History
The 99-cent shrimp cocktail debuted in 1959 at the Golden Gate Casino on Fremont Street, a loss-leader to keep gamblers at the tables. Within a decade every downtown casino ran a version. The Golden Gate retired the original recipe in 2017 (it had risen to $3.99 by then) but Du-par's Restaurant at the Golden Gate brought it back. The plate is canonical Vegas: cold-poached shrimp in a parfait glass, classic tomato horseradish sauce, served with a lemon wedge and oyster crackers. The Peppermill on the Strip and several downtown counters still run it for under $10.
Common allergens: Shellfish
Make it at home
Ingredients
- 500g raw shrimp, 16 to 20 count, peeled and deveined, tails on
- 1 lemon, halved
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
- 2 tablespoons sea salt
- 240ml ketchup
- 3 tablespoons prepared horseradish
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- Half a teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- Hot sauce to taste
Method
- Bring a large pot of water to a hard boil with the lemon halves squeezed in, bay leaves, peppercorns and salt. Boil 3 minutes to infuse.
- Drop the shrimp in. Cook 90 seconds, until just pink and curled. Drain immediately and dunk in an ice bath to stop cooking.
- Whisk the ketchup, horseradish, lemon juice, Worcestershire and hot sauce in a small bowl. Adjust horseradish to taste; it should bite.
- Chill the shrimp at least 30 minutes. Drain and pat dry.
- Serve in chilled coupe or sundae glasses: spoon sauce in first, hook shrimp around the rim, set a lemon wedge in the centre.
Tip from the editors. The horseradish should bite the nose, not the tongue; use freshly grated for the cleanest heat.
This is the TableJourney editorial recipe, modelled on the canonical bistro / counter version. The first place to try the dish in its city of origin is below.
Where to eat shrimp cocktail
Shrimp cocktail in Las Vegas
Featured by TableJourney as a signature dish of Las Vegas. See the Las Vegas signature dishes guide for the canonical version.
More cities are in research. Want shrimp cocktail covered somewhere specific? Tell us where you want to eat.