Plaza Las Vegas Review for February 2026

Plaza Hotel & Casino is located downtown and is one of the most iconic properties in Las Vegas.

Situated in prime position on 1 Main Street, it is currently the gateway to the famous Fremont Street Experience. But the land on which it stands also has historical importance as it was the site of the first railroad depot in Las Vegas where the first pioneers disembarked.

Plaza has a distinctive external appearance that people of a certain age might recognize as Biff’s Pleasure Paradise in the 1989 film Back to the Future II.

It also has a reputation for constantly reinventing itself to stay up-to-date with changing customer needs.

As recently as 2023, Plaza unveiled its Main Street Reimagination project that included a new outdoor Carousel Bar, a rooftop patio extension to Oscars restaurant, the opening of PinkBox Doughnuts and a new non-smoking slots area too.

So, what can visitors expect when they stay and play at Plaza? I went to explore.

Plaza Hotel and Casino opened on 1 July 1971, managed by a team of established casino executives including Sam Boyd and Jackie Gaughan.

Boyd went on to create Boyd Gaming, which is one of the most successful casino empires in the world. They own California Hotel and Casino, Main Street Station and Fremont Hotel and Casino all downtown, as well as many other casino resorts across the US.

Meanwhile, Gaughan had stakes in many Vegas casinos but is known mostly for mentoring Steve Wynn at the Golden Nugget and owning El Cortez until he passed away in 2014.

When the Plaza opened it was initially called Union Plaza which was a reference to the Union Pacific Railroad Station that used to operate on the site. The railroad depot was built in 1905 but bought out by Union Pacific in 1921. 

In 1992, Plaza changed names again to ‘Jackie Gaughan’s Plaza’ under Gaughan’s ownership and it stayed that way until Barrack Gaming Corporation bought him out in 2005. It has been known simply as ‘Plaza’ ever since.

When Plaza opened it was advertised as the ‘largest hotel and casino in the world’ however, only half of that was true. With 500 rooms, there were other hotels that had a similar number or more than that already. However, Plaza had the biggest casino floor, at 66,000 square feet.

In November 2010, the Plaza closed most of its property for a major $35m refurbishment. The only portion still in operation was the sports & racebook, showroom, one bar, and a small part of the casino.

When it reopened again on September 1, 2011, the property had undergone a complete revamp including a new casino floor, entertainment lounges, and several restaurants, including a steakhouse named in honour of former Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman.

All of the guest rooms had been refurbished, thanks to the recently bankrupt Fontainebleau Hotel and Casino. Plaza owners had capitalized on the predicament of the failed project, taking brand new furniture, fixtures, wallpaper and carpet and putting them to use at a fraction of the cost. Of course, Fontainebleau did eventually open but not until 12 years later in December 2023.

Since then, Plaza has regularly invested both to expand and extend the amenities on offer and also to modernize the resort. That has resulted in an impressive casino resort that surpasses most other downtown properties and even rivals many on-Strip casino resorts too.

Location 

Situated at 1 Main Street, Plaza has, arguably, the best location for a downtown casino. With a perfect viewpoint overlooking the Fremont Street Experience, it is literally one minute’s walk from all the fun and excitement but far enough away to not be affected too much by the noise and crowds.

If you haven’t visited Fremont Street before, then let me tell you, it’s not the quietest or calmest of places. Of course, that’s its appeal, it’s a party place. But for many guests staying at one of the casinos located along Fremont Street, it can lead to issues with overcrowded casinos and late-night noise. At Plaza, this isn’t an issue.

You can easily enjoy all that the Fremont Street Experience (FSE) has to offer, including live music, Viva Vision shows, street entertainers and the SlotZilla Zip Line, but then stroll back over if and/or when it gets a bit too crazy (which it probably will). 

Plaza is also well-located for other downtown casinos and attractions such as the Mob Museum while historic casino Golden Gate and newly built casino Circa are both directly opposite.

If you want to travel from Plaza to the Las Vegas Strip, there are plenty of taxi and rideshare options available or you can choose to take the Deuce bus. The Deuce picks up at the opposite end of Fremont Street and runs 24/7 travelling the full length of the Strip stopping at all the big casino resorts on the way.

