America, the round-the-clock diner tucked inside New York-New York Hotel & Casino, is in the middle of a phased makeover that will replace its famous sculpted map of the United States with a digital projection canvas — all while the kitchen keeps serving 3-pound pancakes and prime New York strip steak and eggs without ever closing. The nearly 10,000-square-foot restaurant has served up U.S. regional standards for almost 30 years, and it remains one of the last 24-hour, full-service dining spots left on the Strip.
The renovation, first reported by the Las Vegas Review-Journal, is unfolding in stages so America can stay open throughout construction. The restaurant is part of the Ark Restaurants Corp. portfolio, which also runs Gallagher’s Steakhouse, Gonzalez y Gonzalez, Broadway Burger Bar & Grill and Yolös Mexican Grill inside the same resort, according to a filing on SEC.gov. Ark also handles New York-New York’s room service, banquet operations, employee dining room and Village Eateries food court, a footprint that traces back to a master food and beverage agreement the company took on debt to secure in 1996, ahead of the resort’s 1997 launch.
A Sculpted Map Goes Digital
For nearly three decades, America’s interior wall featured a 90-by-20-foot topographic sculpture of the United States, complete with iconic landmarks and physical terrain, according to the Las Vegas Sun. That sculpted map has now been remade into a dynamic projection canvas powered by a state-of-the-art mapping system. The redesign also brings soaring ceilings, a faux skylight, checkerboard tile paired with warm wood flooring, and large-scale artwork rendered in vibrant reds and oranges, plus a new mural of the Statue of Liberty’s face and design touches in terracotta, deep walnut and jewel-toned teal.
Executive chef Brandon Flores has created more than a dozen new dishes for the relaunch, according to the Review-Journal’s report. New additions include a cauliflower steak with tomato confit, radish, crisp shallots and balsamic vinaigrette; seared salmon with green beans, cauliflower purée, frisée and sherry shallot vinaigrette; bacon mac-n-cheese topped with an artisan cheese blend and a crisp herb crust; and a wood-fire flatbread finished with olive oil, balsamic glaze, arugula and prosciutto. Longtime menu staples are sticking around too, including the 3-pound pancake, prime New York strip steak and eggs, and a Philly cheesesteak built on thinly sliced sautéed ribeye with classic fixings.
Late-Night Deals and a Home Base on the Strip
“America has always been a home base on the Las Vegas Strip,” Keith Eure said, per the Review-Journal’s account. The restaurant plans to keep offering breakfast, lunch, dinner, late-night dishes and extravagant cocktails once the full redesign and new menu debut in September, including America’s Biggest Mimosa with JP Chenet sparkling wine, orange juice, strawberries and orange slices, tableside banana splits, and the Strawberry Shortcake Loop made with Skyy vodka, cream, Fruity Pebbles, cranberry, fresh lemon and cotton candy. America’s Hero Happy Hour continues to run from 3 to 6 p.m. and 3 to 6 a.m. daily, offering $4 Budweiser and Bud Light, $8 Flecha Azul reposado margaritas, $1 coffee and 20 percent off all food, with ongoing discounts for military personnel and first responders. Nevada residents also get a standing 10% discount on food with valid state ID, according to New York-New York Hotel & Casino.
Why the Investment, and Why Now
America’s makeover follows a broader wave of spending at New York-New York, which opened on January 3, 1997, as an 18-acre, $460 million joint venture between MGM Grand and Primadonna Resorts before MGM took full ownership, according to Wikipedia. In 2022, the resort finished a $63 million overhaul of its 1,830 hotel rooms and 155 suites, restyling accommodations after New York lofts, per MGM Resorts. Ark has made similar long-term commitments elsewhere in the building, extending its lease on Gallagher’s Steakhouse through 2032 in 2022 and agreeing to spend at least $1.5 million on capital improvements there…