Drink Las Vegas kicked off its four-day run with chef tastings and big-name guests like Shaquille O’Neal and Sammy Hagar at ARIA. The Strip gets a new food and cocktail festival this weekend.
ARIA’s Yucca Pool was packed on opening night. Chefs, bartenders, and celebrities mixed with guests as Drink Las Vegas made its debut. Shaquille O’Neal and Sammy Hagar showed up for the launch, giving the city a shot at the national food and drink spotlight. Jean-Georges Vongerichten joined them on stage, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal. The launch event took place September 24, 2026.
This isn’t just another Vegas show. Drink Las Vegas puts the spotlight on the people who cook and pour here every night. Alex Reznik, known from “Top Chef” and “Beat Bobby Flay,” joined the first night. He served oxtail terrine with crispy chicken skin and zhug. Reznik called it “a real food event.” He said it’s rare for chefs to leave their own kitchens and taste each other’s food. “Give me three days to eat what everybody else is doing, drink something good, talk a little sh-t, and steal a few ideas, sorry, inspiration; we call it inspiration,” he joked.
The inaugural Drink Las Vegas festival is spread across four MGM Resorts properties—ARIA, Bellagio, The Cosmopolitan, and Park MGM—bringing together more than 30 venues for chef dinners, cocktail masterclasses, tastings, and parties.
Signature tastings and star power
Three Signature Tasting events anchor the festival. Each one is hosted by a top chef and features a rotating lineup of talent. Thursday’s opener at ARIA led into Friday’s “A Night of Excellence” with the James Beard Foundation, hosted by Tom Colicchio and Tiffany Derry. Saturday’s “Timeless Taste: Celebrating the Legacy of Las Vegas” brings Michael Mina, Masaharu Morimoto, and Wolfgang Puck together. The weekend is packed. Curated lunches, dinners, wine tastings, and cocktail parties fill the schedule. More celebrity guests keep showing up. Local coverage says over 40 chefs and mixologists from around the country are taking part, including Roy Choi, Mary Sue Milliken, and Jean-Georges Vongerichten.
Reznik owns SMKD BBQ and Hayworth in Henderson. He sees Drink Las Vegas as a way to show how the city’s food scene is changing. “You bring great chefs and bartenders from around the country here, mix them with the people cooking and pouring in Vegas every night, and everybody gets better,” he said. He likes that Vegas doesn’t follow strict rules. “Vegas is weird, and I mean that in the best possible way.”
Published local listings report that individual event experiences at Drink Las Vegas start at $95, while weekend passes begin at $785. The festival’s programming is built around chef dinners, cocktail masterclasses, tastings, panels, seminars, lunches, and parties, offering a wide range of experiences for attendees.
What sets Drink Las Vegas apart
Las Vegas is famous for its shows and nightlife. Drink Las Vegas wants to make food and drink culture part of that story. The festival isn’t just tastings. There’s a no-proof dinner, after parties, and a chance for locals and visitors to find new chefs and restaurants. Reznik has advice for anyone coming: “Don’t come and eat the same sh-t you eat every Tuesday. Try something weird. Drink something you can’t pronounce. Find a chef you’ve never heard of. Then find a local Vegas restaurant you didn’t know existed.”
Want to get off the Strip? Reznik’s restaurants in Henderson—SMKD BBQ and Hayworth—offer two different takes. SMKD BBQ is all about smoked meats and bold flavors. Hayworth does steakhouse classics with a twist. Both spots are built for locals but welcome visitors who want to see what’s happening away from the Strip. This matches the trend of chef-driven dining in neighborhoods outside the tourist zone, as reported earlier with the opening of Doanburi in southwest Las Vegas.
Las Vegas stakes its claim
Drink Las Vegas isn’t just another party. It’s a sign that the city’s food and drink scene wants to compete with the best. National stars and local talent are working together. Las Vegas is right in the middle of the culinary conversation now. The city’s edge comes from breaking rules and mixing influences from everywhere. The festival runs all weekend. Las Vegas isn’t just a backdrop for celebrity chefs anymore. It wants the spotlight. The message is clear. Come hungry. Leave inspired. Try something new.
