My parents live in Shorewood, so I grew up around the area... so here's some places to check out.
If you're looking for really good mexican.... Try "The Front Street Cantina" in Plainfield. It's a little bit further from the track but worth it. It's a nicer place too, but you don't have to dress up. Polo and jeans or whatever.
15120 South Des Plaines St
Plainfield, IL 60544
(815) 254–3474
If you're not from Illinois and have never had a good hot dog, you need to try out Portillos (Shorewood), Babe's Hot Dogs (Joliet), or Joe's Hot Dogs (Joliet). Lots of people prefer Portillos... it's a big chain now (although still family owned), they've got a ridiculous selection of other stuff. Personally, I like Babe's better.... Real Beef Hot Dogs, french fries are air cooked vs oil cooked. Joe's Hot Dogs has been around for ever. Everything is salted (so high blood pressure people beware), but if you order a large fry, it's cheap and they literally fill up a brown paper lunch bag with fries so you get a ton.
Portillos - Shorewood
1155 Brook Forest Avenue
Shorewood, IL 60404
(815) 609-1400
Babe's Hot Dogs - Joliet
2600 West Jefferson Street
Joliet, IL 60435
(815) 744-7773
Joe's Hot Dogs - Joliet
810 Plainfield Road
Joliet, IL 60435
(815) 723-6375
Breakfast Joints...
Check out "The Crispy Waffle" in Shorewood (Off of IL-59 aka Route 59)
564 Brook Forest Avenue
Shorewood, IL 60404
(815) 744-0356
Old Fashioned Pancake House - Joliet
2022 West Jefferson Street
Joliet, IL
(815) 741-4666
Fancier Places (Places you need a pair of slacks for, and a dress shirt)
Try Syl's in Rockdale.... (It's about the closet nice place to the track besides the casino). Steaks, Good wine, Italian, Their chicken is awesome, lots of good stuff.
829 Moen Avenue
Rockdale, IL 60436
(815) 725-1977
Bars I would stay away from......
Sammy's in Joliet (By the Louis Joliet Mall) -- Most of the time a very young crowd, cops patrol that bar quite a bit, there's usually always a cover charge for something, drinks are over priced
City of Champions - STAY AWAY! This bar is NOTORIOUSLY known for fights, there's been stabbings (recently), this is known as the "UFC Bar" because the only people who go there are the one's ridiculously addicted to UFC in the bad way (as in... they think they're a UFC fighter and want to kick everyone's ass in the bar).
I'm sure there's others, but those are 2 I would primarily stay away from.... unless you feel like getting in trouble or going to jail.
All the other places people have already listed are good as well.
#108 - Team Point-0-Eight - 1991 Ford Escort GT - "Hey... at least we're legal!"
Campaign to Prevent Gingervitus 2012 - Blown Head
North Dallas Hooptie 2012 - 35th
Showroom Schlokout 2012 - Winner We Got Screwed