Raytown Recreation

My secret after hours hangout place if I don't feel like going home. It's usually my 2nd stop after all the other pool halls are closed. The lastes I've stayed was around 4AM and there were people still playing pool.I'm kind of a serious gold fish player. I love pool with a passion, but my busy life, and laziness gets in the way. The atmosphere is pretty laid back, the owners are really nice, and you can smoke/vape inside the facility. I've also met lots of cool friendly people here. It's a super non-judgmental environment.

Great place for sum cheap beers after the Royal's game... Cheap beer and great service here in Raytown

When I travel and play pool in other spots around the country, there's a reason why any serious player or hall owner I encounter knows of Raytown Rec and Don and Doug Brink. This place is an old-school pool hall located in the basement of some frequently-changing businesses along 63rd street. There aren't many frills to mention, and that's pretty much what I want from a place like this. There's a vending machine for food and drink, some frozen snacks you can heat up in a microwave, and I've brought in food and drink before without incident. There is no bar in the pool hall, though there a bar just upstairs. It has 10-11 tables. One is a 100+ year old Kling 10' table nicknamed Big Bertha that hosts daily one-pocket games. Google that for an excellent historical KC Star vignette on the table and the hall. Doug also has one of the best three-cushion tables in the area, a full-size Verhoeven that attracts top talent from the Midwest and pulls in travelers stopping through, usually wanting a game with Doug. The other tables are all vintage pool tables and over the course of a day will see action from serious players, those honing their skills, and high school kids escaping whatever it is high school kids escape from these days. When I started going regularly in '98, I was getting away from homework, writing college applications and wondering what the hell 3-cushion was all about. Doug - and other regulars I know only by first names or nicknames - took the time to show me a few shots, challenge me to some games (loser paid for the time, to keep it interesting of course), and hook me into becoming a lifelong pool and billiard player. It's a great place - the only place - to play pool, billiards, or one-pocket if you're in the area and want an authentic experience. And if you let it, Raytown Rec will grab hold of you too, giving you friends, stories, and skills that will stay with you long after you pocket the last ball and trudge back up the stairs and out into the cold, early morning.

I'm torn between giving 2 or 3 stars. I'm giving 3 because I really like the tables in here. They have plenty of 9 foot tables that play very well. They even have a 100 year old 10 foot table that was really kool to see. However; apparently Raytown is one of a few towns in MO that still allows smoking. I detest smoking and hate to have my clothes smell of smoke. This place allows smoking and because the ceilings are low it doesn't take much for 1 smoking person to infiltrate the entire room. I unfortunately won't be going back until they stop allowing smoking. Sorry.

Very unhappy and just satisfied. A gentleman's put a couple of tips on my pool cube and it was good. But at bottom of ipo shaft $325 low deflection. he put my tip on crooked I left the old tip put a chip in it and put indents on it from where he laid it on the table. I was frustrated I was going to walk away but a gentleman asked me to play a game of pool I did as to other people walked in he told them that I brought them a crooked kumi tip. I just send it back to McCormick to get the pharaoh who plays in the new chip put on it's going to cost a little bit of money. I would hope the owner would step up and pay for the repairs.