The 9 Best Restaurants and Casinos in Reno (2024)
Want to know all the best restaurants and casinos in Reno? We’ve got you covered with everything you need to know!
Best Restaurants and Casinos in Reno
This past Summer we took a last minute week-long getaway to Reno, Nevada for the first time ever!
We had been wanting to visit Lake Tahoe all Summer, but the timing just didn’t work out.
With the ongoing wildfires all season, Reno was the next best option, so we decided to check it out!
We were working remotely throughout the week, so we mostly only went out in the evenings for dinner and to check out the casinos.
This is what we found!
1. Atlantis Casino Resort & Spa – Reno
First up we have the Atlantis Casino.
This is a stand-alone property, so it’s not connected to anything else like some of the others we’ll be mentioning later.
We came here for dinner one night after our day trip out to Virginia City.
While waiting for our reservation, we played some of the slot machines nearby to kill time.
This paid off because we won enough money to pay for our dinner!
2. Sky Terrace Oyster & Sushi Bar
For dinner at Atlantis, we chose the Sky Terrace Oyster & Sushi Bar which overlooks the city.
We didn’t want anything too heavy since we had a bigger lunch.
So as our appetizer, we tried the Lobster Bisque and the Clam Chowder.
For my meal, I had the New England Lobster Roll and JP had the Cioppino Mediterranean.
This meal had shrimp, scallops, mussels, and fresh fish filet sauteed in extra virgin olive oil and garlic, then simmered in a zesty wine and tomato sauce!
3. Peppermill Resort Spa Casino
I may be biased, but I would have to say this is a must-visit casino in Reno if you’re into gambling – especially the slot machines!
One night after dinner I saw a set of machines that had a big advertisement saying it was guaranteed to have some big payout by a certain date that was only 1 or 2 days away.
So there were maybe 10 or so machines and they were full most of the time.
Eventually I got a spot and started playing.
I put in about $200 and within just a few minutes I got this payout in the picture below!
I decided to cash out and go home after that.
4. Biscotti’s
When you’re visiting Peppermill Casino, the best restaurant to try is Biscotti’s.
Their menu has a lot of comfort foods, which is right up our alley.
I opted for the Waffled Brioche Grilled Cheese and Tomato Bisque, while JP tried the Prime Rib Sliders.
Both of our meals had unique ingredients that made them stand out.
My grilled cheese was made with Havarti and Muenster cheese and JP’s sliders were on Hawaiian buns, with crispy fried onions, au jus, and creamed horseradish!
5. Chi
On another night we decided to go back to the Peppermill Casino, so we tried another restaurant.
This Chinese restaurant was very nice and had so many good menu options.
We ended up ordering a ton and taking home leftovers to eat at our hotel during the day while we were working.
For drinks, we shared a glass of red wine and we had some hot tea.
As our appetizer, we had Pan Fried Pot Stickers.
For our entrees, we shared a Roasted Pork Fried Rice and Stir Fried Rice Noodle with Beef.
But let’s talk about the dessert.
You know how I said just the week before this trip that I had the best dessert of my life in San Jose at Ozumo Santana Row?
Well this dessert is a VERY close second – Chocolate Ginger Lava Cake!
This is a regular chocolate lava cake, topped with Green Tea Gelato, Whipped Cream, and Powdered Sugar.
6. Circus Circus Reno Hotel & Casino
We didn’t eat any meals here, but we roamed around for a bit to check it out.
There’s a few cool things that I want to point out about Circus Circus.
First of all, there’s a pretty large arcade with games for all ages and they also have a casino below.
But what I love about this place is that it is connected to 2 other casinos.
So you can park 1 time and visit 3 properties without ever having to step foot outside.
Just like some of the Vegas properties that are all attached to each other.
This area is known as “The Row”.
It is made up of Circus Circus, Eldorado, and Silver Legacy.
It’s part of Caesar’s Rewards, so if you signed up for a Caesar’s account in Vegas, all those points and rewards and perks are good at all of these properties too!
7. Eldorado Resort Casino
Eldorado is the second casino connected as part of “The Row” in Reno.
We visited here a couple of times for dinner and the slot machines.
One night while waiting for our dinner reservation, I found this giant Chinese lantern themed slot machine and I played on it for hours!
It’s one of those games where they give you big wins and a bunch of small wins along the way to keep you hooked.
I didn’t lose any money, so it was basically free entertainment for the night!
8. Ichiban Japanese Steakhouse
Ichiban Japanese Steakhouse has been voted “Best Japanese in Northern Nevada” and if you’re a local, you get FREE dinner on your birthday!
We were craving all of these foods, so one day we just decided to book a late reservation (since it’s practically always booked up) and hang out in the casino while we waited.
This is your typical Japanese Steakhouse that brings out all your food in courses and cooks the main courses on the grill in front of you.
