Week 67 Khoury's

Hi fans and followers; welcome back! I can't believe it is the first day of fall! Fall is one of my favorite times of year because the weather just becomes perfection here in Vegas. Plus there are always so many fun things to do, which makes me love it even more!

Remeber, you can always find our blog on the LV Informer, our favorite online publication: http://lasvegas.informermg.com/ . We are under the Local Interest section. Also, as we always say, we have a Facebook page, which we update frequently, so if you haven't already, like that page, because we love to hear from you! http://www.facebook.com/thenewlywedsguidetovegasrestaurants

What Teray Says...

It has been a rare occasion lately that Brett or I really are craving something when it comes to the blog pick. This week I was seriously craving Mediterranean food though. Many people have suggested Khoury's to us, and it is only a few miles from our house, so I don't know why we hadn't tried it sooner. Khoury's is located on S. Ft. Apache and Patrick in the southwest. 

The crowd at Khoury's was pretty good for a Saturday night; we could sit either inside or outside, and of course I picked outside because the temperature is so perfect at night this time of year. We were greeted right away with water and menus by probably the nicest waitress we have ever come across. We decided to order the dinner for two people for $39.95; what a steal! The dinner for two comes with two soups or salads, an appetizer, two meals, and two desserts. Brett and I both started off with Greek salads and hummus and pita for our appetizer. 

I know I have said this at other restaurants we have been too, but I must have been lying, because this was by far the best hummus and pita I have ever had, in my life. I think I could have ate about two bowls at least, took a break and came back for more. :) The salad always was a great portion size and delicious (it was the dressing); it was so delicious that I forgot to take a picture! 

For our meals I ordered meat stuffed grape leaves and Brett ordered some lamb dish. Both were delicious. I ate many bites of Brett's which we all know it is normally one bite. Mine I ate three of the grape leaves, gave one to Brett and still had two to bring home. I had never had meat grape leaves and they literally melted in my mouth, perfection. 

Sometimes dessert is my favorite part and at Greek restaurants it definitely is one of my favorite things. Brett ordered rice pudding and I ordered baklava. Both of these were so delicious that I would cater them from the catering menu if I ever have a party in need of fabulous desserts. Of course, we ate every bite! 

Overall, this place was amazing. The service was top notch. Our waitress was so nice and we never had to ask for anything. The food was out of this world and the atmosphere was super fun, especially the outside seating. I definitely rate Khoury's 5 out of 5. 

What Brett Says...


This week we actually had enough time to go to a restaurant for a sit down meal.  We actually got to spend a little time with each other and relax.  Treat had heard about this Mediterranean restaurant close to our house and wanted to check it out.  So we went to "Khoury's" on Ft. Apache in the southwest part of town.  It is actually right by a couple of other restaurants we have reviewed.

I didn't even know this place existed, but when I saw it I assumed it was just another strip mall restaurant.  I was absolutely wrong.  When you walk in it looks like any other Mediterranean restaurant; that is until you ask to be seated on the patio.  The night just happened to be cool enough to allow that to happen.  When we walked out it was a complete surprise.  They had bushes completely enclosing the patio so you weren't staring at a street having to see and hear all the cars.  The plants did a good job of insulating against the noise, not sure how it would stand up to more traffic since we went on a Saturday night.  There were a bunch of tables and it had a nice intimate friendly set up.  

One thing I thought was pretty cool was that each table had a small mini rose plant on it; I think it was cool because everywhere else has flowers in a vase or a candle.  The lighting was nice and not overwhelming.  They also had a fountain which prevented noise for the outside world.  Now that the evenings are cooling down I can only imagine this patio gets more and more enjoyable.  From what I saw you also had the option of having a hookah at your table as well.
I was also pleasantly surprised by the service.  Generally when we go to an ethnic restaurant I can't understand the staff and they can't understand me.  I am also usually worried that I will not get what I actually ordered.  This place had servers that were attentive, polite, very friendly, spoke perfect English, and helpful.  I think there were only two servers and they were on top of things. Constantly checking on us, refilling water, and even opening the door for for us.  These two girls would get hired in a second at my restaurant.  If I had to come up with a single con to service it would be that they were a little slow to clean the tables after people left.  I think it was more of an issue with staffing and not the actual staff.

