Solo Poker Trips

[JJT]

In 1983 when I first got an Amex card I went to Vegas by myself, and I'm female. I see no problem with it. As was said, you go solo, you do what you want, not what someone else wants. But I can understand about not wanting to eat solo. In that year, at the Landmark, I got a coupon to eat at their fancy restaurant at the top of the building. Wouldn't you know it, they put me at a table right in the middle of the floor. As a food spiller, that's the last place I wanted to be. OTOH, in some ways, eating at the quick cafes and buffets can be even lonelier than in the middle of a fancy place. Especially buffets. The places are so big that you can't leave your stuff while you reload, but they might clear off your table if you take your stuff with you. I like room service, but boy, is it expensive.

[bav]

Eat at the bar in the restaurant (even Mesa Grill has one, and the usual bartender at Cheesecake Factory in Forum Shops before 5pm is hawt [and you can still get lunch-size portions before 5pm]). Do buffets. Order from the table-side menu available at Harrah's, Caesars, other. Or just take along something to read and sit in a real restaurant. And a lotta decent restaurants will do take out if you really wanna just slink back to your room and eat alone.

[pig4bill]

I try to find places with snack bars. The golden age of sportsbooks with snack bars next door is about over. MGM has a good snack bar right next to the poker room. Wynn has a deli near the poker room, but a hot dog is 8 bucks. The Venetian has two food courts not too far from the poker room. Bally's has a couple good places in the back next to the sportsbook, but they close early. The Orleans has a 24 hour Subway near the poker room, and a Friday's, but that room has been enormously unlucky for me. TI has a deli (sorta) in the hotel but it is painfully slow, to the point you'll want to firebomb the place after waiting a half-hour. Planet Hollywood used to have a nice snack bar while they were re-modelling but I think it's gone now. If you don't mind a long walk, the Miracle Monster Mile Mall has a food court or 10.

[BustedDraw]

I did my first solo Vegas poker trip a couple months ago by staying a couple days after a buddy's bachelor party. I found the experience really enjoyable as far as the independence and seemingly endless poker playing went. Food-wise, I would recommend Noodles in the Bellagio (sit at the counter with the newspaper), Snacks in the Bellagio (sit at the sportsbook bar with your Cuban sandwich), and the Stage Deli inside Caesars Forum Shops (get some exercise walking there after a lengthy session). I didn't do any fancy dinners alone, but I agree that the bar is the best place to do that, especially if you're looking for some conversation. Enjoy the trip!

[that_pope]

While I have yet to go to Vegas solo, I have eaten many meals solo in the middle of a session at Bellagio, since my friends also like to gamble and play poker, we don't need to be attached at the waist while in Vegas.

I simply grab a CardPlayer magazine, and get a bite to eat at a cafe/snackbar type place. A quick 30 minute meal, with a few poker articles, and its time to go play some more!

[habsfanca11]

Me too! I mean ... I go on solo trips all the time and the only downside is eating alone, I hate eating alone.

So, what the others have said ... their advice is solid.

Let me add to the list ...
Eat at the the bar of the resaurant: PF Changs, California Pizza Kitchen (in the Mirage) and there are a couple of decent places in the Forum Shops where you can do this.

I haven't done this on any solo trips to Vegas, but have done it in the past on other vacations ... Pick a couple in your age range (I think it's important that it's a couple, so there are no insecurity issues on their part) and ask if you can join them. I've met some great people that way. While I haven't done this often, it has worked very well. Give them an out when you ask and simply state that you hate eating alone and would they mind if you joined them. If they say yes, introduce yourself and away you go. Conversation usually starts off about traveling alone etc.. As mentioned, it's worked for me and I've met some super nice and interesting people.

Last suggestion and this work better for lunch - but get take out and pick a spot and people watch while you eat. Get's you outside for a short time and it's something to do and be entertained during a quick break.

Good luck!

[robracing]

I have had a week at each of the past two WSOP's on my own, and I wouldn't dream of doing it any other way!

The freedom of being able to come and go, sleep and eat at a whim, to move from poker room to poker room, entirely as the mood/action takes you, is a priceless freedom, if you are someone who has a very hectic structured family routine like I do, for the rest of the year.

Eating alone is a small price to pay for all this freedom!

To the list of food advice, I would second Chipotle, add In'n'Out Burgers, and also the Venetian Grand Lux Cafe. Just grab a free Cardplayer/Bluff Magazine and while away 15 or 20 mins, no big deal.