Bask in the gleaming surroundings of the masterful restoration project that is Highland Park Bowl. It was established in 1927, when patrons would head to the doctor’s offices on the second floor to collect medicinal whiskey prescriptions, then head downstairs to get them filled. The lower-level recreational space slowly became a place to booze and bowl. Later, a music store within the premises acquired a live music license, and a magnificent party palace was born.
During the late sixties, the ornate features were covered in paint, the bowling lane machines came to a grinding halt, and a vibrant live music scene took over. After decades, a renovation revealed the venue’s glorious past, bringing its debaucherous heyday back to life.
Now guests will step into the beautiful space with eight lanes of old-school bowling, plush leather sofas for competitors to relax on in between strikes, spares, and straight-to-the-gutter misfires. The pin-setting machinery remains exposed, offering geeky revelations for anyone who hass ever wondered exactly how it works.
For post-game refreshment, you can pull up a seat at the U-shaped bar with shelves of fine liquors that look like a retro pharmacy display cabinet. The venue offers a casual Italian-ish menu with plenty of pizzas, meatballs, calamari fritti, and chicken Milanese, amongst other dishes, with 11 punchy cocktails (try the Belle of the Bowl) available, along with draught beers and a rotating selection of slushies.
But, there’s more to this recreational hotspot than boozing and bowling — there’s groovin’ too. Bands, DJs, and other entertainers raise the vaulted roof most nights.
Location: 5621 North Figueroa Street, 90042.
Opening hours: seven days a week; Mon. – Thurs. 5 pm–12 am, Fri. 5pm – 1am, Sat. 12pm-2am, Sun. 12pm – 12pm.