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California Billiard Club
Category: Nightlife Pool Halls Pool Halls [Edit]
881 E El Camino RealMountain View, CA 94040
(650) 965-3100
- Promotion lasts for 1 year from date of purchase. After that period, your Certificate is redeemable for the amount you paid, less any value you may have received. Not valid for the purchase of alcohol. Not valid with other certificates or offers. Only 1 certificate(s) can be purchased for own use. Up to 3 can be purchased as gifts for others. Subject to the Yelp Deals General Terms.
- Reg. Price $20
- Discount 50%
- Savings $10
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 11:30 am - 2 am
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Music:
- Juke Box
- Best Nights:
- Tue, Wed, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- Outdoor Area/ Patio Only
- Coat Check:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
58 reviews for California Billiard Club
Review Highlights
"clean and well maintained tables and facility."
(in 4 reviews)
"Monday is ladies' night after 6:00pm."
(in 2 reviews)
"They have ping pong and air hockey."
(in 5 reviews)
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58 reviews in English
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Review from Jessica C.
Cupertino, CA
1/25/2012
I find it really rare to spend time with people where you just enjoy their company, you could be sitting in silence and that would be ok. But the older we get, the more difficult the scheduling gets to get together with those people, so in preparation for that time, I usually Yelp a ton of places.
He really likes Ping Pong. Like super super likes it. I enjoy playing, but honestly I loathe picking up the ball because I'm just not as good and will generally have to pick up the ball 80% of the time, while other people laugh and mock my lack of skill. Yelp to the rescue!
I discovered that California Billiard Club has Rally Pong! Don't know what that is? Check it out at http://rallypong.com. For a limited time it's free to play here too. Best yet? Never having to pick up a ball again OR serve. Oh Yelp, yet again you solved my everyday problems with your insightful locations to hang out.
Even better yet? They serve drinks here!
Even better still? The man who designed Rally Pong was there to teach us how it's done. Really nice guy who wore a dress shirt and didn't break a sweat while playing.
Even better than that? I let them play while I sat on the side and drank a cider and captured the exciting play action all on video.
California Billiard Club, thank you for introducing me to Rally Pong, when I finally ended up playing, I didn't have to pick up a ball, serve, or keep score. Best thing ever, and super fun. -
Review from Vinitha R.
Sunnyvale, CA
10/7/2011
Good nachos.
Half off pool on tues/wed for college students.
Always a chill time... 3 stars :) -
Review from Caroline G.
Redwood City, CA
2/6/2012 Purchased a Yelp Deal 1 Check-in Here
This is a great spot! Wish I had known about it sooner. LOTS of pool tables, foosball tables, air hockey, and an awesome ping-pong set up that picks up and serves balls for you. A lot of pool halls can be on the dirty side, but this one is nice, clean, and has enough space that even large groups can have their own space.
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Review from Kairee A.
Mountain View, CA
1/30/2012
The hubby and I went here and had a really great time! It defiantely has a little bit of a divey feel and we went pretty early so there was the generous scattering of older people hanging out playing pool and eating. We were a little intimidated because neither of us know how to play so we sat at the bar and had a few drinks to loosen up. Over all it was really fun, if a little uncomfortable at first and it was nice because it didnt feel judgemental of our crappy skills! We will definatley be back for the pool and the beers on tap!
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Review from Al P.
Providence, RI
12/1/2011
One of the best pool halls ive ever been to and ive been into a lot. The have tournaments for all skill leavels. They serve food. And they always keep thier equipment clean.
I don't have anything negative to say about this place. Im sure ill think of something later. -
Review from Allison C.
Fremont, CA
7/16/2011 1 photo
Came here to scratch my itch for some 8-ball. I've been too busy to join up with APA for a while and have to drag my friends to play.
I like this place, its large, has tons of parking and its clean. You also feel comfortable bring kids here, it doesn't feel like a dive. However it is a bit older in decor.
They offer standard size pool tables, bar size pool tables, snookers, billiards, air hockey and more.
I would love to come here more often, if only it was closer to where I live.Listed in: Behind the 8-Ball
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Review from Phuong T.
4/13/2011 4 Check-ins Here
Congrats, Cal's, you're my 100th review!
