Questions about Tunica (not poker specific)

NickMPK · #1 08-08-2007, 01:33 PM

I am considering heading to Tunica for the first time to play in some WSOPC events at the end of August. The events are at the Grand Casino Resort. All of my previous casino poker experience has been in AC, and I have a couple general questions.

1.) I have heard there is a shuttle from the Memphis airport to the casino. Has anyone taken this, and is it an efficient way to get there and back?

2.) Some people seem to think the food in Tunica is fantastic, and others think it is disgusting. By and large, what does this food consist of? I generally like meaty/fatty foods, but obviously not if it is very low quality.

3.) If I order iced tea at the restaurants/buffets, am I only going to be able to get the sweet kind? This may sound silly, but I really don't like sweet drinks, so I order iced tea just about everywhere I am not drinking beer, and have sometimes been frustrated when traveling in the South.

CincyLady · #2 08-08-2007, 01:55 PM

FYI, there is a thread about this even (as well as about the food and so on) in the Tourney forum.

1) The shuttle, you're better off renting a car at the airport IMO. Dollar rent a car in my experience has been the best in rates and service in Memphis.

2) I've never had a problem with the food. The Buffet at the Grand is great and very tasty and for a Harrah's property even if you pay for it, is inexpensive. Most times though, the poker room at the Grand, you can walk up to the desk, tell them you're playin in the WSOP events, and they'll give you a comp for a free buffett.

3) If I remember correctly, you can get either tea, sweet tea, or Rasberry tea (my fav).

kayaker · #3 08-08-2007, 02:28 PM

If you order iced tea just about anywhere in the south, it comes sweet. Just be sure to order unsweet tea and you're good.

AKQJ10 · #4 08-08-2007, 02:43 PM

To add very little except that I'm in a Tunica frame of mind....

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2.) Some people seem to think the food in Tunica is fantastic, and others think it is disgusting. By and large, what does this food consist of? I generally like meaty/fatty foods, but obviously not if it is very low quality.

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Compared to the Northeast, the comps are absolutely fantastic. I don't mean the food is superb, just usual casino buffet or snack bar fare. (Buffet: possibly ribs, prime rib, well-stocked Chinese, Mexican, and "home cooking" stations -- truly, you've seen one, you've seen them all; snack bar: Cheeseburgers, chicken fingers, turkey sandwich appears to be the healthiest option.)

I mean that poker rooms there are very liberal about giving you your choice of buffet or snack bar, and don't hassle you much assuming that you play long enough for them to see you playing. The one room that uses a strict dollars-per-hour system is Sam's Town, and even they give you 2.5 x the rate of the red-chip games at Foxwoods or the Borgata.

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3.) If I order iced tea at the restaurants/buffets, am I only going to be able to get the sweet kind? This may sound silly, but I really don't like sweet drinks, so I order iced tea just about everywhere I am not drinking beer, and have sometimes been frustrated when traveling in the South.

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I love this question since I just moved back to my native South. Generally both are available, but as stated do ask for the unsweetened kind.

Now if someone could tell me how to order a coffee with milk at the Horseshoe, I'd be much obliged. Here in the South (the land without Dunkin' Donuts, where stopping by a drive-thru to order a highly customized coffee each morning is only a new phenomenon), I can't find anywhere to get milk in coffee except Starbucks and the like. And I don't want to miss 15 hands walking from the poker room to the Starbucks at the 'Shoe.

steamboatin · #5 08-08-2007, 03:02 PM

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Now if someone could tell me how to order a coffee with milk at the Horseshoe, I'd be much obliged. Here in the South (the land without Dunkin' Donuts, where stopping by a drive-thru to order a highly customized coffee each morning is only a new phenomenon), I can't find anywhere to get milk in coffee except Starbucks and the like. And I don't want to miss 15 hands walking from the poker room to the Starbucks at the 'Shoe.

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ask for coffee with cream. You won't get real cream, it will most likely be a milk-like substance. If you want real cream, the closest you will most likely get is Half & Half and you will have to ask for Half & Half. It is a brand name of a product that is half cream and half milk. I think that it what they normally use for white russians etc. so it should be around there somewhere.

AKQJ10 · #6 08-08-2007, 03:12 PM

Yeah, it's the non-dairy creamer I'm scared of. Most poker rooms in Tunica appear to have a serve-yourself coffee machine, but only with the yucky powdery stuff.

Good point about half-and-half, though. I'd rather have milk (H&H is higher-fat than I'd like) but it would be better than the non-dairy stuff.

Sorry for the hijack. It was just an idle question on the topic of culture shock, since I don't recall coffee with milk being so rare when I grew up here. Then again, I wasn't stopping off to get a coffee on the way to work.

NicksDad1970 · #7 08-08-2007, 03:42 PM

1 - I dunno but I've heard it's fine.

2 - You'll like it just fine. Although while you're down go to the Shoe for their buffet.

3 - You'll have the choice.

leo doc · #8 08-08-2007, 03:52 PM

FWIW, there's a steak house in the Grand (if I'm not mistaken) that is waaaayyy good. Bit pricey, but you absolutely get what you pay for. It's all prime and aged to perfection. Wife and I ate there last summer and we'll definitely go back.

There is a Memphis airport shuttle, but, like the other poster said, get a rental car.

Don't know about playing during the WSOP, but when I was there, Binion's had the best games. (Then again, I'm a limit player, so...)

Merkle · #9 08-08-2007, 04:03 PM

I just went to Tunica for the first time last Thur and stayed Thur night. Went again Monday for a couple of hours and will be back tomorrow, maybe for the night. That was my first experience playing B&M.

1. I didn't use the shuttle but would think it would be fine.

2. Tried the buffets at the Horseshoe and the Goldstrike (next door to each other and supposedly the best poker games there) as well as the food court at the Goldstrike. The buffets were ok and I favored the Goldstrike slightly. The sandwich from the food court was ok also. If I was paying full rates I would be disappointed, but since it was comped no complaints. And with the selection they provide there is definetly going to be something yu will enjoy. I had a curry flavored porkchop at the GS that was really good. GS also had a pretty decent blintz on their breakfast buffet. The typical breakfast fare was all good. (Bacon, suasage, eggs etc.) My only complaint about the HS was we went about 10 PM and a lot of the food had ben sitting out a little too long.

3. As previous poster said, be sure to ASK for unsweetened tea.

AKQJ10 · #10 08-08-2007, 04:03 PM

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Binion's had the best games. (Then again, I'm a limit player, so...)

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Horseshoe, you mean? As people who know the history we'd probably make the connection, but I don't know that locals would (unless they know that the steak house is named for Jack B.).

I agree, the 'Shoe and Gold Strike appear to be the only rooms with any sort of game selection. It kind of surprised me at first that Tunica is such a huge casino market with so few poker tables, at least compared to the Northeast.