There are few LA venues more beautiful than Highland Park Bowl at the moment.
The bowling alley and bar officially opens tonight after a couple days of soft opening, throwing open its doors on Figueroa St at 5pm. Formerly a cherished music venue called Mr. T's Bowl, the 1933 Group (La Cuevita, Harlowe, Idle Hour) took over the space in 2015 after the previous owner passed away, and began an extensive renovation process that would ultimately transform the space into the gorgeous, steampunk-esque Highland Park Bowl.
The details here are meticulous, from chandeliers made out of repurposed pinsetters to old bowling banners that line the alley's eight lanes. Bowlers can wait out their turn on leather Chesterfield sofas, and order from a menu boasting Neapolitan-style pizzas, craft cocktails and a rotating selection of local beers. There's the Dude Abides, of course—a take on a White Russian made with Tito's Vodka, house-made Civil Coffee liqueur, horchata cream and cinnamon tincture, and is an obvious nod to The Big Lebowski. Behind the lanes, two facing bars provide plenty of space to hang even if you're not here for bowling. Upstairs, you'll find a stairwell display of bowling artifacts—trophies, photos, medals—set up behind glass portholes, and bathrooms that include old bowling lockers. Seriously, guys, they thought of everything.
The price to rent a lane fluctuates between $40 and $60 for an hour, depending on the date and time, but with each lane holding up to six people, it's a solid—and standard—fee. Opening hours are from Mon-Fri 5pm-2am, Sat-Sun 10am-2am. Highland Park Bowl is located at 5621 N Figueroa St in Highland Park.
Can't make it tonight? Here's a little preview of what's going down: