California Hotel & Casino is a Boyd Gaming casino hotel in downtown Las Vegas, near the Fremont Street Experience. Known as “the Cal,” it pairs a substantial gaming floor with Hawaiian-style dining, rooms and suites, and a rooftop pool. I see its strongest appeal as a downtown base with a personality of its own. The main trade-off is location: a Strip-focused trip means arranging transportation. It best suits gamblers who want downtown access and island-inspired food rather than a sprawling resort.
California Hotel & Casino at a glance
| Address | 12 E. Ogden Avenue, Las Vegas, NV 89101 |
|---|---|
| Setting | Downtown Las Vegas, near Fremont Street |
| Operator | Boyd Gaming |
| Minimum gambling age | 21 |
| Gaming floor | 35,848 square feet |
| Slot machines | Approximately 795 |
| Table games | Approximately 19 tables, not necessarily all open |
| Other gaming | Keno lounge |
| Poker room | No |
| Retail sportsbook | No; a sports lounge is available |
| Hotel | 779 rooms listed by the operator; suites also available |
| Recreation | Rooftop pool and fitness center |
| Phone | 702-385-1222 |
Gaming figures are the operator’s published inventory, not a live count. Machine selection and table availability can change.
A downtown casino with Hawaiian roots
The California’s longstanding connection with visitors from Hawaii helps explain its island-inspired dining and distinctive identity. For someone who values that connection, it is a meaningful reason to choose the Cal over another casino with a similar room rate.
Fremont Street is nearby, and an enclosed walkway over Main Street connects the California with Main Street Station. That makes the property useful for a multi-casino downtown visit.
I would treat the Cal as a downtown headquarters, not a cheaper substitute for a Strip hotel regardless of itinerary. Being close to the places you actually intend to visit is an amenity, too.
Casino floor and games
The published inventory includes a 35,848-square-foot gaming floor, approximately 795 slot machines, 19 table games, and a keno lounge. That makes the Cal a deliberate gambling stop, not merely a hotel with a few machines downstairs.
The useful question is not whether it has the most games in Las Vegas, but whether the available games, rules, and limits suit your budget.
Slots and video poker
The machine count gives a sense of scale, not a guarantee of a particular title or denomination. If one slot or video-poker game is central to your visit, ask about it before making a special trip.
My advice is to pay more attention to the wager display than the cabinet artwork. A low denomination can still produce an expensive spin once you select the credits and features. Check the total bet and jackpot eligibility requirements before playing.
For video poker, read the individual machine’s pay table. A familiar game name does not guarantee familiar payouts, and somebody else’s winning session is no substitute for checking the rules.
Table games
The operator lists 19 tables without a current game-by-game lineup or betting minimums. Confirm availability and operating hours if you are coming for a particular game.
Read the posted limits before buying in. At blackjack, check the payout for a natural and the dealer’s soft-17 rule. I would rather spend a minute looking at the rules than discover an unwelcome difference after the chips are on the felt.
Poker room and sportsbook
The California has no dedicated player-versus-player poker room and no on-property retail sportsbook. Video poker and poker-themed casino games are not substitutes for a poker room.
The Cal Sports Lounge is on the casino floor and offers a sports-focused place to spend time. A lounge for following games is different from a betting counter.
Hotel rooms, suites, and booking costs
The operator lists 779 hotel rooms and separately identifies suites. Staying on-site makes the most sense for a downtown itinerary: you can return to your room between meals, gambling sessions, and outings without arranging another ride.
Trip.com lists check-in from 4 p.m. and checkout by 11 a.m. Confirm those times on your reservation, and arrange early arrival or late checkout directly.
Published room amenities include a refrigerator, safe, hairdryer, and ironing equipment. Internet access is described as available, which does not guarantee that every booking includes it without an additional charge.
The suite-specific amenities include an oversized marble bathtub and a wet bar. Those are concrete features to weigh against the upgrade price. Check the exact room description rather than assuming the word “suite” tells you everything.
If quiet matters, request placement away from elevators, connecting doors, and street activity. That is a sensible booking request, not a promise of a silent room.
Compare the full stay, not the headline rate
I would compare the final booking total and transportation needs rather than chase the lowest advertised nightly rate. Review:
- Taxes and any mandatory daily charges.
