Straight Forward Review based on my 2 week trip last month:

Property-
Riviera on North Strip

Pros-
Old School Vegas
Comedy Club
Improved Buffet
R Seafood & Steak
Classic Pinball Machines

Cons-
Outdated
Low traffic area compared to South Strip
Crazy Girls show needs a revamp


Must Sees-
Comedy Club for an affordable evening (2 free tickets voucher in ACG 2012)
Classic Pinball machines if you’re a fan of that kind of stuff

How can anybody not like Riviera? It's been around forever and is the only old place left on the strip (unless you count Flamingo which is nothing like it was years ago). The place looks almost the same as it did 50 years ago, they have recently updated all the rooms again. (It's like the 7 year locust, they remodel about every 7 years), and they completely revamped their buffet and now it's pretty darned good!!!

They have a great Las Vegas type atmosphere, relatively low limits on their tables, and the food is good. Besides the buffet, Kady's (next to the poker room) has been around for years and is a great place to eat. Kady's is Riviera's "coffee shop" restaurant. I have never been to their silly show "Crazy Girls" but it's been around a long time so it has that going for it. I'm just not into that type of thing...many of the shows bore me.

But hey, if you can get a cheap room at this place, GO!

I've been visiting the Riviera for years, however, the past five years or so, it's really gone downhill. The entertainment isn't very good and neither is the food.

The Riv is like your kinda-cool grandma. There's a lot of potential, but it's just not that cool. Nestled between two vacant lots, the Riv is close to almost nothing. The show quality is low, and there are plenty of hidden fees added to show tickets. The rooms are actually pretty nice, updated, and have great views. The pool is old school deep and oval. Tables seem high for this low end joint.

With the demise of the North Strip (R.I.P. Sahara, Stardust, Frontier, Westward Ho), Riviera remains the only classic Vegas hotel/casino down there (no offense Circus Circus). This place has that classic Vegas feel to it and I love it. From the shiny lights out front, to the low limit games, Riviera is a remaining dinosaur of the rat pack era.

We dined at Kady's and the food was average...but average is OK with me at this place because the classicness outweighs everything else.

Who knows if/how long Riviera will be around, so enjoy it while you can. You won't be sorry you did.

This casino dates from the 50s. It has been having severe financial problems for years. One big problem is the lack of foot traffic. There just aren't any tourists walking on the strip that far north. This is because there is only one neighboring casino--the Circus Circus. Another neighbor, the Sahara, just closed. There is a huge and unfinished casino next door; the Fountainebleau was started and like 70% complete before the financing collapsed.
The best blackjack game here is the virtual machine. Be sure to play the one that pays 3-2 for a blackjack. There is also a virtual roulette game that is quite popular.
The poker games here are full of tourists and are among the best on the strip. But there is usually a game only at night.
There is a small Sports book and a bar with inexpensive beer too. But stay away from the eatery next to the sportsbook: it's called Crazy Leroy's and I became very ill after eating there once.There is also a British pub with good sandwiches.

We visit Las Vegas at least once a year. Although we don't always stay at the Riviera we always visit because our host is most accommodating with show tickets and meals. When we have stayed at the Riviera everything was fantastic. When we don't stay at Riviera, things are still fantastic. What more can you ask for?????

I have always liked the Riviera because of its old Vegas feel. I have stayed there many times.

I have stayed at 90% of the hotels on the strip. But am treated best at the Riviera. Not the newest of most modern but old time Vegas. I'll be back

We stayed in this hotel a few years ago when the Westward Ho, Stardust and the New Frontier were still standing so there was still quite a good atmosphere at this end of the Strip. Nowadays it's like a ghost town.



We've stayed in both the Monaco Tower and the Monte Carlo Tower and our King Size rooms were were very comfortable.



The food court has quite a good variety of outlets.



There is a large pool and there are plenty of sunbeds.



We had good cocktail waitress service.



The $40 for $20 promotion at the entrance is a rip off - stay well clear of it.

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Been there many times. Just keeps getting worse. DON'T see Crazy Girls show. So bad we almost left, but could believe how bad it was and thought we might miss something worse.



Table limits are too high for a run down place. Don't fall for the $40 for $20 gimmick at the door. They just take your $20 and give you used cards.



We've quit going now. Last trip summer 2005. What a waste of time.

We've stayed here twice, and while the staff were friendly and the room was acceptable, it is not a place I would recommend.



We found the machines to be very tight, and the 2 for 1 coupons are painful. They charge so many hidden fees that at 2 for 1 the cost for their comedy club ended up being the same as the face value for two tickets. The seating just added to the pain, as we were sitting on flimsy chairs side by side--packed in like sardines.



The one bright spot was the food court. It has a number of choices, and allowed for a bit of variety for a quick meal. The restaurants are over priced inside the casino. For instance, the price of a pop a pop with your meal at Kady's is $3.50--which is completely unreasonable IMO.



Personally, I believe that if someone wants to stay on the strip there are better deals to be found.

For a place that wants $15 min bet on table to rate you, move on.