Bumpers Billiards

Upon first look at Bumpers from the outside, I thought the place would turn out to be a dive. Neighboring Martinis, a local nightclub/bar in the Hoover area, a typical Saturday night in the parking lot shared by it, Martinis and the dollar movie theatre (Carmike) consists of moviegoers and rap video hopefuls. From first impression, as a result, you'd expect the clientele at Bumpers to be a little rough; but nothing could be further from the truth. Walking in, the staff is extremely friendly and respectful, and the table areas are well-kept. There are plenty of tables to choose from, and the place doesn't give any kind of "sketchy" vibe at all despite whatever might be going on outside or next door. It's pretty smoky, as you'd expect from a pool hall, but nothing too overwhelming (I'm looking at you, stogey-lovers). And of course there's a full bar, but things seem to remain pretty tame/quiet as far as potential alcohol-fueled behavior is concerned. My non-drinking friends, wife and I went one Saturday night and had a great time just shooting some pool and shootin' the crap. No problems, no worries. The price is reasonable and to grab a table, you just leave your driver's license at the bar and pay when you're done.

Bottom line - I've been to Bumpers and The Break, and had good experiences at each. But given the most recent issues in Five Points with adults who can't seem to behave that way, I'd say Bumpers is an ideal choice for a chill evening of playing a little 9-ball, without worrying about any "what-ifs".