h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

If you're looking for a quite little pub, look up The Chirp & Chatter, a two storey (but still small) pool club in the industrial/farming area around Honeydew. They have a good atmosphere and you pretty much get left to yourself.

A more hip place to play pool would be Subways. There are a few branches. A bit crowded, but you'll almost always find a table.

Then, continuing with pool places, avoid Wicky Wacks at the Randburg Waterfront. It's a nice enough place, but the bouncer takes a severe disliking to nearly every male customer and exactly the opposite to female customers. Watch out for a square shaped guy, about 5'7" with short, dark hair and a moustache.

Do you live in Jo'burg or have you only been here on holiday? Due to all the shops and businesses moving out of central Jhb in the last couple of years (due the crime and the state it's in), more and more shopping malls have popped up around the suburbs. Since 2002, the Randburg Waterfront has lost so many customers all the clubs and most of the shops (except a couple of chain stores and restaurants) have closed down. Also the activities like the king-swing and foofee(sp?) slide are gone. They are currently busy rennovating it - they have drained all the water and planted huge palm trees in the middle. But still no shops (or people). Anyway, you mention some very obscure places for going out. If you visit Jhb and you are looking for a good night out, try going to Melville, where there are some nice clubs. NEVER go to central Jhb, unless you want to experience the South African life in another context..