Hey New Yorkers...

[Runnintable]

BQE Billiards has taken over the tournaments formerly run out of Master's.
Finnegan is the Tournament director, as of last I know he was setting up shop there. You would have to call to find out better details.

Break Bar hosts a lot of in-house leagues throughout the week. Mostly APA.

Paradise is multiple tight pocket GC's fairly inexpensive. You can buy a block of time for 3 hours/$15 bucks. BQE has a similar rate.

Carom Cafe is a Mecca of Billiards. It was opened by the #1 and #3 rated billiard players in the world. Does the name Sang Lee mean anything to you? http://www.caromtv.com/

Steiway is mostly bangers. They just started re-felting tables. Expensive for what you get. Owners are not about the pool players. Even with Masters closing they did not inherit any of the shooters, so what does that tell you. I listed it because I can go there during lunch and still get back to work on time. They also have a GC with 4" pockets, great practice table.

 

[Jude Rosenstock]

So it looks like I've hit most of the good rooms. And I'll continue going to Society and Amsterdam each and every visit. Soho was pretty close but just didn't have any vibe both times I went there.

I really liked the Wednesday Night Tournament at Masters. I took 3rd twice and 2nd once. (Only because Ginky let me off the hook, RIP)

I have no problem with the train or hailing a long cab ride.

What can you tell me about these rooms? How are the tables? Tournaments, Action, Bangers, etc. etc.

BQE billiards
70-02 34th avenue
Jackson Heights, NY
(718) 719 4348

Paradise Cafe Billiards
3804 48th St, Sunnyside, NY 11104-1030
(718) 707-0147 ‎

Break Bar and Billiards
32-04b Broadway
Long Island City, NY 11106
(718) 777-5400

Carom Cafe
3402 Linden Pl
Flushing, NY 11354

Steinway Cafe and Billiards
3525 Steinway St.
Astoria, NY 11102

I think the one that stands out the most on this list is Carom Cafe. It really is a must see. This room was owned by Sang Lee who passed away a couple years ago. He was the national 3 cushion champion for an insane amount of time (10 years?). The room is priceless. They have pool, snooker and obviously a whole lot of 3 cushion. The 3C tables are set up in a tournament-style "pit" with runways on all four sides. I haven't been there in quite a while but I'm sure they still have several weekly tournaments (3C only) and their regulars consist of some of the most talented 3C players in the northeast along with the sport's most passionate.

 

[doitforthegame]

Best room ev-a....Julian's Billiard Academy....where drunk pool players slept under the tables...and The Hawiian Guy never changed his shirt in summer or winter....

oh yeah...Julian's closed....but I can still smell that aroma as you walked up the stairs!

Bob

 

[jason]

Best room ev-a....Julian's Billiard Academy....where drunk pool players slept under the tables...and The Hawiian Guy never changed his shirt in summer or winter....

oh yeah...Julian's closed....but I can still smell that aroma as you walked up the stairs!

Bob

Now thats my kinda place...too bad its gone!

 

[FranCrimi]

Masters was the spot. Pool is not the same no more, everyone is really nitty in nyc.

Masters was a disgustingly filthy pool room where obviously a penny was never invested in keeping up the place. Yep. A lot of players who hung out in Masters were nits, but then who'd want to hang out with them anyway? The reason players went to Masters was because they could get away with acting like children. You can't get away with that kind of childish behavior at Amsterdam. Thank goodness for small favors.

 

[cleary]

and these are *real* pool rooms.

Believe it or not, NYC has *real* pool rooms... While Amsterdam and Society are a bit more upscale and not cheap places to play there are other rooms that are more affordable. Soho Billiards and Skyline Billiards come to mind.

 

[cleary]

pot, meet kettle. :d

hahahahaha

 

[ignomirello]

My View on a pool room doing a good thing for Pool

How do you rate the playing in the city? I know you have Amsterdam Billiards, but how is the rest of the city? Bars, pool halls, leagues, tournaments, equiptment, etc.

Please give me your view of the pool scene.

Gotham City Billiards 93 Avenue U. Brooklyn, NY (718) 714-1002

This room I visit anytime I can For the Tri-State Tournament!

The Owner & crew treat us players like most of us should be treated, He always adds extra money in the tournament. Our last tournament he added $1,250.00 yes $1,250.00 That makes it worth the gas & tolls from North Jersey. And we get treated like customers :thumbup:

 

[SirNoobs]

The pool halls I especially like are Skyline Billiards and Gotham City Billiards (And I've played in a few pool halls in Brooklyn). These regulars are really friendly there and the rates are decent ($4-$5 per person per hour). I think at Skyline they have a deal where you can play for the whole day for a flat rate, but I didn't know if the guy was joking with me or not. The best deal if you want to play with a friend(s) is at SoHo Billiards. In the day time, you can play for 3 hours for $21, a max of 4 people to a table. So if you bring 3 buddies and y'all pay $5.25 each when the 3 hours end.

And like someone said, you wouldn't know Skyline existed if you drove past it. The thing is surrounded by garages and it's right above a sheet metal factory. The elevated F train obscures the sign.

 

[ctyhntr]

Soho is now hosting Finnegan's Monday and Wednesday tournaments. I was there tonight, and the place was full of action.

Paradise is probably the cheapest poolhall in New York City. A monthly membership run $70, and 12 hour card is $24, or $2 per hour. They refelted a whole bunch of tables (Gold Crowns), and they have Centennials, good racks but you have to ask.

BQE Billiards has taken over the tournaments formerly run out of Master's.
Finnegan is the Tournament director, as of last I know he was setting up shop there. You would have to call to find out better details.

Break Bar hosts a lot of in-house leagues throughout the week. Mostly APA.

