Hello all, let me introduce myself. My name is Anthony and I am new to the area, specifically, I have moved here to open and operate the new restaurants within the newly expanded Blue Chip Casino.

Now, I know what you all may be thinking "I don't typically go to a casino for good food, I go to gamble and get a free buffet, or I don't go at all". Well, I wanted to invite you all to come check out "It's Vegas Baby!" and "The Game". Both are located just inside the new wing of the casino right next to the covered parking garage, or just to the left of valet (both parking services are free).

"It's Vegas Baby!" features contemporary American cuisine in an upscale casual environment with and "old school" Las Vegas theme. We offer a wide range of appetizers, salads, pastas and entrees--everything from Caesar salad to filet mignon to tilapia. The price point is fairly reasonable for a family or group of friends looking for a nice night out that won't break the bank.

"The Game" is a new state-of-the-art sports bar featuring 17 HD plasma TV's and 100-inch HD projection TV showing up to 12 different games at one time. We also have 4 "Las Vegas Style" odds tickers that rotate through the current betting odds for all ongoing games--just as if you were in a sports book in Las Vegas. We show all MLB/NHL/NBA/NFL/College sports as well as UFC fights with no cover charge/minimum. Our menu features signature sandwiches and burgers along, a wide variety of "game food" (nachos, etc) and even some bigger entrees (ribs, steak, etc) for those looking for a larger meal. "The Game" also features different $2 drink specials Mon-Thu as well as a summer-long $3 Oberon promotion after every Cubs/White Sox win.

After 10pm, "It's Vegas Baby!" turns into a live music entertainment venue featuring Karaoke on Wednesdays, Classic/Pop/Modern Rock bands Thursday-Saturday and Country bands on Sunday.

For more information, check us out online at our facebook pages:

It's Vegas Baby! on Facebook

The Game on Facebook

or our websites:

It's Vegas Baby!

The Game

Mention you saw us on either Facebook or Citybythelake.org and get a free appetizer. Hope to see you all there!

Anthony Schaefer
Director of Concept Restaurants
It's Vegas Baby! / The Game
Blue Chip Casino

Thanks for the info and welcome to the site! We hope to see more info as events happen up there!

Thanks for the info! Are there any dress codes for either of these?

Ooohhhhh.....
I think I know where I might watch the Superbowl next year!

Welcome Anthony and thank you for the info! I'll be sure to check them both out once I get home!

Actually, we do not have a dress code for either of the venues during dining hours, however, we do enforce a "club casual" dress code after 10pm on Fridays and Saturdays. Specifically, we prefer guests dress nicely, do not wear overly baggy clothing, ripped jeans, no tank tops for men, no sunglasses, no beanies/skull caps, no sweat suits.

We do allow t-shirts and appropriate athletic jerseys as well as hats as long as they are either worn straight forward or backward.

We are trying to create a fun, safe environment for everyone!

Thanks for asking.

Anthony

Thanks for the welcome!

We actually opened this year right at superbowl time, it was fun and not too busy since we were new.

The Game is a great place to watch sports, we had a nice crowd last night for the Blackhawks game and their playoff run will continue to be featured on our big screen.

As far a Superbowl and other big events (like UFC), we are planning on having parties and possibly all-you-can eat tailgate specials, so stay current and join our fan pages/websites for more info.

Anthony

Sounds great. Thanks for the info, Anthony! I'll have to check them both out soon.

Welcome to the area, and to CTBL.

It's Vegas Baby is packed every Friday and Saturday and offers entertainment. I have not yet gone in (it tends to run a little younger than my slightly over 50 age ), but looks like fun. The Game, in our opinion, started off on slightly the wrong foot (we had to walk out the first time we visited). We went the first time on the third day after they opened and we were seated and then never waited on. We never even got a glass of water and we waited almost 45 minutes.
However we went back a few weeks ago and had a delicious meal and decent service (still not top notch, but decent). We took my parents there a week ago for their appetizer happy hour specials and that was great. The server at that time paid excellent attention and the appetizers were very tasty and reasonable and the drinks were made well. I can now recommend it with more certainty.

