Sucks to pay for your drinks but Bartenders are awesome. FLIPS...nice as they are, food is mediocre and plan to wait forever.. :( Nice clean bathrooms...I only wish the game screens were that clean. read more

The interior and exterior design are modern. Parking was easy to find. The air inside the casino is extremely dry and there is no source of water. If you'd like to play table games, forget about it unless you go there during an off time during the week. Table minimum for black jack was $15. I'm not sure why they have a "rewards" card system, it literally only tracks points based on how long you play at a particular game. This system would be better if it held money for you to cash out. read more

Went there last weekend. Busy - got a spot that had just vacated on the third floor in the parking garage. Security at the entrances, I noticed. I thought the layout was good. You can walk around, and the sections seemed organized. I agree with others' comments, on the dealers... I saw a roulette attendant underpay a guy by $20, but he corrected her. I also agree with others' comments, about the lack of waitstaff. And, they don't offer ANY incentive to join the Rewards Program. I didn't eat any food, but the Italian / pizza place and the grill seemed to not be expensive. But, the steakhouse definitely was. $43 for a filet, $13 for a skewer of shrimp, and $10 for a twice-baked potato. The bar area was LOUD. There was a band playing, but I don't know how people in there could have any type of conversation. So - I can say I've been there, and checked it out. Don't think I'll be back. Mohegan offers a much better experience. read more

Loved the Willy wonka slot machines. Almost doubled my $ here today :) it was pouring rain outside and when we got out, the sun came out!

Pretty nice Casino but it's not big. No buffet and no Club like Saratoga. It does have 3 restaurant and coffee and pastry place. Huge bars in opposition side, Card game in the center and all the machine surround the area, a room for Poker. It's close Friday r me to travel than Saratoga so we will be here more often. read more

Food is almost fair. Food service is so very poorly managed We tried to get a hot dog at noon today and they were sold out, guess no one knows how to order their supplies and has never been to a super market. We were invited to a BBQ and waited over an hour to be told it was close because it was out of control at 6:45 We were invited to a buffet, thousands of people were invited. They ran out of food and were serving hot dogs and frozen ice cups. It's hard to believe how unorganized this food service is. It's over 6 months since they opened and the food service is still terrible. read more

A bad experience would be an understatement. I would advise to stay away from this casino and hotel. I tried to check in at 11am(with a reservation booked months prior) and was told no rooms were ready. No problem I can come back later. Knowing how booked the hotel is I make sure to ask them to note I am here so I don't lose my room. I'm assured there will be no problem. I return at 1145pm after gambling for a long time to be told they have no more double bed rooms(there with a friend). I can have a single bed room. I am then told they have a "smoke" room. I decline because I don't smoke. I also decline a single bed room(not what I booked). Long story short they tried to sell me another room for a "discounted rate of $150". I respond that all I want is what I booked, a room with two beds and I refuse to pay more. I ended up leaving and driving to a local hotel. Home wood Suites, which I would recommend highly! I did contact the hotel the next day to let them know and they never bothered to respond. read more

The casino is located in Schenectady off Erie Blvd. The surrounding area is undergoing extensive construction making room for hotels, marina and condos. The casino is located in a part of Schenectady that doesn't portend to be in the safest area. You have to be on guard especially outside the casino. The casino's inside decor and fixtures is generally dull; not much pizazz there, kinda dull like Saratoga Casino. I've played the BJ tables and slots and reporting out that both provide terrible paybacks. If you believe you're going there to beat them at their game, forget it. The slot machine payouts are anemic at best, overall VERY BAD. I played this one dollar machine, went through $75 and didn't get one winning. Wouldn't mind, but I was betting between $3 to $9. The BJ tables are rigged to the extent the house uses eight decks and mostly auto shufflers. Using eight decks is extremely disadvantageous to players because you get alot of junk cards with an occasional face or ten mixed in there. Rarely can you beat the dealer because in most cases, the dealer gets a 20, 21 or BJ. As far as comps, you don't get much comps unless you gamble thousands of dollars. There's not much about this place that will compel me to want to go back. Overall, I advise anyone thinking of gambling at Rivers to give it another thought. YOU WILL NOT WIN. YOU WILL LOSE. Stay away from this place - you can thank me later because I know I'll be saving you hundreds of $$$. read more

Offered a Seafood Buffet but failed to mention that all seating was offered first to the high rollers by private email invite. Arrived at 5:30 to be told that we might have to wait until 8:00 for seating and essentially be offered whatever was available. No Shit, this is the best you can do? If Rivers Casino can't get this kind of event available for newbies and potential patrons, you have invested a lot of money for naught. On the bright side there is a nice facility for a new operator to optimize. read more

