there are no rakes at these games
Lets start with all the chargles we can name - starting right as you get out of the car

Description - ranges (no names)
Valet - almost all free - but you tip at the end - generally $5
Membership fee - 0.01 - $25 (this is your initial fee- first time)
Daily fee - $5-15
Hourly fee - 8 - 16/hr (this does not include the $50/hr you pay for high level games)
Corking fee - only one place i know does this -this is to take your own alcohol beverage inside - $10
So an average session is about 5 hrs
your total (no including valet) and not even adding up the initial membership fee
range - (low) = $5+40 ($9/hr) - (high) $15+80($16.60)

Here is a comparison to a typical underground raked game (using Clive's former game as an example)

you are close ...a tad high on the rake but for the most part..we were pretty much in line with an hourly rate of $15-20/hr but with some money going back to the players - the first dollar of rake was given back to the players and various bonuses - it was in line with about the same as any of the bigger clubs in town

Yea you are pretty spot on on the $100 at the high end but not 150 except in the biggest of games

Actually most of the other games raked MORE than yours. Yours is a best case scenario for players. That doesn't even factor in that the buy in dollars all stay on the table so for the better players this time model is much better. There really is no debate about it.

the $4 / half hr and $5 door is by far lower than rake
rake is almost equivalent and in some cases better than the $15/16 per hr and 10-15 door

Sorry where’s the $4 half/hour places?

There is a new room opening in Houston. BELLAIRE SOCIAL CLUB. Address is 8520 Bellaire Blvd. Soft opening Friday January 18, 2019. Doors open at 4:00 PM. $2000 guaranteed to first place freeroll at 7:00PM. Hourly seat charges for cash games will be much less than other clubs in town. Probably worth checking out. Heard there will be big grand opening tournament on Saturday February 2, 2019. $30k Guarantee No Limit Holdem. Experienced management and staff.

Since you sound like you're shilling it anyway, what's the hourly seat charge?

I did not see if this was answered. Prime is top dog in H-town and charges prime $$ -- $16/hour

Lions and Post Oak are just behind and charge just a little less -- only $15/hour, which the players are keenly aware is $0.25/minute.

Thanks ok so not much difference was hoping someone was charging $10 or possibly less. I don’t know if $15/hour is sustainable for smaller games.

Is there any rooms that consistently spread 5/10nl+ or 5/5plo+? A lot of Houstons rooms are on poker atlas, I have no idea how to find mind/highstakes games in dallas

In Dallas, they are all underground games so you pretty much have to know someone to get in them. I'm in Houston but a friend recently was in Dallas and said the games are good. Possibly someone here that is local in Dallas can PM you. If not, you can always go up to Winstar.

there is a room that charges 10 and is pushing the investors to go to 8

door is 10 but pushing to go to 5

optimum goal is max 30 for the entire night 6pm to 2am - after that rates start at 10/hr

5/5 was going strong at Prime last night. Don Nguyen (he was on PAD on PokerGo for an episode at some point) seems to be the key to the game, dunno. They had 2 tables, one had very deep stacks.

Prime in general was full--more tables than they have ever had, plus a ... wait for it ... dominoes table.

They are charging $10 per hour. No time charge before 3PM. Buy $100 time get $120 worth of time. Bellaire Social Club. 8520 Bellaire Blvd., Houston. Nothing hidden. Just less expensive. Better deal for the players. Brand new equipment. Experienced dealers. General Manager Max known by most in poker community.

Cool I’ll check it out, it’s essentially on my way home. Also right next to Sharpstown golf.

Mint up to $15/hr.

Zizek, what are Mint's players saying about the time charge increase?

Most people didn't know until they got there (myself included). They started this two days ago. The reaction was fairly indifferent to be honest. A few people grumbled but were on the waiting list the very next day. They justified the price increase with the addition of a new kitchen (that sorta sucks) and an hourly high hand promotion for NLHE where the highest hand each hour gets to spin a wheel with various prizes, mostly in free time. EV of the wheel spin seems like it's about $75-$100, assuming you value entries into the Harley drawing and the card protector at $0. Since they usually have about 3 tables going, that effectively makes the new seat charge $12~/hr for NLHE, but the wheel is deactivated nights and weekends and offers nothing to PLO.

As a side note, the wheel is ****ing loud, and like a fourth of the wedges are pointless "Spin Again" spaces, so I could see that thing getting annoying very quickly.

Was coming back into the thread since I finally got over to Rounders (on Cypresswood) last night. They were $10 per hour but I use 'hour' loosely...it was a psychiatrist's hour, meaning they wanted time every 50 minutes. I had wanted to check them out since they are less than ten minutes from the house I just got in The Woodlands area...

I was there for just shy of two hours. One table of $1/3 running when I got there and it was still going when I left. I had arrived around 645P. There were a few waiting for seats when I left, so they might get enough to play two tables short-handed as it gets beyond 9P...

