Pool Hall – 5ive Star Billiard, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

This is a hopping place with plenty of pool tables and a bar, although when I visited the only drinks the bar served were beer and hard cider, despite multiple shots showing a full bar posted through Google Maps. It was a busy night in late August when I stopped by. There was a 30-minute wait for a table. Fortunately I scored one in a back corner so I only had one other table alongside me.

Still, that proved to be enough. Concepts of personal space and awareness differ by culture, it seems. In the course of an hour I was stepped on twice as I was already down on a shot. I decided at that point to just leave rather than get angrier at the adjoining table’s inattention.

Tables were in reasonable condition, felt wasn’t new by any means but obviously replaced more regularly than many places, and the cues were definitely well-worn. I will probably try this place again on my next time through KL, but the initial irritation with inattentive patrons definitely left a bad taste in my mouth. Hopefully it will improve on a future visit.