If you wanna go to a great pool hall in the South Bay, definitely go to California Billiards. The tables and cues are well-maintained, the layout is spacious and clean, and unlike any of the pool halls around here, they have a full kitchen in the back. I mean, they serve pie! How can I give them less than 5 stars after that? It's not like fancy food or anything--seriously, I hope you're not just here for the food--but for pool hall food, they have a pretty large range of options.
As an APA member, you just pay $5 on either Sat or Sun to play as long as you want. Monday is ladies' night after 6:00pm... yay for free pool time! I came in at 5:30 last Monday, and I just paid $3 for the half hour before 6:00pm. Not bad for an hour and a half of pool. -
Review from Tiffany S.
San Jose, CA
10/28/2011
California Billiards is a nice place to relax and play. They have a ton of tables that have drop pockets, good felt, regulation sized tables and a nice atmosphere. The people are generally respectful of others while playing and there are many tables. I've been here a few times, its one of my favorite places to shoot pool.
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Review from hardeep s.
Sunnyvale, CA
9/20/2011 8 Check-ins Here
Great big layout with lots of pool tables, great food, full kitchen, lots of parking, and the employees are really nice and the prices are good.
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Review from Michelle C.
Belmont, CA
12/17/2010
Went here for a company x-mas party. Not too bad, the place is freaking HUGE!!!!! We got one side of the building. They have ping pong and air hockey.
The food was defiantly greasy spoon food. Pizza, fried chicken, jalepeno poppers, egg rolls and so on. You get the picture. I didn't really have any complains on the food, it was food. -
Review from Gerard Y.
I just shot pool here for the first time in years. I love the tight pockets they have on their Brunswick Gold Crown tables over here. They might have tight pockets on all the tables as they hold tournaments here. It's definitely not going to be fun for the casual player, but it keeps my aim honest. Plus they have a couple of bar boxes if you like shooting pool on those. I prefer longer tables.
Listed in: Places to shoot pool around…
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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6/8/2007
30+ pool tables (plus a snooker table if you're into that), fooseball. arcade, pinball... What more… Read more »
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Review from Mona W.
6/2/2010
I like this pool hall. It is spacious, clean and well maintained. Definitely one of the better pool halls in South Bay. The ambiance is pretty cool too. it is not exactly classy or upscale but at least you won't feel like you are in some shady places at all.
Food were very typical bar food. Just something to fill the stomach and nothing really to rave about. Drinks were decent and fairly strong. Service is friendly and efficient.
I think the price is fair. It wasn't the cheapest but it is certainly worth the extra to play at a nicer pool hall. Every Monday is ladies' night. I will check this place out again for sure. -
Review from Krupa P.
Los Gatos, CA
1/7/2011
Food was what I would expect for a pool hall. Prices are reasonable. Had a blast playing pool.
Driving there I kept thinking to myself that I was in Sunnyvale, but as it turns out, I was really in Mountain View. Who knew! -
Review from Wei H.
San Mateo, CA
4/30/2008
Yet another pool hall review from me, because I really want to finish my list of the Top racks in bay area, and it is not complete without California Billiard.
Make no mistake, this is a gigantic pool hall. I am pretty sure the space between each table is possibly the best you can find anywhere. This allows the players to really focus on their game without much disturbance, and since it's so big, you won't have to worry much about the average crowd here. You really can't hear them!
The tables are well maintained, meaning the surface is very flat and shows little sign of wear. There is ample stocking on wide variety of house cues, so you can always find exactly what you want. (heavy cue for striking, and smaller tip for precision aim) The atmosphere is laid back and relaxing, and music is never loud. Really, it doesn't get much better than this.
Food and drinks are on the higher end of spectrum, which is expected because the place focuses exclusively on pool play. I rarely drink much here because it affects my game.
5/5.Listed in: Top Racks
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Review from Steph G.
San Jose, CA
12/6/2010
Oh I think I am overly biased, but I have a lot of really good memories from this place, even though I have only been here a handful of times, mostly for work related-events. On the downside, the place is a little bit pricey and food is crap. But what kind of pool place has really good food? I am serious about the food. Don't order it. The pizza looks like white bread?!?! LMAO Stick with the beer and the sodas if you can. I can't remember what else we ordered, but it definitely wasn't worth the price.
