Marin Mahjong

Category: Local group · Chinese Mahjong
Also called: MarinMahjong; Dinna Davis / Let’s Mahj On
Last checked: 2026-08-25

What it is

Marin Mahjong is a Marin County, CA open-play group and teaching community for Chinese Mahjong. It is not American Mah Jongg and it is not Japanese Riichi. Founder Dinna Davis’s first-party site says the group brings Chinese Mahjong to players of all ages and skill levels, with group lessons and drop-in social play across Marin (and one San Francisco waterfront table). The Lessons page teaches Pong, Chow, Kong, winds, dragons, and flowers — Chinese rules, not an NMJL card.

Who it’s for

Anyone in Marin or nearby Bay Area who wants a Chinese Mahjong table — beginners through experienced players. Distinct from East Bay American / NMJL drop-in (Bay Area Mahj and others) and from Bay Area Riichi (Pacific Mahjong League).

Why it’s listed

This is a first-party club site with a host-venue social-play calendar and 2026 dates, not a scraped directory card. As of 2026-08-25 it is the clearest Chinese open-play calendar in the SF / Marin metro.

• Homepage on 2026-08-25 carried dated newsletters through July 25, 2026 (“The Spaces Between the Tiles”).
• Social Play + Events is the schedule of record: weekly Chinese Mahjong tables at named Marin venues plus Mondays at Pier 23 Cafe on the San Francisco Embarcadero.
• Dated 2026 copy on that page included Trailhead (Novato) August 3, 17, 24, 31, 5:00–7:30 pm; Strawberry Rec Center resuming August 24; Bon Air Center social play starting August 5.
• Lessons page on the check date listed fall 2026 beginner series (September–November dates at Margaret Todd / Novato, Corte Madera Parks & Rec, San Anselmo Rec, Mill Valley Community Center, Strawberry Rec) and a Sausalito Parks + Rec introduction workshop August 25 and 27, 2026.
• Most listed social-play blocks are printed FREE. Rec-center tables may ask for a printed membership or drop-in (see Notes). Lesson rates are not printed; the Lessons page says to email MarinMahjong@gmail.com.

Hours above are what the official pages showed on the check date. They can change. Use Social Play + Events before treating any weekday as fixed.

Official URL

Schedule of record: https://www.marinmahjong.com/social-play-and-events

Club site: https://www.marinmahjong.com/

Lessons + private events: https://www.marinmahjong.com/lessons-and-private-bookings

Community partners (street phones): https://www.marinmahjong.com/community-partners

Location

Marin County, California (Mill Valley, Larkspur, Novato, Tiburon, Greenbrae, Corte Madera), plus one San Francisco waterfront table. Addresses printed on the Social Play page or the Community Partners page on 2026-08-25:

• Pier 23 Cafe, 23 The Embarcadero, San Francisco, CA 94111 — Mondays 4:00–7:00 pm (page label: winter hours). Social Play copy: free social play for people who already have Chinese Mahjong experience; bring a set. Pier 23’s own calendar on the check date listed Mahjong Mondays 4:00–7:00 pm on 2026-08-31, 2026-09-07, 2026-09-21, and 2026-09-28.
• Mamahuhu, 173 Throckmorton, Mill Valley — every Monday 6:00–9:00 pm, free social play.
• Strawberry Rec Center, 118 E. Strawberry Drive, Mill Valley — Mondays 11:00 am–2:00 pm, free social play (page: $20/year membership or $5 drop-in). Copy on the check date: resuming August 24.
• Trailhead, 127 San Marin Drive, Novato — dated Mondays August 3, 17, 24, 31, 5:00–7:30 pm. Do not advertise this as an open-ended weekly after August 31 unless a new dated block appears.
• Margaret Todd Senior Center, 1560 Hill Road, Novato — Tuesdays 9:15–11:45 am (membership sentence on the same page also says 9:15–11:30 am).
• Belvedere Tiburon Library, 1501 Tiburon Blvd, Tiburon — Tuesdays 5:30–7:30 pm.
• Tamalpie, 477 Miller Avenue, Mill Valley — Tuesdays 5:30–8:30 pm; email MarinMahjong@gmail.com to reserve.
• Loveski @ Marin Country Mart, 1813 Larkspur Landing, Larkspur — Wednesdays 3:00–6:00 pm, free.
• Bon Air Center, 50 Bon Air Center, Greenbrae — Wednesdays 1:00–4:00 pm at the Bocce Courtyard (walkway between Gott’s and Loving Cup). Partners page also prints 300 Bon Air Center for the same shopping center.
• Marin Country Mart, 2257 Larkspur Landing Circle, Larkspur — Sundays 11:00 am–12:00 pm instruction (register), 12:00–3:00 pm free social play, under the big tent by Copperfield Books and Kermit Lynch.

Corte Madera Community Center Thursday 1:30–4:00 pm is on the Social Play page without a street number; Community Partners prints 498 Tamalpais, Corte Madera for Corte Madera Parks and Rec.

Notes

• Chinese Mahjong. Not Riichi. The Lessons page does not name the National Mah Jongg League or an NMJL card. Thursday Corte Madera copy says players who already play Chinese Mahjong or American Mahjongg may bring a set — that is a bring-your-set note, not an NMJL-card table.
• Pier 23’s own event pages say “Social Play” and quote Dinna Davis (“Let’s Mahj On!”). They do not print “Chinese” or “NMJL.” Marin Mahjong’s Social Play page is the page that labels that waterfront table Chinese.
• Tiles and Tastes (Mill Valley Golf Clubhouse dinners) was marked paused for Summer on the Social Play page. Do not advertise a next dinner from the Culinary page until Social Play lists it again.
• Community Partners still had a leftover “through June 8” line on Strawberry Rec. The live Social Play page on the check date said resuming August 24. Use Social Play.
• Contact printed on the club pages: MarinMahjong@gmail.com.
• Not affiliated with Mahjong Plaza.

FAQ

Q: Is this American Mah Jongg (NMJL card) or Japanese Riichi?
A: Neither. Marin Mahjong’s first-party pages call it Chinese Mahjong. The Lessons page teaches Pong, Chow, Kong, winds, dragons, and flowers. It does not name an NMJL card or Riichi.

Q: When and where do they play?
A: Multi-venue. The Social Play + Events page on 2026-08-25 listed free or drop-in Chinese tables most days of the week — including Mondays at Pier 23 Cafe (23 The Embarcadero, San Francisco, 4:00–7:00 pm) and Mamahuhu (173 Throckmorton, Mill Valley, 6:00–9:00 pm), plus Larkspur Sundays at Marin Country Mart (2257 Larkspur Landing Circle, noon–3:00 pm social play). Confirm the current weekday on that page before you go.

Q: Do I have to be a member, and what does it cost?
A: Restaurant and library social-play blocks on the schedule page are printed FREE (Pier 23 copy asks for Chinese Mahjong experience and a set; Tamalpie asks you to email to reserve). Rec-center tables print a membership or drop-in: Strawberry Rec $20/year or $5 drop-in; Margaret Todd $42/year; Mill Valley Rec Active Adult (50+) $35/calendar year. Lesson prices are not printed — email MarinMahjong@gmail.com.