Reno, August 2005

The Eldorado Hotel and Casino is attached by walkways to the Circus Circus and Silver Legacy Casinos in downtown Reno, a short drive from the airport and a good kickoff to travelling to Lake Tahoe. This hotel/casino is connected to the Silver Legacy and Circus Circus by walkways, so you never have to leave the indoors. Since I am used to the beautiful Connecticut casinos, these casinos pale in comparison, though the Eldorado does have a fabulous breakfast buffet.

Our room, which we booked through CheapTickets.com, had two double beds, and the room was kind of small. It looked out on the Eldorado outdoor pool and basically was located in the very middle of the three buildings that make up the Eldorado. We could see a portion of the mountains beyond, but mostly our view was of the Sands Casino across the way.

I had read about this brewpub before we arrived, and it was recommended to us by cousins who had visited last year. The restaurant is located on the walkway to Circus Circus and Silver Legacy Casinos. The atmosphere is definitely one of a brewpub. The decor is mostly red and blue. There are pipes overhead that look as though they have beer flowing through them, but we asked our server and he said that they're just for show! The menu includes gourmet wood-fired pizzas, salads, burgers, ribs, sandwiches, homemade soups, and complete dinners. I had a 10-ounce top sirloin with teriyaki sauce served with rice and vegetables. It was very tasty for $12.95, and Jim had fish-and-chips for $8.75. He liked it a lot. Jim also tried one of the ales brewed here and said that it was good. This was a pleasant dining experience!

We had breakfast here. We were seated after about a 5-minute wait, but when we passed by later, the lines were much longer. There was a delay in getting a waitress due to confusion as to whether our section of the restaurant had opened yet or not. Then one of the guys bringing water to another table made an abrupt turn, and the water came flying off his tray and all over my legs! He was SO apologetic, but it was kind of funny the way it happened!

This cafe is very interesting because, in addition to American food, it also has a separate Chinese menu! The cafe is open 24 hours and is open-air on the mezzanine of the Silver Legacy Casino. However, it is on the walkway to the Eldorado, so it is convenient for folks staying in both hotels.

Jim had a Belgian waffle with maple syrup and a side of bacon and fried eggs. I had an egg white omelette with diced tomatoes, mushrooms, and some really tasty herbs served with a side of hash browns and sourdough toast. Despite all the upfront confusion, we had a great breakfast.