Every once in a while we like to do a little gambling, but don’t want to schlep down three hours to Atlantic City. Closer to NYC is Empire City casino, which is really a racino, and while nowhere near as good as AC as the slots are tight it does offer a quick alternative to satiate a gambling crave.

They have done some renovations to the joint, and added in a few new spots to feast at after making a deposit into the one-armed video machine bandits. One such place to have a meal and brew at is Dan Rooney’s Cafe & Bar. During our last trip to the casino we decided to drown our losing sorrows in a pint of beer and a hot meal at this Irish sports pub.

Our verdict? Decent food, beer, and sports bar but overall service is slow and inattentive.

Rotisserie chicken entrée was a solid choice. Sides are extra but the carrots were a good option as they are seasoned great, and onion rings were large and battered well but not greasy at all. Also, we ordered a whole chicken which was more than enough for two people. I felt the prices were fair and the food was actually pretty decent, and a little better than I expected for a sports bar in a casino.

OK enough beer list, and they have a few of their own house brews on tap made by local brewers. They offer growlers as well, so if you live close by you can sample and purchase any of the 12 beers they currently have on tap. Nice whiskey list too, and they offer samplers of these also.

Plenty of flat screens around, 35+, and a great sound system to watch all the games. Decor is basic Irish sports bar on steroids, but this one is more of a Steelers house since it’s owned by the Rooney family originally from Pittsburgh, and they are also majority owner of the casino itself. Still, the night we were here they had the Knicks, Mets, and some other NHL games on. More than enough screens to watch every sporting event.

It would have been a much better experience but the service was almost laughable. Our guy was nice enough but it seemed to take forever to get our food, silverware, water, etc. Every time we needed something there was a long wait. It seemed as if this meal took forever to get through, and even paying was a slow process. Either they need more staff here or better training, or both.

Still, not a bad spot to grab a beer and bite if you’re a sports fan and visiting the casino. Just be prepared to spend a while if the service is always this slow. We had about a 20 minute wait to get a table and they text you when one is available. It’s nice to be able to walk around and keep gambling until your table is ready. Or is that a bad thing if you’re not winning?

Oh, and the nachos looked pretty damn good here, along with the burgers that couples around us were devouring. Perhaps for our next casino visit. Hopefully, a winning one next time.

Dan Rooney’s – http://www.danrooneyscafeandbar.com/

http://www.yelp.com/biz/dan-rooneys-cafe-and-pub-yonkers