fyi, my take on San Diego poker rooms...
Card rooms...
1. Palomar, San Diego. 7-8 tables. 3/6 limit kill, 2/3 300 max no-limit, 5/10 2000 max no-limit and "the big game" currently nominally 25/50 plo, 5000 min (but they often play half/half NL or add in Badugi, Triple Draw, Omaha/8, also with different nose-bleed limits and buyins). No alcohol or kitchen, but has "service" runners to get food from numerous local places. All games $5 drop-on-flop, except the big game which is 8-11 per down. Open 9am-2am.
2. Lucky Lady, San Diego. 6-7 tables. 3/6 limit kill, 4/8 limit kill, 2/3 300 max nl, 5/5 1500 max nl. Used to regularly open 8/16 limit kill and it still goes sometimes, have board for 5/10 2000 max nl and 4/8 omaha/8 but they never go. Adjoining bar, kitchen. All games $5 drop on flop except 3/6 $4 drop on flop. Open 9am-2am.
3. Village Club, Chula Vista. 7-8 tables. 3/6 limit kill, 8/16 limit kill, 2/3 300 max nl, 5/10 i think 2000 max nl, 3/6 omaha/8, 8/16 omaha/8. Cocktails on swing shift (but no bar) and kitchen. All games $5 drop on flop. action 24 hours.
4. Ocean's Eleven, Oceanside. 50+ tables. 3/6 limit 1/3 kill, 4/8 limit kill, 8/16 limit kill, 20/40 limit, 40/80 limit, 1/1 40 max nl, 2/2 100 max nl, 2/3 300 max nl, 5/5 i think 1000 max nl, 10/10 i think 2000 max. Also omaha/8 and sometimes plo, not sure of the details. cocktails and kitchen. 1/1 $4 "modified" drop, 2/2 $5 "modified" drop, 2/3 $5 drop on flop, 3/6 was $4 drop on flop last time i played, biggest games are time charged. action 24 hours.
Near Indian Casinos
5. Barona, north of Lakeside. 15 tables. 3/6 limit kill, 4/8 limit kill, 1/2 60 max nl, 1/3 300 max nl, 2/5 1500 max nl. have board for 8/16 limit kill, and it sometimes goes. hotel and food but no alcohol other than inside high end steak house or hotel room service. all games $4 drop on flop, THIS IS THE BEST DEAL IN THE COUNTY. open 24, i believe there actually is action 24 hours. Barona is up a very windy road out in the middle of nowhere. free bus.
6. Sycuan, east of El Cajon. 25+ tables. 3/6 limit kill, 4/8 limit kill, 1/2 60 max nl, 1/2 100 max nl, 1/3 300 max nl, 1-3 spread limit stud/8. have board for 8/16 limit, 2/5 nl but not sure if they actually go. food but no alcohol. all games $5 "modified" drop. Out of town on a two-lane road, watch that "deadmans curve" above their golf course. open 24, i believe there is not always action 24 hours. free bus.
7. Viejas, east of Alpine. about 15 tables, 3/6 limit kill, 1/2 100 max nl, 2/3 300 max nl, 2/5 i think 1000 max nl, 1-4 spread limit stud/8. They also might have 4/8 limit, 8/16 limit, im not sure. food and alcohol. all games $5 "modified" drop. right off i-8. open 24, i believe there is not always action 24 hours. free bus.
Far Indian Casinos...
8. Valley View, near Valley Center. Only been there once, last week. they had .50/1 100 max nl. This is demo site for "poker-pro" poker machine tables, no dealers, cards or chips. food and alcohol. The one time i was there they had trouble getting one table open. Valley Center is way out in the country east of Escondido. assume open 24 hours, but also assume no action lots of that time. $3 drop, no dealers to tip. free bus.
9. Harrah's Rincon, near Valley Center. Never been. hotel, food, don't know about alcohol. free bus.
10. Pauma, Pauma Valley. Never been. Heard this is a very small room that does not always have action. Pauma valley is also way out in the country northeast of Escondido. might have a bus, might have alcohol, i don't know.
11. Santa Ysabel, north of Santa Ysabel. Never been. website says this is a 4 table room which opens fri-sun at 4pm. website says alcohol and food. Santa Ysabel is way, way, out in the mountains. no bus.
12. Golden Acorn, near Campo. Never been. I believe that website used to say it was about 4 tables and open only on weekends, like Santa Ysabel, and they have alcohol. Campo is way out east of the city, but casino is also a truck stop right off i-8. they have a bus, but i think it leaves casino before the poker room opens.
Honorable mention...
13. Pala, i think Pauma Valley. Never been. website says they will open a new poker room in may.
14. Pechanga, Temecula. Technically Temecula is in Riverside County not San Diego. about 70 tables. Went once, last week. they had 3/6 limit kill, 4/8 limit kill, 1/2 100 max nl, 2/5 400 max nl, and 3/6 omaha/8 i think going. was led to understand that bigger limit games and 5/10 with higher max game regularly go at night. hotel, food and alcohol. all games $5 "modified" drop. $2 bus from San Diego gets you $10 food comp. sure there is action 24 hours.
All the cardrooms, and the 'hoods around them, I consider save and sane to visit. I always park on the street, but they all have valet for the paranoid. The Indians are all out by themself out, more or less, in the middle of nowhere and have free parking lots and valet.
enjoy!