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Hollywood Billiards - CLOSED
Categories: Nightlife Bars Sports Bars Nightlife Pool Halls Arts & Entertainment Arcades Sports Bars, Pool Halls, Arcades [Edit]
5750 Hollywood BlvdLos Angeles, CA 90028
Neighborhood: Hollywood
(323) 465-0115
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street, Valet
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Music:
- Juke Box
- Best Nights:
- Fri, Thu, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- Outdoor Area/ Patio Only
- Coat Check:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
81 reviews for Hollywood Billiards
81 reviews in English
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Review from FeFe S.
Irvine, CA
10/4/2010
I LOVED this place. I practically grew up here. It WAS the kinda joint where real shooters, celebrities, and the everyday guy could go in and not be bothered. full of class. The kind of place that really knew how to treat regulars.
Example: I was 11 when i started here and they allowed me to stay till closing time or if there was a private party was holding an event, Mike, the manager gave me the okay and told me to go upstairs and do my thing. Everyone just seemed to genuinely care about your experience there.
I've only been back a handful of times since they have had new owners so I'm not to sure what its like now but if it is anything like before then you WANT to make this your spot for some pool with your buddies, watching the game, or even a date night. -
Review from Al C.
Los Angeles, CA
11/4/2009
I was surpised how busy this place was in the middle of the week. There were people waiting for a table when left.
Since this was my first time here I did not know what to expect.When I walked in the first set of door & smelled the smoke from cigars & cigarette I had a cheap casino vibe, the I walked into the main room I had a better feel for it.
I like the set up, I had a few good games of pool with my cousin & some good food. My main complaint is the one waitress they had. Not her fault but the fact that she was the only waitress at a very busy time. I had to go get my own beer.
Anway a very good place to go for any type of people, any time of the day because they serve breakfast too. -
Review from Carlos K.
11/4/2009
A real sports bar. Pool tables and TVs abound. Cheap beer specials and an inviting atmosphere. Some disappointments though:
Pros:
-Bud and Bud Light on tap for $2. For me this is compulsory.
-Plasmas everywhere
-A room or the necessary space for everyone. If you wanna just chillax, one can secure a 'private' space near the front door.
-Parking. This place has its own parking lot. If you get there early, street parking can be avoided.
Cons:
-The food. Skip the wings and everything else and just order fries.
-The food
-Did I mention the food?
Hopefully the consultants who are regularly summoned to HB will read my review and do something about the food. :( -
Review from Alfred P.
Los Angeles, CA
10/16/2006
In how many other pool halls after losing a game can you say, "fuck this, I'm going to have a drink and a cigarette ... AT THE SAME TIME!" Yeah, that's what the patio's for, and I've used it many a time for this reason as the skill level of players here is relatively high.
This place has a full bar and a *wide* selection of beer to choose from. Their website claims it has a full restaurant, but I don't know what the hell they're talking about, I haven't seen jack. The food I've had is typical bar food of not-the-best quality. A Grey Goose tonic ran me around 11 bucks last time I was here and was weak but was mixed well.
The tables are in great condition, but I suggest against using their cues, those suck. For those of us who don't have our own cues, I think they have good cues for rent. meh
Hollywood Billiards has hosted several professional tournaments and some of the best players of the world have played here. How cool is that? VERY cool!
Valet parking is five dollars, and they've plenty of shit to satisfy you sports junkies.
If you're here to play pool and see talent, go before the sun sets.Listed in: Billiards!
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Review from Kendo U.
Huntington Beach, CA
7/1/2008
I've got mixed feelings about this joint. On the one had, service level was excellent. Very friendly, and always checked up on us to make sure that drink levels were ample and if any food was required. We had the VIP room rented out for a buddy's bachelor night so there were a lot of heads in there and multiple tabs running and they handled everything with no issues. Drinks choices were quite good, and they even served me up a frosty Eclipse (like a Black & Tan, but it's Blue Moon & Guinness). A nice touch is the enclosed patio area between the front doors and the main entrance into the building. Plenty of comfortable seating, drinks are allowed, and ashtrays abound for those that partake of igniting and inhaling tobacco products.
