Nestled around Eagle Rock Boulevard’s neck, All Star Lanes is a notorious dive. The less adventurous will make sure to point out the chipped balls, the overwhelming greasiness of the food from the adjacent Chinese restaurant, the sketchy dudes in the next lane over. But, then, all of that is half the point. There’s a sad old man moaning along to a Merle Haggard song on the karaoke machine in the bar to the delight of his hipster audience breaking it down on the dancefloor (no matter what the song). A gang of rockabilly boys running combs through their pompadours bowl perfect games and high five on lane 12. Meanwhile indie coolies gnaw on sesame chicken, sipping the beautifully cheap beer, marveling at how the stains on their tight pants glow under the blacklight.

All Star Lanes is not an exclusive dive; on any given night, you can walk in to find a cross-section of Los Angeles’ sub-cultures. Obviously, this is not just about bowling. The bar is rife with good-for-nothings and karaoke fiends, attracted by the fully stocked bar’s bargain-priced booze and the shocking array of songs available. If, after warbling through the two-minute instrumental break in a Black Sabbath song, you need something to soak up the beer splashing around inside your guts, the red Dragon Chinese restaurant is ready to serve up some greasy joy. The restaurant has been through several incarnations, never really certain what best compliments the specific debaucheries available next door. Only recently, they upgraded from chicken fingers and fries to Chinese and real napkins.

To appease the hipsters, All Star Lanes is prone to transform, hosting wicked after parties (recently for the likes of Ladytron and Datarock), and elaborate, multi-band sponsored events (such as Kickchella, a free mini-festival with fourteen groups). Antics, the national traveling promo team sponsored by Toyota Matrix, threw a stellar party last month featuring Bloc Party on the 1’s and 2’s, a screen-printing station, free Sparks, and of course, Rock Band on a flat screen in the trunk of a car. Clearly, if you like bowling with your underground cool, this is the place to be.

All-Star Lanes
4459 Eagle Rock Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90041
(323) 254-2579