Old Vegas Is Basically a Time Machine: Check Out These Overlooked Vintage Casinos

There ’s more to Las Vegas than justthe StripandFremont Street : some of the onetime casino in Southern Nevada can be found in expanse where there are scarce any tourists at all . Some of these spots are fill with gritty remnants of Vegas history , like Bonnie and Clyde ’s pickup railroad car , while others just declare oneself panorama of some in truth excited wallpaper , and a killer deal or two – like super - amazing ribs , filth - cheap accommodations , and $ 1 beers – that are well deserving a wander off the bunk track .

Eldorado

This splash of neon yellow in the heart of Water St – marked by a grandiloquent , thin pavilion with a bright white-livered star on top – might be a surprising must - try , but the cassino ’s restaurant , Mary ’s Diner , really is completely deserving research . It ’s straight out of the ' 50s , with price that seem likewise of the era ( $ 2.50 for a breakfast special with two testicle , Roger Bacon , hashish browns , and goner ! $ 5.50 shrimp cocktail ! ) . Plus there ’s a classic TV colonnade , as in the non - gambling kind – stupefy with those , and you ’re potential to misplace a pile less money in the long run . open in 1961 , this spot was in the beginning known as The Wheel , but closed quickly before Paul Perry and Joe Crowley re - open it the next year , and brought Bill Boyd ( of Boyd Gaming Corporation ) on as their lawyer , who eventually take controller of the holding .

Railroad Pass

spread out in 1931 , Railroad Pass was the fourth casino in Nevada story to be give a gaming license , and it ’s the old casino in the full body politic that ’s still active . primitively built for the workers at the Hoover Dam , it remains the closest gambling casino to the populated area of Boulder City – one of the few cities in Nevada where gaming is technically illegal . This place is a ducky of locals and travelers , and for good grounds – the $ 12 prime rib dinner party is locally famous , and the $ 15 sideboard includes all - you - can - eat on king crab leg . Most intriguingly , there ’s a safe surrounded by about a foot of concrete that was once used to pay the Union Pacific Railroad . Nobody has the key or the compounding . Not any of the former owners . Nobody . So , who knows what ’s inside ?

Jerry’s Nugget

Opened in 1964 by two guys name Jerry ( which Jerry ’s name is on the marquee is anyone ’s conjecture ) , Jerry ’s Nugget was first have sex as the Town House Bar , but expanded in size with the purchase of the neighboring Bonanza Club in 1968 . The casino , which is located across the street from two strip clubs , is known among pro gamblers for its acting cards from the 1970s . Due to a chemical finish that ’s now illegal and an extra - tenuous paper stock , these decks were perfect for card sharks and sleight - of - hand artists . They were only sell in the natural endowment workshop here , but due to their sinful feel , they remain red-hot item on the second - hand market before vanish altogether about 15 years ago . However , while you ca n’t purchase terrifying , chemically treat play scorecard here , you may still make dainty from the truly excellent bakehouse on the premises . If you take a marriage bar for under $ 300 , or just desire a good pie for $ 15 , Uncle Angelo ’s Bakery makes this post deserving a sojourn , despite the fact that this part of town is n’t on the button as nice as it used to be .

Ellis Island

This casino comes with its own splendid brewery , offering a light , amber , IPA , weiss , stalwart , and seasonal special . There ’s even household - brewed antecedent beer , if you ’re one of the brave psyche who avoid alcohol in a urban center like Vegas . Not only are the beers here great , they ’re also tatty as hell – just $ 2.25 for a 20 oz royal dry pint , any time of day . The dinner party is an equally solid bet . It ’s worth showing up just tosnack on some of the adept ribs in Vegas , and with a player ’s card , you’re able to also get the 10 oz top sirloin steak dinner with a soup or salad , green attic , and a potato for $ 8 ( with $ 5 of slot gambling ) . While the interior decoration could use an climb – this place has been open since 1967 , and does n’t appear to have changed much since – this casino is just a few blocks away from the Strip , and has an intelligibly loyal following of local customers . It ’s also a top stop for karaoke lover , so , you know – ask in your Quaker / be forewarned , count on how you finger about that .

Sam’s Town Hotel & Gambling Hall

in spades your salutary bet among the casinos on Boulder Highway – not to mention a fun piece of live Nevada history – this patch was the first casino to spread out on Boulder Highway , and was often credited as one of the first to target topical anesthetic . The property opened in 1979 with a state & western subject and dancing hall that was a freehanded hit due to the 1980 release ofUrban Cowboy , and the infinite has expanded dramatically over the years . end by to check out Mystic Falls , an indoor park that include a waterfall , trees , and a laser lighter show five times a day , and jive by The Angry Butcher , a new steakhouse that features a 4 - 6pm glad hour exceptional including prime rib free fall sliders for $ 9 and house - made clavus dogs for $ 8 . And in case you were wondering , yes , " Sam ’s Town " by The Killers was named after this joint – the casino will host the record album ’s 10th anniversary celebration this year .

