Hearthstone Kitchen Returns to Red Rock Resort After Popular Demand

Diners spoke. Red Rock Resort listened.

After nearly a decade serving as a local favorite, Hearthstone Kitchen & Cellar closed at Red Rock Resort in April 2023. It was replaced by Leoncito, a modern Mexican restaurant, in early November 2023. While Leoncito offered dishes like queso fundido, chicken tinga tacos, and lamb shank birria, Red Rock Resort continued to assess guests’ preferences through focus groups.

Scott Nelson, vice president and general manager of Red Rock, shared that feedback from these focus groups made it clear: guests missed Hearthstone. “If our guests feel particularly strongly about something, we want to create that experience for them,” Nelson said.

As a result, Leoncito closed on September 28, making way for Hearthstone’s return.

Reopening a closed, nonchain restaurant at a major Las Vegas resort is rare, but Clique Hospitality, which created the original Hearthstone, will also be behind the revival. Andy Masi, founder of Clique, recounted when Station Casinos decided to try a new concept as Hearthstone’s original 10-year term ended. However, not long after, Station officials approached Clique with the idea of bringing Hearthstone back. “We’re super excited. It’s a concept near and dear to my heart,” Masi said.

With the return comes heightened expectations. “There is so much anticipation of Hearthstone coming back, we really have to deliver on that and create a restaurant as incredible as the old Hearthstone,” Masi noted. He and his team are examining what made the original Hearthstone special, what could be improved, and how dining trends have evolved in the last decade.

The revived Hearthstone will feature familiar menu favorites, including wood-fire pizzas, the French dip sandwich, and penne in pancetta cream sauce. Some dishes, like rotisserie whole pigs and chickens, won’t return, but new offerings—such as red wine-braised short ribs with tomatoes, herbs, and housemade pappardelle, as well as seasonal fruit cobblers—will debut.

The restaurant will occupy its original 6,500-square-foot space, now with expanded bar and lounge seating, a wine room, and terrace access. While the original Hearthstone exuded rustic Americana, the redesign aims for a more contemporary, elegant look.

Second chances are rare in the restaurant world. Hearthstone’s return is a testament to strong community support—and a unique opportunity to reimagine a beloved local institution for a new era.