First off, a caveat for this entire review. I played at Caesars during the perfect storm of: a) a weekend, b) a holiday, c) WSOP Main Event, and d) Caesars MegaStack Tourneys. So, the action I saw may not be typical. FWIW, on a Sunday night there were roughly a dozen 1/3 NL games, 8 or so 2/5 NL games, and what appeared to be a fairly full tourney room.
The room itself is big, with plenty of tables, comfy chairs, and plenty of space to move between tables. A bonus is the dedicated tourney area. The room is not as fancy as Wynn or Venetian, but it is a nice area with good location by the sports book. The room is also very quiet in that it is not open to the casino, and does not have music playing.
Overall, a nice enough place to play cards, but if you want to play at an upscale big room, you'll find better rooms that are more player-oriented at Venetian, Wynn, and MGM.
Players were all over the board in 1/3 NL cash games. Some total fish, some overly aggro tourney types, a couple of maniacs, and some grinders. Still, ABC poker was profitable.
This is a tough category, because there were several solid dealers. The problem is that there were also numerous dealers who committed one or more of these sins: a) failing to enforce the English only rule (a major chronic problem); b) failing to control action and keep the game moving in an orderly manner; c) hinting for tips; and d) bickering with other dealers in front of the players about shifts/pushes/fills. In terms of actual card mechanics, this is a solid bunch, but the other dealer duties were a real disappointment.
If it were possible to give a "0", I would. As is widely known, Caesars comps only the absolute cheapest rotgut liquor, while charging a higher rake than the other big rooms that comp mid-range booze (MGM and Mirage), or premium booze (Venetian, Wynn, and Bellagio). Service speed is variable; if the room or casino are not busy, it can be fairly quick, but if the room or casino are busy, you may wait a while for your drink.
Another split decision. For technical matters (running the list, opening/cosing games, organizing tournaments, making rulings), Caesars management does very well. But for making room management decisions, they fare poorly. Management must take a hit for the increased rake, the drink comp issue, and dealer training/oversight problems noted above. Caesars should be neck and neck with MGM in terms of room policies and popularity, and at least within a stone's throw of Venetian re the same issues. The fact that they are well back in the pack is a sure sign of poor management decisions.
They track hours, not positive if they give Harrah's tier credits in addition to points/dollars. They also have HHJs for those interested in them ($250 royals, $100 straight flushes, $50 quads). Nothing posted in the room about poker room rates. Considering they take a $1 jackpot drop unlike the leading big rooms, I don't think players get much bang back for that buck. If you want good comps and room rates, stick to Venetian and Wynn. If you want good comps and good HHJs, stick to the more competitive/aggressive smaller rooms on the Strip.