So why the 3 stars? Oh yeah... on to the food. Fish & Chips... giant plate of fries and 3 small Fish McNuggets. Dude! 3 bites, and the meal is gone. Unless they were running low on fish that night and just cut one piece into three... it was comically tiny. My bud offered me a bite, but I didn't have the heart to take 1/3 of his dinner. D'oh! I ordered the pizza. It's actually decent taste-wise. However, I did come down with a serious case of BAS (for def. see Anh T's review: http://www.yelp.com/bi...).
We were there for 5 hours, and the BAS attack hit me 4 times. Ugh... the WORST I tell ya! Anyways, I guess it all averages out in the end. -
Review from K D.
Orange County, CA
11/5/2009
Cool spot to sit and chill, especially if you need to kill some time in the Hollywood area.
I came here after dinner in Thai town. It was a Monday night so it was pretty chill. Lots of TVs and places to sit. I noticed a sign that said minimum of 5 people to sit on the tables/couches, but it was pretty empty so I don't think they minded. It was probably one of the bigger pool halls I ever been to.
But dude, $6 for a bottle of Heiny? Ouch. That's club prices yo! No wonder people stick to the $2 Bud on tap. LOL -
Review from Cecilia J.
Long Beach, CA
3/28/2008
I had a surprise birthday party for my boyfriend here and all he kept saying to me all night was, "this place is awesome, best birthday ever!"
I have never been to this bar, so when seeing it for the first time at the party, I was pretty amazed at its size. In the main room there are about 20 pool tables surround by flat screens. There are a few bar areas as well. Then there are little alcoves all around with seating and more flat screens. They also have a second floor with more private rooms and patio areas.
I booked one of their private rooms, the VIP Lounge, for this shindig. The James Bond themed room had its own pool table, a large flat screen tv, and couches and tables all around. All for $30 per hour.
I ordered some appetizers from their menu. I recommend the egg rolls,calamari, onion rings, and pizzas. And the waitress did a really great job in taking care of our bar orders all throughout the evening.
We all had a great time that night, the food was good, the staff was excellent, and it was a cool atmosphere. My honey says that was his favorite birthday, so I would recommend this place to anybody. -
Review from Lilani E.
2/15/2007
This is where I closed out my 25th birthday. I am in a pool league (I know, random) and so it was fun to hang out here and shoot a couple games of 9-ball and have some drinks. It is a great facility with two bars and great patio space, couches, and best of all...Chuck E. Cheese Basketball game style.
What more can you ask for?
The bouncers are really nice and the prices are great...oh and the waitress was very attentive to our needs, checking up on us to make sure we all had fresh drinks.
It's valet parking.Listed in: .noho., .el fin de semana., .9-ball.
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Review from Jack S.
Los Angeles, CA
9/29/2009
$2 dollar Budwisers on tap... Every night!?
You got my attention. I maybe a lot of things but a beer snob is not one of them and deals like this just win me over. The bar itself is great. Very comfortable with enough places to sit where it never feels crowded. There are too many pool tables to count, maybe one day if I become a better player I will try one out... but until then I'll just stick to the bar. With there cheep draft prices and decent food. They even have a meal fit for gluttons like myself: a pitcher of bud and a plate of nachos for only 12 bucks! And its all so close that I can stumble home with minor fear of a drunk in public.
The prices for PPV event are a little high. $20 is a bit of a rip but its still better than the $50 you would pay to watch it at home. The upstairs area is dark with rows of big screen TVs along the walls to watch your sports. My only complaint is when they show 2 events on one night like the Boxing and UFC fights hearing both station at full blast can really ruin your concentration and make you head hurt. But other than that Hollywood Billiards is a fun sports bar. -
Review from David T.
Burbank, CA
9/29/2010
I came here last year a few times to watch USC football games at events held for alumni. My take on this place is that it is pretty awesome!
Not only did alumni get discounts on some food and drink items, but we also got to play pool for free, too. The entire upstairs section was reserved for the USC football game, with it playing on every television up there. You could either sit at the bar or on the couches and watch the big screens.
I had some fun times here, and so I say it's worth checking out! -
Review from Kirk W.
Los Angeles, CA
10/20/2008
I am not really a pool guy.
