8 East Circa: Menu, Prices & Dress Code

When you walk up to 8 East, you’ll immediately see the Asian influence with light wood, small “maneki-neko,” better known as the welcoming cat, and red accents.

Inside the restaurant are more wood finishings, a long bar with a view of the open kitchen, and various minimalistic tables. On the walls are a modern black geometric pattern and fun artwork.

8 East feels energetic and welcoming and is a comfortable space to gather, converse, and share the joy of food.

As mentioned, Chef Dan Coughlin was inspired by metropolitan Asian food markets when creating 8 East. Building off of the idea of small bites of food, he has remixed the vision to curate a menu of Pan-Asian cuisine that draws from many regions of Asia and combines them into a fusion that is unmatched.

Chef Dan Coughlin is no stranger to building amazing restaurants as he is the founder of Fremont East’s Le Thai, which has been a wild success and was the establishment that brought many other restaurants to the Downtown Las Vegas area. Le Thai was inspired by Chef Dan Coughlin’s Thai mother and grandmother, so they no doubt have fueled some of the flavors on the menu at 8 East as well.

The 8 East menu features a wide variety of Pan-Asian cuisine, with the majority of offerings consisting of small plates. However, there are entrees and desserts available, too. Almost every dish comes with one of Chef Dan Coughlin’s signature Chinese, Shangdu, Szechuan, and Thai sauces, which just enhances the already tasty dishes.

Small Plates

The small plates allow you to savor sharable dishes and are designed so that you can order several for the whole table and try a bit of everything.

A few favorites include the Pork Belly Bao served with a Sweet ‘n Sour White BBQ sauce, Crispy Pork Belly Bacon that is slow-cooked for 6 hours and then fried, and Ginger Chicken Dumplings, which are served steamed or fried with a Sweet Soy Vinaigrette.

Other delicious small plates available are the Cumin Lamb Lollipops, Popcorn Chicken Skins, Duck Rolls, and Short Rib Dumplings. The Short Rib Dumplings are served steamed or pan-fried with a housemade horseradish cream sauce that is amazing.

Entrees

The Brisket Fried Rice is a highlight of the entree selections. The brisket rice has diced beef brisket, garlic, onion, egg, 8 East sauce, and green onion. Though the Brisket Fried Rice seems like a simple meal, the flavor is the perfect balance of salt and umami.

Other delectable entrees for those who don’t want to share include Lobster Fried Rice, Sizzling Noodles, Dan Dan Noodles, and 8 East Ramen.

Desserts

There is nothing standard about the dessert offerings either. The Thai Tea Creme Brulee and Asian Tiramisu really embrace the Asian food fusion concept, while the Honey Toast is simple but fantastic. The Honey Toast sort of gives off breakfast vibes, but it is the perfect balanced dessert after dinner.

Drinks

It is always better to share food with a stiff drink in your hand. 8 East offers a full bar and a wide selection of beer and wine. You can also get a pot of tea to share if a stiff drink isn’t your style.

Vegetarian/Vegan Options

Despite having a ton of great options containing meat like Brisket Fried Rice, Pork Belly Bao, Short Rib Dumplings, and Ginger Chicken Dumplings, 8 East has some tasty vegetarian selections.

The Butter Mushrooms with a mix of Hon-Shimeji, Shiitake, and Oyster mushrooms simply pan-fried in butter is a crowd favorite. However, the Tokyo Crepe with fried tofu, sauteed mushrooms, cilantro chimichurri, Kewpie mayo, and a soy glaze feels more like a complete meal for the vegetarian folks.

For vegans, the Cucumber Salad with a chili vinaigrette and pickled garlic are a refreshing and good option.

For the Las Vegas, NV, area and the wide selection of Pan Asian cuisine, 8 East is reasonably priced.

When it comes to small plates, the Short Rib Dumplings are the most expensive other than the Butcher’s Cut of the Day, which is market priced, coming in around $16. Others are less expensive, so you can expect to savor sharable dishes for between $8 to $15.

The Brisket Fried Rice is the most expensive entree besides the market-priced Lobster Fried Rice though other selections are between $16 to $18. Desserts are between $10 to $14.

It is important to note that a 20% gratuity is automatically added for parties of 6 or more, and check splitting is limited to three checks.

8 East has a 4.7-star rating on Google out of 5, which is amazing for any restaurant in the Las Vegas, NV, area.

Good Reviews

Top reviews talk about how they ordered too much stuff and ate and ate because it was all so delicious. Other reviews rave about how attentive the restaurant staff is.

Another reviewer states that he and his wife look forward to going every Sunday and that he is a big fan of the Pork Belly Bao and Ginger Chicken Dumplings. One reviewer even gave a helpful tip to order the Butter Mushrooms and add them to any other dish for even more flavor!

Negative Reviews

A few of the less-than-great reviews point out details like the food having too much salt, the service being too pushy, or that their party was unable to visit because they were not told the location is 21+ only. However, it should be noted that the vast majority of bad reviews are more than a year old, and several more current reviews contradict them.

Overall, you can expect a flavorful lunch or dinner with excellent service in a hip Las Vegas restaurant. If you like Pan Asian cuisine, you’ll be glad you tried out Chef Dan Coughlin’s inspired offerings at Circa Las Vegas.

Reservations are not required, though they are helpful during busy hours or for a large party. You can make reservations online here up to 30 days in advance. For those who would rather walk in, a portion of the bar and dining room are set aside, but are first come, first served.

Keep in mind that 8 East is located within the Circa casino, so guests must be age 21 or older to visit. Despite not being ideal for families, the good news is that the restaurant is child-free for those parents who want to relax or for a date.

There is no specific dress code at 8 East, though since it is a hip establishment, we recommend dressing resort or upscale casual. You should avoid swimwear, sleepwear, and athletic wear.

8 East is open for both lunch and dinner service. They also stay open late on weekends and do offer a Happy Hour. There are no set operating hours as they vary. We recommend calling the restaurant at (702) 726-5508 before you go if you’ve decided to eat outside of standard lunch or dinner hours.

8 East is located on the Circa Resort & Casino property at 8 Fremont St., Las Vegas, NV 89101. You can find the restaurant on the Circa casino floor.

• 8 East is inspired by metropolitan Asian food markets, featuring Pan Asian cuisine
• Popular dishes include pork Belly Bao and Ginger Chicken Dumplings, the Brisket Fried Rice
• Chef Dan Coughlin’s signature Chinese, Shangdu, Szechuan, and Thai sauces accompany most offerings.
• 8 East does not require reservations, is reasonably priced, has good reviews, and is for those 21+.
• Hours vary, so calling ahead during off times is suggested