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Where can you eat chicken caesar salad, calamari or an entire t-bone steak while playing a hand of Texas hold-em at 5am next to a 70 year old woman? That’s right I’m talking about the Hustler Casino in Gardena.

Now many food connoisseurs are skeptical when it comes to dining at a non-Vegas casino situated in the middle of the city of industry, known only for well….its industry. But although the Hustler Casino is owned by the infamous pornographer Larry Flynt, this doesn’t mean that it lacks a classy atmosphere, in fact I would go as far as to say the Hustler Casino is probably the best place in Gardena to dine after 2am.

Eating while playing poker is not difficult at all when one of The Hustler’s roaming porters wheels over a personal dining table next to your game. From udon to pasta, from quesadillas to steak and eggs, the Hustler offers a wide variety of food nationalities and flavors. Although I have never tried, rumor has it that apparently they have a sushi chef on hand at 2am. Entrees are even served in those fancy metal serving trays with lids and real silverware! Golly!

Last night I gladly shared some of my fried Calamari rings with Tracie, a 70 year old Asian woman who proceeded to whoop my ass at poker while swearing at the dealer for no apparent reason. You see, the Hustler promotes a truly communal dining experience. It is not uncommon for players to pass around whole plates of food or share snacks with each other while playing a rousing hand of Omaha, blackjack or Vietnamese poker. I asked Morris, the young man to my right if I could try one of his onion rings and he gladly handed me one before explaining to me that he is an amateur car thief by trade. My car might not be safe in the parking lot, but my hunger was definitely satiated!

The best thing about dining at the Hustle (as the players call it) is that while sitting at the table, each player accumulates “players points” which you can trade in for a number of exciting freebies. Last night I accumulated 1,000 player points in the course of about 7 hours which granted me one tasty plate of chicken Caesar salad. You can even use these “player points” to order professional massages at the poker table or, if you want to impress your lady friend, some adult merchandise from the hustler store located in the center of the Casino. The Hustler Casino, a true melting pot of cultures, classes and ages provides a valuable service to gambling addicts all over the Los Angeles area.

At the casino, no matter how deranged or destitute you are…everyone dines like kings for little, to no money. And hey, If your wallet isn’t full at the end of the night, at least your stomach will be.

Hustler Casino
1000 W Redondo Beach Blvd
Gardena, CA 90247-4192
(310) 719-9800