Lucky Lady Casino

Depressing place where everyone loses their money and walks out sad. Terrible neighborhood.

Great local card room with pleasant staff that remember your name. I have been playing mostly the morning tournaments since 2010. The field is a nice mix of competent players and people there just to gamble it up. Once you’re a regular it’s kinda just feels like a giant home game really. If you’re a a decent player there is money to be made for sure.

I have been coming to the Lucky Lady for years, since about 2005. I feel comfortable here. I don’t get all the reviews that say there are nothing but bums or derelicts here. It just isn’t the truth! I’ve met some very nice people here. Are there some jerks from time to time? Of course there are (it’s a poker room for God’s sake!) The floor people are nice and pleasant and they always remember your name. Overall I enjoy playing here, it is close, pleasant atmosphere, food is decent and you never have to wait too long for an open seat. What more can you ask for? Is it Las Vegas? No… but for a close, pleasant card room, the Lucky Lady is it…

I’ve been coming to the LL for the past dozen years, and I promise to make this review as objective as possible.
1. Dealers/​floormen are very friendly and after just a few times, they will know your name.
2. The daily tournaments are inexpensive and fun.
3. The people who play are actually decent human beings for the most part (there are always a few degenerates, that can’t be controlled). You almost become family after a while.
4. Historically, they have been on the stingy side with promotions, though that is beginning to change. Here’s an example of stinginess: a couple of months ago, they had a «spin the wheel» tournament: if they pulled your name, you got to spin for a cash prize. The most common prize was $ 25. Twenty-​five dollars?! No way: that’s an insult: the lowest prize on that wheel should have been $ 50. Another example: when the jackpot gets too high, they tend to freeze it instead of letting it climb until someone hits it. This time they promise to just let it climb and climb: let’s see if they keep their word after it hits about, say, $ 60,000. (I have faith in them.) They also recently gave a car away, and are soon going to have a $ 25,000 tournament for players who earn 75 hours in a (roughly) two month period. Not bad. They’re improving a bit. What the LL needs to realize is that players actually take note of the promotions the card rooms run, and visit the poker rooms accordingly. But anyway, they are getting a lot better.
5. They have a «no profanity» rule posted, but it isn’t followed. I’ve even observed the floorman use foul language while he is playing to keep the table together. Either take down the «no profanity» rule, or enforce it. It’s only posted rule they don’t follow. This kind of language is not tolerated in the Indian reservation poker rooms (Barona, Sycuan, Viejas). The manager should have a meeting with all the floormen and dealers, and tell them to enforce the rule. It would really class up the joint, and make it more pleasant for women when they are present.
6. The food is inexpensive, and it has gotten better over the past 5 years. It’s by no means gourmet, but it’s not bad. The menu is broad and diverse. Also, the waitresses are great, the coffee is pretty good, and sodas are on the house.
7. They’ve got a pretty nice bar in the back if that’s your thing. It used to be the dive of dives, but they’ve really classed the place up about five or six years ago.
8. There is ample parking most of the time, and the security guards do a good job keeping watch.
9. It’s shocking how many guys I see using the restroom and then not wash their hands. These players then go and touch their chips, which get passed on to other players. Gross. Management needs to put up a sign encouraging players to wash their hands. A sign like: «Please wash your hands. We all share the same cards and chips!»
Conclusion: the Lucky Lady is a good, friendly poker room on its way to greatness. As long as there are decent promotions, I will continue to go.

Poor Lucky Lady. They’ve been at this location forever and not a single 5-​star review on Unilocal.That is until now!
The purpose of my 5 stars is simply because I am able to consistently walk away on the plus side when I go to this establishment to play hold-​em. I can only vouch for the tournaments but it’s rarely a day that I don’t make it into the money. I’m an average player at best so it’s really a testament to the mediocre play exhibited by my table colleagues that I can consistently cash.
When it comes to the quality of people who frequent the place, I think it’s the same milieu you would encounter at a regular casino minus the pseudo glitz and glamour. Some of the other reviewers seem focused on using terms like «derelicts» and «bums» when describing the atmosphere but as with any casino, big or small, you take the good with the bad. For every douchebag that frequents this place you will find 2 or 3 nice guys and girls as well. Dealers are all very nice.
Never tried the food but I don’t go to casinos to rate the food. However it seems the kitchen is busy and the low prices seem in line with menu prices from the 80’s.
However my 5 star review is based solely on the one thing that 99% of us go to a gambling establishment in the first place and that is to hopefully walk away with more money than what you entered with in the first place.
For me The Lucky Lady is an alright place in my book. Of course some of you might consider me a derelict for frequenting a disreputable place like this, and therefore probably not the type to associate with books except, of course, the pornographic kind.
But either way, there you have it — Long Live The Lucky Lady.

