The Palomino Pool Room

Certainly, nothing to dislike: ample pool tables and also a decent but not huge crowd (so it’s rarely really overcrowded) plus the bartender in the actual pool hall area makes very good old fashioneds as well as having a diverse selection of beers. Since it’s connected to Boca Fiesta and all that, you have the chance to move between what’s going on at each venue – karaōke perhaps at Boca, pool here. For me, a lot more fun than most clubs or overly crowded bars in town.

Believe it not, my mom used to play pool quite a bit when I was a kid, and sometimes during the day she would take me up to the only bar in town with a table to knock around a few. Though that place (and most pool joints) was a little worn and rough ’round the edges, I never lost a fondness for pool. Palomino is the first place I’ve been to that offers pool tables with both a pleasant atmosphere and exceptional service, and is my recommendation for any sharks looking to play.
The Venue
Mixed into the plethora of downtown businesses, Palomino’s main entrance sits right off of 2^nd place. For those unfamiliar, parking will be either parallel on the street or in one of the lots nearby that lifts restrictions. The latest these lots usually lift is 4:30 PM, so you can make it to happy hour without getting towed. Through the doors a spread of ~8 tables will fill the room, and to your immediate left is the bar. This also isn’t just for pool pros to sharpen their skills: a foosball table, dart board, and ping pong table also are around to emphasize that all levels of skills are welcome.
Decoration is definitely kept to a minimum, but there are little streaks of charm like the old school, wooden auditorium benches they have placed around for sitting or the fabulously-​drawn menu of beer bottles they have in stock. They even have a jukebox if you want to play some tunes, though on nights when the «backyard» has a show (the backdoors of Palomino are any entrance to this «backyard») it can sometimes drown out your selections. One other plus: they’ve got numerous TVs on mute so if you want to follow a football game while you’re there you can.
The Vibe
As I hinted at before, Palomino is the everyman’s pool hall. You don’t have to be great to play, you don’t get snide looks from «pros», and you don’t have to settle for cheap beer/​liquor while your playing. There are tournaments hosted here and the tables are treated with respect, but I still come with friends all the time. They stay well-​stocked on sticks and chalk to accommodate for a high volume of players, which is nice. The small details are what I really appreciate though: they have a little metal dispenser right near the dartboard that has baby powder in it to soften your hands before playing AND they built shelves onto their tables so you can stash your glass in between shots.
Getting a table means opening a tab with the bar, and the typical price is $ 7 an hour. Weekends you may find a list has formed for getting a table, but I am hardly ever faced with a wait. If it happens, you can always pass the time with foosball or a drink. They have a fully-​stocked bar and some solid specials, 6 taps that mainly sport local craft beers, and a few snacks if you should need a tiny bite (including homemade beef jerky). I’ve never found the servers to be rude, and even with a lot of traffic they keep up, no problem.
Final Thoughts
Since Palomino is also jointly owned by the people running Boca Fiesta, you can get a meal and eat it in Palomino which I find a nice plus. It’s also awesome that, regardless of whether The Backyard is hosting a show with cover charge, the Palomino never has one. If my friends and I are ever faltering on a game plan for our Friday nights, Palomino is always a great choice that provides hours of comfortable entertainment without costing an arm and a leg.

Jacob and Keri at the outdoor patio bar are awesome and the house made cider is delicious.

Things that make this a cool place to go:
1) I went on a Friday night and there was no cover.
2) It’s one big open room with pool tables, ping pong tables and a back area with a bar and a stage (+/​-​band). Basically lots of people mingling, having fun.
3) The drink deals are sweet, $ 2 Tecate = clutch.
4) There are a lot of people, but not so many that you feel like you can’t move (cough, grog house, cough cough). Which is nice, because it’s less likely that you’ll leave with herpes on your leg. #winning
5) People here are chill. This is Gainesville, people should be nice.
Summary: Go to Palomino, play pool/​ping pong. Enjoy your night. Repeat as needed.

This places smells like a bowling alley bathroom, the bartenders are always grouchy. Perfect place for the awkward annual fine arts social. Steve Polta was here.

