Bar Games: A Few Spots Where You Can Shoot Pool in Beijing
Winter is well underway in the capital and if you're looking for some indoor fun away from the cold, shooting some pool while enjoying a drink or two is a great way to spend a casual afternoon or evening. There are quite a few bars in Beijing with pool tables. Here are a few of our favorite spots. Note: As it is Spring Festival it's best to check ahead that these places are open during the holiday, you can find holiday hour details in this post. Timekeepers x Ballhouse This unassuming hutong haunt has long been famous for its pool table because actor Vin Diesel once played on it – and yes they have a picture on display to prove it! The space came under new ownership last year, seeing it transform into Timekeepers x Ballhouse and undergo a few renovations and changes, including moving the pool table to a side area of the bar so players are now less in the way of other patrons. Another update is that they now host a weekly pool competition on Wednesdays, where eight players can take part in a knock-out challenge to win a grand prize! All players receive a free drink and can also make use of the Winesday deal where all bottles of wine are 20 percent off. If you're not going on a Wednesday, they have a variety of other daily deals and a daily happy hour, too, for those looking to sip on something as they play. Timekeepers x Ballhouse40 Zhonglouwan Hutong, Xicheng District西城区钟楼湾胡同40号Hours: Sun-Thu 5.30pm-1am, Fri-Sat 5.30pm-3amContact: WeChat ID gh_c2c16f3987a0 Spuds Irish Bar If you're looking to play pool in a pub style atmosphere in Beijing, then you can't really do better than Spuds Irish Bar (formerly Durty Nellies). Located in Dongzhimen, here you can play pool while enjoying one of their draft beers (a Guinness, for example) and some Irish pub grub. They also have a daily happy hour and will normally have sports showing on their multiple TVs so you can catch a game as you shoot some pool. Spuds Irish Bar 爱尔兰酒吧B1/F, Block 3, Dangdai Wanguo City, 1 Xiangheyuan Lu, Chaoyang District朝阳区香河园路1号当代万国城3座B1楼Hours: 10am-2amPhone: 131 2135 2835 Q MEX Bar & Grill All four branches of Q MEX have a pool table, so technically that’s a total of four pool tables added to this list! If you're looking for a bit more space while you play, their Solana branch may be the best option as the pool table is situated upstairs away from the main dining areas. All Q MEX locations have half price food deals running throughout the week and a great daily happy hour, making them a good option to grab a bite to eat and enjoy some drinks while also shooting a game. The Local Sanlitun sports bar The Local has a pool table up on their second floor, and it's the perfect spot if you want to watch some sports at the same time as playing pool. They also have some great food deals running throughout the week as well a daily happy hour, so you can so you can make use of those and save some RMB as you play. The Local Bar & Grill1/F, 101, Southeast of Zone E, Bldg 80, Courtyard No. 4, Gongti Beilu, Chaoyang District朝阳区工体北路4号院80号楼E区东南侧第一间101一层Hours: 11am-midnightPhone: 010 6591 9525 The Pool Bar A bit of a no-brainer given the name, The Pool Bar is another hutong bar that has, you guessed it, a pool table. Open until 3am, this is the ideal place for those looking for a bit of late-night pool to wind down after a night out on the town. If you’re looking for some other games to entertain you, they also have two foosball tables upstairs. The Pool Bar106 Gulou Dongdajie, Dongcheng District东城区鼓楼东大街106号Hours: 1pm-3am The Corner Bistro Located in the CBD, The Corner Bistro is a great option for those who work in the area and fancy shooting some pool during lunch or after work. A great thing about the pool table here is that there is ample space around it, so you don't need to worry about patrons getting in the way as you play and vice versa. They've also got plenty of beers on tap and a food menu with classic bar grub like burgers, pizza, pasta, snacks and more. The Corner BistroFortune Shopping Center (Zhaofeng Jie), 7 East Third Ring Middle Road, Chaoyang District朝阳区财富购物中心(兆丰街)东三环中路7号Hours: 11.30am-11pmPhone: 010 8587 6888 ext. 3012 Eudora Station Up near Siyuanqiao, Eudora Station is the furthest out of central Beijing of all the bars on our list, which means that it also tends to be less busy. Plus, thanks to the fact that this venue has ample seating in the front and back of the restaurant, the area surrounding the pool table is usually pretty quiet. This might be a good shout for those with minimal spatial awareness when playing pool. Eudora Station6 Fangyuan Xilu, Chaoyang District朝阳区芳园西路6号Hours: 10.30am-1.30amPhone: 010 6437 8331 Provided:Paid:
Winter is well underway in the capital and if you're looking for some indoor fun away from the cold, shooting some pool while enjoying a drink or two is a great way to spend a casual afternoon or evening. There are quite a few bars in Beijing with pool tables. Here are a few of our favorite spots.
