River Cree Resort & Casino

Located in the deep west end of Edmonton, there are more convenient and friendlier casinos to lose your money in.
The security staff working Friday nights look like they’re having an enema. The management make it clear that ANY problem you’re having is yours. The fact that smoking is allowed detracts from any charms this place may have.
Parking is terrible and the lack of traffic controls exiting after a show are horrendous and scary. If you have to attend a show here, bring lots of patience.

The rooms here are quite large and they have ample room for large banquets, dinners and even large shows/​concerts. The staff we encountered were friendly enough. Nothing really stands out except their Sunday brunch was excellent. They had lots of seafood and shrimp cocktails. The food was elaborately presented and everything was great. I’d stay here again in a heartbeat.

I am writing just a review of the Venue at the River Cree. First of all I want to say that all of the staff were very friendly and polite. My friend and I were there for a showing of «The Price is Right, Live» I had only been to the casino so the venue was a completely new experience for me. I knew that it is basically a tent with folding chairs but was keeping an open mind. After checking in we made our way to where one would go to the Venue and the ice rinks. We were told we couldn’t bring our drinks that we just bought into the area. We could buy a drink in the Venue. No problem, we chugged our very poorly made 9 dollar drinks and made our way in. There we stood in a line up in a long hallway, eventually making our way past the hockey rink and past a little concession stand (you can’t bring that in the Venue either). Then we made our way OUTSIDE. could not believe that rumour was true. There were many older people with walkers trying to manage the gravel path to the entrance of the Venue. Finally in we found our seats (yes they are folding chairs, but actually pretty comfy). We did not go to the bar in the venue but there were long lineups which is pretty standard wherever you go. The sound system was very loud, it’s probably hard to have good acoustics in a tent.
My main issue was after the show had ended. There were numerous fire escapes in the Venue, so many exits out. One would think it would be easy to escape to the parking lot. No. All 3000 people were forced to exit out of 1 single exit. Many people asked the security guards if they could go out other doors and were all told no. I found this to be very confining and claustrophobic. As it was an older crowd people tended to be very respectful but there was still some pushing and shoving to get out quicker.
In my opinion the Venue needs to reconsider their one door policy. I don’t think I would ever attend an event there again due to that reason.

Big disappointment. My husband and I decided to stop in for a couple of drinks on the way home after running some errands. We sat on the smoke-​FILLED non-​smoking side and watched 3 waitresses tend to other patrons without acknowledging us. The floor manager also walked by 4 times without acknowledgment. After 20 minutes of waiting, we decided to leave. We will go the extra 5 minutes to surrounding pubs/​restaurants before returning to the River Cree. So disappointing as we were excited to stop in and enjoy the establishment.

«The Venue» at River Cree brings in some great acts, and I’m a sucker for comedy shows… so sadly, I’ll be back. Aside from the shows though, it is really not a great experience.
I will say that the security staff are incredibly friendly. Despite the fact that they were turning us away at the door because my friend didn’t realize she couldn’t use her expired ID to get in. The staff were polite and we jumped back in my car to run home to grab her passport.
I had purchased tickets to the Chris D’Elia show on February 6^th for her birthday and we had planned on eating there before the show.
By the time we drove home and back, it was 7:30 (show starts at 9). I figured it would be tight, but didn’t imagine that we wouldn’t be able to get a seat for dinner anywhere. I had really wanted to go to Sage, but when we walked by, they were clearly packed and we chose to just keep walking. We got to Tap 25. They had a 40 minute wait time for a table. That wouldn’t be enough time so we scurried over to the buffet. No luck there — the wait was about 25 minutes (it was almost 7:50 by this point because we had to wait in line at Tap 25 to find out there was a 40 minute wait).
Screw it. We noticed a «grab and go» place as we were running around, so we just grabbed some hot dogs and then headed into the venue to find our seats.
The «new» venue is not much better than the old one. You follow the signs in the casino to get there, and end up walking down a loooong hallway, passed their ice rink and then OUTSIDE to get to the venue. Again, I have to commend the security staff for doing a good job of keeping every one orderly. When Chris D’Elia came on stage, one of the first things he said was that it looked and felt like he was performing in an airplane hangar.
Drinks were a bit of a mess — you had to line up to buy drink tickets, and then line up again to get your drink. they were mixed well, but nowhere NEAR worth $ 9.00 a piece. That was ridiculous.
The show was awesome… but for the price, i expected to be sitting on something better than a folding chair. And there were times when I found the sound to be quite piercing.
The real nightmare came at the end of the show. WHEN THERE WAS ONLY ONE EXIT FOR 2100 PEOPLE! Are you kidding me? There were several other doors around the outside of the venue, that were NOT indicated as emergency exits only, but when people tried to use them, they ended up being turned around to come back in and wait in line with the rest of us.
Also, if you have to go to the restroom during the show, you have to go back outside and then into the rink area.
Oh — and another strange thing. As you walk passed the rink, there is a concession stand. MANY people assumed that that was the concession stand for the venue and stopped to get coffee or pizza, only to find out at the door that they couldn’t bring it in with them. The concession staff should have been advising people of that — or at least put up a sign or something.
My Unilocal resolution for 2016 was to stop rambling so much in interviews and just get to the point, but clearly that didn’t work so well. So…
TL:DR — You will absolutely enjoy your show. But the rest of it will be a nightmare.

