The area around Columbia is a great place to hang out and play pool—even though there is no official pool hall in the area. Unlike a lot of New York, the bars in the Upper West Side are less trendy and more comfortable. The best part about this is that the bars in the Upper West Side can be a lot cheaper than places to drink in other parts of New York. Aside from being comfortable and cheap, a lot of the bars on the Upper West Side have pool tables. Whether you just want to shoot with your friends, play people that are really good, or just grab a drink, there’s something in the Upper West Side for you. Here are just a few of the cool places to hang out.

The closest pool table to Columbia is at a bar called 1020, at the corner of 110th and Amsterdam. This is a great place to hang out on off-peak hours: Sunday through Wednesday nights, and any day before about 9:00 PM. The happy hour prices really are cheap (unlike a lot of places in New York), the bartenders are good, and the people that hang out there are pretty friendly. The only downside during these times is the beer on tap—it tastes terrible. The bottles are still cheap, and their selection is decent. During off-peak hours, the level of pool play ranges from OK (most nights) to amazing (Sunday and Monday nights). One bartender named Ray who tends bar only on Saturday nights is one of the best pool players in the area, and he’ll simultaneously shoot and tend bar.

1020 is no where near as good of a place during peak hours. The prices go up (although in fairness, they still are pretty good). The worst part is that it gets incredibly crowded. Lately, there has also been a line outside, and while 1020 is a fun place to hang out, it definitely is not worth waiting in line for. If you’re looking to play pool, the wait will be at least half an hour for one game.

Another great place to play is Dead Poet at 82nd and Amsterdam. The bar goes a bit more for the trendy aspect than 1020, but it’s cleaner and still pretty cheap. Also, unlike 1020, the beer on tap here is pretty good. Dead Poet is a better place to hang out during peak hours if you’re looking for somewhere relaxed, and it’s an excellent place for an after party. The bartenders are always nice, and it is never very crowded. While the pool table at this bar is generally available, and the level of play is pretty bad so it’s easy to win the table. The downsides to Dead Poet are that the bar can be dead sometimes, and the spacing around the pool table isn’t very good, making it hard to take a lot of shots.

If you’re looking for a place that is more upbeat, you’ll want to check out Jake’s Dilemma, also around 82nd and Amsterdam. This bar is the classic college party bar: beer pong, pool table, louder music, and lots of drunk girls and guys. It’s more expensive than 1020 and Dead Poet, but it’s still reasonable compared to a lot of places in the city. The biggest downside—you may have to wait forever to get a drink, especially if you’re a guy. The people there are pretty friendly, and everyone seems like they’re having a good time. Because there are a lot of people, it’s pretty hard to get onto the pool table, but the level of play is decent. When it’s very crowded, like a lot of bars, shooting can become hard because there are a lot of people in the way.

If you’re willing to drop some cash, one of the best places to go is Bourbon Street, at 81st and Amsterdam. The music is pretty good, the people are good looking, it’s easy to get a drink, and everyone is friendly. Of course it has a pool table. A lot of the people that play at Bourbon Street are not very good, but this makes it easier to keep the table. Even though the bar is popular, you usually don’t have any problems moving around the table to take your shot. The only downside is that the prices can be pretty steep—standard mixed rail drinks are over $10.

This list is by no means exhaustive—there are a lot of great cheap and fun places to drink and play pool around Columbia. The Upper West Side is one of the best neighborhoods to hang out in New York.

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