VEGAS DINING NEWS: Red Rock Resort to Get Villa-fied, Chef Kim’s New Durango Sushi Concept, KJ’s Permanently Tabled

Villa’s Tacos, the L.A. taqueria that cameoed in Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl 60 halftime show, is set to open its second Las Vegas location this spring in the food court at Red Rock Resort, Station Casinos announced on Friday, Nov. 13. The expansion follows the robust August debut of Villa’s at Durango Casino & Resort’s Eat Your Heart Out food hall.

The Red Rock location will serve the restaurant’s signature tacos, queso tacos, and mulitas made with house-crafted blue corn tortillas. Fillings include frijoles con nopal, grilled soy chorizo, papas a la plancha, chicken, pork chorizo, and ranchera asada, plus a Las Vegas-exclusive al pastor taco cooked on a wood-fired trompo. Tacos are finished with toppings such as guacamole, crema, cotija, onion, and cilantro.

Chef-owner Victor Villa launched the business in 2018 from his grandmother’s front yard in Highland Park, California. Since 2023, Villa’s Tacos has earned a Michelin Bib Gourmand, which recognizes restaurants that deliver exceptional food at a good value.

Rolling into Durango

Fresh off a Michelin Guide recommendation for his Kame Omakase in Chinatown in Las Vegas, chef Eric Kim will bring a new sushi concept to Durango’s aforementioned Eat Your Heart Out food hall early next year.  Sushi Kame will open in the space formerly occupied by Yu Or Mi Sushi, which closed on Nov. 10.

The restaurant will offer three distinct experiences: a hand-roll bar, a traditional sushi counter, and a full-service dining room. Guests can choose from hand rolls filled with premium seafood, sushi and sashimi platters, specialty rolls and donburi bowls. The menu also features upscale dishes such as lobster uni pasta and A5 wagyu prepared tableside.

At the sushi bar, chefs serve à la carte nigiri and sashimi showcasing ingredients including bluefin tuna, Japanese snapper, Hokkaido premium uni, and Maine lobster.

“For over 28 years, my journey in Las Vegas has been about more than just great food. I believe genuine hospitality, personal connections, and memorable experiences are just as important,” Kim said in the announcement. “At Sushi Kame at Durango, we look forward to sharing that same philosophy in a more relaxed and welcoming atmosphere.”

KJ’s No Longer Speaking English

KJ’s Social, the restaurant at The English Hotel in Las Vegas’ Arts District, has closed after about seven months in business. Named after owner Kevin Jeffers, KJ’s Social opened in March 2026 as a modern American restaurant and social bar, and quietly shuttered sometime in October.

Its closure marks another restaurant change for the boutique hotel named for chef and restaurateur Todd English. The chef’s involvement with the hotel has diminished in recent years following a series of legal and business disputes that led to the closure or separation of several ventures bearing his name.

KJ’s replaced Pepper Club, the original restaurant that debuted with the hotel in February 2022. During its nearly four-year run, Pepper Club transitioned from a Japanese-inspired menu to Mediterranean cuisine. Its final stretch saw an Italian-influenced menu developed with chef Bruce Kalman and executive chef Manny Rivera.

Hotel officials said future plans for the restaurant space have not yet been announced.

Dining Ins & Outs

Side Street Inn, a Hawaiian staple for more than three decades, will fill the vacancy left when Aloha Specialties closes on Nov. 22. Aloha will have spent 41 years at Boyd Gaming’s California Casino, known for catering to visitors from the 50th U.S. state.

Downtown Terrace Kitchen & Bar has closed after nine years as the anchor of Downtown Container Park. The all-day breakfast spot quietly went away about a month ago, taking its Instagram account with it.

Grindin Coffee, a premium coffee brand from rappers Pusha T and Pharrell Williams, will stage a two-day pop-up at Park MGM’s Eataly food hall during the F1 Las Vegas Grand Prix on Nov. 20-21. The activation will offer free morning samples, a specialty drink menu, and merchandise giveaways.