Bowlmor Lanes & Strike

When I first stumbled across Bowlmor Lanes I wasn’t sure what to expect. Sandwiched on an average looking street in the village, it attempts to pull itself off as one of those hole-in-the-wall super trendy finds, but its ostentatious glowing signs and VIP red ropes give it away as an up and coming chain, complete with overpriced food, drinks, and pics of celebrities a la Paris Hilton having the “time of her life” splashed everywhere. The only entry and exit appears to be one teeny tiny elevator, which you have to wait in line for even though the operator tries to sardine as many people as humanly possible into the small space (not sure what the contingency plan is for fire or emergencies, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it entailed George Costanza pushing the elderly and children out of the way to escape). The interior vibe is definitely urban hipster (or trying to be), complete with glow in the dark bowling lanes and glass-encased pins signed by various celebs decorating the walls. There is a separate second floor designated for private parties, but really seems to be the newest hot spot to hold a bar/bat mitzvah; on any given Saturday night, don’t be surprised to find tweens and their parents littered among the intoxicated twenty-something bowlers. On the whole, it’s not an awful way to occupy a Friday or Saturday night, but I’d probably save my pennies and just head over to Lucky Strike. At least you know where the exits are there.

http://www.bowlmor.com/

110 University Place, between 12th & 13th Streets