I've been resisting the urge to criticize the Encore BH poker room since they opened the doors. I wanted to like it. I really did. I've always been a Wynn loyalist on Vegas trips. I was excited that they were opening a casino in my own backyard. But man, they've made mistakes every step of the way. It's clear that they misread the market and didn't understand the neighborhood they were moving into. They don't know what Boston/Everett/Eastern Mass residents want in a casino or a poker room. Sure, the place is beautiful. The decorations are lovely. But where are the customers? They're leaving in droves because the service is poor, the comps are industry-low, the food ranges from cheap and terrible to expensive and mediocre. They're cutting costs all over. For the first month, the beverages in the poker room were great. Now they're serving watered-down swill, from the coffee to the alcohol. And they raised the rake! We've gotten increasingly poor service and player experience, but they increased the rake to rival your average illegal home game. Poker players are loyal. They're the most reliable customers a casino can have. Maybe they won't blow up for $2000 on slots, but they'll show up and fill a seat every day if you give them a room they want to spend time in. Instead, Encore treats us like second-class citizens. Where are we allowed to spend our meager comps? Not in any of the restaurants you'd want to go to, certainly. Manager Gary himself, he of Macao fame, the white knight who came to save Boston poker, said that poker players can't spend comps at the "nice" restaurants because they're concerned about the image that poker players present. God forbid a kid in a hoodie go fill a seat at the bar in an empty restaurant. Gary the puppet, of course, "can't do anything about it." I haven't spoken to him much, but every time I do he's eager to tell me the things he can't do and the excuses why.
So here's to you, Encore. Take your $8 rake and your watery coffee and your $18 plates of iceberg lettuce and shove it. Mashantucket is lovely this time of year.
Encore Boston Harbor
- Phone:
- (857) 770-3090
- Poker Tables:
- 24 Tables
- Hours:
- Open Now (All Day)
- Minimum Age:
- 21
Announcements from Encore Boston Harbor
EBH Poker is Open 24 Hours Every Day!
April Promotions
Sun High Hands
11am to 10pm $500/Every 30 minutes
Mon High Hands April 22 and 29
11am to 3pm $500/Every 20 minutes
Tue High Hands
11am to 10pm $500/Every 30 minutes
Wed High Hands
11am to 4pm, 8pm to 12am $500/Every 30 minutes
Thu High Hands
11am to 10pm $500/Every 30 minutes
April Tournaments-Registration opens 1 hour Before Tournament Starts
Mon-4:15pm $300 25k Chips/20 Min Levels
Wed -10:15am $300 25k Chips/25 Min Levels
Fri- 10:15am $420 30k Chips/25 Min Levels
BAD BEAT JACKPOT $59,217.80
Recent Encore Boston Harbor Reviews
To correct some of the false statements made in previous reviews, the rake at $1/$3 and $2/$5 is indeed 10% up to... Read More
The only bad reviews here I have to do with the rake. Yeah, the rake is a little high, but there's more bonuses and... Read More
Awful predatory room with ridiculous rake. Glad to see less people going these days, I'd rather drive 30 minutes to... Read More
A really bad team of management here. All of you are aware of the outrageous rake, but to make matters worse, they... Read More
Definitely need to get some friday mid day (3-4pm) start tournaments , a Saturday 300 50k buy in would have such a... Read More
Could write an essay but will give TLDR. Action and room itself is great. Rake is absurd (10% up to $10 plus promos)... Read More
Any idiot that gives this dump 5 stars either works there or doesn't understand the concept of rake. Drive to New... Read More
Try playing poker at night , On a slow Thursday night , still have to wait almost hour and half for cocktails service... Read More
Enjoy watching the NLH tourneys. Seem to provide good $$ pools, especially Monday night & Friday. Any chance for a... Read More
I know a lot of people don't like the rake, but the staff run the tournaments immaculately. Swift table breakdowns,... Read More
This place will bleed all your profits on the rake drop for cash games and tournaments… I drive to CT Mohegan Sun on... Read More
So let me get this right, 420 dollar tournament on Friday and they take a little more then 7 grand off top. Are YOU... Read More
1 hour and 45 @#$% minutes I waited for a @#$% bottle of water and I still didn't get it. I'm so @#$% done with this... Read More
Today i got my high hand voided because they said the dealer pushed the green button late even tho the 30min timer... Read More
One hundred people on the waiting list last night, and physically present, yet our table had 3 seats open for 45-60... Read More
Needs more tables, but pretty good action!!! Will go back because it close to the crib. And they should add more room... Read More
If you planing to play 1/3 or 2/5 poker Fridays or Saturday night long waiting list, I mean looonnnggg wait. 100,... Read More
Absolutely the best poker room in the country. Friendly floor staff. Knowledgeable dealers. Efficient waiters,... Read More
FYI the promo is racking 2$ now instead of 1$. The extra is at 30. Every penny you get during highhands comes from... Read More
Wow man what a great game late night and they aren't rude when they get stacked either. It's really the best of both... Read More