Pool Halls in Boston

Far from being a dull game played exclusively in shabby townie bars, pool in Boston is at a whole other level. Boston pool halls are often housed within bumping clubs, where players can take a shot and a whirl on the dance floor.

Flashy Kings in the Back Bay is a combo pool hall, bowling alley, and club with an infectiously fun vibe. “Fishbowls” are the bar’s signature drink – scorpion bowls filled with a combination of juice, alcohol, and Swedish fish. Flirty singles and rowdy groups of friends nurse the neon concoctions while lining up tricky shots. Those not interested in pool can play trivia or hit up the karaoke machine instead.

Jillian’s near Fenway is on the second floor of a multi-tiered nightclub, decked out with thirty pool tables and a handful of ping pong tables, video games, dart boards, and foosball tables. The college crowd can play their favorite games to their hearts’ desire in a classier locale than their buddy’s basement, and after the games end, snuggle up to a special someone in the lounge.

Felt is another pool hall and club, with the billiards room on the second of four floors. Cathedral windows and red chandeliers lend a debonair feel to the room, which is usually packed with frat boys and young professionals leaning on their cues and sipping mixed drinks between turns.

Often going hand in hand with the dance culture of the city, the pool halls in Boston are where hot singles congregate for a wild night.