I make some shots ... Drink some beer ... Miss more shots.
All in all ...
The atmosphere was OK ... That is if you like sports bars.
The wait staff was alright. Consistent.
The door guy was a complete DICK ... He definitely had an extra chromosome or two.
Never again. -
Review from Anthony A.
Rancho Santa Margarita, CA
2/23/2010 1 Check-in Here
One of my friends turned 21 this past Sunday, and this was the spot where it was all going down. There's a small parking lot in front of the place. One of our friends said it's usually a paid lot, but we parked for free. Not sure if that's always the case or not. The inside is a bit labyrinthine. There's a hallway that leads straight down to the pool tables, to the left is a lounge with live music, to the right are some bathrooms and an outdoor area and just past the lounge is an open room full of couches and tables. That was where the party was at.
They have a decent setup here. A projector and HDTV were showing "Jaws", there was ample room for everyone to spread out and get cozy. Smoking was permitted since the top was open (it retracts), which kinda sucked since I don't smoke, but at least it wasn't choking me out. They don't have a bar in here, but they should. Even a little makeshift bar for events would make sense. Instead, I had to give my order to a server who was running around trying to keep up with opening tabs, ordering drinks and remembering who got what. But she ended up doing a fantastic job. They had a typical bar menu available, but I decided to pass on food since we'd just eaten a large meal at Bird's down the street. But a friend does swear by the nachos, which appeared mountainous and generously slathered in toppings. Total cost for 2 Jack & Diets and a beer was $17, $20 with tip. Very reasonable.
As a bonus, I ran into a completely hammered David Faustino in the bathroom. I was fully ready to harass him about the rarely-seen made-for-TV Disney movie "Mr. Boogedy" that he did in 1986, but I didn''t on the off chance that he'd either be a dick about it, or engage me in awkward conversation. Plus, he's REALLY short, like 5'2" or something. Not that I don't talk to short people, but short, drunken child stars can be a fiery sort. I'd definitely come back here to shoot some pool and have a few drinks. It's got some good atmosphere.Listed in: Places that don't suck in LA…
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Review from Kristen F.
10/10/2006
There's nothing more horrible then coming home from a long day of work and all I want to do is watch a bunch of men chase after each other for three hours.
Is that too much to ask for? When I don't have ESPN then it's a problem! So where else do my friends and I go to curl up with a beer and watch the game on a big screen? Hollywood Billiards of course!
Broncos vs Ravens football game last night. Not a fan of either but my friend is a huge Bronco's fan. I can pretend to be one for a few hours as well. Some chicks are good at faking it.
The best part about this game; it was raining. Yes that's right. This wasn't football anymore. It was mud wrestling. Hell fucking yeah! I also couldn't help but make sexual references through out the whole game. Who knew football was so sexual right? Tight end, position, receiver, receiving end, etc... I cracked so many jokes last night I had a few people in tears from laughing so hard.
Hollywood Billiards also has some pretty good bar food. Motzi sticks, nachos, quesadilas and of course a full bar for me to drain.
They had some chicks walking around in referee uniforms doing some promo give away. If I knew that I would have worn my ref outfit too! But I guess that's what Halloweens for right?
I've also been dragged here at 10am for Sunday football games. Nothing says curing a hangover from the night before than more beer and football!
Thank god for $5 valet parking. I would be too scared to park my car any where on this side of the 101. -
Review from Krock K.
Los Angeles, CA
6/14/2010
This place is cool to hang out, I held an event for my company at the spot and the management was awesome. Everything went smoothly and people have bunch of options. Game room, pool, tvs, outside patio.
This is nice place to be, def. check it out. -
Review from Roel C.
Santa Monica, CA
7/5/2007
There's only one way to judge a billiards spot, and it's not by how smooth the pool tables are.
It's how bad the smell of foot and ass hits you as soon as you walk in.
If the place smells worse than inside a port-a-potty then you must give it two stars.
But if it smells worse than inside a port-a-potty located in the middle of Palmdale, in the middle of July then you must give it one star, and you need to take a shower because that's just plain dirty.
Hollywood Billiards surprisingly enough almost has a non-existent foot-and-ass aroma as soon as you walk in, a sharp contrast to what it looks like outside, which just looks like ass.