This is one of Edmonton’s larger casinos located west of the Henday just off of the Whitemud freeway. Unless you drive or take a taxi, it may be difficult to get here. I have seen the occasional airport taxi. It is a Las Vegas style place offering a Player’s Club card, weekly promotion draws, a centre bar, a concert venue and three restaurants. The hotel is beautiful and has a few banquet rooms, the lobby is large with couches and chairs and even plug-​ins for your laptop.
Many functions are held here, the banquets rooms can accommodate company meetings, parties and weddings and even musical concerts. The food is usually located in the hallway which does make it a bit awkward for casino patrons walking by.
The Kitchen restaurant offers a nightly buffet. The selection isn’t as large as one would expect and the food just tastes okay. There are different types of meat such as prime rib, bbq ribs, and seafood depending on the night. Kids are welcome here as it is located just outside the casino entrance.
Tap 25 is the sports bar and serves food you would typically find in a pub. The wings are good and I really enjoy the beef dip. They also have a prime rib special for $ 9.99 from Sunday to Thursday, excellent deal as it comes with Yorkshire pudding and veggies. I notice that they have a large staff turnover and service is not always great. There is off track betting for horse racing in several racetracks located in Canada and the US.
Sage is the more special dining restaurant offering a steak and lobster option and is only open in the evenings.
This is the only casino that has a smoking section. It can be overpowering especially on the weekend. If smoke really bothers you, your experience will be less enjoyable. They only offer $ 5 blackjack before 7 p.m. in the non-​smoking section and never in the smoking section. Most of the dealers and pit bosses are friendly.
Parking can get really crazy on busy nights when there’s a concert or say New Year’s Eve. A new concert venue has been added to replace the old one but I haven’t been there yet. The old one wasn’t great as there was one way in and out and just didn’t have that «concert» feel.
Recently they started offering free shuttle service to Rexall Place on Oiler game nights. You need to collect your wrist band from the Player’s Club and arrive 2 hours before game time. The school bus will take you there and back.
This is a fun place to come to with friends, a date or just hang out to eat and try to win money!

This is a SMOKING facility, with very poor ventilation.
If you have allergies, pulmonary challenges or are otherwise sensitive to burned tobacco, you should avoid this place.
I won’t be back.

River Cree does not return emails and phone calls. Guest Services is not very knowlegeable

Not a gambler, but found myself here with friends. Was it entertaining? I’d have to say yes, but maybe because I lost 50 $ instead of 200 $. There was a dangerous thrill in going down 200 $ early and bringing yourself back to a respectable loss. I understand the concept of a gambling addiction now as I felt definite heart palpitations. Losing 200 $ and I’d might never ever come back.
It’s a huge casino and people watching alone here would be fun particularly if you were doing a sociology or psychology thesis! Lots of characters from different shapes, sizes and ages.
It’s far out west and I wouldn’t necessarily say it’s worth it to travel that far for a night out. However, if you are bored and are looking for something different you would be entertained here!

Food is pretty good and a good value. But the cigarette smoke is unbearable.
Buffet had good selection and was prepared well.

I love food and this place just didn’t do it. You know in vegas the food is amazing. yes I get it this isn’t vegas. Restaurant is nice enough but everything is just OK… and by O.K. I mean its like eating a Smitty’s buffet… maybe a touch better. Yes, Yes what about the special nights with seafood and ribs buffet… again its just ok. Quality over quantity. If you like to just fill up, then this is the place for you. The desserts are mass produced and there is 1 or 2 that are good to go back for seconds.

Edmonton and area is becoming the casino capital of the country. The River Cree gets as close as it can to the resorts in Vegas with the different types of restaurants, The Kitchen Buffet offers a different type of buffet nightly, Tap 25 is where you can catch a hockey game on one of the big screens while enjoying pub type food, and Sage if you are looking for a sophisticated dining experience. I have eaten at the buffet and was a little disappointed with the food options but the strawberry shortcake was good! Tap 25 gets busy, especially on concert nights so come early before 6PM to get a table. The food is decent and good fries too. I highly recommend getting a Players card as they have a food special for Tap 25 which gets you a decent meal for $ 10-​$ 11.
Even if you aren’t a big gambler, River Cree has a great marketing plan to get people into the door. They offer draws on certain days with prizes that include cash, cars, and other enticing prizes. The draws are held hourly so it’s easy for people to stay all evening waiting for their name to be drawn and in between spend money on gambling, eating, and drinking. If you go there more frequent, you usually have a greater chance of winning with more ballots in the draw drum.
The casino offers a variety of tables with different limits. There’s also many slot machines including a section for smokers. It can get busy on the weekends so the game you want to play might be taken but I’m sure you can find another. In Tap 25 they also have off track horse racing on the TVs so lots of way to gamble here.
Since the place is a circle, lots of washrooms around here and clean too. They also have them in the adjoining hotel and clean and no waiting in line here.
The Venue offers a place to watch bands, see comedians, and other entertainment. My review of it will be separate from this one.
If you are a regular at this casino, get to know the hosts. They can provide comps when you befriend them and if they recognize you. Who doesn’t like a free meal or show?
Not a place that everyone will enjoy but not bad if you want to catch a game while you grab a beer, try your luck at cards, want to enjoy a good meal, or catch a show.

