circo or olives?

hi guys. I need a place for an anniversary dinner before the celine dion show this sunday.

I heard great things about both Circo and Olives. I think the choice is between the 2 for our anniversary dinner.

In general terms, which is cheaper? I'm really tight with money, but at the same time, I don't want to just go to any restaurant. So between the two, which is cheaper? Is it significantly cheaper?

We'll probably get an appetizer, 2 entrees, 2 glasses of wine, and 1 or 2 desserts. How much should we expect to pay at both of these restaurants?

Oh, I'd like to add a 3rd restaurant -- Mon Ami Gabi.

Thanks!

Wow!! You'll just love Circo - it's got to be one of the top 10 restaurants in Cleveland! Been there numerous times, and I love it. I've never heard of Olives, but then again Clevaland is a big town - impossible to know every restaurant in the city.

Any other Cleveland experts who can chime in about Circo v. Olives?

sorry, i forgot to mention this was in Las Vegas.

We've eaten at both Olives in the Belliago and Mon Ami Gabi at the Paris and thought they had to be the worst, expensive meals we have ever had.

At Olives we had the tomatoe pasta. Pasta was way undercooked, sauce was watery. They charged us $5.00 for a bottle of Italian water we didn't ask for. The wait staff was snotty. This was lunch and the bill was over $100.00.

At Mon Ami Gabi. We had the rib eye with frites. The rib eye was pure fat, no edible meat - $45.00. The Frites aka french fries were soggy, cold and limp. The french onion soup was lacking in favor.

These 2 restuarants gets great reviews on several message boards. I didn't see it.

For our second wedding anniversary we picked the Eiffel Tower restaurant at the Paris. We had a table for two over looking the Belliago Fountains. The bone-in rib eye was fabulous. The filet not as good. Also esgargot, roasted veggies, creme brulee and chocolate souffle. All wonderful. Was a little over $200.00, but so worth it. We also enjoyed the Top of the World at the Strat. Excellant view, food good. Also look at Commanders Palace at the Aladdin.

We've been to Las Vegas several times, and have paid for more over priced terrible food than any other vacation destination. Fortunatley, there are so many choices to pick from.

Of the options you've given, I'd probably go with Circo because I think the room is a bit nicer than Olives. I think the food at Olives is good, but it's a little more casual, in terms of ambiance, to me than Circo. Not that Circo is stuffy or formal, but I think it's targeted to a different crowd.

That said, we'll often have lunch at Mon Ami Gabi when in LV. The Al Fresco dining is something rare in Vegas, especially if the fountain shows are going on at Bellagio.

They are both the same as far as price goes (as is Mon Ami Gabi) The main difference is the cuisine- Italian, Medeterranian or French, all are nice restaurants

Sorry to chime in with the negativity, but we had lousy food at Circo. Great view of the Bellagio fountains, lovely room, professional service, but lousy food. We should have complained, but it was late, all were tired--the usual excuses! But for that $$, I would not return, especially not for a special occasion.

We had a great meal at NobHill in the MGM--that I would highly recommend.

Good luck!

Another thought: the room at NobHill doesn't have any windows and is done in a sleek, urban style. So if you're more in the mood for something flashy, it's not a great choice. I wish I had more ideas for you! But we found that most Vegas restaurants are overpriced in the middle range, so it's either top $ or the more casual places.

Osteria del Circo is one of my NYC favorites, but I must say we were disappointed with their Circo at Bellagio. Service was very poor and unpolished, and the food was only so-so -- quite bland. In addition we felt the lights were very bright for an "atmospheric" place.

I haven't eaten at Olives at Bellagio, but have liked their other restaurants. Of course, if we followed that same logic with Circo, we'd still lose.

We have been to LV sooo many times in the past 6 years or so and the past 4 years we have stayed at the Bellagio. We eat at Olives and Circo each time..although the last visit to Olives was annoying and sort of made us think that we would give it a rest for a while, Circo was as always a treat.
I have never had a bad meal or a bad table there..we have celebrated birthdays and anniversaries, we have never been sorry.
There is no comparison in my mind of Mon Ami Gabi to Circo, more to Olives but I find Mon Ami Gabi very hit or miss where Olives is a bit better food wise and atmosphere-wise.
If you tell them it is an anniversary dinner and that you want to be by the windows, they alway honor that request at Circo.
It is expensive..actually both are expensive, but I always thought I got more for the money at Circo.

Mon Ami Gabi is great for brunch.

Though not on your short list, we've celebrated two big events with dinner at the Eiffel Tower Restaurant at Paris Hotel. Wonderful food and service both times with lovely views.
Also loved Top of the World at night but not convenient for dinner before Celine. (Her show is terrific!) Happy Anniversary! Oh, price at Eiffel was approx. $100-125 ea, sharing dessert.

Sometimes my husband is just brilliant. When I asked him if he remembered the prices at Circo, he said no. But that Olives and Circo are pretty much the same price for 2 for dinner..but then he said, look at the restaurants menu...so here it is for you.



http://bellagio.com/pages/frameset_flash.asp

OK. Mon Ami is not the same pricing as somebody above noted. Mon Ami is quite lower pricing. The Eiffel Tower Restaurant is about the same pricing as Circo and Olives. Table #56 at the Eiffel Tower is in the exact corner for fountain views across the street. Go with Olives and shine like the star you are, tymecard.

I have eaten at Mon Ami Gabi at least 6 times, 2x's for dinner and the rest at lunch. My bill at dinner has been the same at Olives for dinner. My bills have also been similar during lunch at Circo, Olives and MAG. Maybe I order different stuff??

By the way I have had wonderful food at all but the service I had at Circo was bad.

Lunch at Circo could cost the same as dinner at Mon Ami, but you can go to every one of these restaurants by using the web address of the hotel and look at the menu and prices yourself.
But, it you are interested in the cheaper of the 3, Mon Ami will do it for you. It is pleasant at night, if you are sitting by the windows you can watch the fountains from Bellagio.

My vote is for Olives as we have not had the best service at Circo the last two times we've eaten there. I also like the Olives menu better, the buffalo with rissoto is delicious!

Mon Ami is also up there, I hardly ever hear complaints about it, except for the price sometimes

We had lunch at MAG once, and I agree with the poster who doesn't understand why so many on this board like it so much. Mediocre at best.

We had a great dinner at Prime for a special anniversary. They seated us right behind the fountains, it was gorgeous.

how about valentino? and prime?

Prime is a good idea but pretty expensive also.

what about delmonico's?