I absolutely adore this place. It has the best and most affable bartenders. Kyle is fast and engaging. The pool is great and the history of the bar is so cool. It's like a second home.
Alexis
This place has really fallen off. This used to be a great place to go to any day of the week. Now with an enforced dress code and holding a line for an empty building it’s not worth it. They even fired my friend for bullying. Anyone that knows Joy knows that is not in her heart.
Atmosphere: 1
Service: 2
Angela Moore
Thank you to awesome bartender Conner! So friendly and nice! The best bar ever :)
Honey Bee Grocery Delivery
If you're Black, be careful. If you're not, you get extra privileges. Of course they want you there Thursday through Saturday to buy their expensive Black targeted shots on the weekend at Whiskey Box but if you're cool, make people feel welcomed, are classy any other day of the week especially when Kyle is working, beware. He's worked there a long time and can talk out loud to customers about you, in your face, and not be reprimanded. Other than that, if you're White, don't buy many drinks or have class, you can be loud, ruin the pool tables, brand new sticks and make as much noise as you want and get free pool table hours, just don't be Black and classy and bring them more paying, happy customers. That's all. You'll have a great time! ?? No one wants to use the race card but truth is truth.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Mika HB
It all depends on who you are, what color, culture and gender even if you tip good. I watched a Black man (Tiger Woods look alike) be rude and disrespect to security because of his dress code but because he's friends with, roommates with and maybe sleeps with the bartender Kyle, he got away with it. Then Kyle can be rude and play favorites with whatever customer he wants because he's a "senior" employee but the bartenders who are polite and fair to all colors and classes, get fired. But when you bring it up to management, they make excuses and cover for each other. I can go play pool at Breaktime. I was on my way to play pool in Greensboro. I have other options! I can get gigs and do get gigs at other places downtown but I frequent this place because they used to have my favorite bartender Andrew, Joy, and but I guess they bring too much of an ethnic crowd? But to be honest, Whiskey Box has never been the same crowd and class and intellect-wise since they disrespectfully ousted Angie and Andrew. What? Classy Black is bad for your business??? What, you don't want out of towners feeling welcome here because of classy, intelligent, well-tipping people like us???? What you don't want shows like mine packing upstairs and downstairs???? I guess not. Forgive me for my loyalty like most Black people but I get the memo now! Goodbye!
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Tamika Wells
They like rude drunk people of all colors but if you're decent, Black and professional you're not welcome. And Kyle and other staff makes that very clear. But if you don't look like you work at Wake Forest or party at Whiskey Dawgs, they talk loud about you in front of White guests and make you feel like you don't belong. Then the White customers follow suit and disrespect you too. As many times as you bring the issue up to management about respect and playing favorites, they allow Kyle, their rude "senior" employee to confront you until you make a scene so they can ban you. Talk about Gaslighting even as a professional. Then when security has a problem with a guest who is a rapist and sexual assault registered offender, you bring it to the bouncer's attention and he bans the person for their record but then the rest of the staff childishly spreads rumors and tells the offender he is banned by the female, by her name. Then it creates an unsafe situation for the female because he can then go and assualt her off the property. Who does that but immature, racist, unprofessionals!?!? So basically, you're not welcomed or safe at Recreation Billiards unless you're white or obnoxious.
Harrison Brooks
I never write reviews but I felt a type of way after coming tonight. Never been here before, Wanted to come see my friend tonight and support him because his band was playing. Start to walk in and bouncer doesn’t allow me because of my athletic pants. Would have been nice to know they have a dress code on the website before I came all the way from Lexington (35 mins away) which I did check before hand and saw nothing about dress code. Never thought a dress code would be enforced for a bar/billiards spot.
Bill Sweeney
Great bar with pool tables upstairs and a speakeasy with darts and live music downstairs. Great prices. Fun times.
I came here with a few friends tonight around 10PM… (100% sober) I’m wearing a black polo pullover sweater with khaki joggers and Nike blazers. I’m in the back of my group and all of my friends are let through after being scanned by the bouncers. One of the bouncers (very rude for no reason ) looks me up and down, points to my pants says “you can’t come in with those” and no further explanation. His colleague (the other bouncer) tries to defend what I have on saying it’s acceptable as long as I tuck in my drawstring. I do this of course with no problem, but for some odd reason the initial guy was still fighting really hard to not let me in. My friends come back out and help defend what I have on and eventually the bouncer who initially defended me let’s me through to the line where another bouncer is checking ID’s. I hand him my ID and patiently wait for him to give it back so I can move inside and not hold up the line of people behind me. But he doesn’t give it back… he holds it and starts looking outside at the first bouncer who is still signaling to not let me in. At that point I just took my Id and walked out. The bar was dead and had no business turning me down as my outfit was not out of dress code. This is not a high end bar in Miami so there’s no reason I should’ve gotten that treatment.
Atmosphere: 1
Service: 1
Caleb M.
Great spot. Pool tables are cleaned regularly, staff is awesome the regulars very friendly for out of town visitors. Good selection on tap and reasonable prices. We ended up drinking and playing pool almost everyday we were in town.
Clifford L. White
Yep. I liked the place. Nice place to shoot some pool on a Friday afternoon.
Darren Burke
Bartenders have not been friendly at times. Used to be one of our favorite spots in the afternoon. Bouncers are not ever cordial. Even for a dive bar, it’s overrated. So many good bars in WS, no need to ever go back, especially at night.
Atmosphere: 1
Service: 1
Brian M.
