Bad experience in New York City.....

[Mike the Bike]

This thread was posted on BD forums in June, It generated over 1000 hits a week and good discussion about poolrooms.


A few weeks ago i was in NYC and I went into Amsterdam Billiards on 11th st in NYC to practice early in the afternoon. The place was empty and i got a table and racked
the balls. The table lights are those new FL twirl money savers and they are not up
to the task of lighting. Dark shadows on both ends and dim everywhere on the table.
Add to that wide windows all along the walls with bright glare making it very hard to see clearly. I adjust the blinds for some relief from the glare and start to shoot.
Before i get going a skinny bald guy comes over and demands to know who changed
the blinds. I say i did because of the glare and table lights being a problem. He says
to move to another table but i point out the windows are all too bright and ask why
the table lights are so bad. He gets bent and tells me to go somewhere else to play
and i left. I got a little heated and told him the motto "more than a poolroom"
should say "not even a poolroom". Be warned. On their website they claim to be the best poolroom in the world. As if. The Professional players that shill for this dump should be ashamed of themselves.
Broadway Billiards on 21st st between Broadway and Fifth ave is much better.
A real poolroom and not a phony fern bar wanna be.
Oh the skinny bald guy turns out to be greg evan the owner.
The workers at AB are very cool but the boss is a businessman control freak.

 

[Gregg]

Two sides to every story. Sounds like you had li were disrespecting the "skinny bald guy" from the get go.

 

[mosconiac]

I'm sorry you had a bad experience, but it also seems you got a long run out of it....1000+ posts a week?!?! Time to put it to rest and move on with your life IMO.

 

[snookerish]

is this your only experience of Amsterdam Billiards? I have to say i fthat's the case, it's a shame that this is now your view of the place. I can't say I have ever had any trouble of that sort, and I have had the blinds closed loads of times. ok, so i went to the desk and asked the guy, but that shouldn't matter I agree.
it really is a top notch pool room. you will be hard pushed to find better equipment in other rooms in the city.
I do like Broadway a lot but to say it's "better", well, I'm not sure. Its a completely different vibe, same can be said about Soho Billiards, as well as the places in Queens and Brooklyn.
I do agree that the staff at Amsterdam are excellent, but personally I have never had any problems with either staff or owners. Maybe some other posters have had similar experiences as you.
Next time you are in NYC you should drop by and give it another shot. If you're still unhappy, then so be it. Broadway is a 5min walk from there

 

[TXsouthpaw]

being in a pool hall while the suns out always messes with me. I just cant get used to the light. Play at night, problem solved.

 

[sixpack]

Another problem caused by global warming.

~rc

 

[cleary]

I guess it depends on what your looking for in a poolroom. I for one like a place where, if need be, I can take a dump.

At Amsterdam, I can take a dump. At Broadway billiards, ehh.... ill hold it.

 

[cigardave]

being in a pool hall while the suns out always messes with me. I just cant get used to the light. Play at night, problem solved.

Hmmmm, I play all the time with the sun shining fully as my table is in my garage and I leave the garage door open, as well as a rear door open and a side window with the shade all the way up.

I didn't plan on playing that way as I added a shade to the side window in order to make it a pool cave... but have found that I like everything wide open even when the sun is shining fully in the afternoon... go figure. :shrug:

 

[Cuebacca]

poolhall research

I guess it depends on what your looking for in a poolroom. I for one like a place where, if need be, I can take a dump.

At Amsterdam, I can take a dump. At Broadway billiards, ehh.... ill hold it.

So, what I have gathered from this thread is that next time I visit Manhattan, I should try out the well-lit tables at Broadway Billiards but take a break and walk to ABC should I have to take a dump. :embarrassed2:

Broadway is a 5min walk from there

 

[crawfish]

I guess it depends on what your looking for in a poolroom. I for one like a place where, if need be, I can take a dump.

At Amsterdam, I can take a dump. At Broadway billiards, ehh.... ill hold it.

Man's gotta dump. He just does. Plain and simple. El dumpo. Sheit. Drop the kids off at the pool. Spend some time with the porcelain god. Go plop. Filter out the garbage. You get where I'm going with this. To dump is our God given right. We shouldn't be afraid to.

 

[Cuebacca]

2 in the corner

Man's gotta dump. He just does. Plain and simple. El dumpo. Sheit. Drop the kids off at the pool. Spend some time with the porcelain god. Go plop. Filter out the garbage. You get where I'm going with this. To dump is our God given right. We shouldn't be afraid to.

I'd like to add, deliver some confidential documents to the oval office.

 

[cleary]

Man's gotta dump. He just does. Plain and simple. El dumpo. Sheit. Drop the kids off at the pool. Spend some time with the porcelain god. Go plop. Filter out the garbage. You get where I'm going with this. To dump is our God given right. We shouldn't be afraid to.