I stopped by here last week for the Clippers Draft Party so to be honest I didn't even get a chance to play pool. I did however drink glass upon glass of Goose Rocks, which was sadly served to me in plastic cups.
Two words: Weak Sauce.
At least the place smelled good. -
Review from Mike R.
Los Angeles, CA
7/2/2008
I've been here a couple of times to watch UFC.. they charge $10 a head to go upstairs and sit on a couch and watch the event on one of the many BIG screen TVs. A lot better than Hooters cause there you end up dropping $100+ on pitchers and sub par food. The food @ Hollywood Billiards is light years ahead of Hooters and the service is on point.!!
Played pool the first time there.. I don't remember how much it cost but I do remember that the prices weren't outrageous...so that's a good thing.. riiiiiiiiiiight?? Parking is $5 but you can find parking on the street nearby or even take the Metro (Hollywood/Western) which is in walking distance... -
Review from SaVvy G.
Los Angeles, CA
12/16/2008
Coolest place I know to shoot some pool and have some drinks.
This place is pretty big. They have a pretty good sized bar. The main room has a good 15-20 tables along with a little arcade room and darts. They have a second floor which I'm sure gets packed on the weekends. I love the fact that they have huge big screen tv's with couches and tables with chairs in 3 of the 4 corners of the place. Very cozy.... flat screen tv's are everywhere. They also have a pretty big comfy looking patio that is kinda inside but outside. lol you'll see what I mean if you go there.
The food is also pretty good compared to other pool places that probably don't even serve entree's at all. This place has a pretty good menu and selection of beers.Listed in: Good for Groups, The Places I Go Out
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Review from Jenn C.
11/21/2010 2 Check-ins Here
FUCK. This place is now closed and renovated into a biatch of a club. I have to write a review and pay homage to my favorite spot to watch the Lakers game. Huge place. Free parking. Average prices. Smoking patio. Tons of pool tables. Casual casual casual. Typical bar food. Full bar. Friendly service. Cool locals. Die-hard Lakers fans. No DJ!!! I will miss you Hollywood Billiards. RIP.
Listed in: It's Game Time!
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Review from Liza N.
Los Angeles, CA
1/20/2010
Looks like a bowling alley from the outside ... and a massive warehouse of pool from inside. Walking in I was delighted to see some fun semi-outdoor lounge-looking areas ... will have to try those when LA is NOT monsooning ...
Plentyyyy of tables, and a surprising amount of people for a Tuesday night. My gang and I went to surprise a friend for his b'day so we got a private "007" themed room in the back with our own waitress who was probably the nicest chick in the history of waitresses. Whose name I obviously don't remember, but she was a treat.
The place had an amusing, if not the most delicious-sounding, cocktail and drink menu. Interestingly enough, most were named after bizarre desserts. (Peanut butter and jelly cocktail .... Cinnabun cocktail ... ehhh. Prob more promising in name only) and all the mixed drinks were strong. as. shit.
Think ... a glass of vodka. -
Review from Karina A.
Los Angeles, CA
11/1/2007
This place is really big so you don't have to wait in line to play pool. Has a main area and an upstairs area. Upstairs can be reserved for a private party. Great big bar with waiter service. Has a patio between the entrance and the main area where you can smoke but you don't have to go far to smoke and can keep your eye on your table.
-Music is a juke box
-There are some arcade games inside
-Pool keys are kinda messed up so pick yours wisely
Paying for parking? I agree with Mike M. Paying the valet after you've already parked it IS ridiculous. Damn lazy valet! Minus 1 star for that! -
Review from Rachel K.
Los Angeles, CA
2/25/2007
The door guy was pretty cute. He was nice too.. chatted with me while the valet (who fucked up) found my car.
It's big, which is nice. The crowd is pretty eclectic. I thought it could have been lit better. It was SO flourescent! Cues were in good shape though and so were the tables, so that was awesome. My friend, who goes here on the regular, said the food is good.
There's also an ATM inside, which was convenient. Lots of big screens to watch the game too.
