I looked for the same as you but didn't have a ton of luck finding a great combination of both. Like others have said, great video poker at Chicago Brewing in 4Q and Boars Head Bar at Main Street Station. Both breweries are solid but not spectacular. Great beer selection at Tuscany but what they comp is limited and video poker is so/so. Ellis Island is a walk around the corner and has cheap microbrew. My recommendation, the Hardway IPA at Chicago Brewing and Double Double Bonus with the progressive.
Yeah, we can call Boars Head "craft" but it doesn't mean it is really that good I will drink it but its a microbrew. The quality in my opinion isnt the same as Banger Brewing. I always mean to try out Chicago Brewing at Four Queens but I get the feeling it will not be possible to sit in there without the smell of cigar smoke constantly. Am I incorrect there, I know its a cigar bar...soo lol? I know its strange but the smell of cigar smoke makes me nauseous. Bad experiences when younger when I crushed multiple cigars in one night after a good amount of drinking and ended up tasting it for days. Couldnt scrape it out of my mouth and the aversion has long stayed with me. Sort of like when you get the stomach flu but will always remember what you ate that night before. I didnt eat pepperoni pizza for a decade after getting it as a kid!
Cheap cigars will make you wake up thinking a cat has crapped in your mouth while you were sleeping. Good cigars don’t do that. Brushing your teeth and using mouthwash before bed helps too although sometimes Mr. Alcohol doesn’t let that happen.
I always spend time at Chicago Brewing because I like that I can play and get comped beers during my meal. So I sit at the bar and can tolerate it unless i have a cigarette smoker on either side. Cigar smokers tend to sit on the sofas a little bit removed from the diners. The restaurant is open to the casino so you never escape the casino air, but 75 per cent of the time I’ve seen zero cigar smokers.
I had a similar experience with Malibu rum when I was still in high school. I still cant stand the smell much less the taste of it, man that was a brutal night!
The only reason I didn't mention Banger was that there is no VP there. But just in terms of really good beer, I think they're tough to beat. Their Hop Bang Boom Imperial IPA is great.
Just returned from a stay at the El Cortez, so a bad news update. Most of the craft beers they had before (Banger, Tenaya Creek, and others) are gone now at the Parlour Bar. They always had one or two really good IPAs on tap - this time, the only IPA was Goose Island. And I like that beer a lot, but I think it is a notch below some of what they had before. They had Modelo (both the Especial and the Negro) on tap, and they did have one craft brew. Don't remember the name of the brewer, but it was a Peach Ale, and I enjoyed it. I also did not see any craft brews in bottles - they used to have quite a few of them as well. Maybe they're hidden in the high roller cooler, rather than the ones the riff-raff like me can see. So you can still get some good beers, but it's not like it was before. Also, if you like long-time bartenders, Scott, who has been at the 'tez for over 30 years, is retiring. He reminds me of Brian, who was at MSS for years before he retired. Scott didn't know my name, but he did remember my face and that I liked IPAs. One more thing to add - there is a new place right across the street from the El Cortez, where the coffee house used to be. They had what appeared to be 30 or more beers on tap and I saw a lot of people eating some mighty fine-looking food.
Sorry to hear about The Parlour, the only Mexican beer that I find palatable is Doe Equis Lager. I knew Scottie was retiring, probably a little condo across the street from a horse track. I really like the Parlour Bar when it’s quiet. The other two bars have the same pay tables at a quarter rather than fifty cent.
Another vote for the Chicago Brewery in the 4Q. I love the place. The bartenders have never sweated my level of VP play and their 22oz comped beers are HUGE and they keep 'em coming. If you walk out of there sober its your own fault! Grab an order of garlic knots while you are there. It pairs well with the beer.
Are you talking about Pub365 or the casino bar? At one time Pub365 comped just about ANY drink with VP play and it was glorious! Sadly, it didn't take long for them to phase out the beer comps as I'm sure they they were losing serious money.
As several have stated: Just beers- Banger Brewing is the place to go on Fremont. Want your VP- MSS is my favorite. Plus I am a sucker for the happy hour appetizers right inside the Triple 7 itself.
To add to this: If you get the Groupon you can sub the growler for more pints of beer. That way you aren't lugging a growler around.
Eureka on Fremont East iacross from El Cortez is fairly new and is supposed to have a good craft beer selection. But no gambling.
Every time I walked past Eureka, I saw quite a few people eating there, and the food looked really good. I also saw something somewhere about being able to use El Cortez comp dollars to get a voucher there. So I am sure I will try them soon.
I've been to Eureka in the Coachella Valley. It was pretty good. Not a steal price wise but my food and beer were good
The only time I go to the Chicago Brewery is when the progressive royal is high enough to be playable. I try to sit at the far right side of the bar and enjoy my cigar while trying to hit the royal.
