Other standout venues are Italian Cucina and the 24-hour Sage Café (don’t miss the Indian fry bread and the tortilla soup). It’s a crab cake held together by crab.” The buffet, he added, serves brisket and barbecue slow-cooked in a special outdoor smoker. Executive chef Duncan Firth said Barona spares no expense when it comes to quality. The elegant steakhouse is notable for its well-executed dishes, in-house aged prime meat and reasonably priced selection of premium wines. At the giant, 850-seat Seasons Fresh Buffet, over 200 items are prepared in small quantities right before guests, in open kitchens. “Eight thousand people on average walk through the casino doors every day … and our mission during the gaming experience is to create a fun, lively, positive, friendly place.”ĭining: Barona’s 11 dining venues serve over 4 million meals a year, with options ranging from a 50-cent ice cream cone in the food court to a $60 Kobe beef steak at the Barona Oaks Steakhouse. “We just try to create a feeling that you can’t get anywhere else,” said Rick Salinas, the general manager. In 2016, it was cited as tops in 16 categories and the poll marked the sixth year in a row that it was named Best Casino, Best Casino Buffet and Loosest Slots. The so-called “Happiest Casino on Earth,” Barona is consistently ranked the best in San Diego in the Union-Tribune Readers Poll.

The property is meticulously maintained and the 3,000-plus employees are seemingly always poised to respond to a guest’s needs. The San Diego Union-Tribune’s Ultimate Casino Guide takes a spin at the region’s 10 properties.Ī sure bet for: Gamblers looking for exceedingly attentive service, a casually elegant hotel, a championship golf course and award-worthy cuisine.

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