I spent more time at Excalibur Hotel & Casino than I initially expected, and that gave me a fairly well-rounded impression of the place — not just walking through, but actually sitting down to play and eat.

I played slots here for about an hour. Nothing dramatic happened, which in itself is worth noting. The payouts felt average and unremarkable, very much in line with what I’ve personally come to expect from MGM-owned properties. No big swings, no memorable wins, no sharp losses either. It was steady, predictable play — the kind where time passes easily without anything pulling you strongly in either direction.

The casino floor itself feels familiar and functional. It’s not trying to impress you with design or spectacle. Machines are close together, the layout is straightforward, and everything is easy to find. It’s the kind of environment where you can sit down, play, and not think too hard about where you are — which is exactly how many people like it.

After playing, I decided to eat at The Buffet at Excalibur, and overall, I thought it was good value. Compared to many Strip buffets, it’s reasonably priced, and the range on offer was solid. One thing that stood out positively was the made-to-order omelette station, which was genuinely good. Freshly cooked, simple, and done properly — exactly what you want from that kind of setup. In general, the food quality across the buffet was very good. Hot items were hot, salads were fresh, and the selection felt well suited to the crowd Excalibur attracts. It didn’t feel like a “luxury buffet,” but it also didn’t feel cheap or careless.

Unfortunately, there was one exception that stood out sharply. I tried some avocado sushi that had been placed out, and almost immediately something felt off. The texture wasn’t right — the filling felt crunchy in a way avocado simply shouldn’t. After a few pieces, I realised why: there was ice still inside the sushi, suggesting it had been previously frozen and not fully thawed before being served. That discovery and the ice itself turned my stomach almost instantly. I actually threw up a little after eating it.

To be clear, this wasn’t about taste or preference — it was a food handling issue. Frozen sushi being served before it’s properly defrosted isn’t just unpleasant, it breaks the expectation of basic quality control. It was a jarring moment, especially because the rest of the buffet had been solid up to that point. I stopped eating immediately and didn’t go back for anything else.

Experiences like that are a reminder that while buffets can offer excellent value, they also rely heavily on turnover and timing. When everything lines up, they work well. When it doesn’t, the cracks show quickly. In this case, it felt like an item had been put out before it was ready, and I happened to be unlucky enough to find it.

Stepping back, Excalibur remains what it’s always been: accessible, familiar, and comfortable for a broad range of visitors. The casino offers predictable play. The buffet offers good value overall. But moments like that sushi incident are worth noting, because they’re part of the real experience — not the brochure version. Vegas is very good at smoothing things over, making everything feel fine even when it isn’t. Writing about the less polished moments matters just as much as writing about the highlights.

Sometimes, the lesson isn’t about winning or losing money. Sometimes it’s simply about paying attention — and knowing when to stop, whether that’s at a slot machine or at a buffet counter.