Your favorite casino

[Lincsong]

So which casino do you like? Who has the best service? Best odds? Loosest Slots???????

 

[LocktownDog]

I like the one I work at. They pay me.

Otherwise, I have no opinion since I don't really gamble. I take that back ... the oyster bar at the Atlantis is always a gamble. Seafood in the desert. Blech.

 

[RockBottom]

Rick's Cafe Americain.

 

[pennycarrol]

I really appreciate two casinos in France: "Casino Ruhl" in Nice, and, "Casino Le Lyon Vert" in Lyon. When I was in Las Vegas I was too young and I can't remember!!!

 

[Mr. Lucky]

The Bellagio casino smells the nicest, but the Palms seems a bit more friendly. So, I stay at one and play at the other!

 

[KY Gentleman]

The Mirage is my favorite. The last trip to Vegas I made we stated at the South Point, which was away from the main "Strip" but still a great place. I would recommend it highly.

 

[Lincsong]

Reno- I like the slots at John Asagua's and Silverado

Tahoe- slots at Harrah's but I hear the name is changed

Vegas- craps at Imperial Palace and Stratosphere.

 

[Patrick Murtha]

I'm not a gambler, but I will say that out of the Las Vegas casinos I have visited, the Hard Rock is hands down the best. It's smaller and more elegant, more European, than most of the other popular Vegas casinos. The crowd offers decent people watching: you may spot the occasional young sports or entertainment star, and you are more apt to see someone well-dressed. The Bellagio, which I've only popped in and out of, may rival it in that respect.

Many of the other popular Strip casinos are frankly horrifying (and the downtown and "locals" casinos are even worse). A place like the MGM Grand is so overscaled as to be a complete monstrosity. The crowds at most casinos are uninspiring to behold, to say the very least (trying to keep my elitist temper here!).

 

[Fletch]

My favorite casino was actually a country club.

The Ardsley Casino stood along the east bank of the Hudson River in Irvington, NY, from 1895 to 1936.
It had one of the country's finest golf courses and was host to the 1898 women's US Open among other tournaments. Among its other amenities were yacht berths, a polo ground, and its own station on the New York Central Railroad.
After the club moved inland in the mid '30s, the Casino was razed, leaving only the train station and a storage outbuilding, which are still there.
In 1937 Hudson House, a neoclassical brick apartment house, opened on the site. I have lived in Hudson House for 18 years.

 

[Lincsong]

Fascinating story. No one here goes to Atlantic City????

 

[dhermann1]

2 Favorites

The Central Park Casino was a famous hangout for the "smart set" in the 1920's. Puritanical Robert Moses demolished it over night in 1932, evicting the likes of former NY Mayor Jimmy Walker and band leader Eddie Duchin. You can see the outline and drive way near 5th Ave and 72nd St in Central Park.

The Village Casino in Bemus Point NY played host to all the great bands of the Big Band era, including Benny Goodman in 1938. Amazingly it still stands, and they have an annual big band dance there every summer. Fun place.

Fletch, we already knew this, but we are obviously kindred spirits.

 

[K.D. Lightner]

My favorite casino...

... is whatever one is close to me and I can get to, unfortunately. Right now, the one closest to me is Prairie Meadows, in Altoona, Iowa, so I go to that one a couple times a month.

My favorite casino in San Diego was Barona, had some hot machines and I used to be able to win there. I have been to Laughlin, and like it because it is not too huge. I have never been to a Las Vegas or Atlantic City casino, nor do I have the desire to go.

I know they say those slots are random, but why do they seem to get tight when the casino is remodeling? Or building a hotel? Or a race track?

karol

 

[KY Gentleman]

I've wondered in past trips to Las Vegas if the downtown casinos are a fun place to stay. Has anyone stayed at Fitzgerald's or The Golden Nugget, Four Queens, etc? These would definetly be Las Vegas vintage vacation spots.

 

[Lincsong]

Downtown Las Vegas has some of the loosest slots in town and the best odds on craps. I've stayed at the Golden Nuggett several times and have always enjoyed it. I haven't stayed at other downtown hotels. The thing with staying downtown is that the shows are sparsed so if you get tired at the tables or slots there is little to do so you end up heading over to the Strip at night. The Golden Nuggett has a cool pool with a huge tank, water tube and shark.

 

[Sylvester D]

The Borgotta in Atlantic City is the nicest.

