All Star Lanes

Where other bowling alleys in the area fail, All Star Lanes makes up for with tons of old school fun. I would advise booking if you’re going to head down here with friends, because it’s quite a small venue and can get pretty busy on an evening and weekends.
Part of this places charm is the retro 1950’s esque décor, and the restaurant they have to the side of the lanes carries on this theme to their American style menu. Those wanting to add a little kick to their sweets can try out the ‘hard-​shakes’ — super thick milkshakes with a sneaky addition of alcohol, but if that’s not up your street the cocktails have a fair kick to them too. Though I still haven’t been brave enough to try the bubblegum cocktail, I had some sort of elder flower/​gin concoction which blew my socks off (in a good way).
The whole atmosphere of the place is great, with super friendly staff to help you out and fun rock n’ roll music, it would be difficult not to have a great night out here. On an evening they turn the black lights on the lanes, turning it into a back to the future disco. Definitely one of the best nights out I’ve had in some time!

NB: I attended for a work event and therefore didn’t pay my way.
We visited All Star Lanes as a group of 11 on a Thursday evening for a team event — we’d wanted to do something a little different than the standard dinner and drinks.
We had a table booked for 6.30pm, with bowling for 8pm. The venue is strict on timings, which is fair enough as they are booked back-​to-​back, and they give you plenty of warning on this point. The vast majority of my party arrived very late, but our waiter (who provided excellent and personable service for the evening) was patient while firm. Our pre-​ordered drinks were brought to the table quickly and without any hassle.
The food is American-​style and absolutely delicious. We chose the £33 eat-​drink-​bowl menu (I don’t think this provides any discount at all but is handy for a larger group) — which includes 2 courses, a cocktail and a game of bowling. I ate the vegetarian quesadilla to start — it was flavoursome, tasty and enormous as an appetiser! I chose the goats cheese and butternut squash stack with fries for my main — this was a decadent and delicious veggie option, with the generous chunk of deep-​fried goats cheese providing a real treat.
We had great fun bowling — they set up the screens with the names of your team, so it’s straightforward for you to get going. We would have happily carried on for a second game but they were booked up — if you think you’ll want more than one game it’s well worth booking that in advance. There could have been better service once we’d got to the bowling itself — e.g. if they had a waiter offering table service they would probably sell many more drinks, rather than customers having to go to the bar (on the other side of the venue) to order. We also had to go and find a waiter when the skittles didn’t re-​set correctly. They’d really benefit from having one ‘bowling attendant’!
We moved on to the relaxed bar, with an area we’d booked in advance. They serve a great range of delicious cocktails, and the music is a good mix of old school classics and modern tunes.
Overall we had a fantastic time here and would definitely return. They’ve nailed the food, and will be surprised at how much you enjoy the bowling (particularly after a couple of drinks)!!

I organised an event in The Clubhouse for work, and in general the night was a bucket of fun. The Events team were great to work with before the event — fast communication, helpful in instructions, friendly on venue visits. And the price is very reasonable for what we get.
The Clubhouse is a great space for a private event of 40 – 60 people. It’s cosy and set apart enough that you don’t have to worry about random walk-​ins. The food doesn’t blow me away, but I guess that’s what you have to expect from a bowling alley. Still, I thought all the food sort of tasted the same — deep fried STUFF. Only the mac n’ cheese croquettes stood out — though I didn’t try any sliders, so I can’t say much for those.
Bowling could have been better organised. Getting the shoes were very smooth, since they have a good stock of them in the room. They suggested that for 40-​ish people, they would set up the games to be only 5 frames instead of 10 to quicken the games, but this proved to be such an annoyance in the end. While you would usually just continue bowling to start a new game, we had to go to the register to ask them to reset the game for us, which usually took up to 10 minutes to get done. If we bowled in impatience, we got 10-​frame games. I think the system of doing that was a tad bit oversold, to be honest.
The Wii was a lot of fun, but one of the controls don’t work very well, and I noticed that whoever had the more faulty controller usually ended up losing. I don’t know whether it’s the setup of the equipment or the equipment itself.
The karaōke was an unexpected bonus, but that was more down to our group being so festive. That turned out to be great fun, so if you do an event, try it out and get it going early to have some fun tunes with awful singing — always a great way to end a night.
Despite the confusion around resetting the bowling games, the staff were very friendly, even giving me a few gin recommendations. =)
So, in general, nice alley, average food, oldish system, but good service. A mixed bag, but I still would recommend it if you’re looking to bowl in central London.

You’d think intoxicated folk, flinging huge balls around would be dangerous in the wee hours, but you don’t have to bowl and if you do want to then put the bumpers up.
They have an incredibly well stocked bar. Over a dozen premium whiskeys to choose from and they do, do Café Patron. Cheeky knowledgeable bar staff are happy to educate.

My friends and I love coming here on a Saturday night. The place is the perfect all-​in-​one you can drink, eat and bowl. And all the sectors are great. I love to bowl despite that I am not so good at it. On the whole, the bowling alley is one of the best in London and I recommend it to everyone who want to have some fun.

