Not the best and certainly not the worst. The Frontrunner is a solid option for those who want to relax inside an air conditioned restaurant and watch the races. $10 a head allows you to keep your table for the day, which is great! The service is slow, as others as have mentioned, but everyone was nice and friendly. Some cons were that they were sold out of the rose by the glass at noon, the fries that accompanied my husbands burger were served luke warm at best, and my scallops were pretty salty. Overall, I'd come back again simply for the ambiance, but I'd also be happy grabbing seats outside as well. read more

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The service is good as long as you order early. Once the trackers start showing up, the kitchen and servers get jammed up. The food is nice quality and the pizzas fill you up and taste good. The desserts rock. Can't say enough about the choices and they have a dessert chef that takes pride in them. This is the spot to be if it is raining or too hot. It boats the longest bar in California! Say hi to our pal, Denise! She is the bartendress with the right vibes! read more

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Park by the entrance off Holly. If you want to minimize the walk from the parking lot do valet. We asked our dad in May where he wanted to go for Father's Day and he remembered the Frontrunner experience from years ago and so we had to make it happen. I looked online to book a reservation and noticed they had tables for either 4 or 2 but not 5. I then called to make a reservation over the phone and let them know we were a party of 5 and they were able to accommodate us. We paid around $550-ish up front and were set for our reservation at noon. The only thing I remember about Santa Anita race park is that it feels so much hotter here in the summer time so dress like formal, but more floral, flowy, comfy. We arrived and were given wrist bands for the Father's Day brunch. Our hostess said she upgraded our seats to a level closer to the buffet and we said thanks, but once we arrived to our table we were not happy with the set-up. They added an extra chair at the end of our table, which blocked the aisle and the party behind us would basically be eating with our back against their table. We informed the hostess that this wasn't going to work, not only for us, but for everyone involved: the servers would have to go all the way down to another stairway or we would have to get up and move the chair out of the way for servers to pass or the guests sitting behind and next to us to use the shorter route to the buffet. There was a little huffing and puffing, but she made it work and moved us up another level to a table for 6 people, next to a party, who was also sitting at a table for 6 with 5 people in their party. Our server sucked and after 2 rounds at the buffet and one of us flagging him down, he finally showed up, BUT not after checking on the party of 5 next to us, first. Food tasted great this year, but I will say there was no beef available as an entree. they had very fancy and great tasting French style chicken and at the carving station was double ham. That's right, 2 carvers, carving the same exact meat, ham. I'm not going to lie, that ham was DELICIOUS, but in 2016 they did have sliced beef or steak as a protein. They had chipotle mashed potatoes and although it was very good, the first bite and I could taste richness of the butter and almost felt guilty if I ate too much. It was worth it. They had a really good fig salad with goat cheese and the summer veggies were so good! I didn't try any dessert, but I saw they had carrot cake and bread pudding as an option. My sisters tried the bread pudding and they weren't fans of the anglaise. I also accidentally bit into what I thought was a shortbread dessert and it ended up being a lemon bar and that was very good. One other thing to note is it gets warm on that side of the room and I'm not sure if it's because there are so many bodies on that side or if that's just how it is. Obviously it's not as hot as outside, but it does tend to get stuffy on that side so don't expect cold air blasting on that side of the restaurant. It might also be the huge glass pane walls that face the track might be trapping heat? I'm not sure. While the food is great, Our server and original seating situation weren't and ham is ham, but hopefully they add beef next year. We would probably go back, but skip the buffet side and just sit on the restaurant side next time and order one entree for Father's Day. read more

Frontrunner Restaurant - Mural - New American Near Me - Arcadia, California

I've been to Front Runner Restaurant at Santa Anita a couple of times now and overall it's a great experience, especially if you enjoy watching the races in comfort. The biggest plus is the table -- once you're seated, you get to keep it for the entire 4-5 hours of racing, which makes it way more relaxing than fighting for seats outside. The views of the track are excellent and it's a fun atmosphere on race days. Food and drinks are good, but I'd rate the value and taste around a 3/5. It's a little overpriced for what you get, but that's pretty standard for track dining. That said, the convenience, service, and comfort make up for it. They also have a special right now on their website where you can get a really good deal with dining credit, which makes it much more worth it. I would definitely come back, especially with the online deal. Great way to enjoy a day at the races without stressing about seating. read more

