I like this room a lot. It seems a bit cavernous though when it's empty which is most of the time. Everything about the room feels old and classic which I kind of like. Some of the locals are a bit abrasive but I think that's just part of poker. The 5% rake is also a huge plus for this room.
I put the competition as slightly tough since so many of the dealers also play in the games. Not all of the dealers play well but they all play at least average. Play varies from day to day but there are definitely some locals which I would avoid getting involved in pots with. The well-informed locals are balanced out by the drunken tourists who live straddle and check dark frequently. I played the 4/8 cash game and the tourney.
I'd rate the tournament competition as easy.
Some of the dealers are absolutely extraordinary. All of them seem quite friendly. My favorites are Gregory and Darrel. Darrel has a great personality but he sometimes misreads a pot or pushes a pot to the wrong player. Greg definitely keeps the game moving and manages to keep the locals happy.
I wasn't drinking much. Service seemed adequate.
Management during the day shift seemed fairly friendly. I didn't see any real disputes so I don't know how the management would've handled that.
I played for 3 hours and asked the manager for a lunch ticket. She wrote me $8 pass to the coffeehouse immediately. Apparently the locals and old-timers can get $16. I was not really impressed with the prime rib in the coffeehouse though.