On the plus side, the place is really big. There are a lot of tables, and the price while on the high side, is still affordable. And it's very clean. The best part, which is also kind of cheesy, is the juke box to the left of the entrance. You can play songs. I can't remember the exact price, but it's around 50 cents. -
Review from Carol L.
1/28/2008
The nicest pool hall I've been to in the South Bay. I don't know what it is about pool halls that just results in a ghetto-feeling atmosphere, but California Billiards doesn't have that. The atmosphere is clean, and the tables and cues are well-kept. However, the hourly rates at California Billiards are a tad bit higher than the local competition, especially if you are playing with more than 1-2 people. Hey, I guess you get what you pay for right?
The food is not worth getting, over-priced and not very appetizing. The music is provided by the jukebox, so the music depends on the whim of the crowd... or may just be too quiet. The crowd here is generally less rowdy than most pool halls.Listed in: Nice Rack!
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Review from Claudia W.
San Mateo, CA
11/5/2010 6 Check-ins Here
Nice and clean pool room that is very well maintained. This isn't a dive bar folks! Food isn't bad.
The tables in the front have tighter pockets and are spaced very far apart. You almost never have to wait for someone to finish their shot.There are also snooker and billiard tables.
For some reason this place always feels empty to me even when it's full of people. That's probably because things are so far apart!
It can get expensive to play here, but if you're a female, Monday night is free!
Review Edit:
I've been able to try more of the food since my initial review. I am in love with the pancakes. Pool and pancakes?!?!? AWESOME. Tacos? Awesome. The staff are friendly too which is a plus for any establishment.
They also did a small recent remodel. They took out some of the 9-foot tables near where the foosball tables overlook and installed bar tables and some elevated seating with tables. The bar tables, as I was told by the manager, was in hopes of getting some new pool leagues in there. I wish I was in a league that played there regularly! Some of the other tables along the railing have been removed and replaced with single row seating with a countertop. This allows you to optimally situate yourself so that you can sweat matches or action games while you inhale said pancakes. -
Review from Jim C.
Redwood City, CA
2/12/2008
Huge unpretentious billiards place with lots of tables, bar/eating area, and tvs to watch your favorite games. Good place to have a very informal group function over billards. Ample parking in their parking lot.
Bottom line: Good relaxed place to bring your buddies to catch up over pool and have some drinks. Don't come expecting a more hip atmosphere like you might find at B Street in San Mateo or Jillian's in SF or Boston. -
Review from Vi Y.
5/4/2009
Part 4 of 6 for $200 date day.
After the quick stop at the art gallery, I was excited to pull into the parking lot of California Billiards. Back in high school, I practically lived inside pool halls. Come to think of it, my time was divided between pool, Vietnamese coffee shops, and Denny's, so I always feel pretty comfy in these environments.
The place is huge, with lots of space between tables, so you're not bumping into your neighbors. At 3:30pm on a Saturday, the place was almost deserted, with only about 3 tables being used.
The tables are well cared for, but minus 2 stars for the sticky poolsticks. My fears of Swine Flu made me wonder how often they actually clean the sticks, and then I was a bit freaked out every time I had to scratch my nose or touch my face.
All in all, this was such a cute date spot, because it reminded me of how simple life was back in high school, and how dates used to feel back then, when you would bet each other for "favors" or for "kisses". :)
I left here feeling really happy and carefree. :) If it was closer to home, I would give more stars, but there is nothing special about it to make me drive across town to shoot pool.
Total for 2 of us for 1.5 hours of pool was $13 or $18. I can't really remember. -
Review from Jesse K.
Palo Alto, CA
10/24/2006
This is the way a pool hall should be. The tables are plentiful and clean, the staff is friendly and knowledgeable, but most importantly the atmosphere is not that of an old man's den.
I've been to California Billiard Club many-a-times. They're usually open till 2 a.m. but are known to close shop early if the place is empty or close to it. Their thirty or so Brunswick tables are spread throughout what looks to have been a warehouse at one point. They have a bar, arcades, one snooker table and I believe a token dart board as well.
