After the recent episode with my mother (a mild heart attack, followed by three weeks of rehab), my wife and I decided we’d get away for the evening and travel 37 miles south to a small town in Nevada called Mesquite (about an hour and a half north of Las Vegas). There are four hotel/casino resorts in town, and we thought we’d go to the Eureka, a smaller place we hadn’t been to in over 5 years.
5 years ago the casino was small, the hotel was the best in town, and the buffet was barely passable by Nevada standards. However, last night we received a slap upside the head that pretty much assured we’ll never return to the Eureka.
We pulled in about 5:45 PM and walked inside, very hungry since neither of us had time for lunch. So we were looking forward to a pleasant dinner. We sauntered over to the buffet line and told the hostess “2 for the buffet, please.”
“I’m sorry, Sir, we just closed our 5:30 seating. Our next seating is at 8:30. Can I put you on the list for the next seating?”
What the holy hell? Seating times for a Nevada casino buffet? And at a tiny place known for…well, hell, I can’t think of anything the Eureka is known for!
So fuck off, Eureka. Yes, you of the seating times in your freakin’ buffet. You just lost a potential new customer with your pretentious upper-class shit you pulled on two hungry area residents.
We ended up at the Virgin River Hotel and Casino across the street and enjoyed their Prime Rib special - highly recommended, if you’re in the area. Great Lemon Pie, as well!
What the hell is with a seating time for a casino buffet? Do they think it’s a cruise ship with the passengers held captive and the seating limited. Does everybody get seated for a couple hours and herded out, then the next load ushered in? What a pretencious fucked up establishment.
The management are morons. Shit, most people go to casinos to gamble, and If you all were there to gamble a bit, you would likely have given the casino way more money than you would have spent dining. Now you went down the street to give your money to another joint.
Yes, I know it’s very possible to walk out ahead of the house, but overall they win.
That said, if you were just there to eat, that’s still fucked up.
After dinner we put $40 on the line and walked away with $65.
Our dinner was $30 plus tip, so overall we spent $11.00 for a great dinner. The waiter did an incredible job and the restaurant at the Virgin River is more than passable. Not gourmet, just good overall basic menu stuff.
I may not be a high roller, but I’m a decent tipper.
I was married to a waitress in a past life, so I’ve seen firsthand how little wait staff makes. It would take a terrible experience in a restaurant for me to not leave at least 15%.
From the thread title I was thought you were talking about this place but wasn’t aware they even had a buffet …
… Thought maybe I’d missed something - and you can see everything in that town in about 6* minutes.
Lucy
*[Okay, that’s not exactly true. There really is a lot of interesting and historical stuff to see in and around Eureka (especially now that the Ruby Hill Mine is back up to full operation). My wife and I enjoy driving down there and exploring the area as well as all the ghost towns quite frequently.]
The Opera House is worth checking out. There’s that wonderful 1924 Oleo curtain, and I think it’s cool that all the performers sign their names on the wall backstage.
Ah yes, the oleo curtain that separated Wisconsin from Illinois. You had to go through Checkpoint Chloresterol to escape. Reagan ultimately won the war by increasing the dairy subsidy and the oleo bloc was broken up into spreadable and non-spreadable margarine.
5 years ago? I’ve been going to Mesquite for almost 10 years, and the Eureka (formerly the Rancho Mesquite) was always a shithole! Certainly when compared to the Oasis, Casablanca, and even the Virgin River!
Never heard of buffet seating times, though, and I go to Mesquite fairly often. Thanks for the tip, Rico .
