Harrah's Philadelphia Casino and Racetrack
Harrah's Philadelphia Casino and Racetrack
Updated: 7/14/21
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This casino is equipped with Caesars proprietary Total Touch system that allows customers to order drinks, redeem free play, check their Caesars Rewards account balances, and receive real-time offers based on play.
Inside Information
NOTE: All shows, events and deadlines are subject to postponement or cancellation due to temporary casino closings and/or safety and health measures implemented by the state.
Racino overview
■ Between noon and 4 p.m. on Tuesdays guests 55 and older can swipe at a promotional kiosk for a 5X Reward Credit multiplier for play during those hours.
Unlike most Caesars properties, though, there is no hotel here. . .this is strictly a casino (or racino, to be more precise), with a seasonal harness racing track. The 2021 Live Racing Season began Friday, April 2, and ends Sunday, Dec. 26. Click here for the complete season.
In addition, horse races from around the country are simulcast year-round on the second floor.
With all the ambience of an airplane hangar, Harrah's Philadelphia Casino and Racetrack (formerly Harrah's Chester) still packs 'em in! You'll also find some of the nicest and friendliest employees to be found in a casino (or any large operation – think Target or Walmart). All employees – no matter what their jobs – seem to be honestly concerned that you have a great time, even to the point of asking if their fellow employees treated you well.
■ The direct number to Harrah's Philadelphia is 484-490-1800.
■ Free parking is available in an adjacent self-park garage. Complimentary valet service is available daily to Seven Stars, Diamond and Platinum cardholders. Monday through Thursday, excluding holidays, valet service is available to all guests. (Look for Randi; he has been handling valet since the casino opened.) Note that, after presenting your claim check to the valet cashier, you retrieve your car toward the rear of the building in an enclosed underground area.
Return Rewards has returned, but the rules have changed (and it's now 400 tier credits instead of 600). . .
The casino is very large and may appear extremely crowded when you walk in. However, take a few extra steps to walk toward the other end, and you will find it's much less crowded. While there is the usual array of slots and video poker, along with electronic versions of blackjack with a "dealer" on a video screen interacting with players and "dealing" cards, there also is "live" table gaming.
Harrah’s is in the process of reconfiguring the casino floor to feel more spacious and comfortable by removing 563 slot machines and downsizing to 1,700. This will mean more round banks of games and smaller rows that will make the aisles and pathways much easier to navigate. While this is fewer machines than the casino had on the floor prior to its COVID-19 closure, it is 400 more than Harrah’s had been using for the past year. All 1,700 games will be turned on when the project is complete. “The number is more than sufficient in the increasingly competitive Philadelphia-area casino market,” according to Chris Albrecht, senior vice president and general manager, “and plenty of machines still will be available even during Harrah’s busiest weekend times.”
Alcoholic beverages on the floor (but not the Laurel Lounge) are complimentary (see below), and there also are complimentary self-serve soft drink dispensers located throughout the casino, right, but they are frequently out of service – either the beverages are depleted, the icemaker is broken, or there are no cups.
Pennsylvania law requires that the casino stop serving alcohol at 2 a.m. Service begins again at 7 a.m. Monday through Saturday and on Sunday at noon.
C-Bar is a lounge located in the center of the casino floor with comfortable lounge seating, table-top video poker built into the bar and a state-of-the-art video wall.
■ Harrah's celebrates "Diamond Day" in the Laurel Lounge on the third Friday of every month – date subject to change, so check first. Enjoy an upgraded and themed menu with the chance to win free play and other prizes.
■ Forgot or lost your Caesars Rewards card? You can reprint your card just by using your driver's license here:
William Hill Sportsbook
The William Hill Sportsbook offers wagering on pro/college football and basketball, baseball, hockey, soccer, golf, and more. The sportsbook is equipped with 19 lounge seats, 11 high-top tables, bar seating, and more than 45 large-screen TVs that can be configured in numerous ways. Food and beverages tailored specifically for game days also are available. The sportsbook is open every day until midnight (1 a.m. on Saturdays), with a 9 a.m. opening on Saturday and Sunday, and an 11 a.m. opening during the week.
Dining
■ Pennsylvania has a Clean Indoor Air Act; however, more than 1,700 of Harrah's 2.800 slots and video poker machines, in all denominations, are "smoker friendly." Smoking also is allowed in the Laurel Lounge, but only at the bar.
Now that The Block has become the Poker Room, entertainers perform fFrom 7 to 11 p.m. every Saturday on a small "stage" at the "Winner's Circle" on the casino floor near the escalator leading to the Laurel Lounge. Other shows take place in the Event Center on the second floor.
Special Seven Stars benefits*
Seven Stars cardholders and one guest may make unlimited daily visits to the Laurel Lounge(see below).
Save yourself a little cash and use the complimentary self-serve soft drink dispenser at the Copper Mug rather than purchase a fountain drink at Philly Steak Shack.
On the second floor, Philly Steak Shack serves hoagies, cheesesteaks, hot dogs, salads and other casual dining fare. A Krispy Kreme is located adjacent to Philly Steak Shack. The same 10 percent discount applies for Seven Stars cardholders who pay with cash or credit card.
In addition, Kickin’ Chicken has recently opened next to Philly Steak Shack. Kickin’ Chicken specializes in wings, tenders and fried chicken .
In the same area you can enjoy a beer or cocktail at The Copper Mug.
Entertainment
Guy Fieri's Philly Kitchen + Bar has been replaced by its former incarnation, Philly Tap & Tavern.
Just off the casino floor next to the high limit slots area there's also a small Asian restaurant, Mien Noodles. The same 10 percent discount applies for Seven Stars cardholders who pay with cash or credit card.
