VEGAS DINING NEWS: M is for Emeril, New BLVD Eateries, Health Closure

Emeril Lagasse will open Meril at the M Resort in Henderson, Nev. on Thursday (July 16). It will be the first off-Strip Vegas eatery for the three-time James Beard-award-winning celebrity chef.

The New Orleans-rooted concept will feature a menu of contemporary American dishes informed by Lagasse’s global travels. Breakfast brings beignets, bananas foster French toast, and andouille hash, while dinner ranges from boudin balls and barbecued shrimp to ribeye with chimichurri.

The opening comes nearly a decade after the original Meril (named for Lagasse’s youngest daughter) debuted in the Big Easy in 2016. The M’s space leans bright and modern, with a wraparound bar, abstract art inspired by New Orleans, and a patio overlooking the resort’s pool and outdoor concert venue.

Meril will also be the first celebrity-chef partnership for the M. Owned by Gaming and Leisure Properties and operated by Penn Entertainment, the resort recently unveiled a major expansion.

Meril will be open from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, extending its hours to 1 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. More information can be found at the M Resort’s website.

New Kids on the BLVD

BLVD, the shopping mall already known for recently debuting the second-largest In-N-Out Burger in the U.S. on its roof, recently revealed four other food and drinks concepts opening on its other three floors in the first quarter of 2027.

They are:

1. Tenshou Collection

BLVD’s multi‑concept culinary centerpiece will feature sushi, tempura, yakitori, kaiseki service, and upscale Chinese dishes. Tenshou will also host the fourth U.S. outpost of Tokyo’s acclaimed Bar Centifolia, celebrated for its theatrical cocktails, sword‑shaped ice carving, and the precision of bartender‑owner Yuzo Komai.

2. Pepper Lunch

This Tokyo‑born DIY teppanyaki chain sees guests cooking meats and vegetables on sizzling tabletop plates. Launched in 1994, it previously operated in Chinatown’s Shanghai Plaza for more than six years before closing in May.

3. Mothership Coffee Roasters

Founded in 2012, this female‑owned coffee company with five Vegas locations emphasizes ethical sourcing and community building. Founder and CEO Juanny Romero was named runner‑up for the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Small Business Person of the Year in 2023.

4. Go Greek

A yogurt bar known for housemade Greek fro-yo in rotating flavors, its menu also includes smoothies and sweet and savory Greek bowls. The brand now counts more than 30 open or planned locations across the U.S., the UK, and Middle East.

Vegas Places 11 on Top 100 US Hotel Restaurant List

OpenTable’s Top 100 Hotel Restaurants in America for 2026 singled out 11 Las Vegas hotels where the food, not the thread count, is the reason guests check in. Nevada earned 12 spots on the list, tied with Hawaii for second place behind Florida (18).  

Unfortunately, OpenTable doesn’t rank the restaurants numerically; it just presents them alphabetically by state.

• Anthony’s Prime Steak & Seafood at the M Resort
• Beauty & Essex at The Cosmopolitan
• Catch at Aria
• Chéri Rooftop at Paris Las Vegas
• Eiffel Tower Restaurant at Paris Las Vegas
• Gallagher’s Steakhouse at New York‑New York
• Hank’s Fine Steaks & Martinis at Green Valley Ranch
• Javier’s at Aria
• Lago at Bellagio
• Oscar’s Steakhouse at the Plaza
• Zuma at The Cosmopolitan

The 2026 list pulled from more than 10 million diner reviews and reservation data across 20 states, plus Washington, DC, and Puerto Rico.

Health to Pay

Tacos El Pastor at 608 S. Maryland Parkway, Ste. 140, was closed by the Southern Nevada Health District during a routine inspection on July 14 due to six violations, resulting in 15 demerits.