On our last trip to Las Vegas we were treated to what I can only describe as an experience that exceeded any and all expectations I had going in. I mean just look at that sashimi platter!

Just off the strip in the new area called "The Park" out in front of the T-mobile arena - there's a Japanese joint that advertises slightly off-color menu items with words like Godzilla, ninja, and pink pagoda with the promise of dancing man geishas, lip-sync battles and impromptu performances. I will say that I was more than hesitant about the type of experience we were going to have. But I thought, hey - it's Vegas, at the very least it'll be a good story to tell right?

Now I do have to set a few things straight. While I am Japanese-American, I am most certainly like 90% American with a tinge of Japanese heritage I mostly learned from one grandfather & my mother who majored in Japanese in college. The rest of my family? Well we've been here for 4 generations, they all fought on the US side of the war, and the extent of my Japanese speaking abilities are pretty much limited to hello! and food.


When I was in college I also worked on a show called The Karaoke Show - a very rock-tastic adaptation of Shakespeare's (I spell mine with an e - thank you very much) Comedy of Errors that takes place in a Karaoke club where we did our fair share of ridiculous appropriation.

Needless to say - I don't feel like I'm the one to fully cry foul on a restaurant like this. In fact - I felt the exact opposite the moment I walked into Sake Rok. It leaned into the curve and fully embraced exactly what it meant to be - a fantastically fun Vegas level restaurant that encourages sake bomb races, enhances that server / customer dynamic by letting you cheer for your favorites, essentially the Medieval Times of the karaoke scene.

I was truly impressed by their food. The sashimi was exceptionally fresh. The rolls, creative and tasty. Shisito peppers and edamame that were demolished by our table. And fun cocktails in dry ice infused skulls with long share-able straws really made this whole dinner incredibly memorable. I will 100% be going back.

Now yes, it was a bit on the pricy side, but nothing out of the ordinary for something you'd find on the Vegas strip. It's not your everyday fare - but certainly a very good place to celebrate a bachelorette, a birthday, a promotion, a whatever! Go with friends. Get many sake bombs. And be sure to say hi to Nick the super fun MC!


Sake Rok 
3786 S. Las Vegas Blvd
Las Vegas, NV 89109
702.706.3022
http://sakeroklv.com/