Dining

Go beyond the burger at Holsteins

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There are wondrous things on the Holsteins menu that set it apart from other upscale burger places on the Strip. Can you say rainbow crispy treats!
Photo: Beverly Poppe

You’ve had six months to make the Cosmopolitan culinary circuit. Did you miss Holsteins? It’s not on the third floor with the rest of the high-profile restaurants. “It’s another fancy burger joint,” you may have thought as you strolled right past its deliciousness.

Come on back and take a closer look. Holsteins is so much more than beef-between-buns that it’s actually easy to forget how good the burgers are. The super-rich signature sandwich, the Gold Standard, is dry-aged sirloin with bacon, aged goat cheddar and tomato confit. The Steakhouse Burger has a black pepper crust, creamy steak sauce, mushrooms and Swiss. The Urth Burger is one of the tastiest vegan bites in town, a house-made patty with avocado, sprouts and cucumbers. My favorite: the Rising Sun—tempura avocado atop teriyaki-glazed Kobe beef.

They’re as good or better than the other fancy burgers on the Strip, plus there’s another level of snacks and such that pushes Holsteins to the top of the heap. These guys know what they’re doing; executive chef Anthony Meidenbauer and his team also operate Pink’s Hot Dogs across the street at Planet Hollywood and the LBS Burger Joint at Red Rock Resort. Holsteins is where they let the shine come out.

After you sample the signature stuff, try the fun stuff.

Restaurant Guide

At the Cosmopolitan, 698-7940.
Daily, 11 a.m.-midnight.
Holsteins

Sure, you’ve got your fried pickles and chicken wings on the appetizer list, but dig deeper. There’s a Korean kalbi beef and kimchi quesadilla, fried green tomatoes with crispy bacon and rock shrimp and the sneakiest dish of all—what looks like chips and guacamole is actually a bright, zingy artichoke hummus dip with spiced pita chips.

Go wild with the most fun part of the menu, a selection of mini burgers and sausages with something for everyone. Here you’ll find an amazing version of trendy pork belly buns, steamed bread wrapped around luscious pig that’s been cured in ginger and citrus and braised for four hours. There are mini versions of classics like the meatball sub and Chicago dog, as well as a housemade Greek-spiced lamb sausage with olive relish and tzatziki sauce.

There’s even more: a cavalcade of colorful, whimsical, irresistible desserts and an impressive, never-ending beer list, draft and bottle. Holsteins keeps it casual, stays open late and makes it real easy to have fun. All in all it’s a perfect fit for this resort. Don’t pass on it.

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Brock Radke

Brock Radke is an award-winning writer and columnist who currently occupies the role of managing editor at Las Vegas Weekly ...

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