- Parking costs and applicable guest benefits.
- Deposits or incidental authorizations.
- Cancellation terms and prepaid-rate restrictions.
- Airport transfers and transportation for Strip outings.
Repeated rides to the Strip can change both the cost and convenience calculation. Do not assume breakfast, parking, or internet access is included unless your reservation says so.
Restaurants and bars
Dining is one of the Cal’s clearest distinguishing features. The practical choice is which outlet fits your meal and schedule, not simply how many restaurants the hotel has.
Gamboool original analysis
We assembled the comparison below from published information. These are selected examples, rather than measured gambling sessions or a representative survey.
| Detail | Published information |
|---|---|
| California Hotel & Casino: Published gaming inventory in the May 2025 property fact sheet | The published inventory lists a 35,848-square-foot gaming floor, 795 slot machines, and 19 table games; these are property inventory figures, not a guarantee that every table is open. |
| California Hotel & Casino guest rooms: Published in-room amenities | The fact sheet lists an in-room refrigerator, safe, hairdryer, and ironing equipment. Internet access and pay-per-view movies are described as available, without prices or an inclusion guarantee. |
| California Hotel & Casino suites: Suite amenities compared with the general room amenity list | The suite-specific list adds an oversized marble bathtub and wet bar, giving visitors concrete features to check when considering an upgrade. |
| California Hotel & Casino recreation: Published pool and fitness facilities | The property fact sheet lists a rooftop pool and fitness center, but does not specify operating hours, seasonal availability, or access charges. |
| California Hotel & Casino transportation: Scope of published shuttle information | The fact sheet lists shuttle service without identifying a route, schedule, fare, or eligibility policy; it does not establish an airport transfer offering. |
| Market Street Cafe: Meal coverage and published opening days | Compared with the dinner-focused California Noodle House, Market Street Cafe is described as serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day. Exact daily hours are not supplied. |
| California Noodle House: Meal coverage and published opening frequency | The fact sheet describes dinner service five days a week, rather than the daily multi-meal coverage listed for Market Street Cafe. It does not identify the closed days. |
| California Noodle House: Published cuisine | Ramen and fried rice provide a documented alternative to Redwood Steakhouse’s steaks, seafood, and chops. |
| Redwood Steakhouse: Dining format and menu compared with casual outlets | The property presents Redwood as its fine-dining option, with steaks, seafood, and chops, rather than the plate meals and noodle dishes described for Aloha Specialties. |
| Redwood Steakhouse: Published guidance on side dishes and reservations | The restaurant describes its sides as shareable and encourages reservations. Sharing is a dining option, but the published information does not support a dollar-savings calculation. |
| Aloha Specialties: Location within the property | Aloha Specialties is on the mezzanine, rather than identified as a casino-floor outlet. |
| Aloha Specialties: Published menu and dine-in or takeout availability | The listed choices include teriyaki plates, stews, curries, combination plates, noodles, and rice bowls. Both eating in and taking out are explicitly described. |
| Lappert’s Ice Cream: Offerings beyond ice cream | Coffee, specialty drinks, Dole Whip, and breakfast pastries make this a documented snack or pastry alternative to a sit-down cafe meal; prices and opening hours are not supplied. |
| Holo Holo – The Happy Bar: Published beverage theme | Hawaiian-themed cocktails distinguish this named bar from the sports-focused lounge described elsewhere in the fact sheet. |
| The Cal Sports Lounge: Published location and purpose | The fact sheet places the sports lounge on the casino floor. This passage supports its location and sports focus, but does not specify wagering-counter hours or betting policies. |
| California Hotel & Casino downtown access: Connection to Main Street Station | An enclosed walkway over Main Street connects the California with Main Street Station, providing a specific inter-property route for a downtown visit. |
Research references: filecache.mediaroom.com, en.wikipedia.org.
Method: Published information collected 2026-10-15. The source observations remain in the saved research record. These examples support planning; they do not predict a particular session.
- Market Street Cafe: American favorites and island-inspired dishes, with breakfast, lunch, and dinner described as available every day. It has the broadest published meal coverage, but daily service does not mean round-the-clock service.
- Aloha Specialties: The most directly Hawaiian-focused option, on the mezzanine. Choices include teriyaki plates, stews, curries, noodles, and rice bowls, with dine-in and takeout service.
