Latest / Vegas Revealed / Reinventing a Classic: Ellis Island's Very Vegas Story | Ep. 35

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Reinventing a Classic: Ellis Island's Very Vegas Story | Ep. 35 · Vegas Revealed

• 0:00
  SPEAKER_03: Welcome to Vegas Revealed episode 35.
• 0:03
  SPEAKER_03: Sports Are Back.
• 0:04
  SPEAKER_03: Bars Are Back.
• 0:05
  SPEAKER_03: Hey, we're getting there, Las Vegas.
• 0:07
  SPEAKER_02: And a Hole in the Wall Casino has a brand new addition.
• 0:10
  SPEAKER_02: We are on location at the front yard at Ellis Island this episode.
• 0:14
  SPEAKER_02: It's a really cool space.
• 0:15
  SPEAKER_03: And a hometown Las Vegas band kicks off Monday night football for the Las Vegas Raiders.
• 0:34
  SPEAKER_02: Welcome to Vegas Revealed.
• 0:36
  SPEAKER_02: I'm Sean McAllister along with Dana Roselli, and uh we've got some exciting things going on in Las Vegas and uh getting out and about, breaking out of our four walls to record at an exciting new spot.
• 0:49
  SPEAKER_03: I know, there's so much to talk about, so let's get right to it.
• 0:52
  SPEAKER_03: One of the things we wanted to quickly, you know, address is that Monday Night Football's back and the Las Vegas Raiders are playing.
• 1:00
  SPEAKER_03: And if you listen to this after Monday, they have played.
• 1:03
  SPEAKER_03: But we've got some exciting uh news when it comes to that because we were so disappointed when we found out the brand new stadium couldn't have fans inside.
• 1:10
  SPEAKER_03: But we learned this week that the hometown band, The Killers, which are known all over the world, are gonna be doing the halftime show, but not in the stadium.
• 1:19
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, there it's a a collaboration with Caesars Entertainment.
• 1:22
  SPEAKER_02: They're gonna be performing over at Caesars uh that performance uh spliced into the halftime show on ESPN.
• 1:29
  SPEAKER_02: But this is the first game that's played inside Allegiant Stadium for the Las Vegas Raiders.
• 1:36
  SPEAKER_02: So even though fans can't be there inside, we can all go out to a bar and and watch this game.
• 1:42
  SPEAKER_02: So it's exciting.
• 1:43
  SPEAKER_03: It is, and apparently the killers will be performing on the rooftop of Caesars Palace.
• 1:48
  SPEAKER_03: That's what they said.
• 1:50
  SPEAKER_03: So that'll be really cool to see the lights in the Las Vegas strip behind them.
• 1:54
  SPEAKER_03: Um and then when you talk about uh being able to go out to a bar, our governor approved that bars can open bars and taverns, and that starts at uh 11.59 p.m.
• 2:04
  SPEAKER_03: Sunday.
• 2:04
  SPEAKER_03: So basically to kick off the new week.
• 2:06
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, which is a great way for a lot of people to kick off the new week.
• 2:10
  SPEAKER_02: This is what uh especially bar and tavern owners have been waiting for this day.
• 2:17
  SPEAKER_02: Uh they've not really been allowed to operate.
• 2:19
  SPEAKER_02: You've not been able to uh order drinks at a bar or congregate at a bar, and and now with these new regulations, you are allowed to go to a bar.
• 2:28
  SPEAKER_02: This is inside casinos too.
• 2:30
  SPEAKER_02: It's not just standalone uh bars and taverns, right?
• 2:33
  SPEAKER_02: But it's any bar.
• 2:35
  SPEAKER_02: So now whether it's inside a casino, at a standalone location, you will be able to uh go up to a bar, get a drink, um but again it's or uh operating at 50% capacity.
• 2:47
  SPEAKER_03: Right.
• 2:47
  SPEAKER_03: So you know to keep all the rules in place.
• 2:49
  SPEAKER_03: But little by little we're we're getting there, and it's great for all those bars and taverns that have had to stay closed to get their business back up and running because it was getting long there, you know.
• 2:59
  SPEAKER_03: It's it's a struggle.
• 3:00
  SPEAKER_03: If you can't open, you can't make money.
• 3:02
  SPEAKER_02: Well, there's a a little bar uh right around the corner from my house.
• 3:06
  SPEAKER_02: It's called Timbers, and I saw that I just drove by today and they have balloons outside.
• 3:11
  SPEAKER_02: There's a very uh festive atmosphere, so they're they're excited to welcome people back.
• 3:16
  SPEAKER_03: Right.
• 3:16
  SPEAKER_03: So hopefully people will, you know, we don't have to walk around shaking hands and sipping out of each other's glasses.
• 3:21
  SPEAKER_03: Let's stick with the rules so that we can keep these numbers on track and keep the bars and taverns open.
• 3:27
  SPEAKER_03: Um did want to chat.
• 3:29
  SPEAKER_03: My friend was in town, and so I and then we talked last week how it was my birthday.
• 3:33
  SPEAKER_02: Yes, so how was your big birthday weekend?
• 3:36
  SPEAKER_03: It was great.
• 3:36
  SPEAKER_03: Well, I feel like it lasted the whole week.
• 3:38
  SPEAKER_03: I was just gonna say, like, I don't usually go out this much, especially now, but like I hit a bunch of restaurants and I wanted to talk about because some of them are like like big time Vegas classics, okay?
• 3:48
  SPEAKER_02: So what's number one on the list?
• 3:50
  SPEAKER_03: Well, uh, we hit first of all lavo on the patio because that was a night where we had a few friends join us, and we thought, well, if there's gonna be like five or six of us, we want to sit outside, you know, to keep it safe.
• 4:00
  SPEAKER_03: And so it was great.
• 4:00
  SPEAKER_03: We logged on to open table and booked lavo, and you can request the patio.
• 4:06
  SPEAKER_03: Okay.
• 4:06
  SPEAKER_03: So that's at the palazzo, Italian restaurant.
• 4:08
  SPEAKER_03: The food was delicious, the staff was great, we had such a good time, and it's great.