Great service Old fashioned barGreat ambiance Recommend highly Dog friendly People friendly
Natalie was an excellent bartender! 10/10
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Great
Atmosphere: 5
I absolutely adore this place. It has the best and most affable bartenders. Kyle is fast and engaging. The pool is great and the history of the bar is so cool. It's like a second home.
This place has really fallen off. This used to be a great place to go to any day of the week. Now with an enforced dress code and holding a line for an empty building it’s not worth it. They even fired my friend for bullying. Anyone that knows Joy knows that is not in her heart.
Atmosphere: 1
Service: 2
Thank you to awesome bartender Conner! So friendly and nice! The best bar ever :)
If you're Black, be careful. If you're not, you get extra privileges. Of course they want you there Thursday through Saturday to buy their expensive Black targeted shots on the weekend at Whiskey Box but if you're cool, make people feel welcomed, are classy any other day of the week especially when Kyle is working, beware. He's worked there a long time and can talk out loud to customers about you, in your face, and not be reprimanded. Other than that, if you're White, don't buy many drinks or have class, you can be loud, ruin the pool tables, brand new sticks and make as much noise as you want and get free pool table hours, just don't be Black and classy and bring them more paying, happy customers. That's all. You'll have a great time! ?? No one wants to use the race card but truth is truth.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
It all depends on who you are, what color, culture and gender even if you tip good. I watched a Black man (Tiger Woods look alike) be rude and disrespect to security because of his dress code but because he's friends with, roommates with and maybe sleeps with the bartender Kyle, he got away with it. Then Kyle can be rude and play favorites with whatever customer he wants because he's a "senior" employee but the bartenders who are polite and fair to all colors and classes, get fired. But when you bring it up to management, they make excuses and cover for each other. I can go play pool at Breaktime. I was on my way to play pool in Greensboro. I have other options! I can get gigs and do get gigs at other places downtown but I frequent this place because they used to have my favorite bartender Andrew, Joy, and but I guess they bring too much of an ethnic crowd? But to be honest, Whiskey Box has never been the same crowd and class and intellect-wise since they disrespectfully ousted Angie and Andrew. What? Classy Black is bad for your business??? What, you don't want out of towners feeling welcome here because of classy, intelligent, well-tipping people like us???? What you don't want shows like mine packing upstairs and downstairs???? I guess not. Forgive me for my loyalty like most Black people but I get the memo now! Goodbye!
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
They like rude drunk people of all colors but if you're decent, Black and professional you're not welcome. And Kyle and other staff makes that very clear. But if you don't look like you work at Wake Forest or party at Whiskey Dawgs, they talk loud about you in front of White guests and make you feel like you don't belong. Then the White customers follow suit and disrespect you too. As many times as you bring the issue up to management about respect and playing favorites, they allow Kyle, their rude "senior" employee to confront you until you make a scene so they can ban you. Talk about Gaslighting even as a professional. Then when security has a problem with a guest who is a rapist and sexual assault registered offender, you bring it to the bouncer's attention and he bans the person for their record but then the rest of the staff childishly spreads rumors and tells the offender he is banned by the female, by her name. Then it creates an unsafe situation for the female because he can then go and assualt her off the property. Who does that but immature, racist, unprofessionals!?!? So basically, you're not welcomed or safe at Recreation Billiards unless you're white or obnoxious.
I never write reviews but I felt a type of way after coming tonight. Never been here before, Wanted to come see my friend tonight and support him because his band was playing. Start to walk in and bouncer doesn’t allow me because of my athletic pants. Would have been nice to know they have a dress code on the website before I came all the way from Lexington (35 mins away) which I did check before hand and saw nothing about dress code. Never thought a dress code would be enforced for a bar/billiards spot.
Great bar with pool tables upstairs and a speakeasy with darts and live music downstairs. Great prices. Fun times.
Atmosphere: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
I came here with a few friends tonight around 10PM… (100% sober) I’m wearing a black polo pullover sweater with khaki joggers and Nike blazers. I’m in the back of my group and all of my friends are let through after being scanned by the bouncers. One of the bouncers (very rude for no reason ) looks me up and down, points to my pants says “you can’t come in with those” and no further explanation. His colleague (the other bouncer) tries to defend what I have on saying it’s acceptable as long as I tuck in my drawstring. I do this of course with no problem, but for some odd reason the initial guy was still fighting really hard to not let me in. My friends come back out and help defend what I have on and eventually the bouncer who initially defended me let’s me through to the line where another bouncer is checking ID’s. I hand him my ID and patiently wait for him to give it back so I can move inside and not hold up the line of people behind me. But he doesn’t give it back… he holds it and starts looking outside at the first bouncer who is still signaling to not let me in. At that point I just took my Id and walked out. The bar was dead and had no business turning me down as my outfit was not out of dress code. This is not a high end bar in Miami so there’s no reason I should’ve gotten that treatment.
Atmosphere: 1
Service: 1
Great spot. Pool tables are cleaned regularly, staff is awesome the regulars very friendly for out of town visitors. Good selection on tap and reasonable prices. We ended up drinking and playing pool almost everyday we were in town.
Yep. I liked the place. Nice place to shoot some pool on a Friday afternoon.
Bartenders have not been friendly at times. Used to be one of our favorite spots in the afternoon. Bouncers are not ever cordial. Even for a dive bar, it’s overrated. So many good bars in WS, no need to ever go back, especially at night.
Atmosphere: 1
Service: 1
Great service Old fashioned barGreat ambiance Recommend highly Dog friendly People friendly