Nicest Poker Room in the US

[Eponymous]

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Seems like all southern california casinos are nice, Oceans Eleven, Bay 101, Bike, Commerce, Hustler etc..

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While the Bike and Commerce are great poker rooms, in terms of the OP's question, they're a little on the nasty side compared to the top rooms on this scale. Don't know about the others you listed. The only other SoCal poker rooms I've been to Viejas and Sycuan, and they were ok, but not great. Haven't been to the others yet.

I understand TT's perspective that the games are the most important thing, but I like a nice environment too, especially if I ever get to the point where I can play everyday.

[pig4bill]

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Bay 101.

Lots of room, lots of games, edible food, good parking, friendly waitresses, and the best staff anywhere. The players are pretty well behaved, too. Plasmas everywhere w/ full the dish. You can usually get whatever game you want.

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While Bay 101 is the least gross of the Bay Area casinos, the decor is still chintzy and it would not stand up in Vegas.

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I look for good areas to relax while waiting for the games, lots of room between tables, and a good experience at the tables. You can't beat Bay 101 all around there.

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Yeah, there's lots of room over there on the high limit side. On the low limit side, not so much. Sometimes it takes some route pre-planning to get to your seat.

It is nice having benches to sit on while waiting, but then since it's just a cardroom, there's nothing else to do so there's better be a place to sit. It sucks that Venetian took out their couches and chairs.

As far as the staff, on the low limit side it is a mix of extremes. There are a few of the best floor I've dealt with and some of the most clueless floor I've ever met. I think some of them were hired for their expertise in the Asian games because they don't know jack about poker.

[Cactus Jack]

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The only room I've ever played at that was nicer may not exist anymore - it was the Lodge in Blackhawk, CO. They had this huge wall of windows and it was, well, a mountain lodge. Beautiful to watch a snowstorm while playing cards.

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It is still there and still looks like that. Everyone tells me that they like the room I work in better, but I prefer the Lodge.

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RR - this sounds very nice, should I road trip it? How many hours from vegas? Whats the limits these rooms spread?

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Well the most you can bet in this state is $5, so $5 limit. I think about 10-12 hours from Vegas.

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sounds titillating. [img]/images/graemlins/crazy.gif[/img]

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Go in the winter. Stop for a day of skiing in Aspen, then go to Breckenridge (eat at the Hearthstone restaurant downtown), then go to Blackhawk for a day. Turn back around and do the same on the way back.

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Last time I did that I broke my elbow in 6 places and had to pay someone $500 to drive me home + their return flight costs. I think I am done skiing [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

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Or you could take your own personal former ski instructor. Who also is a professional driver. What more could you ask for?

[archangel]

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I'd rather play in a nicer room with a lower winrate, than play a zoo (e.g. Foxwoods)


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Hey, that’s unfair. We almost never fling our poo since the new room opened.

I agree with TT. The room could be in the basement, down twelve flights of stairs, at the end of an unlit hallway, beyond the sign saying “patrons must wear protective clothing at all times,” have cockroaches scurrying across the floor, and one chair for every two players. If the games are juicy, then it’s a nice room.

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some people only care about maximizing winrate and seperating fish from their money.

nothing wrong with that.

here's the thing, though: a lot of us DO care about the aesthetics of a room because it's not all about the money for us. yes, we frequent the 2+2 boards because we're interested in improving our game (it's generally more fun to play a game you're good at than one where you're a consistent loser) but poker isn't our livelihood.

and there's nothing wrong with that, either.

i play poker primarily as a means of profitable entertainment, with the emphasis on entertainment. i don't get to play nearly as often as i'd like so when i do get the opportunity to play, i'd rather make .75 BB/hr in an aesthetically-pleasing environment than 1.5 BB/hr in a dingy and unsafe environment.

but maybe that's just me.

and as for my answers to the original question:

1) borgata (room & cocktail waitresses)
2) venetian
3) wynn (although i haven't been there in over a year)

[Diana Ross Fan]

Cast my vote for the old room at Foxwoods. High ceilings, good felt, unbelievably good games, food delivered to the table, low rake, tall windows, sunlight in the satellite area.

Note that most of these facets are no longer true [img]/images/graemlins/shocked.gif[/img]

[TheRealMT]

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Never having been to LV, how does the Borgata compare to LV card rooms?

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I haven't been to Vegas either, but here is a comparison of the rooms I've played in:

Of all the B&M rooms I've ever played in, here's the order in which I'd choose to play in them, all things considered, if location wasn't a factor:

1) Borgata (AC)
2) The Bike (LA)
3) Caesar's (AC)
4) Turning Stone (NY)
5) Tropicana (AC)
6) Hollywood Park (LA)
7) Taj Mahal (AC)
8) Caesar's (Southern Indiana)
9) Trump (Northern Indiana)
10) The Sands (AC)

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how the eff can you seriously put tropicana in that list...it is the worst piece of trash of all time...when the horse bettors are in there they throw cheap covers on the tables for them. there is no room and the fewest tables of any poker room ive ever been in.