A $215 dinner for two. Was it worth it?

I wanted to treat my wife and myself to a really nice evening out in Vegas. We had a great meal, and a good time. So I suppose it was worth it.

We had reservations for the evening of April 3, and were seated immediately upon arrival. The host sized us up for a second, but wasn't obvious about it. We were dressed smart, or business casual, and were seated in a quiet corner of the front room. It wasn't until I went to the restroom that I learned that those dressed down are relegated to a glass enclosed "casual room" tucked away from view.

We enjoyed the crab cakes appetizer and a garden salad before the main course. Both were very good. I also had a glass of chianti. While the specials looked very appealing we figured we should sample the house specialty—steak.

My wife had the filet mignon. I ordered the steak tenderloins with scallops. For the sides, we ordered garlic mashed potatoes and creamed spinach. When you read this, you might not think of this selection as true fine dining. But the presentation, preparation, and taste were up to our already high expectations.

The steaks were cooked perfectly. The scallops wonderfully tender. The leftover filet still tasted terrific and melted on the palate for breakfast, the morning after.

My wife was disappointed with the banana creme pie or cake. It didn't taste very lively to me either. But I thoroughly enjoyed my personal-sized pecan pie with vanilla ice cream. The ice cream was obviously homemade (in their kitchen) and was very light and fluffy sweet.

The great food was matched with impeccable, doting service that wasn't haughty. The soft jazz, food presentation, and general atmosphere were what I consider signature Emeril.

I was, however, oddly surprised that for a restaurant that is only 4 years old (opened in 2003), the leather chairs were beat up and tattered.

Chairs aside, dining at Delmonico is an experience on par with other four- and five-star restaurants in big cities like New York, LA, or Chicago.

(aka TumbleWyed on the net)

BAM! That’s what your taste buds say when you take a bite of Emeril’s Delmonico steak. DAMN! That’s what your wallet says when you get the bill. But it’s worth the splurge just once on your trip.

Delmonico – in the Venetian Hotel – was so good on last year’s trip that it earned a repeat visit on trip number five. This time, we were smart enough to call a month in advance, rather than a week in advance, and got to eat at a normal person’s dinner time – 7pm. Reservations as far in advance as you can think to make them are going to allow you to eat before 10pm. And if you want to just walk in – keep walking.

The only reason to come to Delmonico’s is the steak, in my opinion. Ok, well, there are the side dishes. And the ambiance. And the service. Ok, well there are lots of reasons to eat here.

I’ve never been to a restaurant that has the tables set all nicely with fine china (marked with a "D") when you sit down, and then as soon as you sit down, they clear the table setting away and reset it with "eating" plates.

Not only do you have one waiter, it seems like the entire wait staff is attending to your every need. Take a small sip of water – refill. Crumbs on the table – clean it off with a crumb cleaner. Finished your bread – it’s gone.

Loyal readers of my journals know that I would trade my future firstborn for a good filet mignon – and this one doesn’t disappoint. Well, almost. Both my friend and I had to send our steaks back the first time, as they were way overdone. But the waitstaff took it in stride, and a very short time later we were delivered new steaks (with new sides as well so they didn’t get cold) which were perfectly cooked and melted in your mouth. I had sliced potatoes cooked with caramelized onions with my steak, and the whole meal left me feeling full and satisfied.

If you want a recommendation, it is to go eat there! I have two words for you. "yum" and "mmy"!

Normally when you visit a nice restaurant you are inspired by the decor of the inside of the building. The inside of Delmonico Steakhouse is very plain. The doorways and rooms had lots of arches and columns which I considered the most interesting part of the interiors design but there wasn’t anything on the walls: very little color and no pictures. The carpeting added the most color to the room yet the rest of their decor was very plain and simple. I would still consider this to be an elegant restaurant but not considered grand.

