Jayde at 16 Restaurant Opens at M Resort, Causes Minor Katzenjammer

By Scott Roeben, on October 30 2023
4 min read 9 comments
Las Vegas Las Vegas Bars Las Vegas Restaurants

Oh, we could’ve said “kerfuffle” or “brouhaha” or “hullabaloo.” No, we went with “katzenjammer.” Because not only do you deserve to know everything about Las Vegas, you deserve to learn new vocabulary words you can use to impress attractive young women in uncomfortably short skirts during your next visit to Sin City!

Yes, we said young women. Why? We do not shy away from controversy. The same can be said for Jayde at 16 restaurant at M Resort.

We hope you appreciate what just happened. Anyway, “katzenjammer” means uproar.

Not on the menu, don’t make it weird.

Jayde at 16 is a new Asian fusion restaurant at one of our favorite Las Vegas casinos, M Resort. M Resort is about 10 minutes south of The Strip.

The restaurant is on the 16th floor of M Resort. That’s what the 16 refers to in “Jayde at 16,” or more accurately, “Jayde @ 16.” We do not use the at symbol in such contexts. In Hebrew, the at symbol is called a “strudel.” In Dutch, it’s “apestaart,” or “monkey’s tail.” In Italian, it’s “chiocciola” or “snail.”

Jade is a color in the green family. Look, how much did you pay for this photo caption? Just keep moving.

One of the biggest selling points of Jayde at 16 is the view, as there’s an unobstructed view of The Strip if you sit outside. It was breezy and chilly on the patio during our visit, so that might end up being a seasonal thing.

When the weather’s right, this is the spot.

Anyway, it’s unclear if Jayde at 16 is ready for prime time. It feels a bit slapped together, honestly, including the drapes at the entrance.

Sometimes, doing nothing is actually better than doing something awkwardly. See also our sex life.

Once inside, the place looks pretty much like it did when it was called just 16. Technically, “16—A Handcrafted Experience.”

It’s a pleasant interior design, with a central bar, perfect for solo dining, our favorite kind of dining because we hate people eye-balling our food.

We tried several dishes, and it didn’t take long to realize 8 East at Circa has ruined us for other Asian restaurants, especially when it comes to fried rice.

The fried rice was highly recommended by the staff. It’s unclear if they’d ever actually tried it.

All the dishes were good not great, which has been our experience at all the M Resort restaurants, excluding some of the sandwiches at the resort’s Vig Deli. The Raiders Tavern & Grill is also solid.

Good will do in a pinch, though! M Resort is sort of isolated, so they pretty much have a captive audience when it comes to restaurants.

We also had the potstickers, and again, while a solid 6 on a scale of 1-10, 8 East’s are a 12, so it’s an unfair comparison.

The potstickers were not sticky, nor was any of that green stuff pot. We have the makings of a Seinfeld routine here.

Our favorite dish at Jayde at 16 was the Honey Chicken. Fresh, flavorful, sweet and delicious, this entree made the meal.

Highly recommended. And, yes, we tried it.

The real conversation-starter at Jayde wasn’t the food, though, it involved one of the cocktails.

We’d heard the cocktail used live fish in its presentation, and sort of had to visit to see what level of outrage was appropriate.

Well, it’s true, the Pacific Island Martini does featured a male betta fish (also called Siamese fighting fish). We shared a photo of the fish on Twitter, and while there was a small katzenjammer, it’s not really warranted.

The fish are kept in bowls, and the cocktail glass just sits in the top of the bowl.

It’s weird to have fish in a casino as they have a morbid fear of flushes.

The fish are well cared for, and they seem nonplussed by the goings on.

The whole set-up has been approved by the Health Department, and the staff basically treats the fish like pets. They’re fed twice a day and the whole nine.

Naturally, you’re never going to get 100% agreement on the use of living things in cocktail presentations (or anything else), but we are a staunch animal advocate, and we weren’t particularly bothered by the fish situation at Jayde.

Is it an ideal life? Probably not. Betta fish can live two years in a five-gallon tank. These probably won’t make it that long.

Interacting with guests is probably more stimulation than a typical fish gets. And the bowls are cleaned often.

Let’s keep an eye on evaporation, Jayde fish wranglers.

To each their own. We suspect this element of the cocktail service won’t last long, so if you’re looking for a photo op, it’s probably best to visit sooner rather than later.

Overall, Jayde at 16 is a good addition to M Resort’s restaurant collection.

You’ll find sashimi, nigiri, maki, temaki and dim sum, among other dishes.

M Resort says Jayde offers an “elevated dining experience.” They have a point.

The players club dining credits are generous at M Resort (it’s part of Penn Entertainment’s Penn Play system), so you can try the restaurants if you have even a moderate amount of play. Just note you have to spend all your dining credit at once, a rule we wish they’d tweak.

Jayde at 16 just opened, so we assume they’re still in soft opening mode and the place will continue to improve in the weeks to come.

You can probably visit without a reservation during the week, but on weekends, a reservation is recommended. The restaurant is closed on Tuesday and Wednesday, which is weird.

Be nice to the fish, despite the fact they aren’t nice to each other. Male betta fish are known as “Mother Nature’s splendorous little jerks.” They’re intended to augment your cocktail experience, not be consumed as shots.

We are kidding. Not about the shots thing, about betta fish being jerks. They are really just doing what every guy in a Las Vegas nightclub is doing. It’s all about establishing territory and gaining access to females.

Betta fish are Mother Nature’s katzenjammers. Or something.