• 4:13
  SPEAKER_03: It sits there right along the strip.
• 4:14
  SPEAKER_03: And I feel like a lot of people don't talk about the Lavo patio a lot, and just figured I would mention that that's another patio option.
• 4:21
  SPEAKER_02: You know what?
• 4:21
  SPEAKER_02: I never think of Lavo as as having a patio.
• 4:26
  SPEAKER_02: I always think about their indoor party brunch that they've become known for.
• 4:31
  SPEAKER_02: But yeah, that patio that that doesn't immediately come to mind.
• 4:34
  SPEAKER_02: So I'm glad you said that.
• 4:35
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 4:36
  SPEAKER_03: And then my friends that were in town are from New York, New Jersey, they come to Vegas all the time.
• 4:40
  SPEAKER_03: They're longtime friends of mine, and they were like, you know, I always talk you always talk about the steakhouse in Circus Circus.
• 4:46
  SPEAKER_03: And they're like, Well, they never really want to walk into Circus Circus.
• 4:50
  SPEAKER_03: I'm like, come on.
• 4:51
  SPEAKER_03: So anyway, they're like, Okay, we'll go there on your birthday, because that we did the lava thing with a bunch of us to celebrate two friends' birthdays on that Friday, and then Sunday night we went to Circus Circus and we went to the steakhouse.
• 5:02
  SPEAKER_02: And if memory serves me correctly, the steakhouse at Circus Circus was one of your tips on one of the very first episodes of the podcast.
• 5:11
  SPEAKER_03: It was, and I was worried because Circus Circus got bought that maybe they were gonna close the steakhouse.
• 5:16
  SPEAKER_03: So when my friends were like, Let's go for your birthday, I was like, Well, I mean, yes.
• 5:20
  SPEAKER_03: So they had never been, everyone loved it.
• 5:23
  SPEAKER_03: I mean, I just love the waiters there because they've worked there forever.
• 5:26
  SPEAKER_03: They're they're funny, they've got stories, they're all business.
• 5:29
  SPEAKER_03: One, our waiter came up to us and this was really funny.
• 5:31
  SPEAKER_03: He he was like about to take our drinker, and he was like, Hold on, I'll be right back.
• 5:34
  SPEAKER_03: I got something coming in hot.
• 5:37
  SPEAKER_03: I was like, Coming in hot.
• 5:38
  SPEAKER_03: I haven't heard that and I don't know.
• 5:40
  SPEAKER_03: Hold on, but we it was a riot, and he just like took off and was like, Wow, something's coming in hot.
• 5:46
  SPEAKER_03: So they obviously want to get your plates to the table on time.
• 5:52
  SPEAKER_03: But we were in steroids, never heard that phrase before, like in years, but yeah, it was I know you're laughing because it was funny.
• 5:59
  SPEAKER_03: You can picture it.
• 6:00
  SPEAKER_03: David, our waiter, he was amazing.
• 6:02
  SPEAKER_02: So the classic steakhouse experience.
• 6:05
  SPEAKER_03: Yes.
• 6:05
  SPEAKER_03: So the food was great.
• 6:06
  SPEAKER_03: Listen, here again, what I love about the steakhouse.
• 6:09
  SPEAKER_03: It's old school, it's dark.
• 6:11
  SPEAKER_03: Um, you know, the steaks are right there in the window, and and the best part is you don't have to go through and pick all your, it's an a la carte.
• 6:19
  SPEAKER_03: You don't have to go pick all your, you know, I want this on the side and then spin this.
• 6:22
  SPEAKER_03: You get the steak, and then you get uh a side of vegetable, a side of potato, a bread basket, and then the beginning you get a salad or their black bean soup, which is amazing.
• 6:32
  SPEAKER_03: It's black bean soup, and it comes with a little cup of onions that you sprinkle on top.
• 6:37
  SPEAKER_03: It's delicious.
• 6:38
  SPEAKER_03: So that and I got the petite filet, which is big, and it can be, you know, it's pricey, but it's a steakhouse, so it's like a little less pricey than if you were to go to somewhere else, I think.
• 6:48
  SPEAKER_03: It was 57 bucks for all that.
• 6:49
  SPEAKER_03: So bread, a petite filet, vegetable, potato, and a cup of soup.
• 6:57
  SPEAKER_02: Where uh but if you go to some other steakhouses, it's gonna be 50 bucks just for the steak.
• 7:03
  SPEAKER_03: Right.
• 7:03
  SPEAKER_02: That's not adding on your side, so that's a good deal.
• 7:06
  SPEAKER_02: Good deal for the birthday.
• 7:07
  SPEAKER_03: Okay, and then lastly, um my friend John Katz that works here, he wanted to take me out for a belated birthday, so we went to the Italian American Club.
• 7:15
  SPEAKER_02: Yes, and you had some noodles.
• 7:16
  SPEAKER_03: Uh they're not noodles, it's macaroni.
• 7:20
  SPEAKER_03: Oh, macaroni.
• 7:21
  SPEAKER_02: I saw macaroni on Twitter.
• 7:23
  SPEAKER_02: Stand corrected.
• 7:24
  SPEAKER_03: But yes, um, and they had some entertainment on a stage, set back, a singer, and uh a couple people on instruments, and it was it was really cool because it was safe.
• 7:33
  SPEAKER_03: They opened up their big ballroom there, all the tables are separated, but the Italian American Club is so Italian.
• 7:38
  SPEAKER_03: You walk in there, I mean, people stop at your table and hey, how you doing, and how's your meal?
• 7:43
  SPEAKER_03: And it's such a great experience.
• 7:45
  SPEAKER_03: There were a bunch of like 20-something year old girls celebrating their birthday day, they're all dressed up, they're little martinis, and they enjoy it.
• 7:51
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, and it was funny, and I was like, um, but it's just old school, everyone talks to each other.
• 7:55
  SPEAKER_03: And I just wanted to point out that a lot of people ask me about this.
• 7:58
  SPEAKER_03: Do you need, because it's called a club, do you need a membership?
• 8:01
  SPEAKER_03: And you don't need a membership to eat there or to go watch some of the live music.
