Buick Riviera
10-20-2005, 09:18 PM
We recently completed our stay downtown at the MSS and have some observations to share.
Best Restaurant
The Princess and I have a difference of opinion on this one. She goes with the Pullman Grill at MSS. She enjoyed Veal Marasala and began purring from the time of the first bite. My ribeye steak was good but not worthy of 5 stars. The service was excellent and atmosphere very pleasant. With a bottle of wine and desert: $100 plus tip.
My number one choice is Triple George, a new place that just opened in August and is owned by Lady Luck. It is a free standing restaurant (not part of the casino) located on 3rd and Ogden. It has a wonderful piano bar and is known for its seafood. The Princess had a huge tuna steak (medium rare which she said was done to perfection but was too big to finish) and I had a medley of shrimp, scallops, oysters etc. Seating is either at tables or private booths (we had a booth). The atmosphere is not as romantic as Pullman but very nice. Four glasses of wine, no desert: $100 plus tip. Read more about it here: http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2005/Aug-03-Wed-2005/living/2669281.html
Biggest Surprise
The El Cortez, hands down. Unfortunately we didn’t visit this remodeled property until the last day or we would have spent more time here. We’ve stayed downtown for the past 10 years and haven’t been to EC for at least 6 years. Our last visit there it was smokey, run down, seedy clientele and so uninviting that we never bothered to go back. I had read about recent changes and now it is the reason to plan another trip!
First, they have remodeled the place. Wide isles, new layout, new wall and floor coverings, lounge, more (at least more than I remember) table games. It is very clean and inviting.
Second, the best blackjack game downtown (not counting the Western). Single deck, good rules (if you’re a counter, look out, it is still the Sweaty Spanard).
Third, good VP all over the place with a new (at least new since we were there last) slot club.
Fourth, Roberta's Steak House! I ordered steak at every joint except Triple George and this was by far the best. In fact, it was the best steak I’ve had since The Range Steak House on the strip several years ago. Two fillet mignons, bottle of wine, one desert to share, and coffee: $66 plus tip!! I had the $25 off coupon from LVA, so I gave the $25 to Shirley, our waitress, for the tip. She was an excellent waitress, worked hard and deserved it. In fact, she was so good that the Princess asked for an evaluation form to give to her manager to make sure others appreciated her too.
Honorable Mention: The Wynn. This place is nicer than I expected after reading board reviews. We each enjoyed a glass of a nice pinot grigio on the patio looking at the falls for “only” $26 plus tip.
Friendliest Staff
One of the reasons we stay at the MSS is how well they treat everyone. They have always treated us as if they are happy to have us as guests, even when we first visited there. So the MSS is a given.
But the folks at The California really impressed me. Maybe I was just lucky, but every dealer, cocktail waitress, desk clerk, waitress and cage clerk seemed to be at the top of their game in the hospitality department. They all were very friendly and helpful. 5 stars. We played at 8 different joints and The California was by far the friendliest.
Best Service
Dollar Car Rental/dollar.com. The smoothest car rental and car return I have ever experienced. Become an Express Member and you’ll be a customer for life. Thanks to this board for telling me what door to go out after pick up our luggage. After that it was a piece of cake.
Favorite Experience
Sitting at the bar at MSS, drinking free micro-brews and playing 9/6 JOB with the Princess. Life doesn’t get much better.
The Monorail
We drove to the Las Vegas Hilton and picked up the monorail to go mid-strip, getting off at the Bally's Station. Despite some initial bad press we were really impressed with how cheaply and fast we could get to the heart of the Strip. I believe some people get sticker shock at the cost of tickets because they forget this is not public transportation. There is not a dime of tax payer money subsidizing this thing.
Compare the cost to other private transportation, like renting a car or taxi, and the perspective changes completely. I also think it would be in the Strip casinos' best interest to really start promoting the monorail with coupons, comps, free tickets as prizes. They would benefit in the long run. At least that is my opinion.
What is needed, of course, is the monorail extending from the airport to downtown. Then they would really have something. Will it ever happen? Methinks political interests may just block it. It would put other private transportation almost out of business.
The Saddest Laugh
I never thought I'd see the day, but Binions touts in some of its banners outside their casino: "We Pay 3:2 Odds on Blackjack!"
