Las Vegas added another major name to its growing roster of global dining destinations with the arrival of Gymkhana—for its U.S. debut—at ARIA. First opened in London’s Mayfair in 2013, the restaurant quickly became one of the city’s most acclaimed dining rooms, earning two Michelin stars and building a loyal following for its polished take on Indian cuisine.
For Las Vegas, the opening represents more than another high-profile import. It brings a style of Indian fine dining that has rarely been seen at this level in a casino resort, while underscoring how much the city’s restaurant landscape has evolved. “Las Vegas has rounded itself out so well to being a true epicurean destination,” says Pavan Pardasani, global CEO of JKS Restaurants, which owns and operates Gymkhana. “You get people that are coming and having an entire weekend where they’re doing dinners and shows.”
The Vibe
Gymkhana draws inspiration from the historic gymkhana clubs of India, social spaces where members gathered to eat, drink, and spend time together. At ARIA, that translates into a dining room that feels warm, intimate, and quietly transporting. Rich materials, layered lighting, and a more residential scale set it apart from many larger-format casino restaurants.
That intimacy was intentional. Ari Kastrati, MGM Resorts’ chief content, hospitality, and development officer, says one of the biggest design priorities was making sure the Las Vegas restaurant preserved the atmosphere that made the London original so distinctive. The room MGM inherited came with soaring ceilings, but Kastrati pushed to bring them down. “It transformed the room,” he says. The result is a space that feels clubby and cocooned rather than cavernous, helping Gymkhana retain the closeness that defines the original.
Who’s Here
Gymkhana comes from JKS Restaurants, the London hospitality group founded by siblings Jyotin, Karam, and Sunaina Sethi. While the company now spans multiple concepts, Gymkhana remains one of its most internationally recognized restaurants.
Kastrati had been pursuing the group for years before the Las Vegas opening came together. He first encountered JKS more than a decade ago in London, where a meal at Trishna led him to Gymkhana the following night. “I immediately fell in love with the concept,” he says. The partnership took time. “We would have had Gymkhana open pre pandemic,” Kastrati says. “But it took time to get the family comfortable with the idea of actually coming to Vegas.”
Part of that hesitation was understandable. Indian fine dining at this level had rarely appeared in casino resorts, where restaurants historically followed more familiar formats. But as Las Vegas has grown into a global dining destination, the city has become increasingly open to more diverse culinary voices. As Kastrati puts it, bringing a concept like Gymkhana to the Strip once required bold thinking. “Risk, pure and simple,” he says.
Don’t Miss This
Gymkhana’s menu presents what Pardasani describes as “the greatest hits” of Indian food from around the country. At ARIA, many of the restaurant’s London signatures remain central to the experience, alongside dishes created specifically for the U.S. debut. The Tandoori Masala Lamb Chops remain one of the restaurant’s signature plates, while the Venison Biryani continues to anchor the menu with saffron rice and pomegranate mint raita. Las Vegas exclusives include the Beef Short Rib Pepper Fry, which introduces beef to the Gymkhana menu for the first time, along with the Wagyu Keema Naan and Goan Lobster Curry.
There is also plenty here for diners looking for a more familiar entry point. Chicken Butter Masala brings together tandoor-roasted chicken, tomato, fenugreek, and cream sauce, while dishes like Goat Methi Keema and Patiala Fried Chicken show how the menu balances comfort with precision.
Worth Noting
Gymkhana arrives at a moment when Las Vegas diners are increasingly seeking global flavors alongside the city’s classic steakhouse and Italian mainstays. For Pardasani, the timing reflects a broader shift in the American market. “There’s an appetite for great Indian cuisine in America,” he says. “We’ve slept on this category for too long and haven’t given it the respect and appreciation it deserves.”
Kastrati has seen that enthusiasm firsthand in Las Vegas, where reservations have disappeared quickly and demand has exceeded expectations. He describes Gymkhana as an “importer of business,” the kind of restaurant that gives travelers another reason to plan a trip around where they want to eat. For visitors building a dining itinerary in Las Vegas, Gymkhana offers something the city has long had room for: one of London’s most celebrated restaurants, reimagined for the Strip without losing what made it special in the first place.