NoMad Library Restaurant — Restaurant in Paradise

TLDR: Nick Servedio and his staff are gold, class and sophisticated professionals, don’t lose them!

It’s not that I’m hard to impress, it’s just that after 30 years in the hospitality business you just don’t take to much for granted. Which is why I was overwhelmed with how an unhappy experience in one establishment was turned into a beyond excellent one in its sister restaurant by its manager and staff. It began with a subpar evening in regards to food and service at the NoMad Bar. Every place has nights like it, where things just don’t click. The drinks were great and the entertainment was as well but the overall experience was disheartening after a previous night there left us with great memories. Wanting them to be aware of this I left what I hoped was a “helpful” review when prompted by a survey email the next day. Two evenings later we had reservations to dine at the sister restaurant The NoMad Library but instead decided to dine elsewhere so we stopped in to cancel our reservations when the most unexpected thing occurred. When questioned by the front of house staff our reasoning for declining the reservation we hemmed & hawed and finally mentioned our experience a couple nights before. Suddenly BOTH ladies spoke up and repeated to me parts and snippets of the review I had left through the email. I was FLOORED! We all know that nobody ever reads those things, it’s just an algorithm of numbers. But they explained that their manager does and anything he find pertinent he shares and discusses with them in pre-shift staff meetings and THAT made me happy for a lot of reason to long to explain but it totally reset a decision I’d made not to again frequent the previous restaurant. The experience continues… Though we chose to go ahead to our second choice for dinner that evening we were encouraged to return afterwards to the Library Bar for a cocktail, which we did. The interior of the place is stunning, warm and welcoming, we immediately loved it. As we sat at the bar we were greeted with a gentleman saying “You’re a hard couple to catch up with!” Nick Servedio, the manager of both establishments had gone looking for us at the other restraurant to have a chat about our previous experience. Now I’m completely knocked out! The time that he’d taken to seek a customer out and the conversations we had that evening regarding staffing and other difficulties managing restaurants. Nick didn’t make excuses, he made apologies and commitments to be better, and I believe him. The “proof is in the pudding” as they say because after Nick had left we had wonderful exchanges with a couple of his other staff, Robert and Stephanie, the mixologist at the Library bar and man do they know their stuff! Robert makes an exceptional Manhattan called the Gentleman’s Exchange and Stephanie a killer espresso martini my wife loved. They really made use feel welcome. To sum up, everything front the front door to the back door of both the NoMad Bar and the NoMad Library is in competent, caring, resourceful hands that take ownership of all they do. I highly encourage a visit...

*DO NOT BELIEVE any of the GOOD REVIEWS. They are most likely posted by people trying to convince themselves that they didn't just waste several hundred $$$ on a terrible experience, or possibly are fake reviews, or just a fluke. The issues at this establishment run deep and it is clearly poorly managed and operated without much care about customers (we are living people, not ATMs) - ie., not just our bad "luck" when we visited. YOU'VE BEEN WARNED...

See below:

Unprofessional staff (4-5) huddled at entrance having a nice chat and laughing when we arrived, creating awkward interaction because it seemed like we were interrupting them. Inside, staff were heard discussing whether they would be receiving a raise.

Despite noting a special occasion for the visit and plenty of empty tables inside, we were seated in tight two-seater at back of restaurant next to the kitchen door - probably the worst seats in the restaurant. When we got to the seat, a senior had her cane on our seat, and had to ask her to move it, which makes whole meal start out uncomfortable for us and for the senior, who I felt bad for.

Tiny portions of food, left hungry after spending well over $200. If the entrées have no sides and are appetizer sized, please let us know before we order.

Cocktail was mediocre, at best. Limited non-alcoholic options.

The birthday "treat" was a small sad ball of plain cotton candy. Just embarrassing, and this isn't the first time we have had a birthday at a nice restaurant (and at normal restaurants). And it was dropped at our table like the server couldn't care less. After that he left and we never heard from him again. Had to ask someone else to take a photo for us.

No thank yous or acknowledgements as we left. Actually, I said thank you to the hostess at the entrance when we walked out.

Bottom line: ZERO STARS. Stay FAR FAR AWAY. There many many better options in Las Vegas.

PS the following day, we went to eat at Chuck Wagon Restaurant at the Longhorn Casino, and received better service. Eg. 1) no employees chatting and laughing amongst themselves, 2) the waiter actually asked us where we preferred to sit and offered us a booth, 3) filling meal, and 4) thanked us as we exited.

PPS after talking to some locals from Vegas, apparently places like NoMad have long since given up and stopped caring because it's just too easy to get paid by one-time tourists who just want a good time and won't raise a fuss despite getting treated like a...

Now nearly five years since opening, Chef Daniel Humm and partner Will Guidara divested from the project and locations in New York as well as Los Angeles shuttered, NoMaD continues to perform well in Sin City thanks to the boutique hotel’s proximity to T-Mobile Arena plus a dedicated clientele. Opened when Eleven Madison Park was hot off its award as the “World’s Best Restaurant,” décor still striking and service improved under the guidance of Nick Servedio, NoMaD Library offers Dinner from 5:00pm until 10:00pm Thursday through Sunday. Surely an expensive project, though menus prove inaccurate to those listed online, it is thanks to a knowledgeable and well-informed staff that decisions come easy whether one chooses to revisit classics or indulge in seasonal additions.

Designed as a looming library with low lighting, as luxurious a space as any in town, it was after a quick description of artwork in the lobby that a curved leather booth was offered, posh cushioning offering comfort for the next two hours that began promptly with complimentary Popovers served adjacent a ramekin of salted Butter.

Utilizing a captain plus several servers and bussers who make sure guests are never for want it was perhaps twenty minutes after seating that Duck Liver marbled with Fruit arrived, memories of Manhattan in 2008 rekindled by peerless technique while a Burrata Caprese with Peaches also performs admirably.

Next offered a tableside show of Tartare, Yellowfin Tuna tinged with spice glistening atop crispy Rye, NoMad now makes three Pastas in-house daily including one infused with Black Garlic served alongside Asparagus. Squash and Peas.

Waiting another thirty minutes for NoMad’s infamous Chicken, “No Diggity” bumping subtly overhead, fans and first-timers alike will be hard-pressed to name a more “Restaurant-worthy” piece of Poultry than this version perfumed by Truffles and Foie Gras while tender Scallops given the “Peas and Carrots” treatment are prepared precisely as they ought to be.

Further impressed by Side Dishes, small in portion but more fairly priced than those at Bavette’s or other Sin City Steakhouses, it was after devouring every bite of Broccolini and a heavily truffled Potato that Dessert menus were presented, Milk & Honey still present but upstaged by flaming Baked Alaska and $50 Tiramisu that is shattered with a hammer to yield bitter-sweet brilliance in an array...