Back in 2016, the Rincon tribe officially renamed the land on which the resort sits “Funner, California” to celebrate the resort’s dedication to promoting a fun experience for guests. Robert Livingston, senior vice president and general manager at Harrah’s Resort SoCal, said Ramsay’s “contagious energy” and oversize personality are a good fit with the resort’s “Funner” reputation. The menu will feature some of Ramsay’s signature dishes that are often featured for challenges on his TV show, including pan-seared scallops, lobster risotto, beef Wellington, crispy skin salmon and sticky toffee pudding. The venue will include a full-service restaurant, bar and a lounge.

The Hell’s Kitchen restaurant design and menu will be inspired by the long-running Fox culinary competition series, which is broadcast in 41 countries worldwide.

Since all California buffet restaurants were forced to close under COVID safety measures last year, only one of the local casinos’ buffet venues - at Valley View Casino & Hotel, also in Valley Center - has reopened, but it is only serving a limited number of guests pre-plated food items. The best bet is a a three-course, $99 prix-fixe menu of Ramsay’s most famous dishes, with optional wine pairings for $50 more.Like most of the other tribal-owned casinos in the San Diego County region, Harrah’s SoCal has repurposed its once-popular buffet restaurant. Appetizers, soups and salads range from $17 to $31, and entrees are $40 to $80 apiece. Around me, many diners were couples on date nights spending big on $19 cocktails and multiple dishes. On my visit, two of the servers asked me excitedly if I watched “Hell’s Kitchen” and said that most of the diners in the early weeks had responded affirmatively. But Ramsay told the Union-Tribune in August that he believes this aural buzz adds to the excitement of the meal. Thanks to the restaurant’s tile floor and cavernous size, the noise level isn’t much quieter than the slot machine floor outside. There’s also a 2,000-bottle glass-walled wine room chilled to 53 degrees that diners can ask to be taken inside for some quick selfies. Besides the main dining room, there’s a large bar and two chef’s tables, one with eight seats and one with 11, for omakase-style dining.

Harrah's resort and casino san diego