We've lived in the area for 20 years but today was our first time visiting the Santa Anita race track! We weren't sure about the food at the concession stands so decided to visit the Frontrunner for lunch. This week was the opening week so the restaurant was really full. We were seated at the other side of the finish line which was fine. But honestly the restaurant is situated really high up so it felt kind of removed from all of the action on the race track. Each table has its own small tv, everyone seemed pretty excited for the race. Service was just alright... wish they had more servers. We ordered the margarita pizza, chicken bbq pizza, chicken wings, and a carafe of Arnold Palmer. The foods were all.... Okay...I wouldn't order them again for the price point. But the Arnold Palmer was great, $10 and refillable. Btw the table is yours to keep for the entire day so you can go to other areas of the venue and they save the table for your use. Just leave a credit card with them and they'll just charge the tab at the end of the day. read more

Frontrunner Restaurant - New American Near Me - Arcadia, California

We came for a day at the races function. The food was average but the experience was a fun day to spend with friends and family. The service was amazing and the food was better than expected. They have a wood burning oven for their pizzas and the salad was delicious. read more

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Had a horrible experience today. We had 3 tables reserved for a birthday celebration. Upon arrival our waiter asked us to place our order. We went ahead and placed an order for a pizza. An hour later he came back and asked if we wanted to prefer something else and we told him we hadn't received our pizza yet. So we asked him to cancel it and he insisted on getting us the pizza. 40 minutes later the pizza came. Mind you by then it was 1 hr and 40 minutes later. We told him we didn't want it and we were going to go elsewhere. He said it was going to be comp and left it. We gave it to one of our family that was seated on one of our other tables and the waiter came back once he seen we were leaving and took it from them. Very unprofessional. Would never go back and eat here. Waiter was rude and unprofessional. You never take food from the table unless you're asked too. read more

We had a disappointing experience at Frontrunners. But the operations manager came in and was able to turn our experience around. Our party reserved three tables, but one table waited over an hour for food while the others had already been served. After checking in, we found out the order had been written down but never actually placed. The staff member realized the mistake, cursed out of frustration, and promised to comp the table, which we appreciated, until they came back to let us know that they will NOT be able to honor the promise and provide just a discount of the entire bill(which they did not disclose what that would be) , overall experience was frustrating and poorly handled. Better communication and follow-through would have made a big difference. The Food and beverage operations manager was very thorough and professional, very much showing how much our experience was important and we were able to figure something out. read more

The view is fantastic of the entire race track food is good service is good the air conditioning is poor on a hot race day outside

Came here for mother's day brunch and loved it! It was the first time at the race tracks, and a great experience. It was a buffet style, and was all very good, the lobster risotto and the steak was our favorite and my son loved the kids menu. Customer Service was great, the only reason for four stars was because originally the first drink I got had a hair in it and the beverages I think were overpriced. It cost 40 dollars for 1 coffee, 1 coke and 1lemonade which was crazy to me as the coke and lemonade got refilled once. Other than that, it was good. Not sure if i would come back again as I do feel the drinks were over priced considering the tickets to the brunch were already expensive but it was a nice experience. read more

A good 1st impression. Took my bro-in-law to Frontrunner (at Santa Anita Race Track) to celebrate his birthday and was very pleased with food and service. Ordered their (baseball-sized) jumbo lump crab cake containing no filler, worthy of $70! Additionally, quality and taste of California classic burger and grilled ribeye steak sandwich were good, but the steak was cooked medium well instead of medium rare. We washed down the good grub with beers and topped off with bread pudding and mocha mudder - two more winners! We went on a free Friday and I joked that not paying for admission and parking meant I could splurge. We enjoyed the scrumptious lunch while sitting very comfortably indoor. Who knew that 2 chums could have a wonderful afternoon at the race track without betting on horses. LOL read more

