You’re hungry, but the blackjack table beckons.
Do you brave the line at the casino buffet, try to snag a table at the steakhouse or make a bee-line for the 24-hour cafe?
While all delicious options, maybe the answer is “none of the above.”
As San Diego-area casinos continue to elevate their dining game with innovative, seasonal sit-down restaurants and Instagram-worthy buffet dishes, they’ve also made getting a quick bite a delicious sure bet.
Cafes serve gourmet wraps, snack bars offer crisp Caesar salads to-go and specialty carts have everything from tasty bánh mì sandwiches to genuine street tacos, homemade albondigas soup and juicy ballpark-style franks.
Gone are the days when the only thing you could find to eat fast was a bag of chips. At most casinos’ grab-and-go counters today, you’re also likely to find fresh fruit, yogurt parfaits, smoothies, made-to-order pizza and hand-crafted sandwiches.
So whether you’re looking to get a quick snack before a concert or want something to-go so you can play the day away at your favorite machine, here is an overview of what local casinos are offering.
Barona Resort & Casino
Quick eats: The recently expanded Barona Coffee Company, now located in the new, non-smoking Welcome Home area, brews up much more than coffee. But you don’t have to take our word for it — just follow your nose. Barona’s cinnamon and gooey maple pecan buns are made fresh all day and that fresh-baked scent is what’s really welcoming. There’s also a wide array of sandwiches, healthy snacks and a full range of baked goods. Next door is the new Homemade Soup stand, serving six rotating varieties, including albondigas, lobster bisque, chicken tortilla and pho, that can also purchased in larger containers to take home. A bánh mì cart offers different versions of the popular Vietnamese baguette sandwich, while the new Creamery puts a deliciously nostalgic twist on ice cream shop classics, like soft serve and sundaes. Rounding out the quick options are the Ho Wan Noodle Shop, a hot dog cart, Feisty Kate’s Burgers & Malts, Three Amigos for street tacos and The Pizza Place.
Quick tip: Barona likes to say its biggest restaurant is the casino floor and players can enjoy 24-hour gameside dining on everything from steak dinners to eggs and bacon without ever leaving their seats. Diamond, Platinum and Gold Club can also order off the free Fun Bites menu (chicken tenders, grilled cheese and more).
Golden Acorn Casino
Quick eats: Everything’s to-go at this trucker-friendly casino’s vast Travel Center. Along with rows of automotive necessities, souvenirs, camping gear and sundries, the 3,000-square-foot, 24/7 quick mart sells cookies, chips, candy, healthy snacks, cereal, sandwiches, dairy items, fruit, frozen treats and refrigerated beverages — including juices, protein shakes and energy drinks. Inside the casino, the Del Oro Deli counter has fresh pizza, hot dogs, sandwiches and more.
Quick tip: Golden Acorn is rightly famous for its signature $7.77 prime rib at The Golden Grill sit-down restaurant. But if you’re with a group primed to hit the slots — or just super hungry — order the six-pound Glory Burger to go. It won’t fit in one, normal-sized food container, so ask them to divide it up for you.
Jamul Casino
Quick eats: In need of a sugar rush? The Coffee Shop has tempting homemade doughnuts. muffins, brownies, blondies, cinnamon rolls, sticky buns, Danish pastries, coffee cake, bear claws, fritters, cheesecake, croissants, cookies, chips, candy bars and more. On the more substantial front, there are also ready-to-go chicken Caesar salads and turkey, ham or roast beef sandwiches, Starbucks coffee drinks and fresh fruit. You can also get a quick bite or take-out from the nearby food court, which features such local favorites as Pizza Port (for slices and pies, wings, mozzarella sticks, mac and cheese bites), Ruby’s Dinette (burgers, fries, grilled sandwiches, hot dogs, breakfast sandwiches, shakes, soft serve, 24/7) and Tres Taqueria (burritos, bowls, street tacos, nachos, quesadillas and “TJ Dogs”).
