Ocean Casino Resort and Hotel is, without doubt, the most visually striking casino resort in Atlantic City. At 710 feet, the hotel tower is the tallest structure in town, the second largest casino tower in the United States, and the all-glass façade adds a touch of Las Vegas chic to the north end of the Boardwalk.

However, does the external glitz transfer inside, and is Ocean Atlantic City’s equivalent of Cosmopolitan or Aria in Las Vegas? 

I headed there to find out and here is my review of what I experienced. 

In August 2007 Revel Entertainment Group, backed by Morgan Stanley, announced plans to develop a $2billion casino hotel featuring two 700-foot hotel towers and 4,000 rooms, with an opening date scheduled for 2010.

However, Revel ran out of money midway through and construction slowed, with the company announcing that it would complete the exterior while trying to find new investment to complete the rest.

In 2011, Revel managed to secure a $1.15billion re-financing package, with Morgan Stanley cutting its losses and selling its stake for just $30 million, suffering a massive $1.2billion loss in the process. Plans were scaled back, eliminating the proposed second hotel tower.

Revel Casino Hotel Atlantic City eventually opened on 2 April 2012, with the distinctive white ball on top of the roof being designed by Mitch Gorshin, whose father Frank played The Riddler in the 60’s TV series Batman.

However, it was announced in May 2012 that Revel’s $13million in casino winnings ranked it near the bottom of Atlantic City’s 12 casinos, a spot it would occupy for all of its two-year existence.

Revel was in and out of bankruptcy during 2013 & 2014, with a Revel lawyer telling a bankruptcy judge that the casino was a “melting ice cube”. A buyer could not be found, and Revel officially closed on 2nd September 2014.

Revel was eventually sold to AC Ocean Walk, a group led by Colorado based investor Bruce Deifik for $200million and the resort reopened as Ocean Resort Casino on 27 June 2018, the same day as the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino next door. The property name was then slightly amended to Ocean Casino Resort in April 2019 to place more emphasis on its casino operation.   

Location

Ocean Casino Resort is located at the north end of the Boardwalk, just up from Resorts and Hard Rock Casinos as well as the Steel Pier. It is also the spot where the Boardwalk Tram Service begins, which runs from Ocean down to Tropicana at the south end.

The Boardwalk Tram Service comes thoroughly recommended and is my preferred mode of transport when exploring the casinos in the area. Tickets are priced at $4 for a single fare ($2 for children under 12), $10 for an all-day pass and operating hours vary by season.

As Ocean is at the very north end of the Boardwalk some may feel that they are not in the ideal spot to enjoy all of the action. However, due to the size of the resort, plus its popularity and being next door to Hard Rock, I would argue that it is actually the centre of the action.

However, one word of caution for the beach lovers amongst you, the beach directly outside Ocean is not as nice as the beach area at the south end (opposite Tropicana/Caesars/Bally’s). So, if this is high on your list of priorities I’d probably consider one of the other resorts.   

Either way, I would always go for a casino resort on the Boardwalk itself, during the summer months for obvious reasons, but also as it gives you a far wider choice of properties to gamble in as well as a huge selection of bars, restaurants and other entertainment for you to enjoy. 

Ocean Casino Resort has 130,000 square feet of gaming space, with more than 2,500 slot machines and 120 table games. 

In December 2020, Ocean announced the opening of a new high limit slots area called The Cove which covers 7,450 square feet and includes 140 high limit machines. Table game players also enjoy their own dedicated space with The Loft, a 2,000 square foot area featuring high limit Blackjack, Baccarat and Roulette.  

In 2022, Ocean opened a new sports bar and gaming area called The Gallery Bar, Book & Games, which features a sportsbook alongside bar-top and table games. 

Table Games Selection

Table game players have a number of choices at Ocean. The main casino floor features 120 tables, including:

• Blackjack
• Roulette
• Craps
• EZ Baccarat
• Mini Baccarat
• No Commission Baccarat

Whilst Ocean does not offer a dedicated poker room the following poker variations are available:

• High Card Flush
• Heads Up Hold’em
• Let It Ride
• Criss Cross Poker
• Mississippi Stud
• Face Up Pai Gow Poker
• Pai Gow Tiles
• Three Card Poker
• Four Card Poker
• Ultimate Texas Hold’em

Table mininums can vary depending on the time of the day or week, or how busy the casino is. As a basic rule, though, you can expect the following minimums at Ocean Resort Atlantic City.

