‘Iron Chef’ winner’s barbecue restaurant in off-Strip casino to close
A restaurant from a celebrated chef, restaurateur, James Beard Award winner and Food Network mainstay (including “Iron Chef” champion) is closing at the Palms.
Mabel’s Bar & Q from chef Michael Symon, also a Daytime Emmy Award winner as co-host of “The Chew,” is shuttering after service on Sept. 12, an employee of the restaurant confirmed to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, adding that employees were informed last week.
“Sadly, all good things have come to an end, so we have made a team decision to move on from Mabel’s at Palms,” Symon said in a statement for the RJ. “We are excited about the future for both us and them, and we wish everyone there continued success as they have always done right by us and their patrons, and it will always be one of our favorite resorts in Las Vegas.”
In the same statement, Gregory Van Stone, vice president of food and beverage operations for the Palms, thanked Symon and the Mabel’s team “for the journey and the memories.”
Barbecue standards
Symon opened Mabel’s in late 2018 as Mabel’s BBQ, telling the RJ in December of that year that he was a fan of Vegas: “I love the diversity. It’s such — in the best of ways — a mixed bag of people and cultures. The food scene’s so diverse.”
In late June 2022, 60 days after the Palms emerged from its pandemic closure with new owners, the RJ dropped by the restaurant (still called Mabel’s BBQ) to find its J&R Smoke-Master Oven had been fired again, as had its J&R Oyler BBQ Pits capable of cooking dozens of briskets, or briskets and pork shoulders, at once.
The current menu offers a half smoked chicken, smoked turkey pastrami, pulled pork, pork ribs, brisket and brisket burnt ends on the barbecue side. Those essentials are joined by starters (including a brisket birria taco), sandwiches like a smoked turkey BLT with avocado, burgers that include a pork belly version, a rice bowl with protein add-ons, even a wedge salad.
Contact Johnathan L. Wright at jwright@reviewjournal.com. Follow @JLWTaste on Instagram.
This story has been updated from its original version.