Welcome to the board Anthony. Hope we can meet you at the CBTL get together May 31st - wherever we decide to meet.

I am sorry to hear about your initial poor experience, but I thank you for giving us another shot and am glad you a good time. In the future, please feel free to contact me directly via any of the available channels: facebook, email, PM, phone or of course here.

My staff and I are working every day to make both restaurants an enjoyable, fun place to have a good meal, catch a game or listen to great live music (or sing if you join us Wednesdays for Karaoke). I understand that this area has many great restaurants as I have visited several prior to opening these two. I hope we can create an alternative to the chain places popping up all over the place, but stay competitive with local offerings with good food and drink specials.

As far as Vegas Baby is concerned, please do not be turned off by the younger crowd, I think everyone is young at heart, even if it is for only one night. Music starts at 10p on the weekends, but we serve an excellent meal prior to all of the live entertainment.

We have recently hired a new chef and plan on expanding our menu by the end of June and will continue to strive to deliver the best possible service. Next time you stop in, please say hi (as I practically live there these days)

If anyone else is interested, I would be happy to put together a package to host the CBTL get together (I can provide appetizers if everyone agrees to buy drinks). Please let me know!

Anthony

I went to It's Vegas Baby a couple of weeks after it opened. It was really early in the evening, so the entertainment wasn't going yet. The service was great.

I've been interested in going back for the entertainment (especially the Spazmatics--might have to check that out in June). Is there normally a cover charge?

There is cover on Saturdays only, but if you RSVP to the events we have posted on facebook, you can skip the line and not pay cover if there is one. Should be super busy this weekend for PS Dump Your Boyfriend, so hopefully anyone coming will RSVP.

Anthony

Hey Michelle! Wanna go out? Jenny, you should come, too. Girl's Night Out-anyone else care to join?

Anthony, can you post the upcoming entertainment schedule? Maybe a month or so at a time if possible?
I would appreciate it.

I think that's a wonderful idea!! Maybe we could try to plan something for Tim's next visit home around Christmas.
Thank you SO MUCH for the offer Anthony!

The entertainment schedule is posted on the facebook page, the Bluechip website and on It's Vegas Baby!. We try to post everything at least a month ahead of time, but not before we have everything locked in. If you would like me to post it here, I can, but it may not be as timely.

Anthony

Wow that would be great! Of course we would purchase our own drinks. Nice offer.
Can I change my vote on the CBTL get together poll to this option?
What does everyone think?

If you don't mind a fun loving early fifties lady joining in....I love Girl's Night Out!

I'm a fun loving early forties lady and you're welcome to join in!
Yokas? You in?


You don't need to post it here. We have a thread for links to various 'City related websites. I'll post your link to that thread.
Thanks!

I'm in for sure! Not sure I want to subject anyone to my fantastic clumsy-person dancing style, but I'm down for hanging out and having a good time. When do we all want to go?



Meh, I guess I'm going to have to give in and join facebook. Thanks for your response, Anthony!

How about June 20th? It's a Saturday, and close to my birthday . That will give us time to get it together and decide whose coming and where we want to go.
I like the idea of going to It's Vegas Baby. After checking out the website, I think that place would be a lot of fun.

I'll start a new thread...

June 20th at Its Vegas Baby would be great. We can RSVP on the Vegas Baby Facebook site and avoid the line and cover, I think Anthony said.

I'm in. This sounds like fun!

Thanks for thinking of me, Ang! I'm happy to gather anywher that has A) a killer cheesburger and booze.

I checked it out this last Saturday. It was packed. A very Vegas-kind of feel. Fantastic place. Food was great too. The casino proved to be a little pricey on the pocket... lol.
Here is a link to the Google Map location. I had to look it up before going.

Just wanted to return and post our new menus for both The Game and It's Vegas Baby:

The Game menu

It's Vegas Baby! menu

Hey everyone. Back again to announce our New Year's Eve event in It's Vegas Baby!

