900 Lobsters, 5,000 Pounds of Shrimp: Inside the Palms’ Wild All-You-Can-Eat Buffet

Dozens of steamed lobsters at the AYCE Buffet. | Louiie Victa The Vegas buffet goes through 1,750 lobster tails per day. And that’s not even the half of it. Located just off-Strip, the AYCE Buffet at the Palms is one of the more popular buffets in Las Vegas, even among locals. And part of that appeal is for its themed dinner nights, dedicated to snow crab and prime rib on Fridays and to all things lobster on Tuesday and Wednesday. Predictably, those who pay the premium for the shellfish-laden events mean business — avid diners make multiple return trips to the buffet’s stations. Here is a by-the-numbers look at how much lobster, snow crab, and pork belly the buffet goes through each month. Louiie Victa A cook at the AYCE buffet preps steamed lobsters for the buffet line. Whole lobster: 13,330 pounds or 900 lobsters per day “Don’t even get me started on lobster nights. It’s all crab, shrimp, carving stations, and all-you-can-eat lobster,” says Marcus O’Brien, Palms executive chef and senior executive director of food and beverage. Louiie Victa Hundreds of lobster tails cook in a combi-steam oven. Lobster tails: 7,000 pounds or 1,750 tails per day Louiie Victa In go the crab legs. Snow crab: 20,000 pounds per month “The most popular dishes are the hot snow crab legs and lobsters whole and tail,” O’Brien says. Louiie Victa A pile of peeled shrimp hoisted upon the AYCE salad bar. Shrimp: 5,000 pounds per month Louiie Victa A selection of rotisserie meats at the AYCE Buffet carvery section. Louiie Victa Rounds of beef brisket, awaiting carving. Pork belly: 22,000 pounds per month Sirloin steaks: 5,240 pounds per month Prime rib: 2,500 pounds per month Louiie Victa A countertop lined with miniature portions of tiramisu, chocolate cupcakes, and crème brulée. Louiie Victa Dozens of mini crème brulées get torched before hitting the dessert line. Miniature desserts: 11,000 per month “Check out the pastry area first because you need to devise a plan for this,” O’Brien advises. Champagne: 3,200 bottles per month Louiie Victa A buffet worker presents a four-pound lobster to be awarded to one table. Gigantic live lobster raffled off and cooked for a winning table: One “We give away one five-pound lobster every lobster dinner to a random guest or table. This lobster is presented tableside while still alive and then our chef prepares a custom lobster feast just for that table,” O’Brien says. Louiie Victa Whole lobsters boiling for lobster dinner at the AYCE Buffet. Louiie Victa Some of the 900 or so lobsters that are consumed on a lobster dinner night. Louiie Victa A buffet server proffers one whole lobster and one lobster tail at a time to customers. Louiie Victa Customers can have one whole lobster and one lobster tail at a time — but there is no limit on how many times they can get back in line. The AYCE buffet at Palms is $46.99 from 4 to 9 p.m. Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, and 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday. Lobster dinner is $79.99 from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday. Prime rib and snow crab dinner is $52.99 from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday themed dinners are $52.99 from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. Reservations are recommended.

Aug 13, 2024 - 09:00

900 Lobsters, 5,000 Pounds of Shrimp: Inside the Palms’ Wild All-You-Can-Eat Buffet

Metal pans overflowing with lobster in a steamer. — Dozens of steamed lobsters at the AYCE Buffet. | Louiie Victa

The Vegas buffet goes through 1,750 lobster tails per day. And that’s not even the half of it.

Located just off-Strip, the AYCE Buffet at the Palms is one of the more popular buffets in Las Vegas, even among locals. And part of that appeal is for its themed dinner nights, dedicated to snow crab and prime rib on Fridays and to all things lobster on Tuesday and Wednesday. Predictably, those who pay the premium for the shellfish-laden events mean business — avid diners make multiple return trips to the buffet’s stations. Here is a by-the-numbers look at how much lobster, snow crab, and pork belly the buffet goes through each month.

A cook at the AYCE buffet hoists steamed lobsters in perforated metal containers. — A cook at the AYCE buffet preps steamed lobsters for the buffet line.

Whole lobster: 13,330 pounds or 900 lobsters per day

“Don’t even get me started on lobster nights. It’s all crab, shrimp, carving stations, and all-you-can-eat lobster,” says Marcus O’Brien, Palms executive chef and senior executive director of food and beverage.

An employee pulls a tray of lobster tails a steamer. — Hundreds of lobster tails cook in a combi-steam oven.

Lobster tails: 7,000 pounds or 1,750 tails per day

A man in a navy blue chef’s jacket uses tongs to grab piles of bright orange crab legs from a steaming cast iron pot. — In go the crab legs.

Snow crab: 20,000 pounds per month

“The most popular dishes are the hot snow crab legs and lobsters whole and tail,” O’Brien says.

A pile of peeled shrimp hoisted upon a bed of lettuce and tomatoes the AYCE salad bar. — A pile of peeled shrimp hoisted upon the AYCE salad bar.

Shrimp: 5,000 pounds per month

A selection of rotisserie meat and poultry in front of a fire at the AYCE Buffet carvery section. — A selection of rotisserie meats at the AYCE Buffet carvery section.

Four rows of cooked brisket on oven racks. — Rounds of beef brisket, awaiting carving.

Pork belly: 22,000 pounds per month

Sirloin steaks: 5,240 pounds per month

Prime rib: 2,500 pounds per month

A customer selects desserts from a countertop lined with tiramisu, chocolate cupcakes, and crème brulée. — A countertop lined with miniature portions of tiramisu, chocolate cupcakes, and crème brulée.

A cook fires a torch over two trays of miniature crème brulées. — Dozens of mini crème brulées get torched before hitting the dessert line.

Miniature desserts: 11,000 per month

“Check out the pastry area first because you need to devise a plan for this,” O’Brien advises.

Champagne: 3,200 bottles per month

A buffet worker presents a four-pound lobster sitting in a metal Gastronorm container and garnished with parsley. — A buffet worker presents a four-pound lobster to be awarded to one table.

Gigantic live lobster raffled off and cooked for a winning table: One

“We give away one five-pound lobster every lobster dinner to a random guest or table. This lobster is presented tableside while still alive and then our chef prepares a custom lobster feast just for that table,” O’Brien says.

A cook hoists a pan of whole lobsters out of boiling water. — Whole lobsters boiling for lobster dinner at the AYCE Buffet.

Trays full of red cooked lobster in a buffet kitchen. — Some of the 900 or so lobsters that are consumed on a lobster dinner night.

A buffet server uses tongs to serve lobster tails and whole lobsters at a buffet. — A buffet server proffers one whole lobster and one lobster tail at a time to customers.

A short line of people queue for lobster at a buffet. — Customers can have one whole lobster and one lobster tail at a time — but there is no limit on how many times they can get back in line.

The AYCE buffet at Palms is $46.99 from 4 to 9 p.m. Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, and 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday. Lobster dinner is $79.99 from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday. Prime rib and snow crab dinner is $52.99 from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday themed dinners are $52.99 from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. Reservations are recommended.