Paradise is multiple tight pocket GC's fairly inexpensive. You can buy a block of time for 3 hours/$15 bucks. BQE has a similar rate.

Carom Cafe is a Mecca of Billiards. It was opened by the #1 and #3 rated billiard players in the world. Does the name Sang Lee mean anything to you? http://www.caromtv.com/

Steiway is mostly bangers. They just started re-felting tables. Expensive for what you get. Owners are not about the pool players. Even with Masters closing they did not inherit any of the shooters, so what does that tell you. I listed it because I can go there during lunch and still get back to work on time. They also have a GC with 4" pockets, great practice table.

 

[ctyhntr]

You can recreate that same smell by splashing some eau de ammonia and leaving open containers of stale beer around your pool table.

Julians was the quinessential old style pool room. Front and back stairways, and I remember George Mikula was always there.

Best room ev-a....Julian's Billiard Academy....where drunk pool players slept under the tables...and The Hawiian Guy never changed his shirt in summer or winter....

oh yeah...Julian's closed....but I can still smell that aroma as you walked up the stairs!

Bob

 

[jason]

A lot of good info here...thanks for the replies.

...and keep 'em coming!

 

[jimmyg]

You can recreate that same smell by splashing some eau de ammonia and leaving open containers of stale beer around your pool table.

Julians was the quinessential old style pool room. Front and back stairways, and I remember George Mikula was always there.

Julians was an amazing place, but then again the entire lower East Side of Manhattan was spectacular during that time period.

Yes, George was always there, sometimes on a billiard table, sometimes on a snooker table, but mostly playing straight pool. "Prince" was also always there, usually in a nine ball game.

Still remember the two brothers that owned and ran the place, can't recall their names, but do the faces of the cartoon beer commercial starring Harry and Burt Piels flash in the background of your mind?

I was about 16, lived further downtown, and would wind up there after the neighborhood room closed. Every now and then, after Julians closed at 3:00 AM, it was uptown to 7/11, or Ames. That's when I knew that I'd better get out of Dodge.....USAF here I come. :thumbup:

J

 

[JAM]

Believe it or not, NYC has *real* pool rooms... While Amsterdam and Society are a bit more upscale and not cheap places to play there are other rooms that are more affordable. Soho Billiards and Skyline Billiards come to mind.

I never wrote that NYC did not have *real* pool rooms.

I did say that *real* pool rooms existed in upstate New York. I based my post on my firsthand experience.

 

[Bambu]

With the 5 boroughs, NYC is almost like 5 separate cities. I would say the top players rooms are:

Manhattan

1. Amsterdam
2. Society(though I havent been there yet I hear its very nice.)

Brooklyn-

3. Skyline ( I havent seen gotham yet either)

Queens-

4. Nobody has taken control

Now that Masters closed, the Queens players have scattered. All the Queens rooms mentioned are not really players rooms. Not Break, Steinway, Paradise, or BQE. Carom Cafe is more of a 3 cushion scene.

Any queens players looking for a friendly, low stakes game feel free to msg me. I have a well kept gold crown III, with 3 predator tour players standing by.

Long Island-

Raxx- This is the room to be in, it has everything a player could ask for. I would rate it #1 but it's tough to say its better than Amsterdam. It's different, has some old time feel to it, but fused together with a semi-modern look. Its clean too, well staffed. On site parking, fair prices, awesome service, good tournaments, decent food, full bar, great tables and real players. Holden Chin(the owner) really goes out of his way to run the place the right way. I dont think theres a bad table in the house, or a better room in NYC(though Raxx is technically just outside Queens).

 

[ctyhntr]

Anything in The Bronx, Staten Island, Hoboken (which is closer to Manhattan than Staten Island or the Bronx)?

With the 5 boroughs, NYC is almost like 5 separate cities. I would say the top players rooms are:

Manhattan

1. Amsterdam
2. Society(though I havent been there yet I hear its very nice.)

Brooklyn-

3. Skyline ( I havent seen gotham yet either)

Queens-

4. Nobody has taken control

Now that Masters closed, the Queens players have scattered. All the Queens rooms mentioned are not really players rooms. Not Break, Steinway, Paradise, or BQE. Carom Cafe is more of a 3 cushion scene.

Any queens players looking for a friendly, low stakes game feel free to msg me. I have a well kept gold crown III, with 3 predator tour players standing by.

Long Island-

Raxx- This is the room to be in, it has everything a player could ask for. I would rate it #1 but it's tough to say its better than Amsterdam. It's different, has some old time feel to it, but fused together with a semi-modern look. Its clean too, well staffed. On site parking, fair prices, awesome service, good tournaments, decent food, full bar, great tables and real players. Holden Chin(the owner) really goes out of his way to run the place the right way. I dont think theres a bad table in the house, or a better room in NYC(though Raxx is technically just outside Queens).

 

[Lock N Load]

Jason,

A lot of good info here...thanks for the replies.

...and keep 'em coming!

You are getting a lot of good replies! Nice post.
Regards,
Lock N Load.

 

[Jude Rosenstock]

You can recreate that same smell by splashing some eau de ammonia and leaving open containers of stale beer around your pool table.

Julians was the quinessential old style pool room. Front and back stairways, and I remember George Mikula was always there.

Julian's never sold beer. Just sayin'

 

[cleary]

Hoboken (which is closer to Manhattan than Staten Island or the Bronx)?

Willow Billiards is in Hoboken. Most of the tables have old nappy cloth on gold crowns. A couple tables have good cloth but I don't really like how the tables play.

 

[cleary]

I never wrote that NYC did not have *real* pool rooms.

I did say that *real* pool rooms existed in upstate New York. I based my post on my firsthand experience.

hahaha. Thanks for clearing that up. Glad upstate doesn't have fake pool rooms.