Pool halls in Bloomington Illinois?

buckshotshoey

buckshotshoey

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Going on a trip for work training in Bloomington at the Asmark Institute. Any recommendations on pool halls?

The ISU Billiard and Bowling center looks like they have a nice facility.
 
Racks on the Rocks in Peoria, about 45 miles away. Interstate 74W all the way
 
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Ride the 9 by the airport in Bloomington. Clinton has a pool hall has 10 Diamond 7’ and 2 9’. Has 9ball tournament Friday night. Decatur has a new place racks on 36, 6 Diamond 7’. Tournaments Friday night and Saturday. Carom room up in Beloit. Kinda far tho.


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If you want a good steak and salad bar go to Alexander’s Street Steakhouse in Normal. Bloomington and Normal are actually side by side, you don’t know which one you’re in most of the time. ISU is actually in Normal
 
buckshotshoey said:
... The ISU Billiard and Bowling center looks like they have a nice facility
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I was there a few years ago. Nice room with maybe a dozen tables including a carom table. Nobody was there during the day. No problem getting a table as a non-student.
 
Bob Jewett said:
I was there a few years ago. Nice room with maybe a dozen tables including a carom table. Nobody was there during the day. No problem getting a table as a non-student.
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Cool. Looks like a decent place. And it's only 10 or 15 minutes away from the training center
 
Jason Klatt and Sarah Rousey used to play at Ride the Nine. I was at a conference and stopped to play some pool. Never been there before and they had a weekday tournament. Got in it and they were both in it. I got lucky and beat Sarah after Jason put me in the losers bracket. Jason beat me again in the finals. Fun night, except for the losing part.
 
Ride the Nine is main pool room. Has 4 Diamond 9’ tables + about a dozen 7’ tables. Closed on Monday’s. Opens at 2pm on Tuesdays. Opens at 11am all other days. No Monday night tournament. Good place to play but no big action (that I know). Sara Rousey still lives/plays locally but Jason Klatt no longer in the area.
ISU student union has tables but not the best condition. Huge pockets with very slow cloth. No serious players.
Racks in Peoria has good 9’ and 7’ tables. Good condition. Use to be some action but haven’t been there for couple of years.
As for dining, Jim’s Steakhouse best in area. Only a block from RtN. Also located in Peoria across the street from Caterpillar building downtown.
Good luck.
 
Lucasi53 said:
Ride the Nine is main pool room. Has 4 Diamond 9’ tables + about a dozen 7’ tables. Closed on Monday’s. Opens at 2pm on Tuesdays. Opens at 11am all other days. No Monday night tournament. Good place to play but no big action (that I know). Sara Rousey still lives/plays locally but Jason Klatt no longer in the area.
ISU student union has tables but not the best condition. Huge pockets with very slow cloth. No serious players.
Racks in Peoria has good 9’ and 7’ tables. Good condition. Use to be some action but haven’t been there for couple of years.
As for dining, Jim’s Steakhouse best in area. Only a block from RtN. Also located in Peoria across the street from Caterpillar building downtown.
Good luck.
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Thanks. Not really looking for action, but might be coerced into a couple of cheap sets. Ill check out Ride the Nine. Within a block or two of Jim's Steakhouse is a BIG plus.
 
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Update..

Just got back from my trip to Bloomington. The roads are pretty rough everywhere you go, but otherwise a nice town.

Thanks for the recommendation on Jim's Steakhouse! Awesome place. First thing you notice when walking in is a live piano player. It added to the already comfortable and serene environment.
Now for the food... I ordered the sirloin and baked potato. The steak showed up perfectly cooked, and a full 2 inches thick! Absolutely delicious! There are few occasions I order a steak and I don't add steak sauce or salt. This one was delicious without adding anything. The baked potato was the size of a softball! I couldn't finish it. I made sure I had enough room for that steak!

Now for the pool hall. We went about two blocks around the corner from Jim's the Ride the 9 billiards. Nice place. Nice clean atmosphere. Nice tables. All Diamonds.
Prices were very reasonable. $10 an hour for 9 foot. Even the bar sticks were in good shape with good tips. You won't regret going there.

Now for some more good...

The Hotel... The Hampton Inn West was nice. Very clean. Beds were comfortable. The hotel is pet friendly.
The breakfast is good. First morning they had scrambled eggs and bacon. There is even a self make waffle iron.
Second morning there was cheese omelets and sausage and of course the waffle iron. It wasnt 5 star food, but better then just donuts. Only problem was the bathroom vent fan didnt work.

Food... We went to the Fiesta Ranchera Mexican Restaurant on the west side. It is right across the side street from the Hampton Inn West. EXCELLENT food and service. The burrito I ordered was about the size of the fat part of my forearm! It was $16. Very good food, very friendly service, and super good frozen margaritas!

The Steak and Shake next to the Hampton Inn West was also good for a quick lunch.

Now for the bad...
Avoid the Popeye's Chicken on US 150 near the Pilot Travel Center like it is the plague.

The woman at the drive through was one of the nastiest people I have ever seen serving customers. Pit stains half way to her waist, and front of her shirt was filthy. I have to wonder if she had her monthly bath in January. Her attitude matched her appearance. Not only that, but they didn't have chicken tenders or chicken strips. The iced tea tasted like ass. Took one sip and dumped it out the window. AVOID AVOID AVOID!

Other then that one bad experience, Bloomington is a pretty nice town.
 
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