Extremely 90's bowling alley-ey... complete with outdated structure, decor, a ceiling Frodo could touch flat-footed, music and cafeteria food. I have never had fries that are less salted or more crinkle cut than theirs. Perfection.
Westgate lanes, for me, is a trip back to Junior High outings and to uncomfortable family get-togethers in a town so small our movies still cost $4.00 - the alternatives to which are either bowling or watching old people burn their tongues on coffee at the Whataburger. No, I don't know where your cat is or why your son won't call, Sir...
I love that Westgate is very family friendly. The place is always full of kiddos enjoying some family game time with their folks. We took our three year old and she totally rocked it... and maybe dented the floor. But like her mom, damage or not, she looked adorable doing it.
$3.00 domestics is always happy for me, and I didn't see that being advertised as a Happy Hour price. So that's nice.
I also totally won two of the games we played AND totally got a turkey. So while that awesomeness can only be attributed to Yours Truly, I'll throw a nod to Westgate Lanes for being part of that benchmark in my life. *kisses fist and points to the heavens*
As far as their lanes - 19 was having some technical difficulties that were immediately addressed by staff. Otherwise, they're well tended, slick, and unless a toddler has rolled a ball down them at the most god forsaken negative speed possible, they seem extremely even. Staff, by the way, is very considerate and may even appear hovering above your shoulder like some sort of bowling alley leprechaun to chuckle at your kid for sticking the ball between the gutter and the runner AGAIN before you have even noticed enough yourself to tell your kid what a disappointment they are. God, my kid sucks at bowling. Do they get better at things after 3?
They have tons of lanes, cheap drinks, horrible food, and exactly the environment you remember in bowling alleys as a kid minus indoor smoking. If you're prissy about bowling (whatever the hell that means) then maybe go to Main Event... but for me, location, cost and overall environment - I I dig it.
Pretty clean, pretty classic.
we bowled a few lines, and NEVER had any issues with equipment and appreciated the auto bumpers for our 4 y/o that came up when he was up and returned down so my wife could  gutter ball when it was her time ;)
I didn't think it was too expensive and nice that they are part of the Go Local card!
my  2 pennies
Went here for a birthday party on a Saturday night. Â Wasn't crowded, drinks were good, and the local 16 years olds were pretty mature and easy to handle.
It was pretty expensive for 2 games / 1 lane. Â I did get a discount with the go local card, not sure I would go back on my own. Â
Overall it was just ok.
Westgate Lanes you are no Dart Bowl but at least you aren't 300 either. Â
This place is just fine for bowling the lanes, and products are well maintained, although I wish they had a broader selection of bowling balls. Â
The things I really liked about the place, were the multiple TVs to catch the game while bowling and the reasonable beer prices for Newcastle.
The downside is it was pretty expensive for the girlfriend and I to bowl for 2 hours even with the Go Local card. Â
Its a good alternative to driving to Dart Bowl and its better than the other lanes in Austin but it is one or two minor tweaks from being in the upper echelon.
My favorite south side hang out. Â Has a great old school vintage feel. Very cheap bowling on days with specials. Nice staff. The snack bar is great especially the burgers. Beer is cheap like $2.25 domestic and $2.50 import. They have on bartender who always remembers my name even if it has been a few months since i been in during the evenings. I love taking my Daughter during the day they keep light balls and the bumpers can be programed to come up or down depending on who's turn it is. My only small knock is the game room is awfull.
Review Source:It's like someone made a copy of Highland Lanes then stamped it down in South Austin. Everything from the bar, down to the bathrooms are in the same location as Highland. It made me feel right at home instantly.
I got to Missy's bowling event a little bit early so I decided to try out a bit of the food and grab a beer. Â I got a patty melt and a shiner bock and sat in the bar area. The burger was more like a grilled cheese with a little bit of hamburger in the middle. Â It wasn't bad for bowling alley food, but it certianly wasn't gormet. Â
Apparently they are more known for their bbq at Westgate, but they were out of brisket! What a shame!
As for the actual lanes... they seem to be pretty well maintained. Â I am not sure if it's the wood type or the oil pattern they use, but my ball had a litle extra hook to it that made it difficult for me to hit my mark consistiently. Â Overall my games were solid though, so no real problem there. Â
Overall I had a good time at Westgate. I met some cool people and I learned a valuable lesson: Do not invite Errol to a bowing challenge. He will beat your ass.
