Diego immerses diners in the rich vivacity of Mexico. The dining room’s lively, danceable soundtrack and bold color palette of fuchsia, magenta, lime green, and teal sets the stage for the dining celebration. Executive Chef Noel Santos transforms traditional street food staples and regional recipes like Queso Fundido and Carne Asada with flair, finesse, and the freshest ingredients. Well-stocked by Tequila Master Julio Bermejo, Diego’s impressive 385 bottle collection provides ample fuel for the evening: a necessity on Fridays and Saturdays when Diego transforms into the late night Latin dance destination, Vida!
Read More ...Diego, the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino’s spirited Mexican restaurant, is a celebration of the cuisine, history, and, of course, tequilas of Southern Mexico. Between the exquisite regional menu of Executive Chef Noel Santos, the spirits provided by Tequila Master Julio Bernejo (the only American to boast the Mexican government-dictated title), and the afterhours dance party, ¡Vida!, Diego is a unique and exciting addition to the restaurant scene on the Strip.
The energy of the atmosphere in Diego is manifest in the vibrant mix of reds, pinks and magentas that dominate the interior of the restaurant. The vivid warm tones are accented by a contrasting lime green wall and a massive reproduction of Diego Rivera’s “Vendedora de Flores,” a piece that celebrates the rural origins of the cuisine. Video screens showing colorful digital art of traditional Mexican ingredients like avocados and agave flowers and collages of imported Mexican hammered-tin mirrors also honor the source of Diego’s inspiration. Created by award-winning designer Vicente Wolf, the décor is an expression of the colorful quality of Mexican culture and sets a wonderful stage for the equally colorful and authentic food.
One of Diego’s major enticements is Mr. Bernejo’s vast menu of 100% agave tequilas, some of which are not available elsewhere in the U.S. The list contains over 120 tequilas that represent more than 40 Mexican distilleries. A few of the unique selections are 3,4,5, an extremely rare spirit that sells here for $180 a shot, a pink-tinted tequila called The Rose, which gets its color and fruity taste from having been aged in a red wine barrel and Lapis, which has a mild copper taste from the copper still that it is produced in. Tasting flights are arranged by region, preparation or producer and range from $18 to $600. A long list of specialty margaritas offers a variety of creative, tasty concoctions. Among the signature drinks is the Frida Margarita, named for Mexican painter and wife of Diego Rivera Frida Kahlo. This strawberry and pineapple flavored drink is crisp and not overly sweet because the fruit is infused directly into the tequila. Garnished with fresh strawberries and pineapple, it is a bright and stimulating way to plunge into the evening.
The cuisine is just as bold as the décor, and pulls inspiration from areas like Oaxaca, Veracruz and the Yucatan. The Southern Mexican dishes are often deliciously complex, such as the Pollo al Horno con Mole which has over 30 ingredients in a sauce that takes 10 hours to create. Diego also serves outstanding versions of other traditional dishes such as Carne Asada and Cochinita Pibil, a slow-roasted pork dish. Overall, the cuisine should be appreciated for the amount of time and effort that goes into perfecting its subtleties and for the authenticity of these time-honored dishes.
Even the requisite chips and salsa is an opportunity to explore the flavors of Mexico. Upon seating, diners at Diego are served fresh house made tortilla chips with a trio of flavoring salts. The salts, which can be sprinkled over the chips to create dynamic varieties of flavors, feature tradition Mexican seasonings like epazote, cilantro, lime and guajillo, cascabel, and serrano chilies. The chips are also served with a selection of fresh, grilled or roasted salsas, such as the traditional salsa verde, pico de gallo and salsa roja. There are copious flavor combinations to sample with all these options, which is an entertaining way to pass the time before the food arrives.
