Park MGM: A Feast for the Senses

Las Vegas is the city of reinvention. Its latest makeover, the Park MGM, reimagines the Monte Carlo Resort and Casino as an urban oasis that integrates coveted dining venues, A-list entertainment, and a museum-worthy art collection into the typical slot machine dings and rolling dice found along the Las Vegas Strip.

The $600 million renovation has stripped the neoclassical architectural features and water fountains, replacing them with a modern, nature-hued aesthetic that appeals to today's traveler.

Its public spaces are packed with curated art (both acquired and commissioned by be-poled branding studio) – grab a Bloody Mary and stroll through the collection with a concierge on Wednesday mornings at 10 a.m. for a closer look. Highlights include iPad drawings by 60s icon David Hockney, a towering "arboreal structure" in the lobby by Brazilian artist Henrique Oliveira, and a collection of steel-sculpted "Park People" sculpted by Frank Plant. Rooms and suites, accented in deep hunter green or rich burgundy, also showcase a selection of quirky finds and photography by Dimitri Coste, Clement Jolin and others.

Bring Your Appetite

Park MGM has brought together a culinary tour de force to open some of the best Las Vegas restaurants on the Strip.

Best Friend – LA's Roy Choi brings his Korean flair to Park MGM. "It's Koreatown in a capsule - a portal to the streets of LA, but also rooted in what makes Las Vegas... VEGAS," says Choi. "Hip hop-to-bibimbop. Kimchi-to-spaghetti. BBQ and late-night food. My neighborhood mixed with the Vegas good-good."

That uncompromising vibe pays off with a punchy menu. Frozen cocktails are boozy and sweet, ideal for cutting through a first course of banchan (small side dishes) followed by mainstays such as the sour-tinged tamarind black cod stew (a must) and large-format dishes like lobster kung pao. Have an endless appetite? Best Friend launched all-you-can-eat Mondays at a bargain price of $65 per person for an array of banchan, barbecue and desserts.

The visuals match Choi's vibrant menu, with hipster servers sporting copious tattoos and stretched piercings. Fellow LA native Phung Huynh mural embodies the intersection of Latinx and Asian cultures that infuse Choi's culinary aesthetic.

Bavette's Steakhouse & Bar – Nearly every visitor is on the lookout for the best steakhouse in Las Vegas, and there are plenty of contenders. The latest entry to top the list is this Chicago import with a kiss of French flair. Sure, you can find shrimp cocktail, wedge salad, and thick-cut bacon, but the real find is the finer details.

Begin with a spirit from a distinguished collection that includes Yamazaki 18-year whiskey or Buffalo Trace Distillery's Elmer T. Lee special edition bourbon. Classic cocktails such as the Vesper, Sazerac, and Old Fashioned are shaken or stirred to perfection.

As far as steaks, all the traditional cuts can be found. For extra flair, go for the bone-in filet mignon or 42-day dry-aged New York strip slathered in roasted garlic or bone marrow.

Cool and Classy

Twin brothers Jonnie and Mark Houston bring their LA nightlife flair to Las Vegas with the opening of On the Record, an eye-popping 11,000-square-foot catacomb of venues bustling with DJs, live performance pop-ups, bottle service, and three retro-inspired karaoke rooms.

"We want our guests to leave it all behind when they walk in," said the Houstons. "A karaoke room break is such a fun way to hang out with a group of friends and step outside your comfort zone to belt out that Sinatra ballad or '80s guilty pleasure song."

All that eye candy doesn't undercut a seriously legit cocktail program featuring bartenders-in-residency in the Vinyl Parlor (hidden behind a wall of cassette tapes). Packed with album covers displayed in wooden wall encasements, the venue has hosted the very best from the mixology world, including Jillian Vose (Dead Rabbit), Alex Day and David Kaplan (Death & Co), Kevin Dietrich (P.C.H.), among others.

Gaga and More

The Park Theater, located within the Park MGM, hosts some of the best concerts in Vegas, including several residencies that you won't want to miss.

Lady Gaga – All the little monsters are chomping at the bit for tickets to Gaga's Vegas residency, which includes two shows. The kooky "Engima" offers her biggest pop hits set with joint-popping choreography by Richy Jackson and a futuristic AI backdrop. "Jazz & Piano" offers something for the mellower set and showcases Gaga's vocal talents on stripped-down arrangments of her songbook along with hits from the Great American Songbook.

Janet Jackson's "Metamorphosis" tracks the legend's decade-spanning career, including a tribute to the 30th anniversary of "Rhythm Nation."

Bruno Mars returns to the Park Theater September 3-14 to show off the musical talents that have earned him a whopping 11 Grammy Awards.

Cher, the Goddess of Pop, returns August 21 - September 1 to deliver the best of her chart-topping hits. At an ageless 73, Cher says, "I plan to make this my best show ever."