Michelin returns to Las Vegas: MGM wins
- Michelin unveiled its inaugural Southwest guide on August 26, returning to Las Vegas and giving MGM Resorts four stars across six recognized restaurants. - Joël Robuchon at MGM Grand won the Southwest’s only two-star rating, while MGM said Bib and Selected honors lifted its total recognized venues to six. - Michelin’s Southwest ceremony was held at Fontainebleau Las Vegas; the full regional selection is posted on Michelin’s official guide site.
Michelin returned to Las Vegas on August 26 with the launch of its first Southwest guide, ending a 17-year absence from rating the city and handing MGM Resorts the biggest haul on the Strip. Michelin said Restaurant de Joël Robuchon at MGM Grand received two stars, the only two-star award in the new regional selection. MGM said two other Las Vegas restaurants it operates — L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon and é by José Andrés — each received one star, giving the company four stars in total. The new guide covers Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico and Utah, according to Michelin. Michelin said the inaugural Southwest selection included five starred restaurants overall, with four one-star awards and one two-star award announced at a ceremony at Fontainebleau Las Vegas. ### Why does MGM’s result stand out in the new guide? MGM Resorts said its Michelin recognition extended beyond star awards to six restaurants across its Las Vegas portfolio. (michelinmedia.com) In addition to the three starred restaurants, China Poblano by José Andrés received a Bib Gourmand, while Gymkhana and Michael Mina Bellagio were listed as Michelin Selected, the company said. Las Vegas accounted for four of the Southwest guide’s five starred restaurants, Michelin’s published results show. The fifth starred restaurant was Monte in South Salt Lake, Utah, which received one star. Michelin also listed Guy Savoy Las Vegas among the one-star winners, meaning Las Vegas dominated the top tier of the regional launch. ### Which restaurant got the highest distinction? (investors.mgmresorts.com) Restaurant de Joël Robuchon at MGM Grand received two Michelin stars in the 2026 guide, according to Michelin’s restaurant listing. Michelin describes the designation as “Two Stars: Excellent cooking,” and the guide’s Las Vegas page lists the restaurant in the 2026 U.S. selection. Sean Christopher, general manager of Joël Robuchon at MGM Grand, also received Michelin’s 2026 Southwest Service Award, according to Michelin and MGM. (michelinmedia.com) Michelin said the award recognized service at the restaurant, while MGM said it highlighted the property’s hospitality standards alongside the kitchen awards. ### What exactly came back to Las Vegas? Michelin’s presence in Las Vegas had been absent since the guide last covered the city in the late 2000s, and the August 26 ceremony marked its formal return through a broader Southwest format. (guide.michelin.com) Michelin’s media release said “the Guide’s return to Las Vegas” framed the event, while outside coverage described the gap as 17 years. The Southwest launch changed the map of Michelin coverage in the U.S. by adding a multi-state regional guide rather than a city-only edition. (guide.michelin.com) Michelin said the guide spans four states and includes stars, Bib Gourmand awards and recommended restaurants. ### How does this fit with Michelin’s other 2026 U.S. awards? Mutra in North Miami holds one Michelin star in the 2026 U.S. guide, according to Michelin’s restaurant listing. (michelinmedia.com) Michelin also published a separate article describing Mutra as the guide’s first Michelin-starred kosher restaurant and said the restaurant opened in February 2025 before earning its star less than a year and a half later. New Mexico also appeared in Michelin’s Southwest rollout, though not in the starred category. A release distributed on August 27 said 12 New Mexico restaurants were recognized in the first Southwest restaurant selection, adding to the regional reach of the new guide beyond Las Vegas and Utah. ### Where can readers check the full list? Michelin has published the full 2026 Southwest selection on its official guide site, including Las Vegas restaurant pages and the ceremony results. (guide.michelin.com) MGM has also posted its own accounting of the awards, naming the six recognized restaurants across its Las Vegas resorts. The next reference point for diners is Michelin’s live guide database, where Las Vegas listings now show the 2026 designations for Restaurant de Joël Robuchon, L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon, é by José Andrés and other recognized venues. (michelinmedia.com) (guide.michelin.com)
