Southern Gaming Dining Guide

MID-SOUTH

In the mid-section of Mississippi, also known as the River Region, there are several casino jewels that are clustered around Vicksburg and Natchez near the state capital of Jackson. These casinos stand out in the antebellum landscape like neon beacons summoning the gambler, hungry for wins and for the variety of cuisine found on the boats.

Further north up Highway 61 to the Delta, Greenville, with its blend of blues, cotton and casino gambling, provides another culinary destination, while Lula, just across the Mississippi River from Helena, Ark., is another stop promising dining delight.

While Pearl River Resort stands alone in the countryside near Philadelphia in the eastern part of the state, the rambling resort destination offers up a plethora of restaurants and other amenities that make it a must visit.

Owned by the Mississippi Band of Choctaws, Pearl River includes two large on-land casino hotels, Golden Moon and Silver Star, along with outstanding amenities such as the famed Dancing Rabbit Golf Club and Geyser Falls Water Theme Park. Inside the 843,000-square-foot luxury Golden Moon hotel and casino, there are many dining options that will tempt the visitor, but two clearly standout — Eclipse, with a first-class wine selection, and the recently re-opened Remo’s Italian Restaurant. Just across Highway 16 stands the Silver Star with the top dining attraction in the entire region, award-winning Miko that Wine Spectator magazine recently awarded with its highest distinction, the Award of Excellence. In all, there are 12 restaurants at the resort with an eclectic lineup of culinary choices.

About a three-hour drive west of Choctaw is Harlow’s Casino & Hotel in Greenville, perched in an ideal location between two bridges over the Mississippi River on Highway 82 West. Although a fairly young casino in the state, it soon will have a full-scale restaurant, Louis’s Fine Steakhouse, to accompany its buffet.

There are no riverboats to take you down the Mississippi on a leisurely cruise to Natchez and Vicksburg. Famous Highway 61 is the way to go, and thousands of visitors to the region prefer to meander through history-rich towns, by blues juke joints, antique shops and rib and barbeque smoke houses, finally arriving in Natchez, the oldest settlement on the Mississippi River, and also home to the Isle of Capri with Farradday’s, and the Café, with Southern soul food. The Grand Soleil provides a unique dining experience at Vue, with magnificent views of the Mississippi River and specializing in Southern cuisine with Cajun and Creole dishes. The city exudes Southern charm and has more grand antebellum homes than any city in America.

Vicksburg sits high atop a bluff that overlooks the Mississippi and Yazoo rivers and was the setting of the 47-day siege by Gen. Grant that effectively split the Confederacy in two. The site of this epic and bloody battle is the Vicksburg National Military Park that preserves original fortifications and the USS Cairo, an ironclad gunboat. The city boasts four casinos — the Ameristar, Horizon, DiamondJacks and the Rainbow — all with excellent restaurants and a variety of cuisines. Ameristar, a docked riverboat, offers a delectable range from po boys in the Bottleneck Blues Bar to steak and seafood in the Waterfront Grill. Horizon, a stunning 297-foot-long riverboat in historic downtown Vicksburg, has three eateries including Josh’s, Legends Field Sports Bar and the Market Buffet. DiamondJacks, tropically themed, serves up DJ’s Seafood and Steakhouse, while the Rainbow has its bountiful buffet and Crossroads Deli.

If you want a blend of history, culture, blues and Southern food, then the River Region and the Choctaw tribal lands will give you it all and more.

Fine Dining

Jack Binion’s Steak House
Horseshoe Casino Hotel Bossier City
Price Range: $$$
Jack Binion’s Steak House specializes in prime steaks, seafood and pork chops, all freshly prepared by award-winning chefs. The extensive wine list features special reserve vintages.

Snake River Grille
L’Auberge du lac Casino Resort
Price Range: $$
Snake River Grill presents innovative modern American cuisine with a subtle Western influence. An extensive wine list and the best local and regional flavors round out the rustic dining experience.

Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse
Harrah’s Casino New Orleans
Price Range: $$$$
This is no ordinary restaurant. From the Prime steaks, broiled to perfection, to the expertly executed seafood and award-winning wine list, this is a steakhouse to which others aspire.

Legend’s Steakhouse
Paragon Casino Resort • 1-800-WIN-1-WIN • www.paragoncasinoresort.com
Price Range: $$$
Some of Legend’s main entrées include Angus steak, king crab and lobster and other seafood creations. Legend’s also has an extensive wine list that is sure to satisfy every pallet.

Miko
Silver Star Hotel & Casino • 1-866-447-3275
Price Range: $$$
Louisiana native Chef Gordon adds a touch of Cajun flair to the Miko restaurant. Some menu favorites are: sea bass, seafood gumbo and jumbo lobster tail basted in chipotle butter with port wine.

The Steakhouse at Hollywood Casino
Hollywood Casino Baton Rouge
Price Range: $$
Dine like a star! For casual elegance, exceptional service, featuring 100% Angus Beef, the freshest seafood and finest cuts of veal, lamb, pork and chicken, experience The Steakhouse at Hollywood Casino.