Pros: Well Maintained Lanes, Tons of Lanes, Friendly Staff
Cons: A Bit on the Pricey Side, Burger was Tiny
Westgate lanes has the slickest lanes in town. When I bowl here, my ball glides down the lane and, like a novice ballerina, does a slight pirouette right before it knocks a pin or slips into the gutter.
The people who work here are always friendly and set us up with a lane pretty quickly. If we ever have any problems, they are nice about it. They are also very nice to those patrons not accustom to the archaic computer system for setting up the games. Though, the computer graphics are state of the art: my favorite is when I receive a "Beer Frame" which features a mug of beer sliding into the pins and there is a Ka-Blam. Oh, and I never mind when I fail to pick up a spare because all the graphics for leaving it open are just hilarious.
The best feature of Westgate Lanes is the other patrons. Everyone is nice and friendly and most of the time the parents are good about supervising their kids. Most importantly, these parents are instilling them with the basic bowling neighbor courtesies that every bowler should know, such as waiting until your neighbor is done with his turn before stepping up to the line.
With that said, most of my bowling neighbors at Westgate are tolerant of my one rule of etiquette I just can't follow: don't touch your neighbor's ball. I tend to fondle other people's balls. Sorry. I like to spin them and move them from side to side and see how big they are while I wait for the pins to clear and whatnot. I don't know why. I am not a fidgety person, but it is just something I do when I am bowling. No one seems to mind though.
Another reason why I like Westgate is that my bowling neighbors are so supportive. Occasionally, I receive belittling remarks like, "I wouldn't expect a girl who wears her own bowling shoes to be such a lousy bowler." However, the only person who says this is my friend's boyfriend after three or four bowling pin shaped beers. For the most part, this is what usually happens. First frame, I knock down three. Neighbor gives a low whistle and I know it is for my lack of skill not for my sweet can. Next frame, I pick up a spare and receive comments like, "That is it!" or "Whoa, girl. Look at that!" Third frame, I deliver a strike. The family next to me hoots and hollers. Fourth to last frame, gutter balls or a pin wobbles down every now and again. Â Even when I am losing, I am feeling pretty happy.
One change I would request. The music went from "Bust a Move" to three hip hop song from 2008 in a row to Steve Perry and so on. At least choose a decade and stick with it for an hour. It was really hard to find a groove.
Oh Westgate Lanes, how you've brought memories over the years. I was surprised I hadn't reviewed them yet, so after bowling last night I've decided to write a review. There are plentiful lanes, unless you come here on a Friday, Saturday, or night of the seriously serious bowling league people (Sunday or Monday nights, I forget which). But, if you can squeeze in on Sunday 9pm-midnight, you get $2 bowling and $2 shoe rentals, which isn't bad because their usual prices are expensive in my opinion. On Monday 9pm-midnight you can get $10 per person which includes shoe Rental, *Unlimited Bowling* & a bowl of popcorn. However, sometimes there's a wait on these nights because everyone knows about it. They offer $3.25 Heinekins, not too bad.
The people that come here are sometimes gritty and sketchy, it's quite comical. Last night my fiance, good friend, and I came here and we saw what looked to be a Tejano Snookie, bad make-up, and belly rolls to the nines with her 6 year old (I'm guessing) son, they were bowling at 1:00AM! WTF? Oh well, that's the type of crowd here at times. There's also the annoying cop that does his rounds and checks out his cell phone every 5 minutes. I guess he's a newb to the police force so they throw him at the Westgate Lanes to make people feel uncomfortable. Or maybe he's just there to make sure the Snookie's and kids don't get outta hand.
I always have the best time at Westgate. Â I've gone since I was little, but that also translates into me knowing that it is far from pristine. Â If you expect it, then it won't be a problem. Â The lanes are the appropriate distance(the union drives me crazy), there's the right lighting, and the music is so terrible it makes you laugh.
If there is some sort of technical problem you're dealing with, you need to be stern with the staff--they all have a great sense of humor, but if you think they'll just stop what they're doing and help you out of the kindness of their hearts--that's doubtful. There's cheap beer/food, the bartender is a hot mess but hilarious, and bowling is fun.
I wish I was there, now.
If your expectations are to relive your glory days from the 80s, then this is the place.
The computers on the lanes are arcane, the place is a bit dirty, and you'll have a good time if thats your idea of a bowling alley.
One improvement since the 80s is the way the bumpers come up. Rails that you set per player. Ooh la la.
They have a "pro shop" if that's the way you bowl/roll.
What do you do for recreation?
Oh, the usual. I bowl. Drive around. The occasional acid flashback.
