Where to Play American Mahjong in St. Pete
Free open play, beginner classes, and weekly games around St. Petersburg and Pinellas County
At the end of almost every class, someone packs up her tiles and asks me, "Okay, so where do I actually play now?" Learning mahjong is one thing, and finding a table where you feel welcome is another.
I've taught more than 3,000 women since 2023, most of them right here in Pinellas County. So here is my map of where to play in St. Pete, sorted by where you are with the game.
If you already know how to play
Open play is where you sit down, join a table, and play real games. My recurring open plays are free, and you don't need a group or a partner. Most women come on their own and leave with three new people to play with.
Dillard's Tyrone Square: Wednesdays from 1 to 3 PM, plus the 2nd and 4th Saturday of the month from 2 to 4 PM
SkyBar + Grille: Mondays from 4:30 to 6:30 PM
I also host one-off open plays at The Library Restaurant, The Blu Halo, Paloma House, Pour & Décor, and AR Workshop St. Petersburg. A few of those venues take reservations themselves, so my open play page tells you where to sign up for each one.
Worried you'll slow everyone down? I set up a Starting Out table and a Seasoned Table, so you play with women at your own pace. Nobody gets dropped in with someone who has been playing since the 1980s.
If you've never touched a tile
Taste of Mahjong is a 90-minute introduction at Perry's Porch in downtown St. Pete, on Thursday mornings during Mahjong + Matcha. It's $28 and comes with a matcha or coffee. Pick this one if you want to find out whether you like the game before you give it a whole afternoon.
Mahjong 101 is for complete beginners. It runs 2.5 hours, costs $68, and you play a real game before you leave. I teach it at Dillard's Tyrone Square, Paloma House, the St. Pete Beach Public Library, Pour & Décor, and AR Workshop St. Petersburg.
If you learned once and it's fuzzy
Mahjong 102 is for returning beginners. That covers the woman who took 101 a few weeks ago and the woman who learned at a friend's kitchen table years ago and kept almost none of it. It runs 2 hours, costs $68, and it's about playing well, now that you can play.
Guided Play sits between a class and open play. You play real games, and I stay at the table to help whenever you get stuck.
If you're past the basics
Strategy Lab is my topic series for players who know the game and want to get sharper. Each session takes one subject, like the Charleston or scoring, and you can come to them in any order.
If you want to play from home
On the days you can't get to a table, I host a monthly online game through my I Love Mahj group, St. Petersburg / Tampa Bay Mahjong with Gaia. Joining needs an I Love Mahj subscription, and the code MYM gets you three weeks free.
I also run a free group on Mini Mahj, a daily mahjong puzzle I think of as the Wordle of mahjong. It takes a few minutes, and it keeps the tiles fresh in your head between games.
Do I need my own set or a group?
Not for class. I bring the tiles, and you'll sit with other students who are learning right alongside you.
For open play, bring your 2026 card. If you don't have one yet, I can tell you where to order it at your first class.
Find your next table
Every class and open play lives on my calendar, where you can filter by what you're looking for and see dates at every venue. Pick one date this month and put it in your phone before you close this tab.