Ocean has recently started offering table game vouchers which are the same as TITOs on slot machines. Simply ask your dealer to exchange your chips for a gaming voucher and that voucher can then be used at any table game, slot machine or Ticket Redemption Machine. It’s something that is an excellent addition for convenience. I wouldn’t say payout times are impacted, which is good given land-based properties are the fastest payout casinos you can visit. 

In addition to the table games found on the main casino floor, Ocean offers a high limit area on the 44th floor called The Loft. This area is invitation only and features six tables offering high limit Roulette, Blackjack and Baccarat.

Slots

The slot selection at Ocean is one of the best in the whole of Atlantic City, certainly for modern games.

The main casino floor is ultra smart and features everything you could wish for, including:

• Huff N’ More Puff
• Dollar Storm
• Dragon Link
• Crazy Rich Asians
• Cashnado
• Big Fu Cash Bats
• All Aboard
• Buffalo Ascension
• Coin Trio – Piggy Burst
• Cash Express Mega Line
• Mystery Of The Lamp
• Mo’ Mummy
• Jackpot Carnival

During my visit I played slots for a few hours on the main casino floor and really enjoyed my time in the resort. I visited on a Saturday and it was ultra busy but that made for a really good vibe and a great atmosphere. Sadly, Dollar Storm wasn’t my friend and I ended up losing a few hundred dollars but would definitely recommend the casino.

I started this review by posing a question as to whether Ocean is to Atlantic City as Cosmopolitan is to Las Vegas, and my answer when it comes to slots is a definite yes. The slots on the main casino floor reminded me a great deal of Cosmo - a smart, ultra-modern environment, maintained impeccably, and with as good a selection as you could possibly wish for.  

Waitress Service

As we all know, complimentary drinks are one of the most cherished perks for a gambler, aside from winning of course! Yet even though the benefits to the casino seem obvious, it always amazes me just how little importance some seem to place on providing a good service to players, particularly in the larger casinos. After all, it’s something they can offer that even the best online casinos can’t.

However, my experience at Ocean bucked this trend and during my stay at least the offer of free drinks was regular, and the waitresses extremely friendly. Usually, I find a $5 tip with the first drink sets things up nicely for the rest of the session and it proved to be the case at Ocean.

Now whilst some may think $5 is a large tip, I feel it is worth the investment, particularly when you compare it to the price of drinks should you buy them at the bar. It normally results in regular attention for as long as you are there, and being well looked after definitely enhances your overall gambling experience.

Bar-Top Gaming

As with all Atlantic City casinos bar-top gaming is available at Ocean.

The Gallery Bar, Book & Games has 12 bar-top machines which include Bonus Poker Deluxe and Ultimate X.

The 1927 Lounge, which is often converted to a pop-up bar, has around 10 machines and is open Friday to Sunday.   

Bar-top gaming can be a really fun experience, not to mention very handy for complimentary drinks, so if you enjoy some social interaction while gambling it may be the option for you.

Sportsbook

Ocean premiered their new sportsbook called The Gallery Bar, Book & Games in 2022 and it features 12,000 square feet of space including a 100-foot elevated bar with 26 bar seats, 12 bar-top machines, and 33 drink rail seats. All this overlooks three LED walls ranging in size from 42 to 55 feet, so you’ll always have a great view of all the action.

In addition, there are a variety of Blackjack and Roulette tables around the perimeter of the bar area.      

The Gallery Bar, Book & Sports is open for sports betting Monday to Friday from 12pm until 12am and Saturday to Sunday from 10am until 12:30am, while the bar itself is open 24/7.

High Limit Gaming

Ocean has a dedicated high limit slots area called The Cove which features 7,450 square feet of casino space and over 140 slot machines. Amongst the featured games are:

• Cleopatra/Cleopatra 2
• Eagle Bucks
• Buffalo Gold Revolution
• Dancing Drums
• Huff N’ Puff
• Piggy Bankin’
• Quick Hits
• Cash Machine
• Top Dollar
• Wheel Of Fortune

The Cove is limited to Ocean Reward cardholders that have achieved Reserve, Prime and Preferred status from Sunday to Thursday and Reserve and Prime status cardholders on Friday and Saturday. 

In addition to The Cove, Ocean offers a dedicated high limit table game area on the 44th floor called The Loft. This area is invitation only and features high limit Blackjack, Baccarat, and Roulette tables. 

