Mizuno's

Las Vegas, Nevada, inside the Tropicana

This was my 3rd time eating there and the food and service have always been excellent. They only do one thing, teppanyaki grills, and they do it well. They don't try to cover everybody by having a sushi bar in the other part of the restaurant. Although there is some sushi, if I recall, on the menu. This is the second time I have had the filet mignon ($29.95) and it was cooked a perfect medium. The show at the grill is always good and for teppanyaki on the strip the menu is priced very reasonable.

It has been there for over 30 years and possibly by the same family as the person who seated me has been working there for 30 years. I first went there in 97 with my ex and it was packed and good. When I started going to Vegas by myself a few years ago I thought it had gone away as I didn't know how to find it. Last summer I had the time and searched a little harder. Business is not as great for them as it once was. Partly because of the economy and partly because the Tropicana is no longer the hottest place on the strip. The last two times I was there half the customers were local and sounded like frequent customers.

Now all you have to do is find it. It is in leased space upstairs inside the Tropicana. Because I believe it is the only one of 6 restaurants inside not owned by the casino it does not have a sign outside. You have to follow the directions to the buffet and at the top of the curved escalator there is a sign on the wall directing you up a ramp to your right.