Or take the Browns to the SuperBowl...

I get what your saying, but Im also guessing you have never been to Broadway Billiards.

 

[Complex13]

...........

Take the Browns to the Super Bowl.

Download some software.

Throw some mud into the pond.

Pinch a loaf.

Take a groaner...

 

[Complex13]

Often I find myself skipping pool halls when I'm looking for a place to practice by myself. I don't want to keep dragging my cues and case with me every time I go to the bathroom. I'm paranoid about leaving then out of my sight.

I'll usually hit the neighborhood bar where everyone knows me and knows my case and cues. I can feel comfortable leaving my stuff out for a few minutes while I run to the bathroom. Plus, 9 times out of ten no one is interested in playing pool there anyway so you have the table all to yourself.

 

[Mike the Bike]

cleary, This is nonsense. The restrooms at Broadway are clean and kept that way. The Asian Gentlemen that operate the room are very strict about keeping it clean. Also there is a worker that brushes and wipes the rails of every table as soon as it is cleared. It is a clean and well lit room. A good selection of beers and not overpriced. In other words a good poolroom. When were you last in there?

mike

 

[wahcheck]

lol

Man's gotta dump. He just does. Plain and simple. El dumpo. Sheit. Drop the kids off at the pool. Spend some time with the porcelain god. Go plop. Filter out the garbage. You get where I'm going with this. To dump is our God given right. We shouldn't be afraid to.

This reminds me of some funny graffiti I saw in one toilet......

"no use to stand up and sh..t.....the crabs jump 20 feet high here....."

 

[cleary]

cleary, This is nonsense. The restrooms at Broadway are clean and kept that way. The Asian Gentlemen that operate the room are very strict about keeping it clean. Also there is a worker that brushes and wipes the rails of every table as soon as it is cleared. It is a clean and well lit room. A good selection of beers and not overpriced. In other words a good poolroom. When were you last in there?

mike

Hmmm, let me think. Last time I was there..... maybe 3 or 4 weeks ago. How about yourself?

And no, the bathrooms are not clean.

But yes, the rails and cloth are kept fairly clean, but thats about it.

Dont get me wrong. I go to broadway, its not a bad place.... but its far from clean. Personally, I prefer Amsterdam, Masters, ParkSlope and Skyline. All Cleaner, all better equipment, all better poolrooms.

 

[TXsouthpaw]

Hmmmm, I play all the time with the sun shining fully as my table is in my garage and I leave the garage door open, as well as a rear door open and a side window with the shade all the way up.

I didn't plan on playing that way as I added a shade to the side window in order to make it a pool cave... but have found that I like everything wide open even when the sun is shining fully in the afternoon... go figure. :shrug:

Im just used to playing at night. I can play in the sun but it sharks me. Even at home. The windows facing my backyard got foil over them, and the ones facing the street got blinds and curtains. Maybe its just me though.

 

[jay helfert]

I guess it depends on what your looking for in a poolroom. I for one like a place where, if need be, I can take a dump.

At Amsterdam, I can take a dump. At Broadway billiards, ehh.... ill hold it.

This is way too much information Andrew.

 

[TATE]

This thread was posted on BD forums in June, It generated over 1000 hits a week and good discussion about poolrooms.


A few weeks ago i was in NYC and I went into Amsterdam Billiards on 11th st in NYC to practice early in the afternoon. The place was empty and i got a table and racked
the balls. The table lights are those new FL twirl money savers and they are not up
to the task of lighting. Dark shadows on both ends and dim everywhere on the table.
Add to that wide windows all along the walls with bright glare making it very hard to see clearly. I adjust the blinds for some relief from the glare and start to shoot.
Before i get going a skinny bald guy comes over and demands to know who changed
the blinds. I say i did because of the glare and table lights being a problem. He says
to move to another table but i point out the windows are all too bright and ask why
the table lights are so bad. He gets bent and tells me to go somewhere else to play
and i left. I got a little heated and told him the motto "more than a poolroom"
should say "not even a poolroom". Be warned. On their website they claim to be the best poolroom in the world. As if. The Professional players that shill for this dump should be ashamed of themselves.
Broadway Billiards on 21st st between Broadway and Fifth ave is much better.
A real poolroom and not a phony fern bar wanna be.
Oh the skinny bald guy turns out to be greg evan the owner.
The workers at AB are very cool but the boss is a businessman control freak.

One of the most enjoyable pool experiences in my life was playing at Amsterdam with SJM in a private room. They treated us like royalty. The room and the people were all class!

Chris

Ps. It sounds like you both could have been a little more polite.