Casino good, but food options poor. Understaffed and disorganized, at least on evening I visited. Regular restaurants too expensive for quick bite. Casino machines and floor clean, comfortable seats. Won't become a regular unfortunately. read more

My review is of the Event Center. It is set up with tables of 4 and enough room between tables. The tables were attractively set and there is a good view from all tables. We attended a Ray Charles tribute show with a Southern dinner. The show was enjoyable, but the food was not. On the menu was chicken & shrimp with grits. Several people at our table requested dinners with only the chicken due to allergies. It was a disappointment when the chicken that was served was sausage slices. Yuk. Pecan pie wasn't appetizing and many people did not eat it. Will return for another event, but will inquire about the menu first. read more

I 've been there 3 times and decided to check out the sheltered harbor, as I have a boat on the river and have been looking forward to bring my friends via boat, for a fun time. Guess what! NO SHELTERED HARBOR! I was told that one is being built down the river some place! The people of the State of New York was sold a bill of goods! Apple Pie with NO APPLES! All the proposed views showed a sheltered harbor. Major disappointment. read more

Was there New Year's Eve and tried to get the attention of one of the bartender "Morgan" who were serving on the side I was, she overlooked me a number of times, never acknowledge me, and served all the White people and didn't look in my direction. As a black woman, it was insulting and disrespectful. I walked away and send my White friend that I was with and she was able to purchase our drinks. I'm not making this up, wish they can review the cameras and see that I am being honest. read more

They harass people in the parking lot, some of their staff is very unprofessional, rude and disrespectful.

Just discovered this gem of a casino on the East Coast. No need to go to Las Vegas or Atlantic City. This casino is a great place for a date and dinner with before and after dinner entertainment. Clean and no smoky smells. Employees are polite, friendly and professional. Definitely on list of places to visit again in Schenectady NY. read more

I ordered food in because I was not there fast enough they threw my food away and had to fight for an hour for them to remake my food management is terrible I will never return to this place again Saratoga casino is not that far away read more

Pretty good casino, beautiful location, glad to see schenectady looking good for once.

I was pleasantly surprised @ the pleasant, professional staff. Drink service @ tables was slow but reasonably priced @$5-$6. One dealer was remarkably lucky w blackjacks & drawing to 21. Be aware that the later it gets the higher the minimum bid goes @ blackjack w the lowest being $10. Managed to still win over $200 so treated hubby & I to dinner @ Dukes that was excellent & drinks were still in the aforementioned range. Casino & restaurant were spotless & security staff evident. Parking plentiful & convenient though it was still early @ 5:30. Smoking needs to be restricted to the smoking patio as the smoking crowd was clearly within 30' & obstructing ingress & egress in violation of NYS law & is annoying & smelly. Place needs some level of dress code & cover charge (which you can convert to a first wager) read more

I was ambushed last night at Rivers Casino. Ambushed is the only word I can think to explain why they had a dollar machine set up in an island of nearly identical penny slots. When my favorite Skyrider machine was occupied, I went around the corner on the same island and started playing a nearly identical Skyrider machine except this was for a buck a credit so while I thought I was playing for 20 CENTS, each spin was actually 20 DOLLARS! Needless to say, I was cleaned out only a few spins later. To the casino operators: if you're so hard up that you need to cheat customers, then you don't need my business. I'll go to Saratoga, Vernon, Turningstone, del Lago, Resort World or any other NY state casino because they clearly mark their "high roller" machines. read more

I am an avid player at another establishment so my experience here was less than desirable. Low payout if any at all. Very low access to money from cashier cage for the signature status which was match to my other players card which sort of doesn't matter because they told me I would not be able to maintain this status as of the end of July it was a complimentary match cause I have never been here before. Silly on their part if they want people to play they most definitely should match status of another establishment. We tried Dukes the food was good service not so much. We were greeted and waited and waited then ordered waited and waited and waited some more got the food then were left alone completely until the check arrived. We needed napkins and drink refills and were not addressed at all until the check came due. And then gambled some more we got some drinks at the bar gin and tonic and a Bloody Mary. The Bloody Mary was salty and watery and the bottom of the glass was a shot of vodka that tasted like gasoline first time ever I set a drink down. My man however like his gin and tonic. UPDATE I GAVE THIS CASINO A SECOND CHANCE ONLY TO FIND THAT THE PAYOUTS ARE BETTER THAN I THOUGHT AND THE FREE PLAY IS GOOD ONCE YOU GIVE IT A CHANCE. I AM HAPPY TO FREQUENT THIS ESTABLISHMENT THANKS FOR MAKING IT REALLY GREAT DAY OUT FOR ME. I CAN HONESTLY SAY I HAVE A BETTER TIME HERE PLAYING GAMES THAN I DO AT OTHER LOCAL CASINOS. read more