We still have some tickets available and it's going to be an awesome night featuring the local favorite band "PS Dump Your Boyfriend" (Pfreak Show)

Here are the details:

Tickets available for $20, $50 and $75 per person

$20 ticket gets you in the door before midnight and a champagne toast at midnight

$50 ticket gets you dinner at either 4:30 or 6:30
(dinner includes appetizer to share, choice of entree, dessert to share, cocktail with dinner, re-entry into the club and a champagne toast at midnight)

$75 ticket gets you dinner at 8:30 and a reserved table for the evening
(dinner includes appetizer to share, choice of entree, dessert to share, cocktail with dinner and a champagne toast at midnight)

Bottle service also available for $75 per person, minimum 4 people

Reservations can be made with It's Vegas Baby! management or at the Blue Chip Hotel front desk.

Hotel room packages are also available. PM me or call the restaurant/hotel with any questions:

879-7711 ext 2229

Thanks, and I hope to see you there!

Anthony

Anthony,
I took the family to "It's Vegas Baby!" two weeks ago on a Sunday evening and had a great meal. I ordered the Lemon Thyme Chicken Penne. Excellent stuff! The wife ordered the Asian Chicken Salad and loved it. The flat breads are so filling and this is what the daughter ordered. Keep up the great work at It's Vegas Baby. It is so nice to have such a great restaurant right here in MC.

I went to The Game last night to watch game 4 Canuckleheads-Blackhawks series which was being shown on Versus. There were also several other Blackhawk fans there which was nice. Very much a sports book setting. They had it on the HD big screen in the middle and the audio was crystal clear. They also have free WiFi so have brought my laptop.

The hostess and servers were friendly and pleasantly decked out in cheerleader uniforms.

They have a pretty full menu. I ordered the double game burger with lettuce, tomato, onion, mozzarella cheese and bacon they also gave me a full squeezer bottle of Heinz ketchup and French's mustard. The burger came with a dill pickle slice and giant pile of fries that were fried to perfection, not too soggy and not too crispy (man I hate soggy fries).

The burger was delicious. The burger came on a giant wheat bun which didn't fall apart while eating the burger. The patty's were thick, had to be about 1/3 pound each, nice and meaty and well cooked (it tasted like prime Angus ground steak, which is probably why it is kind of pricey), I had it cooked medium well. The only downside is they used raw red onion which are kind of strong so I took them off, (I prefer grilled vidalia onion with my burger ). I'm now a card carrying member of The Game frequent burger club which means if I eat 9 burgers I get the tenth one free.

The bill with three Budweiser longnecks (domestic bottles are $3.00) came to around $27.00 before tip.

Some downsides:

• The boys would love this place but kids can only eat at The Buffet inside the Blue Chip complex.
• I like barbecue sauce on my burger, they didn't have it.
• They didn't have Provolone cheese, Provolone cheese rules.
• I had to leave before the 3rd period got underway, a really bad and loud lounge band act started playing at It's Vegas Baby right next door that bled over into the sports bar and I couldn't hear the game audio anymore.
• No dessert on the menu.
• They should bring a peppermint candy with the bill, I always like places that do that.
• Indiana law prohibits sports betting at their casinos, I would have been a winner...

I give it 3 1/2 out of 5 stars.

I'll never understand that part about not allowing sports betting at the casinos. I just don't understand why all other forms of gambling are OK and encouraged, but not that. It's weird. In fact, I was duped by The Game because I thought it was a sports book until I learned of that law. It looks like a sports book and acts like a sports book ... but, you know, without the GAMBLING. Indiana has a lot of dumb, archaic laws (don't even get me started on the package liquor laws), but this one's near the top of the list.

Thanks for coming in and giving your feedback, we appreciate it!

As far as some of your downsides, I'd like to address a few so your next visit will be more enjoyable:

-We are working on getting approval for minors in the dining room. Another "dumb" Indian law prohibits us from allowing children to walk past a bar. If you look at a place like BWW or Chile's, they have a serperate bar area or a physical partition.

