Best Pool Halls in U.S.

JAM · Nov 16, 2017

I have heard of all of them except this one in North Carolina. It's an interesting read:

NORTH CAROLINA

Wilmington, North Carolina: Orton Billiard and Pool Rooms.

Last on the list, but definitely first on any pool players bucket list, Orton Billiard and Pool Rooms. This is the nation’s oldest pool hall, established in 1888. The building was the Orton Hotel, it burned down in 1949, but the laundry, pool hall and the barber shop were the only areas untouched. Don’t be fooled by it’s age, they have a lot of regulars and young professionals who play here.

Fun Fact: In 1953, Mosconi set a world record here for pocketing 365 balls!

According to this article: https://www.delta-13.com/blogs/delt...-coolest-places-to-play-billiards-bucket-list

Black-Balled · Nov 16, 2017

I don't see very good comments about the place, reviewing posts about it.

Road trip cancelled!:grin:

Tin Man · Nov 16, 2017

Anyone that hasn't spent a weekend at Fargo Billiards doesn't get to vote because the answer should be unanimous...

Black-Balled · Nov 16, 2017

Tin Man said:
Anyone that hasn't spent a weekend at Fargo Billiards doesn't get to vote because the answer should be unanimous...

I take it you never visited Westmont champion billiards then?

Rhea · Nov 16, 2017

Tin Man said:
Anyone that hasn't spent a weekend at Fargo Billiards doesn't get to vote because the answer should be unanimous...

Ive been there, the room is extremely nice, its in my top 10 for sure but so far nothing compares to Scott Frosts new place.

kor b · Nov 16, 2017

Tin Man said:
Anyone that hasn't spent a weekend at Fargo Billiards doesn't get to vote because the answer should be unanimous...

I've been to Fargo Billiards and i will say i was truly impressed. However i did not get a table even though i tried. The only way to start a table rental was to forfeit my drivers license and the young man at the counter said there was no other way. IMO this is a very lopsided agreement because i have a CDL and it's just floating around behind the counter? no thanks.

easy-e · Nov 16, 2017

Rhea said:
Ive been there, the room is extremely nice, its in my top 10 for sure but so far nothing compares to Scott Frosts new place.

Why? I’m in Phoenix now, been to the ice house twice now. Great equipment, but why do you hold it so high above others? Don’t get me wrong, it’s nice. But I’ve been to others that I think are better.

Rhea · Nov 16, 2017

easy-e said:
Why? I’m in Phoenix now, been to the ice house twice now. Great equipment, but why do you hold it so high above others? Don’t get me wrong, it’s nice. But I’ve been to others that I think are better.

Top notch equipment, no smoking, comfortable seating, plenty of space between tables, inexpensive food, great pool playing atmosphere, high tech displays and lighting, nice bar, plenty of staff. This room definitely caters to pool players not just recreational players. This is an example of how all pool rooms in the future should be.

hang-the-9 · Nov 16, 2017

kor b said:
I've been to Fargo Billiards and i will say i was truly impressed. However i did not get a table even though i tried. The only way to start a table rental was to forfeit my drivers license and the young man at the counter said there was no other way. IMO this is a very lopsided agreement because i have a CDL and it's just floating around behind the counter? no thanks.

Most places take your license, nothing odd there really. Although they should have been a bit more flexible, some ask for a credit card or something. I've been going to Snookers in RI for years and they still ask for my ID.

9andout · Nov 16, 2017

Got to Freezer's Ice House a few weeks ago.
Awesome. :thumbup::thumbup:
Going to Griff's in a couple weeks.

Island Drive · Nov 16, 2017

kor b said:
I've been to Fargo Billiards and i will say i was truly impressed. However i did not get a table even though i tried. The only way to start a table rental was to forfeit my drivers license and the young man at the counter said there was no other way. IMO this is a very lopsided agreement because i have a CDL and it's just floating around behind the counter? no thanks.

I feel the same way, about giving my cc to a server and them walking away with all the info. It got ugly about 6 months after I left a restaurant that I charged a meal at outside San Francisco.

KissedOut · Nov 16, 2017

Any room that doesn't have at least one carom table and one snooker table should be automatically DQed as being hopelessly provincial.

easy-e · Nov 16, 2017

Rhea said:
Top notch equipment, no smoking, comfortable seating, plenty of space between tables, inexpensive food, great pool playing atmosphere, high tech displays and lighting, nice bar, plenty of staff. This room definitely caters to pool players not just recreational players. This is an example of how all pool rooms in the future should be.

We agree on the equipment.

cardiac kid · Nov 16, 2017

Island Drive said:
I feel the same way, about giving my cc to a server and them walking away with all the info. It got ugly about 6 months after I left a restaurant that I charged a meal at outside San Francisco.