Overall, a good place to shoot pool. If the lighting was better and the valet didn't fuck up getting my ride,( oh, and you have to pay for parking..:P) I woulda given it a five.. -
Review from Rick M.
Los Angeles, CA
4/5/2007
I love this place because it is exactly what it should be. A pool hall with plenty of tables. A good selection of beers and a full bar with moderately priced drinks. Decent food that is priced fairly, but not cheap enough where you get crazy ordering food when you start getting drunk. A nice smoking patio and great service.
If you want to play pool somewhere and you are going for the pool. This is probably one of the best places in LA you can go to. It is as simple as that. -
Review from Chris R.
Los Angeles, CA
9/18/2006
My Sunday ritual, when I lived in Los Feliz:
--wake up by 6 to catch outside the lines and the rest of the ESPN Sunday morning carnival
--if Jets play the early game, leave house by 9 to get good seat; if playing late game, leave by 9:30 and find a seat in front of whatever game I wanna check out
Hollywood Billiards is surprisingly large: two floors, several pool tables, an atrium with tables and a few TVs, and a decent sized parking lot. On NFL sundays, each TV gets assigned an early game & a late game, with the NY teams usually getting the prime spots--I haven't been cramped up with that many fellow New Yorkers since the last time I took the 4 train. Every team gets support: even the Arizona Cardinals & Detroit Lions will have peeps in uniforms rooting--but each section is spread out enough that Brian Urlacher won't be bumping into Chad Johnson.
Each item is relatively cheap, but your tab will add up fast, especially if you're there with a crew and start ordering pitchers, or stay thru the late games & have breakfast & lunch. I've never been there on any other day of the week, but the pool tables are swanky & plentiful, and the upper section is also nice enough to warrant a return trip for some 9-ball. -
Review from Caleb B.
Los Angeles, CA
7/5/2007
Hollywood Billiards is an old fail-safe. They have surprisingly good food, many TV for many options, friendly/cute staff and oh, yeah -- they have many pool tables. The nice thing about Hollywood Billiards is that you can go in here ten times and have a great time without ever playing pool. Hollywood Billiards -- It Works.
_C$Listed in: HOLLYWOOD AND WESTERN
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Review from Ben C.
Sherman Oaks, CA
9/25/2009
I used to love coming to Hollywood Billiards for NFL Sundays. Being a Redskins fan too, it was almost like being at a game. I've met some of my closest friends while sitting on the couches there, in front of the big HD flat screen, screaming our heads off at our Redskins. We were so excited to be going back to the Billiards again this season on Sunday mornings, but we were in for a big let down. First of all, they told us the place was under new management, which sometimes means a good thing, but this time it was not.
One of the biggest problems we had was that the couches that are set up in front of the TV (which makes for a great living room-esque atmosphere) are now only available to parties of 5 per couch. How ridiculous is this? The waitress told us that if we didn't have 5 people in our party, we couldn't sit there. I've been sitting there for years! And how many groups of 5 are coming through the doors on Sundays? usually it's groups of 2 or 3. So you're telling me that if my girlfriend and I are sitting on the couch, and a group of 3 other people sit next to us, that we all have to leave because we're not all together? Horseshit!
Then, we come to find out that they've scaled down the menu considerably, and our favorite thing (Breakfast Burrito) is off the menu! What the hell? Now it's replaced with the exact same meal as the regular breakfast except they give you an empty tortilla to put the food in yourself. If I wanted to make my own damn burrito I would work at Chipotle.
Smaller inconveniences include not allowing the waitress to bring water, but instead there's a water station where I have to leave watching the game to go over and pour myself my own cup of water.
In any event, I am thoroughly disappointed in the changes this "New Management" has made and have decided that my friends and I will no longer be coming back to Hollywood Billiards for NFL Sundays. I'm going to find another place that's closer by that actually has management staff who's interested in giving the customers the best experience possible.Comment from Kellie N. of Hollywood Billiards 9/27/2009
Please be sure that we take your comments to heart. Not… More » -
Review from Jon B.
North Hollywood, CA
4/1/2009
Hollywood Billiards is a lot of fun. Their pool tables are very well kept, and have perfect lighting. Also, this place keeps the rates on the pool tables low until 8pm, most other pool halls increase the hourly rate on their tables after 7pm.
