Visitreno

IOWActuary · Joined: 15 Nov 2015 Posts: 47

Alright let's revive this joint.

I'm at T-minus 17 days until I leave the snow-covered plains of Iowa to travel to Reno for my 4th Annual World's Largest Cribbage Tournament. I'll be staying two nights at the Silver Legacy which they have generously comped, and then an additional three nights at the host site of the Sands. Hopefully my Sands mailer comes soon so I can some free nights, but at $50/night I'm not worried about it.

This is my one guaranteed degen trip of the year. I usually fit a Vegas trip or two into the mix, but Reno is my most anticipated trip of the year. I spend about 95% of my time downtown playing everything, blackjack (usually SL or CN), video poker (usually ElDo), or Cribbage (obviously Sands). I also usually bring an extra large bankroll for my six day grind-fest. I successfully negotiated a higher bankroll due to the misses wanting to cancel our January Vegas trip. No problem, bankroll will spend just as well in Northern Nevada. Trip roll is $3,500 which should be plenty - although my buddy I'm bringing with me rolls a little higher with the green chips.

So right now I'm looking for some input. Every year I go to Reno I try out new places from input I get reading other trip reports. Here are some of the things I'm keeping an eye out for:

1. Looking for best Korean BBQ restaurant. I've heard good things about Ijji 4, but I've never been to a Korean BBQ and don't know what to expect.

2. Looking for a great reasonable priced steakhouse. A bunch of us go out for steaks on Sunday and looking for a new place.

3. Best comped cocktails. My go-to drink is a manhattan but I find it difficult to get a comp one that's made well. Also up for new craft cocktails with a fun bartender as long as they are comping drinks for dollar VP players.

4. Best place to watch Missouri Valley Conference tournament. Looking for a sportsbook that might have an obscure midwest conference championship on TV.

I only go once a year, so let me know if there are any interesting new places or changes that have happened since last February!

spdmrcht · Joined: 12 Oct 2012 Posts: 498

For a Great reasonable priced Steak house, as much as I
hate to say the word, Harrahs down stairs.
For your game find out what channel its going to be on
and when, most Sports bars can put it on for you.

JD · Joined: 18 Dec 2005 Posts: 956

So I'm guessing you'll have no wheels which eliminates several of my recommendations.

Heads up on steakhouses. Harrah's steakhouse is GREAT... but fully priced. ($ 49 steak, $ 30- $ 36 Prime Rib)

https://www.caesars.com/content/dam/ren/Dining/Upscale/Steakhouse/2017_steakhouse_dinner_menu.pdf

A LOT of larger casino/hotels share a common kitchen between several restaurants. Often these have wildly different prices for the same menu items served in different venues.

So you have to decide how much ambiance and atmosphere is worth.

As soon as you arrive be sure to wander over to Sands and swipe your card as often as allowed. The worst aspect of the Sands is the sometimes sketchy local customers. Sooner or later you'll get a deal on the Copa.

https://sandsregency.com/reno-restaurants/copa-bar-grill/

Great Prime Rib but probably not THE best steak, but doubling up with a Copa coupon and their early bird special can be a value score. (Steak $ 19, Prime Rib $ 14- $17... less with a BOGO coupon from a swipe at the kiosk & early hours))

https://sandsregency.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/2017-Sands-Regency-In-Restaurant-Copa-Menu.pdf

No help on the cocktail advice.

IOWActuary · Joined: 15 Nov 2015 Posts: 47

We are actually planning on renting a car for a day to hit up some of the further-out casinos - Boomtown, Alamo, possibly a trip to Tahoe if we're feeling inspired.

For the rest we'll use Uber. I'll have about $80 in Uber credits to use on my trip so I don't mind a short drive somewhere.

Zydeco · Joined: 03 Sep 2008 Posts: 302

Just got back and our theme was NEW DINNER.

So, we skipped our usuals at Western Village (that would have been my recommendation) and Harrahs and headed to Bimimi at the 'Mill. Guess what. It was really good. Pricey, but that Monty Python slot machine paid off at $90, so there's that.

We also tried Casale's Halfway Club for some old time pasta. It was really fun and so old school.

Another? Kabuki Izakaya in midtown. Not recommended for a large group, but it was fun and the food was excellent.