Bill,

The policy at East Ridge Billiards in Rochester is really pretty simple for food, drink and pool. If you wish to run a tab, you MUST leave a credit card with us at the counter. It immediately goes into the cash register and is held till the tab is closed. We are hard at work making it easier for our customers. Eventually you will be able to allow us to run the card and have a running total applied till closed while YOU hold your card.

If you choose to only play pool, we collect a $10 rental up front per player. Sunday through Thursday you may play from Noon till Midnight for that $10. Friday and Saturday till 2 AM. Right now we have eight Diamond Pro/Am 9' tables, ten Diamond 7' Pro/Am's and two Gold Crown V Tournament Edition 9' tables. When the construction is finished, we will also have ten GC V TE's and nine Valley Panthers in the new section.

Incidentally, in February of 2018, we will be hosting a Joss Northeast Nine Ball tour event on the 24th and 25th.

Lyn

cardiac kid · Nov 16, 2017

KissedOut said:
Any room that doesn't have at least one carom table and one snooker table should be automatically DQed as being hopelessly provincial.

KO,

Outside of New York City, there is not one room in New York State that fills your requirements. Even Buffalo, that lies on the Canadian border, does not have a snooker table commercially available. Have traveled far and wide in the Northeast US. Don't remember a single room with both types. Great for the players. Terrible for the room owners.

Lyn

pt109 · Nov 16, 2017

kor b said:
I've been to Fargo Billiards and i will say i was truly impressed. However i did not get a table even though i tried. The only way to start a table rental was to forfeit my drivers license and the young man at the counter said there was no other way. IMO this is a very lopsided agreement because i have a CDL and it's just floating around behind the counter? no thanks.

hang-the-9 said:
Most places take your license, nothing odd there really. Although they should have been a bit more flexible, some ask for a credit card or something. I've been going to Snookers in RI for years and they still ask for my ID.

Island Drive said:
I feel the same way, about giving my cc to a server and them walking away with all the info. It got ugly about 6 months after I left a restaurant that I charged a meal at outside San Francisco.

I have a lot of trouble surrendering my ID....I don’t mind showing it.

...I have asked “What if you lose it or hand it over to the wrong customer?”
The usual response implies that I should trust them....
..I tell them “Trust is a two way street.”

So far I’ve gotten away with leaving a cash deposit...
...if that’s not acceptable, I’ll walk.

pt...knows what it feels like to be charged double for filling up at a gas station

Quesports · Nov 16, 2017

kor b said:
I've been to Fargo Billiards and i will say i was truly impressed. However i did not get a table even though i tried. The only way to start a table rental was to forfeit my drivers license and the young man at the counter said there was no other way. IMO this is a very lopsided agreement because i have a CDL and it's just floating around behind the counter? no thanks.

I agree with the comment above. Years ago I had to give up my license to a pool hall about 35 miles from my home. I was there for several hours had some food played pool and had two beers. When I paid my tab and left they forgot to give me my license back. I forgot to ask for it as well.

I drove home and the next day while doing some business I went to show my license. Guess what no license. Then I had to wait till the place opened to make sure they had it. Then it was drive 35 miles one way and 35 miles back home with my license. What a pain in the ass plus I was driving illegally since I was not in possession of my license. NEVER AGAIN I told myself.

Sure I forgot to get it back but they forgot to give it back to me which I felt was their responsibility since they required me to give it to them. A credit card could have sufficed IMO with a lot less issues if it had been left in their possession. I could have just cancelled that If there was an issue but not my license. No to giving up my license!

cardiac kid · Nov 16, 2017

pt109 said:
So far I’ve gotten away with leaving a cash deposit...
...if that’s not acceptable, I’ll walk.

Paul,

Appreciate your input. I've had customers with tabs nearing $100. Perhaps asking for a sizable cash deposit in lieu of a credit card is a reasoned alternative. Going to discuss it with the room owner when he returns from vacation. Thanks.

Lyn

pt109 · Nov 16, 2017

cardiac kid said:
Paul,

Appreciate your input. I've had customers with tabs nearing $100. Perhaps asking for a sizable cash deposit in lieu of a credit card is a reasoned alternative. Going to discuss it with the room owner when he returns from vacation. Thanks.

Lyn

Lyn, you can hold my ID and my entire bankroll....but can you say that about every room?
....it’s not just larceny, it’s also inefficiency.

I was crossing the border once into the US..one of us had an Asian passport...
...so it was into the shed...no prob, took 15 minutes...I had surrendered my passport
and my license...when I checked it outside, I had TWO licenses....went back in...
...told them somebody born in 1932 will be happy to get this back...the guy who handedled
it told me he wouldn’t be needing it...showed me an old Ford van in a bay...told me...
..”We found 76 handguns in this truck.”

But my point is, he DID give me somebody’s ID.

Island Drive · Nov 16, 2017

What I do nowadays, is save my old license or state ID and give em that one. Or a CC that I meant to cut up.

Best Pool Halls in U.S.

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