Ellis Island Casino Beer
Ellis Island Hotel and Casino is small by Las Vegas standards with just over 300 hotel rooms and a mere 10,000 square feet devoted to gaming. Although small in stature, Ellis has been able to successfully lure tourists away from the Strip via their differentiated offerings and strong value proposition for years. Even if you aren’t a big gambler, there are plenty of things to do at Ellis Island. We’ll detail some of our favorite activities below.
Since pouring our first ice-cold glass of beer in 1998, the Ellis Island Brewery has risen to become the #1 brewery in all of Nevada, not to mention being awarded the “Best of Las Vegas” by the Las Vegas Review Journal in 2015 and 2016. Ellis Island Casino & Brewery, Las Vegas: Hours, Address, Ellis Island Casino & Brewery Reviews: 4/5. Played a game a craps and had some great beer, we.
Where is Ellis Island? For those unfamiliar, Ellis Island is located right behind Bally’s just a few blocks off the Las Vegas Strip. Simply exit Bally’s and walk away from the Strip on E. Flamingo, then hang a right on Koval and you are there.
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Karaoke Nightly: Whether you intend to sing or not, the show is worth a trip. Running weeknights from 9 pm-3 am, the performances are extended until 4 am on the weekends. With a catalog comprised of over 10k songs, you’re sure to hear something you like.
Cheap, Quality, Eats: One of our favorite things to do at Ellis Island is stopping in for inexpensive, filling meals. Our go-to at breakfast is the $6.99 steak and eggs special and at dinner, we opt for the$13.99 NY Strip Steak and Fried Shrimp. No, it’s not a top tier steakhouse, but if thriftiness is your goal you’ll appreciate the quality offered for the price.
Ellis also offers a cheap, and pretty good shrimp cocktail for $4.99. Tough to beat that price on the Strip!
Grab an Inexpensive Craft Beer: While you’ll pay upwards of $7 at the casino bar for a bottled domestic on the Strip, Ellis’ 20oz craft brews can be had for a measly $2.50 (as long as you have a players card).
Check out a free Elvis Show: Gary Benson, who doubles as a blackjack dealer at Ellis performs as Elvis on Saturday and Sunday nights at 5 pm in the Karaoke lounge.
Watch the Big Game in the Front Yard: An indoor, temperature-controlled beer hall with an outdoor feel. Ellis Island’s front yard is the perfect place to settle in and enjoy the game you just wagered on while sipping craft beer. With an abundance of TVs, one of which boasts an 18-foot screen, there isn’t a bad seat in the house. In addition to sporting events, Ellis’ Front Yard also hosts other forms of live entertainment weekly.
The Front Yard also offers bar top video poker and a venue specific stadium food menu.
Enjoy Cheap, Player Friendly Gambling: In addition to over 300 slot games, Ellis offers table games with low minimum bets. Our go-to is their $5 blackjack that pays 3:2, dealt 24 hours a day. Not only will $5 tables elude you on the Strip, but most $10-$15 blackjack games have also already converted to 6:5. If you want to grind a cheap table without getting ripped off, check out Ellis.
For a hotel and casino with a small footprint, Ellis Island offers plenty of things to do outside of gaming. Stop in for cheap food and drink, karaoke, and player friendly gaming close to the Strip.
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No CommentsLas Vegas is synonymous with excess. Strolling around the Bellagio or trendy new Cosmopolitan, it is all too common to see a Chinese businessman with stacks of strangely colored chips at the baccarat table, or a hip-hop star and their entourage with an endless stream of overpriced bottles of vodka and champagne in the VIP area of an equally overpriced club. This is one of the attractions of Vegas. This and the scantily clad waitstaff, ready to bring a seemingly never-ending supply of drinks for as long as you’re willing to keep gambling.
Las Vegas has another side too, not the seedy strip clubs northwest of the strip, and not the revitalized Fremont Street, but the off-the-strip “locals” casinos. These casinos cater to those who grew weary of the bright lights, large crowds, and high prices of Las Vegas Boulevard. Locals casinos tend to feature $3 blackjacks and craps, and offer an atmosphere that is a bit more modest than the big name super-resorts on the strip.
This is a beer blog though, so why are we talking about casinos? Ellis Island, thats why. This off-the-strip casino is located just 1 block off the strip, behind the Paris and Harrah’s. Not only is Ellis Island a great no-frills casino, it has a fantastic brewery to match.
When I first heard about Ellis Island, I assumed it was a new restaurant or themed area in the New York-New York. It is not. In fact, it’s an entirely separate casino. The main attractions at EI are cheap tables, excellent, inexpensive BBQ, and beer. EI has its own on-site brewery with a brew list that includes a Light, Amber, Stout, IPA, Lager, Wheat, and Root Beer, and all at rock bottom prices. I paid anywhere from $0 to $2 for a 20 oz beer (their price scale seems to slide, depending on which bartender you go to, your tipping history, and whether or not you’re playing the video poker machines at the bar), and it’s solid beer. I wasn’t at all surprised to see multiple awards on the wall of the brew room.
IPA
Ellis Island’s IPA is a wonderful, balanced beer. It aims for, and hits somewhere, between an English and American IPA, neither aggressively hopped, or cloyingly malty. This is a no-gimmick, well-balanced 5.5%-6% ABV IPA. Overall, my initial impression is that this is not a beer meant to “hot dog” around with the style. It is very drinkable, has an excellent, creamy mouth feel, and has a solid, amber malty backbone kept well in check with a medium hop aroma and bite.
Stout
Ellis Island Casino Beer Prices
The stout has a great, roasty character and light body. There are a lot of dark, toasty notes on the nose and in the flavor. Again, spot on to style. I’d have liked this even more if it was served on Nitro, but it still hit the spot on draft. And it paired perfectly with a rack of ribs (which come in at a bargain $14 when you join the players club).
Ellis Island Casino Brewery
Overall
Ellis Island Casino Las Vegas Beer Menu
Ellis Island is a fantastic place to check out if you’re in Vegas and are in the mood for something different. In a city that is all but devoid of decent beer (at least near the strip), Ellis Island is a welcome change of pace. And they even offer to-go cups, so you can take that one last brew with you to keep you warm (or cool) on your way back to the strip.