I'll be down in Old Town San Diego for a couple of days and wanted to check out College Billiards.
Is that near Old Town?
Thanks!!!
Is that near Old Town?
Thanks!!!
San Diego pool hall, (Old Town)
- Thread starter shooter777
- Start date
Jerry Forsyth
Well-known member
No, the room in Old Town is Gaslamp Billiards.
Actually, Gaslamp billiards is downtown and has changed quite a bit I hear.
Old Town is north of downtown and I don't recall there being a pool hall there. Its only a few miles from downtown, though. Mostly tourist stuff in Old Town.
College Billiards is out east from downtown around 52nd street. It takes about 10-15 minutes to get there from downtown if traffic is ok.
On Cue billiards is even farther out east than that but it appears to be the place the local players prefer these days.
For non-serious pool, Society in Pacific Beach has some good food, is located in a great area with tons of bars, restaurants, cute girls, and is less than a mile from the beach. They might still have a deal where you can buy ten bucks worth of food or drink and play till 7pm. Bad lighting, and most tables there aren't too good, but they're nine footers and good enough for casual play.
Hungry Stick in Claremont isn't too far from Old Town and is OK. Nine footers, bar tables, usual burger and fries menu but not a bad place. Tables were good, not great, and had slow cloth when I played there.
Old Town is north of downtown and I don't recall there being a pool hall there. Its only a few miles from downtown, though. Mostly tourist stuff in Old Town.
College Billiards is out east from downtown around 52nd street. It takes about 10-15 minutes to get there from downtown if traffic is ok.
On Cue billiards is even farther out east than that but it appears to be the place the local players prefer these days.
For non-serious pool, Society in Pacific Beach has some good food, is located in a great area with tons of bars, restaurants, cute girls, and is less than a mile from the beach. They might still have a deal where you can buy ten bucks worth of food or drink and play till 7pm. Bad lighting, and most tables there aren't too good, but they're nine footers and good enough for casual play.
Hungry Stick in Claremont isn't too far from Old Town and is OK. Nine footers, bar tables, usual burger and fries menu but not a bad place. Tables were good, not great, and had slow cloth when I played there.
I wanted to take my little brother to College Billiards just because of the history of the place. He is graduating Marine Corps boot camp friday so I wanted to take him out for some fun friday night shooting pool. He loves it!!! 
We will be staying at Hotel Circle come to find out, so is College Billiards pretty close to there?
We will be staying at Hotel Circle come to find out, so is College Billiards pretty close to there?
I just tried calling them and their listed number is out of service.
They are still open, right?
They are still open, right?
troi said:
Thanks guys, rep going out to all whom replied!!!!
Please be aware that College Billiards is not what it use to be. Since the new owners the music is load. The clientel has changed. More ballbanger gang bangers then players like before. Like others have said the action room is now On Cue. I also reccomend The Hungry Stick.
rackem said:
Damn, sorry to hear that.
Might just have to pop in to kind of say "I've been to College Billiards once".
Then go play at On Cue.
You're really not missing much if you don't make it to College. Last time I was there, my friend's motorcycle got stolen from out front. Some of the players there are...how do you say...less than refined.
I was entering there one day and a player out front sees a pack of smokes. He picks them up and realizes its empty. Instead of putting it in the trash next to him, he throws the box into the street. I follow him in and I swear he rips a fart and never blinks an eye...just keeps walking like nothing happened. After taking a short snooze by the snooker table waiting for a golf game, he wakes up and spits on the floor. He learned his manners in a different country but still, even a pool hall with some history (Swannee,etc...) has to keep some of the trash out.
He actually seemed offended when I told him I didn't want to play him three cushion one time. I wonder how spitting on the floor and firing off some butt exhaust would go over at a professional three cushion tourney
Used to be a group of cool people who played during the day (a lot of nice people played the tourneys there too) but at night its usually half filled with punks and wannabe gangsters. Weekend nights are not recommended for those not used to shady areas.
I was entering there one day and a player out front sees a pack of smokes. He picks them up and realizes its empty. Instead of putting it in the trash next to him, he throws the box into the street. I follow him in and I swear he rips a fart and never blinks an eye...just keeps walking like nothing happened. After taking a short snooze by the snooker table waiting for a golf game, he wakes up and spits on the floor. He learned his manners in a different country but still, even a pool hall with some history (Swannee,etc...) has to keep some of the trash out.
He actually seemed offended when I told him I didn't want to play him three cushion one time. I wonder how spitting on the floor and firing off some butt exhaust would go over at a professional three cushion tourney
Used to be a group of cool people who played during the day (a lot of nice people played the tourneys there too) but at night its usually half filled with punks and wannabe gangsters. Weekend nights are not recommended for those not used to shady areas.