• 8:05
  SPEAKER_03: No, you don't.
• 8:05
  SPEAKER_02: So Oh, see, I was under the impression that you did.
• 8:08
  SPEAKER_03: I know.
• 8:08
  SPEAKER_03: It seems like I think back in the day you did, but then they opened it up to I think you if you're a member, you get invited to exclusive things, you might get a certain seating or discount, but yeah, you just make a reservation or or can walk in, and it's the Italian American Club, it's on East Sahara, it's not very far from the strip, so keep that in mind.
• 8:24
  SPEAKER_03: Whew, yeah, it was an interesting week.
• 8:26
  SPEAKER_03: The crowds on the strip are different.
• 8:28
  SPEAKER_03: There's scooters everywhere.
• 8:29
  SPEAKER_03: I don't know what the deal is with the driving the scooters that you sit on and drive.
• 8:34
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, like the the rascal power scooters.
• 8:38
  SPEAKER_02: There are there's like scooter gangs down on the strip now.
• 8:41
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, and because uh my husband Shane and I, we went down to the strip for a like this ropes course attraction that they have, um, which I think we'll talk about maybe that'll be my tip next week.
• 8:52
  SPEAKER_00: Okay.
• 8:53
  SPEAKER_02: So I'm not gonna reveal too much about that experience.
• 8:56
  SPEAKER_02: But it it's same thing.
• 8:57
  SPEAKER_02: There were so many scooters, and there was a guy like doing donuts inside of a shopping mall complex and like up on two wheels, and I thought he was gonna tip over.
• 9:09
  SPEAKER_02: I'm like, where are all these scooters coming from?
• 9:13
  SPEAKER_03: Uh yeah, so we've been seeing and now news reports of people kind of digging into this.
• 9:17
  SPEAKER_03: And I saw someone interview one of our police officers who said, Yeah, people are renting these out now.
• 9:24
  SPEAKER_03: Like it used to be for people who, you know, were handicapped or couldn't walk, you know, had trouble with their knees, or you know, needed, you know, to help getting around so that they could enjoy the strip and get go from place to place.
• 9:34
  SPEAKER_03: But they say there's people of all ages renting them now and kind of taking them away from some of the people that need them, and uh it's becoming an issue.
• 9:42
  SPEAKER_02: So it's clearly able-bodied people who are zooming around in these things and and running into people in some instances, and there's scooter fights and it's all sorts of yeah.
• 9:55
  SPEAKER_03: So um he also my friend also stated the win, it was a good crowd.
• 9:58
  SPEAKER_03: The sports book was great, the Golden Knights game was on, um the pools were pretty chill.
• 10:03
  SPEAKER_03: Um people, it was busy though, you know.
• 10:06
  SPEAKER_03: I think people are I enjoyed I enjoyed getting out again and taking in some of these places.
• 10:12
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 10:12
  SPEAKER_03: It just it felt it felt good.
• 10:14
  SPEAKER_03: Even though it's like, you know, halfway done, it's still it's still really fun and enjoyable.
• 10:20
  SPEAKER_03: So if you could do a date night or something, or a a couple friends or a few friends to get out, I think I would highly recommend.
• 10:26
  SPEAKER_03: It's just good for your mental mental health.
• 10:28
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, and and now the bars are opening back up, that's gonna make it more exciting too.
• 10:32
  SPEAKER_02: And sports are back and uh coming up next on Vegas Revealed, we are breaking out.
• 10:37
  SPEAKER_02: We're going to the front yard at Ellis Island Casino.
• 10:41
  SPEAKER_02: That interview is coming up next.
• 10:44
  SPEAKER_02: It's also coming in hot.
• 10:48
  SPEAKER_03: Thanks for listening to Vegas Revealed.
• 10:50
  SPEAKER_03: We want to remind you of all the ways you can stay in touch with us.
• 10:54
  SPEAKER_03: And one of our big ones is Vegas-revealed.com because on that website is all our information, all the ways that you can listen to the podcast, and also links to all of our social media.
• 11:06
  SPEAKER_02: And we put up some some great Las Vegas-related stories that and the happenings going on around town, so be sure to check that out.
• 11:13
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• 11:19
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• 11:24
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, we've got it all, folks.
• 11:26
  SPEAKER_03: Go to Vegas-revealed.com and see what we're all about.
• 11:38
  SPEAKER_02: Welcome back to Vegas Revealed.
• 11:40
  SPEAKER_02: So we have I mean, this is obviously it's always been a sports and football town because of the the sports betting that we have in Las Vegas.
• 11:50
  SPEAKER_02: But now that we have a vested interest because Las Vegas has a a professional team, the Las Vegas Raiders, and everybody needs a great place to watch the games.
• 12:01
  SPEAKER_03: I know.
• 12:01
  SPEAKER_03: And listen, the Golden Knights will be back too.
• 12:03
  SPEAKER_03: You know, we'll eventually be watching them again.
• 12:05
  SPEAKER_03: So we're super excited.
• 12:06
  SPEAKER_03: Uh, we are at the front yard, which is located in the Ellis Island Casino.
• 12:11
  SPEAKER_03: And, you know, Sean, I had a birthday last weekend.
• 12:13
  SPEAKER_03: I turned 45.
• 12:14
  SPEAKER_00: Right.
• 12:15
  SPEAKER_03: And so I'm happy to be sitting in somewhere that's older than me.
• 12:18
  unknown: Feels good.
• 12:20
  SPEAKER_03: And we just found out that uh, well, first of all, joining us is Christina Ellis, he's director of marketing, but it's all in the family.
• 12:27
  SPEAKER_03: And I love to know that you guys have run the casino, your whole family, since for 52 years, you were saying?
• 12:34
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, since 1968.
• 12:35
  SPEAKER_03: Amazing, amazing.
• 12:37
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 12:37
  SPEAKER_03: Thanks for joining us.
• 12:38
  SPEAKER_01: Of course, thanks for having me.
• 12:40
  SPEAKER_02: And thanks for having us on your turf over here.
• 12:43
  SPEAKER_02: So we're at the front yard, we're on the the second level, kind of overlooking all the action with a massive screen down there.
