Each year, we ask Orange County Register readers to choose their favorite places to shop, dine, play and do business in OC.
Here are the top picks for Best Southern California casino:
1. Yaamava’ Resort & Casino
777 San Manuel Blvd, Highland; 909-864-5050; yaamava.com
Yaamava’ Resort & Casino first opened its doors on July 24, 1986, as San Manuel Indian Bingo and is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. Over the decades, the property made major renovations to compete with neighboring Southern California casinos. In 1994, the bingo hall expanded into a casino, adding card games and slot machines, and was rebranded as San Manuel Indian Bingo and Casino. By 2021, the casino had undergone another makeover, this time revamped with a full resort now known as Yaamava’ Resort & Casino.
The property houses a gaming floor with over 6,700 slot machines and more than 150 table games. It also features a 17-floor hotel tower with 432 rooms, ranging in size from 360 to over 1,300 square feet. Each room features a 65-inch flat-screen TV, floor-to-ceiling windows, a coffee maker, and 24-hour room service.
Resort amenities include the Serrano Spa, which offers facial treatments, full-body massages, manicures, pedicures, and more. Other offerings include a fitness center and a pool complex featuring two pools, two 4-foot-deep hot tubs, a walk-up restaurant, a bar and a giant LED television. Most of the entertainment is held at the Yaamava’ Theater, which has booked high-caliber performers such as Christina Aguilera, The Offspring and Janet Jackson.
In August 2025, Yaamava opened bEATS, a hybrid food-and-entertainment spot that serves on-the-go food ranging from vegetarian to barbecue and hosts live music, replacing the Rock & Brews concept founded by Kiss musicians Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons.
The pool deck is also used for live entertainment, frequently hosting live music acts dubbed Poolside Concerts, and offers weekend brunch at Radiance Café.
Food and drink on the property features fine dining options such as The Pines Steakhouse and Hong Bao Chicken. It’s also one of the few casinos in Southern California that still hosts a buffet.
Also see: Best of Orange County 2026: See all the winners
2. Pechanga Resort Casino
45000 Pechanga Parkway, Temecula; 877-711-2946; pechanga.com
This Temecula resort boasts one of the largest gaming floors in California, spanning nearly 200,000 square feet, featuring more than 5,000 slot machines and 150 table games. The property also has an RV campground, a golf course and two hotel towers with 1,100 rooms each.
The casino’s hotel rooms come in several sizes, ranging from 400 to over 800 square feet. Every room features flat-screen LCD televisions, floor-to-ceiling windows, an alarm clock radio with MP3 connectivity, and a safe and 24-hour room service.
Pechanga also features two entertainment venues: the outdoor Pechanga Summit, which can accommodate up to 3,000 guests, and the smaller indoor Pechanga Theater, seating 1,200.
The Pechanga resort experience features amenities including a spa, a 4.5-acre pool complex called The Cove, and a lounge. The Temecula casino’s eateries include the elevated American restaurant Kelsey’s, the Thai-and-Chinese blend Blazing Noodles, and the fine-dining restaurant Great Oak Steakhouse.
3. Morongo Casino, Resort & Spa
49500 Seminole Drive, Cabazon; 951-849-3080, morongocasinoresort.com
The Cabazon property features the tallest building in the Inland Empire, a 27-floor hotel boasting 272 rooms. The casino floor features nearly 4,000 slots, more than 80 table games, and an entertainment venue.
Morongo’s resort experience includes a spa, a lazy river, and a pool with a makeshift sandy shoreline surrounded by cabanas.
Some of the dining options at Morongo include fast-food options such as Wahlburgers. In addition to the casual dining spots, the property houses several fine-dining restaurants, including Cielo, which overlooks Cabazon, and full-service restaurants such as Mozen Asian Kitchen, Good Times Café, and “Top Chef” contestant Fabio Viviani’s The Marketplace.