This place also has its own lounge, basketball games, arcade, and a lot of tv's. The cute server girls are very attentive, but I feel really sorry for them when they have all these old creepy dudes hitting on them earlier on in the day haha.
The worst part about this place is that you have to pay 5 dollars for freaking valet parking, even though they have a tiny ass lot in which you could easily park on your own. This is the only thing that really pisses me off about Hollywood Billiards.Listed in: The Places I Go Out
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Review from Monica G.
Alhambra, CA
6/11/2010
Went to HB for the 4th game of the Laker playoff series on a Thursday night and the place was not packed at all despite us coming in late. We were able to find street parking easily. The area that we sat in (right to the left when you enter) was unimpressive in terms of the decor and TV quality but good enough to catch a game. Out waitress had quite an attitude and rubbed the guys in our group the wrong way. She was quite condescending and sounded annoyed. She also took a while to get our order and bring refills. We noticed that the groups who flirted with her got their stuff a lot quicker.
The food was very average, something you can find at any random bar & grill. We played pool after the game and that experience was much better as the waitress there was helpful and quick.
Overall an average place with some weirdos in the crowd. -
Review from Jamie Q.
Pico Rivera, CA
2/1/2009
I love this place!! I have been twice to watch UFC and I would return without hesitation. Its a bit expensive to get into the place because parking is $5 and the cover is $10 but hey its better than paying the $60 for pay per view.
The place is huge and it has more TVs than I could count. For fight nights, the whole second floor is cordoned off, so I have never had trouble finding a good seat to watch the fight. I even showed up half an hour after the fight started and still found a good seat.
The other reason I love this place is because of its selection of beer. I love beer and I can't think of many other places that have the selection this place had. In an hour session at the bar, I had a glass of Alaskan Amber, a glass of Spaten, a glass of Shiner Bock, and a glass of Boddington's. All on tap! And oh so good!
The reason I didn't give this place five stars is because there are not enough waitresses to handle the number of people upstairs. It took the waitress quite a while to come over and take our food order and then the kitchen lost our ticket. But the waitress was really gracious and apologetic, so I was willing to let it slide. Plus she was hot. LOL.
As a side note, don't leave immediately after the UFC fight unless you want to wait a considerable amount of time for the valet to get your car. Have a beer and wait for the crowd to dissipate before leaving. -
Review from Ida F.
Los Angeles, CA
2/10/2009
Wait, you can play pool here?
I had no idea since I was too busy playing beer pong! Our friendly waitress gave us the OK, so two of my friends hunted down suitable beer pong balls from the dollar store and we ordered more pitchers of beer! I felt like I was spending a chill sunday at a friend's house playing drinking games and watching football, but BETTER because you get served food and beer. Only reasons to leave the table: going to the bathroom and fetching stray ping pong balls. :) -
Review from mary f.
Long Beach, CA
8/28/2009
My boyfriend and I came here for the stand-up comedy show but unfortunately, the show was canceled that night but the workers were kind enough to give let us play pool for free to make up for us driving all the way up from Long Beach. Unfortunately, I can't play pool so that didn't go so well. I have a hard time getting the stick to hit the ball.
Hollywood Billards has a great atmosphere. All the workers are really friendly - even the valet guy. -
Review from Matt L.
Los Angeles, CA
9/13/2009
All I need to know is that they have the Big Ten network and after a bit of convincing, were willing to tune one of the tvs to the Illinois-Illinois State blowout (go Illini!). After a few minutes, they even turned up the volume to audible levels.
The beer selection is not the best (nothing like the Blue Palms a few blocks away) but the prices aren't bad. They were short staffed but I don't mind walking over to the bar and getting my own beer. Those are all minor complaints when considered in context of my ability to watch my Illini play without having to drive out to Santa Monica. -
Review from Steve V.
9/30/2009
This is where our alumni association goes to watch college football. In addition to being a Washington Huskies bar, it is also home to the Michigan Wolverines. We have a back room dedicated our party, but there is plenty of space elsewhere. There is even an upstairs that is seldom used but can be if the capacity calls for it.
