Reno ~ Good VP? Poker rooms?

Reno was my go-to gambling place in the '70s & '80s. Other than three days of work and a drive-through on a road trip, I've not been there since.

Staying a Saturday night at Harrah's and then 4 nights at El Dorado. I'm looking for …

Recommendations
Poker: Good tournaments downtown or out towards Atlantis/Peppermill
Poker: 1/2 No Limit rooms with a $200—$300 buy-in cap, especially downtown
VP: Any good pay schedules downtown (Deuces Wild, Dbl Bonus, Joker's wild, or Jacks or Better)
Entertainment: Shows or Comedy Clubs
Dining: Casual

Thanks for any suggestions!

 

I get to Reno every second or third year for the USBC Open Championships bowling tournament, and I am one of the few that really have come to love the town. Maybe its the underdog status, maybe the fact that it is far easier to navigate than Las Vegas, and maybe it is the history of the old West... or maybe all of the above.

Despite the fact that the gaming industry in Reno is hanging on by a thread.

However, with as much as I enjoy it and as many times as I have been there, I can't answer a lot of questions...

Poker - I won a tournament at Harrah's the last time I was there (about 30 entries at about $45). Then Harrah's responded by closing the room. I've played live poker at the Eldorado (both 3/6 limit and 1/2 NB) and at best they have three tables going. Not much other poker downtown, though I believe Circus Circus has a poker room (I have not been there). Have not played poker at the Peppermill or Atlantis, though Atlantis appears to have two daily tournaments during the week and one on each weekend day.

VP - Just in the past couple of years I have become more aware to throw hundreds of dollars down the hole of the best machines instead of throwing the same money down the worst machines. I haven't really looked for good VP in Reno.

Shows - Huh? In Reno?

Dining - Now we're getting somewhere. BBQ will find Men Wielding Fire near the Siena Spa and a couple blocks from Harrah's and Cal Neva. Excellent BBQ sandwiches. When I was there, I had a Deep-Fried Cornbread w/ a honey drizzle that was phenomenal, but I don't see it on the current menu.

An Awful-Awful from the Nugget Diner is a must.

There is a Hash House A Go-go at Harrahs, the Brew Brothers brewpub is at Eldorado, and I've heard that Pho 777 is great, but I've never tried it. For a little bit more $$, I really like the Oyster Bar at the Atlantis... it is actually on the skywalk over Virginia St.

Though not the crown jewel that this message board is, feel free to stop over at the Visit Reno Forum. There may be people more familiar with Reno that could offer up some suggestions.

 

You can check vpFREE2 for good VP in Reno:

http://www.vpfree2.com/casinos/by-region/reno-tahoe.html

 

Thanks guys! As for shows, I was thinking comedy or lounge.

 

I stayed at Harrah's in Sept. Upon check in they give you a coupon for Hash House and a bogo for the buffet. We did use the Hash House, I believe it was $10 off $20. Quality food here.

There is a Poker Room at El Dorado, it's near the corner, south entrance of Virginia St. We didn't go in but one night they were announcing a tourney at 7pm on a Sunday night.

I don't know what denomination of vp you play but Harrah's has lots of full pay vp in $1 and up. They have progressive vp in quarters and dollars in the crossover taking the escalator. I did hit a progressive royal on the $1 machine.

Entertainment is hit and miss. Food is all pretty much casual even the Steakhouse's. Besides Atlantis and Peppermill the food at Silver Legacy and Eldorado are fine, nothing spectacular. There's still Brews Brothers, Circus Circus Steak House which they say is still good but haven't been there in over 10 years.

If you like hamburgers and fries, you gotta go to the little dive on Virginia St across from Harrah's, Nugget. This place has not changed forever, but everyone in my family loves it. I don't know if it's the nostalgia of it, sitting at a counter or what but it's very entertaining.

My parents used to live on the outskirts closer to Boomtown but have since passed away. It's now a skeleton of what it once was. So many boarded up businesses and casinos. JA Nugget is still there, Grand Sierra, formerly Reno Hilton just did a renovation.

You'll have four days so lots of time to check all the clubs out!

Have fun and maybe you can take a ride over to South Shore, it's dead there too. Even if you haven't been there in many years it hasn't changed.

We are experiencing an early winter so far, Boreal may open this weekend.

 

luvvp ~ Excellent info! Do you know if the VP accrues tier or base points?

Grand Sierra, now that's a memory. Way back when it was first built my folks and I saw Hello, Hollywood, Hello there. On another trip someone got shot and killed in a stairwell when I was staying there. BTW, someone also got shot in front of the El Dorado when I was once staying there in the 1980s.

Hmm. Perhaps that's why I don't go there anymore …

Oh, and I was once playing BJ at the El Dorado and the elevators swarmed with security and we were told not to move. It seems someone was a victim of an armed robbery in one of the rooms and they lost a lot of money.

Anyway, I'm really looking forward to the trip. Everyone's comments are so helpful.

 

The 1 tier per $10 vp. Your comp $$ don't add up very fast for the amount of coin in for the games I played. You do also receive bonus credits but I'm not sure at what rate.

I try to use all my reward credits every trip. I use to save them but I don't go as often anymore.

We have Indian casinos we can go to.