After the recommendation of many, I ventured out to Steinway Billiards in Astoria (Queens), NY last night. The room was packed as it was prime time Saturday night. That being said there was plenty of room to play (either Pool, Billiards or Chess) or watch others play. Oh, there was what appeared to be a professional video crew recording matches while were there.
The Gear: The 26 tables are generously spaced so you don't feel on top of one another. The tables are Brunswick GC IIIs or IVs with at least one Diamond Professional Table. Many but not all tables have Simonis and it seemed all tables have Centennial balls. There was a professional, heated billiard table there as well.
The People: The level of play of the vast majority of folks I observed was high. This is clearly a players room, although there were also recreation players having a good time as well. Date night was a bit distracting with all the tight clothing and high heels, but one does what one must to focus on their game ;-) . There seemed to be an absence of "sharks" unlike the old days at Chelsea Billiards and the like. It was nice not to have someone coming by every 5 minutes to ask if you want to "play some". The high level players I spoke with were all polite actually...so long as you didn't start talking to them on their money shot, you know, common sense applies.
The Good: The vibe was warm and inviting. With 26 tables we had no wait for a table even during prime time Saturday night. Even if there had been a wait, there were plenty of ways to entertain oneself between the bar, the food, and sweating the action. Music was at a volume that was reasonable yet still enjoyable. Green Fees were astonishingly low...I think it was $9.00 an hour for 2 players...on a Saturday night no less. When the cashier quoted us our total, we were sure he was wrong and politely asked him if he knew we were 2 people (at the table). Earl Strickland is the resident House Pro.
The Bad: Parking is impossible. Not their fault, but still something for which one should allow a consideration when going. The bathrooms were less than clean, which is a pet peeve of mine. The room was somewhat littered with coin-op items such as the punching bag machine, massage lounge chairs, that kind of thing. Not critical, but somewhat annoying. Maybe it was just our table, but the cloth had seen it's better day.
Overall: It's easy to see why this is widely considered the best room in the NYC. The caliber of player is quite high and it's very enjoyable to watch. Green Fees, Gear, and environment are all awesome. Other rooms I plan to visit have a lot to live up to.
The Gear: The 26 tables are generously spaced so you don't feel on top of one another. The tables are Brunswick GC IIIs or IVs with at least one Diamond Professional Table. Many but not all tables have Simonis and it seemed all tables have Centennial balls. There was a professional, heated billiard table there as well.
The People: The level of play of the vast majority of folks I observed was high. This is clearly a players room, although there were also recreation players having a good time as well. Date night was a bit distracting with all the tight clothing and high heels, but one does what one must to focus on their game ;-) . There seemed to be an absence of "sharks" unlike the old days at Chelsea Billiards and the like. It was nice not to have someone coming by every 5 minutes to ask if you want to "play some". The high level players I spoke with were all polite actually...so long as you didn't start talking to them on their money shot, you know, common sense applies.
The Good: The vibe was warm and inviting. With 26 tables we had no wait for a table even during prime time Saturday night. Even if there had been a wait, there were plenty of ways to entertain oneself between the bar, the food, and sweating the action. Music was at a volume that was reasonable yet still enjoyable. Green Fees were astonishingly low...I think it was $9.00 an hour for 2 players...on a Saturday night no less. When the cashier quoted us our total, we were sure he was wrong and politely asked him if he knew we were 2 people (at the table). Earl Strickland is the resident House Pro.
The Bad: Parking is impossible. Not their fault, but still something for which one should allow a consideration when going. The bathrooms were less than clean, which is a pet peeve of mine. The room was somewhat littered with coin-op items such as the punching bag machine, massage lounge chairs, that kind of thing. Not critical, but somewhat annoying. Maybe it was just our table, but the cloth had seen it's better day.
Overall: It's easy to see why this is widely considered the best room in the NYC. The caliber of player is quite high and it's very enjoyable to watch. Green Fees, Gear, and environment are all awesome. Other rooms I plan to visit have a lot to live up to.
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