The Guacamole de Lujo, a signature dish at Diego, is prepared tableside to order by the server. Avocados, cilantro, fresh lime and serrano chiles (measured to the level of heat desired) are chopped and blended to a creamy dip with impressive speed. The guacamole also contains sun dried tomatoes, a somewhat unconventional ingredient. It is used to ensure that the taste of the guacamole stays consistent and balanced throughout the year, since the flavor of ripe tomatoes change with the seasons. Despite the blended texture of the guacamole, the flavors of all the separate ingredients stand out, activating different parts of the palate and making it a remarkably intricate representation of an otherwise simple dish.
As an appetizer, the Margarita Shrimp Cocktail is a refreshing way to start a meal. A salad of grilled shrimps, diced red onion, cilantro, tomato and mango are tossed in a golden tequila glaze and served over a scoop of creamy guacamole. The versatile sweet glaze subtly compliments the flavors of the shrimp, fruit and vegetables alike, creating a cohesive yet multifaceted dish. It is served festively atop a large blue glass bowl of ice. This cold salad is a sweet and crisp treat eaten on its own, but also tastes delicious as a topping for the chips.
The dish that is probably best known as an emblem of Mexican street cuisine is the Empanadas de Pollo. Three golden empanadas, filled with braised chicken, red chilies and roasted tomatoes, are served on an oval shaped dish on top of a dollop of guacamole and a generous pour of ancho tomatillo sauce. The shell is crisp on the outside and soft on the inside. The chicken is seasoned with cumin, which, combined with the smoky flavor of the ancho in the sauce, gives the dish an earthy flavor.
The Barbacoa de Chivo is one of the more rustic choices on the menu, and it is assuredly almost identical in taste to what you would be served in rural Mexico. This dish, which is traditionally pit-grilled, is braised barbeque goat meat that has been marinated in guajillo chilies. The juicy, flavorful meat comes to the table steaming in a red iron handled dish with onion and cilantro and served with slices of avocado and warm tortillas, which are made by hand daily by the industrious and skilled masa ladies in the kitchen.
Dining at Diego is like taking a multisensory journey through the Southern Mexican countryside. The bright, festive atmosphere is a great setting for parties large and small to indulge in the delicious regional cuisine and explore the gamut of that wonderful spirit, tequila. And the experience doesn’t need to end when the meal does – at night on Friday and Saturday, the tables are pushed aside or moved out and the restaurant is transformed into ¡Vida!, a salsa dance party and nightclub. Whether it’s a full feast or just tequila and dancing, Diego assures all the excitement and extravagance that a Las Vegas restaurant should.
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This was our 2nd time at Diego's and everything was SUPERB. They have the BEST Tacos with everything you would imagine to eat with them. We celebrated our 10th anniversary there and they gave us the most BEAUTIFUL and DELICIOUS dessert you could have imagine. Will always eat at Diego's when in Las Vegas...
Easy reservation, good location, and great food. The table-side guacamole and sangria where the highlights. The tortilla soup and shrimp tacos are highly recomended. I was in a table of 8 and everyone loved their dinner.
A short walk from the signature for incredible food and tequila selection.
excelent
We thoroughly enjoyed dining at Diego's while in Vegas recently. They have THE BEST margaritas, tequila selections and the food was divine!
The food was very tasty, hot and prepared on time. The hostess and waitress were very cordial and inviting. I would recommend this restaurant to anyone who is in Vegas and wants a nice dining experience. Magnifico!
it was very very busy and loud. But it was fun. Staff was great
Had a wonderful time, great service, great food.
I went to Diego with a couple of friends from grad school when we were together in Vegas for a conference. With so many restaurants to choose from, it was difficult to narrow down our options, but we were SO glad we chose Diego. Our waiter was excellent! He had great suggestions for both food and drinks. And he was very accommodating of our desire to have a nice, leisurely meal between friends. We spent 4-5 hours there and never felt rushed. The food was great! Very creative tapas. The beverages were superb. We each tried something different, and we were all pleased with our selections. We also tried the Mandarin Martini (?) for dessert, and it was a great mix of sweet and spicy. A large group came in while we were there, and they were a bit disruptive, but the staff at Diego were very kind and apologetic, and never forgot our small group throughout the commotion. I would definitely go here again!
