Private parties & corporate events
We bring the tiles. You bring the people.
Play Mahjong SF hosts mahjong parties and team events all over the Bay Area. We show up with the sets, the mats, and teachers who are good with total beginners. By the end of the night your group is playing real games and someone is yelling "Mahjong!" a little too loud.
Groups we've hosted
Hilton
Orrick
Asian Art Museum
Saint Joseph’s Arts Society
Loft Orbital
Four ways we can host your group
Pick one, or mix them. A lot of events start as a class and turn into a tournament once people get competitive.
Private parties
Birthdays, family get-togethers, a friend group that keeps saying "we should learn mahjong." We come to your home or venue, set up the tables, and teach everyone from scratch.
4 to 16 guests · your place or a venue
Corporate events & team building
Offsites, client nights, Lunar New Year and heritage month celebrations. Four people at a table, phones down, figuring something out together. It works for the quiet folks on the team too.
8 to 40+ guests · your office or event space
Mini tournaments
For groups that already play, or learned an hour ago and got hooked. We run the rounds, rotate the tables, keep score, and hand out 1st, 2nd and 3rd place signs for the group photo.
8+ players · great as a second half
Mahjong happy hours
A looser format for teams and families. Drinks in hand, a teaching table for the curious, open play for everyone else. People wander over, learn a few hands, and wander back to the snacks.
Any size · drop-in friendly
How an event comes together
1
Tell us about your group
Send us the date, the headcount, and what you're celebrating. We'll come back with a couple of questions and a quote.
2
We plan the format
Class, tournament, happy hour, or a mix. We work out how many tables and teachers you need and which style of mahjong fits your crowd.
3
We show up early
We arrive 15-30 minutes early with sets, mats, and teaching materials, and get every table ready. All you need is tables and chairs.
4
Everybody plays
We start with the tiles and build up to full games. Guests learn in pairs, so nobody gets put on the spot. First-time winners get the sign and a photo.
Bigger group? We have teachers to help!
What we bring
- Mahjong sets and table mats for every table
- A beginner cheat sheet for each guest
- Friendly, patient teachers, with more of them as your group grows
- Fun photo props, like our "My First Mahjong" sign, for the wins worth a picture
- Setup before your guests arrive and pack-up after
- Travel anywhere in San Francisco and Oakland
What you provide
Tables and chairs, one table for every four players. Food and drinks are up to you, and they're always a good idea.
Nice extras
Event photography by a working photographer. An American Mahjong table for the folks who play with a card. A certificate of insurance if your building asks.
A few recent ones
Orrick, San Francisco
An after-work mahjong night at the firm's office. We planned for 30 and about 35 showed up, so we pulled up more chairs.
Hilton offsite Team Building
A sunny patio, a lesson, then a tournament. Turning the team into a fun competition with prizes!
Private group at a wine bar
Sip and play at a gallery full of friends learning together. Bring community and friendship together.
What customers say
Ziv had our whole group laughing, learning, and actually playing mahjong! He’s a great teacher and entertainer. Such a fun way to spend a night with friends!
Mary G.
Ziv is the best and most patient teacher and an amazing person to learn from!! I had the best time with him and the other players on the table!
Simran K.
Ziv is a great instructor and is so patient! He has great learning tools as well and I am definitely coming back for another session. Thank you!
Swati P.
MEET YOUR HOST
Hi, I'm Ziv.
Play Mahjong SF started in early 2024, when a neighbor asked in a Facebook group if anyone could teach mahjong. That turned into a free monthly meetup in the Outer Sunset that still runs today. These days I also teach at the various places around the Bay Area.
I've taught a lot of first-timers by now, and my favorite part hasn't changed. It's the second someone realizes they just won and looks around the table to check if it's real. My method is to teach through stories, and a good story sticks better than a rulebook. You learn with the tiles in your hands, playing real rounds and asking questions as we go. Mahjong is a strategy game and it does get competitive, so I add one layer at a time and keep it light. Nobody gets lost or put on the spot. By the end, people are plotting against their own friends and having a great time doing it.
For bigger events I bring a small team of teachers I trust. We teach Hong Kong style by default, and can teach American, Riichi, or Taiwanese if your group prefers.
Good to know
- Group size
- 4 to 40+Small parties get one teacher. Bigger groups get a team.
- Length
- About 2.5 hoursThat's a full class. Happy hours and tournaments flex to your schedule.
- Where
- Across the Bay AreaSF and Oakland travel is included. Farther out has a small travel fee.
- Pricing
- From $60 a guestThat's for private parties. Corporate events are quoted by size and format.
Nobody in our group has played. Is that okay?
That's most of our events. We start from "this is a tile" and go from there. Experienced players are welcome too, and we can set up an open-play table for them.
What style of mahjong do you teach?
Hong Kong (Cantonese) style. It's played all over the world and it's the friendliest one to start with. We also teach American, Riichi, and Taiwanese mahjong on request.
Do we need a special kind of table?
Nope. Any table that seats four works, since our mats go on top. Card tables, cafe tables, and conference tables pushed apart have all done the job.
Our building needs a certificate of insurance.
We carry business liability insurance and can send a COI to your building or venue. Just tell us what they need when you inquire.
How does booking work?
For private parties, a $60 deposit holds your date and the rest is invoiced two days before. For companies, we're happy to work with your invoicing and vendor paperwork.
How far ahead should we reach out?
The earlier the better, especially around Lunar New Year and the winter holidays. If your date is coming up fast, ask anyway. Sometimes it works out.
Let's plan your mahjong night
Tell us a little about your group and we'll send back ideas and a quote. We usually reply within 1 to 2 business days.