A little bit of Las Vegas has come to Charm City. The Horseshoe Casino in downtown Baltimore on Russell Street officially opens one week from today, but I was invited to a sneak peek yesterday and it was great! I entered a contest on Facebook to win VIP passes to opening night, and as a thank you for entering I was invited to the soft opening yesterday. The event took place from 12-8 with all proceeds going to two great charities: Living Classrooms and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

As an invited guest, I was allowed to bring one person. My mom and I were at the Horseshoe Casino from 4 to 7, and we had the best time! Everyone working there couldn’t have been nicer from the moment we drove up to the moment we left. The best customer service! We easily parked on the third floor of the parking garage where the walkway to the casino is. Actually, it’s not really a walkway – you literally step right into the casino from the parking garage. We walked around the entire casino while playing our favorite slots along the way (yes, they have Wheel of Fortune, Hot Shot and Grease!). With half as many slots as Maryland Live, the Horseshoe Casino is spread over two floors which is why it feels larger and more spread out – and why I like it better.

In addition to slots and table games, there are many bars and restaurants at the new Horseshoe Casino including Jack Binion’s Steakhouse, Johnny Sanchez Mexican/Southwest, Guy Fieri’s Baltimore Kitchen and Bar, Ruby’s 8 Noodles and Sushi, and Baltimore Marketplace that includes Baltimore favorites Heavy Seas Burgers, Tark’s at the ‘Shoe, Lenny’s Deli, The Mallow Bar and Pie-Zetta. Each restaurant has it’s own full bar with lots of large screen tvs and there is even a stage for bands. There is definitely a Vegas feel about the new Horseshoe Casino in Baltimore, which is another reason I like it better than Maryland Live.

We ate at Guy Fieri’s, and it was fantastic! Great customer service and delicious food! I got the award winning Mac and Cheese Bacon Burger. It’s so wrong, but oh so good! My mom and I split the Bmore Fries, which are waffle fries covered with crab dip. They were great, but for me there could have been more crab in the dip and more dip on the fries. Mom loved her chicken wings.

I cannot wait to get back to the Horseshoe Casino, but not on opening night and not on days where there are Orioles or Ravens games (parking will be $50 then).