The One Where We Assumed Seen One Downtown Casino, Seen Them All

Where: 200 N. Main Street [map], 89101

1850s chandeliers from the San Francisco Opera House hang over the Garden Court Buffet. Which has an actual garden court.

While we like to tell you what to do and not do in Vegas, that doesn't mean we don't mess up every now and then. It's true. VegasChatter makes Vegas Mistakes, just like everyone else! In this telling tale we remind ourselves not to make assumptions, lest we might never see some can�t miss Vegas.

Last week reader Heids alerted us that downtown�s Main Street Station Casino Brewery Hotel provides some great Video Poker action. We�d admittedly never stepped into Main Street as its location across the street seemingly far away from the lights of Fremont had previously prevented us from visiting even just once for kicks. And twas finally not the video poker that finally lured us in but rumor of an unlimited champagne brunch on weekends for only $10.99.

We set our expectations to low, hoping to get drunk on free flowing champagne and throw down a few forkfuls of runny eggs. What we found was quite different. Main Street�s Casino and hotel lobby are surprisingly ornate, picturesque, and well worth the visit. Stop at the front desk for a detailed brochure and map of artifacts, antiques, and artworks displayed throughout the casino, all in amazingly beautiful condition.

Main Street houses Buffalo Bill�s private rail car, 1870 street lamps from Brussels, Victorian stained glass, mahogany woodwork, 1800-era chandeliers, and more. The Pi�ce de r�sistance: a large graffiti covered portion of the Berlin wall installed as the backsplash in the men�s restroom. Yes, you too can miss and piss on a piece of German history.

The brunch serves the usual buffet quality fare of breakfast, bbq, action stations, Mexican, Pacific Rim and more Saturdays and Sundays 7am-3pm. We highly recommend requesting Claudia�s section. A 14 year employee at Main Street, she captivated us with not only with fantastic service but tales of the casino�s history, including a possible haunting of the women�s bathroom (it was Halloween and all) and memories of the Berlin wall before it became a pissing post. She even politely alerted us when we were failing to keep up glass for glass with a nearby table.

The $11 all you can eat and drink got us in, but Claudia, the hotel�s elegant atmosphere and rich history will get us to go back. Ok, the champagne and cinnamon buns are still a big factor too. Main Street, you may very well have just become our favorite downtown casino. If you venture in, bring our favorite waitress some peanut butter cups and tell her we sent you.

Comments (6)

Return to » The One Where We Assumed Seen One Downtown Casino, Seen Them All

My only experience with the Main Street Casino was at the brewery. I don't know what magical Happy Hour we arrived for, but the pints were cheap and tasted great. This was a few year back, though, so I don't know what the prices are now. I sadly don't give Downtown a whole lot of love, if any at all. For this deal, though, I just might go back to Main Street.

Yay! Glad you liked MSS! It is a beautiful casino. There's a lot of history Downtown, and some gems to be found amongst the rough.

I probably bore my long suffering other half when we go together, with my rolling commentary of odd factoids about Downtown, but for me it's part of the overall experience.

Best moment of history Downtown for me was getting to play a little poker at the same table as Jackie Gaughn - he was probably shocked a Brit girlie knew who he was.

Golden Gate is the place where it all started, that's a super cute little place, worthy of a little attention :)

Main Street's buffet is great. It usually takes some serious arm-twisting to convince someone to venture over there. I enjoy that the place almost never has a line. When there is one, it is much more tolerable than anywhere else. Also, during the week the buffet is even cheaper!

My only complaint is the weak salad bar. Wait, who complains about the salad bar at a $10 buffet?

The Berlin Wall is pretty cool. More than once, I have held the door open for brave women who wanted a glimpse or a photo of the wall.

Another cool thing is in the skybridge between Main Street and California. There is a Wall of Fame with plaques memorializing the best craps players in the casino's history. The plaques say how many points and minutes the shooter rolled the dice.

I stumbled upon this wall of fame area while trying to find a restroom that wasn't all the way over there on the other side of the casino and it's gonna take me forever to find my way there and back so I'll just walk up this staircase instead (note: alcohol may have played a factor).

The last time I was at Main Street station my car exploded in the parking lot, but I was ok because there was a steel plate under the driver's seat of my caddy. Maybe next time I will use the valet parking.

I didn't give downtown a lot of love at first. I visited once and then didn't go back for a long time. But it's definitely grown on me - it's a nice change from the Strip once in awhile.

Golden Gate is actually one of my other favorite spots. It's pretty tiny but for some reason I just like the atmosphere.

I saw the Craps wall of fame too - gives me something to shoot for by just holdin' the dice!

Steel plate under the drivers seat of your caddy and you survived? They should make a movie about that...

It might be a bit worn around an edge or two, but it's a great place to go for cheap eats, is a bit nicer than most of the Fremont Street casinos, and we always end up gambling there every time we're in town.

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