Cash and Payment Options

Ocean offers a Credit Line facility for its Ocean Rewards card holders whereby players can pre-arrange a credit facility of $500 or more prior to their arrival. Once arranged, players obtain their marker via the cashier cage and thus avoid the need to travel to Atlantic City with large sums of cash. 

Of course, should you decide against that option you will need to bring enough cash to gamble at the level you plan to. ATM facilities are available throughout the resort although they do attract fees. Amounts over your daily ATM limit can be arranged at the cashier’s cage, but will attract fees in excess of $100 in many cases.   

All bars, restaurants and shops at Ocean accept payment in cash, debit or credit card, as we’ll as room charge, although you will need to authorise this at the time of check in.  

Ocean has one main hotel tower with 48 floors and 1,860 guest rooms. Every room has floor to ceiling windows and at 710 feet the tower is the tallest in Atlantic City. As a result, all rooms enjoy a breathtaking view of the New Jersey coastline.

The basic room at Ocean is a Contemporary King, which is 463 square feet in size and features a 46” flat screen TV, walk in shower and refrigerator. Resort Fees are charged at $26.84 plus tax per night and include free wi-fi as well as access to the fitness centre and pool.

Ocean recently renovated a number of the higher floors and, whilst they don’t differentiate between them in the room descriptions on their website, the remodelled rooms are known as “Contemporary Blu” due to their ocean blue colour scheme.

A range of suites are also available, including a 615 square foot Studio Suite, a 940 square foot One Bedroom Suite, and a 1,389 square foot Social Suite which includes two bedrooms.

My recommendation would be for a Contemporary Blu King on the highest floor possible to take full advantage of the stunning views on offer.   

Bars

For such a large property Ocean doesn’t actually have the widest selection of bars, but what it does have are all pretty cool hangouts:

1927 Lounge

Just off the casino floor, this bar is open from 6pm Friday to Sunday and offers live music every Friday and Saturday. The 1927 Lounge also converts into a pop-up bar on occasions and last summer it morphed into Birthday Bar: The Ultimate Birthday Pop-Up Experience.

The Gallery Bar, Book & Games  

A Sportsbook and bar mash up, with the bar open 24/7. There is an additional bar area above the Gallery Bar called the Balcony Bar which is a mezzanine style bar serving cocktails and aiming to provide the ultimate VIP sportsbook experience.   

Restaurants

Ocean has some great food choices from fine dining down to quick eats and cafes:

Fine Dining 

• Amada: Tapas style restaurant
• Linguini By The Sea: Italian cuisine
• Ocean Steak: Steaks and seafood
• Pearl & Mary Oyster Bar: Includes an assorted raw bar and mixed crudos

Casual Dining

• Distrito: Mexican street food
• Harper’s: Serving breakfast and lunch daily
• Rocco’s Italian Kitchen & Market: Sandwiches, pizzas and hot subs
• Samuel’s: An American-Jewish inspired menu

Quick Eats

• Caffeccino: 24-hour coffee and pastries
• The District Food Court 
• The Soup Spot: Freshly prepared homemade soups

During my visit I enjoyed brunch at Harper’s and would thoroughly recommend the Chicken and Waffles. Simply delicious!

Shows and Entertainment

Ocean offers a major entertainment venue in the 5,500 capacity Ovation Hall, which has hosted acts such as Maroon 5, Beyonce, Duran Duran, and Brooks & Dunn. 

For the clubbers amongst you Ocean offers HQ2 Nightclub and Beachclub. These two clubs offer an impressive roster of DJs and dance acts, with the nightclub open from 11pm each Friday and Saturday and the beachclub open Saturday 11am to 6pm and Sunday 12pm to 6pm.

Ocean Casino Resort Atlantic City Pool

Ocean offers a pool complex called Eclipse, which is both an indoor and outdoor pool and is heated all year round. You are able to swim between the indoor and outdoor sections via a connected passthrough. 

The pool is open to hotel guests and can be accessed on the Lobby Level, with adult swim time 8am to 10am and all swim time from 10am to 8pm.

The pool can get pretty busy, particularly with families. So, if you want to avoid this, I would recommend an early swim session.      

One other area which is worth noting and comes recommended is The Park, a three acre outside space also accessed on the Lobby Level, where you can escape the crowds and enjoy fantastic views of the coastline. This area is incredibly relaxing at all times of the day and certainly makes for a great alternative for when the pool becomes a little too overbearing.

