In this weekly update, food and beverage reporter Bob Barnes fills us in on noteworthy restaurant openings and closings, dining news, culinary events and entertainment news worth knowing about.
Events
Half Bird Chicken & Beer — January 25
Half Bird Chicken & Beer is kicking off its monthly Tap Takeover series with the first featuring HUDL Brewing Company from 5-9 p.m. Co-founder Skip Norfolk will be there to answer any questions about the brewery and the beers being poured, which will include Cockfight Pilsner (signature beer made for Half Bird by HUDL), Scorched Meadows Vegas Style Hazy IPA, Vanilla Oak Cream Ale, High Hater Pineapple American Wheat, 9.8% Wabbler Joint Strong Ale and 10% 3rd Anniversary Oatmeal Toffee Imperial Porter. There will also be swag, games and prizes.
Broken Yolk Cafe — January 27
Broken Yolk Cafe will host Brunch n’ Blood Drive to benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at its Southwest location at 9435 S. Rainbow Blvd, Suite A150. Donors and guests can enter giveaways for custom shirts and spin a prize wheel for a chance to win swag. Blood donors will receive a complimentary entrée card to enjoy a meal of their choosing.
CraftHaus Brewery — February 10
Crafthaus Brewery will host the 10th annual Comrade Day, its annual celebration of its Russian Imperial Stout, at the brewery in Henderson. This year the theme is a camping trip through the woods, with an opportunity to experience a “spiked” beer from a Bierstachelen—a traditional German hot fire poker plunged into the beer.
There will be three seatings, and the cost for general admission is $42 per person, which includes two hours seated at a table, tasting flight of four Comrade imperial stout variants and a keeper gold logo glass. You can also add a food pairing from Chef Darnell of Dazzling Bistro for $30. For more info, available seating times and to purchase tickets, click here.
New Restaurant
CEO/founder Jonathan Fine has built an impressive portfolio under the FINE Entertainment Management umbrella that includes popular bars and restaurants such as PKWY Tavern (with seven locations), ameriCAN Beer and Cocktail Bar at The LINQ Promenade, BLVD in the Henderson Water Street District and PBR Rock Bar & Grill in the Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood. Now its newest venue, The George Sportsmen’s Lounge at Durango Casino & Resort, is the most expansive of the group, offering a high-end menu with varied options.
The name pays homage to classic Vegas big tippers, commonly called “a George,” and a nod to the recognizable portrait on the one-dollar bill. The restaurant sits on prime real estate, as it is just off of the casino and leads into the sports book. The space is equipped with a wall of humongous LED screens providing a stadium-like experience and several additional wrap-around large monitors and more than 60 screens throughout. There’s both indoor and outdoor dining in a patio with artificial turf where games, live entertainment and private events take place.
The food menu has 
something for everyone. Great for sharing are the Baked Goat Cheese with cherry tomato chutney, Brussels Sprouts topped with balsamic glaze and toasted pecans, several Artisan Flatbreads, 24-hour Short Rib Sliders with horseradish cream and crispy onions and Philly Cheesesteak Egg Roll made with shaved ribeye served with a three-cheese sauce. Entrees are quite classy here, with the likes of Gorgonzola-crusted Lamb Chops with red demi wine glaze, Umami-dusted Halibut with wild mushroom risotto and 14 oz Chili-rubbed bone-in Pork Chop with mashed Yukon Gold potatoes. There are also three steaks on the menu: 8 oz Flat Iron Chimichurri, 6 oz Filet and 32 oz Tomahawk Ribeye. Be sure to save room for a dessert you don’t see very often but should, the Banana Pecan Bread Pudding with vanilla ice cream, anglaise and bourbon caramel sauce.
Cocktails, created by Corporate Director of Beverage Mark Hefter, are taken seriously here, so much so that several are made with syrups made locally by Dress the Drink exclusively to the restaurant’s flavor specifications, like the Pleasure Business with Hendrick’s Gin, pineapple juice, lime juice, Triple Syrup and foamer; and Jorge Cocolat with El Destilador Tequila, George III Syrup, Mexican chocolate, milk and whipped cream. Mojave Brewing’s cider is put to good use in the Ruby Soho, a mix of Casamigos Blanco, Mojave Ruby Soho Grapefruit Cider, agave, grapefruit and lime.
