Bay 101

Cardrooms are legal in California, and if you get a chance to stop by LA, you should definitely check out the Commerce or the Bike. However, if you're in the Bay area, The Bay 101 is definitely the place to go. They offer a variety of table games including black jack and Pai Gow, but if poker is your game this is the place to be. They spread a variety of games; including Omaha Hi/Lo, stud and stud 8, and of course, a variety of holdem games.

The rake is pretty typical, and the staff is knowledgeable and helpful, and they do have automatic shufflers installed on all tables (about 30 in all). No limit is not available due to gaming restrictions, but they do offer spread limit (5-200, 10-200) which is essentially the same thing as 2-5 NL and 5-10 NL. Be advised, though, if you do plan on playing Omaha, (4/8 w/ 1/2 kill is always going) try and call in ahead of time, as they always only have 1 table going. Also, there is no bad beat jackpot at this casino, which is both good and bad.

Overall, I had a great time there. It was a friendly poker atmosphere, and the food and beverages were reasonably priced. If you get a chance to stop by and play some cards, I highly recommend it! Good luck at the tables!