The Governors Grill — Restaurant in Carson City

I have to say that I'm a little disappointed to give this place 3 starts being that I was really hoping to give it a much better review. Ever since it got remodeled, my wife and I had been wanting to dine here especially being that they did such a nice job of updating the place and making it look so modern. It really is a HUGE improvement over the 1980s tropical theme thing they had going. Unfortunately, our first visit was right after they opened but we didn't stick around because there was such a long line to get in and with what seemed like nobody around to seat people. At the time, we just chalked our experience up to being just growing pains and so we made an effort to come again. When we finally came back just recently, we got seated quickly and received nice, fast and friendly service and that was all great but I'm disappointed to say that the coffee tasted more like weak tea than anything and the food was just, eh. My wife ordered the Smothered Hashbrowns with chili and I got the Pulled Pork Hash and while the price of both were quite reasonable, the portions were on the small side or at least for the hash and the taste of both were just okay at best. My wife's hashbrowns were old and really hard like they were cooked the night before and it was over all just really bland. My hash had more flavor but not any better than what you could get with some store bought BBQ sauce slopped on. I don't know, maybe it was just what we ordered and will have to give it another try but unless something they serve tastes better, I don't think we'll be coming here again. What a shame. Of course, if you like bland, I will need to reiterate that the food is reasonably priced and they do have Keno that you can play...

Yet another review rewrite as of 4/4/2025:

The Palm Court Grill has been gone for a while, and I do miss it and their old menu. I still find the diner to be an overly posh affair—fancy to the point of being a little intimidating.

My previous criticism was that the menu didn’t match the upscale decor. They fixed that. The menu now fits what they’ve turned this place into. It still feels too fancy for casual diners, yet here we are, still coming to eat.

As for the late-night menu, R.I.P. my French Dip. That used to be my go-to whenever I was stuck on a schedule that kept me up all night. Having a place where I could enjoy a relaxing meal meant a lot. I saw that it's still offered on their regular menu, but it's a crying shame that it's not included on the late night menu anymore.

Despite the loss of my favorite dish, there were some unexpected silver linings that made up for it.

Instead, they’ve added a couple of interesting options: Beef Stroganoff and New York Steak Frites. I went with the steak but definitely plan to try the Stroganoff next time.

I was expecting something on par with The Nugget or Denny’s—basic, barely passable beef. Instead, I got a steak that genuinely impressed me. Cooked perfectly, with that charbroil flavor hitting just right. I thought I’d have to go back to Texas for a decent steak, but The Governor’s Grill proved me wrong.

All in all, I was very satisfied. The fries were as good as ever, and the Chicken Noodle Soup wasn’t bad either. Totally worth the nearly $20 spent (not counting tips, etc.).

The other silver lining? They finally fixed whatever issue forced me to use their ATM before. No trouble charging my card this time, and that went a long way toward...

The restaurant is located in the middle of the casino, so the smell of smoke is very strong. We were both very uncomfortable and so requested to move towards the back, which thankfully improved the situation. Fiance ordered a NY style pizza, and was told they didn't do NY style, even though that is what the pizza is called in their menu. He said it tasted similar to what you can order at a gas station. I ordered salmon, and it tasted okay but was brown throughout. My rice was crispy and dry along the edges, and the vegetables were clearly reheated from a frozen bag; desaturated in color and overly soft. We also tried the egg drop soup, it tasted bad enough that we didn't eat more than a couple spoonfuls. I can't remember the last time I paid at a restaurant for such low quality food, but we were desperate for a meal after travelling and too polite to ask for a refund on things...