Where to play mahjong near you

Mahjong left the living room. Yelp says searches for mahjong clubs were up almost 4,500% year over year as of April 2026, and Eventbrite reported a 179% jump in U.S. mahjong events from 2023 to 2024. Plenty of the new games are weekly, public and open to strangers.

1. Public libraries

The best deal in mahjong. Weekly or twice a month, often free.

• Cary Regional Library, Cary, NC: Mah Jongg Mondays, 2nd and 4th Mondays, 9:30 to 11 AM. Free, American style, sets provided for up to 12, no registration. You need the basics and a card.
• Northeast Spruill Oaks Library, Johns Creek, GA: Mahjong Mondays, a weekly American mahjong group. Experienced players only (no instruction), and registration is required.
• MLK Jr. Memorial Library, Washington, DC: DC Drop-In Mahjongg lists Tuesdays 6 to 8 PM with open play, free lessons for new players (register; lessons start on time and fill up) and a support table.

Find yours: search your library system's event calendar for "mahjong."

2. Taprooms, restaurants and wine bars

Where most of the new weekly games are. Organizers rent the tables; the venue sells food and drinks.

• Sparrow Mahjong Club, Charlotte: weekly open plays, including Mondays at Vicious Biscuit (9 AM), Rally Pickleball (6 PM) and The Club House (7 PM), Tuesdays at Open Tap (7 PM) and Wednesdays at The Auto Pour (6:30 PM). For people who already know how to play.
• Tile Tuesdays at Board in Birmingham, Hoover, AL: weekly, 6 to 8 PM, $16 with a charcuterie cup and a glass of wine. 16 spots; reserve by phone. All levels, 18+ (per Bham Now).
• Mahjong Standard, Denver suburbs: open play at Carboy Winery, Breckenridge Brewery, Uncorked Wine Bar and Postino for $35, and a lunch session at Cranelli's for $25. A teacher is on hand.

3. Mahjong studios and clubs

The newest thing: rooms built for mahjong, or member clubs with a standing game.

• The Queen's Mahjery, Charlotte: a mahjong studio in Oakhurst Commons that opened October 1, 2026, with up to 17 tables. $40 a seat (non-alcoholic drinks included), $150 a table, or $295 a month for membership. Tiles, racks, mats and cards are provided (per Axios).
• 205 Mahjong Club, Homewood, AL: member open play on alternating Mondays at Corbeau Wine Bar, $175 for the fall 2026 season. Experienced players, 21+ (per Bham Now).

4. JCCs, churches and community centers

Long-running weekly games, usually daytime.

• Mountain Brook Baptist Church, Birmingham: a free weekly meetup every Monday at 10 AM (moved from O'Neal Library during construction). The first Monday of each month is beginner lessons (per Bham Now).
• JCC East Bay, CA: a weekly Wednesday-morning Advanced Mah Jongg group. Drop-ins welcome.
• Tom Sloper's mahjong FAQ says to check bulletin boards and newsletters at senior centers, rec centers and JCCs, and to post your own note if nothing's there.

5. Meetup groups and event apps

Search each one for "American mahjong" plus your city:

• Meetup: groups like Charlotte's Pineville Neighbors Mahjong Meetup (70 members) rotate between cafes and restaurants and say on each event whether beginners can come.
• Ticket Tailor, Luma and Eventbrite: most paid open play and lessons sell seats here.
• MAHJ MAHJ: an events directory with pages for about 50 cities. Check the style tag on each listing.
• Sloperama's Find Player board: post where you live and what you play.

6. Pop-ups (dated, one night only)

Good for a first game with a lesson table. Example: High Tide Coffee, San Clemente, CA, Tuesday, October 27, 2026: learn-to-play $75 or open play $40, a drink included, tiles and mats provided for beginners.

7. Country clubs and homes

Sloperama notes that most people who play in the U.S. play at home rather than in a clubhouse, and that country club games require membership. Once you've met two or three people at open play, ask them. A home game needs four players, a set, and a card for each person.

What it costs

Listings checked October 17, 2026. We recheck every listing weekly, but confirm with the organizer before you go.

Before you go

• Know the basics, or book a lesson. "Open play" almost always means you already know how to play. New? Read how to play and run the Charleston trainer once.
• Bring your card. Cary's library game, for one, asks for it. Use the current year's card until the new one ships in spring.
• Ask whether sets are provided. Some games supply them (Cary sets up to 12 players; the Queen's Mahjery provides everything); others don't say.
• Register early. Seats are limited: Tile Tuesdays has 16 spots, and DC's free lessons fill up.
• Ask about house rules before the first hand: stakes, blind passes, and how they handle a dead hand.

Run a game? Add it free

Library, taproom, studio, club or teacher: send us your weekly game. We confirm it on your own page before it goes up, and we recheck it every week.

Questions

Where can I play mahjong near me?

Start with your public library's event calendar; weekly drop-ins are common and often free. Then search Meetup, Luma, Ticket Tailor and Eventbrite for American mahjong open play plus your city. Taprooms, restaurants, JCCs, churches and new mahjong studios all host weekly games.

What is mahjong open play?

A drop-in session where you take an open seat at a table. Most open play assumes you already know how to play. Beginners should look for a lesson or a learn-to-play table first.

How much does mahjong open play cost?

In listings we checked in October 2026: free at Cary Regional Library (NC) and a weekly Birmingham church meetup, $16 for Tile Tuesdays in Hoover, AL (wine and charcuterie included), $25 to $35 at Denver-area restaurants and wineries, and $40 a seat at Charlotte's Queen's Mahjery studio.

What is a mahjong club or studio?

A dedicated space or membership group for mahjong. Charlotte's Queen's Mahjery charges $40 a seat or $295 a month for membership, with tiles, racks, mats and cards provided. Birmingham's 205 Mahjong Club charged $175 for its fall 2026 season of member open play.

Can beginners go to mahjong open play?

Usually not. Most open play is for people who already know the game. Look for events that list free lessons, a learn-to-play table or a beginner Monday, or take one lesson first.

Keep going

• How to play American mahjong
• Charleston trainer
• Joker rules