As for the food.  They have a $40 option which includes appetizer, entrees, and desserts for two people.  It was a pretty good set up for an amazing price.  The options to choose from were good as well, a few of the items required an up charge.  For our appetizer we went with the hummus, the hummus was good but the fresh pita was what made it amazing.  The pita is so fresh we had to deflate it because it was straight from the oven.  I decided to get the lamb shwarma; tons of lamb, veggies, and rice.  By the end of the meal I was ridiculously full...wasn't even sure dessert would happen, but dessert did happen; we ordered baklava and riec pudding.  Both were very good.  I think it is safe to say by the time we left it was the most full I have ever been.  The entire meal was amazing.
Overall I was impressed.  I will be going back, especially with the price.  The service was top notch and the patio was cool.  I recommend Khourys for every occasion.
Rating 5 out of 5


Patty's Closet Outfit of the Week
Thanks to Patty and Juan of Patty's Closet for providing me with my outfit this week. I love a dress that is a feminine color with a casual flair. The black pockets and skinny belt that it comes with are the perfect color combination. I wore this to 

a work event in the morning and of course to my dinner tonight; so it is true this look goes from day to night! Also, we know a dress that accentuates a tiny waist is my favorite and this one definitely does! This 

dress is available at the Rainbow location.

If you haven't already, you need to like the Patty's Closet Facebook page for all the latest shipment items and store locations: http://www.facebook.com/PattysClosetLV and if you don't live in one of the states that has a Patty's, check out their online store: shop.ilovepattys.closet.com

On the 6th of October Patty's is opening Heart and Soul, a shoe boutique and Sparkle, an accessory boutique right next to the Rainbow store. It is going to be an exciting event and you can find all the details on the Patty's Facebook page! I will be there with bells on, so I hope to see you guys there too!!

Until next time, cheers to the fabulous fall season! xo

Week 66 Mac Shack

Although I love September, I will be happy when this month is over because our schedules have been absolutely crazy! If you talk to Brett he probably will agree we wouldn't have it any other way. There were so many great things to celebrate in the past couple of weeks so between those events and both working a lot, we are a little late on this post. Once the month dies down, we will be back to normal (posting on time). 

In the meantime, remember, you can always find our blog on the LV Informer, which is one of our favorite online newspapers under the Local Interest section, http://lasvegas.informermg.com/. 

Also, if you want a quick way to stay updated with everything that is going on with our blog, my outfits of the week provided by Patty's Closet, or just are awesome :), we are on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/thenewlywedsguidetovegasrestaurants

What Teray Says...

So this week's review is going to be short and sweet on my end and most likely for Brett too. If you are Italian like me, sometimes you just crave macaroni. I could eat macaroni everyday, but unfortunately if I did, the scale would be creeping up. Mac Shack is located about a half a mile (if that) from our house at the Durango and Warms Spring intersection. Back home in NJ, we had this place called Salad Works where you would create your own salad (Vegas needs this right now, or if there is somewhere like this someone please email me). Mac Shack is just like that but with macaroni. You can either choose from some options they have already created on the menu or you can make your own by choosing your own macaroni, your own sauce and your own toppings. 

Brett and I chose items already on the menu. I chose the brocolli pesto which was brocolli pesto, garlic and chicken over penne. Brett chose the a bacon macaroni and cheese. Speaking for mine, it was fantastic. The ingridients were fresh and it had the perfect amount of garlic, which I am in love with. I had a taste of Brett's too, and it was pretty amazing. I never thought about having bacon in macaroni, but something about how it was mixed in with the cheese was delicious.

To top it off, the service was quick, the place was clean and we had a coupon for buy one get one free so we got out of there with two meals and two drinks for under 13 bucks. If you are looking for a quick meal, but don't want fast food, I would highly recommend Mac Shack and give them a 4 out of 5. 

What Bretty Says...

