Shoreline Billiards in Mountain View

[RileysDad]

Here is a room I gerneally like and an onwer I really respect -- Shoreline Billiards is a good solid place to play no matter if you are looking for serious action, or if you are just looking for a place to bang balls.


What it Has:

- A players area with 5 Tables set up with pockets of varying tightness. The two tables nearest the counter are really tight and a little trapped up. The right corner pocket on table 4 (facing the foot of course) just doesn' like to take balls.

- About 28 Brunswick Medalist tables in varying degrees of tightness and rail bounce

- There is a snooker table 6 x 12

- A great old Brunswick three cushion table

- Snacks and drinks at the front counter (including beer & wine)

- No hassle about bringing outside food and drink (unilke most other places)

Best of all Is Jeff the Owner. This guy used to work for HP before deciding to go out on his own and do the pool thing.

Jeff makes an effort to know the regulars, keep the place rocking, and to be up on what is happening.

Jeff also makes it a point of playing in a lot of the leagues and is a fairly accomplished straight-pool player and is a real part of the whole experience.

What it needs:

- A little more regular maintenance of the tables. A lot of the tables play a bit erratically and would benefit from consistent rails and frecher cloth

- Speakers aimed away from the players area -- I just don't like heavy metal when I'm playing


Overall ambience:

A lot more rough and ready than California Billiards. The crowds are mor working class with a bit of the "thug" thing going on.

The gamblers are a tad harder core than California as well, but there is action going on.

Heavy Metal or Country ios the music of choice and the big room booms with it a lot of the time.

Counter staff can be a trip. Richard is cool, Colin fancies himslef a stone gambler and a "playa", Chris like to action, but wants the nuts.

Overall a 9

:)

[Troy]

And I can add that the house are well maintained... :) :)

Troy

[runonce]

The counter staff has changed a bit since the original post. Chris and Colin no longer work there, although they are very regular visitors there. Both are excellent players

I remember from some years ago, as well, and that this Chris (Capp) preferred to play one pocket. He was decent enough at it. I think that Richard was also there when Jeff opened the room. So it's perhaps surprising to see Chris move on.

It was, I agree, a comfortable place. I think they changed the cloth once a year, and that almost wasn't sufficient. It seemed generally abandoned on workday afternoons, but was packed on weekend nights, with the 'rougher', or noiser, crowd I of which I think you complained.

But it was a good spot. Jeff was a good player in his own right, a decent amateur in all the basic games. But I don't think it, like other pool halls, is where one would find 'action'. I think that Jeff encouraged, instead, corporate days, and these 'get-together' APA tournaments, and similar. It's not that there wouldn't be any wagering, though.