Sep 2 '12 at 18:26
My girlfriend and I have been playing at The Bike for about five years. Typically 2-3 times a month for 4-8 hour sessions, but sometimes as much as 20-40 hours in week (flexible work schedule). We primarily playing the 2/3, and $5 NL games, and tournaments. Another reviewer has cut-and-pasted the same rant twice, plus a third negative review that's obviously from the same guy. I haven't experienced anything that's he complains about. Sounds to me like someone who had a run of bad luck (or just can't play), and he's directing his anger at the house rather than the leak in his own play. Games- pretty much everything, with action running round the clock (been there as late as 4am and as early as 9am). At the 2/3 NL games, there's typically 3-10 tables running round the clock, and it's rare to wait more than 30 minute for a seat. Action at the $1 tables is typical donkfest. At the 2/3 and up, it's pretty solid play, with enough donks to keep it moving. I've never seen a dealer refuse to scramble the deck, but I was told the house recently implemented a "new setup on even hours only" rule (some people were abusing setups to take a smoke break every hour). Fine by me - I'm there to play poker, not wait on shuffles. Tournaments- I think The Bikes tournaments have the least turbo-y structure around. If you're open mid-day, they do a daily "Nooner" for 30+10, that typically draws 120-150 people, with a $2k guarantee. Wednesday-Sunday evenings, there's a 5pm tournament with $20-50 buy-ins and a $5-10k guarantees. Then there's the a big series pretty much every other month - WPT, WSOP, etc. Staff- I've never had an issue with the dealers or floor managers in the cash games. The tournaments are often used as auditions for new dealers, and from time to time you'll get a weak dealer in a tourney. Facilities -- Clean and secure. Unlike Commerce or Hawaiian Gardens, my girlfriend has never felt uncomfortable leaving by herself late at night. The main room is comfortable, with tables well spaced (to me, Commerce's poker room feels like a warehouse, and the tables at Hawaiian are packed like sardines). The room is well lit without being glaringly bright, tables are comfortable and stable, chairs on the upper deck (2/3+ games) are comfortable executive desk chairs - chairs on the main floor and tourney hall are standard convention hall seating. Food at the tables is very good and reasonably priced (free at the 2/3+ games). For enjoyable, solid poker, the 2/3 tables at The Bike are my game of choice. Commerce is juicier, but I just don't like sitting in that cavernous hall.