Frontrunner is the restaurant located inside the Santa Anita Park. It's on the inside area and you need to reserve your spot or if it's not too busy you can walk-in too but regardless there's and extra charge to enter. There's a few spots where you can place bets so it's not like you need to go outside to do that. Think of the Frontrunner as the VIP box suites at the Staples Center if you're into watching basketball or hockey. I can see why people would like to sit outside since you can feel more of the crowd energy and probably hear the horses footsteps but I was pretty comfy sitting at a table with the AC on On Yelp there's not many pictures and the pictures that they do have are a few years old. I had low expect coming in here but the food was actually pretty good and I enjoyed it. A lot of people in previous reviews complained about the hostess but the girl that helped us was very friendly and helpful. // FOOD // ARTISAN BREAD: Think of an assortment of dinner rolls. Most of them were white but we did find a couple that looked to be whole wheat and almost like an everything bagel. 3/5 CHARRED BRUSSELS SPROUTS: Lemon, pecorino cheese, spice rub. Charred and crispy pieces of Brussels. The pecorino added a salty touch to the dish which was good. 4/5 GOLDEN BEET CARPACCIO: Feta cheese, sweet pecans, arugula, peach vinaigrette. The beets were golden and thinly sliced. Off to the side was the arugula salad with feta cheese. The sweet pecans were really good on top! 4/5 MARGHERITA PIZZA: Buffalo mozzarella, heirloom tomato, fresh basil, garlic. Great crisp and the pizza was really good! I would definitely order this again. 4/5 CALIFORNIA CLASSIC ALL BEEF BURGER: Tomato, cheese, green leaf, garlic aioli and served with fries. It's in the name - your classic cheeseburger and fries. No complaints on my end. 3/5 APPLE STREUSEL CHEESECAKE: Graham cracker crust, cinnamon, apples and a drizzle of caramel. A pretty solid cheesecake and I loved the bites where you get more cinnamon too. 3/5 MOCHA MUDDER: Whipped mocha ice cream, Oreo shell, smoked almonds. This was delicious and I would recommend this over the cheesecake. 4/5 Overall, I had a great time coming to the racetrack and also Frontrunner. So why the 3 stars? For 7 people the food and dessert plus tip and the payment for entry/reserved spot came out to roughly $100/person. I can think of a lot of restaurants in which you will get much better food for half the price BUT this was also a meal and the experience. If you're into horse racing then I would definitely recommend coming here. I do plan on coming back eventually. read more

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Good food while watching horse races. Much better than watching it on TV at home! No interruptions getting food. Excellent service. No grocery shopping to prepare for your party ahead of time. Everyone eats and drinks what they want. No cleanup. Lovely staff are experienced at what they do. A wonderful experience for a special day. read more

The best views in the San Gabriel Valley. The banana pudding was excellent. Great service and high quality food. We will definitely be back.

We had a wonderful time at the Santa Anita Racetrack & The Front Runner restaurant. I require a service dog due to two physical disabilities and one mental which makes my K9 partner a multipurpose service dog in training. I contacted the track prior to going and they told me they follow ADA guidelines and protocols. Well this is not my first service dog (my third partner and I also train working dogs for a living as well) and I have had issues with access before (asking for registration which does not exist) and I was prepared to argue about the laws which I typically have to do (thanks to the Karen's with fake service dogs!). Well they were so so so amazing. Everyone at the track understood the laws (I was so shocked) and they asked the two questions they can and everyone was so professional and great around Bodhi. We went through security, they wanded us both (this was Bodhi's first time in security) they asked the appropriate questions and told us to stay away from the horses (which I was my plan!). The officer who worked with us was amazing. I got very anxious and was not myself and was having issues with my PTSD. My service dog went into work mode, correctly alerted and responded while we spoke with the officer. When we headed up the the front runner we did get a few looks which is normal (especially because he is a large dog). We had called ahead and informed them so they were waiting for us. The host was such a good guy (I believe his name was James!) and he and my bf walked around to find the best table for us to sit at. He sat us at the perfect table (we were against the wall and tucked into a corner so Bodhi could still see the horses walking in front of the glass but wasn't in everyone's way or in a way that we would get a lot of attention). We tucked Bodhi under the table and he loved it. Our waiters were great, they didn't even notice I had a dog until I told them and pointed him out. They worked around us with no issues and they completely ignored him and Bodhi ignored them as well. Everyone was so professional, so nice and everyone was shocked by Bodhi (because he is a legitimately trained service dog) and they were all shocked at how well he did. To anyone who has a service animal who wants to come here the two biggest things we were told was "the dog cannot go near the horses" (of course! No reason for a 30k dog and a million dollar racehorse to meet!) and that if he barked we needed to leave (he has a passive alert which is either nosing or pawing me, I know some handlers do use a more active alert and this could be an issue). We will definitely be back, I was so blown away. It was such a great trip. read more

