Showboat

Cowboy-themed fonts and colorful illustrations cascade across the interior walls of this Mardi Gras-like casino, clashing boldly with the patterned carpets lined with rows of slot machines. Located directly on the Boardwalk with immediate beach access, you might expect to see visitors at this casino hanging off balconies and beckoning to passers-by for beads based solely on the decor. The Showboat’s main artery, the Bourbon Tower, was originally opened in the 1970s and the Orleans Tower was added in the spring of 2003. There are over 1,000 hotels rooms available for year-round rental and eight restaurants inside the structure, including Louisiana and Cajun-themed joints, such as the Canal Street Bread & Sandwich Company and the French Quarter Buffet that boasts All-You-Can-Eat lobster tails on Saturdays. On its second floor, the Showboat also offers the Vive Day Spa and Salon with steam rooms, saunas, and services by appointment. Located towards the Northern-most end of the island, this Harrah’s-owned casino’s best asset is undoubtedly its upstairs restaurant and music venue: the House of Blues.

Ascend a steep elevator up and beyond the gambling arena and enter the House of Blues. Established in Atlantic City in 2005, this venue hosts big name bands and is also home to the members-only or privately-rented Foundation Room whose ornate décor invokes the ambiance of an ancient opium den. Elaborate crystal chandeliers and east-Indian carpets are overlooked by statues of Buddha and Shiva, and it is tough to decide whether the wine list or the immense balcony is more impressive. Private party bookings and reservations are available, but there is also an unrestricted dining area open to the public, complete with a Gospel Brunch on Sundays (open seasonally only). Oddly enough, despite the eclectic worldly furnishings, the menu holds true to the New Orleans theme, offering cheddar cheese grits, Bayou fried shrimp, BBQ smothered ribs, and Creole jambalaya.

According to their website, the two-story music venue allegedly carries on tradition and “keeps a stash of Mississippi Delta mud beneath its stage.” There are large bars on either side of the stage, as well as upstairs. The second story contains plush stadium-style seating and wide booths that hang directly over the stage for optimal aerial views of the entertainers. The acoustics in the House of Blues are unbeatable, no matter if it’s George Clinton and the Parliament Funkadelic or the B-52s. Gambling aside, the Showboat casino presents delightful opportunities for music fans, wine connoisseurs, and lovers of home style Southern cooking.

- Allison Cohn