Stiix Billiards

Stiix Billiards

2520 E. Main

Ventura, CA 93003

There’s trouble,

Right here in River City

That’s trouble with a capitol T

That rhymes with P

That stands for Pool!

Robert Preston as Professor Harold Hill, The Music Man

I’ve always liked shooting pool, and I’m not bad. That’s not to say that I’m good, but I manage to string enough good shots together where some of the people that I’ve played with will tell you that I’m really good. My normal game involves two or three impressive shots, followed by some interesting flukes and the occasional win.

And I had a few favorite pool halls down south, like Yankee Doodles in Long Beach, a kind of grungy, cavernous place where I smoked big cigars and spent quality time in my 20’s, and Jakes of Pasadena, down in their basement pool room where I would take dates when I was a Pasadena resident. (Interestingly, I never had a hamburger at Jakes, which is what they’re known for). I also convinced the 20 somethings I worked with at Nordstrom Glendale that I was a pool shark, when I took down my Nordstrom manager in the 90's at Charles Billiards in Glendale. He was actually much better than I was, but I got a lucky run, sinking 5 in a row to pull the win and impress the crowd.

I have good associations playing pool. My father was pretty good, and I remember one of my Aunts had a table that my sister and I enjoyed playing on at family gatherings. Latter, in college, realized that I didn’t drink as much when I was holding a pool cue, and I since I never really liked the idea of just going out for a drink, shooting pool was perfect. And finally, you could tell how much a woman liked you by how much they leaned over and how many buttons were unbuttoned while shooting a game of pool.

Of course, that last one doesn't matter to me anymore, and now when I'm playing pool it's just like when I'm playing poker. I'm out with friends, and the conversation is more important than the game. The game is the backdrop, making it easier to talk.

And Stiix Billiards is perfect for that. I've been there Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, and I've been in in the afternoon, too. Every time it's the same. It's clean, and the tables are very well maintained. They serve beer, but the beer is a by-product of the surroundings, not the reason that people are there. There is a small bar/snack area, and there's always some people there, but they're having a drink between games, not shooting pool between beers. The guys that work there are always friendly, and know the regulars well.

I'm not a regular, but I'm in often enough to be recognized.

I've brought my son in, (the staff usually comments on how much he's grown) mostly to show him where he could have a cheap evening out, and a possible double date location, and I've brought my daughter in too, much to my wife's chagrin. ("Ladies don't go into pool halls").

You rent tables by the hour, and it's a touch more pricey on the weekend. But on a recent Sunday evening, my kids and I were in, each had a root beer and played for an hour for under $15, including a tip. As I was trying to explain to my son, a double date, two hours of pool in a clean, safe place, sodas and a $1.25 hot dog, and he could be out of there for under $20. It allows for interaction with his date, too, unlike the movies.


It's not a bar with pool tables, but a pool hall that serves beer. It's a great place to go.