Tribeca Tour

Roadhouse. Tavern. Saloon. Lodge. It just dawned on me that a handful of pool bars in Tribeca I've wanted to write about all have decidely "Old West" names. Over a year ago I sent a query to Tom Leath of the APA, asking for suggestions of some well-worn dive bars with pool tables. He replied immediately and suggested that I check out Raccoon Lodge (above), on Warren Street near West Broadway. A week or two later I lugged my 4x5 camera down there and took some photographs. It was early on a Friday afternoon and nobody was playing pool, thus it made for a decent still life. But I went back a couple months ago. It was about 2:30 in the morning and I was with some friends for a nightcap after a bachelor party. A very good place to play pool, notable for the impeccable detail with which the waiting list is kept. On this evening there was a man who apparently had been running the table all night but was taking a break from playing. There was a designation next to his name on the list that implied he could resume playing once he was ready. The aforementioned bachelor party had started out several hours earlier at Tribeca Tavern, which is also a pool bar. But I don't have any pictures. In my mind, Tribeca Tavern still has more of a SoHo feel since it's my first alternative bar when nearby Toad Hall is too busy.
Next is Patriot Saloon (above), on Chambers Street at Church. I got the impression it was a new bar, but apparently it's been around a few years. It's amazing how much a bar can be overlooked during the daytime. But at night, this place really stands out. Over Memorial Day weekend I discovered Patriot Saloon when walking down to the Winter Garden at the Word Financial Center for a late night assignment. I looked in and didn't see a pool table, but asked the doorman and he said there was one upstairs. So I went in to investigate. Sure enough there it was, situated in the corner of a room placed at an appealing angle from the rest of the bar. I didn't have time to stick around, or else I would have gladly played some.Finally, Dakota Roadhouse. I discovered it on the same night as Patriot Saloon. It's on Park Place, which is a block or two from the northern edge of Ground Zero. It's a really trippy place to play, especially with the black lights above the pool table. This picture makes it look like any other pool table, but I'm telling you it is much darker to the naked eye. If you look closely you can see the 8 ball is a white ball with a black circle around the number 8. There are two tables side by side downstairs, and I believe a couple more upstairs. Incredibly, Dakota Roadhouse offers free pool on weekends.