Oh for the days when that wasn't news.
Buick
Best Restaurant
The Princess and I have a difference of opinion on this one. She goes with the Pullman Grill at MSS. She enjoyed Veal Marasala and began purring from the time of the first bite. My ribeye steak was good but not worthy of 5 stars. The service was excellent and atmosphere very pleasant. With a bottle of wine and desert: $100 plus tip.
My number one choice is Triple George, a new place that just opened in August and is owned by Lady Luck. It is a free standing restaurant (not part of the casino) located on 3rd and Ogden. It has a wonderful piano bar and is known for its seafood. The Princess had a huge tuna steak (medium rare which she said was done to perfection but was too big to finish) and I had a medley of shrimp, scallops, oysters etc. Seating is either at tables or private booths (we had a booth). The atmosphere is not as romantic as Pullman but very nice. Four glasses of wine, no desert: $100 plus tip. Read more about it here: http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2005/Aug-03-Wed-2005/living/2669281.html
Biggest Surprise
The El Cortez, hands down. Unfortunately we didn’t visit this remodeled property until the last day or we would have spent more time here. We’ve stayed downtown for the past 10 years and haven’t been to EC for at least 6 years. Our last visit there it was smokey, run down, seedy clientele and so uninviting that we never bothered to go back. I had read about recent changes and now it is the reason to plan another trip!
First, they have remodeled the place. Wide isles, new layout, new wall and floor coverings, lounge, more (at least more than I remember) table games. It is very clean and inviting.
Second, the best blackjack game downtown (not counting the Western). Single deck, good rules (if you’re a counter, look out, it is still the Sweaty Spanard).
Third, good VP all over the place with a new (at least new since we were there last) slot club.
Fourth, Roberta's Steak House! I ordered steak at every joint except Triple George and this was by far the best. In fact, it was the best steak I’ve had since The Range Steak House on the strip several years ago. Two fillet mignons, bottle of wine, one desert to share, and coffee: $66 plus tip!! I had the $25 off coupon from LVA, so I gave the $25 to Shirley, our waitress, for the tip. She was an excellent waitress, worked hard and deserved it. In fact, she was so good that the Princess asked for an evaluation form to give to her manager to make sure others appreciated her too.
Honorable Mention: The Wynn. This place is nicer than I expected after reading board reviews. We each enjoyed a glass of a nice pinot grigio on the patio looking at the falls for “only” $26 plus tip.
Friendliest Staff
One of the reasons we stay at the MSS is how well they treat everyone. They have always treated us as if they are happy to have us as guests, even when we first visited there. So the MSS is a given.
But the folks at The California really impressed me. Maybe I was just lucky, but every dealer, cocktail waitress, desk clerk, waitress and cage clerk seemed to be at the top of their game in the hospitality department. They all were very friendly and helpful. 5 stars. We played at 8 different joints and The California was by far the friendliest.
Best Service
Dollar Car Rental/dollar.com. The smoothest car rental and car return I have ever experienced. Become an Express Member and you’ll be a customer for life. Thanks to this board for telling me what door to go out after pick up our luggage. After that it was a piece of cake.
Favorite Experience
Sitting at the bar at MSS, drinking free micro-brews and playing 9/6 JOB with the Princess. Life doesn’t get much better.
The Monorail
We drove to the Las Vegas Hilton and picked up the monorail to go mid-strip, getting off at the Bally's Station. Despite some initial bad press we were really impressed with how cheaply and fast we could get to the heart of the Strip. I believe some people get sticker shock at the cost of tickets because they forget this is not public transportation. There is not a dime of tax payer money subsidizing this thing.
Compare the cost to other private transportation, like renting a car or taxi, and the perspective changes completely. I also think it would be in the Strip casinos' best interest to really start promoting the monorail with coupons, comps, free tickets as prizes. They would benefit in the long run. At least that is my opinion.
What is needed, of course, is the monorail extending from the airport to downtown. Then they would really have something. Will it ever happen? Methinks political interests may just block it. It would put other private transportation almost out of business.
The Saddest Laugh
I never thought I'd see the day, but Binions touts in some of its banners outside their casino: "We Pay 3:2 Odds on Blackjack!"
Oh for the days when that wasn't news.
Buick