Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Bristol

I’m not much of a gambler, but I had fun on the quarter slots, and the gambling floor was clean. The servers there were pleasant to deal with, too. I was visiting family over the holidays and met Katey at the Center Bar. Even while it was busy, she was pleasant and always smiling. The drinks were good, neither too strong nor too weak. I don’t know how long she’s worked there, but they need more people like her. The food was good as well, a lil pricey, but if you eat out, you pay for what you get. I’d definitely come back soon!

We stayed for 2 nights and liked the hotel. Our meal at YOUYU was fantastic, with excellent food and a fabulous waiter, Brian. This review is about YOUYU and the hotel as well as the casino, which was terrible for gambling. We came from FL to check out Bristol HardRock, and usually gamble at Tampa HardRock, which is excellent. We won’t be back to gamble here. Even though we came out ahead, the whole system felt awful. We saw dealer errors at the blackjack tables, including an icon level patron having to return money he’d won. When people won, we also waited for calls and for management to show up, which wasted our time at the tables. Don’t waste your time gambling in Bristol. The casino isn’t worth the visit.

My wife and I arrived for Sunday brunch at 10:30 am. The omelet was good, and the Brown apple red pudding was really good too, but most of the rest was disappointing. I asked for sirloin medium rare and was told they couldn’t cook it that way. The strawberries were bitter, and the watermelon tasted like rind and wasn’t sweet at all. The French toast was only okay, and had been sitting out at least an hour while we were there. No fresh batch came out, and my wife’s pancakes were old and not very good. The meal was mediocre at best, and only the omelet kept it from being a one star experience. We eat all over the US and go to lots of casinos, and this was the worst breakfast we’ve had. At sixty five dollars per plate it wasn’t worth it, and we won’t be back or recommend the buffet. My wife had to stop at the bathroom on her way out with diarrhea. About 3 Miles away, I had to pull over at a hotel and use their bathroom with the same problem. A restaurant that looks high class isn’t always high class.

The smoke was the big problem for me. I’m an ex smoker and not allergic to anything, but walking in felt like entering a chemical chamber. I can only imagine how it feels for people who’ve never smoked. I still can’t figure out why casinos allow smoking. Walling off a room for smokers would let them keep their business, while going smoke free would show Hard Rock cares about guests’ and employees’ health and wellbeing. It’s a perfect chance to join the other smoke-free casinos. Trust me, everyone would thank you. On the plus side, everyone was super friendly, we enjoyed the room and eating at the Hard Rock Cafe, and the location is perfect. The slots were fun, though I’d like to see more old-school machines.