It is a really cheap transport option and you can buy a single trip, one day or three day passes to hop on and off as often as you like. Be warned though, because it has so many stops, it can take a while to get anywhere so allow extra time.

If you are travelling from Harry Reid International Airport to Plaza then unfortunately, the fixed rate taxi fee doesn’t apply to downtown properties, so you can expect to pay up to $30 - $40 for the journey.

For hotel guests arriving by car, free parking is offered in the self-parking garage off Main Street. Non-hotel guests need to pay a $10 daily parking fee unless you meet one of the criteria for parking validation. This includes dining at Oscars, playing Bingo, or you have Silver or Gold Plaza Rewards status.

Plaza is one of my favourite looking resorts in Las Vegas. It’s towering hotel tower, with curved neon lighting at the top and classic neon lettering combined with the abundance of sparkling lights at the entrance makes for a highly distinctive aesthetic. It simply doesn’t look like anything else.

There are two parts to the casino, one to the left of the entrance and one to the right. The main casino is on the left side as you walk in and after you follow a small walkway, it opens up into a large rectangular shape that is around 80,000 square feet.

The smaller casino area is a new addition, opened in February 2021, called ‘BC Slots’. This is a small non-smoking area formerly named after casino influencer and Youtube personality Brian Christopher. 

For many years Plaza’s casino was more than double the size of every other downtown casino. Only recently has it been matched by Circa’s casino floor which opened in 2020.

My first impression was that the Plaza casino was laid out well. The table games were towards the front of the casino and cascading down diagonally alongside the Omaha bar area.

Slots filled in most of the other floor space, with designated areas for certain game brands such as the Huff N’ Puff and Dragon Link. All of the games were spaced out well and the general casino décor felt very vibrant with red colour on the walls, bright carpet and unique ceiling and lighting features. Altogether, a great first impression.

Table Games Selection

I saw around 25 live table games and they were extremely busy on my visit. I had been told that Plaza offered great value gambling before I went and I was pleased to see this was the case. In fact, it's easily the best I’d seen in Vegas.

All of the blackjack paid 3:2 with both double deck and six-deck options which is impressive enough. But even better than that was a single zero roulette table with just a $15 minimum.

Single zero roulette is all but extinct in Sin City now, unless you’re happy to play at $50 or more. If you want a smaller minimum then double zero roulette was available at $10. Craps and poker pit games were also on offer as well as different blackjack variations such as Most Liberal 21.

The games on offer include:

·         Blackjack

·         Craps

·         Single Zero Roulette

·         Three Card Poker

·         Pai Gow Poker

·         Let it Ride Poker

·         Most Liberal 21

·         Three Card Prime

·         Heads Up Hold’em

For players who prefer to play electronic table games, there's a selection close to the casino bar including craps, roulette and blackjack too.

I couldn’t miss the opportunity to play live single zero roulette so I decided to play for a while. As you would expect the table was exceptionally busy and the atmosphere was so much fun. The croupier was excellent too, getting everyone involved and keeping the table upbeat and engaged. I didn’t get the luck I wanted unfortunately but I had a lot of fun playing.

Slots

There are over 700 slots to play at Plaza and they are spaced out well on the casino floor. That means lots of comfort and elbow room when playing slots so it’s a big plus for me.

Plaza is usually one of the first downtown casinos to get new games so you can be sure that the most modern video slots are available. You will also find a small selection of older mechanical reel slots in the casino too.

One of my favorite parts of Plaza casino is that they often make features or zones with themed slots. For example, on my last visit they had a Huff n’ Puff wall which had four different types of Huff n’ Puff slot games plus wall graphics behind and around the games. Even the light fixtures on the wall had been exchanged for hard hats to coincide with the main icons on the game.

Plaza also has a Wheel of Fortune zone which is near the cashier and on my walk around, I found a long line of Dragon Link machines with one of each of the different themes and a Planet Moolah game zone too.