I'm in a bowling league through Austin Sports & Social Club (ASSC). The staff is very courteous and they are also very organized. Â Any issues with the lanes and they are on top of it asap. The lovely lady that runs it is very thorough and makes sure you get to the appropriate lane and you have all your team members present. Â The lanes are not too oily either.
ASSC (<a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.austinssc.com&s=4e071b7bf9fc2f54d20b06ebbde9c9f6ef2d3c20629634f97f4ea9a754e12710" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.austinssc.com</a>) has a 5 week league for $65. It includes shoe rental and team shirt. You play 2 teams a night. Game times are consistent every Thursday at 8:30 and 9:30. It will be the best time of your life. Â
The bartenders are very nice and quick on getting your drinks and back
to your lane. Â The food counter is very kind as well and I would like to say their food is not too bad. Â I mean, you can't really go wrong with fried food. Â I do not mind grabbing something from there when needed. Â
They also have a variety of balls and I have yet found myself not able to find the right size. Â
With or without a league, I would continue to come to Westgate Lanes anytime.
6 o'clock, shop closed, gates locked. Gina picked the kids up from soccer and karate. Bowling league tonight.
White patent leather shoes, back guard, wrist guard, ball in bag, comb-over in place. All check. I steer the Silverado towards that glow of light at the bottom of the hill, a bowling mecca in South Austin, where the sign letters "WEST" flicker at dusk.
Two automated doors welcome my arrival. Â A burst of air hits me in the face with an aroma that's unmistakably shoe freshener, french fries, and bowling lane oil. Â Pins crash like wooden thunder. Â Faint cheers of elation from a distant lane. Â Is this heaven?
Miller High Life. Â Too many. Â Competition, camaraderie, and fart jokes all around. Â I bowled a 225. Â We won--almost. Â
10:05. Â Time to leave. Â Same place, same time. Â See you next week, old friend.
Let me start off by saying that I'm no bowler. Â I mean, I loved The Big Lebowski and Kingpin, but I seriously know nothing about the "sport". Â I like the shoes and I like any sport where it is acceptable to drink beer while you play. Â But me, I'm no bowler. Â One of the first things I learned about my boyfriend when we first met was that he grew up down the street from a bowling alley and has bowled a 300 game. Â A good game for me is when I score over 100, so needless to say, I wasn't pushing for a bowling date. Â Yet, after many months of dating, we found ourselves at Westgate Lanes one Sunday afternoon. Â
We called before heading to the bowling alley, just to make sure they had some available lanes so we weren't stuck waiting around. Â The woman on the phone said they had several available lanes and that there shouldn't be a wait. Â Unfortunately, this did not turn out to be true, and we ended up waiting about 20 minutes for a lane (although we noticed several empty lanes. Â Annoying.). Â We were looking for some old school arcade games to kill the time. Â This place looks straight out of the early '80's, so we figured we'd be able to play a few games of Ms. Pac-Man, Galaga or Donkey Kong while we waited, but alas, no video games. Â This alone knocked one star off this review. Â
After waiting around, we got a lane, and picked out our balls, and started bowling. Â Oh, a word about the shoes! Â They were pretty snazzy, relatively new, not stinky at all like most bowling shoes tend to be, and you don't have to leave your shoes as collateral! Â Nice touch. Â
We played a couple of games in which I was completely killed, but I did score over 100 both times, so all in all I was happy. Â The place was pretty crowded on a Sunday afternoon and the folks next to us knew nothing about bowling etiquette (Jeez, even I know that you don't bowl a the same time as the person in the next lane.), but overall we had a pretty enjoyable time at Westgate Lanes. Â It was relatively inexpensive as well.
I moved north of the river a few months ago, so this place is a bit out of the way for me. Â Chances are I will find a bowling alley a little closer to my house for the next bowl-a-rama....unless they get Ms. Pac-Man. Â Then, I'm all over this joint.
I went to play bowling with my 4 yrs old daughter few days ago, and it was great. Â Beside using the side bumper, my daughter used the bowling sliding rail (again she is 4yrs old) . Â But tonight, it was totally diffferent, they said that the bowling sliding rail is for handicap kid! and refused to let us using it. Â My daughter was so sad. Â We came to ask a couple times but hopeless.
I felt unsafe for a small kid to throw the 6lbs ball. Â If I don't assist her, the ball will drop on her feet.
Dont they have kid of their own and worry about the kid safety. Â
Well, we left after 1 game. Â With 2 hands holding shoes and her 6lbs bowling ball to return plus the kid distracting me, the guy just quickly using my credit card to charge me the amount not even wait for me to show the free pass for 1 free game in summer for junior kid. Â Didn't he know that junior kid has 1 free pass for sumer? or he was mad at us come bugging him few times for the bowling sliding rail? Â Â I asked for it, and he said sorry too late.
