VEGAS DINING NEWS: Year’s Most Anticipated Eatery Sets Opening Date, First Luke at Combs’ Place

Las Vegas’ most anticipated new restaurant of 2026 now has an official debut date. Maroon, the new concept from James Beard Award–winning chef Kwame Onwuachi, will open April 24 at the Sahara, in the space created after José Andrés’ Bazaar Meat bolted for the Venetian last July.

Maroon promises to blend the classic American steakhouse with the bold, layered flavors of Onwuachi’s Nigerian, Creole, and Afro-Caribbean influences.  A custom live‑fire jerk pit will anchor the kitchen, where steaks, seafood, and vibrant sides will be rubbed with Onwuachi’s signature spice blends.

Designed by New York architecture firm Modellus Novus, the new venue will include a 125‑seat dining room, a bar and lounge, and private event spaces.

Onwuachi, who grew up in the Bronx, owns Tatiana in New York and Dōgon in Washington, D.C.

First Luke

Caesars Entertainment and Opry Entertainment Group recently released fresh renderings of the Luke Combs-branded Category 10 restaurant, bar and honky-tonk. The three‑story, 34,000‑square‑foot buildout — which will replace the old Margaritaville along the Flamingo’s Strip-facing frontage, will open sometime in October.

Not unlike Blake Shelton’s Ole Red or Jason Aldean’s Kitchen + Rooftop Bar — in fact, not unlike them in any meaningful way — Combs’ joint will include a ground-floor performance area and dance hall (Hurricane Hall, named after Combs’ hit “Hurricane”), an intimate lounge (The Still), and a rooftop area with a view of the Strip and featuring DJs and nightlife experiences.

The Las Vegas location will be the second for the Category 10 brand, following its flagship venue in Nashville (where both Ole Red and Jason Aldean’s kitchen also opened before expanding to the Strip).

Dining Ins & Outs

Guy Fieri’s El Burro Borracho will be replaced at the Rio by a new concept called Tacos Del Rio, according to Vital Vegas. Opening day is March 26, 2026.

NADC (Not a Damn Chance) Burger — the wagyu burger concept from pro skateboarder Neen Williams and chef Phillip Frankland Lee of Scratch Restaurant Group — is putting down permanent roots in downtown Las Vegas. After a buzzy pop‑up run at Resorts World last summer, the brand anticipates opening at 124. S. 6th St, Suite 150 in mid‑April. The new location will push NADC to 12 locations nationwide.