Mahjong, which has seen a surge in interest across the U.S., is spilling out of classrooms and living rooms and into Dallas restaurants.
It makes sense — mahjong is an easy-to-learn social game that requires a group of four (or three with some modifications), and can be played while drinking or snacking.
For restaurants with a load of four-tops, hosting mahjong feels like a no-brainer: it’s a nice atmosphere for beginners to learn the game; gives competitive, experienced players a chance to face off against new opponents; and brings people in on quieter nights.
Catbird in the National Building in Downtown Dallas, which began hosting mahjong in 2023, recently announced the return of Monday mahjong and martinis, an event held on the first Monday of the month.
There is a $15 entrance fee for experienced players who want to BYOT (bring your own tiles) and a $45 ticket for beginners, who can learn to play by taking lessons from the Marvelous Mrs. Mahjong.
The game of mahjong, which comes from China, is about skill and luck, with various iterations played around the globe.
An American version, governed by the National Mahjongg League, uses over 100 tiles to create winning hands — a new card with legal hands is issued every year, which is part of the challenge.
Part of why mahjong is taking off in popularity right now is the social nature of the game.
In 2024, KERA reported on Dubs Tea N’ Eats in Plano, hosting wildly popular mahjong events that attract a variety of people, including the ever-difficult to get Gen Z customers.
CBS DFW reports that even school-aged children in North Texas are learning to play the game as a stress reducer and to gain critical strategic thinking skills.
Older players seem to love it too — many of the locations currently hosting it in Dallas are in the Oak Lawn and Park Cities neighborhoods, where wealthier white women make up the audiences.
It’s just as popular in the ’burbs, including cities like Plano and Richardson where Asian Americans make up a large chunk of the population.
Across the country, cohorts of young Asian Americans have taken to the game as a way of reclaiming their culture and keeping traditions alive.
Coupes, the Oak Lawn Champagne bar, held some mahjong events earlier this year, also on a Monday, with lessons for beginners offered by Jovann Walker.
The owners of Coupes tell Eater Dallas that whether an event is happening or not, folks are welcome to bring their tiles in and play at any time.
Walker’s next mahjong event, learning to play the 2025 card, is scheduled at Perch Bistro and Bar on April 23, which now hosts a weekly mahjong and martinis night of its own on Tuesdays in its private room with $7 “tiny tinis” and a $150 entry fee to join the league for a season.
Asian Mint is all in on mahjong, hosting monthly sessions to play and learn at different price points, with the next one coming up on May 12.
A quick search shows mahjong-themed events at Beverly’s (with lessons by Clara Sherman of So Bam Fun), and a recent trip to Le PasSage for brunch revealed that a big chunk of the dining room was reserved for an afternoon game of mahjong by a large group who hired their own instructor.
Just this week, Bowie House in Fort Worth offered $50 tickets to a conversation with the controversial Kate LaGere, co-founder of the Mahjong Line, that included a ranch water and a mahjong session with the Mahj Girls.
It also has mahjong games available at its pool for the summer season.
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