Eclipse
Golden Moon Hotel & Casino • 1-866-44PEARL • www.pearlriverresort.com
Price Range: $$
Guests can enjoy a meal full of fine steaks, fresh seafood and poultry while dining in the low-lit atmosphere. Guests can highlight their meal with a selection from an award-winning wine list.

Fire Steakhouse
Wind Creek Casino & Hotel 1-866-WIND360 • www.windcreekcasino.com
Price Range: $$$
Specializing in prime steaks and seafood, the world class cuisine is incomparable to any dining in the region and fits in-line with the superior quality you will find throughout the entire property. The generous wine selection features favorites such as superior American vintages, and boutique wines as well as a vast selection of scotch, bourbons and cognac’s. Be sure to make the extra trip to check out this one of a kind steakhouse!

The Lookout
Delta Downs Racetrack Casino & Hotel • 1-800-589-7441 • www.deltadowns.com
Price Range: $$
Formal dining in a casual atmosphere, with a beautiful view of the racetrack. Enjoy the finest steaks and seafood and an extensive domestic wine list in a fine-dining restaurant with banquet capabilities.

DJ’s Seafood & Steakhouse
DiamondJacks Casino & Hotel
(Vicksburg, Miss. & Bossier City, La.) • 1-866-5JAXMAX • www.diamondjacks.com
Price Range: $$
DJ’s Seafood & Steaks is a culinary haven offering Certified Angus steaks, the juiciest chops, succulent seafoods and delectable side dishes. Choose from the finest wines to complement your meal and dessert while dining in a classic ambiance where rich flavors await your discovery. Starters like classic shrimp cocktail and escargot complement Certified Angus beef steaks, prime rib and much more.

Buffets

Heritage Buffet
Ameristar Casino Hotel Vicksburg
At Ameristar Vicksburg’s Heritage Buffet, guests travel between food stations, sampling cuisines from all over the world — including great American classics like Choice Prime Rib or the renowned seafood buffet celebrated as the best in Vicksburg. A pleasant touch of historic photos of Vicksburg and other parts of the Mississippi Delta are displayed throughout the dining area, bringing guests in touch with the area.

Market Place Buffet
Paragon Casino Resort • 1-800-WIN-1-WIN • www.paragoncasinoresort.com
The Market Place Buffet features a variety of Cajun, Italian, Asian, Mexican and American cuisines. Fresh seafood is also a favorite of the buffet and a special feature on Friday nights.

The Buffet at Harrah’s
Harrah’s Casino New Orleans Cuisine • 1-504-587-7099
From the Pacific Rim to Creole and French fare, The Buffet at Harrah’s has something scrumptious for everyone. Culinary treats include roasted turkey, catfish, shrimp and a variety of Asian dishes and soups.

The Triple Crown Buffet
Delta Downs Racetrack Casino & Hotel • 1-800-589-7441 • www.deltadowns.com
The buffet features a 35-foot cooking station where you can enjoy grilled steaks, broiled fish and more, cooked to order before your eyes. There are fresh salads, award-winning gumbos and a spectacular dessert station. And on Sunday, enjoy brunch with made-to-order omelets and all your breakfast favorites in a full-service family restaurant.

Taste Buffet
Wind Creek Casino & Hotel 1-866-WIND360 • www.windcreekcasino.com
Enjoy an exciting and extensive buffet featuring international offerings such as a Mexican station, Asian cuisine station, Italian pasta and pizza, as well as American favorites. The layout of the buffet dining area offers guests a relaxed dining experience with the personality of a full-service restaurant.

Village Square Buffet
Horseshoe Casino Hotel Bossier City
It’s Horseshoe’s all-you-can-eat Village Square Buffet, which includes specialty foods from around the world and local Southern favorites. The Village Square Buffet is a constantly changing kaleidoscope of delicious food.

Legend’s Buffet
DiamondJacks Casino & Hotel
(Vicksburg, Miss. & Bossier City, La.) • 1-866-5JAXMAX • www.diamondjacks.com
Every meal is a mouth-watering dining event offering expanded food lines and enhanced food selections. Dive into a delicious dinner of peel ’n’ eat shrimp, chef-carved slow-roasted meats and much, much more. Enjoy the ambiance of this international buffet as Legend’s serves international cuisine that includes stir-fry Chinese creations, oven-baked pizza, pasta made to order, seafood and carved meat.

Casual Classics

Roxy’s Diner, Big Daddy E’s Cajun Grill and Oyster Bar: Paragon Casino Resort
Gordon Biersch, Bambu, Grand Isle Restaurant: Harrah’s Casino New Orleans
Vista Grill: Delta Downs Racetracks Casino & Hotel
The Lucky Bean: DiamondJacks Casino & Hotel Vicksburg, MS
Agave, Creamery: DiamondJacks Casino & Hotel Bossier City, LA
Oak Creek Café & Grille: Horseshoe Casino Hotel Bossier City, LA
Le Café: L’Auberge du lac Casin

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