Food & Spirits

Tao Las Vegas Turns Up the Heat on the Strip

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How’s this for an auspicious start? Tao Las Vegas, located in the Venetian Resort – Hotel – Casino, kicked off its opening weekend with two huge celebrations. The first was Jermaine Dupri’s birthday party, graced by Janet Jackson, Mariah Carey, Usher, Nelly, and more celebrity friends. As if that weren’t enough, the festivities continued the next evening with Tao’s grand opening, attended by Paris Hilton, Adrien Brody, and Chelsea Clinton, among others. Since then, Tao has hosted more than its share of celebrity events, such as Tommy Lee’s birthday party; a preseason party for the Los Angeles Lakers; and the “After After-Party” for the Billboard Music Awards, hosted by Pharrell Williams and welcoming Gwen Stefani, Kanye West, R. Kelly, and Lil Jon.

But that’s not to say that this dining and entertainment complex has either slowed down or looked back. Tao Las Vegas continues to mix all the glamour of its sister venue in New York City with the nonstop fun of the Strip.

Upon entering Tao Las Vegas, guests will feel like they’ve been whisked away to the Far East as they make their way to the restaurant, banquet facilities, lounge, or nightclub inside this $20 million, 44,000-square-foot, multistory “Asian city.” Guests will find themselves enveloped in rich velvets and silks, soothing waterfalls, and ancient elements, such as wood and stone. Buddha statues add to the atmosphere, looking out from every corner of the club and even “floating” above an infinity pool filled with colorful koi. Inside the nightclub, 300 hand-carved monks and candles adorn a wall of the appropriately named Monk Bar, while striking red chandeliers accentuate the moat bar.

Speaking of bars, come thirsty to Tao Las Vegas and quench your throat with the huge selection of refreshing cocktails on the menu. The Tao-tini, Tao Love Potion #9, the Fiji Apple Martini, and the Tiger Lily are a few of the exotic and delicious drinks mixed up by Tao’s expert bartenders. You can also imbibe of the sake flights, either on their own or paired with specific items on Tao’s dining menu.

The meeting of east and west extends to Tao’s kitchen, headed by executive chef Sam Hazen. The cuisines of China, Japan, and Thailand all come into play in dishes such as Chilean Sea Bass Satay with Wok-Roasted Asparagus, Peking Duck, and Kobe Beef Shabu Shabu, as well as a full sushi bar. The 400-seat restaurant can accommodate private diners, as well as business parties and other functions.

After hours, Tao Las Vegas turns up the heat with both a lounge and a nightclub. The lounge downstairs welcomes guests with cocktails and conversation to the accompanying beats of guests DJs. Every Tuesday and Wednesday, expert music mixer Omar Galeano takes over Tao’s lounge to lead the weekly Temple and

Sutra parties – a hot ticket, to be sure.

Tao’s nightclub dominates 10,000 square feet of this entertainment mecca, but size alone is not the room’s claim to fame. Instead, you’ll find three full-service bars, two main rooms, and cutting-edge audio and lighting systems, as well as a 40-foot outside terrace overlooking the Strip. The airwaves in this high-energy, DJ-driven environment are devoted to hip-hop, house, and rock music – whatever keeps the crowd jumping. From almost any point in the room, you’ll be able to observe and take in the gorgeous, fun-loving crowds, or you can feast your eyes on the club’s sexy performances, such as artfully disrobed sirens soaking in rose petal baths. The nightclub also offers ultra-VIP service in eight private skyboxes. There, guests can indulge in European bottle service, a mini bar, an espresso machine, and banquettes with safe purse drawers.

In a city that wrote the book on sophisticated, grown-up entertainment, Tao Las Vegas adds another prominent chapter to this desert town’s epic story. Dining, drinks, and dancing are all on the agenda at this massive “Asian city” on the Strip. It’s up to you which one – or all – path to choose.

Tao Las Vegas
3355 Las Vegas Blvd S
Las Vegas, 89109
Restaurant: (702) 388-8338
Nightclub: (702) 388-8588

About the author

Athena Spencer