**The Oficial "What you hate about Amsterdam Billiards NYC'' thread**

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mrjordon

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**The Official "What you hate about Amsterdam Billiards NYC'' thread**

#1 Tony Robles has been their housepro for many years now and he's starting a new tour called ''The Predator Tour'' to promote the game we all love. But they won't even give him dates to do the tour in his own room!! Meanwhile, other neighboring poolhalls have agreed to give him multiple dates. They're saying that it would be a conflict with the tri-state tour but how can that be when they only have ONE open event with them per year.

#2 They charge an arm and a leg for alcohol, 9 dollars for a glass of cheap wine and 6 dollars for bottled beers not to mention their sky high prices for table time.

The other night they threw a league party for all league members at the end of the season and it was supposed to be free drinks from 6-9pm. One would think you can at least get a heineken out of it but nope, only ''coors light'' lol and they actually got cheaper wines to be served in plastic cups!!! And obv only lower shelf alcohol.

For a place thats supposedly an "upper scale" poolhall, I thought the treatment of their regular customers was just really tasteless and shameful.
 
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mrjordon said:
#1 Tony Robles has been their housepro for many years now and he's starting a new tour called ''The Predator Tour'' to promote the game we all love. But they won't even give him dates to do the tour in his own room!! Meanwhile, other neighboring poolhalls have agreed to give him multiple dates. They're saying that it would be a conflict with the tri-state tour but how can that be when they only have ONE open event with them per year.

#2 They charge an arm and a leg for alcohol, 9 dollars for a glass of cheap wine and 6 dollars for bottled beers not to mention their sky high prices for table time.

The other night they threw a league party for all league members at the end of the season and it was supposed to be free drinks from 6-9pm. One would think you can at least get a heineken out of it but nope, only ''coors light'' lol and they actually got cheaper wines to be served in plastic cups!!! And obv only lower shelf alcohol.

For a place thats supposedly an "upper scale" poolhall, I thought the treatment of their regular customers was just really tasteless and shameful.
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#1- They may have a contract with the Tri-State Tour that legally binds them to their actions as regards Tony's new tour.

#2- Manhattan is one of the most expensive places on earth. Have you priced a cup of latte in a Manhattan cafe lately? I'm sure they are paying top dollar rent on the locale, plus taxes, plus salaries, plus all the other expenses. When I go there I take advantage of their "power play" special-- $26 for any number of players as long as you feel like playing. As far as the drink prices.. if I wanted to pay less I'd stay across the river in Jersey but alas I don't drink alcoholic beverages.

#3- As for the free drinks for League Players well...there's the old saying about not looking a gift horse in the mouth. It's free! They're not obligated to provide anything at all for free. Yeah they could decide to give out free Moet and Chandon, but then some nit would complain that it wasn't Dom Perignon.

The only thing I hate about Amsterdam is that it's not around the corner from me. I suppose that's a good thing because if it were I'd be in there so much that I'd get my mail delivered there!

Fats
 
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mrjordon said:
The other night they threw a league party for all league members at the end of the season and it was supposed to be free drinks from 6-9pm. One would think you can at least get a heineken out of it but nope, only ''coors light'' lol and they actually got cheaper wines to be served in plastic cups!!! And obv only lower shelf alcohol.
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I am in no position to have an opinion about the other things you mentioned, but this sounds fantastic. I've NEVER heard of a bar giving free drinks like this, even coors light. I hope every league-hosting establishment in the country follow suit.
 
obr said:
how mcuh is table time?
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The table time rates range from $5.50 per person per hour to $9.50 per person per hour depending on the day of week and time of day. As stated previously, there are also specials (commonly referred to as "Power Plays") where players can purchase a block of time in advance. One of the more common ones is Sunday through Thursday, players pay $26 from 10pm to 3am (number of players does not matter). League fees are $15 per match.

Calling Amsterdam Billiards expensive is a bit unfair. Expensive compared to what? Slate and Pressure are both exceedingly more expensive and those are the only other upscale rooms in Manhattan and neither offer anything resembling a player atmosphere. The only other room that people go to with any frequency is Broadway Billiards and I'm sorry, it smells of piss. Yes, piss. I know it's piss because once, I was hanging out there, there was a line for the bathroom and someone pissed right behind the videogames. That's the type of customer Broadway gets. I think it's $4 per hour, $5 on weekends.

I don't know anything regarding the specifics of Tony's tour, Amsterdam Billiards and The Tri-State Tour so I won't comment on it. All I know is, Tony maintains a good relationship with the owners of Amsterdam. He is their house pro and that relationship has been and continues to be a positive experience for both parties.

Having worked there, all I can say to you Mr. Jordan is that you simply cannot know all that is involved in maintaining a room like Amsterdam Billiards. In many ways though, this very thread is a testament to how amazing a room it is because ONLY Amsterdam Billiards would warrant such attention. No other room in the city would even be bothered with such criticism even though we all know most are absolutely horrible.


Yes boys and girls. All league members are entitled to free drinks at league parties which happen 6 times a year. I'm sorry, the Oban and Chamet are not on the free menu but you can have all the well drinks and budweisers your liver can handle.
 
Oh, I forgot to mention! When you join a league, you get free table time the week of registration from 6pm to 9pm Monday through Friday.

Yes, FREE TABLE TIME FOR FIFTEEN HOURS.
 
