If you don't crave the high roller action of Bellagio, Caesar's or Venetian, and don't need the kid-friendly spots like Circus Circus or Excalibur, Michael Gaughin's medium-sized off-Strip locals' casino, Gold Coast, would be a good bet for solid value and comfort.

Don't expect fancy themes or elaborate fountains. This 750 room hotel and casino, is done in somewhat dated reds and golds, in the sort of 1890's theme similar to its slightly tonier on-strip sibling, Barbary Coast. Like most off-strip casinos, this one tends to ramble, and for the most part is a low-slung casual kind of place that draws locals like flies.

Locals' casinos signify the same thing popular Truck Stop Cafes do: good food and service, and the favorite amenities hard-working folk have come to appreciate. On the other hand, you won't find any fancy night spots, lavish entertainment or high stakes poker or $100 minimum tables that plague Center Strip mega-resorts. In truth, the Gold Coast could use a needed face lift, but this faded lady still has bargain rooms, and makes a comfortable way station for the non-picky vacationer on a fixed budget.

You will find clean, moderately spacious rooms, especially in the newer, North Tower. 2 queen beds, a 25" color TV, (3 channels devoted to casino culture), long dresser, and small table and chairs furnish each pleasantly pastel room.
An average sized bathroom has a tub/shower combo and there are little bottles of shampoo, conditioner, hand lotion and something extra, an appreciated small bottle of mouthwash.

Our newer tower room had a good amount of sound-proofing; important as Vegas is a 24 hour kind of town, and weary/buzzed vacationers will be in the hallways most any time of night or day. A security guard greets you before you enter the elevators, ensuring you have that all-essential electronic room key, a theft deterrent in this highly transient high desert oasis.

Much of the casino is devoted to slots. Plenty of nickle and quarter one-armed bandits populate the red and gold carpeted floors, and there are quite a few of the favorites: Deuces Wild, Triple Diamonds, Piggy Bank and lots more. I've found the slots to be a little looser than many on Las Vegas Blvd, and the video poker games provide plenty of 10/6 pay-out ratios that drive in the locals.

A small keno corner is a good place to rest weary feet, and cocktail servers seem to frequent this area as well as the very large Sports Book, with numerous big screen TVs. All the table games, from poker to 21, roulette and craps take up a central portion of the casino floor. Buy-ins range from $1 to $5, and the dealers look a shade less grim than at some downtown joints.

If seen in light of day, the Gold Coast could use a face lift, as mentioned elsewhere. The carpeting is getting old, the decor is definitely 70's all the way, and the low hung ceilings, (with the spy in the sky above), create some serious ventilation problems. Hair and clothing will soon reek of cigarette smoke, not to mention eyes watering from a combination of florescent lights, VDT and second-hand you know what.

Of course, a foodie like myself, is drawn toward delicious food and reasonable, or hopefully even bargain prices. You have you choice of several levels of dining from the ultra casual buffet, (similar to cafeteria fare, moderately priced), hamburgers and hot dogs at Terrible Mike's, a quick pick up spot, across from the check-in desk, a nifty little ice cream parlor in the same area, or a trio of, (mercifully), micro-themed restaurants.

My favorite is the somewhat upscale steak house, Cortez Room, which features pleasant decor, comfortable over-stuffed high-backed booths, attentive, (but never obnoxious), service, and delicious prime rib, steak, seafood and other dishes for a modest investment of $12-20. Reservations are suggested, and mandatory on weekends. Our strategy was to make reservations the first day we came into town, and there was no problem getting the 8:30 p.m. dinner slot 3 nights later.

Attire is casual resort, and you will not feel comfortable here in jeans and a tee shirt. Coats and ties are not required, and while sported by a few locals celebrating anniversaries and other parties, seemed a bit over done.

Reservations are not required at the seafood restaurant, Mediterranean Room, another moderately price lunch and dinner house, featuring lobster, baked salmon, scampi and a handful of well-executed Italian specialties. A lovely veal dish with Marsala wine and button mushrooms hit the spot, and was a step up from the Olive Garden species of eateries. I didn't try the lobster, but many diners seemed to favor a special with 2 lobster tails and a good-sized Caesar salad. The food was very fresh, and prices are on par with the Gold Coast's steak house.

Bargain eaters will be interested in the Monterey Room, a coffee shop and casual Chinese restaurant. The food is bland and plentiful, the number one seller is always the Dinner Steak, a 16 oz monster with great garlic bread, Cowboy beans, onion rings, salad and a beer, for only $7. While the meat doesn't melt in your mouth, it is flavorful, and I had enough left over to make a tasty garlic bread steak sandwich, perfect for midnight munching.

The clientele is mostly blue collar, and blue rinse, with an average age somewhere in the mid 40's. I saw lots of western wear and jogging suits, with those ubiquitous fanny packs. Few children were spotted over the long weekend we stayed, and there didn't seem to be a lot of entertainment geared for younger guests.

A small pool, cool indie movie theater, bowling alley and western dance hall, complete with Gold Coast Orchestra provide a choice of activities besides gambling. There is a medium-sized stage for small-name comedians, magicians and musical acts, with seating for about 100 at the small round tables for 2, situated between the two nicer dining rooms.

Although the off-Strip location, 4000 W. Flamingo Road, may seem inconvenient with a car, the free shuttle between Gold Coast and sister Barbary Coast is actually a great way to spend a half day or more smack dab in the center of the action. Barbary Coast is located across the busiest intersection in Las Vegas, (Flamingo Road and Las Vegas Blvd), from big name resorts like Bally's, Bellagio, Caesar's, Mirage, Flamingo, Paris, Venetian and more.

Frequent buses and The Trolley run up and down the Strip, in case you'd like to add some of the downtown spots, (Golden Nugget, California, Main Street Station, or the Fremont Street Experience), to your stay. They also run the other direction, south, to the MGM, Tropicana, New York, New York, Luxor and Mandalay Bay, to name but a few.

Tip: The smart play is to join the Slot Club as soon as you've registered and dropped off your bags. Slot club members receive nice comps, (complimentaries), especially on the order of free or half-priced rooms, good for the next time you're in town. We ended up paying $25 for a double, for 2 nights with the third night thrown in free.

Fancy it's not, but the Gold Coast ranks as a solid value, (comfortable, clean rooms, relatively loose slots and better than average food in the various restaurants, not cafeteria), and good place to hang your non-fussy hat, and tuck in a prime rib or two, just like the locals do.

Recommended: Yes