Cocktails? Comped? I"m a fan of the Bloody Mary bar at Drinx in the Silver Legacy while playing VP. I also dig the Fireside Lounge at the 'Mill. If not comped, that new place at the Reno Renaissance had excellent craft cocktails and the outdoor space was great along the river with the fires burning.

Sports book? I found the updated book at the Silver Legacy was pretty cool, but the book at the 'Mill is HUGE and has 100 TVs.

Good luck!

IOWActuary · Joined: 15 Nov 2015 Posts: 47

So I got a letter in the mail yesterday from a host at CalNeva. She mentioned the fact that I had been in Reno last March and asked if I was making another trip to Reno soon and if so, if I was interested in her offer of free or discounted rooms. What a great coincidence that I already had a trip planned! I'm sure this offer is a product of happening to win money at Silver Legacy and Sands last year while managing to get my butt absolutely handed to me at the CalNeva double-deck game.

I immediately e-mail her asking which hotel they are putting me up in (CalNeva's hotel closed years ago, right?) and also what their rate would be. I was a bit disappointed that they could not match my free room offers from all of the big downtown properties and instead offered $150 for 5 nights. I guess I fell into the "discounted" part of the "free or discounted" offer. Not only that, she would not tell me the name of the hotel even after I asked about it twice.

Not that it matters - I'm going to be there anyway, but kind of disappointed after a host reached out to offer me accommodations which turned out to be nothing.

IOWActuary · Joined: 15 Nov 2015 Posts: 47

What is the consensus on Western Village? I didn't even know this place existed but it looks really nice in there - similar to Peppermill.

BC Dave · Site Admin Joined: 18 Dec 2005 Posts: 1599

The Western Village is a Peppermill property. (So the familiar neon decor is no accident). I have stopped in for a few visits over the years and always enjoyed myself there. There's a great deli in the casino that I've patronized once or twice. I have never stayed in their accommodations however, and I don't recall their hotel ever being reviewed on Visitreno.

JSR1968 · Joined: 18 Jan 2011 Posts: 65

I haven’t been in a few years but the Steakhouse at Circus Circus is VERY good!

BC Dave · Site Admin Joined: 18 Dec 2005 Posts: 1599

I've heard and read very good things about Circus Circus steakhouse. Sadly it appears to have closed. http://circusreno.com/restaurants

organgecrush · Joined: 19 Jan 2017 Posts: 23

IOWActuary · Joined: 15 Nov 2015 Posts: 47

So my buddy who I thought was just "along for the ride" has taken it upon himself to come up with several ideas of what to do and where to eat. We have had two planning lunches to review itineraries. Honestly didn't except him to be this engaged in the planning and it's not helping my ability to wait the 5.5 days until the trip. Here's what we've got so far:

1. Dive bar crawl on S. Virginia St. - $20 video poker double it or lose it at each bar. Jox, Lucky Beaver, Clary's, Peppermill, Atlantis.
2. Whiskey Tasting at 7 Troughs
3. Visit Western Village - signup for players card + gamble
4. IJJI 4 Korean BBQ
5. Peg's Glorified Ham n Eggs
6. WillHill double bonus signup for app at CalNeva
7. Awful^2 late night
8. Breakfast at Two Chicks
9. El Jefe's VP + tacos
10. CalNeva party pit and karaoke
11. Hash House a Gogo w/keno
12. Boomtown trip + signup bonus
13. Blackjack & Back massage @ SL - last year I got an hour back massage while winning enough to cover the fee which was awesome.

Not sure how much of that we'll do, but these are the things we will take a break from gambling to do. I plan on gambling at least 8 hours a day every day, probably staying up most of the night on that first night to make sure that itch gets fully scratched.

IOWActuary · Joined: 15 Nov 2015 Posts: 47

Is it possible to give my buddy a copy of my players card so we can both accrue points on the same account?

spdmrcht · Joined: 12 Oct 2012 Posts: 498

At the Eldo Propertys my wife and I each have a different card but we ask the slot club person about that and she put us on the same account but different card #s. But now that they are all one I don't know. at all the others we both use my cards. I don't know if all the casinos can count 2 cards at the same time on one acc. I guess the best way is to ask them.