I like Amsterdam. It is only a couple of miles from me. But I hate some of those pontificating A holes who think 14.1 is the only game that counts. And those moneyed jerks who act like they own the place cause they can schmooze with Mika and Thorsten. Otherwise its run pretty well. Rolando who runs the league is a gentleman and a fine person.
 
Table time?

Jeez...

We are in a suburb of St. Louis (low rent) and charge $3.60/ hour for table time as our MAXIMUM price and still get called outrageously expensive. I get the word "rape" thrown my direction at a $11.00 pool tab on a regular basis. I would assume in a city starved for real estate such as New York it would be even higher than that. The national average is $8.** something per hour according to the BCA (thats what I remember from a survey of thiers) for rooms that charge by the hour. NY only being a couple bucks over average? Doesn't seem expensive at all to me.


To Jude----If they are bashing you...you must be doing SOMETHING right!:)
 
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Secaucus FatsThe only thing I hate about Amsterdam is that it's not around the corner from me. I suppose that's a good thing because if it were I'd be in there so much that I'd get my mail delivered there! Fats[/QUOTE said:
My thought exactly as I started to peruse this thread... but more better put than mine. :D
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what i would like to question about amsterdam billiards is the league and the prize money. they had over 40 teams registered for the team 9ball last season, each team has a minimum of 4 players paying $35 registration ($140 a team), green fees are $15 for each player with 4 matches a night ($60 a night per team), and i think leagues are like 15 weeks? there's also no free practice time, youre charged the hourly rate as you warm up, and the minute your match is over they want the table back. (so if you wipe out your opponent it's $30 they've made in 30 minutes)

4th place paid $400. TOTAL. 1st paid $2000? plus 4 tickets to vegas?

where's all the money going?
 
I agree with those that believe the table rates are rediculously high.

Most pool rooms i have been in charge somewhere between $3 to $4.50 per hour per person. Or they charge $7-8 per hour per table. Some of these places have new diamonds. IMO you can't beat new Diamonds.


If it is an exclusive club (private) like a Country Club, then maybe paying a yearly due would be a better situation for it's members. If it's not then the prices are WAY to high
 
BrooklynJay said:
what i would like to question about amsterdam billiards is the league and the prize money. they had over 40 teams registered for the team 9ball last season, each team has a minimum of 4 players paying $35 registration ($140 a team), green fees are $15 for each player with 4 matches a night ($60 a night per team), and i think leagues are like 15 weeks? there's also no free practice time, youre charged the hourly rate as you warm up, and the minute your match is over they want the table back. (so if you wipe out your opponent it's $30 they've made in 30 minutes)

4th place paid $400. TOTAL. 1st paid $2000? plus 4 tickets to vegas?

where's all the money going?
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Actually, it's more like 30 teams. We added up all the money at the start of last season and it made perfect sense and 4th place paid $900. I know because my team finished in 4th.
 
Ive never had a problem with the place, but if you hate Amsterdam so much, might I suggest Soho billiards right down the street..... if your lucky, you might get a table that isnt falling apart.
 
Brookyln Jay, your numbers are still a bit off. If you're going to bad-mouth, you should at least stand correct. Just to start, there were approx 32 teams (4 divisions of 8 in each). Top 8 teams got paid. I'm not sure what 1st/2nd got paid but 3rd/4th received $900 each. 5th-8th received $400 each.


Edit... Jude beat me to it. My team was the other 3rd/4th.
 
Bottom line, its pricey and there are too many tables crammed into a tight space with pillars in the way in some spots. They should concern themselves less with the 'upscale look' and concern themselves more with being a pool room.
 
Y'all that are moaning about those rates should check out the ones in my home room...
8 Euro an hour off peak
almost 10 Euro on peak

consider the current conversion rates at 60 some odd cent....scheesh..!!

Glad I dont pay the GP's prices :D
 
I can't believe this thread exists. Do any of you complaining have any idea how expensive Manhattan is? Overhead alone is enough to kill most businesses.

I think Amsterdam pays around $65K / month for rent. For any of you moaners who think room owners should charge only $4 / hr, just pull out a calculator and try and see how it's any way feasible that would be possible in the case of Amsterdam Billiards. They have one of the best pool rooms in the nation, including table-side food and drink service, professionally maintained pool tables, and a great atmosphere.

I'm a regular at Broadway Billiards. While I may not think it smells like piss (though I have to say I have a poor sense of smell. Jude may be right), the rates are only $5 / hour for good reason. The tables are never ever ever worked on. In the *rare* instance that a table is recovered, the rails remain old and worn. They don't even have Centennials on every table. No table in there will ever play like any of the equipment at Amsterdam Billiards.
 
pharaoh68 said:
Bottom line, its pricey and there are too many tables crammed into a tight space with pillars in the way in some spots. They should concern themselves less with the 'upscale look' and concern themselves more with being a pool room.
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If you think they're doing it wrong, feel free to open your own room. What's the saying? Put your money where your mouth is!

Yogi Berra once said, "Oh, nobody goes there anymore. It's too crowded!"
 
Secaucus Fats said:
The only thing I hate about Amsterdam is that it's not around the corner from me. I suppose that's a good thing because if it were I'd be in there so much that I'd get my mail delivered there!

Fats
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I was going to say the same exact thing! And of course, I know what it's like, cause about 2 years ago, they really were around the corner from me!! I miss those day:(

(My avatar picture was taken at Amsterdam Billiards...)

I can't imagine why people seem to have such a problem with that place. I've spoken on a thread about it before, but of all the pool halls I have ever been a "regular" at, Amsterdam Billiards is definitely the one closest to my heart.
 
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