The famous casino buffet. That wonderful, never-ending bounty of salads, roast beef, mashed potatoes, and desserts that is as much a part of the casino as neon lights and poker chips.

The buffet wasn’t always the buffet. It first arrived as the Chuck Wagon. In western movies, if you remember, a chuck wagon served breakfast, lunch and dinner to hungry cowhands. A character, usually named “Cookie,” was in charge of the chuck wagon.

Buffets remain as popular as ever and still are the number one restaurant choice among casino visitors. However, they have gone way beyond meat and cheese and one silver dollar. There are themed buffets that highlight Hawaiian, Italian, Chinese, or German dishes, and nightly buffets that serve only seafood.

However, a few buffets that are getting the most attention from tourists and locals alike in 2005 are Cravings at The Mirage, Dishes at TI and The Buffet at Beau Rivage.