Mahjong is South Florida's new social night out
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Enthusiasm around mahjong is growing in South Florida, according to local instructors.
Why it matters: While the 19th-century Chinese tile game has swept the country over the last few years, Fort Lauderdale was slower to catch on.
The big picture: A staple among Asian families and later beloved by Jewish communities, mahjong has more than 40 global variations — including an American one that started on the East Coast before spreading in recent years to the South, Midwest and beyond.
State of play: South Florida instructors Kari Long, founder of Mahj on the Beach, and Camille Engel, aka Your Mahjong Mama, say the game has taken off over the past year.
- When Long moved to South Florida from Birmingham, Alabama, in June 2025, she had difficulty finding games outside of local Jewish Community Centers and country clubs.
- Now, she says, she's fully booked, and dozens of people are signing up for social games at local restaurants, coffee shops, hotels and bookstores.
- Engel tells Axios that her fall teaching schedule is filling up fast.
Zoom in: The new wave of players spans multiple generations.
- "I've had everything from say 18 to 80," Engel, who's even teaching her 6-year-old, says.
- Long tells Axios that younger players are turning to mahjong as an alternative to traditional nights out.
What they're saying: Aside from its brain health benefits, both instructors say that the game builds community, as people are coming alone and leaving with a table full of friends.
- "Mahjong offers people a way to connect without having forced conversation or without having an awkward happy hour where you have to introduce people," Long says.
- Engel adds, "It bridges the gap between generations."
What's next: Both instructors believe the mahjong craze is just getting started.
- Engel recently started a six-session league, and Long expects the game to become a fixture at local charity events and fundraisers.
💭 Naomi's thought bubble: I've caught the mahjong bug myself. It's addicting, and it doesn't hurt that the tiles and sets are pretty.