Not even sure where to start but stay as far away from this place as you can. A lot of sketchy patrons. Felt like I was going to get robbed on the casino floor. Not even kidding. Was followed out to the parking lot. Did not feel safe at all. I know someone that was "jumped" in your parking lot and was advised not to call the police by your security team! Unbelievable! Also... your elevator to the parking lot is dangerous because once the doors open you can't get back in, or reach a staircase in the event there is "trouble" lurking. read more

My wife and I enjoy the occasional casino trip 3-4x each year. We traveled to Rivers from Long Island, NY for a quick 1 day stop at the casino and then a drive-in movie down in Coxsackie. We are used to the overcrowded casinos in NYC that are typically filled with folks that are not there for a day of fun and entertainment but are miserable and throwing away their life savings. Needless to say, Rivers was a breath of fresh air. The casino itself is small but it's the employees who make you feel like you're a VIP at a big casino. For my wife and I, the mood for the day was set from the moment we passed our ids to the security guard who was thoroughly checking id's at the front. He was laughing and cracking jokes and really set the tone for the fun day we were about to have. Mind you, I think the other reviews might come from folks who enter a casino thinking they're going to take the house down. Wrong mindset. Go into a casino with a fixed amount of money you are 100% okay with losing and enjoy the entertainment value, not just the winning. Rivers delivered on all fronts. The slots had payouts equivalent to Atlantic City and way better than any NYC casinos. The craps table dealers were amazing, friendly, laughing and joking setting a really fun mood at the table. Even the person who signed us up for our players card at our slot machine, he did it in about 2 mins time and gave us free play for the slots and a table bet match! When I couldn't find a cocktail waitress for a bottle of water, the manager walking around personally sent someone over for me. Thank you Rivers for being the highlight of mine and my wife's 2 day getaway without the kids. Would be great to get a comp one day in the attached hotel so we could make it back up. It looked beautiful but was a bit pricey. So we opted to stay closer to the drive-in movie theatre about 30 mins south of the casino, so unfortunately we couldn't pop back into the casino for a quickie the next day... But maybe next time! :) read more

Rivers Casino - Casinos Near Me - Schenectady, New York

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I was very excited and anticipated a very good experience however while the casino looks large from the outside this is a very small place and the food was not that great read more

This is the most disappointing casino I have ever been to the slot machines are not enjoyable. The food at the various "Food Court" spots is sub par. I do not plan on ever plan on going back. read more

I ve read the other reviews and I believe them and value their opinions. But I had a great experience at Rivers Casino on Easter Sunday. First off, I think the casino is beautiful. It is pleasant, not packed in, not smoky (that is the correct spelling), there were plenty of open seats and plenty of tables open. It was not hard to get a drink or to get to play at your game of choice. My wife and I did eat in the steak house, we were their only customers. It was pretty expensive but the food was excellent. I do plan on returning. Based on the other reviews as well as word of mouth, I would never go there on a Saturday night. But I did have a great time there on a Sunday. read more

Two stars because its shiny and new. Suggestions. Park outside. We utilized the garage once, early evening arrival, but departed around 10PM, and we did not feel safe. The aroma of cannabis may have caused us concern, as I equate same with crime, but when your inner person says something, its good to listen. We hastened our pace. At least outside, there is more activity; safety in numbers. Seems a great deal of developers have hitched their wagons to the success of this casino. But visitors beware: You can't walk the neighborhood, as the immediate is industrial and adjoins a high crime area. In fact, a week ago, a small riot broke out that security and police were ill-equipped to respond to. Fortunately we read about it and was not there. Maybe a police presence would help both problems? Another remark: We have yet to be charged the same amount for adult beverages. Guinness on tap and a vodka cran ranges from $11 low to a $14 high, and on the same evening! I wanted it to succeed too, as Schenectady needs a boost. I fear this won't be it. read more

i am giving them the benefit of the doubt. Opening has been a bit rough but they will get better. I am a poker player and the staff in the poker room have been trying REALLY hard but they were slammed. The floor, dealers and cashiers are all very nice. No problem with the staff. The CRAZY thing (and may not be a big deal to you but when you spend 8 hours there) is that when you order coffee with milk/cream you get the powdered milk/cream (Cremora). I did not believe it. They pay $330 million to build, made over $100,000 in first week in Poker Room (was in Newspaper) and they cant offer a GUEST or a CLIENT of a CUSTOMER (you pick the word) real milk or cream.. Very Very foolish. Hopefully it will get better read more

Really liked it, Employees were very friendly and curtious! Decor is nice and a lot of great slot machines! Will definitely be back!