Biggest 'problem' was that the felt does not allow for easy sliding of the cards. Chips had a decent feel to them. Room itself is well-lit. Knowing what has happened to the Spring area across the past 35 years, I would be wary of wanting to stay too late, but that may not be as much of a concern for the guys. However, us older white females tend to have to pay more attention to such things...

With just one table going, the single seat bathroom is not a huge issue, but I think some of the rooms should ensure construction build-out gives them at least two bathrooms (one for men and one for women). The failure to do so would be a potential problem if they were running tournaments...

I did not order food from the place next door but apparently they have decent food and will deliver. I saw at least three different orders come through...prices seemed reasonable for what it was (quesadilla) and it smelled good.

Costs were five bucks for the 'membership' plus a $10 door fee and then $10 per hour, so expect $25 walking in the door. Cashing out resulted in a bunch of twenties instead of getting back hundreds like had been used for the buy-in...this is mildly frustrating since I keep my poker funds in hundreds. I am not sure why some rooms will not pay out in same the manner players were buying in (to the extent that the cash-out lends to hundred dollar bills)...it would be different if a player was asking for smaller bills, but do a lot of people really do that?

There's a new room that literally just opened near the Top Golf in Spring if you're still around that area. No idea if it's any good, I just got an ad on PokerAtlas. $15/hr.

https://theriverpoker.com/

May give that one a look. I know Legion was also in the area but...unless things have changed, they were not even trying to stay within the regulatory grey area.

I sold the house in Austin and am also getting out of the house on Lake Conroe. Still in a state of flux, but basically will be on the Woodlands side of Grand Parkway.

I've been following all the different Houston area poker places that have opened and watching the activity for the past few weeks so I thought I would share some information on who's still open and the activity level shown on Poker Atlas:

South:
Mint Poker - Approx 3 1/3 tables per day, 1 to 2 1/3 PLO and occasionally(weekends) - 1 5/5 PLO
According to an earlier post they raised their rate from $10 to $15 per hour but do provide free food/drinks

North:
Rounders(Spring, TX) - Never seen anything going during the day and typically only 1 1/3 NL table going at night

Steelhouse - Typically 1 1/3 NL going and have never seen more

The River Poker Club - Grand opening this weekend so no info on this place. Close to Top Golf.

West:
Freerollls - Most days 1 1/3 NL and on weekends have seen 2 going. No PLO or bigger games running as of yet. Charging $15 per hour

West Houston Poker Club - Not on Poker Atlas but apparently get 2 to 3 1/3 NL tables per day and have a 1/3 PLO twice a week - Charge $15 an hour

Central:
Bellaire Social Club - New one having trouble getting off the ground. Several days have shown no games going. Most to date I have seen is 1 1/3 NL. Offering free dinner and tourney guarantees nightly. Charging $10 an hour.

Royal Social Club - Never seen an active game going here on APP.

Post Oak Poker Club - 3 to 5 1/3 NL tables going per day. A couple times a week showing a 1/2/5 PLO game going. Twice a week a 10/20 ROE which appears to be invite only. Charge $15 per hour.

Lions - 3 to 5 1/3 NL games per day and 1 to 2 1/3 PLO per day. Charge $15 per hour.

Prime - The king still - 5 to 8 1/3 NL going per day, 2 to 4 1/3 PLO and 1 to 2 5/5 PLO. Also spread a 10/20 PLO8 Limit game daily. On weekends sometimes get 10/25 PLO. Charge $16 per hour.

Lone Star Social - Not on Poker Atlas - Charge $10Hr - On TC Jester in Heights - Adv 1/3 ROE and 1/2 NL - says doors open at 6:00 PM

East:
Shorty's Man Cave - Advertise 1/1 NL - in Baytown - not on Poker Atlas

Raked Rooms still advertising:

Janie's Room - North Houston - 1/2 NL - advertise daily and play up their fantastic free dinners

Cadillac Room - 5/5 PLO and 1/3 NL - Love his ads - "No membership fees, seat charges or entry fees at NW Houston's finest poker room" Shh, we won't mention the high rake though

Feel free to add any comments, details, etc. about the places above or any that I've missed.

DGIS BACK

I never signed up for their text list, yet got a text about their 'grand opening' from the same number the Babaloo people used. I don't know if its the same owners or not but I thought that was interesting... would explain the rough start.

Good writeup. I think the promotions are a pretty big deal to include in the rate, but are a hassle to keep track of. For example, the EV hourly at Mint with 3 tables of Hold'em is $12/hr~ for NLH during their promotional hours. Lions has free time/daily registration if you come before a certain time. POPC has $5/hr for poker employees in Houston and free daily for poker employees or people who check in. Hourly at Prime is more like $13-$14/hr if you play enough to get the 40+ hours free time they do weekly. Also, somewhat nitpicky, but the O8 game at Prime is usually 15/30.