When I think of the Lucky Lady Casino, the following terms come to mind:
Run Down, Filthy, Soft Plays Galore, Biased floor men who do not know the rules of poker and will refuse to check the cameras in the event of a dispute over a poker hand and always take the side of their regular players, unsanitary /​nasty felt on the poker tables covered with dead skin flakes, hair and booger chunks from the dilapidated and sordid beings who frequent the casino. Go elsewhere as this is a DUMP

Wow! A great place to get murdered. Never again. Go to a real casino… meaning one not inside a strip mall with a sign that reads «Casino»
lol what a joke

I went back in here again on a Friday night and the place is completely dead… even worse than before. I think that the floormen are assclowns and lack knowledge about fairplay and how to resolove a dispute over a poker hand. They favor their regulars and side with them almost all the time, they wont check the cameras when someone screws everything up with an out of turn action and bottom line, they dont know the rules. This is the experience I had on my last and final visit to this armpit of a casino.

Ok for poker, dealers are mostly nice and professional the food is good and cheap, BUT… don’t play blackjack, the worst players in San Diego play here and there is something funny about the shuffle/​deal machines. I would not be suprised if I ever read in the paper that the things were found to be rigged.

Great place to win some money or lose some money. Just go when you are on your lucky streak.

Quite honestly it is surprising that right in the middle of town, 5 minutes drive from Mission Valley, there is a legitimate casino where I can sit down and play an hour or two of hold ‘em and hopefully win a few bucks. I’m not sure how the legalities of it all work out, but I am grateful for it, because as all San Diegans know, Barona, Viejas and Sycuan are nice– (a million, billion times nicer than the Lucky Lady)– but they are also at least a 40 minute trip.
So sometimes it is OK to drive 35 minutes less, hope for a seat at one of the 4 or so tables that they usually have going at the Lucky Lady, and hope to get into a «good game». I’d say that’s a ⁵⁰⁄₅₀ proposition on my visits. As some other reviewers have noted, sometimes you’ll sit down and find that there are 6 players at the table– all of whom know each other by name, and a couple of the floor people or shills who work for the casino are playing. You definitely need to be aware of this and play your hand accordingly. I have certainly walked out of the Lucky Lady annoyed because I felt there was some inside shit going on… But hell, who isn’t bitter and making excuses when they lose? Just as often, I walk out a winner. and then I don’t seem to have anyone to blame.
I’ve only tried the food a few times, the asian food is fair. I was surprised they have a asian menu, but don’t serve hot and sour soup… kind of a bummer. But the won-​ton soup is pretty good.
Overall, the reviews are pretty accurate on here. If you are used to gambling at the Wynn or Bellagio, stay away. This place is a dive. However, the people who work there are nice and when they start to see you say 5 times or so, they do a remarkable job remembering your name and greeting you and you start to feel like one of those ‘regulars’.
It’s a poker room… I love it when I win, I hate it when I lose…

This place is not that bad although they no longer run the 8 – 16 game which many of us miss. We would go more often if they brought it back.
The dealers are nice and the food is not that good.

The Lucky Lady is a great little card room with food that is an amazing bargain! Yes, you have to gamble to be elligable for the food items, but it’s well worth it.
The bar area is nothing to brag about, but the drinks are cheap and stiff at least. Last time I went, I ordered the Singapore noodles, which were delicious and I highly reccomend. My friend got sweet potato fries, wonton soup and kung pao chicken, and seemed to love each and every bite. Plus everything on the menu is pretty much $ 5 or less. Only downside is that the clientele can be somewhat suspect.
But overall kudos to the Lucky Lady, I can’t wait to try the Phở and many of the other delicious items that are on the menu!

I did not go by the casino, but to the bar in the back of the casino. My friend loves this place and has been trying to get me to go for a while. She kept on telling me: «Its really ghetto, but don’t be scared» which obviously made me scared lol.
I finally decided to go yesterday with hubby, and indeed was in a pretty bad part of town. The bar itself is not fancy by any means but it was not as scary as I imagined. The DJ was good and the people in there very laid back and friendly. What I didn’t like were the old creeps that kept on trying to dance with the girls or that gave me weird looks. Anyway, I would definitely go again with my friend but would definitely take my hubby again for protection.

