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Hard Rock in Tampa

Discussion in 'Non-Vegas Casino Hotels' started by riverrat44, Aug 20, 2013.

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  1. riverrat44

    riverrat44 Tourist

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    Has anyone been to the Hard Rock in Tampa? Just wondering if it had good vibes for you? Restaurants at the casino, etc?
     
  2. jd2874

    jd2874 Tourist

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    I live about 1 1/2 hours south of Tampa and have been to the Hardrock Tampa several times. The restaurants are good....Fresh Harvest is a Buffet, Council Oak is Steak House, Green Room general restaurant, Rise Bakery is a Deli ( very good ) and they have a food court.

    The casino is HUGE. Lot's of slots, Blackjack, Three Card Poker, Baccarat, etc. During weekdays you will find the lowest minimum is $10.00 on table games....at night and weekends it is MUCH more expensive. There are NO free drinks, except soft drinks and coffee.

    There is also a Hard Rock Café inside the Hardrock Casino....has nightly entertainment, along with some other bars here and there. Parking is free unless you want Valet. There is also a Poker Room for your favorite Texas Hold 'Em or other games.

    Hope this helps.....

    FYI - there are some electronic Craps and Roulette games scattered throughout the casino as well....no live games.
     
  3. Gino

    Gino "The King of Inappropriate."

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    It's my home casi - no. I never go. Place is a joke. Horrible table games, odds, paytables, comps, 7 dollar beers while their machines eat your money like a fat kid in a cake store. Haven't been in 4 or more years. They used to have a late night club that played decent music, but I think that's gone. You're better off saving the cash for a trip to LV or Biloxi.
     
  4. ExVegasLocal

    ExVegasLocal Low-Roller

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    I have to agree with the last poster. The place is horrible paytables, tight machines, and high minimum bets on slots and tables. I find the same thing whenever there is no real competition. (Read at all Native American casinos.) When there is another company competing for my business next door, I stand a much better chance of walking out the door happy.
     
  5. drdestructo

    drdestructo Low-Roller

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    Have to also agree with previous two posters. They are the only game in town and they know it. The only really good offers I have received from them was after a good night at the table (happens rarely) when I won 3K. They kept sending mailers that got increasingly tempting, went back twice and lost around 1K each time.

    They advertise $5 tables, but those all pay 6-5. $15 tables are on continuous shuffle. You can get a shoe game at $25 minimum.

    I have now avoided them for nearly a year and prefer Vegas or Biloxi.
     
  6. Dude beer

    Dude beer Tourist

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    It sort of depends what you are looking for. It's certainly not Vegas - no competition means no free drinks and relatively high table minimums. There is also no craps or roulette, although I read the Fla legislature might allow some of these other games. I've been there twice and had a decent time both times.

    First time was with my brother, in from out of town for his 30th birthday a couple years ago. He wanted to play $5 blackjack, so we got there early to play as they normally stop the $5 tables in the afternoon/early evening. There were only two of them open when we were there, and they were crowded. When we first walked in I put a $25 bet for him and one for me on banker at mini bacc. At the time I didn't even know the rules other than that it was sort of a coin flip game. We both won, a decent way to start off. We ate at rock n' raw their sushi restaurant. It was sort of mediocre as the sushi tasted a bit bland to me. The raw oysters were good though. We didn't stay too late as my brother wanted to hit up a strip club. We did not stay overnight at the casino because the rooms are sky high in price - especially for the area. There is a new fairfield inn nearby which had a free shuttle to the hard rock. That place is recommended.

    The second time was last spring. My wife and I went randomly. We didn't stay at the casino because the price of the room seemed a bit high. Instead we stayed downtown on the water for much less. Plus if you stay at the casino you are kind of stuck there with nothing to walk to. As soon as we got to the casino my wife went to the restroom because we had been drinking for a few hours before cabbing it over, and I sat down at a 25 cent three real slot machine and spun it a few times and got a $100 hit. Played 3 card poker a bit, with a $10 min. This was on a Friday night and soon the table minimums everywhere jumped to $25 then quickly $50. My wife mostly lost money at the slots while I played idiotic blackjack at $50/hand. Got more drinks, two vodka / bulls for like $25. Oofa. Decided to teach my wife how to play table games at some point when we were pretty drunk. Had her put $50 on banker at bacc, whoops insta loss. Took her to blackjack. We sat down and shared the last $800 on $50 or $100 min blackjack (not in HL room). Playing two hands on the same bankroll at that level obviously did not last long.

    I guess we would go again, but I wouldn't make a destination trip out of the casino. If you live nearby or are in town it is a fun night out, but vegas it isn't.
     
