Empress Casino

Joliet, Illinois Craps Casino and Riverboat

Empress Casino is found in Joliet, Illinois along the banks of the Des Plaines River. The casino is approximately 40 miles from Chicago. It tends to draw people from the Chicago metropolitan area, along with gamblers from northwestern Indiana and southern Wisconsin.

As the name indicates, Empress Casino is an impressively sized operation. It measures just around 50,000 square footage, with its own hundred plus room hotel.

The casino, which is owned by the nationwide gaming giant, Argosy, offers two dozen table games and nearly 1,200 gaming machines.

The Gaming Machines

The machine games include around nine hundred to a thousand slots, with over 250 video poker machines. These machines offer the standard betting options: nickels, dimes, quarters, half dollars and dollars.

For the truly daring, Empress offers ten $25 machines. This is a progressive slot, so you can imagine the jackpot on this baby. At twenty-five dollars a pop, the point values can change very quickly.

If that isn't enough to get your attention, there are video poker machines on site that support $100 wagers. Of course, if that's a little too rich for your tastes, you can play the penny machines, or something in between.

The Gaming Tables

Surprisingly, Empress only has four poker tables, though that is more than some of the other casinos in Illinois. It has a dozen blackjack offerings, along with a couple of roulette, 3 card Poker and Caribbean stud poker tables apiece. You can also find a game of mini-Baccarat, if Baccarat is how you get your kicks.

The casino has two craps tables.

Restaurants

No casino is complete without a buffet. the Marrakech Market Buffet completes the picture for the Empress Casino. If you prefer something a little lighter, there is the Cafe Casablanca.

One of our favorites is the Casino Deli, which serves as both a deli and a grill. For the surf and turf crowd, The Alex Restaurant serves steak and seafood entrees for dinner.

Location and Contact Information

Empress Casino is found at 2300, Empress Drive in Joliet. The zip code of Joliet is 60436-9504.

The telephone number for general information at the Empress is 815-744-9400. If you want to contact them via fax, dial up 815-744-9455.

If you want to book a reservation at the hotel, which has 80 rooms and over 20 suites, call toll free at 888-436-7737. If it's easier to remember, call 888-4-Empress.

More USA Casinos & Illinois Casinos: