Pinstripes
LAY OF THE LAND
14 bowling lanes; 11 bocce courts; 3 meeting rooms; 1 ballroom; 200-seat restaurant, bar and bistro; an enclosed patio that can seat 30 to 50 people
THE VIBE
The scene: business professionals, wedding parties, and children enjoying birthday parties and field trips
The space: A hot spot for corporate meetings, fund-raising dinners and other events. A ballroom seats up to 240 people. Beyond the bar, which is in the front and plays R&B and electronic music, is a dining area and a staircase that leads to bowling lanes, bocce courts and rooftop seating. At the lanes, square red and black couches complement a casual, modern décor, and the colorful bowling balls look like what you see on a pool table.
THE SERVICE
Full restaurant and bar service is available throughout the venue.
Eager to help; knowledgeable about the menu
THE FOOD
Similar to a late-night swanky hotel menu (though it offers lunch, dinner, Sunday brunch, happy hour and gluten-free options). The fries ($4) are thin, crisp, dusted with parmesan and accompanied by artisan ketchup. The margherita pizza ($14) is gourmet, layered with tomatoes and cheese, and features a garlic-flavored crust. Sunday brunch is $40 per adult and includes bottomless mimosas; kids under 5 eat free and kids 6-12 are $15. Catering is available for private events.
THE DRINKS
Six local craft brews, including 7 Locks Brewing’s Surrender Dorothy IPA and DC Brau’s The Citizen Belgian Style Pale Ale, are on tap ($7-$8, or $4 during happy hour). There’s an array of wines ($10-$13 a glass), and a short cocktail menu that includes classics such as an old-fashioned and a whiskey sour ($12 each).
FORGOT SOCKS?
Socks are complimentary.
PRICE TO PLAY
Rates per person per hour:
Sunday: $10
Monday-Friday, until 4 p.m.: $8-$10
Monday-Thursday, after 4 p.m.: $10
Friday, after 4 p.m.: $15
Saturday: $12-$15
Lucky Strike
LAY OF THE LAND
12 bowling lanes; 400-seat restaurant and bar
THE VIBE
The scene: football fans and families
The space: This feels more like a bowling alley, with a combination of dim and neon lighting, and star patterns on the walls. The lanes are hidden behind the restaurant and bar, and separated by a wall of books. (Bowlers are encouraged to borrow and return the books in 30 days.) Sunday is the most happening day of the week, when groups of football fans come to watch games—and bowl. Twenty-four big-screen televisions are positioned throughout, including at every lane.
THE SERVICE
Full restaurant and bar service is available throughout the venue.
Down-to-earth, attentive, chatty; knowledgeable about the business as a whole
THE FOOD
The “Gastro Kitchen” menu offers starters such as bacon-wrapped shrimp, crabcakes and truffle deviled eggs. Also on the menu: strip steak, salmon and pasta dishes, as well as tacos and sliders. When it comes to the classic bowling alley fare, the Belgian fries ($6) are served with chipotle aioli. The cheese pizza ($11) might have a little too much cheese on top of a flavorless crust, so a jumbo lump crab pizza or a pesto pizza might be a better choice.
THE DRINKS
Sixteen beer options on tap, from $5-$9, including a couple local offerings from 7 Locks Brewing and the Jailbreak Brewing Co. Signature cocktails ($14-$15; $5 happy hour) include a “Passion Mojito,” and wine is $7-$14 a glass.
FORGOT SOCKS?
White socks ($5) or colorful signature Lucky Strike socks ($10) are available.
PRICE TO PLAY
Rates per person per game:
Sunday-Thursday: $3.95-$5.95
Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.: $5.95
Rates per hour per lane:
Friday and Saturday, after 5 p.m.: $65