If you live within a few hours of Atlantic City, spend a few days down here. Beach in the afternoon & gambling and a comedy show at nite. What more could you want?
Also, some great resturants

 

[Mark from Plano]

Rick's Cafe Americain.

I am shocked...SHOCKED to discover that there is gambling in this establishment.

 

[Mark from Plano]

..."Casino Ruhl" in Nice

Won a little bit at Casino Ruhl (though Mrs. Mark from Plano lost it back in Monte Carlo a couple of nights later). Ruhl is a small but charming casino on the banks of the Med.

Monte Carlo Casino is a wonderful building but an awful casino. Rules are some of the worst in the world. It only exists to finance the lifestyle of the Grimaldi heirs and I'll wager it does that quite well. You have to go there of course, but it's no place for a serious gambler (at least not in the rooms I visited...perhaps it's better in the Salon Prive, but we didn't go there).

...Bellagio...

What Vegas gambling is all about today. Believe it or not, the higher limit blackjack tables ($100+) actually have about as good a set of rules (player favorable) as you will find in Vegas. Lower limit tables are standard Vegas strip ripoffs. Have won big and, unfortunately, lost pretty big at the Bellagio. Last trip was not good. :eusa_booh

...Mirage...

I like the Mirage. Haven't been there a lot, but have usually won money (which affects what I think about a casino).

Reno...

I hate Reno. It's Lubbock, TX with casinos

Tahoe...

I love Tahoe, but am always too distracted by the beauty of the place to gamble there.

Vegas- craps at Imperial Palace...

The last time I played craps at the Imperial Palace is the last time I will ever play craps at the Imperial Palace. This is unquestionably the worst place and the most unfriendly place on the strip.

I've wondered in past trips to Las Vegas if the downtown casinos are a fun place to stay. Has anyone stayed at Fitzgerald's or The Golden Nugget, Four Queens, etc? These would definetly be Las Vegas vintage vacation spots.

Now you've hit my wheelhouse. I've gambled all of these places, but the Golden Nugget is the only place downtown to stay. It's always been a great place. About 18 mos ago Landry's Restaurants bought the GN and have put about $200MM into rennovations, including putting a shark tank in the middle of the swimming pool (very cool, the slide goes right through the middle of the shark tank...no kidding). Decent blackjack rules and craps odds (for Vegas), though it, like every place else, is getting worse. Four Queens was a bit nicer the last time I gambled there. I think they've refurbished it some as well. Not the dark, dreary cave it used to be.

I have a little game I like to play where I take a small stake and start at one end of Fremont street and try to win just a little bit in each casino (hit and run) up and down the street. I usually either triple or quadruple my money or go broke, but it beats sitting in one spot for hours and letting them whittle away at you. Lots of great places on Fremont for gambling...Plaza, Vegas Club, Golden Gate, Binions, GN, Freemont, Four Queens and...if you dare and you want to experience what Vegas was REALLY like in the 1940's (pre-Rat Pack), try the El Cortez (just make sure it's not after dark). El Cortez actually has the best craps game in Vegas (which probably means in the world). But I dare you to go in after you've seen it.

Downtown Las Vegas has some of the loosest slots in town and the best odds on craps. I've stayed at the Golden Nuggett several times and have always enjoyed it. I haven't stayed at other downtown hotels. The thing with staying downtown is that the shows are sparsed so if you get tired at the tables or slots there is little to do so you end up heading over to the Strip at night. The Golden Nuggett has a cool pool with a huge tank, water tube and shark.

Slots??? No comprende slots. +1 on the GN, though.



I'm surprised no one has mentioned the Connecticut casinos, Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun. Very large. Foxwoods is great. Large, but very well laid out. Good place for poker.

Speaking of...for pure poker, it's hard to beat the card rooms in LA, the Bicycle and the Commerce. Good action. Better either bring your game or lots of cash though, it's a shark tank of a different kind.

 

[KY Gentleman]

Thank you for the excellent review! I just might try the Golden Nugget sometime. Good luck next time your out in Vegas.

 

[rcinlv]

Having been raised in Las Vegas, I have to say my favorite is Casino Royale (the recent one). As for the others, I prefer to play on the house side of the odds...

Cheers,

RC

 

[Lincsong]

Thanks for mentioning the Connecticutt casino's Mark. I was just going to ask about them. So any New Englanders visited the place?