Scioto Downs

The buffet is pretty bad. All my food was lukewarm and lacked taste. The chicken was tough and chewy. The only thing that was pretty good was the pizza which is pretty hard to screw up. I’m glad I went on a discount day so I didn’t waste to much money.

Whenever I go to Scioto Downs I stay away from the racino. The bastardized casino games aren’t nearly as entertaining as enjoying a beer on a nice evening with some exciting horse race betting thrown in. The grittiness of the outdated surroundings and the people bring back the nostalgia of summer nights here as a kid, and my kids enjoy it too. I’ve never bothered to step foot into the clubhouse so I can’t rate that. The beer and food (concession stand hot dogs, pizza slices, popcorn…) are overpriced which prevents me from giving a higher rating.

This place has really improved since I was here as a child. It is what you expect it to be, an outside horse track with a video casino added on. We had a fantastic time the Friday that we visited, aside from the fact that we never won a bet, but it was something different and fun to experience. The food we got was nothing to talk about, just a chicken fingers basket with fries.

Came here for the first time in a good four or five years.
We sat in the Clubhouse, which is still the same so far, since the racino upgrade… but I think I saw a sign proclaiming coming renovations.
While the house salad was nothing spectacular, the ribeye steak with a baked potato was pretty good. The service is pretty good. I will say they make a fine Manhattan.
This place is a fun atmosphere on a race night.

My Mom and I stopped in here last Saturday night to check out the new ‘gaming’ venue that Scioto Downs has turned into. We arrived around 6:30 — 7:00 only to find the parking lot full. After driving around for a few minutes, we were able to find parking on the side of the building. As we walked towards the building, we noticed that they built a new ‘face’. Not too bad. As we walked in, you are greeted by two people with wristbands to card those people that they believe are under 21. They let me go through without any questions — the nerve! Ha! Well this place was pretty much packed for a Saturday night. They mostly have one, two, five, quarter cent and dollar slot machines. There were very few people at the dollar machines. We played the quarter machines for a while, but people were ready to sit down at a machine as soon as you got up. We had some luck on the quarter machines, but not so much on the dollar ones. Its a nice casino, but it is nothing compared to Vegas. If you are new to casinos and never been to one before, you might like it. They also had harness racing that night and we watched a few races, but we did not bet on any horses. They have a well-​lit and clean grandstand to watch the races as well as a little eating area. This is a place to go to when the weather isnt so hot and if you want to hang out here for a few hours.

I know next to nothing about harness racing, but I love coming to Scioto Downs. I’ve placed and won a few bets here over the years (especially when my mom had to place my bets for me) and it never gets old. I think it’s ever bit as exciting as Thoroughbred racing, just for different reasons.
The facilities could use a facelift, but it would be nice if they would do so without changing the look of the place.
Unless your kids are horse-​crazy and have been bitten by «the bug,» don’t bring them. They won’t have the patience to sit through an entire card. Since first race goes to the post at 7:15pm, they’re going to get cranky and want to go to bed before the third race, anyway.

Fun to get involved with the races, and cheap for the entertainment value.
DO NOT EAT HERE. The food is awful.
Other than that, we had a good time.

Things I learned last week: All horse racing is not the same.
Scioto has harness racing, which as it turns out isn’t as exciting or entertaining as man-​on-​horse racing. (In my opinion anyway.)
The track is pretty old and you can definitely tell there are lots of things that need updated. The indoor clubhouse that overlooks the track has dining and a tv at each table so you can bet on races all around the country. Now that’s efficient gambling! But for the love of God, do NOT eat here. Our food was horrendous.
If you do intend to bet on a horse, definitely take a crash course on how to read the books and what to do when you place a bet at the window. The ‘regulars’ HATE it when newbies drop by and clog up the betting lines. Save yourself some embarrassment and do your homework, or just take a seasoned track veteran.
If you’re looking for something different to do — and maybe even get lucky — I’d recommend checking this place out.

Scioto Downs is a fun way to gamble. I recommend going all out and watching the races from inside the clubhouse. The stands are less comfortable and can get rowdy in a beer and pony induced way.
Inside the clubhouse you are seated with a nice air conditioners view of the track. They also provide small TVs at each table so you can watch your horse run all the way around. Entrance includes a booklet containing the line up for each race and stats. The lights dim when the race begins and is sounded by the typical trumpet.
The food in the clubhouse is not great. I usually go with the buffet and end up wishing I had just ordered a la carte. Liquor is not high end here, so expect to settle for well. Service also is sub par and often cranky.
Scioto Downs is exciting whether your horse wins or loses. Race time gets noisy because everyone is screaming for their horse. Its impossible not to get caught up.

When you have only a few bucks to spend and am in the mood for some people watching Scioto Downs is the place.
The track is really old and outdated, the bathroom floors are wet, the stands are filthy, and the clientele matches. But regardless of the above I always have a good time at the track.
$ 1 to park, $ 1.50 general admission.
Unfortunately they raised the price of beer to $ 2.75 and they no longer carry Blue Moon, so you’re left with Miller Lite and Budweiser.
The onion rings are awesome!

Decent sight lines for a ⁵⁄₈^th mile track. Not inspiring, but an OK racetrack. State needs casino gaming in order to boost purse structure so it can be competitive with other tracks.