Aztec Inn

enshroud in the vestige of the neighboring Stratosphere tower , this petite gambling casino has been around since 1957 as a motel under a number of different names , including the Sunshine . It was dub the Aztec Inn when gambling was added in 1991 , though there ’s been some trouble along the way : at one point , the Stratosphere tried to seize the parking pile in the name of eminent domain , and in 2000,a car crashed into the edifice , destroying the casino and tossing slot motorcar and coin across the floor . No one was seriously harm , however , and the gambling casino was back open within months . The most remarkable view of the Aztec Inn is that you could book a furnished studio flat for 28 days for a mere $ 400 ( and a $ 200 deposit ) , utility and canonical cable include … although we ’re not certain when the carpeting was last changed .

Hoover Dam Lodge

This property – which features a gorgeous view overlooking Lake Mead – was originally a mining parcel that was somehow overlooked when the Union authorities go in to develop the Lake Mead Recreational Area and Hoover Dam . The state was know as Sullivan ’s Gulch , and eventually became the Gold Strike Inn , the casino porta in 1958 . At one point in time , the space was renamed Fort Lucinda , and had a frontier ghostwriter town theme , before the Gold Strike name made its counter . The resort was destroyed by a fire in 1998 , reopened as the Hacienda , and made a return just last year as the Hoover Dam Lodge , due to being just a few miles away from you - know - where . The first casino you ’ll come across after crossing the border from Arizona on US 93 , this spot ’s deserving a point if you have a Nevada ID or driver ’s permission . you’re able to enjoy a discount at the nearby Bootleg Canyon zipline attraction .

Terrible’s Road House

Bud , Coors Light , and select shots are just a $ 1 at this witching spot that ’s been open since 1979 – although its age is less apparent than you ’d think , thanks to its raw carpet and wallpaper . This cozy home , which features a key hearth ( ? ! ) , makes for a serious stone pit stop if you ’re aim by on US 95 between Las Vegas and Laughlin or Lake Havasu . Long known as the Searchlight Nugget , the property was sold last year to JETT Gaming , and remodeled as Terrible ’s Road House . The former owner , Verlie Doing , who was a prominent figure in Searchlight , died about six months after the sales agreement .

Whiskey Pete’s

This cassino opened in the previous ' 70s , but the legend of Whiskey Pete goes back to the early part of the C . Whiskey Pete was allegedly a petrol station owner who obtain into the bootlegging business enterprise , and whose tomb was accidentally , hem , discovered while a bridgework was being built on the property . Where he ’s eat up now is anyone ’s guess , but his namesake cassino is near the California state furrow , which means this smirch is your last chance for Nevada gas prices ( and Starbucks ) before heading into California . If you hybridize over to the other side of Interstate 15 , you ’ll find the Lotto Store , which at literal steps from the state line is the close billet for people in Las Vegas to buy lottery ticket like Powerball ( illegal in Nevada ) . you’re able to check out the slug - riddled motorcar in which Bonnie & Clyde were killed in the lobby ( morbid but worth a facial expression ) , and it ’s worth booking a room here if you ’re seeing a show at the nearby Star of the Desert Arena .

Poker Palace

This casino first opened in 1974 as Bunny ’s Bar , draw servicing member from Nellis Air Force Base , and expanded under the Poker Palace moniker after espouse a castle theme . This cassino really is pitch rigorously towards locals – there ’s even a gratis bingo session for habitue on Tuesdays and Saturdays at 9 am . If you ’re visiting Vegas and want a cassino that resembles a king ’s residence , there ’s a little place called the Excalibur that you may favour .

Silver Nugget

This keepsake from the old day of Las Vegas has managed to bind around in part due to its reputation as a low - split locating for packing , concert , and other events . It has its own 24 - lane bowling alley , useable at the super reasonable charge per unit of $ 1 per game . Plus , one of the regular specials at its Hometown Kitchen is $ 5 all - you - can - eat Zea mays everta shrimp and fries . However , in recent months , two people were shot and killedin the parking lot and one of their own security guards beat another employee to death before getting shot by police , so we ’d advocate you probably beat back past this one for now … unless you really , really love popcorn shrimp . Like , really lie with them .

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Terrible’s Road House