Pretty bad experience. It was crowded but many slots were being saved or held for a friend. One guy was playing multiple machines and wouldn't let anybody on. No personnel from the casino would help. I guess they knew this was the norm and they were ok with it. So, it was hard to find an empty slot because so many of them were being saved. I have never seen his before. Again, nobody who worked there cared. Too bad. read more

Rivers is about an hour away from me, and wasn't something I would have gone out of my way to get to, but I was in the area, and my morning plans fell through, so I stopped by around 11 am. Parking was easy at this hour. And the casino was mostly empty. Only a few game tables were open, and those were mostly packed. I did a few laps of the place, checking things out. Very clean, looks nice. I was willing to burn through some money, but I've long since given up the illusion that you can ever really expect to beat the house. So I'm a lot less interested in casino's than I used to be. I finally settled on a slot that looked interesting, put in 60 dollars, and started to play. A few pushes of the button in, and I won a 50 dollar jackpot. I played one more spin after that, didn't win anything, and decided to do something I don't usually do, and walked out ahead. So I didn't end up staying that long. Didn't try any of the food. If I'm ever in the area again, it might get another visit. read more

The only reason Rivers gets two stars is because the parking is easy, and the bathrooms are clean and pleasant. When I go to a casino I expect to at least win enough to keep playing for a while. On the occasions I've been there, I've run through my money with absolutely no return. I'm not a big bettor, more middle of the road, but this place doesn't even have the slots set to return enough money to keep playing for a bit. It's either draw more money out of the ATM at the OUTRAGEOUS cost of $5 per transaction, or go home. Despite Saratoga's shortfalls they're a much better place to have a chance at a reasonable return, and an enjoyable experience. read more

Rivers is an absolute joke of a casino! I'm considered a high roller at every casino I go to. All casinos give me free rooms, countless comps, and plenty of free plays. Some casinos offer me free airfare, etc. However, Rivers gives me only a $15 match play per week! They do not treat their players right. Rivers invited me to a free party and giveaway once. The problem is that they invited EVERYONE to the same party. We could not find a place to park. Once we finally got in the casino the line to the party had about 100 people in line. They ran out of food and the giveaway. What a total joke. The customer service at Johnny's is deplorable! Always takes forever. Yesterday it took 20 minutes to get my reheated slice of pizza. Yesterday I bought in for 1k at the craps table. I played for 2 hours at an average of $80 a roll. I only earned $3 in comps. Goodbye Rivers! I will not be back! read more

The monthly buffet by invitation only has not disappointed after trying 3 times already and would recommend including the desserts which have improved immensely. The Italian restaurant really needs help and would only recommend the pizza thought the crust is cooked on a wire rack and therefore a 7 out of 10 at best, the semolina pasta is thick, gummy and tasteless, maybe more salt and boiling water might help??? The Asian restaurant Mian is ok but really misses the mark for authenticity, flavor profiles are not close and all sauces are bland and lacking, though the wings are always great, it also seems that their idea of Asian sauces are all very sweet and short on taste. The burgers around the corner are always over cooked and dry but the toasted brioche bun is a classy touch. The Villa bakery has a good and tasty offering of pastries, but $8.50 for a bag of caramel popcorn is excessive though so good that I have bought on several occasions. Bottom line is after experiencing these offerings I would really think twice before spending serious $$ at their steakhouse......food for thought read more

