Friends with High Steaks

By Brjden Crewe

“I have the most personable staff on The Strip as well as the least pretentious staff on The Strip,” Richard Femenella humbly boasts when asked what makes the dining experience at Mae Daly's Fine Steaks & Whiskeys, located on Las Vegas Boulevard across from The STRAT Hotel, Casino & Tower, a one-of-a-kind experience.

“We don’t sell food, we sell happiness. But you will love the food.”

It's one of the most talked-about restaurants in Las Vegas, and aside from its old-school charm and reputation for having one of the best steak menus in town (I’ll speak a little more on that later), what I found interesting when speaking with Femenella was his affection for the people he works with.

As a proprietor of Mae Daly’s Fine Steaks & Whiskeys, Femenella isn’t an unseen, unattainable figurehead buried in the back office. It isn’t uncommon to see him at the bar, speaking with customers, providing dinner recommendations and getting to know his patrons on most nights. But what I also found interesting during my time with Femenella was the special “kinship” (my word, not his) he shares with Tommy Valentin, the restaurant's beverage manager.

“First, I think we’re friends at this point, as well as co-workers,” Femenella said.

The two share a 29-year relationship, from their time working together at Charlie Palmer Steak at the Four Seasons Hotel and now together at Mae Daly’s Fine Steaks & Whiskeys, which I believe means they possibly know each other better than family. Possibly.

“One thing that I admire and respect about Tommy is his memory. It’s insane. He may not see a customer for five years and will see [the customer] out of nowhere and ask them about their son being out of college since the last time they spoke. He’d know their son’s name, remember birthdays, all of which typically leaves the customers dumbfounded.”

It’s things like that that make visiting and revisiting a place like Mae Daly’s Fine Steaks & Whiskeys special. It’s definitely a lost art in the food and beverage service industry, where the people who work at a place you visit often appreciate you coming back, are genuinely excited to see you walk through the door and know your name (cue the theme music to the TV show "Cheers," please).

With the personal touches both guys provide taken care of, does the food match the personable Sam Malone and Woody Boyd treatment they provide to their patrons? I asked Femenella what made their steaks the talk of the town.

“We serve three styles of beef — wet-aged, dry-aged and American Wagyu — and we only deal with conception-to-plate ranchers. That rancher has to birth the steer, graze it, process it and ship it. There’s no question where our steaks have been and where they’re from. They also have to be USDA Prime.”

Anyone else hungry besides me?

Steak is my jam, but if you’re looking for a hidden gem, Femenella recommends the Old Grand-Dad Filet Mignon Au Poivre. Cooked to perfection with Old Grand-Dad bourbon and a flambé finish, it’s served on a bed of rosemary and thyme and topped with a mouthwatering au poivre sauce. Sheesh!

That said, being seen at Mae Daly’s Fine Steaks & Whiskeys, in today’s fast-paced, drive-thru universe, with everything and everyone moving so quickly, is special. And what both Femenella and Valentin provide for each patron who walks in makes the dining experience a perfect pairing with the old-school charm of the restaurant I spoke about earlier.