When dropping some major dough during your trip to Las Vegas, the last thing you expect is for the food to be subpar. Or worse, unsafe to consume. This is what one Caesars Palace customer allegedly experienced after they noticed something off about their roast beef from the iconic hotel chain.
In a viral TikTok, Yahaira Medina (@yahaairasg) shared a clip of the meat on her plate from Caesars Palace’s Bacchanal Buffet. According to her caption, she paid $100 for it, only for the protein to appear “green” in some areas.
“The Bacchanal Buffet at Caesars Palace did not live up to expectations,” Medina added in the caption, punctuating it with a barf emoji. In the clip, some dark greenish spots are visible on the slice of meat. The viral “Jet 2 Holiday” soundbite from TikTok soundtracks the clip, cementing Medina’s experience that the meal was a disappointment.
What’s The Bacchanal Buffet At Caesars Palace?
According to the hotel’s website, the buffet offers “dozens of cuisines and hundreds of perfectly prepared offerings from specialty chefs.” The food is purportedly prepared right in front of the guests in “open kitchens.” As for its pricing, Medina wasn’t wrong. Dinner Friday through Sunday will run you $91 per person plus tax.
On TripAdvisor, the experience sports a 4.0 rating out of 5, though it’s not even in the top 100 places to have a quick bite in Las Vegas. Despite its healthy rating, the three most recent reviews were all 2 stars, with guests calling it “overrated.”
“The seafood was all previously frozen and was mushy. Nothing was fresh,” one reviewer wrote, while another called it a “waste of money.”
Why Was The Meat Green?
Several of Medina’s viewers had theories as to why the meat appeared green, with some suggesting it was mold or a tumor the meat had previously.
One user who identified themselves as an expert said it could be due to the meat being mechanically tenderized and then pressure-tumbled in a solution of seasoning. “Some of that solution made its way … inside from being pressurized and tumbled,” they said. “How do i know I work at a plant that does it and supplies the west cost.”
Several others, however, assured Medina that the “green” was normal for roast beef.
“It’s like the holographic roast beef from Subway,” one said, referring to the rainbow-like sheen on the meat at the sandwich chain.
Another added, “Girl. That’s normal. Certain cuts turn holographic and show purple green and other colors.”
But why?
One user provided a possible explanation: “Beef looks holographic when sliced due to diffraction, a phenomenon where light splits into colors like a rainbow as it reflects off the microscopic, parallel structure of the muscle fibers. The cutting process creates a smooth, uniform surface with even spacing between muscle fibers, acting as a natural diffraction grating that separates white light into its spectral colors.”
Is this true?
Why Does Roast Beef Look Iridescent?
According to the USDA, it is true that beef can have a sort of “iridescent” color. This is because “Meat contains iron, fat, and other compounds. When light hits a slice of meat, it splits into colors like a rainbow.”
The government agency writes that these compounds can give the meat a greenish cast when exposed to heat or processing. It reiterates that it does not decrease the safety of the meat.
However, it’s worth noting that from Medina’s clip, it’s unclear whether the green spots were iridescent or indeed represented spoilage.
@yahaairasg The Bacchanal Buffet at Caesar’s Palace did not live up to expectations 🤮 #lasvegastiktok #lasvegas #lasvegasfoodie #bacchanalbuffet #fyp
UPDATE: Caesars Entertainment told BroBible via email:
“At Caesars Palace, we take immense pride in delivering exceptional food and service at the Bacchanal Buffet. Our team is committed to excellence and consistently fulfills that promise.
As one of the top five most-reviewed restaurants on Yelp, with nearly 16,000 independent reviews, the Bacchanal Buffet holds the distinction of being the highest-rated buffet on the Las Vegas Strip. Since opening in 2012, it has maintained a strong four-star rating, a testament to the quality and consistency our guests have come to expect.
Each week, more than 20,000 guests dine at The Bacchanal, where we serve between 4,000 and 4,500 pounds of prime rib weekly. Our talented culinary team partners with premier purveyors nationwide to source the finest ingredients, ensuring that every dish meets our high standards for freshness and flavor.
While we regret that this guest did not bring their concern to our attention during their visit—making it difficult to address directly— we remain confident in the quality and freshness of the food served at The Bacchanal Buffet and stand behind the experience we offer every day.”
We reached out to Medina via email.