The food hall trend in Las Vegas shows no sign of fading away! The Venetian Resort has announced that it will be adding another food hall to the Las Vegas Strip’s growing collection: Via Via, scheduled to launch in mid-2025, according to coverage by the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
Eight tenants have been announced so far for the food hall, including Howlin’ Ray’s, All’Antico Vinaio, B.S. Taqueria, Close Company, and more. In the coming weeks, What Now will take a closer look at some of the concepts coming to Via Via.
One of the exciting concepts launching next year at The Venetian’s Via Via Food Hall is Nashville Hot Chicken restaurant Howlin’ Ray’s. Founded as a food truck on the wager that “the people of Los Angeles were hungry for hot chicken—they just didn’t know it yet,” Howlin’ Ray’s now has two restaurants in California. The Via Via location will be Howlin’ Ray’s first out-of-state expansion.
“We move very surgically at Howlin’ Ray’s,” owner Johnny Ray Zone told What Now on Saturday. “All our moves are built on relationships, so that when we make these moves we know it’s long-term and institutional. Any restaurants we open we want to be around for a long time. We want them to be iconic.”
Details on the menu are still under wraps. With a food hall location, one has to expect a certain amount of streamlining, but Zone says we can count on finding the Howlin’ Ray’s greatest hits. Zone says the quality of the product speaks for itself.
“Our guiding light is quality, culture, and our people—both people within the company and customers,” Zone said. “We would have taken the big franchise deals eight years ago from the big money people who wanted open 400 Howlin’ Ray’s if that was our guiding light—but it’s not. It’s quality. It’s our first time in Vegas, so we’ll be firing on all cylinders.”
You can keep up with Howlin’ Ray’s news by following @howlinrays on Instagram.