The downside of it being just the 2 of us is that we end up having to eat with either another large group or with a bunch of other couples.
None of these options are high on my list, but it was worth it for the food.
All dinners include Miso Soup and Sunomono Salad to start.
You also get to choose Sauteed Shrimp or Sauteed Calamari as an additional appetizer. We both opted for Sauteed Shrimp.
From there, everyone also gets steamed rice, or fried rice for an upcharge, which we gladly paid. You also get a side of veggies.
If you choose the “combination dinner” you get to choose any 2 meats like Teriyaki Chicken, Salmon, Shrimp, Filet Mignon, Ahi Tuna, Scallops, or Lobster.
“Signature dinners” include all of the above options, except you’re getting any 3 or 4 of the meats above.
We both went with the Filet Mignon and Teriyaki Chicken combination dinners since Shrimp was already included as an appetizer.
Then of course for dessert everyone gets a large scoop of ice cream!
I forget what the 2 flavor options were, but we each chose one so that we could share and try both.
We had lots of leftovers to take back with us to eat at our hotel for lunch while we were working the next day.
9. The Brew Brothers
Last but not least! This was actually the first meal we had in Reno.
We got to The Row right in the middle of a dinner rush and it might have even been a weekend night too.
We were driving in from San Jose, so there’s not much we could’ve done about this circumstance.
But anyway, The Brew Brothers is one of the more casual dining options, so we were able to get in after a short wait.
We started our meal with some Garlic Parmesan Chicken Tenders.
For dinner, JP had a Po’ Boy Sandwich.
I ordered the Mac & Cheese, which is listed as only having shell pasta, housemade cheddar cheese sauce, crisp bacon, and caramelized onions, but it was way too spicy for me.
So we took it home for JP to eat for lunch the next day.
My guess is the housemade cheddar cheese has some spice added to it.
Side Note:
This has actually become one of my biggest pet peeves.
Growing up in Ohio and Florida it was rare to come across this issue, but it is quite common all over California and a few other areas.
If a restaurant lists the ingredients of a dish, I’m going to assume those are ALL of the ingredients in that dish.
But in California, they very rarely disclose when something is made with cilantro or if a sauce is spicy.
I’ll read a list of 20 ingredients for a dish and there is no mention of cilantro, then I’ll get my order and it’s covered in cilantro.
And it’s on dishes you would never even think to put cilantro on!
So anyway, now I have to ask about every. single. meal. I order if there is anything spicy or if there is any cilantro because the menu does not always give an accurate description of what the meal is.
This was also during a time where I was having constant dry heaving from acid reflux that we couldn’t fix.
So I was on medication and specifically told not to eat anything spicy, which I never do anyway.
I feel like that is important to this story because it wasn’t just that I prefer foods that aren’t spicy, it’s that spicy foods were contributing to an ongoing medical issue we couldn’t get under control.
But anyway, since I couldn’t eat my mac & cheese, I ordered some chocolate cake for dessert and all was well.
Where to Stay in Reno
It’s easy enough to stay at any of the above casinos when you visit Reno, but consider more bang for your buck at a timeshare!
Contrary to popular belief, many timeshares can be booked by the public on sites like Hotels.com.
When you’re done exploring all the best restaurants and casinos in Reno, here is where you should stay.
✅ Thunderbird Resort Club
We stayed in a 2 bedroom unit at the Thunderbird Resort Club just outside of the city.
It was a multi-level unit that was more like a townhouse than anything else and it was perfect for us.
👉 Click Here To Book Your Stay At Thunderbird Resort Club Today!
More Fun Things To Do Near Reno
Reno is more than just casinos. There are many great places nearby that make fun day trips.
After you’ve explored all the best restaurants and casinos in Reno, here are some more fun activities to check out.
☑️ Lassen Volcanic National Park Day Trip
We knew we would want to take a day trip out to Lassen Volcanic National Park, but we had to keep an eye on the wildfires and road closures to make it happen.
Surprisingly enough, we drove through smoke most of the way there, but because of the direction of the wind, the park itself was completely clear and we had a perfect day!
☑️ 1 Hour Distillery Tour and Tasting Flight Experience in Reno
This tour is very popular in Reno.
Ferino Distillery has been named one of the Top 10 distilleries in the US, so you know your tour and tasting flight will be so good!
👉 Click Here To Book Your 1 Hour Distillery Tour and Tasting Flight Today!
☑️ Virginia City Day Trip
The nearby old Western mining town of Virginia City had clear skies when we visited, so the wind must have changed direction on that particular day.
This historically preserved town is so cool. There are some great antique malls and a variety of fun activities for everybody.
Conclusion: The Best Restaurants and Casinos in Reno
Reno is such a fun city and it’s in an area where there are really neat things to do nearby that you can’t do anywhere else.
Dining at the best restaurants and casinos in Reno help make your visit the best it can be!
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