Shockingly Good Food Court Debuts at Circus Circus
Following some glorious drama, a new food court has opened at Circus Circus. Same location as the previous food court, but with a new operator and five all-new concepts.
We tried an item from each concept and they were all really good, which is a diplomatic way of saying our expectations weren’t all that high and we’re relieved to be able to genuinely rave about the new offerings. It’s not just “good for Circus Circus.” It’s actually good.
In a twist, during our visit to the Circus Circus food court, we learned TV’s Chef Vic Vegas (real name Victor Moea) is involved in the project, including helping to develop the menus. A new bar may have been set for casino food courts, and yes, it’s at Circus Circus.
Let’s blaze through the back story quickly to ensure you get your daily recommended allowance of mansplaining.
In April 2026, we broke the news the operator of the Circus Circus food court, Feel Good Brands, had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The company was behind on rent, reportedly to the tune of about $2 million by the time the food court closed in August.
The previous food court, called Big Top Eats, had familiar brands like Burger King, Popeyes, Einstein Bros. Bagels and Pick Up Stix. Forgettable, and to make things worse, the hours were unpredictable.
Enter Tony Ravelo of Ravelo Brands. Ravelo, whose company already operates Chicho’s Tacos at Circus Circus, stepped in following the previous operator’s bankruptcy and took over the food court operation.
His company also operates Michoacan Mexican, Michos Tacos, Fresh Mex, Mucho Loco and Poke Studio, among other concepts.
Rather than bringing back the same tired brands, Ravelo decided to create entirely new brands specifically for the Circus Circus food court.
We’d heard there would be a notable local chef involved, but couldn’t get anyone involved to spill the tea.
During our visit, Tony Ravelo and Chef Vic Vegas were both on hand on opening day. Technically, a soft opening, but we don’t live by society’s rules and no way we’re waiting for the official opening to try the food.
Chef Vic Vegas is known for his appearances on “Bar Rescue” and “Food Network Star,” for starters. He has a long history in Las Vegas, and his involvement explains a lot about why the food is borderline miraculous.
Here’s a quick walkthrough to whet your whistle.
The new concepts unveiled at Circus Circus are Sunny Start, Chixies, Dragon 88, Miliana’s and Parkway Burger.
There were originally supposed to be seven concepts, but a couple were nixed. Salt & Batter, a British-inspired fish-and-chips concept, was taken off the roster when a consultant pointed out the whole food court would smell like fish. This is exactly how consultants earn their keep. We’re told fish and chips could be added to the Chixies menu “to test the waters.”
Another concept, Anthony’s Deli & Sandwich Co., was killed off simply because they ran out of room.
But enough about what’s not there, let’s talk about what is.
Sunny Start is a breakfast spot.
Chef Vic Vegas forced us to eat a crepe. We are not a crepe person, nor are we a breakfast person, but it was delicious. Sunny Start also has a selection of pastries and the like. You can get doughnuts at the Krispy Kreme stand just outside the food court. Ravelo took that over from the previous operator as well.
Here’s the Sunny Start menu.
Chixies is all about chicken tenders. The tenders were impossibly tender and impossibly large. We aren’t sure how these tenders will be sustainable at this price point, but we don’t care. They’re among the best in town.
Here’s the menu. Dipping sauces include Chixie sauce, Hot Honey Mustard, BBQ and Buffalo.
Here’s part two of the Chixies menu.
The Chixies chicken strips were dangerously delectable, and by that we mean “we have already run out of creative ways of saying tasty AF.”
Dragon 88 is Asian food. The menu is modest (there are potstickers and six bowls), but the bowls are ample in size and overflowing with flavors.
Here’s the menu. The soda costs $4, or about half the price elsewhere on The Strip.
Here’s the Dragon 88 menu.
Our bowl checked all the boxes. A little chicken, a little beef, a lot of noodles. The sauce was much better than it needed to be.
The menus are limited by design. The chef said it’s important that everyone at every concept know how to make all the dishes so that they meet the standards they want to sustain. That means doing a few items very well, and things don’t go to hell in a handbasket if somebody calls in on a given day.
It’s just a smart way to go operationally.