This review is more for the backyard less for the palomino, I don’t know how they’re affiliated, but here goes.
The backyard is ridiculous and I can’t believe I paid to get in the door. The DJ was NOT awesome, only mildly above putting an iPod on shuffle. But my main gripe is the drinks! They’re expensive… and the pour is awful. I thought it was just my bartender so I tried a different one, and same results. So not okay.
If you like hipster bars with horribly poured drinks, PBR specials and a mediocre DJ, this is your place.

Naw man. You can’t give this place less than 5 stars. Take away a star bc the jukebox isn’t free anymore??? This is ‘merika, freedom ain’t free and neither is running a local business. Great pool tables. Good alcohol selection. Food if you want it from Boca. Vibrant ping pong matches. Good music. Good staff. Good people to look at… it seems everyone could be friends here. An awesome court yard. AND non-​smoking. Oh yeah a fucking black and white vintage photo booth. What more do you want you spoiled children!

Great pool tables, great staff/​owners, great indie music in the jukebox or playing from bartender’s ipod.
Often a concert or other event on the back patio which it shares with Boca Fiesta and has its own bar. Last time I was there the concert was one of the guys from Holopaw with his own band and the price was «pay what you want.» Love that.
Very affordable, very friendly crowd, good enough beer selection.
If you like to play pool, good music, or a laid-​back bar that welcomes all types of people, you will be happy here.

I’m sure the place is nice but the bartender is AWFUL. There was A BALL OF HAIR in my shot and when I told him about it he told me «sorry that happened, it was probably when your friends picked it up» when he was the one with a 10 inch beard. SO DISGUSTING. I WILL NEVER GO BACK. FILTHY, FILTHY, FILTHY.

Wonderful for a game of pool or two. or spending a couple hours. On Saturdays in the fall, the football game is playing. Also has a ping pong table. best part.

Great pool hall. No smoking, cement floors and table tennis. One star taken away for the juke box not being free anymore. Clean bathrooms.
Grab some food from Big Lou’s or Boca Fiesta during a break.

This is a sweet place that I always forget to hit up when out for a night on the town, but they always do right. Draft beer selection is always good, bartender is always nice and attentive, there’s always some ridiculous junk on the TV which is highly entertaining, and in case you didn’t guess, the place has a bunch of pool tables — and table tennis, too. The outdoor area is a courtyard shared with Boca Fiesta (called The Back Yard Bar, or something) and they show movies on the weekends, host record sale events, and have a new Malibu Nights theme with a faux beach setup. I just noticed last time I was in that they have a full service liquor bar — maybe that was always the case.
The men’s bathroom has no crapper, which is weird but kudos to the owners (who wants dudes shitting in their bar?).

Great pool hall, and a great bar in its own right… tables are nice, all prices reasonable. I’ve been several times and we’ve never been the only ones there playing, but at the same time I’ve never seen it so busy that you have to wait for a table. Keep up the good work!

Aww Palomino. I am throwing no salt on this place, it’s just a good Gainesville time. I’m docking a star because at some tables you feel a little cramped while playing, but in general everyone is so laidback that they are willing to wait in between turns. The music has been good each time I’ve been, I even heard The Mountain Goats play the first time I went and they have ping pong in the back. It never feels crowded and the vibe is always very welcoming.

Good space, great crowd — I thought the place was non-​smoking but it seemed someone lit up anyway and fouled the air. Or, maybe it just blew in from the back patio.
A former warehouse that has been transformed into a cool pool room with a great bar. Jameson’s and Ginger — 5 bucks at the bar. Not a bad price for top shelf. I’ll definitely be back and stay longer with a lovely companion. Luckily for me its within walking distance.

I went here on s Gator Stompin stop a few months ago. It’s a new pool hall downtown near the Hippodrome, and I was impressed! It has no carpet (cement) so you avoid alot of the overwhleming smoke smell inherent with alot of pool halls. The bartender was very friendly and their was a decent selection of beer (including swamphead and woodchuck).
Also had a nice outdoor patio area where there is a ping pong table as well.
The bathrooms were also some of the cleanest I have ever been in!
Can’t wait to go back!

Great place! Its the only pool hall in town that is non-​smoking, which makes for a great «atmosphere». Nice selection of craft brews on tap and a good selection of bottled beer, wine, and liquor, all reasonably priced. Plenty of TV’s throughout the space to show games. Well kept bathrooms. Definitely my favorite pool hall in town.