The food is damn good for a pool hall. I get nothing but the teriyaki chicken bowl but I hear the burgers are pretty good as well. Their drinks are overpriced but that's a given when they're brought to you on a square napkin isn't it?
California Billiards is a sweet place to hang out late at night. The atmosphere is upbeat and geared toward a younger crowd. Check it out. -
Review from paul t.
Santa Clara, CA
2/4/2009
Absolutely one of the cleanest pool hall in the bay area. They have a very nice food menu, full alcohol bar, & beers on top!
Try there crispy steaky corn tortilla tacos, definately really authentic-
Looking for a $ game? Try coming day time, plenty of players ready to give you the run for your money!
Stop by and unwind sometimes....=D -
Review from Astara B.
Daly City, CA
2/20/2010
I love coming in here on weekday evenings. The crowd is generally pretty casual, but there are plenty of folks there for some serious play/practice. The place is spacious, and its casual feel makes things feel quite relaxed, even at busy times.
I've very rarely had to wait for a table, but if you do have to, there is a full bar, TVs, and other games to keep you occupied.
The staff are really nice. If you're a repeat customer, they'll remember your drink order, the name of your league team, etc.
The jukebox has a wide variety, but if you're like me and don't shell out to choose music yourself, you're stuck with whatever the college kids decide they want to listen to that night. That might sound like a bad thing, but it's not: It's just a grab bag and you never know what you're going to get. It's quiet when there's no music, but fortunately it's not so deathly quiet that you feel like you're making too much noise taking your shots.
I love this place and will keep going back again and again! -
Review from Cathy N.
San Jose, CA
9/27/2007
PSSSSTTT!!!! It's safe to come back to California Billiards!
So, before I explain my above statement, let me tell you a little bit about my background so you can better understand my deal- I am a pool shooting junkie (not to be confused with the heroin shooting kind). My subconscience decided when I was around 7 that I was going to play pool from the moment my dad's friend booted me off his table because he was afraid I'd scratch the felt. And since playing near non-stop through my days at UCLA (thanks Mom and Dad for putting me through college!), I haven't looked back.
Given those credentials, I'll tell you right now that Cal Billiards is one of the nicest pool halls in the Bay Area. It happens to be 1 of my 2 favorites (and only places I'll go to shoot) right now. There are 30+ NICE tables (snooker and pool- tight and non-tight pockets), plenty of room (so you don't whack someone in the tush while taking a shot...cuz I have), clean balls (haha...ahem, I mean, they have a ball cleaner), clean bathrooms, one of them fancy jukeboxes that pulls up any song in existence, and good eats (and drinks). The people who work there are also really cool, and the main reason why it's safe to come back? This place is no longer owned by Chet (who from what I heard from other pool players was somewhat of an ass).
Having said that, the new owners have poured hella money into their new investment, resulting in flat panels TVs, new cues (nice!), a new menu, patio area, and I even noticed soju on their drinks menu last time...wha??? (I don't question, I just drink.) In any case, if you are looking around for a place to shoot some pool/snooker (closest place South of SF that has snooker tables from what I understand), California Billiards is the place to go. And if you do end up coming here, you can tell whoever's working the counter that "Cathy" (my alias when I am shooting pool) sent you...and you'll be sure to get a big smile or laugh. Well, either that or a befuddled look if they don't know who the hell "Cathy" is. LOL. -
Review from Jessica C.
Los Angeles, CA
4/10/2011
Good memories here, my friend and I like to come for ladies night every Monday since it's free for us. Huge place, clean and prices aren't bad. Staff is super friendly too. I've always had a good time shooting some pool here, came to watch a friend play in one of their tournaments as well.
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Review from Jeff K.
Mountain View, CA
1/21/2007
When I was playing pool more seriously, I practiced and played at California Billiard Club on a daily basis. There are lots of tables, spaced well apart, with three variations of pocket sizes. This is a pool player's hall: lots of well-maintained tables, good spots to sit to watch key games, regular tournaments, and good players. There are 30 Brunswick Gold Crown III 9' tables, 2 Riley 12' English snooker tables, and 2 Verhoeven 10' heated-slate Billiards tables. The eight tables in front of the main desk and near the Billiards tables have tight pockets. They're my favorite tables. Casual players may prefer tables with wider pockets in other parts of the pool hall.
Since the owner Chet likes One Pocket, there's a monthly One Pocket tournament on the third Saturday of the month. There are multiple 9-pocket tournaments and one 8-ball tournament weekly. You'll find pros showing up to the Friday ABC tournament, the monthly One Pocket and 9-ball tournaments, and the larger USPPA and Reno Open prep tournaments held a couple times each year.
The food is reasonable. If it's still on the menu, the teriyaki chicken rice bowl with veggies is a good lunch or dinner in between games. And quite helpful for the all day tournaments.
A great pool hall for family, friends, and serious pool players.
It's great to have two very good pool halls in Mountain View. The other is Shoreline Billiards.
http://www.yelp.com/bi... -
Review from Dave K.
Sunnyvale, CA
8/5/2006
As Amster said, there isn't a wait at this place. There are probably 40 tables here, all very well kept and spaced apart. There is no loud annoying music (or if there was music, it wasn't loud) and it's lit perfectly. This beats the Asian places or bar/poolhalls where there is a lot of smoke and obnoxious music.
Considering it's so close to where I live, I regret not having come here sooner. -
Review from Amy L.
San Francisco, CA
3/16/2006
Do you hate waiting for a pool table? So do I! But here there usually isn't much of a wait because it's essentially a warehouse with lots and lots of tables. They have your standard pool tables, billiards, and snooker tables. Yes, they have videogames, but don't expect too much there. The staff is friendly and prompt. The food is so-so, but let's face it: you didn't come here for gourmet. When it's late at night and you're out with your buds, a beer, some meatballs, and some nachos don't sound so bad! Prices are also pretty reasonable.
Times visited: 20+ -
Review from qirk z.
Los Gatos, CA
11/7/2006
Of the few billard places I've been too, this one is clean, lots of tables, free parking, and safe area. Since Chalkers in SF no longer exists, this is my fav place, I'm sure there are other good ones, but I rarely shoot.
They have arcades, air hockey, and foosball tables
Just located near Hwy 85 (South on El Camino). -
Review from ethan l.
Santa Clara, CA
7/3/2009
The night started OK, the place is clean. first thing that bothered me was the silence, there was no music unless you paid for it at the juke box. we paid for a couple songs, but soon after it was all silence. we ordered a few drinks and a pizza, played pool till we were done. i was thinking that this place was OK, other than the lack of music.
The part that made this a one star was when we went to pay, the cashier guy or owner had the nerve to ask us if we left tips for the waitress. we only ordered a couple drinks and a pizza, we left 5 dollars at our table for the waitress cuz she was pretty nice. came over every once in a while to check to see if we needed anything else, but that rude ass cashier ruined the whole night.
never going back to that stupid place again. -
Review from Kenny J.
3/1/2010
I've played pool here a few times as it's probably the best in the area. Lots of tables, reasonable prices, and generally not too many sketchy/shady/high school kids around. The tables seem to be well maintained.
The service is pretty good and it's pretty easy to get there and park. Decent draft beer selection and a small menu to get snacks/food.
oooh, but best of all...they have photohunt at the bar. Almost more fun than playing pool. Recruit a few friends to help you. :) -
Review from Ashley H.
9/8/2010 2 Check-ins Here
monday night is ladies night. ladies free all night. im getting my friend a wig so he can play too. but until then he is only $7 per hour. talk about a cheap date. this place is pretty big and the parking lot is usually full. there are tvs all around but no sports on...so whats the point of having that many tvs if they are not being put to good use? waste.
the bartenders can be kinda slow some nights. they dont have stella on tap (STELLLLLAAAA) but there are some pretty good drink specials. ive only been on monday so i dont know how it is during the rest of the week if its busy or not and not really trying to find out either. -
Review from Mike T.
11/24/2008
On a Monday, no waiting. Seemed to be a decent amount of people playing. Tables and cues seemed to be in OK condition but not amazing. I was happy with the service and the waitress who came by for drink orders. A beer, a soda, and a little over an hour of pool play came out to about $15. Not bad at all.
There's a jukebox in the center of the room which had everything from Metallica to Eric Clapton to country. -
Review from Dana L.
7/9/2009
I've been here a few times, and it's always super-easy to get a pool table. Huge place with nice decor. The pool wasn't too expensive, and they had a pretty decent drink selection. Fairly dead, but it might be better on the themed nights. If you're a pool hustler, I might look elsewhere.
Overall, I would probably come back if I had good reason. -
Review from Kim D.
San Jose, CA
6/9/2009
A really good casual 4-star pool hall experience. The staff is nice, the bar is plentiful and the pool hall is clean. The jukebox is an added plus, nothing like hearing some Keri Hilson and Britney Spears (I have the musical tastes of a 12-year-old little girl...) while trying to get your balls in the hole.
It was a shout-out to high school or any night where you didn't feel like getting dress up and trying to hard in downtown San Jose.
The best part? Was the arcade. Air hockey and Rush Hour 2049. Score.
Our friend almost scored too... some girl was making passes at him while he was driving away at Rush Hour. That was the memorable part of the night. -
Review from eric k.
Dublin, CA
6/4/2007
I would call this place better than average.
Sadly... average isn't very good.
So call this place well lit, good service, not crowded, and not too bad to get to. Sure... in the evenings it gets a little sketchy around the parking lot, but it's still mountain view and i've never had a problem nor heard of problems.
This place is nice enough to feel accommodating to non-pool players looking to have an easy going and good time.
They also had a couple fooseball tables(tornados) and a couple pins too. -
Review from K. V.
Sunnyvale, CA
10/22/2010
In truth, I really like playing pool at this location (I'm on the APA league) for the reasons already mentioned here. BUT! THEY DON'T RECYCLE PLASTIC!
I rarely write reviews on Yelp, but I had to put this fact out there, because this establishment didn't seem motivated to do anything to start recycling. Whenever there is a large party at CBC, they start serving water and sodas in plastic cups (#1, I believe) instead of real glasses. It is environmentally irresponsible to just throw away that many cups, easily hundreds of them on those particular nights. How hard is it to put a system in place to recycle plastic?
I usually eat dinner at CBC on pool night, but now I will have second thoughts on giving them that extra money. Your dollar is your vote. -
Review from Tiang K.
Sunnyvale, CA
2/6/2008
My friend wanted to play snooker so we decided to check this place out. The web site advertises 3 snooker tables but there were only 2 as far as we could tell. These turned out to be full-size snooker tables (they're huge!). The inside was spacious and well lit and there was plenty of parking in the lot outside.
I ordered some fried breaded zucchini with a ranch dip to go with our drinks and it was quite tasty. The waitress was very helpful and even managed to scrounge up a snooker rule book when the printed rules we brought with us was decidedly obtuse (neither of us have played in years).
There was a flat panel TV next to our table (and I assume on other walls) so you don't have to miss your favorite game (either one!). -
Review from Fast E.
San Jose, CA
10/17/2008
Went here recently after a long break. The last time I was here, Chet was still the owner. Despite what others have said, I never had a problem with him.
As usual, this place has really good beers on tap (Big names like Guiness, Samuel Adams, and small production like Broken Rake, etc...), and their bar menu is not bad.
Well maintained tables, house cues, and a decent pro shop if you want the latest pool magazines or cue accessories. The only negative is that they're on the pricey side for table time and beer. -
Review from Chris C.
7/23/2010 1 Check-in Here
Good service, clean, plenty of space, plenty of tables, decent food, open 'til 2 am. I think that's about all there is to know about this place. They have $3 pints of Sam Adams on Thursdays and the music is pretty varied (from T-Pain to Rammstein!). Not the cheapest place to shoot some pool but in all honesty, it's a great place.
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Review from Little Miss Picky s.
San Francisco, CA
1/18/2009
this place is fulll of facist assholes.
we payed $1.75 to hear some effing modest mouse..
and some white trash inbred douche-bag complained...
AND THE MANAGEMENT REPLACED IT WITH AC/DC!
goddamn it..
i fucking HATE that band...
one star for YOOOOU ca. billards.
yourmotherisawhore