Poker anyone? The Texas Hold’em variety that they show on TV. Be warned though cause this place is not for the faint of heart. The poker hall is full of, not necessarily the best players, but players serious about winning your chips. Which means they are not too forgiving to new players. The same goes for the dealers. They have little to no patience for newbies to the game. Actually they will tell you how dumb you are if you forget to bet your blinds or bet your turn. If you happen to have beginners luck and win. Don’t be surprised if someone gets pissed off. Trust me though. It will make you a better poker player. It’s learning under fire. I am going to throw another cliché at you. Whatever doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.
The casino is a hole in the wall on El Cajon Boulevard near the College area. Not one of the most refined places in the world and also not in one of the best neighborhoods. Guys on occasion will eat long noodles at the table; with the slurping and everything that comes with it. Guys will also talk on their cellphones and the dealers won’t even blink and eye. The place is almost surreal but fun at the same time.
There is action here. On the weekends the place is packed. Sometimes waiting a few minutes for a seat to open up is common. If you happen to win big just make sure you have a bud to watch your back on the way back to your car especially at night. Hey, you never know. I did say it wasn’t in one of the best neighborhoods.

I have been itching for some live play since I am an avid poker player, and was glad to see that SD had a card room close to where I moved to. I hadn’t played live since I lived in Orlando, FL, and this place seemed up my alley.
It was in no means a real «casino» but I really enjoyed the friendly faces (the dealers and the patrons) although the place is small. It was clean, smoke free as far as I could tell (which is another plus for me). The few gripes I have is the open discussion during players hands, and some collusion almost.
While it didn’t happen during the hands I were in (I play very tight, so very few hands involved me) it did in other hands, I would have spoken up about it if I were in the hand but since I wasn’t I didn’t mind. I mean letting the players talk like that gave me TONS of information I could use against them. Like the gentleman to my left who habitually showed me his hole cards when I weren’t in a hand and wanted to discuss the flop, all the while I was taking mental notes on his style of play.
I am no means a professional poker player (been playing for 6 years now) I hardly ever make the mistakes I seen at the table, but the action is a plenty, and very soft here. I will be coming back to try to clean house a bit when I have the free time!

This place is one of the better card rooms I’ve been to. (And, no, it’s not really a «casino» — no slots or video poker) But it’s clean, the players and staff are friendly, and the food is cheap and pretty darn good. (I recommend the Pork Chops or the Beef Satay Phở) There is also a bar out back that seems to stay pretty mellow. The house rake includes the jackpot drop and there is usually plenty of action to cover it. Of course, it is a place where people gamble, so you are bound to encounter an angry player or two who are down on their luck, but this place never lets that stuff get out of hand. It is one of the friendliest casinos I’ve been to and the big screen TVs can be easily seen from any seat in the house. The manager is very friendly and helpful and the owner sometimes plays hold’em but seems to just want to keep the games going, not take your money. They have a $ 30 tournament every morning, and I think the breakfast is free. If you don’t have time to head out to an Indian casino, I would give it a try.

The carne asada breakfast was outstanding, considering they gave it to me at no charge.
Hours later, it ended up being the most expensive Mexican breakfast I’ve ever had. Thanks for taking all of my money, you lucky bitches.

I’ve been here a handful of times, and about the best I can say for the place is «meh». I’ve only ever played poker here, so that’s all I can comment on.
In the past couple of years they’ve invested a little money in the place, including installing dealing machines which makes things move along much faster. But the cards are of low quality, and I’m pretty sure the tables themselves haven’t been swapped out since the place opened.
The level of play is pretty low. The one very frustrating thing about this place is soft-​playing between friends here is extremely common.
They do serve food, which is cheap if barely edible.
About the only thing this place really has going for it is the fact that it’s in the city, allowing you to play cards without having to drive out to a reservation.

Whoo hoo! I’m the first person to review this place!
Okay, well this place is pretty cool, and has been there for years. I first came to this place back a few years ago when Hold Em’ was getting popular. I went there to try my luck… No luck. but a good experience. But then I started to play Pai Gow there and hit a streak! So I came back every now and then. Nothing like every week or anything. maybe once every few months…
So recently, I’ve tried to limit my gambling habits and tend to stick to sports betting, and staying outta the card room. So when my friends and I feel like it, we’ll go in the back to the bar «River Front Bar» and have a drink and watch the games. They have a projector in the middle of the room, and LCD’s everywhere. The drinks there are cheap and good! The food on the menu are good too. They have many Vietnamese dishes on it and also your typical bar food too. I always get the vietnamese beef salad! that ish is goood! … I’ll tell you that! Fried rice is good. really good when you’re getting hammered and need something in your stomach!
So if you’re in the neighborhood, and feel like having a drink, play some cards, watch the game, or even play some pool or fooseball… stop in to The Lucky Lady and try your luck!