Growth set to continue in Las Vegas for Metro Diner

It has been seven months since Metro Diner opened the first of three locations in Las Vegas, and the Florida-based chain is not done.

The restaurant has locations in Summerlin, Enterprise and Henderson and plans a fourth at South Eastern Avenue and Serene Avenue by Dec. 12, according to Tony Alonge.

Alonge operates the Las Vegas locations with fellow partner Tony Grappo, a businessman who worked with Outback Steakhouse to expand to the Las Vegas market in the 1990s and 2000s.

Metro Diner’s concept began in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1938 and was revived in 1992. The company began expanding after owners sold a partial stake to ConSul Hospitality Group in mid-2014. The group took complete control soon after.

The first Las Vegas location, on West Tropicana, opened in March. The Enterprise location on South Rainbow Boulevard opened in July, and Henderson followed in September.

The menu includes breakfast pie ($10) with layers of eggs, cheese, mushrooms, onions, peppers and potatoes. Sweet breakfast dishes include “Yo Hala on the Square” ($13): two slices of challah bread prepared like french toast and stuffed with bananas, brown sugar and cream cheese with hazelnut syrup.

It’s the meatloaf plate with mashed red-skinned potatoes and brown gravy ($13) that earned Metro Diner a feature on Guy Fieri’s “Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives.” Fieri also dove into Metro’s Pittsburgh steak salad, with greens, New York strip steak, french fries and blue cheese crumbles ($13).

Alonge and Grappo are looking at four locations in Las Vegas for possible expansion in 2018.

Contact Madelyn Reese at mreese@viewnews.com or 702-383-0497. Follow @MadelynGReese on Twitter.