Have you ever seen a more clickbait headline? Nope, me neither.
It’s true(ish) though. I visited Foxwoods Resort Casino a couple weekends ago for a little mother-daughter trip, and despite losing my mom to the slot machines, it was a great time and we ate at Guy Fieri’s Foxwoods Kitchen + Bar. See! He was there…in spirit. We also ate at Red Lantern, which you will hear about shortly. And here’s a slideshow of photos in case you’re the type who doesn’t like to read:
In case it wasn’t already obvious, food is important to me, but here’s a short list of what I always consider when going on a trip:
- Location
- Food
- Friendly staff
- Food
- Fun things to do (usually with food)
Now, let’s take a closer look at Foxwoods. I’ll give you my Top 5 Favorite Things:
Top 5 Favorite Things: Foxwoods
- Big rooms: We stayed in the Pequot Tower (pronunciation: pee-kwat), which not only made me laugh every time I said it, but was also a good central location. The room was big, and the bed was comfy. If you’re a hotel and you don’t have a good bed, you might as well close up shop.
- Outlet location: I know this sounds weird and very specific, but SO important to point out. The outlets by the bed are right on the front of the nightstands, so you don’t have to struggle with pesky outlets behind a nightstand or a bedpost. Again, it really is the little things in life. Even my mom pointed this out as a game changer “for older people”. I’m not “old” and I think I was more excited about this than she was.
- Tanger Outlets: I’m not one to shop much, but in the event that I do, I like things to be organized and on sale. Epitome of those things happens to be Tanger. You know those people who can sift through racks of clothing at Century 21 and find that one random piece that’s “amazing”? Not me. My mom does that. My ADD and OCD flares up and I get anxious and scared and have to seek solace in a nearby toilet stall. Simply because it’s the most uniform place in there. But I digress – Foxwoods has a Tanger INSIDE the property. You can walk to it right from the casino.
- Restaurants: I didn’t want to list this first because that would be too predictable. I like to keep you on your toes. Foxwoods has a great list of places to go, from casual to fine dining. There’s something for everyone, from David Burke Prime Steakhouse to Guy Fieri’s Foxwoods Kitchen + Bar. There’s even a Starbucks, Panera Bread, and Dunkin Donuts. It’s one of those places where I could live for a while and still have everything I need. I didn’t realize this until just now. And I also didn’t realize that I actually believe I can survive on steak, clothing, and coffee, apparently. But…I kind of do that now…
- Bowling Alley: Yes, this exists at Foxwoods! I happen to love bowling (because I’m good at it and I hate losing), so when I saw the High Rollers area downstairs, I got so excited! I didn’t actually bowl this time, but if I return to Foxwoods anytime soon, believe me that’s where you will find me. They also have ice skating outside! It was just starting to snow, and I watched the folks skate around under the soft lighting; it was honestly beautiful.
And here I am with Mom enjoying some Ben & Jerrys (also located inside Foxwoods…this place is dangerous).
Now, onto Guy Fieri. I have nothing against this man. He created an empire out of winning a reality TV show and that’s no easy feat. Did you know his restaurant in Times Square is also the HIGHEST GROSSING RESTAURANT IN THE COUNTRY?! If you didn’t and you’re surprised to hear that, don’t be. The man reaches a VERY large demographic, from his on camera personality (which may be no different than off air, I haven’t met him) to his shows, especially Diners, Drive Ins, and Dives. I cannot think of ONE person in my circle that DOESN’T enjoy that show. I watch it when I want to prepare myself for a large meal via Seamless. Not kidding.
Alright. Now that I’m done with the background, let’s talk about the food (or look at this pretty slideshow).
Guy Fieri's Foxwoods Kitchen + Bar
- The Food: The Trashcan Nachos (yes, that’s a thing) and the Old Bay Wings were my favorite. The nachos come to your table in an aluminum can that they pull off and the nachos somehow stay in this cylindrical shape. It’s like some sort of dark cheese magic. The wings needed a little salt on top of the Old Bay, but damn were they crisp and juicy. No complaints. The burger, however, needed some work. It was the Bacon Mac n Cheese Burger and it was just way too messy, not to mention overcooked. When ordering a burger, I am always used to being asked how I want it cooked and they didn’t ask us. The fries were solid though and the overall taste of the burger was decent (kinda like a Big Mac).
- The Staff: Really pleasantly surprised with the service here – beyond friendly and so helpful with the menu. Our waitress knew absolutely everything about the menu items down to every ingredient in the “Donkey Sauce” (yes, also a thing). Managers came over and checked in regularly but not too often to be annoying. Very well done there.
- The Bar Scene: Packed. Great vibes from friendly Foxwoods-goers. Jovial, bright, and the bartenders know their beers. It’s literally right inside the Grand Pequot Casino, so it’s not a place to have a romantic meal with your significant other. But, then again, that’s probably obvious from a place that has “Donkey Sauce” on the menu.
- Why You Should Go: This isn’t a place I would come to for a grand meal, but to take a lunch break after shopping and playing slots? Definitely. Or to watch a game? Absolutely.
If you want a romantic meal, or a fun night out with your girls and guys, I suggest Red Lantern. Mom and I LOVED this place. It’s like upscale asian fusion, with a little bit of something for everyone. There’s spring rolls, there’s sushi, there’s steak, there’s lo mein…it’s great. Read on for more (and another slideshow).
Red Lantern
- The Food: Solid. The wonton soup was delicious (Mom was obsessed with it), the rock shrimp tempura was light and flavorful, and the steak was perfectly cooked. In terms of appetizers, the BBQ Beef Buns were on point, but the steak should have been cut into smaller pieces – it kind of came falling out with the first bite. Interestingly enough, the bun was fried instead of that typical pillowy dough bun and I didn’t think I would like that, but then again, how on earth would I not like a fried bao bun?! Truthfully nothing we had was bad, and even my mom liked the crispy rice and tuna cakes and she doesn’t even eat sushi or anything related to it. I think that says something.
- The Staff: A bit rushed. Granted, it was a busy night, so I will give them the benefit of the doubt and they weren’t rude. I just felt a bit rushed to make an ordering decision. That said, the waitress was still helpful and gave us great recommendations.
- The Bar Scene: Low-key, fun, with a touch of date night. It’s an open space, obviously adorned with red lanterns all over the ceiling, but it also has TV’s for games, and low seating with small tables if you want to just sit and chill with a date and have a cocktail. Bonus points for the cocktails here – loved the Ginger Margarita.
- Why You Should Go: Perfect spot for a dinner date or a group dinner. There were a few birthdays the night we went as well, so it’s obviously good for that too. The food is worth trying, and the portions are big, so if I were you, I’d plan to take some of that to go and make it your drunken 2 am snack. Everybody wins at Red Lantern!
Thanks to Foxwoods for a great time and lovely stay! Since someone needs to watch mom at the slot machines, I’ll probably be back.
This post was written in partnership with Foxwoods Resort Casino. All opinions (and bad jokes) are my own.
