In a few weeks, I'll be making my first trip downtown since Mermaids and Le Bayou closed. Not only will I miss always walking away a winner on my favorite Monkees machine at Mermaids and STILL getting beads at Le Bayou for waiting for a hopper fill, I'll miss the incredibly rapid cocktail service. Some of my best Las Vegas memories were hanging out with friends and winding up with two or three drinks at a time because the waitresses appreciated a group of tipping customers. Now, like a drunken delusion, they are gone. We actually planned a special trip to get to both of them as soon as we heard they were heading out. So now where will we get hammered? Drink service downtown has always been spotty at best in other casinos. Where have you gone downtown and had superior (aka FAST) service?
I don't know if others would agree or not, but personally speaking, I have found the CW's at Plaza on point. Have a great trip and best of luck!
One of the many great things about downtown is that tipping a buck a drink gets you attention. We play in all the downtown casinos (well, the GN not so much) and tip with a $2 bill when my wife and I each get a drink. That always seems to get us good service. The main difference between places is the quality of the drinks and size of the glasses. If you want good mixed drinks, gamble at a bar. Mixed drinks on the casino floors are pretty bad and generally small. Floor beer selection also varies among the properties.
I second that Plaza, business slower CW have to hustle to make up tips or they're just board. Maybe the El Cortez also. MSS floor can be a tad slow at times. Wife loves the Pina Coladas though.
I know I've said this a million times but the cocktail service at the Sigma Derby at the D truthfully comes around faster than I can drink them! For Sigma Derby, a few quarters every few minutes is all it takes.
From my recent TR: (although not all DT) Cocktail service: Best: Upstairs at the D, Binions, Carnival Court, and The Plaza Pretty good: Orleans, GC, Harrah's Fair: El Cortez, Four Queens, Fremont, Cal, Linq (whatever happened to the ipad order takers??) Non existent: Golden Gate, yep....were there twice and NEVER had service.
I asked for a beer from the CW at ELCO, she told me that I had to get it from "that lady". "that lady" is in charge of the tub of beer. but there was no "that lady". I asked the pit supervisor and he eventually found someone. INSANE!
The waitresses at the Plaza are super fast and very friendly. Throw a fiver out on the first drink and you won't be wanting from that point on.
Last time I threw $100 down at a BJ table at the D with the intentions of getting up when doubled or bust, did the same at 4Qs and GN. Almost couldn't walk. I second the Carnival Court outdoor BJ. If you give them a 5 on the first beer, tell them there is a dollar for every beer and a twenty if i never have an empty beer, they will be asking you if you need a beer every five minutes. Almost couldn't walk out of there either.
All I remember is 6:5 BJ, $5, 6 deck shoe. I hate all of these 6:5 vs 3:2 conversations b/c I believe that it all boils down to what you are there for. Are you wanting to be entertained, get a few drinks, and just have alot of fun with the chance of making a bit of money? Then the Carnival Court will be right up your alley. But if you are wanting to try and pay off your mortgage, then maybe it isn't the table for you.
It's not an either or question, easily possible to have both(except for the payoff mortgage part), I just dont like to get ripped off with bad rules.
And i bet you guys get upset at a loosing session too. My big bet is $10-20 dollars when i feel the shoe is in my favor and i play a grand total of about 3 hours of BJ in a three day trip. I would rather hit up a BJ table with good service with maybe not the best odds rather than seeking out optimal playing rules in an effort to chase after a theoretical $20 per hour. Its entertainment, not an effort to double my roll. At least that is the way I see it.
I may play 12 hours of blackjack in two days...the difference between a game with a 0.5% edge and a 2% edge is huge