My fiancé and I went here last night for our date night. Lots of stuff to do if you like gambling, but we did not appreciate the long line up to get into Tap 25.
Once we got into Tap 25, our waitress was great but their menu was limited. Once we received our food — i’m sorry but it was horrible. My fiancé ordered a steak sandwich and he said it was bland, and tasted like it was boiled. He ordered it medium rare — which it was not.
I ordered the chicken cordon bleu panini sandwich (again menu choices quite limited) and the fries were great, so was the gravy — but the panini itself was quite nasty and again quite bland!
Also, i received my sandwich in an old plastic dish with checkered paper — something you would expect to see in a cheap diner on side of highway. I did not think that matched the ambiance of Tap 25 at all.
Additionally — the lineups to the ATM’s were horrendous!
The plus side was our drinks were great, and the bar in the middle of the casino (not sure the name) offered couches and leather clad chairs to relax in — this was the highlight of the night.
Other than the circle bar, I was not very impressed. Chances of us returning are slim to none. Thanks.

We recently had gone to River Cree for a show. The entertainment they bring in is always pretty good. We had gone to a show before there and did not have an issue.
This time supper was included. YUCK YUCK YUCK. They had a potato salad, Coleslaw and some other salad they all tasted exactly the same. And lets just say it was not a good taste it all tasted like mayo. If we ever attend a show at the casino again we will definetly make sure we eat before we go.

I came to the city to play a little poker at the River Cree. It was definitely an enjoyable atmosphere to play in.
Annually, I play in poker rooms all over Vegas, unlike many poker rooms this place felt new & fresh. Usually when the poker room is a cordoned off space on the main floor, the slot machines are overwhelmingly loud to the point that you can’t hear yourself think. That wasn’t the case here at all. The music played in the background but wasn’t overpowering.
The players were all very friendly. It was like playing in a large home game, as everyone was catching up with everyone else.
The pit boss & dealers were also very friendly & very professional. The desk had a digital photo frame that slowly displayed pertinent information for upcoming tournaments & scheduled events. Compared to many things I’ve seen, I thought it was a classy presentation.
I will definitely return. :) In fact, I can’t wait! :D

This is your typical Pub though very reasonably priced if you have the casino card (usually means a main for 10 $). I like this place for UFC events as they have a huge projection screen and plenty of TV screens. The best part is there is no cover and beer is reasonably priced not much of a selection though as mostly local brews. They had the steak and fries special when I tried it and the steak was OK but for the price I paid it was a good value. The Service is decent and the staff is friendly.

River Cree Casino is great! Nice atmosphere! I’m also a huge fan of Sage, the restaurant. The steak and ceaser salad is yummy!

I’m not much of a gambler but I have to Vegas. I’ve also been to a few casinos in Edmonton and are nothing like the glitz and glam of Sin City. But River Cree is, by far, the closest thing to a Vegas-​style Casino that you will find in Edmonton and probably Alberta.
First of all, there is smoking allowed in this Casino. Half of the Casino floor is smoking and half is non-​smoking.
This place is always packed. I’ve been to the Casino for a few events and one birthday party and every time it is jam-​packed with gamblers and party-​goers.
The drinks are expensive here, which makes it even more Vegas-​like. The food is pretty good too. There are a few different venues for people who don’t gamble. They have clubs, restaurants, bars, and special events going on all the time.
It’s a pretty happening place so if you’re tired of Edmonton night life, check out River Cree for something new and exciting!

The River Cree Resort is probably the closest you can get to a Vegas style get away without leaving the city.
The casino is really nice looking, very classy and has over 30 table games and tons of slot machines. The hotel is equally as nice and kept in top shape. The resort also has two NHL size ice rinks where people can go for pick up games or watch the Oilers practice every now and then. They also have a few different restaurants and lounges to choose from that all offer good food and service. The resort also hosts concerts, comedy acts and more. Conan O’Brien is coming next week.
It is really far North so it is out of the way for most locals but it is definitely a great place to visit if you are coming for vacation.

So. I was north… waaaaay up north in Edmonton. I didn’t go to «you know where», but I did go to the River Cree Casino. This is where I’ve heard stories of the HUGE Enoch Pow Wow in August. So, I had to go to this casino to just check it out.
I’m not a gambler, but a friend and I went here for lunch. So, we took a tour of the casino. It’s a nice casino, and it is obviously doing brisk business. It was pretty happening and packed.
The casino is fairly Las Vegas-​ish, but it was also Canadian. What makes it Canadian, you ask?
HOCKEY RINK.
They have a hockey rink right there in the freakin’ casino! There was a pick up game going on, and hockey was definitely being played! There is a restaurant bar adjacent to the rink so one can peer through the window and see people getting body checked as they eat their shrimp scampi.