Best casinos in atlantic city nj

Lori M. Nichols | For thisisnl.nl

This ranking was originally posted in February .

Meet us tonight in Atlantic City.

Okay, maybe not tonight, but we should really rendezvous sometime soon during this spring into Jersey summer, when we can all hole up in a casino and hotel, spend 24 hours indoors and out on the boardwalk, all the while eating, drinking, shopping and gambling to our hearts' content (and our wallets' chagrin).

Now's the time, folks, especially since there was been a sizable shakeup in A.C. in both Trump Taj Mahal and Revel closed, were extensively renovated and reopened last summer as the new Hard Rock Hotel and Casino (formerly Taj Mahal) and Ocean Resort (formerly Revel). But are these glittering newbies really any better than the enduring Atlantic City locales that have all survived the decades -- as well as the shuttering of casinos Showboat, Trump Plaza and the Atlantic Club in ?

Smells like a new ranking! Today, there are nine remaining casino/hotels comprising New Jersey's little slice of sin, and NJ Advance Media reporters (and A.C. frequenters) Bobby Olivier and Jeremy Schneider painstakingly judged all of them on quality of lodging, casino gaming, restaurants, nightlife, entertainment and atmosphere to determine just which of this monster establishments is most worth their hard-earned reporter money.

Let's take a drive down the Expressway together, shall we?

9. Resorts Casino Hotel

Atlantic City's economic decline, and the mounting struggles its casino industry has faced in recent years are unfortunately clearer at Resorts than anywhere else in town. Having opened way back in , Resorts is the oldest casino in Atlantic City -- and it shows. Everything about it feels ancient. The outdated casino is in serious need of a revamp. The pipsqueak rooms will make you feel like you're staying at a Motel 6.

Nyier Abdou | For thisisnl.nl

Outside of Gallagher's Steakhouse, dining options are limited and low grade, making parts of the hotel feel more like a food court or a mall than a um resort. We love fish tacos as much as anyone, but when Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville is one of your marquee dining offerings, you know you're in trouble. The DraftKings Sportsbook at Resorts was under construction when we visited (it has since opened), though it definitely looked promising with stadium-style seating and HD video walls. The casino's "Roaring Twenties" theme is more a whisper these days.

The bottom line: Old and getting older quick. Avoid. 

Goldennuggetac/Instagram

8. Golden Nugget Atlantic City

Golden Nugget isn't the oldest casino in Atlantic City, but it feels like it in a lot of ways. It has the ambiance of an airport, and the nearly 40 years of smoking have taken a toll on the smell of the place. It's the smallest casino in Atlantic City in terms of hotel rooms, though the rooms are certainly on the nicer side, even if they feel outdated. The facility's layout can feel overwhelming and confusing at times with a multi-level lobby. The casino floor itself is very smokey, and like the hotel itself, not very large.

Jeremy Schneider | NJ Advance Media for thisisnl.nl

The in-house steakhouse, Vic & Anthony's, is a great spot for upscale dining, but the Friday seafood buffet had the same cheap feel that you would expect at a Golden Corral and food that wasn't much better -- it was maybe the most disappointing meal we had in Atlantic City. Maybe you've fallen in love with Golden Nugget over the years and its become something of a tradition, or maybe you just love the Gold Rush theme. But it's been lapped by most other casinos in the area.

The Bottom Line: Too much tarnish on this old nugget. Next. 

Bobby Olivier | NJ Advance Media for thisisnl.nl

7. Caesars Atlantic City

There are two plausible reasons why anyone goes to this Atlantic City stalwart in you have reservations at one of the casino and hotel's excellent (albeit exorbitantly priced) restaurants -- the fine dining Italian eatery Nero's is certainly one of the most delicious choices on the strip -- or you're deeply set in your ways and choose not to gamble somewhere that doesn't reek of cheap soap and cigarette smoke.

Bobby Olivier | NJ Advance Media for thisisnl.nl

The rooms here are spacious and neat, Gordon Ramsay's Pub and Grill is a less financially intrusive option with lighter fare, but Caesars remains very much an old-guard party palace. If you've been going there for decades and love it -- or swear by the expansive Palace Buffet -- who are we to stop you, but if you visit Caesars simply because you don't know where else to go, please keep reading.

The bottom line: Come for the food, but don't stay. 

Bobby Olivier | NJ Advance Media for thisisnl.nl

6. Bally's Atlantic City Hotel and Casino

Bally's, which is attached to Caesars and shares certain amenities including the buffet, plays as the old Roman's more exciting little sister. The main casino floor is lively and recent renovations made to the space's Wild Wild West bar area make a go-to party spot for anyone in search of cheap tables, cheaper drinks, pounding live cover bands, and arcade games. Wild West is hopping with a capital HOP on weekend nights, adjacent to The Book: Bally's' new sportsbook complete with a monster wall of TVs to watch all the games.

Bobby Olivier | NJ Advance Media for thisisnl.nl

Back on the main floor there isn't a ton of identity and when your chicest restaurant is probably Guy Fieri's Chophouse well, that joke writes itself. Come here to hang but avoid staying if you can; the basic hotel rooms are some of the oldest and most cramped you'll find in A.C.

The bottom line: If you heading for Bally's, do your damage in the Wild Wild West.

Saed Hindash | For thisisnl.nl

5. Harrah's Resort Atlantic City

By day, Harrah's is a standard Atlantic City casino and hotel: not horrendous by any means but certainly forgettable when compared to some of the more lavish options. By night, you'll see a a deluge of ready-to-rage young'ns en route to The Pool After Dark -- perhaps the most universally popular nightlife option in all the city, with a full hotel pool at the club's center (the space underwent a multi-million dollar renovation in ).

