Brooklyn Bowl
61 Wythe Ave., Brooklyn, NY
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How awesome is Brooklyn Bowl? Think back to your youth and that ultimate birthday party/bar mitzvah/sweet sixteen spot. That rare place that provided anything and everything your heart could desire. 10-year-old Steinthal could hang out at Sportime USA and never, ever get enough; batting cages, skee-ball, video games, laser tag, that ridiculous push the quarter over the ledge game, and on and on. I currently feel the same way about Brooklyn Bowl; a music venue, bowling alley, bar, and restaurant all rolled into one. This place is unbelievable and pays attention to all of the important details. Huge screens everywhere play classic movies and TV shows from Planet Earth to Wall-E to Seinfeld to VH1 Classic. Their music selection is top notch, and on our last visit, Rolling Stone editor/Sirius XMU radio host Jenny Eliscu played an appropriate mix of current favorites including My Morning Jacket, Band of Horses, and Radiohead mixed in with some classics from Todd Rundgren and Bob Seger. Pitchers of Brooklyn beer flow for under $21, which is cheap by NYC standards. Speaking of reasonable prices, bowling lanes are only $40 an hour for up to 8 people. Oh, and did I mention that they’re going to be hosting football on Sundays? Oh yes, full NFL ticket. But the best part about the whole situation? Blue Ribbon provides all the food. You can get dirty on apps while you bowl and they offer a full menu of classics at the restaurant.
Hell yeah Blue Ribbon rolls on Shabbos! Even though this outpost of the famous eatery is located in a bowling alley, the standards remain high and the well crafted menu appropriately reflects the activities at hand. Confined near the entrance, the restaurant area is in a prime location. Far enough from the main bar and bowling lanes so you can enjoy your meal in peace, but still close enough to feel like you’re a part of the action. Snug booths (held up by huge bowling pins) and elevated communal tables are conducive to solid hanging out. The full menu went into effect after our last visit, so we’ll have to update this review in the near future. For now, you’ll have to live with our rundown of the preview menu.
Food Rundown:
Rock ‘n’ Roll Fries
A heaping portion of French fries drenched in gravy and provolone. Forks and extra napkins are necessary in a big way.
Pork Rinds
Not something I’d normally order and not something I’d order again. They were fine, nice and fried and easy to eat while bowling, but you can do better.
Jalapeno Poppers
Battered and deep fried jalapeno poppers with a perfect blend of creamy cheese (goat and cheddar), crunchy pepper, and crispy coating balanced out with a refreshing ranch dip. A must order.
Smoked BBQ Wings
These wings are plump, meaty, smoky, and delicious. If you don’t like smoky dishes then these are not the wings for you, but our table devoured them.
Cajun Shrimp Cocktail
Cooked perfectly and served cold with a side of spicy mayonnaise dipping sauce, this is a great starter.
Iceberg, Blue Cheese & Bacon Salad
I’m not a huge fan of blue cheese, so I didn’t enjoy this so much. That said, I turned to my friends for their opinion, and it was a winner by their standards. Another cleaned plate.
Really Sloppy Joe
Any place that offers up a sloppy joe knows what’s up. Especially one billed as a “really” sloppy joe. Hats off to the chef for using pickled peppers, which serve as a nice touch and resulted in the dopest sloppy j I’ve had in a while. I still think about this dish.
Fried Chicken
What’s there to say? It’s the classic Blue Ribbon recipe. If you haven’t experienced it yet, run, don’t walk to your nearest Blue Ribbon and get down.
1/2 Rack of Pork Ribs
A huge plate of moist, meaty ribs served over mashed potatoes with a side of corn on the cob. Their BBQ sauce is perfect. I tried my best to take this whole thing down, but I was stuffed by the time I got to the ribs, and I just couldn’t do it. Next time I’ll be prepared.
Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding
In under one minute, five people took down two servings of this pudding. It was gone so quickly that I don’t even remember the tasty details. All I can say is that this is not your Grandmother’s bread pudding. Blue Ribbon has put a spin on this traditional dish that would have had us ordering thirds if we weren’t so full from all of our food consumption.
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