Food service runs the gamut from the [The Italian Takeover At] Cove Steakhouse, the casino's full-service "fine dining" restaurant, toThe Market. The Market offers breakfast, lunch, dinner and late-night dining options, featuring salads, pizzas, Italian-style deli sandwiches, baked pastas, panini and other made-to-order specialties. Additionally, The Market offers guests a selection of house-made soups, yogurt parfaits, fresh fruit and juices. Reward Credits are accepted 1:1 and Seven Stars cardholders get a 10 percent discount, but only if they pay cash.
According to its website, "The Cove is under an 'extreme' TAKE OVER! Join us for at Cove Steakhouse for a take over style dining experience that features a fresh, new Italian Steakhouse concept menu."
■ Wheelchairs can be rented for up to six hours for $10, for up to 12 hours for $15. Wheelchairs returned after the contracted time limit will be billed $3 for one hour and at the same rate for each additional hour. Fees are waived for wheelchair rentals if a guest shows valid state-issued disability ID card. Scooters can be rented for up to four hours for $25, for up to eight hours for $35, and for up to 12 hours for $45. Scooters returned after the contracted time limit will be billed $5 for one hour and at the same rate for each additional hour. A valid state-issued ID is required for all rentals. Payment options are cash, credit cards and Reward Credits.
■ When Harrah’s says that downloaded free slot play expires after 24 hours, it means it. The clock starts ticking as soon as the funds hit your bank. In other words, if you download slot play at 8 a.m. on a Tuesday, it will expire at 7:59 a.m. the following day.
■ There is a $5.99 per transaction fee to use the ATMs.
■ Call 484-490-1795 and press "1" to get the operating hours of the Laurel Lounge; press "2" to get the day's menu.
■ While you have to pay sales tax if you use Reward Credits at Philly Steak Shack, Caesars Rewards cardholders have the option of using Reward Credits or paying cash and getting a discount on their purchase. Seven Stars cardholders get a 20 percent discount, Diamond cardholders get a 15 percent, Platinum cardholders get a 10 percent and Gold cardholders get a five percent. In addition, if you join the Philly Steak Shack Members Club you will get a welcome gift and a birthday gift, as well as special offers, discounts and access to other promotions. Note, though, that, if you take advantage of one of the monthly discount offers you may get, you can't use your Reward Credits to pay for it. If you're ordering something else, ask for a separate check. Visit:
■ While Philly Tap & Tavern, Mien and The Market would be great to take the family, they are located on the casino floor, so no one younger than 21 can be admitted. That leaves only the Philly Steak Shack on the second floor and the Cove.
■ Save a little money when you eat at The Market. Use the complimentary self-service soft drink machines on the casino floor and bring your beverage with you.
■ Visit any of more than 30 restaurants, spas and salons, and other local retailers in the Greater Philadelphia area, present your Caesars Rewards card, and earn Reward Credits. $1 = One Reward Credit. For a list of participating locations, click here.
Insider Tip
There is a special Seven Stars Appreciation Happy Hour mixer from 5 to 6 p.m. Saturdays in the Laurel Lounge. Seven Stars cardholders and one guest may enjoy complimentary cocktails and hors d'oeuvre. There is a drawing at 5:45; five of the Seven Stars cardholders who checked in each win $150 in free slot play. (Some weeks additional free play is given away, and you don't have to be present to win.)
While there is a five percent check-cashing fee, it's waived for Seven Stars cardholders and Diamond cardholders who earned 80,000 tier credits, but the fee is returned in the form of free play.
Seven Stars cardholders get a 10 percent discount on menu items at the Cove, Mien and The Market, but only if they pay with cash or with a credit card.
There is dedicated parking on the third level. (Diamond cardholders have a similar dedicated parking area on the second level.) Use your players card to open the gate; however, frankly, if space is available, parking on the fourth level is really more convenient because you can walk right into the casino level.
Other benefits include dedicated Seven Stars windows at the cashier, a complimentary copy of the daily Racing Form, and complimentary and priority valet service.
Seven Stars Lounge
There is no Seven Stars Lounge, but a spacious Laurel Lounge (formerly the Diamond Lounge) overlooks the casino floor on one side and the racetrack/river on the other. Look for the escalator near the C-Bar in the middle of the casino. (There also is access by elevator.)
The Lounge has a large bar, but only soft drinks, coffee and water are complimentary. While alcoholic beverages are complimentary in the casino, there is a small charge in the lounge, e.g., $2 for a glass of house wine, with payment by cash, credit card or Reward Credits.
The lounge is open from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursdays, and from 6 to 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. Hours are always subject to change, so check first. Admission is limited to Diamond, Diamond Plus, Diamond Elite and Seven Stars cardholders and one guest. For Diamond cardholders there is 1,000 Reward Credits admission charge per person. For all others, admission is complimentary for the cardholder and up to one guest.
Caesars Rewards Center
The Caesars Rewards Center is open Mondays through Thursdays from noon to 1 a.m., and Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 1 a.m. Hours subject to change.
Should you choose this for your Annual Retreat?
If you’re on Level 3 in the reserved Seven Stars area of the self-parking garage, don’t follow this exit sign. Keep going straight ahead, then turn right. If you exit where the sign points, and there are parked cars they will block you from accessing the gate which allows you to leave. In any event, it’s quicker and easier to continue to the next aisle where you should turn right. (That blue “Seven Stars” sign as been removed.)
It's an option, but, since there is no hotel, a host may be able to arrange accommodations at the nearby Wyndham or Springhill Suites. Unless you have your own transportation, you'll have to depend on the hotel's van service. With Atlantic City just a little more than hour away, that would be your nearest alternative. Also, note that casinos without hotels are under no obligation to host your annual retreat, or even provide you with a complimentary hotel room during any visit.
*subject to change, revision or cancellation
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