Palomino Pool Hall

So I was trying to handle this privately but I still have yet to get a response from the owners of Palomino Pool Hall in Gainesville, FL. My sister and I went there to play pool on Sunday March 24th around 7:30 pm. We were at the back table by the bathrooms. My sister had set her handbag down on the table behind us and her IPhone. In between 7:50 & 8:20 a couple approached our table pretending to dance and look lovey dovey like they were having fun. I didn’t see the woman take the phone but she picked up the phone first and continued to dance closer to the table. I started to watch them as they were extremely close to my sisters drink. I seen the girlfriend pick up my sisters bag and try to put it in her backpack. I confronted the couple and they stated they thought the bag was a friends but they had no friends present with them. I alerted the bartender and the security officer that they were thieves. The couple tried to walk away but I got the attention of the whole bar. They turn back around and without looking at the phone the girlfriend took my sisters phone out of her pocket and stated the same excuse she did with her purse. “She thought it was a friends phone”. The bouncer Steven approached and let me know those were his friends and that I needed to calm down because she didn’t steal anything she gave it back. He refused to kick them out of the bar because he was friends with the thieves so we paid our tab, cleaned off our table, and left. As we were leaving the couple stated they were leaving. Approximately 30 mins later we returned to the bar to get names of everyone during the incident and the bouncer had let the thieves back into the bar. Several other customers at the bar approached us and told us that they were on our side that the couple was getting close to other people trying to access their belongings and they were glad we came back and they left again. The bartender even insisted we get in contact with the owners because this was not the first incident with this couple and the bouncer that was on the job that night. We are regulars at this bar and we never have this issue with your other bouncer present. I am very observant because I am a security officer myself. You should really evaluate the staff you have that are supposed to protect your establishment. Your bouncers should not let friendship cloud their judgment.

Not a huge fan of their tables or how humid it gets. When we played on the tables a week ago it was raining and the more rain we got the slower the balls rolled on the tables from the humidity. They have 2 tables set up for APA matches and most of the time the other patrons aren't paying attention and they'll bump into us. Kind of annoying. But the atmosphere is pretty good

I play here before table roll true am pick up stick again I play on fla pro tour before nice bartender cash game wed night 10bucks a game 9ball

Love the pool hall nice tables, good sticks and no smoking. Great venue! Female bartender was one of the most unprofessional and unfriendly people in the service industry I’ve come across. I brought in 10 people for a post Christmas dinner drink and hangout. There was zero people at the bar and 2 bartenders. We were greeted quickly by the female, short brunette. I asked if she could make an old fashion for my wife and I. Her reply was this after a pause and an eye roll, “yeah, but if we get busy I won’t be able to make you another one later.” Wow. So you mean to tell me that in that particular moment, your possible future inability to make me a drink was more important than just smiling and getting to work on making your customers happy? I waited tables for 7 years and had I ever treated anyone with that little respect, I would have been let go. My recommendation to ownership, let the face of your business represent you well or move them to a role more suited for less customer interaction. I ordered a bourbon and ginger later to lessen her load. She was equally uninterested in that order. Perhaps just a bad night for the young lady. Praying for better days for her. The male bartender took some orders from my group and was spot on. Appreciate you man!

I love the free pool on Wednesdays and the reasonably priced drinks.