Where is there a good pool hall in the LA / SoCal area? (2024)

jjohnson said:

I have not played pool in over a year. Hard Times Bellflower is gone. I do not want to go to an "okay" pool hall. I want a pool hall where professional pool players would like to go. I looked up Alhambra online. No thanks. If the pool hall was any good it would tell you about what kind of tables they have at the least. Can't brag about your equipment then it can't be any good. I need some help here. Please. Anywhere in SoCal. Calfornia Billiards in Fremont, Griff's in Las Vegas, Hard Times in Sacramento are all too far away.

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The Cue Ball in Alhambra has (6) First Generation Diamonds, (14) Gold Crowns and (2) Verhoeven Carom Tables. It used to be a players room back in the 90's but the owners are a strange bunch and the management eventually drove them away. With the lack of pool halls in SoCal (especially the San Gabriel Valley) it is starting to pick up again. It's pricey but it's a decent room. Ernesto Dominguez maintains the tables and they have a dual platter Diamond Ball Polisher to clean the ball sets (Aramith Super Pros issued with Diamond table rental). The other ball sets are Aramith Premiers, I believe. If you are close it's worth a look otherwise go with Jay's recommendation.

jjohnson said:

I have not played pool in over a year. Hard Times Bellflower is gone. I do not want to go to an "okay" pool hall. I want a pool hall where professional pool players would like to go. I looked up Alhambra online. No thanks. If the pool hall was any good it would tell you about what kind of tables they have at the least. Can't brag about your equipment then it can't be any good. I need some help here. Please. Anywhere in SoCal. Calfornia Billiards in Fremont, Griff's in Las Vegas, Hard Times in Sacramento are all too far away.

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'Professional' pool-players go WHEREVER they might snag some $$ for starters. Secondly, there are quite a few good rooms in this country that don't openly tout/brag about the equipment they have. How good do you play?? Rarely, if ever, have i been in a poolroom whose equipment didn't meet my oh-so-lofty requirements.

garczar said:

'Professional' pool-players go WHEREVER they might snag some $$ for starters. Secondly, there are quite a few good rooms in this country that don't openly tout/brag about the equipment they have. How good do you play?? Rarely, if ever, have i been in a poolroom whose equipment didn't meet my oh-so-lofty requirements.

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Don’t get around much do you Here’s my short list of poor equipment. There’s plenty more but I’ll save everyone from a longer rant.

CK’s in Dallas. Only one 9’ table plays fairly well. The other four drift too much for me.
Black Diamond near Newark. GC5’s and the Diamonds should have been recovered and leveled years ago.
Shark Club in Waterford, the GC f’ed up my cue. I’ll post pics later.

Slim pickings in LA for pool rooms these days. Sad state of affairs, was great 30 years ago. If you like to gamble it’s even more depressing. If you want to get robbed-still might be hard to find a game.

I’m tired of living in LA……..

jay helfert said:

Try the House of Billiards in Santa Monica. They are back open now.

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Did Mr Luckys re-open? That place has nice equipment. Good for daytime pool. Practice pool room.

hope ur good Jay, I’m in Monaco-back in a week.
See ya soon-I’m buying

Fatboy

Bob Jewett said:

I was at Danny K's in Orange a few weeks ago. It seemed like the kind of room I could spend a lot of time at. There were even people playing one pocket which is a first-level indicator.

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Your spot in Bob, I haven’t been there in years, decades but your read is 1000%. Hope you are well,

kindest regards
Fatboy

I was wondering about Mr. Lucky's as well. Glad to hear House of Billiards reopened. Always good 1 Hole there.

Good Times in the Lakewood-Long Beach area was Family Billiards and had good owners. Several regulars from Hard Times are to be found there according to a friend of mine. No way it can be compared to Hard Times but still it is a pool room.
Amazing but sad that in an area containing over 10 million people we are talking about 4-5 pool rooms.

