VEGAS RESTAURANT ROUNDUP: Fajitery Fined, Picasso’s Last Meal, Despised Pizzeria Closes

Posted on: July 29, 2024, 08:19h. 

Last updated on: July 30, 2024, 09:49h.

Corey Levitan Read More
Expertise: Commercial Gaming, Entertainment, Expert Insight, Las Vegas, Restaurants, Las Vegas Myths.

The US Department of Labor has collected more than $475K in back wages and damages on behalf of 32 employees of Juan’s Flaming Fajitas & Cantina, which operates two locations in Las Vegas and one in adjacent Henderson, Nev.

Juan Vazquez, owner of Juan’s Flaming Fajitas & Cantina. (Image: waterstreetdistrict.com)

In addition, the federal agency fined the restaurant’s owner, Juan Vazquez, $12,050 in civil penalties for the “willful nature of the violations.”

According to a press release from the Labor Department, Vazquez failed to pay the affected workers overtime for hours over 40 in a workweek, and wrongly exempted two others from overtime eligibility, both of which are violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act.

Vazquez told KVVU-TV/Las Vegas: “We did not deliberately deny anyone pay. We just did not know we were out of compliance.”

MGM Announces Picasso Closing Date

Julian Serrano, the Michelin-starred and James Beard Award-winning chef, has helmed Picasso at Bellagio on the Las Vegas Strip since October 1998. (Image: MGM Resorts International)

Picasso will plate its final dish on August 16. James Beard Award-winning chef Julian Serrano presided over the Bellagio’s French restaurant, which received two Michelin stars, since the casino resort opened nearly 26 years ago. It was named after the creator of 11 paintings displayed around the restaurant, which MGM Resorts auctioned for nearly $110 million in 2021.

The gaming giant claims the restaurant is closing because Serrano, 74, is retiring. However, back in May, Casino.org’s Vital Vegas brought up some intriguing inconsistencies concerning that claim …

For instance, Serrano also oversees the kitchen at Bellagio’s Lago. Though the chef is also stepping away from that restaurant, it will remain open. And, when you consider that Serrano will continue to run Julian Serrano Tapas at Aria, the retirement narrative crumbles.

What seems to be happening here, as Vital Vegas pointed out, is that Serrano is not retiring but merely slowing down, and that Picasso was underperforming while Lago and Julian Serrano Tapas continue to do well.

There’s no word yet on what will replace Picasso, though Prime Steakhouse will temporarily occupy its space overlooking the Bellagio fountains from September through November, as Prime gets renovated.

Dining Ins & Outs

Di Fara out, man. (Image: X/Twitter/Caesars Palace)

In May, we told you that Buddy Valastro of “Cake Boss” was turning his attention to pies — of the tomato and cheese variety. We knew Buddy V’s Pizzeria was destined for Caesars Palace, but what we didn’t know at the time was that it would replace by far the most despised pizzeria on the Strip …

Di Fara Pizza is now out at out at the Forum Food Hall, its home since 2014, and few are complaining about the development. Last summer, Di Fara got majorly flamed for charging $50.99 for a standard cheese pie — more than twice what it charged back home in Brooklyn. Hundreds on social media gave the eatery a pizza their mind for exemplifying the problem with modern Las Vegas.

Caesars Entertainment is close to announcing that Havana 1957, the Cuban eatery with three Florida locations, is coming to the Flamingo. It’s headed to the vacated Tropical Breeze Café space across from the resort’s vacated buffet space. By the way, this was an announcement made by Casino.org’s own Vital Vegas blog more than a year ago.

888 BBQ at 4801 Spring Mountain Road was closed on July 23 by the Southern Nevada Health District for scoring 28 demerits.