Quick tip: Emerald Chinese Cuisine is a top-notch sit-down restaurant, but all of its dishes can be ordered to go. Chinese specialties span Szechuan, Mandarin and Cantonese cuisines, and Pan-Asian choices include Vietnamese pho, pad Thai, and Filipino pancit and lumpia. The menu also features several vegetarian selections.
Harrah’s Resort Southern California
Quick eats: Multiple major national chains come to the rescue of the hungry gambler-on-the-go at Harrah’s Resort SoCal. A full Starbucks store has an extensive array of grab-and-go items, from protein snack packs to ready-made sandwiches and yogurt parfaits. The Earl of Sandwich — named for the British seafaring statesman and noted gambler — offers 12 varieties of easy-to-eat-with-one-hand hot sandwiches, including The Original 1762 (roast beef, cheddar and horseradish sauce), chipotle chicken avocado and caprese. The menu also has wraps, stuffed baked potatoes, salads and sweet treats. Smashburger features its signature burgers along with the exclusive Harrah’s Resort SoCal Funner burger, with peanut butter, banana and bacon. There are also grilled chicken sandwiches, fresh salads and rosemary and garlic fries, sweet potato fries, tots and boozy shakes. The juice, smoothie and veggie drink stand Robeks offers healthy, liquid options.
Quick tip: ’Ritas Cantina operates an actual taco truck right off the Harrah’s Resort SoCal hotel lobby. Among the street tacos is a flavorful Baja shrimp taco, with tequila-marinated shrimp. The menu includes burritos, breakfast burritos, nachos, chips, candy bars, fruit cups, yogurt and churros.
Pala Casino Spa & Resort
Quick eats: There are a lot of reasons to love Pala’s Coffee Amoré — how about more than 30 kinds of cakes, pastries, cookies, tarts, muffins and more? Or 14 types of sandwiches, eight flavors of ice cream, five breakfast options, three salads, fountain drinks, and about two dozen hot and cold coffee concoctions? Open 24/7, Coffee Amoré is strategically located at the crossroads of the hotel lobby, the casino and the entryway to the pool and spa area, making it convenient to wherever you’re headed. And as the primary eatery aimed at the customer in-a-hurry, the menu has several grab-and-go choices, including roast turkey on house-made focaccia bread, chicken salad on a croissant and veggie wraps. Hot-off-the-grill panini sandwiches come with french fries, onion rings, coleslaw or fresh fruit.
Quick tip: The newly expanded Noodles Asian restaurant now has a takeout counter and more wok stations for faster service. Featuring Chinese, Vietnamese, Thai, Korean and Japanese dishes, Noodles is open until 2 a.m. Sunday through Friday and until 4 a.m Saturdays.
Casino Pauma
Quick eats: At Casino Pauma’s Deli & Pizzeria, you can order a salad, wings, nachos, a sandwich or a hot dog. But savvy customers know that at this casual 24/7 spot right on the casino floor, it’s all about the pizza. Hand-made, hot-from-the-oven and served personal-sized, the pizzas come in a dozen varieties — cheese, pepperoni, deluxe, sausage, double sausage, vegetarian, barbecue chicken, Hawaiian, spicy Sriracha, garlic chicken and the “Jackpot” pizza (pepperoni, sausage, onions, sun-dried tomatoes, peppers, mushrooms and black olives). The pizzas are so popular, in fact, non-players have been known to stop in just for that.
Quick tip: We’re a sucker for a chewy, salty, homemade pretzel, and we were excited to see them at the Deli & Pizzeria. Get one to-go with mustard or break all the rules and order it nacho style (with jalapeños and cheese) or as a unique dessert (with sweet cream cheese).
