Mayfair, Bellagio’s new supper club, reaches back to the past—to the salad days of Frank Sinatra and his pals, when a night out on the town meant tux and tails and evening dresses. Yet Mayfair’s also very much a modern affair, offering a fresh take on the dinner-and-a-show concept. And its prime location on the Strip—with the Fountains of Bellagio as the backdrop (and at times, part of the show inside)—only adds to its gauzy, aquatic-themed glamour. It’s a Technicolor dream world in which one can easily get lost for hours, so plant yourself on the plush banquette and stay awhile.
Start with a cocktail or a glass of wine from the well-curated menu as you listen to standards from the American Songbook—from mellow piano pieces to more upbeat Prohibition Era jazz numbers, performed by some of the most talented musicians you’ll find on the Strip. As the evening progresses, there’s a perceptible change in energy, from the dimming overhead lights to the music tempo to the performers who become more interactive with the diners. At various points after 8 p.m., an alarm sounds and diners are encouraged to swing their napkins in the air to the chorus of “Viva Las Vegas.” (Even later on Fridays and Saturdays, Mayfair After Dark takes the tablecloths off and turns the stage into a dancefloor. Sundays are devoted to jazz.)
Stellar as the entertainment onstage can be, the menu is just as well-thought-out, featuring American steakhouse classics sprinkled with surprises. The seafood tower ($65 per person) starts things off right for the table, while hand and cut rolls ($22-$35) deliver both meat and fish inside. Opt for the sliced hamachi ($26), the delicate fish belying the pucker of calamansi, olive oil and Fresno chili. Salad selections include the tried-and-true Caesar and wedge ($21 apiece), but the tomato salad ($23) is a standout—heirloom tomatoes topped with green tomato tapenade and razor-thin onions, dressed in a vinaigrette. Meanwhile, the coconut shrimp appetizer ($25) is playfully served on a coconut shell, along with a crème fraîche, celery and garlic rangoon dip.
The entrée section includes a special callout to “supper club classics,” including a decadent beef Wellington for two ($125), with Mishima Wagyu, foie gras and porcini; lobster thermidor ($95), served with buttered leeks and tomato; and a 40-ounce dry-aged porterhouse ($150) with Mayfair steak sauce and béarnaise. And though Mayfair might be a classic steakhouse with a meat-and-fish-focused menu, two vegetable-forward dishes should please plant-based diners. The vegetable pot pie ($38) is served crustless and in an actual pot with market vegetables and black truffle in a creamy sauce; and the eggplant caponata ($32) is a sweet-and-sour delight, its robust balsamic note tempered by candied peanuts, capers and mint.
Mayfair’s desserts are just as aesthetically pleasing as its environs. The Baked Alaska ($22)—a citrus cake with a yuzu and raspberry center—features a butterfly on top that melts when the server sets it aflame. And the child in you will surely revel in the pleasures of the Music Box ($14), which has a selection of bonbons, caramels and macarons, while your grown-up side will gravitate toward the Cigar ($16), a chocolate panna cotta with praline crumble and merengue.
The Mayfair experience is always changing shape, depending on day and time of night. No two experiences are exactly alike. One constant? Outstanding food that feels in lockstep with whatever’s going on onstage.
MAYFAIR SUPPER CLUB Bellagio, 702-693-8876. Sunday-Thursday, 5 p.m.-midnight; Friday-Saturday, 5 p.m.-3 a.m.