• 12:51
  SPEAKER_02: And this is a a newer addition.
• 12:53
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, so we opened in December of last year.
• 12:56
  SPEAKER_01: Um, it's the biggest addition to the property we've done probably since 1996.
• 13:01
  SPEAKER_01: So definitely it was a huge undertaking for us.
• 13:03
  SPEAKER_01: But it's an indoor-outdoor beer garden concept.
• 13:06
  SPEAKER_01: So we're sitting on the second story, which is totally covered.
• 13:09
  SPEAKER_01: But if you go onto this first floor, it's more of like a patio atmosphere.
• 13:13
  SPEAKER_01: The ceiling totally opens, all the windows can be open.
• 13:16
  SPEAKER_01: So truly indoor, outdoor, great place to wash sports, very much a beer garden, very lush, very green, lots of trees and stuff.
• 13:24
  SPEAKER_01: So yeah, we're obviously very proud of the project.
• 13:26
  SPEAKER_01: I'm a little bit biased, but I think it was worth the wait, and it's so excited to have it back open.
• 13:30
  SPEAKER_02: And knock on wood, the temperatures are gonna get down to a level where you can start opening the windows again.
• 13:35
  SPEAKER_01: Absolutely.
• 13:36
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, the whole thing is cooled, so it's about 20 degrees cooler in here than it is outside.
• 13:40
  SPEAKER_01: So for summer, you know, it still feels like it's like 95 on the hottest day.
• 13:44
  SPEAKER_01: So once those temperatures get get down, it just feels better and better every day out here.
• 13:48
  SPEAKER_03: And what has the response been like?
• 13:49
  SPEAKER_03: Because I know so many people are talking about it.
• 13:51
  SPEAKER_03: It's such a great thing to have.
• 13:53
  SPEAKER_03: It's close to the strip, but you're still off the strip and it's easy to get in and out.
• 13:57
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, and for Ellis Island in general, we've seen this huge uprising and people wanting to do what locals do when they come to town.
• 14:05
  SPEAKER_01: And so visiting Ellis Island, it's very much like this off-the-beaten path kind of area.
• 14:10
  SPEAKER_01: But now we have this beautiful space to watch sports, to eat a great meal, try some of our beers that we brew here, so it's awesome.
• 14:17
  SPEAKER_02: Well, and I know uh out on the the sign on the marquee out front, I know that uh you got the the best of Las Vegas for best karaoke, which I mean all the diehard karaoke fans know Ellis Island.
• 14:29
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, but uh and now to be known to sports fans and be such a great venue for that, like that's another feather in the cap, especially when you look at everything that Vegas has to ha offer.
• 14:40
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, and it's so fun, you know, we're known for so many different kind of quirky things, like the karaoke, the brewery, you know, our three to two blackjacks.
• 14:48
  SPEAKER_01: So this was just another thing to get people who are interested in going watching sports, another reason, and then you can take advantage of the great amenities we have inside.
• 14:56
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, and the food is so good.
• 14:58
  SPEAKER_03: Now, you guys opened when?
• 14:59
  SPEAKER_03: Because I remember coming here, but with the whole COVID thing, it's all a blur time-wise.
• 15:03
  SPEAKER_03: I was here probably in the first month that you opened.
• 15:05
  SPEAKER_03: When was that?
• 15:06
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, so we opened on December 6th.
• 15:08
  SPEAKER_03: That's right.
• 15:08
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, and then we, of course, COVID, but then we reopened in uh for just around the 4th of July.
• 15:14
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and so it's been awesome to open.
• 15:16
  SPEAKER_01: Then we immediately went into night season.
• 15:18
  SPEAKER_01: Then now we have football.
• 15:19
  SPEAKER_01: So it's just been, you know, a great reason to come out and watch sports and eat great food and drink great beer.
• 15:25
  SPEAKER_02: And now bars are allowed to open again.
• 15:28
  SPEAKER_03: I mean so I know, and then in the menu, what I was gonna say, it's kind of like it's it's not like it's like bar food, but like a level up.
• 15:36
  SPEAKER_03: Like it's really good.
• 15:37
  SPEAKER_03: You guys have really good food here.
• 15:39
  SPEAKER_03: I mean, I remember having some of the pizza and some of the mac and cheese with bacon, and it's delicious.
• 15:44
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, and we didn't, you know, you can go and get chicken wings anywhere.
• 15:47
  SPEAKER_01: So we wanted to do our own spin on chicken wings, and you can, you know, we wanted to add things to the menu that you couldn't just find if you walk into any place.
• 15:54
  SPEAKER_01: A little bit special to us, and and we put so much care into our food and beverage on at Ellis Island in the cafe and barbecue anyway.
• 16:01
  SPEAKER_01: So when we did this, we wanted to, you know, put some new spins on things, do some things kind of Ellis Island style.
• 16:06
  SPEAKER_03: So yeah, yeah, you've got flatbreads called the honey pig, the old smokey, the chicken Alfredo.
• 16:13
  SPEAKER_03: Um, and then I love this.
• 16:14
  SPEAKER_03: You've got pepperoni rolls, which sound delicious.
• 16:16
  SPEAKER_03: Three pepperoni rolls served with ranch and marinara sauce.
• 16:19
  SPEAKER_03: It's like the perfect drunk food, honestly.
• 16:21
  SPEAKER_02: It really is.
• 16:22
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, my eyes were immediately drawn to the bacon, mac, and cheese.
• 16:26
  SPEAKER_02: And then when I read that there's beer in it too, exactly.
• 16:31
  SPEAKER_03: How are game days here now?
• 16:32
  SPEAKER_03: Is it something that because if folks want to come, we have a lot of listeners that visit Las Vegas and a lot of locals.
• 16:37
  SPEAKER_03: If they want to come, should they make a reservation?
• 16:39
  SPEAKER_03: Do they show up early?
• 16:40
  SPEAKER_03: How does it work when and I'm talking about like when there's a big game on?
• 16:43
  SPEAKER_01: So when there's a big game, definitely recommend coming in and you know, getting your place in line a little bit early because we do get kind of a crowd and we don't take reservations right now for game days.