Miliana’s Italian Kitchen is, wait for it, Italian. Our eye went straight to the chicken parm (shocker!), and it did not disappoint. Chef Vic Vegas started bringing out dishes (thanks to Team Ravelo for hosting our visit), and the chicken parm sandwich was one of the items. Not only was it legitimately excellent, we had reverse sticker shock.
Here’s the menu.
Here’s the second part of the Miliana’s menu.
The previously mentioned Miliana’s World Famous fusilli hit our culinary sweet spot. (Yes, it’s “fusilli.” Those digital boards are easy to update.)
The star of the show for us was the chicken parm sandwich. Shocker. We’re pretty sure it’s the Chixies chicken strips, smothered in high quality cheese and “gravy” that has Chef Vic Vegas written all over it. Mouthwatering and heavenly. This is our new favorite chicken parm sandwich and Esther’s Kitchen needs to watch its back. (That one’s smaller and costs $5 more. Just saying.)
And finally, Parkway Burger.
Here’s the menu.
Here’s the other half of the Parkway Burger menu.
The burger was impressive. We aren’t a fan of big, sloppy smash burgers. This was just the right amount of smash.
Parkway Burger also has a kids menu, featuring smaller portions, corndogs and grilled cheese.
Ravelo shared some inside baseball that provides some insight into why the prices are reasonable. The biggest factor is the fact there are no license fees for these brands. When you bring in a known brand, there’s an 8% bite taken out. So, if the food court makes $10 million a year, that’s $800,000 right off the top.
Ravelo says he asked his team, “What’s the least we can charge while still making a profit?” It seems like an obvious question, but if you’ve been to a restaurant on The Strip lately, that is not the current climate, at all.
Also helping Ravelo keep costs down: economies of scale. He has several other restaurant concepts around town (see below), so he can buy product in larger quantities, bringing costs down, which keeps prices reasonable.
Oh, and there’s another aspect guests won’t notice, but it’s key to lowering costs: they didn’t waste money on putting brands on cups or packaging. If you look at the drink cups, you’ll see Pepsi. Nothing about the food court or Ravelo Brands. If you look at the serving containers, there’s no branding. Custom packaging adds costs, which drives up prices.
Ravelo also didn’t spend $12 million for a build-out, so he doesn’t have those costs to recoup. The former operator tried and failed. Awkward.
At this point, if you’re craving a dessert, fear not.
There are plans to add Sweet Corner Desserts (that’s why the Sunny Start menu said “Sweet Corner”) in the near future, so the lineup isn’t done just yet. Soft serve, please.
Overall, we were just really impressed with the new Circus Circus food court. In fact, we may just promote it to food hall, which is a high honor given the fact we are a noted food court expert.
Ravelo said there’s actually a distinction between a food court and food hall. We didn’t really understand it, but apparently a food court is a collection of fast-food restaurants, often national chains, sharing a common dining area. A food hall is a curated collection of independent, locally developed or chef-driven food concepts, with shared seating and often a more upscale atmosphere.
So, technically, this is a food hall. But without an “upscale atmosphere,” all due respect.
We can’t keep track of all the food collectives, dining halls, culinary markets and marketplaces. All we know is when we’re gambling and possibly drinking, we want delicious food that doesn’t break the bank. This is that.
During our visit, both Ravelo and the chef said all the right things. They’re both savvy and enthusiastic and, most importantly, seemed to understand the Circus Circus customer.
Circus Circus is a value-driven resort. They are us. They want satisfying food at prices that don’t require a financial advisor.
A double smash burger at Parkway Burger is $13.99. Spaghetti marinara at Miliana’s is $12.99. Three buttermilk chicken tenders at Chixies are $11.99.
We’ll go out on a limb and say the new Circus Circus food court could set a new standard for what a Las Vegas casino food court should be.
Not because it’s fancy or an “immersive experience,” but because it’s doing the fundamentals right: Good food, reasonable prices, original concepts and an operator who understands his customers.
The decor hasn’t changed much since the last operator moved out. A few A.I. images have been added. We assume they’ll get a cease-and-desist, but we captured them for posterity.
We would be remiss if we didn’t mention a pip fail on another piece of art in the space.
We highly recommend checking out the new Circus Circus food court or food hall or whatever it’s called.
If they can maintain the quality and pricing, Circus Circus has a winner on its hands, a rare example of putting the needs and priorities of customers first for a change.
Yes, there may be kids. Nobody’s perfect.
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