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I get it during busy hours it's hard to take care of everyone. But there is a certain point where it's just bad service overall. Nobody bothered to check up on us to see if everything good or even bothered to refill our waters.Very short staffed, took forever to just get the checks to pay for our meal. The real kicker was when I told the waiter what I wanted, I pointed and said it verbally. 10 mins later he brings out an other item that wasn't close to what I ordered. The food is ok nothing special. Management or whoever should get off their asses and help around. read more

Service here is really bad! Seems like poor management where there is not enough staff to serve a large area. Be prepared to wait a long time to get seated, order food, and get your food. They also appear to have staff who can't take orders, which makes service so inefficient. I don't blame the servers at all. Just poor management. read more

Spent the day here and it was very pleasant. Seating and ambiance were awesome and the service was excellent. Very nice menu with plenty options. The food was great! Oh and the desserts. Over the top fantastic. Well worth a try! read more

Great view of the Races ! Worth paying extra for air conditioning and table service, definitely. Also the betting windows right in the penthouse restaurant made for a luxurious racetrack experience. The charming trumpet player for the races even stopped by , with a pleasant greeting and some "low key "trumpet playing! The table service however ....was spotty at best ? The waiters are practiced and skilled at avoiding eye contact . We enjoyed a cocktail, pastry and coffee for "breakfast "and had planed to order lunch somewhere between the 3rd and 7th race but were unable to flag down our waiter for so long it became laughable. We finally decided just leaving before the 8th race and going somewhere else to dine was for the best . read more

Frontrunner Restaurant - New American Near Me - Arcadia, California

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First time dining here for brunch and it was a bust. Our server paid no attention to us, the burgers we ordered were cold, and the drinks took very long. We only ordered mimosas. Dining here is more for the experience and to see the track/races from the top. It's really nice and has a lot of potential. Management really needs to return my call to fix the issue when we dined. read more

Frontrunner Restaurant - New American Near Me - Arcadia, California

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Real good food nice place to enjoy the races You can make bets we had nice table severs was nice go enjoy your day at the races read more

Although the place is beautiful and I love coming here, the service was dreadful. I'm not sure who's managing this restaurant currently but I've NEVER had service this bad. It wasn't the staff's fault - it was management. I won't bore you with the endless lists of things that were wrong. Suffice to say, out of 10 orders - (we were a party of 10) - two of our orders came over an HOUR after everyone else's. Drink orders never arrived (but were put on the bill anyway). It was BAD. read more

This is an amazing place where to spend an afternoon enjoying horse racing ,however is the worst food I ever experienced at any racetrack I visited around the world Come for the Show, eat somewhere else. Its incredible whoever is in charge of Front Runner doesn't make it a culinary destination Menu is very poor, mostly finger foods. I saw a gentleman wearing a suit eating a hamburger with his hands read more

Great place to go and watch/bet on the races. We always reserve to be seated by the window. The drinks are decent but the food is super overpriced and always lukewarm. For the prices, it should come out the kitchen fresh and hot! Service is always pleasant but ALWAYS slow! You have to flag your waiter down for everything! read more

The food was buffet style. In my opinion, the best part of the Buffay was the ravioli, stuffed with mushrooms, the beef tenderloin, and the chicken with rice pilaf the only problem with most of the food it was lukewarm. The Mediterranean grilled vegetables were cold. The desserts were typical. I did like the rice pudding. The venue is a great spot to spend the day watching the race. The only problem the noise level is very high. The best part is the service was outstanding. Our server was Max and did an impeccable job tending to our needs. read more

