Every once in a while many of us are struck by the inane desire to eschew reason, boldly defy everything we understand about the laws of probability and eagerly head down to the local casino. Then, more times than not, we blow a good portion of our paycheck on games specifically designed to lighten our wallets. And then we do it again, because gambling is one of the few things that, win or lose, is pretty darn fun.
Almost a full year after it opened, I finally got around to checking out River City Casino. I try to limit my expectations when visiting non-Vegas casinos as they can be rather depressing. More often than not I find myself perched on a wobbly stool next to a chain smoking grandmother of 11 who occasionally mumbles questionable slot machine logic as a parade of broken souls who look like they should be on an episode of Cops drift amongst the tables and machines. I feel like Purgatory must be a lot like being stuck in a very mediocre Midwestern casino.
I was delighted to find that River City exceeded my expectations.
The décor is impressive. The casino experience should be an assault on the senses and River City does that well without going overboard and edging into cheesiness. A lot of attention to detail went into the design and finish of the restaurants and bars found nestled around the casino floor. It also helps that the facility is relatively new so there has been little time for the tide of gamblers to wear the shine off of a very polished interior.
The staff, across the board, is friendly and sociable. Of course they should be since it is their job to take our money, sometimes lots of it. There is nothing worse than dealing with a surly blackjack dealer or a rude bartender on a losing night. River City management must understand this concept and that understanding is reflected in the staff’s behavior.
There are several restaurants options which offer a respectable variety of eats. In addition to the obligatory all-you-can-stuff-down-your-gullet buffet aptly named “The Great Food Exposition” there is a soup and sandwich café, a burger joint and a Beerhouse where one can find over a hundred different means to an inebriated end. Bring your roll of Tums though, because much of the food is as decadent as the atmosphere.
Although River City is not quite Vegas, after a few drinks and a couple of winning hands it feels pretty close.