-We do have BBQ sauce, it's just not listed as a side, the staff would be happy to bring it for your next burger and it will be going on our next menu.

-Provolone cheese will most likely also be going on our next menu as your are not the only fan.

-Sorry about the band music bleeding over, we have live entertainment on Fridays and Saturdays and it was one area of design that was really overlooked. Next time, as your server for a "sound dog". They are these small speaker boxes that we can put on a table and can broadcast up to 8 different TVs' audio sources.

-As far as desserts, we have a separate menu for those. I'm sorry the server didn't offer or bring one out.

-Unfortunately, peppermint candies will not make it on the next menu (sorry...)

-I agree about sports betting. All I can say is write your congressman.

Again, thanks for your business and feedback.

Anthony Schaefer
Director of Concept Restaurants
It's Vegas Baby! / The Game
Blue Chip Casino, Hotel & Spa

Thanks for the review! I am glad to learn about the wifi thing. Friday the 14th is going to be the second of three times this year that they have the Chicago White Sox post game show up there, so maybe this time I will bring the laptop. I went the first time and got to meet the host, who is a really nice guy.

Some nice reviews on Yelp by Anthony S. for It's Vegas Baby and The Game. What's up with that? He "heard about [It's Vegas Baby] from some friends"?

I do like both It's Vegas Baby and The Game quite a bit. I don't disagree with the content of the reviews, just with not disclosing the business relationship.

Yelp--Anthony S.

"2 Easy St
Michigan City, IN 46360
(219) 879-7711 It's Vegas Baby!
Categories: Dance Clubs, American (New)


6/24/2009 First to Review
Rather new restaurant located within the Blue Chip Casino Hotel and Spa. I heard about it from some friends so I decided to check it out. We went on a Saturday and it was pretty packed--we didn't need a reservation, but had to wait about 15 minutes to be seated, the girls at the front said they took reservations, so we will definitely call ahead next time.

The menu was pretty varied, offering everything from shared appetizers and flat breads to sandwiches, pastas, seafood and steak. The portion size was huge for the price. Along with drinks, I think I spent about $40 per person for dinner--a bit higher than normal for restaurants in this area, but well worth the price for the quality of the food and atmosphere.

On our way out, the girls at the front asked if we would be returning for the entertainment--we didn't know exactly what they meant so they went on to explain that they had live bands Friday-Sunday. We came back around 11 and did not have to pay cover because we had dined earlier.

Good thing too, because there was a long line and the dance floor was slammed. This quiet, upscale restaurant turned into an loud and crazy nightclub almost instantly. We had a blast staying all night dancing and drinking.

I highly recommend It's Vegas Baby to anyone looking for a really good meal and a great place to party.
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2 Easy Street
Michigan City, IN 46360
(219) 879-7711 The Game
Category: American (New)


3/9/2009 First to Review
I visited this new sports bar a grill and was extremely pleased. It had over 15 large plasma televisions showing every game, a great bar with a modern feel and an affordable food menu. Everything from the burgers to the smothered fries and flatbreads were great. The service staff was very friendly. Even though it is located within the blue chip casino, you don't have to even get near the slots to enjoy it. Covered parking is free and the restaurant is right near the entrance and valet. They said they would be featuring all pay-per-view UFC fights, food and drink specials and fantasy sports contests where I could win a trip to Vegas. I will definitely be returning. Highly recommended!"

I really enjoy the $7.77 Sunrise Special Friday morning 7AM-11AM. All-You can eat breakfast at the Options Buffet. It's Totally the Bomb. You name it, it's on the Buffet. One of the best deals in town. 5 stars.

Burgers at The Game are almost addicting. The Game Moves Up to 4 stars.

I believe Blue Chip Casino and Spa address changed from 2 Easy Street to 777 Blue Chip Drive when the new complex opened up.

This happens way more often than it should. From what I understand, even on the front page of local media at times, without any kind of disclosure. It happens all of the time on the radio.

Absurd saying that the food is reasonably priced for a family. Kids can only eat at Options Buffet at Blue Chip.