The George is open 24 hours a day and has an entrance from the casino through the sportsbook and easy access from the parking lot. On Saturdays from 10 p.m. through February 24 on the outdoor patio it’s hosting après-ski themed with the open-sky patio transformed to a chic ski lodge feel with fire pits, vintage ski video clips, hot toddies and a chairlift for photos, live DJ, bottle service and winter cocktails and hot toddies.
Dining News
Mijo Modern Mexican Restaurant
Mijo Modern Mexican Restaurant Launches Brunch Service
Clique Hospitality’s new Mijo Modern Mexican Restaurant at Durango Casino & Resort has debuted its weekend brunch available from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday and centered around Mijo’s menu showcasing flavors of coastal Mexico.
Selections include Breakfast Burrito filled with scrambled eggs, chorizo, American cheese, peppers, onions, avocado and tater tots, priced at $15; Ranchero Steak and Eggs highlighted by carne asada steak, eggs made any style and served with potatoes, priced at $21; Baja Oysters served with cucumber mignonette and chipotle cocktail sauce, priced at $21; Butter-poached Lobster Tacos glazed with chipotle cream sauce, priced at $28; and Churro French Toast with tres leches custard, fresh strawberries, Bavarian cream and guava syrup, priced at $14. Also available are brunch cocktails including bottomless mimosas, aperol spritz and micheladas, each priced at $24 with a two-hour limit.
Brezza New Happy Hour
Brezza at Resorts World, the modern coastal Italian restaurant helmed by renowned Chef Nicole Brisson, has launched its Cicchetti Menu, a new Venetian small bites menu.
Available daily in the lounge from 3:30-5 p.m., the menu includes Marinated Italian Olives with fennel and orange ($9), Fried Shishito Peppers with citrus flake salt ($9), Prosciutto Crostini with gorgonzola and dates ($15), Octopus & Potato Salad with bagna cauda and Fresno chile ($15), Farmer’s Market Pickles with seasonal vegetables ($9), Peppadew Peppers with herbed goat cheese ($11), Crispy Pork Skin with citrus and espelette ($9), Marinated Mussels with sherry vinaigrette ($13) and Marinated Calamari with capers, pine nuts and tomatoes ($15).
Entertainment News
Dam Short Film Festival — February 14-19
Nevada’s largest film festival is celebrating 20 years of bringing movie lovers unique and diverse films to enjoy over a 6-day period. Held at the Elaine K. Smith Center at 700 Wyoming St in downtown Boulder City, the 20th Annual Dam Short Film Festival will screen 147 short films showcasing thematic 60- to 90-minute program blocks with categories including Animation, Comedy, Documentary, Drama, Horror, International, Sci-Fi, Nevada, Love & Romance and Underground from a wide variety of countries such as Ireland, China, Mexico, Japan, Israel, Netherlands, France and Switzerland. In addition to the screenings and filmmakers Q&A during each category block, there will be a filmmaker Meet-n-Greet, Coffee with Filmmakers and Dam Mixer.
Tickets are $12.50 per film block, $150 for the full five-day pass, $45 1-day passes for Thursday and $55 1-day passes for Friday and Saturday. This year, the festival will offer a VIP Experience for $300 for one person or $500 for two that includes an all-access pass, early entry to all programs, an invitation to the VIP Brunch, a T-shirt, signed poster, discount on concessions and one raffle ticket.
For the full schedule and to purchase tickets visit DamShortFilmFestival.eventive.org/schedule.
- Brezza Front Patio pic by Sabin Orr
- CraftHaus Comrade Day courtesy of CraftHaus
- Mijo-centered branded brunch group shot courtesy of Joe Janet
- The George Patio by Clint Jenkins
- The George Restaurant and Bar by Clint Jenkins
- The George Tomahawk Ribeye pic by Baylee Jo Lorick
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Bob Barnes began his food and beverage writing career in 1998 as Regional Correspondent for Celebrator Beer News and wrote the Nevada Beer Nuggets column from 1998-2019. He was Editorial Director of The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional from 2012-2021 and has covered Las Vegas for Gayot since 2010. He continues to contribute to Gayot, writing the Gayot Las Vegas Restaurant News, features on new restaurants, and beer and spirit reviews. He also writes regularly for Off The Strip, The Vegas Voice, Neon Feast, and Las Vegas Magazine.