• 16:53
  SPEAKER_01: But we have a preset menu, so we're trying to get you know footing so people can pre-buy those and everything.
• 16:59
  SPEAKER_01: But um, yeah, you can pick your package, or if it's a Sunday, you can pick from brunch or from our different football packages.
• 17:06
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, and they all include different variations of all you can drink, whether that's Ellis Island beer or call drinks or premium open bar.
• 17:12
  SPEAKER_01: So you have a little bit of a variety.
• 17:14
  SPEAKER_02: And you just mentioned another of my favorite words, and that's brunch.
• 17:18
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I know.
• 17:19
  SPEAKER_01: You guys have a brunch.
• 17:20
  SPEAKER_02: And what a great space for that too.
• 17:23
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, it's really with the patio atmosphere, nothing makes you want to drink mimosa more than like being surrounded by greenery and feeling like a breeze come through a location.
• 17:32
  SPEAKER_01: So brunch has been great.
• 17:34
  SPEAKER_01: And and again, we have you know, like brisket Benedict and all day rose, and it's just like a really fun, fun place for brush.
• 17:41
  SPEAKER_03: So you can kind of get here early and then just kind of basically stay the whole day.
• 17:46
  SPEAKER_03: For folks that don't know where uh LSL LM is, it's at Flamingo and Cobalt, which is just literally east of the strip.
• 17:52
  SPEAKER_03: So Yeah, just a block away.
• 17:53
  SPEAKER_03: Like you, like you had mentioned with the patio and the windows all around, you can kind of, especially at night, see, you know, the lights of the strip and have a view of the strip in a way.
• 18:02
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, it was awesome opening just before New Year's Eve.
• 18:05
  SPEAKER_01: We could watch the whole fireworks display from in here with the roof open, and we light up or we open up all of the shades uh when it's when the sun goes down, and so you have a great view of the strip, and you just you know feel all the energy of the strip, and it's it's awesome.
• 18:18
  SPEAKER_01: All the lights.
• 18:19
  SPEAKER_02: Except you're uh a little bit off of all the craziness.
• 18:23
  SPEAKER_02: Exactly.
• 18:23
  SPEAKER_02: So it's like a chill, a more chill vibe than like being right there because that can be a lot.
• 18:29
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, absolutely.
• 18:29
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, and easy to get in and out, get out.
• 18:31
  SPEAKER_01: We have free parking, and so you know, just like a fun low, low maintenance, easy to get here, just off the strip.
• 18:37
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, it it is now.
• 18:38
  SPEAKER_03: What's it like, you know, being in the the Ellis being in a place that's named after your family?
• 18:43
  SPEAKER_03: I mean, we're sitting with like Ellis Royalty and we're in Ellis Island, you know, casino, so it's it's a big deal.
• 18:50
  SPEAKER_03: Um what's it what's it like that like the the family being involved in this property?
• 18:54
  SPEAKER_01: It's really fun.
• 18:55
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, um both my sisters and I just started working when we were 12 and have you know worked here summers growing up, and so now all three of us are here working together.
• 19:04
  SPEAKER_01: My dad's here almost every day.
• 19:06
  SPEAKER_01: You know, it's just like very much a family business.
• 19:08
  SPEAKER_01: I have cousins that work here, uncles that work here, you know, it's just like very, very Ellis family doing everything.
• 19:14
  SPEAKER_01: And then my family still does stuff outside of work altogether, too.
• 19:17
  SPEAKER_01: So we're obsessed with each other.
• 19:18
  SPEAKER_01: Oh my gosh.
• 19:19
  SPEAKER_01: Out of control.
• 19:20
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, because I remember when you were here, the whole family was over there, and it was so great.
• 19:23
  SPEAKER_03: I was able to meet your dad and things like that.
• 19:25
  SPEAKER_03: And um, it it just seems like it would be so much fun.
• 19:28
  SPEAKER_03: And how how long did it take for you guys to actually build this edition?
• 19:32
  SPEAKER_01: So, this is a long project for us.
• 19:33
  SPEAKER_01: You know, Ellis Island's an old building, we've been slowly making changes.
• 19:36
  SPEAKER_01: So we were under construction probably for about a year and a half, maybe two years.
• 19:40
  SPEAKER_01: Um, so yeah, like long project for us.
• 19:43
  SPEAKER_01: It was a long project, but you know, I think it was worth it.
• 19:46
  SPEAKER_02: You know, this is obviously the the newest addition to the property, but go back to the origins.
• 19:52
  SPEAKER_02: How did Ellis Island even start?
• 19:55
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, so if you are familiar with our karaoke lounge, that was originally Ellis Island, and it was called the Village Pub at the time.
• 20:02
  SPEAKER_01: So my grandpa and a partner owned a little strip mall on Koval and Flamingo, and there was a hair salon, there was a liquor store, and then there was this space that was gonna be a bar.
• 20:12
  SPEAKER_01: And so my grandpa said, Okay, I can run a bar, how hard can it be?
• 20:16
  SPEAKER_01: And then my dad grew up in the business, totally fell in love with it, loved it, like as much as his siblings hated it.
• 20:22
  SPEAKER_01: And so he, when he was route 25, said to my grandpa, I I heard you're gonna sell the village pub, I want to buy it from you.
• 20:30
  SPEAKER_01: So he ends up buying Ellis Island, or what would be Ellis Island, got his gaming license, and then it slowly started expanding from there.
• 20:37
  SPEAKER_01: So we got the casino floor, we got the brewery in '98, the hotel came, and then it just became, you know, layer upon layer of what is Ellis Island now.
• 20:46
  SPEAKER_01: Okay, I love that.
• 20:48
  SPEAKER_03: And and it, I mean, it when even when I just walked through, it's pretty busy down there.
• 20:53
  SPEAKER_03: I love that that people are wanting to get out more and take advantage of places that are open.
• 20:58
  SPEAKER_03: What are some of the things that you guys have in place uh for safety?
• 21:01
  SPEAKER_03: What have you had to change?
• 21:02
  SPEAKER_03: What have you had to do to kind of you know go with the flow and keep up with the new rules and things like that?