GRAND OPENING. OH HELL NO! Paid for parking, no giveaways, no free drinks.... *The one star is for the bathrooms being spotless and clean. ^The hot water was scolding enough to almost burn me. *Music was way too loud, is this a casino or concert hall... *Staff at the tables, bars, various other attendants seemed to be miserable to be working on opening day. *Finding a parking spot was a 15 min. chore. *Paper and litter near all the ATM and ticket redemption machines. *At least 2 dozen patrons had the order of weed permeating like a cloud as they walked by. *1.5 hours at one machine right near the beverage servers entrance playing the $1 slots and not a single server came by to offer, "coffee, soda or beverage." 4 hours total and not one single server offered a beverage. *Valet parking is a paid service, REALLY! Go get the valarking and you might as well park your own vehicle. *75 min. to get a rewards card. "Welcome to Rivers Casino, We want your first experience to be standing in line for over an hour to get free rewards. *Eating out at a casino should be quick and easy. Rivers casino does not have a buffet? *I'm not an alcohol drinker, but the bars looked beyond chaotic! Everyone I saw waiting to get a beer or drink looked agitated. TO RECAP: Dirty, poorly laid out, miserable staff, understaffed, pot infested smells, extremely loud music you would find in a concert, litter on floors, bad valet parking set up, poker room had many issues. MY EXPERIENCE: Leads me to believe that there is NO free valet parking, NO free beverages, NO smoking inside unless it's weed, NO friendly staff, NO real casino there at Rivers Casino. FREE ADVICE: Go to the Indian resorts, where you can Drink for free, smoke inside, eat at a high end steak house or go cheap with a buffet, get free valet parking and most importantly have a pleasant and positive experience. I came out $93.00 profit, so this write up is not based on wins or losses. The Schenectady Police Dept. did a pretty decent job with directing traffic so I guess the men in blue get 4.5 stars. read more

If I could give it zero stars I would. Very small, very disappointing. Very crowded with young loud drunks. The place was filthy and it was the grand opening? Hate to say it but putting it in the sleaziest neighborhood was just the start. Gang members hang out. If you like sleeze it's your place. My husband and I prefer to drive a little further (saratoga) where the food is good and it's not so crowded with drunks. Oh yeah New York State picked a good one this time. Thanks governor....who researched this dive hole. read more

Bartender was actually a little frightening. I understand they just opened but a spec of customer service should be there. I'm afraid to order another drink!! The bartender's name to avoid rhymes with tiana...and begins with a D. read more

This was my third visit to Rivers casino, first time at The Landing hotel, stayed on Sat. night of Labor Day wkend. The hotel is extremely nice, the employees so friendly and accommodating. The room was clean and modern with a lovely view of the river. Beautiful TV, comfortable bed and great shower. They offer free coffee in the morning and you can order breakfast at the lobby bar. Valet parking was $5, and even the guy who parked my car was so friendly. The casino is nicely laid out, lots of new machines and a couple nice bars. I ate at Duke's for the third time, it's been so good each time, really love the food there. The only drawback is the cocktail service, I played in the high-limit area (where I was told the drinks were complimentary) but no server in this area ever came by. In the casino, you have to pay for your drinks before you get them, but it takes a long time to actually get the drink. No fault of the server, they just seem to have too big an area to work. All in all, I will go back to Rivers very soon. read more

Not impressed at all ,,Erie Blvd going to the casino is all pot holes, and once there good luck in finding a parking spot its horrible ,,as for the slots they dont pay out much if even you hit, no buffet just $11.50 hamburgers , were in no rush to go back real soon read more

I went to the casino on a Saturday night about a month after they opened and here is an outline of my experience. Overall I'd say it could be really nice and has a lot of potential, but they need to get their act together fast or the only people going there will be the derelicts. Beautiful building: The architecture inside and out is very modern and a pleasant design. Not cramped: I've read reviews that there are a lot of tables and slot machines cramped into a very small space. I did not think this was the case - floor seemed normal compared to other casinos. Food: Got coffee at Villa Italia and walked around to look at the other venues and food looked good. Was busy but not overly crowded. Table wait staff and drinks: Drinks while playing were not free and service was extremely slow. I was playing for several hours and a waitress came to my table once. Other players were asking for waitresses who would show up literally almost an hour later. Every casino I've ever been to seems like they're trying to get you drunk so you'll lose your money. Drinks are expensive which is unfortunate and disappointing. Also not fair to the waitstaff because they will get fewer tips and continue to lack motivation. Tournaments: Are there tournaments? Not obvious on the website. Dealers: Mostly inexperienced. Poker room: Tried to get on a table and I waited almost 2 hours for the text saying my spot was available. Room cramped and loud. Sketchy crowd: Most disappointing thing was the crowd was extremely creepy, much more so than any casino I've ever been to. After being there for a while and mostly seeing the poor table service it kind of explained the low class crowd. read more

This place is really a hot mess. I could understand the confusion and disorganization if the company was not an established casino operator and they tried to pull this together from scratch. Because that's what it looks like. Unlike some previous reviews, I found the employees pleasant, just very confused. 30 minutes to get a players club card. The food was reasonable and tasted OK, but total lack of attention to even the most mundane details like sugar and stirrers for the coffee. And, the slots seemed much tighter than the Racino up north a few minutes. We won't be "rushing" back anytime soon. read more