When you have the pedigree of being sons of the great steakhouse legend Arnie Morton, founder of Morton’s Steakhouse, you have to figure the proprietors know more than a few things about how to create a high-quality steakhouse. In this case, brothers Michael Morton and David Morton are doing just that, and are leveraging devotion to quality, method and flavor to bring a luxury experience.
ONE Steakhouse, Two Legacies
Both brothers have built on their father’s legacy by opening highly successful and appealing restaurants of their own. Michael Morton has placed his mark on the landscape of Las Vegas over the years through his founding of the N9NE Group and Morton Group, which currently includes La Cave at Wynn Las Vegas and CRUSH at the MGM Grand. Younger brother David has done the same in Chicago, successfully launching several restaurants in his Chicago-based DMK Restaurants.
Situated just off of the casino at Virgin Hotels, ONE Steakhouse replaces their previous venture, MB Steak. The initials stood for My Brothers when it was open at the now-shuttered Hard Rock Hotel and Casino before it became Virgin Hotels in 2021.
The two-story 9,000-square-foot space offers several pluses: an inviting open entrance with a swanky lounge overlooking the casino with LED lights with more than 3,000 pieces of glass that gradually change colors throughout the evening; the dining room featuring wood ceiling and flooring, charred wood walls and dreamy pieces of art; and a 50-seat atrium lounge on the floor above with a giant 12-foot by 8-foot LED screen that can show one game or many, framed with large windows that can be opened when weather permits and offering views of Paradise Rd. and the Strip.
The kitchen is under the direction of multi-talented Chef Billy DeMarco, who is Corporate Executive Chef for the Morton Group. A graduate of the Florida Culinary Institute, before joining the Morton Group in 2008, he worked in Las Vegas at Aureole at Mandalay Bay, as Executive Chef of The Buffet at Wynn Las Vegas and has been wowing us for several years with his versatile menu creations.
Your meal begins with bread service that is so delicious you will need to exercise self-control to keep yourself from filling up. Called Monkey Bread, it’s a cross between ciabatta and focaccia that is bolstered by Swiss and cheddar and served with rosemary butter. Once you’ve contained yourself, you’ll want to consider some bites from the sea: Spanish Octopus cooked with port wine and stewed tomatoes and served with broccolini; Maine Lobster Bisque with brandy, tarragon and crème fraiche; or Rhode Island Calamari with basil aioli and arrabbiata.
Naturally steaks are the stars here. Standard cuts include filet mignon, NY Strip, rib-eye and Strauss veal chop; double porterhouse and tomahawk sliced for two; Japanese Satsuma A5; and domestic Snake River Farms wagyu. For an incredible celebration for 10-12 of your favorite people, for $1,400 you can opt for the Tomahawk Feast—reminiscent of The Flintstones, it features a dry-aged 18-lb USDA Prime Tomahawk steak carved tableside and served with six sides (requires 72 hours advance notice). Although the steaks are so flavorful you won’t need it, there are Bordelaise, Bearnaise and Peppercorn sauces available and a housemade steak sauce made with currants and dehydrated shallots.
Like any fine steakhouse, there should be choices for seafood lovers, and here you’ll find plenty in varying methods of preparation.
Diver Sea Scallops are accompanied with celery root and trumpet mushrooms; Alaskan King Crab is in a pasta with white miso butter and toasted lemon breadcrumbs; Shrimp Risotto is prepared with English peas, roasted onion and mascarpone; Salmon is crusted with fennel and served with marble potatoes and lobster butter; and Alaskan Halibut is pan-roasted with tomato broth and comes with an olive relish. There’s also a selection of chilled seafood including Hamachi with watermelon radish, Asian pear and yuzu; East & West Coast Oysters with dill mignonette; and Tuna Poke with wasabi soy and pickled cucumbers.
You may want to match the inventive flavors of your meal with one of several signature cocktails, like the Agave Verde with Calirosa Reposado, Italicus Rosolio di Bergamotto, cold-pressed Granny Smith apple juice, lime-ginger sour and Pink Himalayan Sea Salt. A well-rounded high-quality spirits list spans seven pages and includes Fallon, Nevada-based Frey Ranch Four Grain Bourbon, Ardberg 19-Year Traigh Bhan Single Malt Scotch, Clase Azul Reposado Tequila and Rhum Barbancourt 15-Year Rum.
Desserts are sizeable and easily feed at least two. The Bananas Foster Cheesecake is comprised of bananas Foster sauce, sautéed bananas and candied peanut popcorn. The humongous seven-layer Carrot Cake boasts spiced roasted pineapple and vanilla bean crème anglaise.
Wine lovers will find an excellent value in the happy hour available at the bar Sun.-Thu. from 5-7 p.m., offering half off a rotating list of hand selected wines chosen by wine director Anthony Ramirez, including high-end labels. In addition, a petite shellfish platter featuring a premium selection of shrimp, oysters and crab, is $25.
This fine dining eatery is a good bet for both tourists and locals, as its location is a short jaunt from the Strip and Las Vegans will appreciate the resort’s free parking and the restaurant’s location mere steps from the Harmon side self-parking garage. ONE Steakhouse is open daily for dinner from 5 p.m.
