The latest shakeup at MGM Grand is the closure of the celebrity-owned barbecue restaurant International Smoke after five years in business. Chef Michael Mina and television producer Ayesha Curry opened the Vegas location of the San Francisco restaurant in December 2019 as a hub for woodfired steaks, seafood, and ribs. MGM Resorts International confirmed that it will close after dinner service on Sunday, January 19.
Ayesha Curry, wife to basketball player Steph Curry, was hosting Family Food Fight in December 2019 when she and Mina collaborated to open International Smoke at the MGM Grand in Mina's former Pub 1842 space. International Smoke, which also has a location in San Francisco takes the "more is more" approach, offering barbecue done in an array of international styles -- think smoked peri peri chicken, Korean gochujang St. Louis cut pork ribs, and bone-in cowboy ribeye. In tandem with the October release of his cookbook, My Egypt, Mina has also added a prix fixe option to the menu with babaganoush, salmon with saffron couscous, and cinnamon-spiced rice pudding.
The International Smoke closure is the latest news out of MGM Grand. The resort previously announced the closure of its Avenue Cafe to make space for the Netflix Bites pop-up which will serve dishes "inspired by Netflix titles," whatever that means, in early 2025. Fans of Mina's cooking can still get their fix at Bourbon Steak, his steakhouse with dry-aged tomahawks and duck-fat fries that recently opened at the Four Seasons Hotel Las Vegas. MGM has no word yet on what is planned for the International Smoke space.