Card sharks won't find Frankie, Annette or even a hula dancer, but they will find competitive card action at this Hawaiian island-inspired casino.

This casino straddling the LA/OC border offers lower-stakes games, making it an ideal destination for neophytes not yet ready for the card shark-infested waters of Commerce Casino or Bicycle Club. Say aloha to mounted surfboards, plastic palm trees and a fish tank/waterfall display in the entrance. The larger of the two circus tent-like gambling rooms offers poker (Texas Hold 'Em, seven-card stud and lowball); the smaller features Cal-Asian games (Pai Gow, Pan-Nine and five-card stud). Dining options include Pacific Rim-inspired dishes and stateside fare at Lahaina Restaurant, and quick bites and umbrella drinks at the Kaanapali Lounge, where there is entertainment, a daily happy hour from 4pm to 7pm and non-stop sports action on a multitude of televisions. The clientele is mainly Pacific Rim gamblers, with a hefty sprinkling of fresh-faced Gen-Xers and blue-collar types who dream of becoming the next Chris Moneymaker. —Patrick Green