A large group of us got a good deal one game, a two course meal and a cocktail for £31
It’s a nice atmosphere and because it’s compact it feels quite intimate. If you were to book four lanes at a time it would feel like private hire! The food was pretty good too and a good range of cocktails.

Small venue. Only 4 lanes ant they book only 1 game. Otherwise it’s fun! Prices are affordable and that’s nice opportunity if you want some entertaining.

Fun place! Haven;t been to many bowling alleys in London, and as far as bowling alleys go, this one is tiny (4 lanes + 2 in a private room) but book in advance for a game and you should be alright. I think what cinched the 4 stars from me was the fact that I could have a Root Beer Float (haven’t had one in AGES and didn’t even know root beer existed out here in the UK!) and that they had sweet potato fries, soooo good. I had the chicken schnitzel which was alright. I wish I had tried the philly cheese steak though, perhaps next time. All in all, All Star Lanes is a good way to spend a couple hours.

I came here for a fun night out.
The bowling was fun and intimate. It’s cool to bowl in central london on one of the four lanes.
The food was quite good here. I had a delicious smokey bourbon — this drink came in a mason jar filled with smoke from cedar chips. After letting the jar sit for ~10 mins, you poor the burbon over ice and a lemon swirl and stir. It is a glorious drink!
I had the veggie burger, which was massive. It came with 2 veggie patties, and then I added mushrooms and crispy onions on it. It’s one of the largest burgers I’ve had. Yumm!
#Vegetarian review

A few things to know about All Star Lanes if you’ve never been before:
A) Always book ahead
B) It is pricey but the high level of service represents that
C) The bowling area is small so is better fo dates or smaller groups
D) The food is great as is the drinks selection
|’ve been here a few times with my boyfirend (who loves bowling!) and I really like it. He knew the situation as he had been here before lots so he booked ahead, and the first time we came he paid, so I didn’t need worry about the prices! They do cool stuff like ‘hush puppies’ on the bar food menu which I had never tried before, and the service is faultless. They are very attentive in bringing drinks to you whilst you bowl, and they have a great range of bourbons (my favourite) at the bar and do good cocktails. I’m not sure what it is like at the weekend… quite loud I think…
But it is perfect for an occassional date night mid-​week treat in my opinion.

This place is FUN.
Great cocktails… Tasty American food (the ribs are delicious)… and bowling. What more could you want?

I love bowling and All Star Lanes is a nice place to bowl. Despite the Brick Lane one being closer to where I live, I never seem to be able to get a lane despite trying 3 weeks in advance. I usually get better luck here despite it only having 3 lanes for you to reserve (the fourth is for walk-​ins but you’ll probably have a long wait).
Last night was the first time I have been here during peak time (Fri night) and it was fine but problems became clear.
First of all, being in a basement the bowling area is way too small for, what were, large groups of work-​colleagues, screaming at the top of their voices at every bowl. The low ceilings do not help this volume escape.
When it was our time to bowl, no member of staff came over to ask these large groups to leave our lane area as they were finishing their drinks and standing all over our seats. When I asked one politely if I could sit down as we were bowling now one w**ker told me «Do you think I don’t know that?» in a not too pleasant tone.
There are not enough balls available, or if there are more they are not clearly visible to help yourself too. My fingers don’t fit into the medium holes (and my fingers are not especially large) and there was only one ball which fitted and I had to fight the person in the lane next to me for that each time.
The food was good if a bit pricey for what it was, as are the drinks. In the end our evening cost us around £50 each!
All in all, I had an enjoyable 1 hour and 50 mins in all star lanes but I think I’ll stick to cheaper bowling venues in future.