This was yet another week when our lives ave taken over and will not allow us to just sit down and relax.  It is nice to know there are places out there that you can grab a quick bite to eat...besides fast food chains.  This week we went right up the road to "Mac Shack," Warm Springs and Durango.  The whole premise behind Mac Shack is quality pasta dishes done fast, they actually have a pretty extensive menu.  Another reason we chose here was the Entertainment Book buy one entree get one entree free coupon.

The whole set up is off the wall for a pasta place.  You order your food at the counter, like any fast food place, and then you go grab a seat.  The dining room is more of a restaurant style but with the touch of fast food.  The set up of the restaurant reminds me of a Fazzolis if you have ever been there.  The beverages are self serve but there is an employee that brings your food to whatever table you have chosen.  Not really too much to comment on as far as service, they were nice.  They got our order right and they did check in on us at the table.  What is confusing is the tip factor; you order at a counter, but someone brings you your food, you get your own drink, but someone checks in on your throughout your meal.  Are you expected to tip?  I didn't.  Neither the physical set up or the service are reasons to go here unless you are in the area...it is a wash.

As for food, you can create your own dish or you can order one of their menu options; I chose to go with one of theirs.  I went with a mac and cheese with cheddar/bacon, I also added chicken.  I completely forgot the name of the actual dish and of course they don't have it on their online menu.  I have to say I was impressed, the pasta was amazing.  The flavors worked well and it was memorable.  I had to add the chicken and I do not see how this works without it, I think it would be too small and just too much overbearing taste without chicken.  If you get it, pay for the upgrade.  Pricing is a bit more the most quick restaurants but it matches the quality of the food, you definitely get what you pay for in this instance...especially if you have a buy one get one free coupon.

Overall I am torn on Mac Shack.  The food was amazing but the place itself was pretty blah.  I think this is another case of a new perfect carry out place.  Find yourself a deal and go check it out.

Overall 3.75 out of 5

Patty's Closet Outfit of the Week
Check out my outfit of the week provided by Patty's Closet Fashion Boutique. I love this look because it can be worn for either a night on the town or to the office. The flowered print shirt is my favorite sheer material, and has neutral, fall colors which can be worn with a lot of options. The high-waisted black pants fit perfectly and are defintely a staple every girl needs in her wardrobe (they are comfy too). The wedges are something that I purchased a few weeks back but I am beyond obsessed with them. Everyone I run into thinks they are designer shoes and you can't go wrong with a patent leather wedge! This whole entire look (shirt, pants and shoes) can be found at the Rainbow location.

If you haven't already you should check out Patty's Closet Facebook page (click the link in the outfit description)  for all the latest shipment items and details about new store openings. Lucky for us fashion lovers they are opening a Sparkle and Heart and Soul right by the Rainbow store on October 6th! Also, if you are not lucky enough to have a Patty's Closet near you, you can order online at shop.ilovepattyscloset.com

Until next time, cheers to the cooler weather approaching. xoxo

Week 65 Aces Bar

Welcome back! As you can see our blog got a make-over; so exciting right? Special thanks to Lisa of Love Thy Lens Photography for providing us with this photoshoot to redo the blog. We have gotten so much positive feedback from it, which is pretty awesome! http://www.facebook.com/lovethylens You can see her other work on her Facebook page!

As you know you can always find our blog in one of our favorite newspapers The Las Vegas Informer. Check us out under the local interest section: http://lasvegas.informermg.com/ Lastly, as you guys know our blog has a Facebook page; we update it all the time so if you could take a second to like it, that would be amazing!! http://www.facebook.com/thenewlywedsguidetovegasrestaurants

What Teray Says...

This week we decided to head over to Aces. Aces is a bar that is located on El Capitan and Warm Springs. Brett and I literally live 0.3 miles from there and in the 9 months we have been in our house had never visited. What is wrong with us? A bar that you can walk to and we have never been there; shows how busy we have been. Anyway, I used to not be the bar type, but about 1.5 years ago I made a switch and prefer the casual places. Aces has a pretty awesome set up though if you ask me. There is a bar with gaming, a patio area, a typical restaurant area, and then a man cave which is full of couches, a fire place, and televisions. 

Aces has a real neighborhood vibe. Brett and I being big fans of "How I Met Your Mother" our always looking for our Mclaren's; I think we have found the place. The bartender informed us that most of the people that go there are people from our neighborhood and the surrounding neighborhoods, so it is definitely a local crowd. 

