Holsteins (Las Vegas, NV)

Holsteins
Cosmopolitan Hotel
3708 Las Vegas Blvd S
Las Vegas, NV 89109
Dining date: 5/12/11

While looking for a lunch option after the Vegas Uncork’d Grand Tasting, I brought up Holsteins, something that would be casual and satisfying. I’ve heard consistently good things about the restaurant, a burger joint inside the Cosmopolitan Hotel. My cousins, aunt and grandmother had yet to check out the new hotel, so a visit here would serve a dual purpose.

While there are a number of non-burger smaller plates and a few salads, the crux of the menu is definitely the burger. With about 15 different full-size options and 8 more slider-size options, the menu is quite varied. Some of them are pretty interesting. There’s even an option to add toppings such as lobster and BBQ beef brisket. Nice. A strong craft beer list and almost 20 milkshakes (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) boost the drinks menu, as if a burger and fries weren’t enough calories.

We tried a couple of the appetizers and each ordered a burger.

IPSWICH CLAMS Fried Crispy, Green Goddess Sauce

The clams were slight chewy and bready but definitely meaty and kinda juicy. Some of them were a little sandy though, which put me off.

TRUFFLE LOBSTER ‘MAC N CHEESE’ Creamy Tallegio-Mascarpone Sauce With Maine Lobster And Black Truffle

This sounded so decadent and I’d heard so much about it; it was a must order. The macaroni had a nice chewy texture with small chunks of lobster in a creamy cheese sauce. Not too rich – pretty good. I thought the truffle flavor was lost, however.

NOM NOM BURGER Kobe Beef, Cheddar Cheese, Potato Chips, 1000 Island Dressing

My cousin went for this burger but I didn’t try it. I did, however, sample some of the potato wedges/steak-cut fries and found them to be very good. Crispy on the outside and hot and fluffy on the inside. Mmm.

‘BIG FAT GREEK’ Greek Spiced Lamb With Feta Cream, Lettuce, Tomato, Red Onion & Olive Relish, Tzatziki Sauce

My grandmother opted for this lamb burger. I found it kind of overcooked though I enjoyed the flavors of the lamb with Greek spices.

‘THE RISING SUN’ Kobe Beef, Teriyaki Glaze, Nori Furikake, Crispy Yam, Spicy Mayo & Tempura Avocado

This was my favorite of the burgers and a damn good one. The teriyaki glaze provided a savory sweetness, while tempura avocado was crispy and creamy at the same time. Spicy mayo and nori furikake added some extra punch; there were a lot of flavors going on but I found them to be well-balanced. Excellent.

Shoestring fries were good too, though my personal preference was with the thicker cut variety.

MEAT BALL GRINDER Italian Style w/Marinara, Provolone & Pesto

I had early dinner plans and wanted to try something a little bit different so I went with these meatball sliders. Each of the flavors were pretty distinct between the meat, provolone, peso and tomatoes; the sliders were good but nothing special altogether. I probably should’ve ordered something more exciting.

My cousin and I also tried a couple of milkshakes.

FROZEN GRASSHOPPER Peppermint, Chocolate, Crème De Menthe, Van Gogh Chocolate Vodka

OREO Oreo Cookies, Bailey’s Irish Cream

I thought these were both strong with my favorite being the frozen grasshopper. Like mint chip ice cream in a glass with a touch of alcohol. These were pretty generously sized (the glass was only 2/3 of it, with the rest in another cup) so definitely best for sharing…especially with a whole burger.

I found Holsteins to be somewhat of an up-and-down meal. Strong points were definitely the Rising Sun burger, both french fry varieties and the milkshakes. The two smaller plates/appetizers we ordered weren’t bad but both fell slightly short. My main qualm was with the temperature of the burgers – we had at least one that was definitely overcooked here and a couple of burgers we ordered to-go on another visit (just two days ago) were clearly overcooked too (my Rising Sun, ordered medium-rare, showed no pink at all).  For a burger place, I found a pervasive issue like this to be rather inexcusable.

The restaurant mascot, a pig dressed as a cow, makes an appearance all over the place.