Lutes Casino in Historic Downtown Yuma

If you want to gamble, this is not THAT kind of Casino. Lutes Casino Restaurant is a fun historic destination in Old Town Yuma that appeals to both locals and Snowbirds. It’s for those looking for a casual dining experience with lots and lots of memorabilia covering every surface in the place.

Fun place for cold drink on warm day

Lutes Casino entry (Julianne G. Crane)

Jimmy and I were taken there by RV friends on a very warm afternoon for a cold drink.

While the place might look a little rough when you first enter, it’s not. This is actually “a place for young and old,” says Bobby Lutes, co-owner of the Casino with his brother, Billy. The building dates back to 1901 and has functioned as a store, hotel and billiards hall. Lutes took ownership in 1959 and “started collecting the wall stuff in about 1960,” he recalls.

Two pool tables, Foosball at Lutes (Julianne G. Crane)

“Politicians, dignitaries, celebrities, and artists have paid visits to the Casino.” According to our very friendly wait-guy, during the winter, the place attracts folks from all over North America who are escaping the snow and ice. (We are from the Pacific Northwest and at the next table were six Canadians from British Columbia and Alberta.)

Do not be in a hurry when you visit. The food service can be slow. Take this time to walk around and check out the hundreds of fading posters and photographs. The menu is mostly average American bar food. Prices are reasonable. Pint of craft beer was $5/pint.

If you go:

Lutes Casino, Yuma

Lutes Casino Restaurant
221 Main St.
Historic Downtown Yuma, Az
(928) 782-2192
Hours:
Monday-Thursday: 10 a.m.-8 p.m.
Friday-Saturday: 10 a.m.-9 p.m.
Sunday: 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
– Plenty of parking in the back (on Maiden Lane). RVs welcome.

Nearby

Julianne G. Crane

To read more articles about the RV lifestyle by Julianne G Crane, go to RVWheelLife.com

Julianne G. Crane
Julianne G. Cranehttp://www.RVWheelLife.com
Julianne G. Crane writes about the RVing and camping lifestyles for print and online sites. She was been hooked on RVing from her first rig in the mid-1980s. Between 2000-2008, she was a writer for The Spokesman-Review newspaper in Spokane, Wash. One of her popular columns was Wheel Life about RVing in the Pacific Northwest. In 2008, Crane started publishing RV Wheel Life.com. She and her husband, Jimmy Smith, keep a homebase in southern Oregon, while they continue to explore North America in their 21-foot 2021 Escape travel trailer. Over the years they have owned every type of RV except a big class A. “Our needs change and thankfully, there’s an RV out there that fits every lifestyle.”

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4 Comments

Tom & Tee
9 years ago

Great place! My experience dates back to the 60's.

Tom Edelman
9 years ago

Dogs are welcome on the back patio too.