What is pretty cool about Aces is that they have 3 happy hours, so most of the time that you go there, you will be more than likely to catch a happy hour. I ordered a diet coke and vodka for my first drink and Brett ordered Bud Light. After that I stuck to Bloody Mary drinks being I love them and they were only $3 on special. Yum!

For appetizers we ordered mozzarella sticks and zucchini sticks. Both portion sizes were great for two people being half price and they were delicious as well. I love bar food! 

For our food I ordered a calzone, something I have not had in forever, and Brett ordered a meatball sub. I guess we both went with the Italian theme. I can only speak for mine, but the calzone was fantastic! There was so much of it, of course I gave some to Brett (what else is new). I would order that again if I go there or even get it to go if I felt like having some sort of food that fell into the pizza category. 

Overall, I am definitely going to rate Aces 5 out of 5 because I cannot wait to go there again. We actually are going there tonight to watch the Broncos came. So if you are looking for us on Sunday, if we are not with friends here at the Dragun house, that is where we will be all football season! 

What Brett Says...

We finally did it, after living in our house for 9 months we finally went to the bar that is a whole 0.3 miles from our house.  I think it happened because football season is here and we needed a place to eat and drink, followed by walking home.  DON'T DRINK AND DRIVE, drinking and walking is way more fun and usually leads to some kind of funny story.  We went to "Ace's" on the corner of Warm Springs and El Capitan; we drove by it everyday and neglected to ever go...I am a little disappointed in us to be honest.  As for the whole football thing, they do not have a specific team; I would prefer if the Oakland, Kansas City, and San Diego fans choose elsewhere to watch though.

I'll start with the place itself.  The bar area is smaller then what you expect based on the building, but it is a good thing.  I am tired of these Vegas bars that are one giant room with noise in every direction.  In the bar area they have a handful of standard flat screens for the game, they also have Golden Tee and a putt-putt type arcade game.  One thing they have that most places don't seem to have anymore, a juke box.  Once you leave the bar area you enter the "Man Cave" which is a room with leather sofa's, a fire place, and more televisions.  Through the Man Cave you enter a small dining room which is nothing special but it is fairly well separated from the bar area.  They also have a patio but I know nothing about it yet because of the heat.  The place has a Cheers feel to it, just comfortable.

Not knowing what to expect food wise from a bar can be a little scary.  We all know bar food and we all know bar food the next day.  Their website makes them seem like it is a fine dining restaurant as opposed to a local bar.  This made things even more confusing going into the situation.  We happened to go during happy hour (they have three of them) so we splurged and got more then we usually do, we did it for you.  I decided to drink some Bud Lite on tap and Teray was doing her usual MG64 and bloody mary bar routine.  Because it was happy hour we decided to get two of their $5 appetizers; fried zucchini and mozzarella sticks.  The mozz sticks were good but pretty standard, the zucchini sticks on the other hand were pretty amazing.  Both are legit portions and not the BS happy hour portions.  Looking over their menu they do offer a pretty good assortment of things to choose from; you can do anything from regular bar food to things you would find in a normal restaurant.  Well, we were watching some baseball and drinking at the bar so we decided to go for more of the bar food end of things.  I ordered a meatball sandwich with fries while Teray ordered a calzone.  I honestly think these should be featured at more bars, I can't really think of a local bar that has either.  My meatball sandwich was pretty good, the meatballs were huge.  A lot better then a Subway meatball sub.  They didn't overload it with sauce but there was plenty of cheese.  The bun was toasted and wasn't rock hard.  As usual I got to eat a decent amount of Teray's meal, the calzone.  I haven't ventured into the world of calzones, a few here and there, but not a staple.  I have to say that this is what calzones should taste like if they normally don't.  Teray went into more detail but it was damn good.

Just a quick blip about the service.  We only had interaction with the bartender, he was awesome.  He took care of us, joked around with us, and was just a cool guy.  Apparently he works Friday, Saturday, Sunday from 3pm-11pm so I would go then.  I know we will be there Sundays for the afternoon game.  

