Top of The World Restaurant, Stratosphere Tower. Las Vegas > Reviews (3)

This summer we visited Las Vegas, we didn't stay in the stratosphere we stayed in The Mandalay Bay but one night we visited the top of the world restaurant. This was the best dining experience of my life. Reservations for dinner are a must and there is a smart casual dress code, lunch times are more relaxed however and you could probably get away without either.

The Stratosphere is the highest free standing tower that side of the mississippi so your pretty high up! You take an elevator up through the tower 800 ft accompanied by an operator who chats to you as you ascend. You then go to the restaurant desk where you are greated and are taken through red curtains to a lounge where you are then taken to the restaurant to check in, we then went to the bar with our beeper in hand that tells you when your table is ready!

We had a drink in the bar and the martini's are to die for, with a list of about 30 you have plenty of choice! We were then taken to our table which was right by the window. We had the best view looking out over the vegas strip all lit up and by sheer luck a lightning storm lit up the mountains in the background. The restaurant revolves 360 degrees in just over an hour so it moves relatively fast so you get a good look at every aspect of the scenery. In my opinion the closer you are to the window the better the view, but the tables are on levels and the further back you are the higher the table is, so you can still see out of the windows without obstruction from everyone else.

The top of the world restaurant has been awarded "Best Gourmet Room" by the LasVegas review journal. Its menu boasts their singnature dish of Colorado rack of lamb. The menu however doesn't have any vegetarian options but they serve a wide range of meat and sea food dishes all of great quality at reasonable prices including:

Filet Mignon $42
Prime Rib $36
Colossal Shrimp and Sea Scallops $35
Ahi Tuna $39
Muscovy Duck $37
Kurobuta Pork $35
Colorado Rack of Lamb $38

With many sides to choose from including:

steamed asparagus $7
garlic mashed potatoes $7
potato au gratin $7

And wonderful desserts including:

The chocolate stratosphere ( a replica of the tower made out of chocolate, yummy!)
Berry delight
Tiramasu, the large potion comes in a special glass which you can keep after!

The meal was delicious and every dish came with a drinks recommendation, the service was warm, friendly and very professional with a waiter/ess per small group of tables so the service was very personalised.

At the end of the meal the lady who took our photos at the start of our meal brought the photos for us to purchase if we wished, which were expensive but worth it.

Eating at the restaurant entitles you to walk round the look out point on top for free which is well worth the look to let your dinner go down before you plummet back down to earth!

However if you would rather just go up the tower without eating entrance will cost you $10, which is worth it just for the view! On top of the tower are also the worlds three highest rides for those thrill seekers amoung you, there is:

-INSANITY where you are spun 64 feet out over the edge at 3G's being propelled to an angle of 70 degrees the faster it spins!

-X SCREAM where you are thrown 27 feet over the edge of the tower in an open carriage! and then there's the

-BIG SHOT where you are catapulted up the mast of the tower at 45 miles per hour reaching 4G's at the top and negative G's on you plummet down to the platform.

All rides will cost you $8 a go and i would recommend that you don't eat first as some people where coming off the rides very green!

This was a real magical experience and worth every penny, and to make it even more special for those couples thinking of tying the knot in Vegas they can arrange it so you can say your " I DO's" on top of the tower.