Until MGM Resorts plants something in that big end space across from T-Mobile Arena’s Toshiba Plaza, Sake Rok is all alone on the Park. Sure, there are other places to eat and drink, but those are designed for before or after you catch a show at T-Mobile or the Park Theater. Sake Rok is a destination unto itself—a restaurant and bar and special-event hot spot with its own in-house entertainment—that could exist in almost any resort property on the Strip. With its sushi and steak, dancing servers and endlessly upbeat environment, it offers an experience that’s familiar but not largely available these days in Vegas, as restaurants have trended either to fancy or ultra-casual. If you don’t want to go full Tao, here’s Sake Rok.
Of course, all the extras would feel gimmicky if the food was mediocre. Heading into its second year, Sake Rok recently unleashed an updated menu conceived by executive chef Joe Mosconi (formerly at Tao) and executive sushi chef Sung Park (formerly at SushiSamba) that adds more small plates, more meat and more vegan options—and an absolutely killer bowl of ramen ($18).
This place was made for groups of party-ready diners, so plan to share. That’s when you should order sushi rolls, and the new kamikaze roll ($21) has shrimp tempura, jalapeño, avocado, tuna, eel sauce and a spicy vinaigrette—tons of flavor. Consider getting one of the new Australian Wagyu steaks for the table, too, available in various sizes, charred and juicy and served with black garlic and bacon-wrapped enoki mushrooms.
New for veggie lovers: the interesting hybrid avocado toast crispy rice and the umami bomb mushroom tobanyaki ($15), with maitakes, shiitakes, oysters, shimejis and porcinis in yuzu-tamari sauce and coconut milk. Throw a few favorites, like crispy yellowtail sashimi tacos ($15), edamame with chili garlic butter ($6), salmon avocado hand rolls ($9) and seared scallops with yuzu soy butter ($26). For dessert? Honey toast, of course.
There are lots of places for fun, upscale-ish Japanese food on- and off-Strip, but Sake Rok packs a powerful party punch you can’t find anywhere else.
Sake Rok The Park, 702-706-3022. Monday-Thursday, noon-10 p.m.; Friday, noon-10:30 p.m.; Saturday, 11 a.m.-10:30 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m.