Some of the most popular games you can find at Plaza Casino include:

• Wild Wild Buffalo
• Huff n’ Even More Puff
• Planet Moolah
• Wheel of Fortune
• Dragon Link
• Lighting Dollar Link
• Coin Combo 

I played slots for a while at Plaza, moving between Dragon Link, Lighting Link, Huff n’ Even More Puff before hitting a nice bonus on Wild Wild Buffalo. Love it when that happens.

Oh, and a cool more recent addition is the addition of a 'Buffalo & Mo' Friends' slots area, which is a dedicated part of the casino for Aristocrat games.

Additional gambling options at Plaza include live keno, which is played in a small section on the casino floor and Bingo which has its own room on Level 3. Bingo at the Plaza is the only Bingo Hall in downtown Las Vegas and its highly popular.

The 280-seat bingo room hosts six daily bingo sessions (11am, 1pm, 3pm, 5pm, 7pm and 9pm) as well as Super Bingo events which draws players from the across the country. 

Bar-Top Gaming

Bar-top gaming is available at all four bars at Plaza. That’s the Omaha bar in the casino, the sportsbook bar, Sand Dollar Bar and even the Carousel Bar outside.

Playing bar-top games will entitle you to complimentary drinks as long as you’re playing long enough or betting high enough stakes. Just pull up a chair, insert your money and choose your game. When you’re due a drink, the bartender will let you know.

Game terminals usually offer several types of video poker, and a mixture of other games such as blackjack, keno or a few slot titles. Plaza casino is a favourite of regular video poker players because of the range of games, denominations and value on offer both at the bars and in the casino.

If you do receive comped drinks, always remember to tip your server. It’s always a good idea to be nice to your bartender, that’s just a life lesson for us all!

Sportsbook

There’s a William Hill sportsbook situated to the rear of the Plaza casino. Although the space is fairly small, there’s a wall of TV screens showing sports and some comfortable seating too.

William Hill is a long-established and trusted name in sports betting with a reputation for providing a wide variety of markets and decent odds too.

You can place your wagers over-the counter or at one of the betting kiosks at the Plaza sportsbook. Alternatively you can place bets from your mobile phone with the William Hill Nevada Mobile Sports App.

Just opposite the sportsbook area is a designated bar, with additional TV screens and some bar-top games.

Waitress Service 

Plaza does offer waitress service on its casino floor to anyone gambling at the slots or tables.

Waitresses circulate the floor asking gamblers if they want ‘cocktails’ but don’t worry you don’t have to get a cocktail, you can also get a beer, spirits, wine, water or soda. Just ask the waitress what they have if you’re unsure.

Although you don’t have to pay for the drinks, it is expected to leave a tip of between $2 - $5 depending on what you order. The more you tip, the more you’ll see of the waitress so the drinks will keep on coming. It still works out cheaper than going to the bar.

The waitress service at Plaza was excellent on my visit. I was offered a couple of drinks while playing roulette and four drinks while playing the slots, so all-in-all it was exceptional on this visit.

It's worth pointing out that there is no waitress service in the BC Slots area though, so if you want to play in the no-smoking area you’ll have to take your drinks in.  

High Limit Gaming at Plaza Hotel & Casino 

There isn’t a separate high limit gaming room at Plaza but they do have tables and slots for higher stakes players.

Some of the slots, such as Dragon Cash, offer higher denominations so high-stakes players can take it to the max. Most slots, though, offer multiple denominations so you can often bet anything from 50 cent or $1 up to $50 a spin.

Bet levels on table games are often set by demand. Bet minimums will usually start from $5 or $10 and go up to $25 or $50 if the demand is there. If you want to bet at a higher level, then you can make a request with the pit boss.

Cash and Payment Options 

If you want to gamble at Plaza, you’ll need cash to do so. Card payments are not accepted for gambling activities.

Slot players insert cash straight into games while table games players hand cash to your dealer in exchange for chips.

Slot machines do not pay out in cash though, instead, you’ll receive a Ticket In, Ticket Out (TITO) voucher which acts as casino currency. You can then continue playing by inserting that TITO into another slot game or cash it out at one of the redemption machines.

At the tables, you leave with your chips and cash them out at the cashier cage.

If you need to get cash out on the casino floor, then ATM’s are available at Plaza beside the cashier cage.  Just be aware that casino cash machines usually charge an increased withdrawal fee.