The server is a little slow, but they seem to be working hard, so my only suggestion would be for management to schedule more workers on game days. The food is average bar food at best. I've had the wings which are not that great, but the nachos and potato skins are good.
There are a lot of TVs and the atmosphere is great for watching sports. They could update their Tvs though, as some still don't have HD. There are plenty of pool tables and I've never seen it overcrowded. Location can't be beat as it is right off the 101 freeway. -
Review from Carlos R.
Walnut, CA
2/14/2008
Well, this is what Hollwood billiards has turned into, drive up to shoot some stick and am told that on this particular night there is no pool it's "club" night or some crap. I've been there on a few other occasions where I could play. Not much action to speak of. At least I couldn't find a game.
I miss the old smelly basement of the Hollywood and Western location. i miss walking past hookers and bums on the way in from the postage stamp sized parking lot. I miss arriving at 3am to play some 6X12 or play 9-ball and in between money games, a little scrabble. Leaving at 8am for breafast at Dennys. This was a room that had all the right feel.
Now, it feels less like a pool hall and more like what I've never thought pool should be. They do have nice tables, and a full bar. Just not the right feel. Unless you are trying to be noticed.
Which I rarely am. Better to be forgotten...so I can fleece you again at a later date. :-) -
Review from Melvin B.
CA
2/13/2007
This place is great when you want to kick it with a friend and play pool in the middle of the day when you are supposed to be at work or school. The TV screens and furniture are great when you want to watch a game and the snacks are just right for drinking. At night it can get crowded but it is still fun. Not typically my crowd ( a bit on the mainstream side) but hey I'm flexible.
I love getting phuked up and playing air hockey with my girlfriend; She always kicks my ass. -
Review from Mar T.
Los Angeles, CA
3/3/2007
Pros: This is a good place to watch pretty much any sporting event. The menu is decent except they have a limited one they use for NFL Sundays that kind of sucks. Good beer selection.
Cons: I have been here 4 times and every time the service is horrible. I mean AWFUL. The last time I went I saw a rat in the big pool hall so I wont be going there to eat anytime soon. -
Review from Austin J.
Boulder, CO
10/21/2008
This place was a sub-par MNF experience. It is large and exciting, but the building has the look and feel of a strip club.
As Kirk W. said, the door guy was a complete ass, telling me that the entrance was really the exit and to idiotically go around front.
Other reviewers mention flatscreens, the TVs I recall were old and busted mid-90s room-sized big screens.
The food and service were unsatisfactory. We ordered beer, a mixed drink, and hot wings. After my first beer choice, the server returned with a list of beers which were out of stock, requiring me to change my original order. Our hot wings came before my beer even arrived, causing me to endure the painful taboo of drinkless wings.
The wings only came in one flavor, with one level of spiciness...not the wing choice excitement I prefer.
Upon receipt of the check, we realized that a beer was $5.50 and the mixed drink was $7.00 (the bar served us premium vodka rather than well vodka). This may be typical in Hollywood, but you won't find me strappin' on my boozin' shoes with those prices.
Skip this one unless you really just want to get your pool fix. -
Review from Ethan P.
West Adams, Los Angeles, CA
1/6/2009
My buddy just moved to LA from NYC and he put the pressure on me to find a spot to watch the Fiesta Bowl. He's staying in the Valley so I wanted to pick a spot he wouldn't have to drive too far too. I hadnt hit up Hollywood Billiards in a while, so I deicided to hit them up.
I like the feel of Hollywood Billiards. Its large enough that you wont feel cramped or have people breathing down your neck. My first complaint however was they only had 1 waitress working the entire floor!! Now, they may be slow on most Monday nights, but during a BCS bowl game, management needs to pay for extra help (a second waitress showed up around 8p). But the waitress was cute, so I didn't complain about the wait. They have a new happy hour menu and the $2 nachos werent bad for the price. BUT, they only have a limited food menu during Happy Hour. Most of the Happy Hour menu looked like items you could buy at Smart & Final, drop them into the deep-fryer, then plate them. Not too impressive. They do offer buffalo wings and fries from the regular menu, so my boys ordered wings. They seemed to enjoy the wings.