Overall I would recommend Aces.  When you go sign up for their text message thing, you get a discount and future deals.  I would recommend this bar to anyone.

Rating 4.9 out of 5 (they would be 5 out of 5 but they aren't a Denver Bronco bar)

Patty's Closet Outfit of the Week

Thans to Patty and Juan of Patty's Closet for providing me with my outfit of the week this week. I love this jacket. It can be worn casual or dressy and the mustard and navy blue color combination is perfect for the fall. This is just such a staple piece and can be found of course at the Rainbow location.

For all of you fashion lovers there is some exciting news coming for Patty's Closet; two new stores are opening right next to the Rainbow store, Sparkle and Heart and Soul (a shoe store). They are opening on October 6th so mark your calendars! Check out the Patty's Closet Facebook page for all the latest details on store openings and items from shipments on Tuesdays and Fridays http://www.facebook.com/PattysClosetLV . Also, if you are not lucky enough to have a Patty's Closet near you, you can shop online at shop.ilovepattyscloset.com

In the meantime, cheers to everything coming together and being surrounding by the most amazing family and friends we could ask for. Love life. xo

Week 64 Kona Grill

Hi Friends! As you can see our blog has a totally new look! We were lucky enough to be approached by and provided with a photo shoot to redo the look of our blog by Lisa of Love the Lens Photography. We just feel so lucky with this blog because not only are we getting amazing opportunities, but we just totally enjoy it!!   Anyone who knows Brett and I know that we don' t take ourselves seriously at all. We weren't about let's do a photo shoot to get discovered or be famous or any other nonsense, hahaha. Brett will tell you the same thing, that's just not us...we talked about this before we did the shoot too and went back and forth on the idea for a little bit. We are just regular people and like it being that way, just low key. So when Lisa approached us to do this we contemplated how to make it as much fun and carefree as possible,  mainly about enjoying the experience together.  I have to admit, I was kind of shy in Town Square while it was going on, because you know here in Vegas, everyone thinks they are a model, when really their agent is Facebook or Instagram (hahahaha...well, it's true!)  We really just wanted to personalized our blog and have fun photos together of us doing our favorite thing, being with each other. All of the looks in the pictures are from Patty's Closet, the Rainbow location. Also, what we love about Lisa is that the pictures look just like us. Not some version of us that if you saw the two of us blogging in a restaurant, you would have to look twice because the picture is not real life. So we apprecite that also. :)  If you could take a minute and like Lisa's Facebook photography page, that would be awesome: http://www.facebook.com/lovethylens

Speaking of Facebook, thanks for the new likes this week! While you are at it and if you haven't already, please like our Facebook page. We update it frequently and love to hear from you! http://www.facebook.com/thenewlywedsguidetovegasrestaurants Also, you know you can always find our blog under the Local Interest section of the Las Vegas Informer, http://lasvegas.informermg.com/ .

What Teray Says...

This week-end on the blog, Brett's dad was in town so he joined us. His favorite place to go in Vegas is Kona Grill. Brett says that is because it is one of the places that he has brought him the most. I was excited, because I love Kona and we have never blogged about it, so it was a perfect match.

The weather was fabulous so we decided to sit on the patio. The temperature was perfect, the misters were going, the music was blasting, and people were just genuinely having fun, toasting to the fact that it was Friday. Our waitress greeted us right away and for happy hour we ordered some drinks and appetizers first. Brett and his dad had a Bud Light, I had a margaritta on the rocks. The appetizers we ordered were Kona calamari and avacado egg rolls. The egg rolls were a really good size for an appetizer, the portion was four of them. They also were fabulous because like most egg rolls I have had they weren't soggy and didn't taste too fried. (If you have read our previous blogs, you are familiar with the fact that I do not like when food tastes like it is super fried).  The calamari also was a good size portion with enough for three people to share. That also was delicious, because again it didn't taste fried to me although that's how it was cooked. 