Jeremy Schneider | NJ Advance Media for thisisnl.nl

The hotel rooms are clean, serviceable, and on the cheaper side. They so badly desire you to think they're modern that the room we stayed in had a print that said "MODERN" in capital letters on the wall. The casino floor is large and not particularly smokey, making it one of the more pleasant places to wager in the city. The buffet is unremarkable but gets the job done -- just don't be surprised if the General Tso's Chicken tastes a lot like popcorn chicken in General Tso's sauce. Gordon Ramsay Steak, meanwhile, is an expensive and underwhelming dining option, though there are several restaurants in the complex.

The bottom line: Not bad -- just don't be the first one in the pool. 

Tim Hawk | NJ Advance Media for thisisnl.nl

4. Hard Rock Hotel and Casino

The Hard Rock hit a high note when it opened in the former Trump Taj Mahal space last summer -- and not just because it's the only casino in town with a giant guitar out front and music memorabilia lining every wall. The party starts right at the entrance, where there's another massive guitar hanging from the ceiling, the escalators are flanked by wraparound LCD screens, and live music beckons from the lobby bar at seemingly any time of day.

Tim Hawk | NJ Advance Media for thisisnl.nl

Excellent entertainment options abound (this is the Hard Rock, after all) with big names at the Etess Arena (Carrie Underwood, Maroon 5 and Rascal Flatts among them) and others at the smaller Sound Waves space, which does double-duty as the Howie Mandel Comedy Club. There's plenty of quality sit-down dining -- we loved Kuro, the Japanese restaurant -- but also great quick bites, like that White House Subs outpost. For nightlife, check out Daer Nightclub and Scores Gentleman's Club, both of which have expansive terraces overlooking the Atlantic.

The bottom line: The new, young and edgy Hard Rock is just what this weathered strip needs. 

Lori M. Nichols | For thisisnl.nl

3. Ocean Resort Casino

In terms of elegance and modernity, there's no denying Ocean Resort: the gleaming glass structure at the boardwalk's north end that originally opened as Revel in and shuttered after less than three years of business. The place reopened last June with a few coats of paint and a new name, but the vibe here remains the same: there's plenty to see, do, eat and drink -- even more than before -- but it's still a business without proven success in the city.

Lori M. Nichols | For thisisnl.nl

We'll see what happens but for now, the still-new-ish rooms are sleek and spacious, the William Hill Sports Book is a booming new attraction, and if you love to swing, there's a cool new Top Golf simulator and bar off the casino floor. For eats, make a reservation at Amada -- celebrity chef Jose Garces' Spanish tapas masterstroke -- or the upscale steakhouse American Cut. For boozin', the new, rock-edged craft beer bar Villain and Saint is vibrant, as is the scantily clad Royal Jelly cabaret club. The 5,seat Ovation Hall -- where Beyonce came to play in -- reopened last month and should see some big names heading for the Ocean.

The bottom line: Ocean Resort is a gorgeous, fun-loving casino -- how long will the party last? 

Tim Hawk | NJ Advance Media for thisisnl.nl

2. Tropicana Casino and Resort

If you happen to catch the early bus down to the boardwalk and must now kill an entire day and night inside one Atlantic City establishment, let it be the cavernous Tropicana, where a sparkling casino, downtown shopping mall and dining/boozing plaza all form a suitable conglomerate for any weekend of decadence and sin. For food, we love the hispanic-inspired winner Cuba Libre (the tapas menu slays here), Italian family-style favorite Carmine's (god bless their chicken saltimbocca), and the more unassuming Irish pub Ri Ra (the Guinness BBQ burger is a must).

SJN

And if you're looking to let loose, A Dam Good Sports Bar offers some seriously great specials (beware of the bros, though) and the retro club Boogie Nights (costumes encouraged!) will most definitely rekindle your disco fever. Oh, and did we mention Trop has an IMAX movie theater? The hotel rooms here are reasonably modern, no real complaints minus the price of all A.C. bookings. The Fiesta Buffet is standard gluttony -- nothing like chicken marsala and cupcakes at 10 a.m.

The bottom line: You'll have a load of fun -- and get lost for sure -- at Tropicana. 

Tony Kurdzuk | For thisisnl.nl

1. Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa

Borgata, which celebrates its 15th year of operation in -- still a new kid on this block of '70s dinosaurs -- is a space to behold. From the moment you enter the marble-lined lobby decorated with Chihuly glass sculptures, you feel like a fool for throwing your money away in any other establishment on the strip or in the marina (where Borgata lies). The sprawling and less smoke-choked casino area is as good as any in the city, but Borgata's rooms truly set it apart: spacious and luxurious accommodations that will ruin you for the dingy lodging of other casinos. Even the showers -- large and also lined with marble -- feel decadent.

Borgata

Fine dining options like Old Homestead Steak House and Wolfgang Puck American Grille abound, but the casino's basement food court is plenty good for a late-night bite. The hotel's Premier night club rotates through high-profile DJs like Tiesto, RL Grime and DJ Mustard, while the Event Center scores elite talent ranging from Stevie Wonder to Britney Spear. You're not getting a typical Atlantic City experience at Borgata, but that's the point. You can go for one of the aging classics to say you did it, or you can go to the best casino in Atlantic City.

The bottom line: Why would you go anywhere else? 

CLARIFICATION:An earlier version of this article did not make clear that DraftKings Sportsbook at Resorts is no longer under construction and is currently open.

NJ Advance Media reporter Jessica Remo contributed to this report. 

Bobby Olivier may be reached at[email protected]. Follow him on Twitter@BobbyOlivierandFacebook. Findthisisnl.nl on Facebook.

Jeremy Schneider may be reached at[email protected]. Follow him on Twitter@J_Schneider. Findthisisnl.nlonFacebook.