Empire City Casino at Yonkers Raceway

The Empire City Casino at Yonkers Raceway is located in Yonkers, New York. Yonkers is just north of the Bronx, in the New York City metro area. Yonkers Raceway opened in the late 19th century, at a time when this part of the state was still some distance from NYC proper. These days, the Raceway is right on the border of the city, still operating as a “racino,” a combination thoroughbred race track and slot casino.

The total population that lives within ten miles of Yonkers Raceway is a massive number, millions of people from all walks of life. Though Yonkers Raceway is not one of the “big three” American thoroughbred courses, it is an active track, and its combination with a slot casino makes it a nifty one-stop shop for local and visiting gamblers.

Games

At present time, only electronic gaming machines are allowed in New York racinos. That means mostly slots, a few video poker games, and the occasional electric bingo or electronic table game. The Empire City Casino at Yonkers Raceway currently hosts 5,300 different machine games. The casino is open 24 hours a day, with major expansion plans underway, presuming big changes to New York gambling law in the next legislative session.

Restaurants & Bars

Dan Rooney’s Sports Pub – a typical American sports bar, serving burgers and pub grub alongside big screen TV showings of sporting events.

• Nonno’s Trattoria – a casual Italian-American restaurant focusing on pizza and pasta dishes.
• Empire Terrace – overlooking the race track, Empire Terrace is a more formal restaurant with fine wines and craft beers on the menu.
• Pinch American Grill – an upscale gastropub with carefully-selected beers and wines to match upscale pub food.

Map