In front of the young kid, I did not want to get mad. Â
In summary: They are so stupid if don't let kid use the bowling sliding rail. Â They could make more money. Â Be aware of the charge! Â I don't think we will go back there again.
Greg T. said it best, this is your CLASSIC BOWLING ALLEY. My best bud, my partner in crime, my road dog's father was one of those league bowlers. shirt and all. This was his bowling alley.
If you want laser light shows, funny pictures painting on the walls, strobe lights or black lights this is not the place.
This is the Alley of '82 or some other random year in the past. And well i like that. When i walk into a bowling alley i want to smell the old shoes and hear the balls crushing the pins, with pac man video games in the background. Some bowling alleys you walk into its like walking into a club with strobe lights and black lights making everything glow with crazy hourly themes. Nope this place is just for your common folk, who want to Bowl!
It was my boyfriends Birthday last week and he decided he wanted to something fun with our sons in tow. So off we were for a night of bowling and greasy foods. For $40 buck we played two games of young ins versus old ones. I haven't bowled in 20-30 years which might explain why the young ins won, but we had a blast. This place is great. Useful tip:Chili cheese fries are better left to those who are 18 and younger.
Review Source:WARNING! WARNING! WARNING!
This is a classic bowling alley!
Throughout the years bowling alley's having changed, but mostly due to technology. Yes you can go to slightly more expensive alley's and pay a little more,but for what? Westgate Lanes holds true to any alley built within the last three to four decades. Uncaring cashier/shoe spray dudes,random weighted balls,non- returning ball returns,food that goes right through you or is to cold to eat, and of course bowling pin beer bottles. Basically go in with no expectations and make a ball roll down the lane and hit some pins and get drunk......its BOWLING! Go to Westgate Lanes everyone else does.
I really wanted to have a great time.
I forgot about the deals I had heard via Yelp, and a friend had some friends out bowling here tonight (Monday).... so we left our bar stools downtown and picked up a few friends and headed to Westgate at 10PM... Yes, we were aware they closed at 12.. but we figured a discount? Hell... if we paid per game it was still cheaper than the $8 for the last hour and a half....
The guy at the counter said we couldn't pay per the game so we had to pay the $8 per person... Okay... fine.
The lanes had problems constantly. It was half full.... MANY empty lanes. I couldnt find a ball to save my soul. They were unmarked to the weights and as I am a small female I thought there would not be a lot, but at least I could find a bit heavier one with decent holes... NOT... the one ball I could find (I bowl with a 9 normally and own my own but didnt have time to pick it up) had finger holes that were all broken, meaning when I went to bowl it would cut my hand. I looked at every ball on the shelf which were plenty and none were my size or were without cracks.
We bowled... The lane next to mine fouled more times than I could count.... for some reason, it would pop up on my frame as a foul and not theirs. I complained to Westgate, and they wold edit the frame but it happened at least 5 times...... once after I had a strike... and I didn't get my points for it.... I know bowling is for fun, but hell.... when I look like I bowled a 79 and I had 4 strikes that came up as fouls.....
I wouldnt have minded, but hell..... I paid $8 and couldnt bowl a complete game. Period. I'm disappointed, and I dont know what to say about the lanes. If it was a once in a blue moon thing than tonight was NOT my luck, but I think even on cheaper nights, we all deserve a fair shot to play. Spend some money in fixing the computer/lane errors and update your balls.....
Can you really tell the difference between one bowling alley and another? Â I can't. Â I give bowling in general four stars. Â As long as I go every six months to a year. Â Any more than that and I give it three stars. Â On second thought, the shoes you get to wear are cool, so maybe I'd give it three and a half stars.
I bowled a 300 at Westgate Lanes, which is only slightly below my average of 278. Â Well, that might be a bit misleading. Â I bowled a 300 series. Â 278 would be about my average for three games total.
I must tell you that in a younger, hazier time I was in a bowling league (Honest!). Â I only bring this up because I'm still proud of our team's name, which was the Bowling Stones. Â Every time we needed a strike we'd get in a huddle and sing the part to 19th Nervous Breakdown that goes, "Here it comes....here it comes...." Â Oh, the other teams just loved us. Â Maybe my scores would be higher if I didn't have such Sticky Fingers. Â Oh well, a sleepy bowling alley ain't no place for a Street Fightin' Man, anyway.
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