Las Vegas celebrity restaurants are no strangers to failure, even with big names attached. Here's a look at 9 notable celebrity restaurant flops that couldn't survive the competitive Strip environment, despite their star power.

Guy Fieri's El Burro Borraco at Rio lasted 6 years (2016-2020) before closing - the only one of his five Las Vegas venues to shutter. The closure coincided with Caesars Entertainment's sale of Rio to Dreamscape Companies, though declining performance likely played a role.

International Smoke by Michael Mina at MGM Grand (2019-2025) will close January 19, 2025. The collaboration with Ayesha Curry struggled with consistent patronage, following a pattern seen at other locations nationwide.

Eva Longoria's Beso Steakhouse at Crystals (2009-2012) accumulated $5.7M in debt before closing. Her followup venture, SHe by Morton's (2012-2014), closed after health code violations.

David Chang's Majordōmo Meat & Fish and Moon Palace at The Venetian both closed in 2022 after roughly 2 years, coinciding with the property's sale to VICI Properties.

Scott Conant's Masso Osteria at Red Rock Resort lasted just 15 months (2018-2019), struggling with market saturation and location challenges.

Martin Yan's M.Y. Asia at Horseshoe Las Vegas survived just 159 days in 2023, while Enrique Olvera's Elio at Encore lasted only 153 days in 2020, becoming victims of financial challenges and pandemic timing respectively.

The key lesson? Star power alone can't guarantee success in Las Vegas's demanding restaurant scene, where high operational costs and fierce competition require more than just a famous name to survive.

Related Articles

Previous Articles