We wound up at Society Billiards for all of about 40 minutes. The place is just not my kind of place at all. Mostly teenie-bopper types just drinking and haning out and maybe banging at a ball every now and again. 
We wound up playing at the Hungry Stick and had a very good time. The place had some history, you could just feel it being in that old room.
The tables were kind of run down but there were some descent shooters there and we had a good time.
Thanks again to all who replied!!!
We wound up playing at the Hungry Stick and had a very good time. The place had some history, you could just feel it being in that old room.
The tables were kind of run down but there were some descent shooters there and we had a good time.
Thanks again to all who replied!!!
bud green said:
It has been a long time since I have been there, but cute girls sure is right! Bikini Clad Girls walking by the pool room regularly on the weekends
Keep your eyes open if you do go to College Billiards. Last time I was there(last year) a couple people got robbed and mugged waiting for
the bus out front.
I parked in the rear and had a couple people eyeballing us on the ay back to my truck. I was glad that there were 4 of us.
I prefer Gaslamp to College any day. Never been to any of the others except On Cue. However bikini clad girls does sound good during a break.
the bus out front.
I parked in the rear and had a couple people eyeballing us on the ay back to my truck. I was glad that there were 4 of us.
I prefer Gaslamp to College any day. Never been to any of the others except On Cue. However bikini clad girls does sound good during a break.
shooter777 said:I'll be down in Old Town San Diego for a couple of days and wanted to check out College Billiards.
Is that near Old Town?
Thanks!!!
I don't know what the name is now, but the room formerly known as Gas Lamp is probably closer to you than College.
If you can locate the trolly that runs through San Diego, it will drop you off very close to Gas Lamp. The view is much easier on the eyes as well in that area....and you won't have to look for parking.
Not sure what that room is like anymore since the owners changed.
I personally would not go to College unless there was a tournament or was looking for action.....JMO
The first time I went into College, I was getting a rack from the front counter and a guy from out of no where approached me and asked me if I wanted to play some. (I had not even hit a ball in that state before) I said perhaps, what do you want to do....He said how bout we play some cheap for $50...I said race to what...He looked at me puzzled and said...No $50 a rack....
I chuckled and politley declined....turnes out I should have played him as he was a lower skill level than me, but just had a lot of daddy's money in his pocket...(I guess you never really now either way)
I never saw too much action there, to tell you the truth. I used to have a monthly membership and played there a lot. Only when the Swannee tourney was going on did I see anyone seriously looking for $50/game type of action.
Sorry to hear the hall is getting worse. Some VERY fine players such as Louis Ulrich, Sam Manoale, Victor Castro, and others used to play there.
That part of San Diego can definately get a little shady though. My boss at US FILTER used to live about five or 6 blocks away from there. Someone backed a moving truck up to his house and stole everything in the middle of the day. And I mean, EVERYTHING, not just the tvs, furniture,etc...They even took all the small items like silverware, toasters,etc...neighbors just thought he was moving.
A friend and a great player, Mike Webber, passed away about five years ago in San Diego. His brother took too long to go to Mike's house and pack everything up. Yep, you guessed it, they stole everything including all of Mike's cues that some of my other friends would of loved to have to remember Mike. I still miss him kicking my ass and giving me the fist pump on a good shot.
Sorry to hear the hall is getting worse. Some VERY fine players such as Louis Ulrich, Sam Manoale, Victor Castro, and others used to play there.
That part of San Diego can definately get a little shady though. My boss at US FILTER used to live about five or 6 blocks away from there. Someone backed a moving truck up to his house and stole everything in the middle of the day. And I mean, EVERYTHING, not just the tvs, furniture,etc...They even took all the small items like silverware, toasters,etc...neighbors just thought he was moving.
A friend and a great player, Mike Webber, passed away about five years ago in San Diego. His brother took too long to go to Mike's house and pack everything up. Yep, you guessed it, they stole everything including all of Mike's cues that some of my other friends would of loved to have to remember Mike. I still miss him kicking my ass and giving me the fist pump on a good shot.
shooter777 said:We wound up at Society Billiards for all of about 40 minutes. The place is just not my kind of place at all. Mostly teenie-bopper types just drinking and haning out and maybe banging at a ball every now and again.
We wound up playing at the Hungry Stick and had a very good time. The place had some history, you could just feel it being in that old room.
The tables were kind of run down but there were some descent shooters there and we had a good time.
Thanks again to all who replied!!!
Glad to hear you had a goodtime down in S.D.!
DJ