Herringbone: A Fun And Unique Las Vegas Brunch

If you're looking for a fun and unique brunch in Las Vegas, look no further than Herringbone, located in the Aria Resort & Casino. The third outpost of chef Brian Malarkey's seasonal seafood-focused restaurant (the other two are in La Jolla and Santa Monica), this location brings a little bit of Southern California to Vegas in a sunny space with a friendly, low-key charm.

We visited for brunch at the invitation of the restaurant, and it's unlike any other we've experienced. There's a large buffet with several different stations scattered throughout the restaurant, and like all great brunch buffets there's a carving station, an omelette station, bagels with lox and other toppings, shrimp and other shellfish, freshly-shucked oysters, fruits and vegetables, salads, and desserts. This would all be well and good in itself, but they also wanted to showcase what the kitchen could prepare to order, so eight different items can be ordered for no additional fee.

Chilaquiles are made with totillas, drunken black beans, a fried egg, ranchero sauce, cotija, and crema. Pancakes contain orange, ricotta, and chocolate chips, and are topped with tree sap and whipped cream. An egg is baked in a rich pork gravy with garlic confit and Parmesan, and served with grilled toast. Eggs Benedict gets a Hawaiian loco moco-inspired twist, with white rice, truffle gravy, and spicy sesame hollandaise. Sliders are cooked to medium rare and topped with Cheddar and grilled onions. Asian-style wings are tossed with chiles, peanut sauce, garlic, and cilantro, and served with pickled cucumber and carrots. Fish tacos come either beer battered or grilled, and are topped with white sauce, shredded cabbage, pico de gallo, and lime, and are spot-on. And as for fries with Old bay, malt vinegar aioli, ketchup, and herbs, there's not much to dislike there. And again, you can sample as many or as few of these dishes as you like for the same price as if you were only visiting the buffet.

There are also a few fun endless beverage packages as well. $35 will get you endless prosecco, Bellinis, mimosas, and Bloody Marys; $65 upgrades you to Veuve Clicquot Brut; and $95 will get you endless Moet & Chandon rose. There are also a handful of fun brunch cocktails on offer, like the Just About Pearfect, with vodka, Asian pear puree, spiced pear, simple syrup, and lemon.

Most Vegas resort-casino restaurants are far from the nearest window, and the sounds of slot machines aren't too far off. But because this restaurant is tucked away a couple stories up from the casino floor, and there are plenty of windows to let in ample sunlight, you really feel transported far from the Strip. It's a low-key, well-designed space, with a relaxing vibe thanks to a light blue color scheme and plenty of light woods, and it's an all-around great place to start a lazy Las Vegas day.