For our meals, I ordered the pad thai noodles; Brett ordered the basil pesto linguine, and Brett's dad ordered the meatloaf. First, I will speak to what I ordered. I don't know why I picked a thai order at a place that doesn't specialize in thai food, but it was beyond delicious. It has to rank up there with some of the best pad thai that I have had here in Vegas. Also, the portion size is huge. I ate about half of it and still had so much to bring home for another meal the next day. I tasted Brett's pesto linguine and will probably order that next time if I don't order sushi (their sushi is great by the way) and Brett's dad's meatloaf was also pretty good in the taste that I've had (not as good as my mom's though). 

While eating our food I ordered another drink off of the skinny menu. The drink was only 34 calories and called the citrus flip. It consisted of sky vodka, monin sugar free triple sec and seaglass sauvignon blanc with fresh lemons and limes. For only being 34 calories, it was awesome!!! We had to order dessert as well so we went with the pineapple upside down cake. I love any dessert with pineapple, so this was top notch. 

Overall, the service, fun atmosphere, great vibe, outdoor seating, and of course the food and drinks definitely give Kona Grill a 5 out of 5 in my rating book!


This week our decision of where to go was made for us.  My Dad came out to Vegas for a little R&R, we let him pick the place, he chose "Kona Grill" in Boca Park.  An interesting decision since he isn't a sushi person, more of a meat and potatoes kind of guy.
In my opinion the way Kona is set up is how more places should be.  They have an indoor dining room, indoor bar, and a huge outdoor patio/bar.  The patio is on the parking lot side, which can be cool since there were quite a few $100k cars to look at.  They also have misters keeping things cool.  When we went it was happy hour, they have multiple, so our drinks and appetizers were pretty cheap.  Everything is comfortable, the crowd was friendly and it had a legit happy hour feel.  Even if you came here in a bad mood you would end up cheering up.  I think it is safe to assume this would also be a pretty good place to go if you are single and attempting to mingle.  It would equally be good for couples and parents, I would be more likely to sit in the dining room with children.  Both to avoid pissing off the fun crowd but also to refrain from getting upset at others for exposing a child to adult language...even though it is an adult environment.  It might even be 21+ for the patio.
Like I said it was happy hour so we got a couple appetizers; the calamari and the avocado spring rolls.  The calamari was a pretty good, could have been fried a little longer but it wasn't a big deal.  You actually get a fair amount.  As for the avocado spring rolls, kinda wish I had these in my freezer for at home use.  They were pretty amazing, nothing super creative...avocado inside a fried roll, nonetheless amazing.  For dinner I decided to get the pesto linguine, I haven't eaten pasta in a couple months so I was looking forward to it.  I was a little disappointed by the size, for the price of noodles they could have used more and filled the bowl.  It was a little spicy in a good surprising way.  The flavors all worked well together.  There was enough chicken to go with the amount of pasta, I would happily order this again but would need an appetizer as well.  My Dad ordered the meatloaf (I said he was a meat and potatoes guy) and he said it was good.  I tried a bite and concur.
The service was good, especially considering we were on a crowded patio during happy hour.  This is a place that staffs appropriately and realizes your customer service sucks when you are unrealistic with your servers.  He was on top of things; always made sure we had water, always getting refills on our other drinks and he kept us updated on our food.  He wasn't overbearing, simply put he did his job and he did it well.
I would plan on returning to Kona and plan to.  I think I could have a really good time with the right group of people.  Sitting on the patio was the way to go.  Food was pleasing and they hit all the right points on service.  This only thing to complain about was the serving size of my pasta, for that they lose 0.25pts.
Rating 4.75 out of 5



Patty's Closet Outfit of the Week
Thanks to Patty and Juan of Patty's Closet for providing me with my outfit of the week this week. This skirt has now become one of my favorite pieces that I own. Not only are the colors so rich for fall, but the feathered pattern is so unique. I wore this skirt to work with a button down shirt, and then paired it with a simple tank for dinner. The skinny woven belt is included. This look can be dressed up or down so ladies, you will definitely get your money's worth on it. You can find this look at the Rainbow location.

If you haven't already, check out Patty's Closet Facebook page, because they post all the new store opens and shipment items! http://www.facebook.com/PattysClosetLV There are many Patty's here in Vegas, but if you aren't lucky enough to have one near you, you can shop online at shop.ilovepattyscloset.com . 

Until next time, cheers to living the good life <3