Mr. Lucky’s
Cold Brew Coffee
Cookies and Cream Pancakes – Chocolate Pancakes, Cookies & Cream Mascarpone Filling, Chocolate Cookie Pieces
Sweet Cream Pancakes – Whipped Butter, Powdered Sugar, Maple Syrup
Warm Spinach Salad – Country Sourdough, Whipped Herb Goat Cheese, Local Spinach, Red Onion, Toasted Pine Nuts, Apple, Warm Bacon Sherry Vinaigrette
Buenos Dias Burrito – Crispy Potatoes, Housemade Chorizo, Scrambled Eggs, Peppers, Onions, Queso, Salsa Verde, Pico de Gallo
Three Cheese Ravioli – Spicy Arrabbiata Sauce, Olive Oil, Toasted Bread Crumbs
Steak & Fries – 12oz New York Strip, Peppercorn Sauce, Truffle Parmesan Fries
Cinnamon Roll – Sticky Bun Style, Pecans, Honey Caramel Glaze
French Toast – Brioche, Vanilla Custard, Whipped Butter, Vanilla Butter Syrup
Toffee Bar Heaven – Chocolate Cookie Crust, Toffee Dark Chocolate Ganache, Housemade Salted Caramel Ice Cream, Whipped Cream, Caramel Sauce
Gateau Basque (not on the Menu, but a special treat from Chef Harden)
Serving guests at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino for two decades it can safely be stated that Mr. Lucky’s is a Las Vegas icon, and although plans for the space have not yet been announced as Virgin looks to renovate in 2020 the new menu from Chef Chad Castanino offers a level of diversity and craftsmanship that many may not expect from a 24/7 spot just off the gaming floor.
A favorite of concert-goers and the late-night crowd, menus slowly migrating from Breakfast to All-Day and Late Night with trusty American fare bridging all three, it was prior to a show at The Joint that a booth in the Restaurant’s corner was requested, shirts worn by Slash and Guitars signed by The Ramones acting as decoration at arm’s length.
Treated to tunes by Alice in Chains, Foreigner plus Hendrix while dining, and focusing an order on items debuted most recently, it was first by special request that two styles of Pancakes were delivered, the all-day-and-all-night Sweet Cream version soft and fluffy with Vanilla notes while Cookies and Cream Pancakes typically only at Breakfast were rich on their own, and essentially Dessert when slathered with a liberal scoop of Mascarpone.
Shifting savory, an abrupt turn but still in many ways “breakfast,” Chef Castanino’s Warm Spinach Salad comes in the form of housemade Sourdough toasted and topped with Chevre plus Spinach, Onions and Pine Nuts, the Bacon-soaked Dressing adding vibrancy much as tangy Salsa Verde does to the overstuffed Buenos Dias Burrito.
Definitely over-ordering, though housemade Cheese Ravioli in Arrabbiata Sauce comes in a fairly modest portion, those seeking Steak but not wanting to pay MB|Steak prices will likely be pleased with Mr. Lucky’s Strip coated in Peppercorn Sauce, while the handcut Fries cooked crispy are thankfully not overwhelmed by Truffle Oil or Parmesan.
Always ending on a sweet note when Pastry Chef Mickey Harden is involved, his current Cinnamon Roll a laminated masterpiece shellacked in Honey, Caramel and Pecans, French Toast unfortunately seems pretty basic and was served without Mascarpone advertised on the menu, though none of that mattered after tasting Chef Harden’s “Toffee Bar Heaven” Ice Cream Cake that rethinks a Heath Bar in soft layers and continues an unbroken string of hits across all the Hard Rock eateries.
FOUR AND A HALF STARS: Although almost every Las Vegas hotel has a 24/7 spot there is only one Mr. Lucky’s, and although they aren’t going to get nominated for any awards the menu from Chef Chad Castanino is always full of surprises at a fair price. From a Spinach Salad better than many fine dining options to housemade Pasta and some of Sin City’s Best Pancakes, plus desserts by Mickey Harden, if this place doesn’t survive the Virgin rebrand it’ll be sorely missed.
RECOMMENDED: Cookies and Cream Pancakes, Warm Spinach Salad, Steak & Fries, Cinnamon Roll, Toffee Bar Heaven.
AVOID: The French Toast is fairly basic, and was oddly served with Butter rather than Mascarponee as listed on the menu.
TIP: Check out the website for several weekday deals and times during which specific items are typically offered.
WHAT THE STARS MEAN: 5 World Class, 4 Excellent, 3 Good, 2 Fair, 1 Poor.
https://hardrockhotel.com/las-vegas-dine/mr-luckys.php
