Plaza Bowl

Things that are awesome about the Plaza Bowl:

1. Everything.
2. Cosmic Bowling night - who doesn't love blacklights?
3. Nachos with TONS of fake cheese.
4. Cheeeeap ass beer.
5. Air Hockey.
6. Retro everything.

Plaza Bowl is the definition of an old-school dive, in the best way possible!

The bowling - good old-school fun.  They have a good selection of balls, though I wish they were better labelled with the weights to make it easier to find the size I need.  They have those cute setups for kids you set the ball at the top of a plastic ramp to help guide it, so it's fun for even the littlest tots.  Games are well-priced, with decent specials on certain days of the week (check their website) and on Fridays/Saturdays they turn on blacklights and loud trendy music, which can be fun if you don't mind the noise level.

The food - pizza, with an accompanying cast of deep-fried grease bombs.  In other words, YUM.  It's no health fair, but really, what else pairs best with a bowling dive?  Despite the guilt you may feel as you chow down, it's all pretty damn tasty ... not sure what their cooking methods are, but nothing is ever TOO greasy to the point of being unappetizing.  I would recommend the zucchini sticks!

The drinks come strong and cheap.  I usually get an appletini because I'm a sissy girl, but my friends get good deals on their beers, and whoever is bartending that night will generally make you whatever you want if she has the components to make it.  Tip them well, and you will be justly rewarded.

My only downfall is a personal one - even when we come on the nights offering special deals, we manage to spend a lot more than we planned to after purchasing our games, shoes, and the inevitable bevy of irresistible snacks.  If you like to bowl and don't mind a place that's a little rough around the edges, this is the place for you.  I think maybe my favorite thing about it is the neighborhood feel - you can tell most of the other patrons are regulars and it's a fun, comfortable joint.

Old style ball returns make it MUCH easier to throw deep inside. Bowling is normally cheap, which is good.

Downside, small. Hidden. And my ball basically swam to the pocket, there was so much oil down. But that may have just been that time.