I went to the Frontrunner for a Mother's Day brunch and it was one of the worst dining experiences I've ever had. First of all...the menu items were extremely limited -- what kind of brunch buffet doesn't come with eggs, fruit or potatoes? The bacon was dripping in grease, the waffles were rock hard and there was a dried out short rib that was somehow black in color. Did I mention this was $70pp? Also service was terrible. I saw some chicken tenders in a different section, tried to get some and was yelled at because they were apparently for kids only. There was no signage to indicate this so I was really upset at the rude response I received. We had a great time watching the races but next time will bring our own picnic or eat before! read more

Met up with about 12 of my retired firefighter buddies for a get together. The restaurant was basically empty and the food service was absent. The one redeeming standout was Pawl, the bartender.... He was fantastic and on top of his game. He was never too far away or too busy to see to all of our needs. The reason for only 3 stars is, why do you have to charge $12.00 for a bottle of Pacifico when a case of 24 is only $20.00 at Sam's Club. When in Vegas and gambling you can drink for free, yet when gambling at a racetrack you pay $12.00 per drink. I would have gambled a whole lot more if I wasn't shelling that much money for bottled beer.... read more

Frontrunner Restaurant - New American Near Me - Arcadia, California

The panoramic view of the racetrack and mountains is incredible. The food was mediocre. Came in for a private event. I'll definitely come back and try their regular menu. read more

I concur with other recent reviewers who also went to the 2023 Mother' Day Brunch. The buffet was terribly organized with super long lines, and not great food options. We left disappointed and felt like we overpaid for the day. read more

The only thing I can see that is worth it is if you have a window seat that overlook the entire race track. Definately a great view! If not, no biggy. It's a very casual setting that is to be claim as a Classy setting. The food was good but nothing weee over the top for. And definately something the prices is a bit high for. I had the crab cake, which was scooped up like a big scoop of ice cream. I find the crab cake a bit too dry and definately overpriced. $30 http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/ADUR4vQptI4jX07g_-r6vQ?select=G1WpgLF2Lh78WtFoJ032LA The scallop was tasty. 5/6 pieces of scallops with white rice and veggies. About $30 http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/ADUR4vQptI4jX07g_-r6vQ?select=6Stdp8HIwq7l1_YTW-V8VA The steak was definately the best out of all. Very tender and marinated into great sauce. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/ADUR4vQptI4jX07g_-r6vQ?select=sNhaFvbMRpR6IOoi0zeV-g The basket of bread, breadsticks, and flatbread crisps are defintaly one of the highlight. :-) .. and it's free. read more

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This makes me sad to say because the food is actually tasty and the view amazing, but all I can say is CHAOS. It took us an hour to get our food, and when we did it was all stone cold. My two companions muscles through their cold food, but I got the chicken wings and considered food poisoning a bad risk. When I finally got my wings they were very good. In fact, I would highly recommend the maple bourbon wings to anyone. I felt really bad for Diane, our waitress, because she was doing the best she could with a kitchen that was in dire need of serious help. I honestly don't know what the restaurant was thinking for one of the busiest Fridays of the year, but my guess is they weren't thinking at all. There were many people that just left because they weren't getting their food, and that's just bad business. read more

Lucy Y. and I were off to the races on Friday, April 1st for a Yelp Elite event. We got there really early and so we decided to stop and have lunch at the Front Runner restaurant. After walking about 3 miles (seriously, you walk and walk and walk at Santa Anita to get from parking up to the various levels of bidding, seating and dining), we found the elevator that goes to the back entrance of the restaurant. They were very welcoming and stamped our hands so we could come back if we wanted to. Then we were directed to walk the length of the restaurant (walked, and walked and walked) and we were seated on one of the levels of tables with our own TV so we could follow the races. "Course, you can also follow on the IMMENSE video screen that sits alongside the track, and can be easily viewed from the dining area, in addition to viewing the actual grass track. We both had the sirloin strip steak, Lucy's medium rare, mine medium, and she had all veggies (braised asparagus, yum, and ratatouille), and I also had the golden baked potato. We started with a mixed green salad with blue cheese dressing. The food was probably a 3.5, but the service was not. We were a little surprised that in a costly restaurant, in a place where people are obviously used to being treated well (horse owners, regulars, etc.), the service wasn't more attentive. Well, maybe that's the answer -- we weren't horse owners or regulars. Anyway we enjoyed our meal, watched the past day's race on the little TV, placed our bets at the betting machines, and then tootled on back to our box seats. Next time we go, we decided we would stay for a leisurely lunch in the Front Runner restaurant, and watch all the races from the air conditioned seats. read more