Spa

Ocean Resort has the Exhale Spa and Bathhouse, which is one of the more premium facilities of its kind in Atlantic City. 

It is a 40,000 square-foot space that offers dozens of treatments such as facials, massages, skin-care and relaxation therapies. The Bathhouse, meanwhile, is a pool complex attached ot the spa that guests can use for an hour after their treatments with a jetted pool, jacuzzi, Himalayan Salt grotto and lounge area.

Ocean Casino Resort offers its own rewards programme called Ocean Rewards.

Ocean Rewards offers several benefits depending on your tier status and, unsurprisingly, the higher the tier, the better the benefits:

• Signature (0 – 2,999 Tier Points) - Hotel offers based on play/5% discount at select restaurants 
• Preferred (3,000 – 19,999 Tier Points) - 15% discount at select restaurants/Free self-parking 
• Prime (20,000+ Tier Points) - No Resort Fees/Priority line service/Complimentary valet parking/20% discount at select restaurants/Two complimentary nights at Resorts World Las Vegas with $100 Free Play and $100 Resort Credit
• Reserve (Invite only) - Complimentary access to Avila Lounge/Complimentary priority valet parking/25% discount at select restaurants/Three complimentary nights at Resorts World Las Vegas with $200 Free Play and $200 Resort Credit plus car service to and from airport

To sign up simply go to the Ocean Rewards Desk on the main casino floor with some photographic ID. Players must be 21 or over and not part of any exclusionary lists. 

Once you have your Ocean Rewards Card, simply insert it into any slot machine or hand it to a dealer when you play at a table game, so that your play can be tracked.

Should you join Ocean Rewards?

Ocean is one of the best casinos in Atlantic City, with a great selection of games for both slot and table game players alike. 

It has also recently partnered with Resorts World in Las Vegas to offer Ocean Rewards members who have achieved Prime and Reserve status either two or three complimentary nights, plus freeplay and Resort Credit, which is a very attractive benefit in itself.

Ocean Rewards offer a Prime Tier Match promotion for new members and those members that have been inactive for 18 months, whereby players can present their qualifying competitor card and receive an instant upgrade to Prime status. This alone rewards you with two complimentary nights at Ocean with no Resort Fees (Thursday to Sunday), as well as a complimentary stay at Resorts World Las Vegas. 

The qualifying competitor cards are:

• Borgata: Platinum/Noir
• Caesars Entertainment: Seven Stars/Diamond Plus/Diamond Elite
• Golden Nugget Atlantic City: Billionaire
• Hard Rock Atlantic City: Rock Royalty/Icon/X Card
• Resorts: Red Carpet
• Live!: Jade/Chairman’s Club
• Parx: Elite Royal
• Rivers Casino Philadelphia: Black
• Valley Forge: Titanium
• Wind Creek Bethlehem: Fantasy
• Mohegan Sun: Soar
• Foxwoods: Diamond
• Encore Boston: Black 

Ultimately, I would always recommend joining as many reward programmes as you can, particularly if you have an interest in returning to the property in the future. Ocean Rewards offers some great benefits and my advice would be to sign up for the card, use it each time you play, avoid chasing tier status (unless you can tier match) and see what offers come your way.

Ocean is one of the premier casino resorts in Atlantic City, of that there is no question. Visually stunning both inside and out, it definitely brings some Vegas glitz to the east coast.

The casino has everything a gambler could want, with a fantastic slot and table game selection, all housed in a swish gaming space. The hotel offering is also superb, with great views in pretty much every room thanks to the floor to ceiling windows and the remodelled Contemporary Blu rooms are amongst the best in town.

The rewards programme is attractive as it offers a great tier match promotion, instantly qualifying you for complimentary nights in both Atlantic City and further afield at Resorts World in Las Vegas.

On the downside, whilst the pool area is nicely designed it can get very busy and is best avoided after 10am unless you are travelling as a family. This is, however, mitigated by The Park, a superb three acre outside space with fantastic views of the coastline. 

The beach area at the north end is not as nice as that found further down the Boardwalk, so if that is high on your list of priorities you may want to look elsewhere. 

Overall, Ocean Casino Resort Atlantic City comes highly recommended, and I would suggest you place it towards the top of your list of possibilities for your next Atlantic City adventure.