Great Latin food! Classic Mexican dishes elevated with superb preparation and presentation. Flavorful, large portions. The guacamole, ceremoniously prepared tableside, is super fresh and tasty. The dress code, already generous, was not enforced at all. This was a bit annoying, since we chose Diego for a special birthday celebration. Other diners wore shorts, tee-shirts, and flip-flops!
Great restaurant that is just outside the door to the concert arena. Also, very close to the tram. I would advise a reservation since it gets very busy.
Enjoyable dining experience, nice menu choices, great salsa tray, Diego margarita was great.
We really enjoyed the whole package from your restaurant. Thank you.
A great restaurant: good selection of wines, menu had lots to offer, staff were wonderful
The feel and look of the restaurant is upscale, but still offers good value. My party had great service and the food was excellent. Best enchilada's I've ever had bar none. Try the guac dip, too!
The food was really good and fairly inexpensive for Vegas. We had very good service considering how busy they were on a Saturday night. Reservations recommended.
If you are looking for Mexican Food in Las Vegas you can';t go wrong at Diego!
The bar was fantastic. Almost every tequila you can imagine! We purposely booked on "Cinco de Mayo" hoping the environment would be a party atmosphere. It was the complete opposite. Other than the disppointment, eveything else was fine.
Nice restaurant, good food, excellent staff.
Food was great. Service was slow. Mojito was overpriced ($13) - had very little alcohol and glass was filled with ice - very disappointing. Least expensive glass of wine was $9 for an unknown spanish label - known label was $16 per glass - did not expect these prices for a listing with $$ pricing. Even with the good food, we would not return to this restaurant.
Overall, we were not impressed with the food, although the ambiance was very nice and the dinner service was attentive and friendly. We arrived 15 minutes before our reservation and sat in the bar, but never were asked for a drink or appetizer orer. We ate at 4 other upscale restaurants during our Vegas stay, and this was the least impressive.
Diego's provides a great atmosphere and excellent Guacamole made right at the table to enjoy. Take your friends and family.
The ambiance and decor was really nice and set the mood. The made-in-front-of-you guacamole was absolutely delicious. We received our drinks and appetizers quickly, but waited an hour & a half for our entrees. When they did come out they had brought me the wrong entree and I had to wait an additional thirty minutes for the correct one. If you don't like being crowded make sure you ask for a booth. We were put at a small table with two drunk/obnoxious men who were about five inches away from us. We had no space and couldn't enjoy our dinner.
The food at Diego was very good with many choices. The restaurant is open and similar to a bistro and is very noisy. It was difficult to carry on any conversation even with the server.
I visited this restaurant because it was recommended. However, I was dissapointed with the value/meals offered. I like Mexican food, however, I felt that the selections weren't varied enough. ONly good thing was the Guacamole made at the table. highly overpriced for the meal/ambiance/service.
This restaurant is very loud. It has a party atmosphere. It was difficult to have a conversation with the person sitting right next to you. Because there were so many people there, the service was slow.
Nothing special about this place. The photographs on the web make the place look like it is really cool, when in reality it is nothing more than average. Spend your money elsewhere.
Food was OK...but far too expensive for what you are getting. A meal like this should have cost half as much as it did. Would not return.
I actually made online reservations for this place a few months in advance for a group of 3. I asked for a nice booth as it was to help in a celebration for my wedding the next day. When we got to the restuarant (about 10 min before our reservation), there were no booths available and the only option was to sit out in the patio which was not the atmosphere we were looking for. Also, my 2 friends that were dining with me called the resturant an hour or so before hand to let them know that this was a special occasion and wanted to do something special for me. The staff told them that they would do something like bring out a special dessert or something. We went through the whole dinner and drinks with no special something from the staff. We must have been forgetten about. So even though the food was excellent, the experience really was disapoointing.
This was the worst Mexican meal in Vegas. Nothing was fresh. Sugar margarita mix,stale chips and old rice and tough beef. Stay away. Nothing but hype. MGM should close this place down.
