Good ol' alley.
Years ago my grandfather owned a boat and docked it here. The locals told us once (when it was too late for us to set sail and we stayed a night in town) that the best food was at this alley. I doubt this is still true since the town has gotten fancier but the food looked pretty good and people came just to eat.
The have a bar and plenty of lanes you can bring your drink to. $3.50/game per person ($1.50 happy hours prices). Half sizes on shoes.
Negatives: Medium selection of balls - to find one that fit my hand I had to bowl with a 14-lb ball. The screens are classic - no silly animations after a spare or strike.
My friends and I were in Anacortes for the weekend. We hadn't planned on going out, but when we saw the bowling alley was 2 blocks from our hotel, we decided to walk there so we could have some drinks and not need to worry about driving.
I love bowling, and this alley is the typical bowling alley. I was impressed by the price ($7.50 for shoe rental and 2 games!). We had a great time and even made friends with our neighboring lane.
The cons: Cocktails were a little pricey. $9.25? At a bowling alley? Okay... And they closed at 10:30. On a Saturday. But it is a small town, so my friends and I mostly thought it was funny, not annoying.
All of the employees were very nice and helpful, and they recommended some places to go afterwards that were still open. We even ran into one of the workers later that night, and he recognized us and asked us to come back to bowl again the next day (we had other plans, but if we hadn't, we might've!).
I can't comment on the food, as we didn't order any, but the drinks were good. Overall, a great place!
Underwhelming, after all the great things we've heard. But to be fair, we didn't have breakfast there, which is supposed to be great.
I did, however, have the Fish n Chips. They were decent. After having sampled Fish n Chips in numerous places in Skagit and Island county, I'd given up. How can you be so close to the water but miss so completely on Fish n Chips? I just didn't get it.
Then, one day my fiancee was reading Coastal Living magazine. She asks me, "Guess what place is rated as having some of the Best Fish n Chips in WA?"
I said, "Please don't tell me it's Toby's Tavern." (Another overrated local place.)
"No", she replied, "the bowling alley in Anacortes (San Juan Lanes)."
So, I thought I'd give it a shot. I will write that the Fish n Chips were the best I've had locally, but if this is the best WA has to offer, the state is in bad shape.
Friends we dined with did really like their pizza.
Note: Always check Yelp's 'Filtered Reviews.' One of the businesses I reviewed has a 1-star rating with only 1 review, but there are 5 'filtered' (hidden) reviews averaging 4.8 stars!
Unfortunately this was bought 2 years ago by people that not only don't have a clue about customer service but also about running a business. I stopped going because they treat their employees poorly and their customers even worse. The prices have gone up and the service and food quality has gone down. Â I'm driving to Riverside Lanes in Mount Vernon to bowl even though I live in town, I so dislike these owners. I recommend Maryanne's Kitchen on 7th for excellent breakfasts, the Brown Lantern for lunch or dinner. These establishments know how to treat their customers well and their food is always great.
Review Source:I'm ECSTATIC this has a new owner!!!!!!!!!!!
Off and on, my family & I have been going to the Bowling Alley for dinner & breakfast for many moons, at least since the mid 80's. Outside of a terrible waitress that worked there 10 years ago("I'm cute & blond, I don't care about you peasants!!"), the serves good, the food was great, with good & hearty breakfasts, and Very Good(NOT excellent) fish & chips, burgers, and specials, and wonderful house-made pies. Then around 2005-06, things slid sideways at "Storks", as it was known then. The food was spotty, with what I started calling "Anacortes' most OVERRATED fish & chips", and the service became really hit & miss, made worse when the owner promoted his doofus, prick of a son to be the "bar manager". Then the final straw, the owner let his Right-Wing politics enter the arena, going so far as to circulate a petition about Obama not being an American, and getting in "discussions" with customers who he disagreed with(or who told him where to put his politics). That was it, I bailed, but last night I suddenly started Jonesing for my favorite sandwich there, a Tuna Melt, so I decided to give it a try. A semi-attentive server didn't bode well, although another server was pleasant enough. "Still have the crappy frozen fries?". Again, not a good omen, but the server didn't bat an eye when I requested to sub a baked potato, the sandwich was as good as ever, and the servers were pleasant and attentive, and confirmed what I'd hoped for for years, that the place had new owners.
