but never so much that we felt rushed. The atmosphere is very casual, not stuffy, and that's a nice change from some fine dining establishments in Vegas. If you like seafood, and you want to be super satisfied with your meal for the price, try Mina's, and end the night with a stroll through the Bellagio conservatory. Pros: Delicious food, excellent service, casual atmosphere Cons: A little pricey more

We were staying at Bellagio and decided to have something different from the buffet. Picasso, Shintaro, and the other steak house at Bellagio was full but we were able to get reservation at Michael Mina's. We had the tasting menu with the wine pairing. The wine was great, the appetizer was great, but after that, every course was unspectacular. The chilean sea bass with miso was too salty and my tuna was supposed to be rare, but it came out medium well. We tried to talk to the staff but they were only available when they were taking away our plates or serving our next course. The plate decoration was good, but the food taste was not. The dessert was good. I will not recommend this restaurant due to the fact that the quality of food was not that great, especially for the price, even if you win money at Vegas. Cons: food, service more

This place is overrated to say the least. We had the tasting menu which is suppose to be the best the chef has to offer. Other than the complimentary corn chowder and the dessert, all the other dishes were mediocre & unimaginative. One of the dishes was actually salmon & cream cheese! On top of that, with our drinks and tip, the meal cost us $300.00. My husband & I both felt it was the most disappointing (not to mention most expensive) meals we've ever had. We have no idea what the fuss is about. Pros: service, ambience Cons: overrated, mediocre, overpriced more

As a someone who views food as a religion, I feel I was totally objective through my experience here. We dined based on reputation and on a night in Sept 2005 when Michael Mina himself was on the line. We had the tasting menu with wine selections- the waiter would not let us order an appetizer without our entire meal order, which is fine but when we did get our $500 for 2 meal, it was unimaginative, lackluster, and at times plain yuck! The execution and technique of cooking was suberb. If only the flavor could have been there... The wines were wonderful and perfect for each course. If you eat here you risk losing, as I have, the excitement of visiting a highly regarded place and maybe even your meal. The lights are too bright and nothing is worth your time or the cost here. Pros: cooking execution, great wines Cons: taste!, too bright more

My husband and I went here for our 1st wedding anniversary. Everything was great. Service was attentive without being too formal. Food was delicious and presented beautifully. We had an early dinner, and the noise level wasn't a problem at all, even though the restaurant was almost full. I recommend getting a table that overlooks the pool. Pros: Food, Service more

The service at Michael Mina's was superb. The staff provided great attention to detail without being suffocating. Although the fois gras was the best part of the meal and was prepared to perfection, the entrées lacked distinction for the prices demanded. The sound level prevented intimate conversations which made it difficult for our party of four to communicate. The layout of the restaurant was not conducive to intimate dining. Pros: Excellent servide, great fois gras Cons: , ambiance more

I don't know who would have a negative review of this place but maybe they went on an off night. We went to Aqua and although we had to wait a little while for our table, we sat and had a cocktail and enjoyed the beauty of the gardens and the restaurant. The meal was absolutely incredible and the tuna tartare was the best ever. The entrees were also excellent as was the wine. Service was top notch and the dessert stole the show. You have to try the root beer float. That may not sound like something you would get at a fine dining restaurant, but just trust me. Pros: Food, Service, Ambience/Decor more

While the appetizers (foie gras with scallops and Tartare of Ahi Tuna) were quite tasty, the main dishes need a lot of work, particularly if you're paying $40 for each of them. My husband had the sea bass entree (which was Ok), and I had a Dover Sole, which was not appropriately described on the menu, and frankly its taste reminded me of the cheap fried fish that you get in Chinese restaurants, not something you would expect at an upscale place such as Aqua. With regard to service, they obviously don't understand that if one orders wine, the intention is to enjoy the meal with it, and not wait the entire meal until you're served it. The desert was good, but I wouldn't recommend this place for overall dinner experience. Highly highly overrated. Save your money and go elsewhere. Pros: Good Desert Cons: , snooty staff, improper meal svce. more

We had the 5 course tasting menu and everything was fantastic. From the crab ravioli, to the seared medallions of tuna, and the scrumptious chilean sea bass, there was not one weak link in the lineup. The wait staff was attentive and knowledgable, and the desert, (which was a plate with 5 selections) was just as spectacular as the meal. I hate to say it, but it was overall the best meal that I have had in any restaraunt... seriously! All for just $85/ person... what a deal! Pros: Fresh seafood, Inventive cuisine, Delicious desert Cons: Noisy (it is Vegas) more

Overated. Food is good, place is nice, but there are a lot of places like that. Also, way to many waiters for such a small place. You might get dizzy by seeing them running around. Want to go to awesome restaurant? Go to Circo! more

I'd read glowing reviews of Aqua prior to visiting Las Vegas. I made sure to book reservations in advance. My wife and I were sadly disappointed by Aqua. The menu was so-so, as was the execution. The staff waits on you hand and foot, but to the point of ""lurking"" during your entire meal practically leaving you unable to even enjoy it. The food, while beautiful, was fairly bland. Nothing spectacular here. We had a much more elegant and enjoyable experience at Renoir. Pros: Good Location Cons: Trendy, Staff "Lurks", Bland menu more

We have been to Aqua twice, and both times we ordered the seven course Prixe Fixe menu with the wine pairing. The waitstaff are professional and attentive. Maybe it's just us, but our experience has been magical there and the most memorable dining experience we have ever enjoyed. more

The best seafood restaurant I've been to in Las Vegas. We were seated promptly and got excellent service. I was with large group, so we ordered a variety of menu offerings. Everyone enjoyed their appetisers and entrees. The presentation and taste was just about perfect. Good wine selection. Impressive desserts. Pros: Ambiance, Food, Service more

Absolutely superb seafood restaurant. We ordered the tasting menu with matching wines. Yes, it was over $300 for two, but it was worth it. The fish, crab cakes, and appetizer were superb. The dessert course was even better: the molten chocolate torte was to die for! The wines were generally well-chosen. Service was excellent and the setting is great. Try to get a window table: some of the others are too close together and you may here some odd conversations (after all, this is Vegas). A don't miss place for wine and food fans. Pros: outstanding food, great wine list, excellent service Cons: a little crowded more

All aspects of our dining experience exceeded expectations. Our party of 6 was seated promptly and the staff was very attentive, even replacing our napkins whenever our chair was vacant. Each creation on the tasting menu was delicious and divinely plated. The 6 dessert sampler, a patisserie dream, included creme brulee, apple pie and chocolate soufflé. Pros: Great for the epicure, Excellent service, Creative fine dining more