StripSteak Reopens at Mandalay Bay Following Renovation

By Scott Roeben, on January 16 2023
4 min read 2 comments
Las Vegas Las Vegas Restaurants

Chef Michael Mina’s popular restaurant at Mandalay Bay, StripSteak, has reopened following a renovation and revamp of its menu.

We have exclusive photos of the overhauled space, as long as you define “exclusive” as “photos everyone else got, but it saved us a ton of time not having to go over there, so just play along.”

We were hoping StripSteak would devote some of its renovation budget to getting a space between “Strip” and “Steak.” No such luck.

According to the StripSteak reopening news release, the restaurant “is outfitted with unique equipment including a row of heated butter baths, aging lockers and wood grills that expand the possibilities of what the chefs can deliver.”

First, we’re surprised StripSteak didn’t spring for some new lockers.

Second, we, for one, are highly interested in taking one of these butter baths. Preferably while wearing a suit made of popcorn.

Oh, who are we kidding? We aren’t wearing a suit, no matter what it’s made of.

So much wood! Which, we’ve confirmed through our confidential sources, she actually did say.

We have never actually dined at StripSteak, but we love the new look of the place, and trust the new menu is worthy of the fancy surroundings.

From the news release, “The new menu is served in a refreshed interior design by Bishop Pass, evoking the setting of a secret desert lair from a spy movie. Inspired by the surrounding Mojave Desert landscape, the space boasts a striking bar, seductive mid-century furnishings and an expansive new private dining room.”

“Secret desert lair from a spy movie” would not have been our first guess, but this is why we write a Las Vegas blog and are not an interior designer.

If we were an interior designer, there would be a shortage of neon, sex swings and photos of the Stardust.

Here’s more about StripSteak’s redesign: “Designed by boutique Southern California firm Bishop Pass, StripSteak’s scene is set by a warm desert palette and slick mid-century furniture. Modernist details throughout the space reflect a desert lair complete with seductive furnishings and eccentric art. Half-circle sage green upholstered booths line the perimeter of the restaurant and deep burgundy chairs accentuate the comfortable yet stylish feel.”

Fun fact: StripSteak has one of the largest private dining rooms on The Strip, with a capacity of 72 guests. Granted, that fact is really only “fun” to event planners.

The release continues, “StripSteak offers new preparations for its meat, such as the Duck Fat Prime Rib, to complement the classic butter-poached, wood-fired steaks that established it as a destination restaurant for guests from around the world. Additionally, Chef Mina playfully examines familiar dishes through the lens of a steakhouse. Guests can expect to sample inventive new plates such as Foie Gras Doughnuts, Caviar Jelly Doughnuts, Maine Lobster Toast and Truffle Corn Bread.”

We are eating zero percent of “Foie Gras Doughnuts, Caviar Jelly Doughnuts and Maine Lobster Toast,” which is why we are a Las Vegas blog and not a foodie.

Everything’s better bone-in.

The new StripSteak menu boasts a number of other items we probably wouldn’t order (we’re here for the steak), including: Hamachi Nori Tacos (a modern take on the traditional Japanese hand roll), Crispy Dungeness Crab Cake (a classic crab cake served with miso cauliflower cream garnished with graffiti cauliflower, winter citrus fruits and jalapenos), Kurobuta Pork Tomahawk (a bigass cut of pork with some applesauce) and Japanese A5 Wagyu (in a red wine-shallot butter bath).

Executive Chef Kyle Johnson oversees StripSteak’s new menu. Johnson has worked with Michael Mina before, at Alize (which closed at Palms in 2017 after 16 years of operation) and Bourbon Steak, with a number of locations across the country.

Here’s the menu. The first half, don’t freak out.

Las Vegas is the perfect place to throw caution to the wind and raw bar.

Note the “key” at the bottom of the page to help translate the initials (GF, CBGF, V, VEG, CBVEG) on the menu. When did people get so high maintenance?

Of course there’s more. More sizzle and more steak.

We are currently hoping for a handpay to get that bone-in filet. Actually, we’re always hoping for a handpay.

No re-imagined menu would be complete without a fresh batch of cocktails.

StripSteak’s cocktail menu features: Way of the Sword (Mezcal, Aperol, lime, pineapple, vanilla, jalapeno); Fruit Ninja (tequila, Yuzu sake, lime, grapefruit, honey) and Winter Old Fashioned (bourbon, apple brandy, maple, toasted pecan bitters).

We have no idea why the pecans are bitter, but we suspect it’s due to the fact some people still incorrectly pronounce it as “PEE-can,” rather than “Puh-KAHN.”

While the prices are a smidge elevated at StripSteak, it’s not outrageous for The Strip. (It’s right there in the name, after all.)

These Hamachi Nori Tacos look amazing, despite the fact they aren’t bone-in.

Fancy steakhouses on The Strip rely heavily on conventioneers, so let’s hope those corporate credit card-bearing visitors return (convention business is down about 25% from pre-pandemic levels) as many gleefully predict.

StripStreak looks like a great Vegas splurge, and we love that there was an investment in making the place look sparkly and new all over again. StripSteak opened in 2006.

See more at the official StripSteak Web site.

If you see us there, make sure to ask about the bone-in special! No, it’s not on the menu. No, it’s not particularly satisfying. Subject to availability, and please remember meat sometimes shrinks during the preparation process.