• 21:08
  SPEAKER_01: So starting with restaurants, we are operating at 50% occupancy out here in the front yard.
• 21:13
  SPEAKER_01: We move a lot of tables out, so every table is six feet away from another table.
• 21:18
  SPEAKER_01: Um we of course have all the sanitizing procedures that we've rolled out.
• 21:22
  SPEAKER_01: Um once we open the bars again, we have all the partitions up.
• 21:25
  SPEAKER_01: You'll see those in the pit as well, um, the lower occupancy in the pit.
• 21:29
  SPEAKER_01: So really just trying to get people farther away from each other and as everything's as clean as possible.
• 21:34
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 21:35
  SPEAKER_01: Um, so those are really the main things that we rolled out.
• 21:38
  SPEAKER_02: And and since this is a a family venture and you have, you know, family at your fingertips to draw on uh for history, is this one of the biggest challenges that that uh the family business has faced throughout its existence?
• 21:53
  SPEAKER_01: Absolutely, because it's just it's just so unprecedented for the the world, really, you know, it's It's not something that's just affecting us, it's something that's affecting our team members, our neighbors, you know, everyone that you encounter is dealing with this differently and with these with restrictions and wanting to keep everybody healthy.
• 22:11
  SPEAKER_01: And so, you know, it's definitely one of the the biggest, if not the biggest, obstacle we've ever faced.
• 22:15
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, I know that since we've opened, Ellis Island has never been closed for over two months, like it was earlier this year.
• 22:21
  SPEAKER_01: Um, but of course, you know, we want to make sure that everybody's healthy, that we aren't putting anybody in danger.
• 22:26
  SPEAKER_01: So it's a it's a fine line because of course you want your business to thrive, but you don't want to be putting anybody in harm's way.
• 22:32
  SPEAKER_01: So it's like a fine line to walk.
• 22:34
  SPEAKER_01: But, you know, hopefully we are you know, everybody's coming out of this as healthy as possible and that the end is near, but you know, it's just again so unprecedented.
• 22:43
  SPEAKER_01: You don't you just don't know what's gonna happen.
• 22:45
  SPEAKER_03: It's unpredictable and it's hard to plan, you know.
• 22:47
  SPEAKER_03: You just can't at this point you just literally go with the flow.
• 22:50
  SPEAKER_03: Let's see what each week brings, you know?
• 22:51
  SPEAKER_03: Absolutely, absolutely.
• 22:53
  SPEAKER_02: And d I mentioned the karaoke on the on the marquee earlier.
• 22:59
  SPEAKER_02: How did you guys become known as like one of the best karaoke spots in all of Las Vegas?
• 23:06
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, you know, it's like a couple different things.
• 23:07
  SPEAKER_01: Karaoke, when we started, which was like in the mid-90s, was not something you found very often in Vegas.
• 23:14
  SPEAKER_01: And we at that time we were also kind of getting a a bigger reputation as like an off-strip place that a lot of industry people would go.
• 23:21
  SPEAKER_01: So we would get entertainers that would come in and sing, we would get people that would do a show on the strip, come over here and sing a song, but also people who were just like a bartender that wanted to, you know, belt out whatever.
• 23:33
  SPEAKER_01: Right.
• 23:33
  SPEAKER_01: So it just kind of getting started getting this reputation, and little by little then we started winning awards for it, and it started becoming like this destination.
• 23:41
  SPEAKER_01: So I guess like word of mouth, right?
• 23:45
  SPEAKER_01: You know, just the reputation of oh, you gotta go this little hole in the wall spot just off the strip.
• 23:50
  SPEAKER_01: You can sing karaoke in this small room, and it's out of control.
• 23:54
  SPEAKER_01: Right.
• 23:55
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, it's so fun.
• 23:57
  SPEAKER_03: I I worked um for a long time at down the street at the uh CBS affiliate TV station.
• 24:02
  SPEAKER_03: We used to like go out when I was younger, you know, and I was new here, and we weren't like rolling in it yet, a group of reporters, you know, not that I've ever been rolling in it, but um, you know, we were starting out in the business, and we used to come down here all the time because like we would get Guinness's for like an affordable price, you know, and things like that.
• 24:19
  SPEAKER_03: And and it was fun, and but yeah, it's affordable here too, and I think that's a bonus for people, don't you?
• 24:24
  SPEAKER_01: Absolutely.
• 24:25
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, nothing fuels karaoke better than a beer that's under three dollars.
• 24:28
  SPEAKER_01: No, it's so true.
• 24:30
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, you can really, really get ready to sing after you have a couple three dollar beers, right?
• 24:35
  SPEAKER_02: That liquid courage goes a long way.
• 24:36
  SPEAKER_03: Absolutely.
• 24:37
  SPEAKER_03: But I feel like it makes it a destination point though when things are affordable.
• 24:40
  SPEAKER_03: Like, doesn't it?
• 24:41
  SPEAKER_03: Don't you feel like let's go to Ellis?
• 24:42
  SPEAKER_02: You know, people would say, like, let's go to Ellis Island, because then we can get, you know, a bunch of drinks and well, and I feel like that's going to be especially important now and moving forward because people have felt the pinch.
• 24:55
  SPEAKER_02: And if there's a great value out there, people are gonna go find it.
• 24:59
  SPEAKER_01: Absolutely, yeah.
• 24:59
  SPEAKER_01: And I think that that's part of the charm for people visiting Las Vegas, especially because you know, you're gonna come to Vegas.
• 25:06
  SPEAKER_01: I love living in Las Vegas, I love all of the awesome restaurants and things that we have at our disposal, but sometimes you need a$7.99 steak.
• 25:13
  SPEAKER_01: Right.
• 25:13
  SPEAKER_01: Sometimes you're gonna go out all night and you need a$6.99 steak and eggs, right?
• 25:17
  SPEAKER_01: It's just those things that it's all part of the Vegas experience to go to do the very lavish things, but then also find the little hole in the wall where you get a great deal.
• 25:26
  SPEAKER_01: And it's even better that we put so much care and so much value into the into what you're getting.