My second complaint: I don't know if they do it on purpose, or because it was a Monday, but the beers tasted watery!! And I was drinking Tap! So I don't know if they are adding more air, water, or something, but the beer wasn't strong. And I love beer and prefer beer that is on Tap. Love it really. But there beer wasn't delightful. My first beer was a Sam Adams and I couldn't even finish it. Gross. Decided to go with the MGD since its a simple brew and I hoped it wouldn't be watery. Same watery taste. Oh well, next time I'm ordering something in a bottle. :(
Cool spot to hang out. We didn't stay for Pool. But cool enough place to watch a game. Plenty of TV's all around. 3 of us had drinks and eats for under $60. You cant beat that. -
Review from Kari C.
Walnut Creek, CA
9/13/2009
Me & two friends went here on a Sunday evening to shoot some pool and meet up with a group. The place was easy to find, right off the 101 freeway.
Valet parking was $5, paid up front. I've utilized valet parking many times, but you normally pay when you pick up your car. This was a bit odd. We should have just gone with street parking, but we weren't sure of the neighborhood. Bouncer checked our IDs as we entered the building. It was early, so there was no wait.
The place was crowded. Many people were watching a college football game. We looked at their website beforehand and it looked very swanky, reminding me of Lucky Strikes, the fancy bowling alley. Sadly, the actual facility is NOT like that. It is sort of run down and dismal inside. There were a lot of pool tables and service was quick, so they get a star for that. Employees were courteous and prices for pool were good ($6/hour before 8PM). Tables were fair and the cues were not terribly warped. They provided plenty of chalk.
Beer selection was not good, as other reviewers have noted. My friend tried to order a beer and they ran out of many choices. Poor thing ended up getting a gross tasting Amstel lite that I paid $5.00 for. Yikes!! Also, the group we were supposed to meet up with was decidedly unfriendly and kept harassing my other friend to help pay for their pool tables. Double yikes!!
Another thing that is odd: you need to leave your ID and credit card WITH the attendant when you rent a table. Their policy is stated in writing and it IS enforced. This applies even if you do not pay with a credit card. So, you might want to give this place a pass if that creeps you out. And while we are on the topic of creeps: some strange old guys kept checking my friends out. This place is not for you if you're sensitive to that sort of thing.
Let's try to end on a positive note: the place did not smell of cigarette smoke inside. Whew! We left quickly after an hour. Don't think we will be back.Comment from Kellie N. of Hollywood Billiards 9/16/2009
You can see a virtual tour on the website. Some of the most… More » -
Review from Mike M.
Van Nuys, CA
9/28/2007
A fun place to go where you won't have to wait in line for a table.
The food's not bad. Music's not bad.
Paying for parking is kinda ridiculous when it's to a valet after you've already parked it yourself.
Prices could be better. -
Review from Rob R.
Los Angeles, CA
6/8/2009
I am not a pool enthusiast. I don't even play pool (sober). So I can't speak about it as a pool hall, per se. I was here more for the Laker's game. I was with Trav, who needed to stop by and wish another friend happy birthday. They were set up in the VIP room. Oh, a cool thing; when we were walking in the bouncer quickly studied the present in Trav's hand, saw the name on the card and without hesitation invited us in and directed us to the VIP room. The vibe and sound was much better in the main room. In fact, this place is simply enormous.
The beer is cheap! $2 Buds all day. But I didn't find that out until 3 pitchers of Stella later. The food was typical bar food--sampler plate appeared to have wings, chix fingers...I don't know, it was all fried. About the only thing I would have to do with the food was stare at it with an appalling fascination.
There was also a haunting odor that befouled the main room, but once it filled with people that was overcome by a sea of tools drenched in cologne. I'm just sayin'.
They have this sort of covered patio area which looked fun, at first glance. I made comfy for a second but then it literally felt like I was sitting in a house fire...like a house, on fire!! EVERYONE was smoking.
I do recommend this place for sporting events. If you come hungry, you're on your own. I wasn't expecting much so there's no disappointment here. No offense. The service was very friendly (and good) at the bar, in the VIP room, and even the bouncers were charming. Valet was organized too (and only $3). And hey, if I'm ever randy for some pool, I know where to go.
