You wouldn’t expect a Southern diner founded in the owner’s hometown of Belmont, North Carolina, to find its way to the Las Vegas Strip for a second location. But the family behind Nellie’s Southern Kitchen happened to have some special connections.
Kevin Jonas Sr.—father of Kevin, Joe and Nick, aka the Jonas Brothers—says the family’s relationship with MGM Resorts grew through years of award shows, tours and special appearances by the pop group in Las Vegas. That laid the groundwork for Nellie’s arrival this summer just across from MGM Grand Garden Arena.
“It didn’t start as a concept we expected to expand,” Kevin Sr. explains. “We named it after my grandmother, who worked in cotton mills in this small town, and we did it to honor this wonderful woman who played a big part in raising me. No matter where I went, when I came home she made me the most amazing Southern cuisine after working a long day in the mill.”
One would expect such a humble restaurant to glam up for its Strip debut, and Kevin Sr. says, “The temptation is real to try to change who you are for Vegas.” But the strength of the Nellie’s experience lies in those time-tested recipes and the power of comfort-food nostalgia, so the family and the casino chose to stay on the original path.
The results are quite delicious and soulfully satisfying. Fried chicken is a menu centerpiece, a half-bird dinner served with mac and cheese and collard greens ($32); with a crispy waffle, maple syrup and cinnamon-honey butter ($33); or as a Nashville-style spicy sandwich ($20). It looks, feels and tastes like the homemade stuff, and that approach permeates the menu—and really stands out on the Strip.
Creamy collard and artichoke dip ($16) and a basket of biscuits ($9) with butter and jam are standout starters, and there are salads, sandwiches, steaks and lighter entrees like a Cajun blackened chicken bowl ($23) and molasses-glazed salmon ($36) for variety.
But the stick-to-your-ribs stuff is what you’re here for, like more fried chicken smothered in gravy with mashed potatoes ($30), meatloaf ($28), fried catfish ($25) and shrimp and grits ($36) in a spicy cream sauce topped with pico de gallo. Kevin Sr.’s favorite is chicken and dumplings ($29), a dish so homey, you rarely see it on restaurant menus, at least in Las Vegas. That’s what Grandma Nellie made for him the most.
“I’ve tried it in so many other places, and it’s just not the same,” he says. “It warms my heart and brings back memories of one of the sweetest, most innocent and genuine people I’ve ever known.”
The restaurant space, formerly occupied by Mexican joint Hecho en Vegas, is open and spacious and offers live music most nights. You’ll certainly catch the JoBros there when they’re in town, but when they’re not, you’ll still see other families eating together and maybe kids dancing near the stage. It’s already an uncommon Strip spot, and that’s the goal.
“We know there are some limitations for entertainment choices where young and old can all go, and we hope that might be appealing for families,” Kevin Sr. says.
NELLIE’S SOUTHERN KITCHEN MGM Grand, 702-640-0156, nelliessouthernkitchen.com. Daily, 11 a.m.-10 p.m.
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