VEGAS DINING NEWS: Woe Nellie’s, OG Lotus of Siam to Rebloom

Nellie’s Southern Kitchen, the Jonas Brothers family’s Southern‑inspired restaurant at the MGM Grand, will close on or before June 1, 2026. The impending shutdown was first reported by Vital Vegas.

Nellie’s opened its doors on June 4, 2022 in the space formerly occupied by the Mexican restaurant Hecho en Vegas. The second location of a concept created by Denise and Kevin Jonas Sr. — in partnership with TLI Bedrock LLC — it was named to honor the cooking of Nellie Jonas, Kevin Sr.’s paternal grandmother.

Kevin Jr., Joe and Nick Jonas attended Nellies’ grand opening, timed to coincide with the kickoff of their 2022 residency at the Park MGM. But though celebrity recognition always generates early restaurant interest, it doesn’t guarantee sustained performance.

The original Nellie’s continues to operate in Belmont, North Carolina.

Lotus Replanted

Lotus of Siam will reopen on Friday, May 8 in its original location at 953 E. Sahara Ave., in a renovated and expanded Suite A5 in the Commercial Center just east of the Sahara.

Revered for its crispy garlic prawns, Khao Soi (crispy duck curry with egg noodles), and Nam Prik Ong (chili dip), the James Beard Foundation Award-winning eatery was called “the finest Thai restaurant in North America” by late Pulitzer Prize-winning food critic Jonathan Gold a year after it opened in November 1999.

The restaurant closed following a 2017 roof collapse. It soft-reopens for dinner beginning Friday, May 8, with a grand opening on Sunday, May 10.

Its second location, on East Flamingo Road, will continue operating.

Dining Ins & Outs

Wagyu Factory, a national all-you-can-eat BBQ and hot pot chain featuring A5 Japanese wagyu and M9 Australian wagyu, soft-opens its first Las Vegas location on Friday, May 8 at 740 S. Rampart Blvd. in Boca Park. The chain is owned by the Chubby Group, the team behind Chubby Cattle and The X Pot.

Le Café Central in Chinatown has closed after only a year of operation. The café opened in April 2025 as part of the Le Café du Vegas group. Co‑owner Carmen Barbur confirmed the shutdown, while the group’s other locations in Henderson and Southern Highlands remain open.

Redhead Burger, created by Miami Beach brothers Sammy and Christian Mounayyer, opened at the Grand Canal Shoppes at The Venetian this week. The 50-seat spot, located in the former Casanova space, serves smashburgers, chicken and mushroom sandwiches, fries, tots, milkshakes and draft beer daily from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m.