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My husband and I were so excited to hit up FRONTRUNNER again this year after remembering how tasty it was a year or two ago on our annual Horse Race Day! When driving to the Race Track, we were regaling to a friend who had never been before that the food was going to blow her mind. Sadly, it didn't... My husband and I were thankful to see that the menu items we wanted to order were still on the menu (one of our other friends was sad because the Club Sandwich has been omitted)... And we ordered as soon as our server noticed we were ready (which not going to lie, TOOK AWHILE!). All in all, from sit down to when our food came, it took an hour!!! I was definitely about to take a nibble of my menu but at that moment, the food came... And I was sadly disappointed because the Salmon looked NOTHING like it did the year it was TASTY AF, in that It was a tail piece (my least favorite cut) and it was crusted in seasons... The chicken on the other hand looked good... And the Caesar Salad I ordered, (Without everything, so basically a bowl of lettuce for $14) looked the way I wanted it too. My husband got the burger with bacon and avocado, but was mostly pumped because he remembers the fries being so good but to his disappointment, when his food arrived... The fries were NOT what he remembered (steak fries)... Instead they were just your average, nothing to ride home about fries that apparently fell flat. He also noted that the burger was super unsatisfying and he wound up not even finishing it! How was my food you ask? The chicken and lettuce were great, thanks in part to the side of avocado I ordered as well... But the Salmon, eh, it had its moments. One bite tasted smoked, the next bite tasted like wild sockeye (gross) and the bite after that tasted like my favorite Atlantic Salmon (cuz its fattier, ie more flavorful)... Once again, the avocado swooped in and helped make this meal STICK (ie: kept me full til dinner). Our friend who had never been before got the steak frites. She said it wasn't bad but it wasn't served at the temperature she requested. The only friend that seemed actually pretty dang pleased was the one who was initially sad about the Club Sandwich's disappearance. He ordered a make your own omelet... It's hard to mess one of those up! Obviously we will most likely eat here again in a year when we go back to the races for our annual celebrations (birthdays and what not)... And all we can do is just hope that they make improvements over the course of the next year! read more

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I made reservations here in early February, when it was chilly and threatening to rain. It was a great decision! Comfortable seating with spectacular views of the track and the mountains, and surprisingly good food. We had the hummus and pita appetizer to start, and then we had the crab cake and salmon entrees, which were delicious. We had our table for the whole day, which was a great bonus. There are live tellers and betting machines at the back of the restaurant, so there's no reason to leave! Like others have said, the service can be slow, but our server was attentive and our entrees were hot when they arrived. I do think that because most people hang out there all day, there isn't much of a rush to serve people their food all that quickly. We saw others who started with a drink and appetizer, and then ordered other items throughout the day, which seemed like a good plan. Some tips: there is a buffet on the weekends, but we realized too late that there was a separate check-in area for it, on the other end of the restaurant. It's a big place so it's not easy to spot, although later we noticed a sign for the buffet check-in that we had overlooked. You need to buy a Club House ticket to access the FrontRunner. It's usually $10 but if you sign up for Santa Anita's free Thoroughbreds Club, you get a lot of freebies in the mail, including free Club House admission on a number of days. The FrontRunner was a busy place so I'd recommend making a reservation. If you don't want to pay for a full meal, I did notice that there is a $10 minimum in the restaurant. I saw one guy who ordered water, a fancy bread basket, and soup to cover the minimum, and he had a great seat by the window, giving him a comfortable place to hang out all day. You can also just sit at the massive bar (I'm sure you need to order drinks, though!) which has a great view of the track. read more