• 25:30
  SPEAKER_02: And it's a nice hole in the wall, too.
• 25:32
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I just want to add that.
• 25:34
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, it's great in here.
• 25:36
  SPEAKER_03: And listen, at night with the lights on and everything.
• 25:38
  SPEAKER_03: I mean, it really is a cool place.
• 25:39
  SPEAKER_03: So listen, congratulations on you know building it, opening it, having success with it, and people really loving it.
• 25:45
  SPEAKER_03: And I think I think it's gonna be uh a happening place this fall and winter.
• 25:49
  SPEAKER_03: Thank you so much.
• 25:50
  SPEAKER_03: We're very excited.
• 25:51
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 25:51
  SPEAKER_02: And we're here on a Thursday and getting ready for kickoffs.
• 25:55
  SPEAKER_03: You're right, Thursday night football.
• 25:57
  SPEAKER_03: So football season is back, and you know, a lot of these games can't have fans in the stadium, so more people are even watching it on TV now.
• 26:04
  SPEAKER_03: Sean and I are gonna order a couple things off the menu to try it, and we'll we'll let everyone know what we ordered uh coming up in our in our secret tips.
• 26:10
  SPEAKER_03: You know, we'll talk about that a little bit more, but want to try some things, and we'll be back for brunch, Christina.
• 26:16
  SPEAKER_03: Perfect.
• 26:17
  SPEAKER_02: We're looking forward to it.
• 26:18
  SPEAKER_02: Christina, thank you for having us over.
• 26:20
  SPEAKER_02: It's been great chatting.
• 26:21
  SPEAKER_01: Awesome.
• 26:22
  SPEAKER_01: Thanks, you guys.
• 26:22
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 26:32
  SPEAKER_03: Welcome back.
• 26:33
  SPEAKER_03: It's time for Dana and Sean's tips, and we just have to talk about the food we ate.
• 26:37
  SPEAKER_03: Oh my gosh.
• 26:38
  SPEAKER_02: I mean so good.
• 26:39
  SPEAKER_03: I'm still thinking about it today.
• 26:41
  SPEAKER_03: It was so good, right?
• 26:44
  SPEAKER_03: So we asked um uh the folks there, like, what are a couple of the things that you think we should order?
• 26:49
  SPEAKER_03: And I mean, there were so many different things, but you and I went with the Sin City Scoops and the Elote dip.
• 26:56
  SPEAKER_02: Yes.
• 26:56
  SPEAKER_02: Oh my.
• 26:57
  SPEAKER_02: So let's start with the Sin City scoops.
• 27:00
  SPEAKER_02: Okay.
• 27:00
  SPEAKER_02: So the this is like fresh cut um potato slices.
• 27:06
  SPEAKER_02: They kind of say that it's kind of like smothered french fries, but it they're not french fries.
• 27:11
  SPEAKER_02: They're like potato slices that are so good.
• 27:15
  SPEAKER_02: And then they're smothered in this cheddar beer sauce with thin shaved, slow-cooked brisket on top.
• 27:25
  SPEAKER_03: Oh my gosh.
• 27:26
  SPEAKER_02: It is amazing.
• 27:28
  SPEAKER_03: A hearty amount.
• 27:29
  SPEAKER_02: Oh, a very hardy amount.
• 27:30
  SPEAKER_02: We couldn't finish between the two of us, really.
• 27:33
  SPEAKER_03: No, and the brisket was like, I mean, like long pieces, like you get a good, and there was olives and jalapenos, there was a little uh I think it was like a guacamole on top, there was tomatoes.
• 27:43
  SPEAKER_03: Okay, so you have to go to our social media so that you can visualize it, folks.
• 27:47
  SPEAKER_03: At Vegas Revealed across the board.
• 27:49
  SPEAKER_03: Um, on Instagram we have a dot in between Vegas dot revealed.
• 27:53
  SPEAKER_03: But it's it's so good, and we're gonna post them all there.
• 27:56
  SPEAKER_03: And then the dip.
• 27:57
  SPEAKER_03: That was okay, so I love just corn and I love elote corn.
• 28:02
  SPEAKER_03: Right.
• 28:02
  SPEAKER_03: But then when she said there was a dip, I was like, I've never had that, right?
• 28:05
  SPEAKER_02: I've never heard of it before.
• 28:07
  SPEAKER_03: No, it was like this corn, and then there was like this southwesternish mix in it.
• 28:12
  SPEAKER_03: Was it cream tea?
• 28:13
  SPEAKER_03: I don't know what it was.
• 28:14
  SPEAKER_02: It's a a spicy, creamy sauce with fresh tortilla chips on the side.
• 28:19
  SPEAKER_03: It was so good.
• 28:20
  SPEAKER_03: You guys have to see these pictures, so make sure you go to our socials.
• 28:24
  SPEAKER_02: Because usually at lote, you like you eat that on the cob.
• 28:27
  SPEAKER_02: The corn has like the the cream sauce, the creme fraîche, and the and the cheese and everything like on the on the cob, but having it in this dip was delicious.
• 28:40
  SPEAKER_03: It was really, really good.
• 28:42
  SPEAKER_02: Oh my gosh.
• 28:42
  SPEAKER_02: This is not just bar food that they have at the front yard.
• 28:45
  SPEAKER_02: This is like next level.
• 28:46
  SPEAKER_03: It is because it wasn't greasy at all and feeling.
• 28:50
  SPEAKER_02: And it wasn't heavy either.
• 28:51
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, you normally if you would go and and have something similar to that at another another place, like it would like sit in the pitier's stomach and feel like you just swallowed a bowling ball.
• 29:02
  SPEAKER_02: Right.
• 29:03
  SPEAKER_02: But this wasn't like that.
• 29:04
  SPEAKER_03: No, it wasn't.
• 29:05
  SPEAKER_03: You and you had some uh beer, you had a beer flight, right?
• 29:08
  SPEAKER_02: Yes, I had a beer flight.
• 29:10
  SPEAKER_03: And we had talked about all the beers that they offer there uh just recently with Christina Christina in our in our past segment here, so just before break, and and you decided instead of just trying one, you got the flight.