I had high hopes for All Star Lanes. I have a very hard time enjoying things I’m bad at, but for some reason I fully embrace bowling even though it lands solidly in the category of «sports at which I always lose.» I envisioned a night out with really cool co-​workers I had yet to see out of the office, cheap lager, greasy nibbles as the night wore on and lots of gutter balls as well as a couple lucky strikes. Unfortunately that was not the type of evening All Star Lanes had in mind.
After being greeted by a bouncer in a suit who let us in even though our names were not on the list, my husband and I walked downstairs into the underground bowling alley. We were a little early, so we figured we’d play a game if there was a lane open and grab a couple drinks. The first thing we noticed was the fact that there were only four lanes. For an establishment with «lanes» in the name, I have to admit I expected a few more. We did find two additional lanes in a separate room by the toilets, but that area had been reserved for a hen night. We were informed that an open lane would be available at 1am, but it was 9pm and we really didn’t see ourselves hanging around for four hours. So, if you plan to bowl at All Star Lanes, book ahead.
Having already eaten dinner, we walked past the tables filled with people in retro hairstyles and poodle skirts enjoying a meal and drinking booze from bowling balls. Yes, there is a drink that serves 4 and is served in a bowling ball. That won All Star Lanes one of their two stars.
We then entered what I can only describe as an experiment in how loudly you can play 1950s music before people will complain and leave. I’m not into oldies at the best of times, but when what sounds like a pan flute plays notes so high that it feels as if I’m being stabbed in the eardrum with a knitting needle, it’s torture. I would have left immediately, but we came to meet friends, so we were stuck. We noticed a sign for two half price drinks and the bartender explained, through shouting and hand gestures, that if we gave our names and contact info to the woman at the reception desk, she would give us badges that would entitle us to the cut price liquor. Although I’m not a fan of bartering with my phone number, the drinks were necessary in order to stay, so I handed it over. The fact that one of the drinks was a dark and stormy and was half price all night won this joint the second star.
We ended up sticking it out for about an hour in a half. If I put my pinkies in my ears, I could enjoy the people watching. A cute girl in rolled up jeans and a head scarf walked in with her slicked back boyfriend, a man who looked like Rod Stewart circa 1973 and a homeless man in a trendy hat. One girl, who may or may not have been an employee, danced off the beat in front of the DJ booth the entire time we nursed our drinks. A clean cut couple made out on the red vinyl booth next to us.
By the time my co-​workers arrived, my throat was shredded from trying to talk to my husband during the night and there was no way any of us could communicate unless we were yelling into someone’s ear.
Next time I feel like bowling, it won’t be at All Star Lanes.

Fun fun fun! Booked for one game of bowling with three friends and then a table for dinner. It wasn’t like any bowling lane I’d ever been to before — cute bowling shoes, 4 small but perfectly formed lanes, waitresses bringing coke floats whilst you bowl — perfecto. Plus I got two strikes, so it must be a very very good place to bowl. After 40 minutes of bowling we moved over to a booth for dinner. The menu goes beyond the usual burgers, although I suspect these are the best things to eat there. Just make sure you leave space for desert — the oreo cheesecake and sticky toffee puddings were both delicious. And the milkshakes come VERY highly recommended. At 10pm the whole place turned disco — the lanes went neon and the pins glowed ultra violet. Almost enough to tempt us back on to the lanes, but not quite… All in all, a wonderfully fun night. We’ll go back.

I went here earlier this year for my 30^th birthday and I wasn’t disappointed.
The venue is tucked away in a little corner of Holborn and it’s very easy to miss. There are some small steps leading down from the pavement and the bowling alley is found completely underground which gives it a unique and quirky feel.
The staff are friendly and the décor is impressive, with film posters and some signed photos adorning the walls. There is a bar to wait in if you arrive early, but it’s a bag bar for what is only a small venue, meaning that it feels empty even if there are people there. It has a very good range of drinks to choose from though and we enjoyed it there.
As there are so few lanes there, each of them feel very private, without losing any of the atmosphere of a bigger bowling venue. The lanes look modern and are in pristine condition which contributed to a highly enjoyable bowling experience.
As expected it was a little more pricey than other bowling venues, but it was worth it for the fact that it was a little bit different. It certainly felt like a premium quality establishment in every aspect and I look forward to returning.

I went reluctantly with friends to All Star. They had made a reservation at the diner. Here I was thinking that it would be some greasy spoon café place but boy was I surprised. I had a vegetarian goat’s cheese pie which still brings tears to my eyes. The others had steaks and burgers, which they all said were outstanding.
The collapsing and crashing of bowling pins are the soundtrack to this unlikely place for a great meal.

The chain is expanding so it must be doing well! Always a fun night, though drinks are overpriced. Food is nice, as long as you like ‘amercian’ eg chips!

All Star Lanes is a take on the 1950’s American Diner except that it has bowling lanes. You can purchase the classic bowling kit and look like you just flew in on your time machine from the 50’s. Its a bit pricey for a single game, more than you would expect to pay at your average bowling alley, but the ambience is great and all and all it’s a really good time. There are only 2 lanes so only two groups can play at one time so I advise you book in advance, if you turn up on the spot there is a really cool bar you can chill out in while you wait your turn. Otherwise you can have dinner and enjoy a classic burger and shake.

Fun Fun Fun. What an original idea. Ive always thought of bowling as a dated and quite grungy experience. Not here. All Star Lanes puts bowling up there with sipping on champagne or dining out at Nobu. Highly recommend it and I’m critical.

All Star Lanes is a 1950’s American-​style diner and bowling alley, with three venues in London although in this case I am referring to its Holborn branch. I have been invited here by American friends on two occasions, which leads me to believe that it’s pretty authentic.
With 6 lanes you can usually get a booking, although there are plenty of booths for those who just want dinner. The food is large, tasty and American think burgers, steaks, and club sandwiches. For larger parties you can book your own private room with a bar and two bowling lanes (and the catering is very good too).
There is a separate bar and dance area as well, which is great fun with a great vibe — so overall you can fit an entire night, from bowling, to dinner, to drinks and dancing, in the one place!