Pechanga Resort & Casino
Quick eats: The largest casino resort on the West Coast also has a hefty-sized selection of quick bites. Start off at the Temptations Food Court, which has nine different food concepts. In addition to freshly baked pastries and fruit smoothies, the 24/7 Caffé Cocoa serves a variety of homemade sorbets. Crowd favorite Pechanga Fried Chicken offers Southern comfort in the form of crispy, seasoned fried chicken, creamy mac ’n’ cheese, mashed potatoes and corn on the cob. For those who handle a hand full, Pronto Italiano sells giant, cheesy 24-inch pizza pies for carryout, as well as by the slice, along with spaghetti, meatballs, calzones and other specialties. Agave is the place for Mexican fare, including spicy fajitas, burritos and chips and homemade salsa. Find burgers, hot dogs, fries, cobb salads and other American classics at — where else? — American Classics. Finally, Temptations has Chinese cuisine at Little Wok, a mini-doughnut station, a Vietnamese bánh mì cart, and a Dippin’ Dots location. If you’re not tempted by anything at the food court — maybe you’re being too picky? — a wide grab-and-go selection can be found at the coffee shop Blends; pastries, breakfast sandwiches, smoothies, fresh fruit, salads, sandwiches and soups are all on the menu. And in the Pechanga poker and bingo rooms, players can choose from a full menu and bar right there, without ever leaving the area.
Quick tip: Bamboo, one of Pechanga’s three Asian restaurants, has a walk-up window where you can order your Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean or Japanese dish to go. And you won’t have to wait there until it’s ready — they’ll give you a pick-up time.
Sycuan Casino
Quick eats: When it comes to eating on the run, Sycuan seems pretty in sync to players’ needs. “Come for a fast and satisfying meal without wasting your precious gaming time,” the casino’s website description of the Sunset Deli and Double Down Grill reads. Surrounded by slots, the Sunset Deli has 12 different sandwiches, like roast beef and cheddar on ciabatta and a California chicken hoagie, plus wraps, personal pizzas, hot dogs, soup, chili, doughnuts, cheesecakes and pastries. The 24/7 Double Down Grill, located near the bingo room, has a varied menu of burgers, sandwiches, salads, soups, desserts, candy, chips and finger-friendly foods (chicken tenders, rolled tacos, jalapeño poppers).
Quick tip: Gamblers can be creatures of habit, playing at the same machine or sitting at the same seat at the card table. But that doesn’t mean they want to get stuck in a food rut. For them, there’s the monthly featured menu at Double Down, with ever-changing specials like the recent Baja fish tacos and gyro sandwich.
Valley View Casino & Hotel
Quick eats: The name says it all — Snax. Valley View’s 24-hour snack bar serves everything from breakfast croissant sandwiches and fruit and yogurt parfaits to chili dogs, hand-tossed pizza, nachos, salads, tacos, soup, chicken tenders, classic hoagie-style sandwiches (meatball parm, chicken parm, Philly cheese steak, Italian sub, prime rib cheddar dip), as well as brownies, cookies and fresh pretzels. At the fast-casual Stix Asian noodle bar, the menu includes sushi, soup, ramen and rice bowls, pho, black pepper Asian beef with stir-fried Chinese vegetables, seafood noodles and green papaya chicken salad.
Quick tip: Sweets is a gourmet coffee bar that offers such grab-and-go items as sandwiches and salads. But it’s the sweets that are the real draw. Valley View’s in-house bakers — the people behind The Buffet’s delectable, 100-foot-long dessert bar — also whip up the pastries, cakes, cookies and more sold here.
Viejas Casino & Resort
Quick eats: The stylish, new Daily Roast Coffee House, located off the casino floor near the walkway to the Willows Hotel & Spa, is an upscale option for grab-and-go sustenance. Sandwiches include a turkey and Swiss croissant with cranberry aioli and an Italian grinder. Prepared salads, protein packs (hard-boiled eggs, humus), cheese and fruit plates, veggies, and Caesars are made in-house, as are the pastries in the display case — fruit tarts, muffins, pound cakes, croissants and more. The Lobby Coffee Bar serves a variety of quick bites to go and the hot dog cart, near the entrance to the parking garage, is a popular stop.
Quick tip: One of the more innovative and convenient ways to get a quick meal is to buy a Buffet-to-go box. For $18 during the week (until 3 p.m. only on Wednesdays, not available for dinner on Lobster Wednesday) and $25 Fridays through Sundays, you can choose from hundreds of options, including the meat carving, seafood, dessert and specialty stations.