 A locals joint that's as smoky as they come. The motel is exactly what it sounds like: a Super 8. Not the ideal place for a Las Vegas honeymoon, but better than a Motel 6, and only a long block from the Center Strip. Cheap, decent food and good slot club offers build a loyal local clientele.
Coupons Available for Ellis Island Super 8: Play $10 at slots and get $10 free slot play, two-for-one menu item, four free cocktails. (Click Here For More Info.)
   
Room Quality: How many times have you said to yourself, "Sure, this is a nice Super 8, but it's not big enough?" Well, at the Super 8 in Vegas you won't have that problem. This is the world's largest Super 8! Other than its size, there is little to distinguish this one from any other. It's nicer than a Motel 6, with slightly larger rooms and queen beds. The rooms have safes, sitting chairs, medium-sized TVs and that's about it. Clean, simple, decent for sleeping in.
Service Quality: Fair. It's a motel, not a full-service hotel, so you're expected to take care of yourself. Check-in is quick and you can park near your room if that's important to you.
What You Get Bottles of in the Bathroom: Shampoo/conditioner and lotion. You want a moisturizer? Then you better pack it. And don't even think about tearing a hole in your trousers because there ain't no sewing kit.
Clientele: In the casino, mostly blue-collar locals and seniors drawn in by the very well-priced food. In the motel, blue-collar families and people in their 40s and up.
How's the Pool? It's a tiny kidney shape with an even tinier Jacuzzi set on a concrete pad adjacent to the parking lot. Kids who just want to be in water won't care. But for adults, this one's a major bummer.
Table Games: Blackjack, craps, roulette and maybe a three-card poker table open.
Bet Minimums: Ellis Island is fighting the tough economy by jacking up prices: $5 blackjack usually. Craps is $5 with 3x4x5x odds. The double-zero roulette had dollar chips and a $4 minimum.
Machines: About 350-400 slots mostly in the nickel and quarter denominations, and almost entirely video poker, the crack cocaine of gambling. The selection is decent, and there is full-pay video poker as little as a nickel.
Cocktails? Fair. Here is the deal: they have a decent brewpub, but that means microbrews, and also homemade root beer (although, it's a bit sweet for us).
Who Gets Comps? Plenty of giveaways for locals, but they don't try as hard to win the tourist's loyalty. They have the Passport Player's Club and you'd be wise to sign up. If you gamble for several hours, it is equally smart to ask for a restaurant comp.
Ellis Island Brewery: It's not open all the time, but when it is, you get microbrew beer and big servings of decent, but sweet, ribs for an attractive price.
Metro Pizza: It's a fast-pizza outlet serving better stuff than Noble's and Domino's. It's fair to good, but the emphasis is on fast, not terrific. On the plus side, they have the casinos draft root beer on tap, and frequent 2-for-1 days.
Restaurant: Honestly, it's just called "restaurant." The food is cheap. The best part is that it's also pretty good coffee-shop fare. Their off-the-menu steak special for $8 actually includes a tender steak cooked to order. It's a pretty good deal. Other menu items are typical coffee-shop fare, and the prices are rock bottom. Lots of daily specials that include ribs, steaks, burgers and on and on. We recommend it.
Karaoke: Why do so many casinos pay good money for lounge acts when they can get drunken yahoos to belt out all the show tunes and weepies for free? Every night after 9 p.m., the locals and visitors warble for your enjoyment. Grab a cheap you-call-it from the bar, settle in and enjoy the show.
Number of TVs: twenty-four flat screen TVs, which is about one for every eyeball that's usually around here. There are also about 18 individual TVs for greedy people who hate to share.
Number of Seats: There are about 19, give or take a couple. We can't remember the exact number because some really fat guys might have been sitting on more than one. This isn't a casino to settle in for the big game. It's where you go to make a bet and then take off to go do something more important, like work to pay off the wager.
How Many Betting Windows? About two with slate boards for scorekeeping.
Free Drinks? No, but you are right there in the middle of the casino and if you can flag down a cocktail waitress, she'd probably be happy to accommodate you.
Snack Bar? The microbrewery and Metro Pizza are close at hand.
Minimum Wager: $5 for sports.
Other Notes: This is a Leroy's outpost that's been spiffed up some. The big Strip places are a much better place to watch the game, unless you consider sportswatching a solitary activity.
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