There are just under 1,000 guest rooms and suites at Plaza spanning a variety of accommodation options.

The basic rooms - Luxe and Deluxe – are 325 square feet which is about average for downtown casinos. Other accommodation on offer includes junior studios, pool patio rooms, mini suites, and one and two bedroom suites which are all bigger in size and more luxurious in design.

The general standard of the Plaza resort and its guest rooms are of a high quality, especially for downtown resorts. Don’t expect grandeur or elaborate features, but do expect clean, well-presented, well laid-out rooms that give a comfortable stay. 

Plaza also has a lot more amenities than many of its downtown competitors so guests benefit from extra services onsite. 

Plaza Hotel & Casino Rooms

I booked a Junior Studio which was 400 square feet and included a bedroom area and a living area.

The door led directly into the bedroom which had one king-sized bed with bedside tables, some drawers, a TV, wardrobe, a full size mirror and two chairs with a table.

The living area next door had a full size sofa and chair, coffee table, a kitchenette area, an office desk and chair with more drawers and another TV.

There was a main bathroom coming off the bedroom area with a double shower, large vanity unit with sink, mirror and toilet. While the living area also had a smaller bathroom coming off it with another shower, sink and toilet too.

Other amenities in the room included hair dryer, iron/ironing board, safe, bathroom toiletries and a mini refrigerator.

Both rooms had large windows overlooking the Fremont Street Experience which let in lots of light through the day and gave great views of Circa swim and Fremont Street at night.

The general design of the room had an executive type feel to it. The walls and furnishings were mostly neutral colored apart from the living area walls that had flashes of red and yellow coloring.

I have to admit, I actually loved this room at Plaza. The layout made it feel much bigger than it was, and I loved having a separate living area – it made me feel like a VIP. I would definitely stay here again.

Bars 

Bars are something that Plaza does very well. There are two bars on the main casino floor, one is the Omaha bar just beside the table games and the other is the sportsbook bar opposite the William Hill Sportsbook.

The Omaha bar is generally the busiest and you can fully immerse yourself in the casino atmosphere while playing bar-top games, socializing or just people watching.

This has a really nice atmosphere to it. The Sportsbook bar only tends to get busy on weekends or when there’s a big game on.

However, the bar that everyone is talking about is the Carousel Bar. This opened in June 2023 as part of the Plaza's Main Street Reimagination project.

Located under the iconic glittering lights of the Plaza’s porte-cochère, the 2,500 outdoor bar is themed on a fairground carousel ride and features carousel horses, a 14-foot-tall neon showgirl and a giant martini glass.

Guests can sit around the carousel bar sipping cocktails and playing video poker or relax in one of comfy booths and watch the TV’s. If you love a bit of glamour, then Carousel Bar is the place to be.

Not only does Carousel Bar feature heavily in U2’s music video Atomic City, but on my last visit there, George Clooney himself was actually there. No joke.

Buffets and Restaurants 

Oscars Steakhouse is the main feature restaurant at Plaza, named after the former Las Vegas Mayor (and mob attorney) Oscar Goodman. Oscars is situated inside the iconic glass dome at the front of Plaza and spills out onto the recently opened rooftop patio as well.

Serving a delicious menu of perfectly aged steaks, fresh seafood, specialty side dishes and signature cocktails, Oscars is the perfect place to celebrate a special occasion. I once went to Oscars for Thanksgiving, where they had a set menu, and the food was incredible.

The rest of the eateries in Plaza are a lot more casual and include Hash House a Go Go, Pop Up Pizza and a food court that includes Subway and Mexican Grill.

Hash House a Go Go is a big favorite of Vegas visitors, they have both a Strip restaurant in LINQ and the downtown one at Plaza. Serving up a varied menu with huge portions, they are popular all day but predominantly breakfast time.

Meanwhile, Pop Up Pizza is ideal for late night munchies and I’ve had this so many times that it made my top list of Vegas casino pizzas.

The latest addition to Plaza’s eating options is Pinkbox Doughnuts, which adds a huge dose of Barbie pink to the resort’s exterior. Offering a varied mix of 70 types of sugary goodness, you can enjoy classic as well as signature doughnuts with some seasonal and quirky designs. I’m a big fan of the Banana Puddin’ flavour personally.