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This is a fantastic place to have lunch and watch the races. Upon walking in we were greeted by a wonderful hostess who sat us in a great spot. You are in an enclosed restaurant looking through the windows at the track. You also have a tv at your table for easier viewing. Went with a friend of mine and we shared a pizza, wings and the hamburger and fries. The hamburger was especially good at 19.95. Alcohol etc. helped make it a great day. Service was fantastic too! It's an extra cost to go in here but if you want to be in a first-class environment while losing your money, this is the place! read more

Peppered Prime Rib was wonderful, and the deviled eggs were unexpectedly unusual and delicious. The elevated trackside view might be the best view there. I would definitely recommend the FrontRunner! read more

I purchased ticket for the Mothers Day buffet. We were really excited to spend the day at the races. At a cost of $85 a person we were also looking forward to some good food. The food was a huge disappointment. Very single thing served was cold and tasteless. We were served greasy bacons md sausages, blocks of scrambled eggs and tasteless dry chicken breasts. The only saving grace was the view and the service staff. read more

Nothing like a day at the races! I guess I am a fan of anything at the race track. Yes, the prices are a bit higher here for what seems to be more of a casual place to me. But its the RACES! And its nice for a treat now and then to get a table by the windows and enjoy the sleek horses running , rooting for your pick, while enjoying nice eat and drink at the same time. I have been here for a few birthday and group occasions and for a couple of nice quiet lunches with a friend. I often get the California Wine and Cheese Pairing Platter http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/ADUR4vQptI4jX07g_-r6vQ?select=E8nZorAhkuorwcd1tWOewg. It's pretty generous with four cheeses, a couple of cured meats and several types of crackers, nuts and fruits with a choice of a glass of wine. I like nibbling, so this entertains me for a while. Sandwich combos can be had for around $13-$15 and have always been pretty good. I hear the crab cakes are good here, but I never seem to try them. Ooohh, the bread basket! Yes, the bread basket is awesome with not only nice chewy wholegrain buns, but flat bread and bread sticks. Great for absorbing all those cocktails your are consuming! I think its a great place to take a friend for a birthday or a casual date. Well, it's a great place to take ME for my birthday or a casual date... read more

Went for Mother's Day brunch. Poor quality food, no service and very disorganized. Line for the buffet was very long. Never going back.

When I spend time with Laura D, I can always expect to be in the coolest spot - especially when it's 90 degrees outside! We had some time to kill, and empty tummies to fill since we arrived a couple hours before the first post. When we heard about Frontrunners, we went to check it out and were pleasantly surprised - with the food. After our tickets were taken and our hands were stamped at the front desk, we walked the length of this HUGE restaurant that overlooks the entire track, noting the expansive bar, the TV screens at each of the the tables, the betting cages and machines, the open kitchen at one end, and the bakery case along the way. As soon as we were seated, our server came over and recognized Laura from when she used to come in a couple years ago. I was impressed with his memory! At this time, it was still pretty early - and quiet in the restaurant. After taking our drink orders and bringing an impressive bread basket of rolls, breadsticks and crisps with butter, more tables filled up with groups coming in for lunch. Bussers brought our food to the table and unfortunately nobody, even our server, ever came back to check on us. We shared: Garden Salad - a simple yet fresh and crisp salad of field greens, cucumbers and tomatoes, tossed with the perfect amount of blue cheese dressing, and served with a few crisps on the side. We both had: Grilled Angus NY Striploin ($29.75) - since I'm a ribeye fan, the NY usually doesn't satisfy me. But this one did! It was fatty and juicy enough to make my fatty meat tooth happy, topped with sauteed mushroms and baby arugula, and not overly salted. It came with a tomato-y eggplant ratatouille that was very good. Instead of the baked potato it came with, I requested grilled asparagus - which were smoky and slightly charred and very good. While not great, the food here was very good - and it was a very comfortable way to watch the races in air conditioned comfort. When we were ready for the check however, it took some tracking down our server to get it - and we realized that as soon as he took our orders, our service declined to practically nil. For an upscale restaurant, I have higher expectations for service. Were it better, I'd have given them one more star easily - but today, they didn't win or place. I'd say they barely were able to show. read more

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