Note: As it is Spring Festival it's best to check ahead that these places are open during the holiday, you can find holiday hour details in this post.
Timekeepers x Ballhouse
This unassuming hutong haunt has long been famous for its pool table because actor Vin Diesel once played on it – and yes they have a picture on display to prove it! The space came under new ownership last year, seeing it transform into Timekeepers x Ballhouse and undergo a few renovations and changes, including moving the pool table to a side area of the bar so players are now less in the way of other patrons.
Another update is that they now host a weekly pool competition on Wednesdays, where eight players can take part in a knock-out challenge to win a grand prize! All players receive a free drink and can also make use of the Winesday deal where all bottles of wine are 20 percent off. If you're not going on a Wednesday, they have a variety of other daily deals and a daily happy hour, too, for those looking to sip on something as they play.
Timekeepers x Ballhouse
40 Zhonglouwan Hutong, Xicheng District
西城区钟楼湾胡同40号
Hours: Sun-Thu 5.30pm-1am, Fri-Sat 5.30pm-3am
Contact: WeChat ID gh_c2c16f3987a0
Spuds Irish Bar
If you're looking to play pool in a pub style atmosphere in Beijing, then you can't really do better than Spuds Irish Bar (formerly Durty Nellies). Located in Dongzhimen, here you can play pool while enjoying one of their draft beers (a Guinness, for example) and some Irish pub grub. They also have a daily happy hour and will normally have sports showing on their multiple TVs so you can catch a game as you shoot some pool.
Spuds Irish Bar 爱尔兰酒吧
B1/F, Block 3, Dangdai Wanguo City, 1 Xiangheyuan Lu, Chaoyang District
朝阳区香河园路1号当代万国城3座B1楼
Hours: 10am-2am
Phone: 131 2135 2835
Q MEX Bar & Grill
All four branches of Q MEX have a pool table, so technically that’s a total of four pool tables added to this list! If you're looking for a bit more space while you play, their Solana branch may be the best option as the pool table is situated upstairs away from the main dining areas. All Q MEX locations have half price food deals running throughout the week and a great daily happy hour, making them a good option to grab a bite to eat and enjoy some drinks while also shooting a game.
The Local
Sanlitun sports bar The Local has a pool table up on their second floor, and it's the perfect spot if you want to watch some sports at the same time as playing pool. They also have some great food deals running throughout the week as well a daily happy hour, so you can so you can make use of those and save some RMB as you play.
The Local Bar & Grill
1/F, 101, Southeast of Zone E, Bldg 80, Courtyard No. 4, Gongti Beilu, Chaoyang District
朝阳区工体北路4号院80号楼E区东南侧第一间101一层
Hours: 11am-midnight
Phone: 010 6591 9525
The Pool Bar
A bit of a no-brainer given the name, The Pool Bar is another hutong bar that has, you guessed it, a pool table. Open until 3am, this is the ideal place for those looking for a bit of late-night pool to wind down after a night out on the town. If you’re looking for some other games to entertain you, they also have two foosball tables upstairs.
The Pool Bar
106 Gulou Dongdajie, Dongcheng District
东城区鼓楼东大街106号
Hours: 1pm-3am
The Corner Bistro
Located in the CBD, The Corner Bistro is a great option for those who work in the area and fancy shooting some pool during lunch or after work. A great thing about the pool table here is that there is ample space around it, so you don't need to worry about patrons getting in the way as you play and vice versa. They've also got plenty of beers on tap and a food menu with classic bar grub like burgers, pizza, pasta, snacks and more.
The Corner Bistro
Fortune Shopping Center (Zhaofeng Jie), 7 East Third Ring Middle Road, Chaoyang District
朝阳区财富购物中心(兆丰街)东三环中路7号
Hours: 11.30am-11pm
Phone: 010 8587 6888 ext. 3012
Eudora Station
Up near Siyuanqiao, Eudora Station is the furthest out of central Beijing of all the bars on our list, which means that it also tends to be less busy. Plus, thanks to the fact that this venue has ample seating in the front and back of the restaurant, the area surrounding the pool table is usually pretty quiet. This might be a good shout for those with minimal spatial awareness when playing pool.
Eudora Station
6 Fangyuan Xilu, Chaoyang District
朝阳区芳园西路6号
Hours: 10.30am-1.30am
Phone: 010 6437 8331
