I tried a $1,000 steak at the Fontainebleau Las Vegas. It was the ultimate Sin City dining experience.

• I tried nan $1,000 Beef Case astatine Papi Steak, nan celebrity-loved edifice astatine nan Fontainebleau Las Vegas.
• The 55-ounce Australian wagyu, delivered successful a gem briefcase, has go a viral sensation.
• It's a brilliant business strategy for a Vegas restaurant, and nan steak was delicious.

Within minutes of uncovering our array astatine Papi Steak, nan flashy Miami transplant astatine nan arsenic flashy Fontainebleau Las Vegas, an EDM opus blasts from nan speakers. Our server politely excuses himself, answering nan siren call.

He joins nan activity of waiters and dancers surrounding a adjacent table, holding strobe lights and chanting "Hey! Hey! Hey!" successful cleanable unison. A female ditches her meal to subordinate them, waving her napkin around. We move our heads to gawk arsenic a man presents a briefcase that glows golden each clip he teases it open.

Inside is simply a 55-ounce Australian purebred wagyu steak. It's branded correct past and there, a plume of fume rising supra diners' heads for illustration a caller pope being announced astatine nan Vatican.

This is nan $1,000 Beef Case, and I was astir to effort it. (Business Insider paid a media complaint for nan meal.)

Your favourite celebrity's favourite steak

You cognize that segment successful "When Harry Met Sally" erstwhile Meg Ryan is trying to beryllium her constituent — rather loudly — astatine Katz's Deli, and an older woman turns to nan waiter and says, "I'll person what she's having?" The Papi Steak Beef Case is benignant of for illustration that.

David "Papi" Einhorn, co-owner of Papi Steak, told maine nan highest number of Beef Cases sold successful 1 nighttime is 78, a grounds nan edifice deed during nan Super Bowl successful Las Vegas. I counted 15 during my two-hour dinner.

It's an effective business strategy for a metropolis that runs connected extravagance and spectacle. One array orders a Beef Case, and nan remainder autumn for illustration dominos. You tin practically spot nan precocious rollers looking complete and saying, "I'll person what they're having."

But there'd beryllium nary $1,000 Beef Case without nan original Papi steak, erstwhile conscionable a fixture of Einhorn's star-studded barbecues. His 32-ounce Glatt Kosher dry-aged tomahawk steaks (and dairy-free concealed sauce) were each complete Instagram, catching nan oculus of David Grutman, nan Groot Hospitality investor down Miami nightlife staples for illustration Komodo and LIV.

"He was like, 'Why don't you travel grill it astatine my house?'" Einhorn told me. "So I flew each nan nutrient down and made nan concealed sauce, and Leo DiCaprio and each nan A-listers were there, and everyone went crazy for it."

Grutman put nan Papi steak connected Komodo's paper successful 2018, and it was a hit. Einhorn said nan Kardashians loved nan crockery truthful overmuch that he would beryllium called into nan room to make it whenever they were successful Miami.

A twelvemonth later, Grutman and Einhorn opened nan first Papi Steak edifice successful South Beach. When nan Fontainebleau Las Vegas opened its doors successful 2023, nan brace knew they wanted to bring their conception to nan West Coast.

Once again, nan stars — including DiCaprio, Jennifer Lopez, David Beckham, and Tom Brady — followed.

Food arsenic bully arsenic nan atmosphere

The vibe astatine Papi Steak is axenic Sin City. The tables are marble, nan booths are reddish leather, and a bluish chandelier sparkles astatine nan center. The wallpaper is black, and location are caller orchids everywhere.

It's bold. It's loud. It's sexy.

I've visited Vegas complete 20 times and seen my stock of flashy restaurants. But arsenic I dug into Papi Steak's dishes, I was delightfully amazed to find that this steak location wasn't conscionable easy connected nan eyes.

My fellow and I kicked things disconnected pinch nan $24 Caesar salad, which deed each statement — crisp lettuce, a rich | and tangy dressing, and immoderate of nan champion croutons I've ever tasted. They had a satisfying crunch but were soft successful nan middle, pinch each wound revealing a deliciously herby flavor.

When I gushed astir them to our waiter, he said nan croutons are ever made to order.

We besides opted for nan $18 latkes, among nan Papi Steak dishes inspired by Einhorn's Jewish heritage.

The crockery was memorable, pinch its ray but patient texture and satisfyingly crispy crust. Each latke was savory and comforting, particularly erstwhile paired pinch crème fraîche and caller pome sauce.

We wholly cleaned some plates. Then it was clip for nan $1,000 Beef Case.

What's successful nan Beef Case?

When Einhorn's butcher vendor first offered him a 55-ounce Australian wagyu for Papi Steak, he said he had nary thought what to do pinch it. The wholesale value is nan aforesaid arsenic nan astir costly steak connected his menu.

Then, Einhorn remembered a gift he'd been given: a gem briefcase pinch Papi Steak's logo emblazoned successful gold. He decided to put nan Australian wagyu successful nan briefcase and create nan typical show, realizing he could move nan Beef Case into a classical Vegas infinitesimal — without nan request for vessel service.

"Today, a batch of group for illustration to person a show, but they don't want to spell to nightclubs that much," he said. "With this, they get nan vibe, nan music, everyone's astir them, they consciousness special, they consciousness important, they had a awesome repast — each those things coming together is what makes nan steak a really typical experience."

The Beef Case isn't conscionable literal fume and mirrors. Our Australian wagyu — which could easy provender astatine slightest six group — was cooked to perfection aft being branded pinch nan Papi Steak logo and whisked backmost to nan room pursuing nan show.

I loved nan flawlessly charred edges, which gave measurement to nan tender meat. The concealed condiment had a astonishing footwear of sweetness, while nan chimichurri provided a punch of caller tanginess.

My fellow and I were successful eden pinch each bite.

It's easy to clone a bully clip — that was nan full constituent of nan "When Harry Met Sally" scene. And successful a metropolis for illustration Las Vegas, plentifulness of basking spots usage their Instagram clout and A-list clientele to disguise a subpar eating experience.

But Papi Steak has nan nutrient to backmost up its hype. Plus, nan work was akin to what I've knowledgeable astatine Michelin-starred restaurants. Even if nan Beef Case isn't successful your budget, you could still person a awesome meal and time.

Just don't beryllium amazed if you move to nan waiter to say, "I'll person what they're having."