Next trip, I'll try the fish, which was horribly over-battered and over-cooked the last time I wasted my money.
I really liked my dinner last night, and when I waddled my way out to my car, I was in a far better mood than I had expected to be, and let out a few noises of contentment, like "Aaahh" and "Urrp!"
BTW, whoever has been rating this place as "The Best Fish & Chips" in town needs to get out more, and whoever called it some of the best in the US is flat-out ignorant. I think the "Best In Anacortes" thing is simple ballot-box stuffing, like three Sonics making the NBA All Star Team in 1987, or Joan Hansen winning an ASB election at Edmonds High School.
*I've never eaten here for dinner. Â Only breakfast and lunch.
I'm really into food and I have to say, I am SHOCKED that I am about to say this: San Juan Lanes Bar and Grill has REALLY GOOD FOOD. Â And it's a BOWLING ALLEY.
Seriously. Â I mean, you aren't going to find delicately seared scallops over a bed of fresh arugula, drizzled with plum-pear sauce or anything, but their fish and chips is out of control and the salads are really good. Â And the servings are great.
I'm not a huge fan of fried foods (although, I am a sucker for great fries) and I'm really into fish (most fish and chips do NOT impress me for one reason or another) so it's pretty surprising that the next time I find myself in Anacortes and wanting to eat, I'll likely stop at the local bowling alley over many of the other possibilities.
If you haven't tried it, do so. Â There is something on their menu for everyone and it is NOT your typical bowling alley fare.
I know what you're thinking. Eating in a bowling alley? But yes, this place is worth a look. Best breakfast we found in Anacortes, Washington. If you like your basic diner type breakfast you'll really like this spot. Love potatoes here - especially good for soaking up any excess if you partook a bit too much the previous evening :-)
Review Source:I don't eat in diners often but when I get hungry for some of that good old American style cooking I immediately think of Storks. You cant go wrong with anything on the menu if you like this style food. I've eaten breakfast lunch and dinner there and have never been disappointed with the quality, portions or price. If the noise from the bowling alley bothers you just ask for a table as far to the back as possible. Chances are you wont hear a pin drop, (pun intended!)
Review Source:The restaurant isn't in the actual bowling alley so you don't have to deal with it at all. The fish and chips are the best. They have pieces of chocolate cake the size of your head and the breakfasts are cheap and wonderful.
If you want to pig out and relax, this is the place to go. Love the Stork.
What more can you ask for in a sleepy town?! Â The food is pretty good and the bowling is fun. Â
We have eaten here twice and both times were A-OK! Â We heard that the prime rib night was a good night to go and we weren't disappointed with the price or the food. Â Then again for the "acclaimed" fish and chips and again, they were great!
Service was attentive and rather quick for being a bowling alley. Â Just remember, you are eating in a bowling alley.....don't expect more!
I was on my own again after work tonight, owing mostly to the fact that I was staying in nearby La Conner and the rest of my group were the other way out in Burlington. Â And all of us wanted to stay close to home and restaurant. Â My hosts recommended 2 more places in Anacortes; the Greek place and Stork's at the Bowling Alley! Â Shades of the Big Lebowski!
So this Dude decided to stop by for their well regarded Fish and Chips. Â And they were light and delicious. Â It was a very pleasant surprise. Â My hosts have also told me that their breakfast is pretty darn good too.
The dining room is pretty casual and spartan. Â And it was quite the switch that I was easily the youngest person the room. Â But the service was attentive, the Red Hook was cold, the food came quickly, and the sound of crashing bowling pins in the background added to the local atmosphere. Â
And just so you know, I don't roll on Shabbes!
After a stressful night of illegal camping my friends and I woke up starving and left on a quest for breakfast.
We were just driving aimlessly around in search of any place that served breakfast, when we spotted Stork's. Initially we were worried because it was a restaurant/bowling alley, but we were hungry and a few cop cars were parked in front- which we took as a good sign.
Besides the old man sitting behind us telling his friend Obama was born in Indonesia, and not a citizen- the place was alright. They had proudly on their menus "best breakfast in Anacortes" or something a long the lines, so we were thinking we hit the jackpot.
But like most little obscure places, the breakfast was normal, they did have great hashbrowns though. Other than that nothing stood out, besides us.
Nothing special at all.
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