Some of you reading this have been to Tokyo Delve’s Sushi Bar in North Hollywood. It’s sort of a combination nightclub and sushi bar. There is a velvet rope at the door, there is a constant and very loud soundtrack pumped out by a DJ, the waiters put on a dance routine to NSync, there is dancing of the Chicken Dance while standing on one’s chair (participation basically mandatory), etc. Now, the sushi there is not bad – but if you’re primarily going out for sushi, this isn’t where you’d go. You’re going for the multimedia extravaganza.

300 is kind of like that, but with a bowling alley. They are sort of aiming for this high-class cocktail lounge feel with the decor, with the special station that fits you for your house ball (no hunting around for a ball, they bring it to you), with the waiter-like dude who gets you your drinks at your lane but also takes care of taking your money for bowling. However:

• They had that whole dim lighting with black lights on the lanes thing going on, making it hard to see to bowl.
• The end of every lane has a big video screen playing the video for whatever song is on the sound system at the moment, which is distracting.
• The music played is very loud, and sort of randomly switches between genre – Shania Twain followed by Sonny and Cher followed by Culture Club (all things we heard there within the space of one game).
• There are no arrows on the lanes! Just the dots.
• The graphics on the scoring system are bizarre and not tremendously functional.
• It’s expensive – $5 for shoe rental and $6 per person per game during the 5pm-9pm time frame ($8 on Friday and Saturday).

So I would say 300 is the Tokyo Delve of bowling alleys, but if Tokyo Delve topped it off with really mediocre sushi.

If what you primarily want to do is bowl, All-Star is clearly the better deal, what with $3.50 shoe rental and $18 for an hour on a lane. I can’t speak to the drink prices, since I don’t drink, but I know Ryan had a beer.

As a Bowling Czar who is primarily interested in bowling, I withhold my Seal of Approval from 300 and will not be scheduling DFMM bowling events there.

Yelp review
Corporate site

Two upcoming DFMM events:

May 6, 8PM, Bowling at Jewel City in Glendizzle. Ricardo will be there. Bring your bowling hats.

For May’s beer night, the DFMM has a very, very special treat planned: Beer night in Ryan’s back yard. May 20th. 7:34PM sharp. Contact Ryan for directions.

Also, to expand on Connie-Lynne’s previous post: the shop in question is the Western Columbia Pro Shop, at 633 S. San Gabriel Blvd. in San Gabriel (it’s a tiny shop in a strip mall). They (or rather, he, since it’s one guy) are running a special where you can get a ball, shoes, and bag for $109 plus tax. If all you need is a ball or shoes, just mention that Erich Schneider sent you and you’ll get the “preferred rate” on stuff (which is something like 30% off?).