The California Hotel & Casino has been real good to me on both occasions that I have stayed here. The Cal as it is more commonly known is located about one block back from Fremont Street, but offers great service, rooms and a good place to gamble. There are a couple of restaurants inside of the Cal including the Main Street Cafe, The California Noodle House and a steakhouse. On the mezzanine level of the hotel there are a few other shops along with a bridge that you can cross over to the Main Street Casino and hotel.
The west tower of the hotel is newly remodeled, has three elevators (that work most of the time) and has the much much nicer rooms of the hotel. If you can, make sure you request a room in this tower. The east tower houses the older rooms, with two elevators (a little more reliable).
There are plenty of slot machines around the Cal, including some machines that still pay out in quarters! There is one roulette table (bummer!), but plenty of poker tables around. I find that it is much easier to find an available table here at the Cal as opposed to the Golden Nugget and such.