cal-nev-ari casino

Although Cal-Nev-Ari is a cute little community and the RV park is terrific...I decided to try to have lunch at the restaurant in the casino. First off, it is a small little diner and it is cute. However, upon arriving inside, I was not greeted by the waitress, there were two booths that had people in it, the one booth that I was going to sit in...had a reserved sign on it...so I had to ask the waitress if I could sit in the other dining area, she said it was fine. I went in to sit down and was baking hot in there. So, I moved to the counter and got the menu and looked over the items. Many items on the menu are truly overpriced, however, being in the middle of no-where...it is to be expected. I decided on the patty melt with fries for my lunch and decided on the BLT to go, for my husband. When the waitress finally acknowledged me, it was a shout out from the drink dispenser to ask what I wanted to drink. After she brought it to me, with out a word....I continued to wait until she deemed it necessary to get my order. I placed my order and when it arrived...I was very much disappointed. The meat, if you want to call it meat, in the patty melt, looked really like a fake round circle of something. I tried it and it was so bland and boring. Thank goodness for the jalapenos I asked for because at least I could taste that. I couldn't taste the onions and the cheese was definitely a processed bland type of cheese. When the cook asked how I like it, I just said it was 'fine'. He seemed to become offended, because the very few patrons in the restaurant were complimenting how wonderful their meals were. I had to wait for the waitress for me to pay. For the patty melt with fries, lemonade and the BLT to go...the bill was $18.95 (they do charge an extra .30 cents for to go orders). Will I eat there again? No. After having their version of a patty melt....I think I will become a vegetarian.

After driving past this place perhaps 100 times, we finally decided to stop in last weekend on a trip to Cali. We didn't stay, so I have no clue how the rooms are. It does seem a tad odd that the hotel is on the opposite side of the highway from the casino despite having the same owner. Anyway, the casino is small, a bit rundown, and very dated. The bartender was extremely polite, cocktails were very cheap, and once we started playing she made sure that my cup was never empty (don't worry, the Mrs. was driving). We even came out ahead on the machines. Sure, there is not much to see or do here, but if you're in the mood for a break while on the road, this seems a relaxing place to stop. We will probably be back.

The rooms are large, clean and comfortable. No fridge or microwave only bad thing but, that's just me. The restaurant has excellent food at reasonable prices.

The first time I stopped at Cal Nev Ari, was in 1988. It was 3:00am, and I had been driving for about 20 hours. I was headed south, to a new job, in Parker Az. It is safe to say, that I was ready for a break. I walked in, and listened to the older gentlemen, that were sitting at the bar. It was just what I needed. A nice quiet, relaxing break, from the road. By chance, three years later, I was transfered to a job, close to Cal Nev Ari. I chose this small little community, as home. I had no regrets living in this small, colorful town.At the restauraunt, the food was always good, and the prices reasonable. In the casino, the drinks were well poured, and the conversation was always lively. It may seem, to the passing traveler, that Cal Nev Ari missed the casino boom, band wagon. But it is , what it is. A business that caters to its tight knit, colorful community, of pilots, veterans, and retirees, and the occasional weary traveler. We still need places like this, in the middle of the desert. Ray Potts

My boyfriend and I were driving around Nevada on the backroads when we found CalNevAri. We went in to the casino for a drink and a look around. It was connected to a small airport, and as we sat and had some lunch and a drink we watched mostly elderly men fly in, drink, and fly out. I'm surprised there are more plane crashes. Maybe this is what happened to Dick Ruttan!Anyway, the people in the bar were speaking in loud voices about "them ill-legal aliens" and we weren't sure if they meant people coming across the border or space aliens. Overall it was a surreal experience. I understand they now route motorhomes through this area because of some Homeland Security nonsense. So maybe CalNevAri will become the new Laughlin, but don't count on it.I would only recommend this for someone who love the surreal, out-of-the-mainstream experiences that writers love.Oh, yeah, and my boyfriend was from Mexico, but nobody thought he was an ill-legal alien, so maybe they were talking about space aliens after all.