- Redwood Steakhouse: The more formal dinner choice, serving steaks, seafood, and chops. Reservations are encouraged. Sides are described as shareable, so ask about portions before ordering a separate side for everyone.
- California Noodle House: Ramen, fried rice, and Asian flavors with a Hawaiian influence. Its published schedule describes dinner five days a week, so check the day before planning around it.
- Lappert’s Ice Cream: Ice cream, coffee, Dole Whip, and breakfast pastries make it an alternative to a full cafe meal.
- Ethel M Chocolates: A sweets stop rather than a substitute for lunch or dinner.
My planning shorthand: start with Market Street Cafe for meal coverage, check Noodle House’s schedule, reserve Redwood for an important dinner, and consider Aloha Specialties when takeout suits the day.
For drinks, Holo Holo – The Happy Bar emphasizes Hawaiian-themed cocktails, while the Cal Sports Lounge has a sports focus. Confirm current schedules before relying on a late meal or a specific viewing occasion.
Rooftop pool, fitness, and entertainment
The California lists a rooftop pool, fitness center, mezzanine shopping, and meeting space. The pool is a useful addition to a casino-focused stay, but I would not choose the hotel expecting an elaborate resort-pool experience.
If swimming is essential, confirm pool availability and access terms for your dates. For a broader evening out, the nearby Fremont Street Experience makes the Cal appealing as a base for exploring downtown rather than keeping every activity under one roof.
Parking, transportation, and practical advice
Use 12 E. Ogden Avenue as the property address, and identify the parking entrance before driving downtown. Check parking charges, validation arrangements, and hotel-guest terms. Do not budget on the assumption that gambling or dining automatically makes parking free.
The property lists shuttle service, but that does not establish an airport route, schedule, fare, or eligibility. Confirm the actual service before relying on it for an airport transfer.
For a mostly downtown visit, nearby casinos and dining can make a car less necessary once you arrive. For a Strip-heavy itinerary, allow for travel time as well as fares.
- Smoking: If smoke exposure is a concern, ask about current casino smoking arrangements and the route to your room. A nonsmoking room designation does not describe every public area.
- Accessibility: Discuss the specific room configuration, including shower access, bed clearance, and the most convenient entrance, before booking.
- Player benefits: Ask the rewards desk which offers and terms apply to your account. Do not increase your gambling budget just to qualify for a discount or room offer.
Who should choose the Cal?
I would put the Cal on the shortlist for visitors who want a downtown gambling base with Hawaiian-style food, several dining formats, and a room close at hand. Nearby Fremont Street access and a rooftop pool add convenience without making it a sprawling resort. Travelers whose plans revolve around Strip attractions should choose a Strip property instead. For everyone else, compare the full hotel total and transportation needs: the best value is the hotel that fits your trip, not necessarily the lowest advertised rate.
Frequently asked questions
Is California Hotel & Casino on the Las Vegas Strip?
No. It is downtown at 12 E. Ogden Avenue, near the Fremont Street Experience. Plan transportation for Strip outings.
How old do you have to be to gamble at the California?
You must be at least 21. Bring valid government-issued identification.
Does the California have a poker room or sportsbook?
No. It has neither a dedicated player-versus-player poker room nor an on-property retail sportsbook. The Cal Sports Lounge is a separate amenity.
Does the California Hotel have a pool?
Yes, a rooftop pool is listed. Confirm availability and access terms for your travel dates.
Where can you get Hawaiian-style food?
Aloha Specialties is the most directly focused option, with plate meals, noodles, and rice bowls. Market Street Cafe also offers island-inspired fare alongside American favorites.
Does the California offer an airport shuttle?
Do not assume so. Shuttle service is listed, but confirm the route and eligibility before relying on it for an airport transfer.
Can you walk to other downtown casinos?
Yes. Fremont Street is nearby, and an enclosed walkway connects the California with Main Street Station.
Comparing destinations? See our guide to Nevada casinos.
Sources
Boyd Gaming’s California Hotel and Casino fact sheet provides the published gaming inventory, room amenities, and dining descriptions. Inventories and schedules can change; confirm time-sensitive details before traveling.
Poker room and sportsbook
There is no dedicated poker room or on-site sportsbook.