The food on the other hand was very elaborate. Both entrées that my boyfriend and I tried were exquisite. I tried one of their dinner specials because it came with vegetables and it was very delicious. My boyfriend had their rib eye which was a remarkable dinner. Only their specials came with sides otherwise everything else on their menu is à la carte. Everything that we tried was wonderful but a little pricey for being à la carte.

The service at Delmonico was fantastic. We had several people waiting on us and they were very prompt about refilling our water and bringing us items. It was nice that they worked as a team and were very personable, too. The service itself made this restaurant feel more sophisticated than it really was.

If you enjoy great service, delectable first-class steaks and minimal decor, this is definitely the place to eat while you are in Vegas.

Voted #1 steakhouse in Las Vegas and a Frommers favorite, our hard-to-get reservation at Emeril’s Delmonico steakhouse was our biggest coup of the trip.

We were seated almost immediately (which I would guess comes from our relatively early reservation time of 6:30 p.m.) and shown to a table near the back of the restaurant. That was just fine by me, because I got to walk through and appreciate Delmonico from an aesthetic point of view before I could judge the food. All the senses were in overload. They eyes took in a very smooth mix of modern with old-world bistro, with arched doorways to accompany the hard, straight lines of the tables and chairs, which stimulated the touch sensation with their soft leather. The aroma of the food made you wish you’d skipped breakfast to have more room for dinner, and the clanking of the china display dishes on the tables as they were being set let you know you were in a classy joint.

And the taste, well, just let me tell you about that. We each ordered the filet mignon with a side. My side was pan-seared potatoes, which were thinly sliced and pan-seared (obviously) in oils and covered in New Orleans-style spices, topped with caramelized onions. They were so good, that I almost ate so many of them so that I couldn’t finish my steak. (Note, I said almost.) The filet was cooked to a perfect medium well, and served with three sauces, a béarnaise, their version of A-1 which was a bit sweeter, and a Worcestershire sauce. I was fond of their version of A-1, and used up every last drop.

I wish I could review the desserts for you, but alas, another bite and I would’ve popped.

The waiters tag-teamed the whole dinner, making sure that our pictures were taken, that our water glasses were filled, and that our check arrived promptly (but without the "go on, get out now" urgency.)

I hardly winced at the $128 tab for two (one drink each and dinner), because I knew that the money was well spent, and my taste buds would be remembering that dinner for months to come! 10 out of 10, 5-star, excellent!

Emeril has done it again! Delmonico is a bit pricey but worth every penny... especially if you like beef. This place, located at the Venetian Hotel, attracts a dressy clientele--no jeans or hats. It also take time to eat here. It’s no In-n-Out Burger, for sure.

As you walk in, it’s classic steakhouse décor: dim lighting, and tall leather chairs at white-clothed tables. The menu is creole-inspired, so there is plenty of heat and seafood to choose from. Not to mention the wine list.

Service can be spotty. The first time I went there, the waiter never missed a beat. The second time, my waiter was nowhere to be found during the entire meal. BUT the food is always wonderful, and I can overlook bad service if the food keeps me busy.

This last time we went, we were brought over an amuse of shredded BBQ pork, which was very tasty. I started with the arugula salad with vanilla apple dressing and fried brie wontons. I wish they would bottle that dressing--it’s SO good.

The filet mignon is the best piece of meat I've ever had--it literally melted like butter. It comes with their signature potato chips, which are doused in parmesan cheese, garlic, truffle oil, and parsley. Highly addictive. And the side of roasted asparagus with shallots is a fabulous mix of flavor.

The Cowboy steak, which is a bone-in ribeye, is wonderfully marbled and tasty. Served with bourbon mashed sweet potatoes, this dish will make your mouth sing. In the past, I’ve had the BBQ salmon, which is served with parsnip smashed potatoes, which is excellent. They also make a Ceasar salad for two at your table--a wonderful ‘old school’ touch.

Delmonico is a wonderful place to indulge your cravings and the desire to spend some cash.