The Elbow River Casino, located in Calgary, Canada, presents itself as a convenient and accessible option for those seeking a local gaming experience. While reviews offer a mixed bag, the casino generally earns points for its prime location and dedicated staff, making it a viable spot for a casual night out, though perhaps not a destination in itself.
One of the strongest attributes of Elbow River Casino is its excellent location. Situated immediately next to the Stampede Park C-train station, it offers unparalleled accessibility via public transit. Furthermore, its proximity to the vibrant action of 17th Avenue makes it a convenient stop if you're already in the area. However, it's worth noting that onsite parking appears to be very limited, with one reviewer mentioning only a small row of four spots next to the building.
Across multiple reviews, the casino's staff consistently receives high praise. Visitors describe them as friendly, pleasant, and highly attentive. One specific highlight is "Tyler the bartender," lauded for his "amazing" personality and excellent service, making guests feel valued. Food service is also noted for being "exceptionally fast," ensuring minimal wait times for orders.
The culinary offerings at Elbow River Casino seem to be a tale of two halves. While the general food quality is a point of contention for some, a standout item is the 10 oz rib eye steak from the lounge, described as "AMAZING" and cooked to a "perfect medium rare." This suggests that specific menu items can indeed impress. Conversely, other dishes like the poutine were criticized for being "awful," too salty, and having "rubbery cheese curds," while the club sandwich was deemed "mid at best."
For a local casino, Elbow River offers a decent range of gaming options:
Regarding video poker, the 7/5 Jacks or Better (96.15% payout) is described as "not amazing" but still allows for "long sessions for not much money." ATM service fees are noted as being among the lowest in Calgary casinos at $2.95.
This is where Elbow River Casino faces its most significant criticism. Several reviewers found the decor to be dated, giving a "very dirty feeling," and appearing as though the interior hasn't been renovated since the building's inception. The lighting was also described as "weirdly dark." Cleanliness, particularly in the bathrooms, was highlighted as an area needing significant improvement. On the positive side, the gaming floor itself is generally considered clean, and there's the convenience of free self-serve coffee on hand. Additionally, the casino houses a Yuk Yuks comedy show venue, offering another entertainment option.
Elbow River Casino is a functional local casino that excels in its location and customer service, particularly from its attentive staff. It offers a solid variety of gaming machines and tables, with some standout dining options like the rib eye steak. However, visitors should manage expectations regarding the decor and cleanliness of certain areas. It's a convenient spot for a casual visit, especially if you're already in the Stampede Park area, but may not warrant a special trip for those seeking a high-end or impeccably maintained casino experience.
The food here is great! The waitresses do a fantastic job! Stacy, Mitch and Christina and others. The ladies in the horse racing room also take care of guests. Kori and her crew are awesome! I always have a great time there. Thanks all!
It isn't the worst place. Great location, the staff are all friendly in my experience. The 10 oz rib eye steak is AMAZING from the lounge. Had it as take out and it was a perfect medium rare, will definitely eat there again! They have a great selection of slot machines as well, lots to choose from although similar variations. The bathrooms are not the cleanest, so they could improve on that.
I love going to the Elbow River Casino. It's my favorite place to go when I want to have some excitement in my life. Tyler the bartender is an amazing person. He is friendly and makes sure that feel important. I believe that, if there are more employees like him, people would look forward to coming back. Thank you Tyler for your excellent service and friendly personality that makes coming back to Elbow River Casino always a pleasure. 🙏
I have visited here a few times now across a few years and I have noticed both good and bad things.The Good:- Location is very good, located immediately next to the Stampede Park C-train station.-Service, while nothing special, was exceptionally fast. After my friend and I ordered our food, we didn't have to wait more than a few minutes, and the bartender was with us instantly.-ATM service fees are the lowest I've seen at any Calgary casino at $2.95.The Bad:-The food we did order was awful, I ordered the poutine and it came out way too salty, and the cheese curds were rubbery. My friend had the club sandwich which he said was mid at best.-The casino decor looks dated and gave me a very dirty feeling. It looks like they haven't renovated the interior since the building opened, and the lighting was weirdly dark.-We couldn't see or find any onsite parking other than a small row of 4 parking next to the building.The Gambling:Lot's of variety with slot machines, but couldn't have had more than 200 machines which included their electronic table games, which amazingly also had a dedicated craps machine. There was a single table games pit with one roulette table, and lot's of blackjack tables with auto-shufflers. They also have a $5 blackjack table but most were min $10. They do have a large poker room, but only offer 4/8 limit texas hold em. They also had a sportsbook/race track, but never went in there.All in all, after visiting a few times I can say it's not a bad casino, but it is definitely nothing special. I wouldn't go out of my way to visit, other than if I was already in the area.
The staff are pleasant, the room is clean, there's free self-serve coffee on hand. Video poker starts a 7/5 Jacks or Better (96.15%) - not amazing by any means, but you can still get a long session in for not much money. I enjoy playing here.