Fatboy said:

Did Mr Luckys re-open? That place has nice equipment. Good for daytime pool. Practice pool room.

hope ur good Jay, I’m in Monaco-back in a week.
See ya soon-I’m buying

Fatboy

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I'm pretty sure it's open. I drove by the other day and saw cars out front.

jay helfert said:

I'm pretty sure it's open. I drove by the other day and saw cars out front.

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Thx Jay.

I’m coming down to the dentist in Torrance next Friday I think. I’ll let you know ahead of time.

Fatboy said:

Thx Jay.

I’m coming down to the dentist in Torrance next Friday I think. I’ll let you know ahead of time.

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Checking out how we live in the slums again.

jay helfert said:

Checking out how we live in the slums again.

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I love your house Jay. It’s great! It’s like it’s own private island. And since you redecoredated it it looks so nice.

I moved up to Woodland Hills 23 months ago. Long story, glad I did.

I went by Hard Times Bellflower yesterday. Same story. Peering through the gap in the front door I could still see the lit up jukebox and now there is a ceiling light hanging down over the first row of amateur tables next to the jukebox. And I could see about four tables in the next row but my view ended there. It is still a ghost town with what appears to be filled with all the tables. Wouldn't take much except operating capital to reopen.

I guess Danny K's is my next stop. I think Sunday and Monday is $4 per hour pool. I must have a psychological problem because to me it just doesn't seem like a pool hall. That's because it isn't. It's a sports bar with a significant pool aspect. I'd say 10 or 12 9-footers. Theses tables are just okay.. I can't get the vibe I'm looking for. But I will definitely stop in to Good Times in Lakewood in hopes of seeing some of the old Hard Times regulars.

rexus31 said:

The Cue Ball in Alhambra has (6) First Generation Diamonds, (14) Gold Crowns and (2) Verhoeven Carom Tables. It used to be a players room back in the 90's but the owners are a strange bunch and the management eventually drove them away. With the lack of pool halls in SoCal (especially the San Gabriel Valley) it is starting to pick up again. It's pricey but it's a decent room. Ernesto Dominguez maintains the tables and they have a dual platter Diamond Ball Polisher to clean the ball sets (Aramith Super Pros issued with Diamond table rental). The other ball sets are Aramith Premiers, I believe. If you are close it's worth a look otherwise go with Jay's recommendation.

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You really gave me great info. Alhambra 36 miles and Santa Monica 47 miles and Mr Lucky in Torrance 36 miles. Hard Times Bellflower was 21 miles from Santa Ana. Danny Ks 6 miles. I called Mr Lucky. They are expensive and no discounts. I went to Good Times in Lakewood. It is more of an arcade than a pool hall. But it is very busy. Good business. I will take some pics next time I go. But I will not ever play pool there.

rexus31 said:

The Cue Ball in Alhambra has (6) First Generation Diamonds, (14) Gold Crowns and (2) Verhoeven Carom Tables. It used to be a players room back in the 90's but the owners are a strange bunch and the management eventually drove them away. With the lack of pool halls in SoCal (especially the San Gabriel Valley) it is starting to pick up again. It's pricey but it's a decent room. Ernesto Dominguez maintains the tables and they have a dual platter Diamond Ball Polisher to clean the ball sets (Aramith Super Pros issued with Diamond table rental). The other ball sets are Aramith Premiers, I believe. If you are close it's worth a look otherwise go with Jay's recommendation.

Click to expand...

jtompilot said:

Don’t get around much do you Here’s my short list of poor equipment. There’s plenty more but I’ll save everyone from a longer rant.

CK’s in Dallas. Only one 9’ table plays fairly well. The other four drift too much for me.
Black Diamond near Newark. GC5’s and the Diamonds should have been recovered and leveled years ago.
Shark Club in Waterford, the GC f’ed up my cue. I’ll post pics later.

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Don't need to. My home spot has ten GC4's with good cloth and good balls.

After playing Jay for a bit I drove by Mr Luckys, Only three 9’ tables and everyone was playing 8 ball. Nice small room.

I guess it will be Hard Times today. I tried calling them and google had a disconnected number.