  7. engicedave

    engicedave VIP Whale

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    Hour and a half from me and I have watched it transform and grow over the last 8 years or so.

    The negativity you've read is real and it's accurate.

    Let's put it this way, if I take $1000 into a LV or Biloxi or Tunica casino, I have a reasonable chance of leaving with some of it. If I go to the casino boat by my house, Victory Casino Cruise (Port Canaveral) I have a reasonable chance of walking off with some money.

    When I go to HR Tampa, I might as well just hand it to the guy at the door and head back home. I will not leave with any money. Don't get me wrong, I have had handpays, I am an Elite player, but I always leave shaking my head asking myself why I return. The hosts treat players like shit, unless you're a $100 a spin type of player. You can sit in their HL slot room and play for HOURS and not one host will even say hello to you and even as an Elite, if you want to go into their "Plum Lounge" (like their Diamond Lounge) you have to go to a host like some beggar "Please sir, may I go into the Plum Lounge, sir?"
    I actually had a host tell me "no" once even though I had already dropped a grand in their casino.

    Winning is not "hit or miss," it's actually more like "Miss, miss, miss and hit"

    All the machines are set up to maximize pocket sucking....regular 3-reel slots will be three credit max play, instead of two credit. "penny" slots are really $1 minimums and $4.50-$5 max bets...wanna play one of the carnival games like Michael Jackson or whatever? $5 a spin, baby.

    If you're a "money is no object" or "I fully expect to lose with little chance of winning anything" type of player, you'll love HR.

    HR Hollywood is way better, because they have competition, HR Tampa has a clear monopoly and they know it and they take advantage of it.

    Cheaper to fly to LV for a couple days or drive to Biloxi for the weekend than play at HR
     
  8. Aw234

    Aw234 Low-Roller

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    Just have to add one more negative about the Seminole casinos. The players club. This spring they changed, so instead of points your card carries a cash balance. Your cash expires every two months. If I misunderstood the club rules please clarify.


    Aw234
     
  9. swuulumm

    swuulumm Low-Roller

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    i have lived in tampa for about 3 months..
    so far, i have not checked out this place. probably won't bother with it. so far, i have only read negative reviews (here and on 2p2 for the poker room)...
     
  10. mikenhe

    mikenhe VIP Whale

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    I've been living with a 40 minute drive for nearly 18 months.

    still not been.

    probably won't either.
     
  11. mdee

    mdee VIP Whale

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    I live in Orlando and visit HR Tampa on occasion. It's the 6th largest Casino in the World. They're always improving the resort.
    And as far as the gaming goes YMMV but it is the only game in town after-all so it's worth a visit if you've never been.
     
  12. vegas3

    vegas3 Low-Roller

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    I live 15 minutes away and hardly ever go there anymore. I will go to walk around to see some new machines, but only throw money at food there. The good food places are Council Oak (Steak), a Pho place and Rise Bakery. Their buffet is okay for a buffet. Their machines will take your money so fast its unreal. Also, there are not statistics on the payout... I don't trust the NIGC.

    Save your money for Vegas.
     
  13. KyleB

    KyleB Low-Roller

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    There is one other option if you are in Tampa and want to gamble...There is the Tradewinds out of Madeira Beach (Casino Boat) that offers real roulette and craps (unlike the Hardrock), but the slots are really outdated and the overall condition of the ship isnt that great. The Hardrock rakes in the money, you arent very likely to leave home a winner but the place is actually really nice and the bars inside do not close at 3am like the rest of the city of Tampa. Like another poster said, they do have the craps and roulette which is not done by a dealer (ie roulette the ball is shot off by the machine and the craps machine is one of those bubbles) so they do offer most games now. Its worth a shot, just not ideal for slot players.
     
  14. LB9

    LB9 PH Blackjack Degen

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    I'd like to add a different take if I may- I went back in March while down in FL for Spring Training with my Dad and had a great time (granted I won about (1500 so that's probably why lol). The blackjack tables were actually just fine- many were $15 per hand (which is expected in non Vegas and AC casino towns IMO) and turned into $25 later in the night. I was moved toward what I believe was some sort of a modified high-limit area (50 dollars per hand, Playboy bunny decor, etc) and had a great time. They comped my father and I a few meals and the drinks, while not free, were better than some other non Vegas/AC places.

    All in all I had a decent time, but again I won so my opinion is not entirely objective.
     
  15. craps1

    craps1 Low-Roller

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    Hit a couple of hand pays before my cruise last May. The bartenders are nice to look at with those waaaay too tight tops. Slot club offered nothing for sign up so i didn't bother.
     
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