Agua Caliente Casino Palm Springs
In early January, the resort added 360 Sports to its property. The sports bar concept replaced the Oasis Café, which remained shuttered after the COVID-19 pandemic caused the closures of multiple buffets at Southern California casinos. The Palm Springs 360 Sports is the third such concept added to the casinos owned by the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians. Its menu is similar to those of the other two locations, with burgers, sandwiches, pizza, nachos and mozzarella sticks. It also includes large television screens that spotlight multiple sports broadcasts.
The tribe’s Rancho Mirage and Cathedral City locations have used their 360 Sports venues to host e-sports video game tournaments.
360 Sports’ kitchen hours are 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Sundays-Thursdays and 11 a.m.-midnight Fridays-Saturdays. Its bar hours are 10 a.m.-midnight Sundays, 11 a.m.-midnight Mondays-Thursdays and 11 a.m.-2 a.m. Fridays-Saturdays.
Harrah's Resort Southern California
In August, the Valley Center resort opened the first Hell’s Kitchen in California, which replaced the casino’s buffet. The restaurant is the celebrity kitchen concept of British chef Gordon Ramsay. The space is full of callbacks to Ramsay’s television competition show, with details like the pitchfork logo displayed throughout the restaurant.
Menu items include pan-seared scallops, wagyu meatballs and beef Wellington, which are also seen on the show. The restaurant has a room dedicated to red wines, a separate display of white wines and a cocktail bar serving specialty drinks. Hell’s Kitchen is open 4-10 p.m. Sundays-Thursdays and 4-11 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays. Reservations are required via harrahssocal.com.
On Monday, the casino opened Salt & Fin, an upscale seafood concept. The restaurant offers dishes made with local ingredients such as seafood cioppino with Calabrian chile broth, whole grilled fish with fennel, and ocean water-poached lobster. The 3,565-foot space can seat approximately 136 guests and includes an expansive bar, waiting area and private dining room. It’s open 4:30-10 p.m. Mondays-Sundays and reservations are not required.
Morongo Casino Resort & Spa
In April, Casino Morongo, located next to Morongo Casino in Cabazon,
reopened its bingo hall in a new room near the back. The old bingo hall was among those that shuttered because of the pandemic. The refreshed space features 250 seats and electronic playing tablets. It’s open at 3 p.m. Wednesdays-Saturdays, with the first game starting at 6 p.m., and closes at 9 p.m. On Sundays, doors open at 11 a.m., with the first game starting at 2 p.m., and the hall closes at 5 p.m.
Casino Morongo has also added a new poker room. Previously, the poker room was at Morongo Casino. It now features games such as Texas Hold ’em and Omaha Hold ’em. It also has six 65-inch, highdefinition TVs showing sports and is open 24 hours.
In May, Morongo Casino was the first to replace a buffet space with a celebrity kitchen concept at a Southern California casino when The Marketplace, by Fabio Viviani, replaced the Potrero Canyon Buffet. The Marketplace is like an all-you-can-eat food hall. Customers can choose among seven eateries, which include Pescato (seafood), Pork & Waffles (barbecue and Southern comfort food), Sukiru (panAsian), Prime Cuts (part steakhouse and part Brazilian churrascaria) and Sweet Things (desserts). It’s open 4-9 p.m. Wednesdays-Thursdays, 4-10 p.m. Fridays, 3-10 p.m. Saturdays and 3-9 p.m. Sundays. Reservations can be made at a kiosk in front of The Marketplace.
Yaamava' Resort & Casino
In April, the Highland resort joined the other Southern California casinos by constructing an entertainment venues. The Yaamava’ Theater opened with a performance by the Red Hot Chili Peppers. The theater has four levels and can fit up to 3,000 guests when the seats are fully retracted on the first level, and 2,500 with reserved seating. It has nine VIP suites on its second level that accommodate 10-22 guests each. Each suite provides a server and includes amenities such as food and bottle service and access to a private bathroom. Programming for 2023 includes performances by Leslie Jones, Carlos Santana, Banda MS, The Offspring and more.
In November, the casino opened The 909, a sports bar in the space where The Pines and the Finish Line Bar used to be. The 909 measures more than 17,100 square feet and includes multiple fourperson tables and 78 seats dedicated to bar-top gaming. It also has four eateries: Get It Grill, Thai Chi 2, Pizza Mayhem and Just Barbeque (JBQ). The space also has two bars that offer a variety of IPAs, stouts, ales, ciders and seltzers from Central California, Orange County and San Diego.