Vacations are a time to jump out of your comfort zone. You have strange desires to do different and crazy things. Maybe you may go bungee jumping, or smoke your first cigar. Las Vegas is an excellent place to jump out of your comfort zone, and for me, this meant going to a singing diner.
After a busy day and an excellent hotel nap, my husband and I decided to be lazy and bum around the hotel. After a long soak in the hotel’s hot tub, I decided I needed some sustenance. Again, we decided we were too lazy to leave the hotel and decided to eat at the Stratosphere. The buffet already proved to be a disappointment, and some of the other restaurants were a little pricey. We finally settled on Roxy’s Diner, much to my fear and horror.
Roxy’s Diner will whisk you back to the 1950s. The atmosphere is a glittery red and silver and is completed with wait staff that sing rocking '50s tunes. Audience participation is encouraged. Normally I would never set foot anywhere where a complete stranger may sit on my lap signing “Sugar Pie Honey Bunch”, but I was hungry and I could see fat juicy burgers through the windows. The menu contained burgers, sandwiches and shakes. There were also '50s mom favorites like chicken fried steak and meatloaf with mashed potatoes. My eyes focused in on the French dip, and my decision was quickly made. I am a bit of a French dip connoiseur and decided I would like to rate Roxy’s compared to the others. To my surprise, it was really good (2nd or 3rd). The meat was lean and juicy and piled high on a fresh roll. There was the perfect amount of cheese and onions, and the best part, it was the only place I have eaten where they give you an entire bowl of au jus sauce for dipping (still, the Canadian restaurant at Epcot in Disney wins the best French dip prize).
The French fries were deliciously hot and crispy, and my vanilla milkshake was perfect. I must admit the entertainment was not as scary as I thought. They pretty much knew who the attention seekers were and didn’t force anyone to sing or dance that didn’t want to. There was an elderly lady who had come for her birthday. A few handsome young waiters brought her to a chair in the middle of the diner to sing their version of happy birthday. They kept joking that she was there for her 21st birthday, which just absolutely tickled her. It ended up being pretty fun, and all the waitstaff were very talented signers and dancers.
If you want a good sandwich, accompanied by an interesting experience, then I would say go to Roxy’s. It was affordable but not cheap, running about $12 per person for food and drinks. Roxy’s is very child-friendly and may bring some sentimental tears to those who still remember the '50s.