Shows and Entertainment 

Step into the Plaza Showroom and you’ll think you’ve stepped back in time. The showroom is one of the last remaining vintage Vegas Showrooms in existence and it looks and feels like something out of an old movie.

You can enjoy regular shows such as Miss Behave’s Mavericks, a variety show where no two shows are the same. Offering comedy, circus, and burlesque acts, shows take place every evening Wednesday to Sunday. The Plaza Showroom also hosts standalone music and comedy events.

If live music is your passion, then Sand Dollar Bar offers an eclectic mix of live music every Friday, Saturday and Monday ranging from blues, rock and soul music. Oscars is also the venue for several annual events such as Dinner with Oscar Goodman.

Plaza has a reputation for hosting great watch parties. Whatever the big event, be it Super Bowl, March Madness, or even WrestleMania, you can buy tickets for a Plaza watch party and enjoy the party vibe as you watch with fellow fans.  

Don’t forget Plaza is also only a minute away from the Fremont Street Experience, where you’ll find nightly live music, street entertainers, Viva Vision shows and the SlotZilla Zip line too.

Plaza has a roof top heated pool overlooking Fremont Street. The 70,000 square foot pool deck is modern and well-designed with a hot tub, towel service and a poolside bar and food truck.

Guests can use one of the free sun beds around the pool or hire one of the VIP cabana’s or day beds for a more upscale pool experience.

An additional amenity that Plaza offers is pickleball courts.  With 12 permanent pickleball courts and 1 championship court, guests can reserve a court or even take lessons while staying at Plaza.

Spa

There is no spa at Plaza unfortunately. They are not especially popular Downtown. It's really more about the getting drunk there instead.

Plaza Rewards is the loyalty program at Plaza and anyone 21 or above can join. To register, just take along some photographic ID to the rewards desk and in return you’ll be given a new sign-up bonus.

At the time of writing this is $10 Match Play for blackjack, roulette or craps tables or up to $50 Free Slot Play. This is subject to change though, so check before you join.

Once signed up, you can earn Points and Tier Credits every time you gamble in Plaza casino. Slots players just need to slide the card directly into the machine while table games players hand it to your dealer and ask for your play to be rated.

Points can then be redeemed for benefits such as freeplay, cash, bingo bucks or food comps, and Tier Credits allow you climb the rewards tiers and receive more benefits.

There are four tier levels of Plaza Rewards will different value benefits as below:

Plaza Rewards (0 – 999 Tier Credits) – exclusive room rates, special email promotions and point multiplier events

Bronze (1,000 – 6,999 Tier Credits) – All of the above plus 10% Oscars discount and birthday offer

Silver (7,000 – 24,999 Tier Credits) – All of the above plus room upgrades, early check in and late check out, casino host, VIP line, free parking and Carnival Cruise certificate

Gold (25,000+ Tier Credits) – All of the above plus VIP event invitations, complimentary pool cabana, annual Oscars $200 dining credit

You will earn 1 Point and 1 Tier Credit for every $10 wagered on Video Poker, $4 on slots,  and $2 on Bingo and Keno buy in.

When it comes to redeeming points, 100 Points is the equivalent of $1 Cash, $1 Free Slot Play, $2 Bingo Bucks and $1 Food Comps which can be used in-house or at other participating downtown restaurants.

In my opinion, it is always worth joining rewards programs, especially those that have a new member sign-up incentive. It costs you nothing to earn points on your card and you may enjoy some great benefits in return.

Plaza is one of my favourite Las Vegas resorts and easily my favourite downtown alongside Circa. It has an excellent location, a vintage Vegas feel and a modern mindset that keeps it fresh.

The casino offers excellent value to gamblers in terms of the table game options and payouts and also in the variety and quantity of slots and video poker too.

As a resort, the rooms are spacious and well-designed. The amenities, entertainment, food and bar options are plentiful and the customer service I experienced from check-in to check-out was flawless.

If you’re looking for a downtown Las Vegas casino resort that has everything you need for a fantastic stay, then Plaza ticks all the boxes.