• 29:22
  SPEAKER_03: And we also have pictures of that folks on our on our uh social media.
• 29:25
  SPEAKER_02: And and those beers are great.
• 29:27
  SPEAKER_02: So Ellis Island, not only a casino, not only do they have uh the front yard, a great place to to watch sports, but it's also a brewery that they started back in the nineties, and so they have some great craft beers, and craft beers are like a hot thing right now.
• 29:43
  SPEAKER_02: So this is a great place to go, get some uh affordable craft beers, and if you're unsure what to get, get a little flight.
• 29:50
  SPEAKER_02: You get uh the a four-sampler flight of their beers.
• 29:55
  SPEAKER_02: Either they have a a pre-selected flight, or you can choose your own from their from their menu of beers.
• 30:00
  SPEAKER_02: So great option.
• 30:01
  SPEAKER_02: Love the front yard, and uh they have brunch now too, so uh a good reason to go back.
• 30:07
  SPEAKER_03: The brunch, yeah.
• 30:08
  SPEAKER_03: And then you had like a dark and a light beer and a medium, so that was cool.
• 30:10
  SPEAKER_03: We also watched uh a little bit of the game there.
• 30:12
  SPEAKER_03: It was Thursday Thursday night football.
• 30:14
  SPEAKER_03: Um and that was cool.
• 30:15
  SPEAKER_03: The big screen in the middle, and the crowd, you know, even when they had the like national anthem, it was like everyone clapped after it, just felt good to like see sports on the big screen, everyone coming together to try and just enjoy a night out, watch some some games.
• 30:28
  SPEAKER_03: So and then as we were sitting there, the the side as it started to get a little bit more towards sunset, the sides of the like top portion of the patio just started coming up, and they put more like let more air in.
• 30:41
  SPEAKER_02: It was the roof opened up too.
• 30:43
  SPEAKER_02: So it was like open air all around us.
• 30:46
  SPEAKER_02: You could feel the outside breeze coming through.
• 30:48
  SPEAKER_02: Great spot.
• 30:49
  SPEAKER_02: Check it out.
• 30:50
  SPEAKER_03: Okay, so that's uh part of our tips.
• 30:51
  SPEAKER_03: One other tip I just had.
• 30:52
  SPEAKER_03: We talked about my big old extravaganza week, and I wanted to mention some place that we did want to go was Top Golf.
• 30:58
  SPEAKER_03: And it was last minute, it was a Saturday morning we decided for a Saturday night, or Friday morning, maybe it was a Friday night.
• 31:04
  SPEAKER_03: And I called and they said there's a 15-minute wait.
• 31:07
  SPEAKER_03: You're in line to like talk to someone on 15 minutes, yes, on the phone.
• 31:11
  SPEAKER_02: Holy So I was like, what is this?
• 31:12
  SPEAKER_03: The unemployment line?
• 31:13
  SPEAKER_03: Like what like but anyway, so I gave up on that.
• 31:17
  SPEAKER_03: I went through, I talked to a girlfriend of mine that works there, she lives in my building, and she said, you know what?
• 31:22
  SPEAKER_03: It's crazy packed because packed as in, you know, filling as much uh all the spaces that they have are full because everyone's looking for something to do and wants to get out.
• 31:30
  SPEAKER_03: And if you've never been to Top Golf, it's open bays where you play and you can get some food and drink and a little couch area for you and your party.
• 31:38
  SPEAKER_03: So she said, you know, it's been the place to be as far as filling up with time slots from morning uh or afternoon until night.
• 31:46
  SPEAKER_02: Because that's another great spot to watch games too.
• 31:48
  SPEAKER_02: They have another big screen out at the end of the driving range and then in the bar areas, which are now gonna be opened up again too.
• 31:55
  SPEAKER_02: So um yeah, Top Golf is a great spot, but I I a couple weeks ago we did we thought the same thing.
• 32:01
  SPEAKER_02: We were like, oh, let's give a call and see.
• 32:04
  SPEAKER_02: And they were like, nope, all of our bays are are full, they're reserved.
• 32:08
  SPEAKER_02: If you want to come and and and like just stand by, put your name on a list and stand by, we can't guarantee how long that'll be, or even if you'll be able to get in.
• 32:19
  SPEAKER_02: We're like, well, just do it another time.
• 32:22
  SPEAKER_02: But yeah, Top Golf has been crazy popular.
• 32:25
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, she said we do have an 11 30 p.m.
• 32:27
  SPEAKER_03: slot if you want to take that.
• 32:28
  SPEAKER_03: I was like, no, listen, I just turned 45, I'm going to bed.
• 32:31
  SPEAKER_02: That's prime time uh Grey's Anatomy watching for you.
• 32:34
  SPEAKER_03: It's when I gotta watch my show, you know?
• 32:37
  SPEAKER_03: I gotta watch my show before I wind down and go to sleep.
• 32:40
  SPEAKER_03: Oh my gosh, so funny.
• 32:42
  SPEAKER_03: So my tip there is is just if you are coming into town and want to take in top golf, plan that ahead.
• 32:46
  SPEAKER_03: Make your reservation before you get here.
• 32:48
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, and for restaurants too, that goes.
• 32:50
  SPEAKER_02: We've talked about it before.
• 32:51
  SPEAKER_02: Pretty much anything you want to do, call ahead, try and make a reservation.
• 32:54
  SPEAKER_03: Exactly.
• 32:55
  SPEAKER_03: So, what a jam-packed podcast.
• 32:57
  SPEAKER_03: We had a lot to talk about.
• 32:58
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, really lots of fun.
• 33:00
  SPEAKER_02: Headed out to the front yard.
• 33:02
  SPEAKER_02: Another uh big thank you to Ellis Island and the crew over there for welcoming us in.
• 33:06
  SPEAKER_02: And uh thank you for welcoming us uh into your ears.
• 33:10
  SPEAKER_03: Yes, and we will be back next week.
• 33:12
  SPEAKER_03: Have a great week, everyone.
• 33:15
  SPEAKER_00: The desert sky is cold, but then the eyes will ride flying on a Friday rental baby bands talking to the 15 West on Charleston.