Another iconic Las Vegas Strip restaurant closing permanently | Official Website of Louis Velazquez, entrepreneur, finance guy and tech innovator

Before Las Vegas became home to Michelin-starred chefs, it was known for its diners and buffets.

But as food prices climbed, it became harder for restaurateurs to make buffets and $7.99 steak dinners pencil. Then came Covid.

In 2020, visitors could choose from 70 buffets in Las Vegas, both on and off the Strip. Only 13 in the city survived the pandemic.

💵💰Don’t miss the move: Subscribe to TheStreet’s free daily newsletter💰💵

Buffets may have started out as a convenience but they became an attraction in their own right, even as the prices climbed higher and higher.

These days, the Bacchanal Buffet at Caesars Palace is $64.99 during the week and $84.99 on weekends, and prices are even higher on holidays, according to various travel guides (the company’s website doesn’t list prices).

While millions of visitors may mourn the loss of old-school Vegas dining, plenty also make the pilgrimage to the city just for the current food scene.

But the competition for diners’ dollars is fierce, and it’s becoming harder for even the most celebrated chefs to survive.

Diners at Rivea have unobstructed views of the Las Vegas Strip.

Image source&colon; LuckyPhotographer/Shutterstock

Rivea, the upscale eatery with spectacular views of the Las Vegas Strip, is closing

Rivea, the French and Italian Riviera-inspired restaurant led by Michelin-starred chef Alain Ducasse, announced it will close permanently after dinner service June 22, according to an announcement Friday from Mandalay Bay and the W Las Vegas, as reported on Casino.org.

The upscale restaurant with panoramic views of the Las Vegas Strip is perched atop the W and is known for its menu featuring Mediterranean flavors inspired by coastal France and Italy.

Rivea opened in 2015 in what was then the Delano hotel.

Ducasse is widely admired as one of the most celebrated chefs of his generation: in 2005, he became the first chef to have 3 Michelin stars at three different establishments.

That acclaim was not enough to keep the doors open, however.

Ducasse’s restaurant group operates restaurants, cooking schools, and inns in France, Germany, Italy, the Philippines, India, Monaco, the UK, and the UAE.

Once Rivea closes, the only U.S. restaurant to remain in Ducasse’s group will be Benoit in New York City.

What’s next for Marriott and MGM dining in Las Vegas?

There will still be plenty of fine-dining options at the W/Mandalay Bay property, which is a joint operation from MGM Resorts International and Marriott International.

There’s Orla and Strip Steak, both from Michael Mina; Carama from Wolfgang Puck; Libertine Social from James Beard Award winner Shawn McClain; plus at least two dozen other options on site.

More Food:

If you’re in the mood for some of Ducasse’s Provencal caponata, beef carpaccio, or maple leaf duck breast, you still have a few weeks to get in.

Rivea will take reservations through June 22; the Skyfall Lounge adjacent to the restaurant will remain open. No replacement for Rivea has been announced.