Sunset Bowl

I’ll miss this place so much. I played a ridiculous number of games of DDR there during my college years. Being open 24 hours was something I took for granted and it really sucked going elsewhere, after I typically left at 3AM, after burning through $ 20 in quarters.
It rarely was crowded so I was able to focus and just get away from the traffic elsewhere. When it would get cold during the winter, it was a welcome way to get active.

…and NOW the evil condo overlords are doubtless re-​thinking their purchase. Up to 70% vacancy in condos in Ballard? Huh. I hope you lose your shirts, after closing our frikkin bowling alley, which now sits VACANT.
Don’t you all think it would be pretty fuckin busy NOW THAT NO ONE HAS ANY MONEY???
Jeez. Assholes…

I can’t believe this happened. One Big Fat *TEAR*. My family & I will forever miss this place. We always had bday parties here or just going late at night for a few games has been a joy. This was our spot. I won’t want to go anywhere else, really, unless we get invited for a party at the Garage… maybe…
Rumor had it that they may keep it– putting a parking garage under, and the condos above. Now THAT would be sweet. Don’t know how that would work though. Even IF that could happen, they would have to still shut it down for a couple years while they renovate and build…

I grew up and still live two blocks away.
My daddy took me bowling here for the first time when i was three, my feet were too little for their littlest shoes so I had to wear my socks.
I started taking bowling lessons here when i was 7.
I celebrated my 10^th birthday here, 50’s themed, of course.
I made the Ballard High School varsity bowling team here when I was 15.
I never got the chance to go back just one more time… I’ll miss you Sunset bowl, with all of my heart.
xoxo

Are the rumors true? Is this place really going the way of the buffalo? Wait, buffaloes are still around, right? Does that mean there’s still hope for Sunset?
Sure, the interior is severely dated and, lets be honest, grimy. Sure, me and my friends were once kicked out by a surly cocktail waitress (who had served us many times before; two consecutive 10-​week bowling leagues… hell, I knew her by name!) because two of us were supplying drinks to the third who forgot her ID. And sure, the folks behind the counter probably wish everyone would just go home already so they can watch some Magnum P.I. in the bar, but isn’t that why we come?
Man, I really love Sunset. Underdog bowling here was a blast, as was late night drunk bowling… and early morning drunk bowling for that matter. The food is always predictably greasy and delicious and they have bowling pin-​shaped Bud Light bottles!
Unfortunately the past few times I’ve been back to Sunset and tried to re-​live the halcyon days have been unsuccessful. Evenings and weekends (the only time most normal, non-​retired people bowl) have seen the lanes jam-​packed with bowling leagues and consequently bursting with people more patient than I waiting upwards of one and a half hours to bowl. I assume the alley brings in more money with leagues so powers that be fill up the schedule with them but this leaves the casual and reminiscent bowler out in the cold.

There are those of us that have been here, that have bowled, that have bowled in leagues, that have bowled with our kids, that have bowled here at 3 am, that have enjoyed ourselves here time and time again. I’m glad I got to be one of those lucky individuals and I’m sad for those of you that didn’t.
You don’t know what you’ve got till its gone…

Dear people who are closing Sunset Bowl,
What’s wrong with you? I hate you.
Sincerely,
Felecia

Really, you don’t know what you got, ’til it’s gone.
It’s not progress that I despise, it’s change (and the character sucking overpriced condos that have been going up all over Ballard). I, like many people who have reviewed this alley, have a lot of great memories tied to the Sunset Bowl. I encourage everyone to go there as much as possible while it’s still open.

For some reason I bowl well at sunset. maybe I had a lucky ball, or the lane was waxed just right for me. the world may never know.
It’s not as dive-​y as a few places I’ve been to in my life-that’s not to say it doesn’t have charm. I was happy I didn’t have to keep score by hand, and that the pin clearer functioned properly most of the time. Oh, and the kinda psychedelic sea design, I’m curious who came up with that.
Besides bowling they have a bar with karaōke. I’m not so hot on digital karaōke, and having everything so regimented, but they at least had some decent songs. just don’t throw out «F» bombs or the religious zealot will cut you.
I’m sure many will miss this place. Definitely go before it looks like the Denny’s across the street.

Dee said it perfectly, dive bowl indeed! The cool, nostalgic, fun to laugh at but secretly love and covet dive.
The first night of the Unilocal teams debut in the Red Hook Bowling league brought me back to the Sunset for the first time since my childhood.
Nostalgia hit hard for this child of habitual league bowlers upon pulling into the parking lot. 3 blonde little girls came out, all eating ice cream, to their car to get more quarters for treats and arcade games. It was like looking in a mirror 20 years in the past at me and my cousins. We gleefully ran rampant through the bowling alleys of the Northwest when our parents were busy bowling it up.
I had a BLAST! last night! I haven’t bowled in ages, and am proudly peacocking around my 2 above 100 games (out of 3) to anyone who will listen and about half a dozen people that won’t all day.
Yet another event for me, and the chance to meet yet another group of hilarious, nice, fun to be around Unilocalers. That alone was worth the price of admission.
The organizing of the league was a little chaotic, and even in the throws of starting last night there was a bit of chaos until things got going. I give props to the League Coordinator though… as she runs it while bowling the league herself. She had a real no nonsense approach of «listen while I talk» explanations.
If they handed out trophies for most enthusiastic, most high fives, and most random cheers to any team in this league, we would OWN that thing! We even cheered on the amazing bowlers (seriously, spin like that should be outlawed) in the lanes next to us.
Karaōke!!! The lady who ‘runs it’ has reportedly now been snagged into the world of Unilocal,so 5 stars for her! I was able to stay long enough to hear Betsy, Stephen and Liz belt out some tunes before I had to trek back to the suburbs for 3 hours of sleep before work. SOooo worth the bags under my eyes today! I couldnt think of a more perfect ending to the night than some tunes. :)
The drinks were good, the prices good, the bowling good, the atmosphere fun, parking adequate. For some reason our shoes were free even though we were repeatedly warned they cost… so BONUS cause that meant one more PBR for me !!!
See you all next week!

I took one of my best friends here last week while he was visiting from Spokane. Told him, «Enjoy this bowling. Who knows where we’ll have to go to bowl next time.» Got a pitcher of Pabst then a pitcher of Hefeweizen. Bowled two games and got over 100 each time, which for me is a cause to celebrate with rowdy fist pumping and an attempt at dancing in the worst dancing shoes known to man.
They’re demolishing a bowling alley to make way for MORE CONDOS?! Are they Nazis? Nope, they’re fuckin’ nihilists! Say what you like about the tenets of National Socialism, at least it’s an ethos.

But what will happen to the «Hot Nut Bar» if Sunset Bowl is torn down?
The condos better offer a complimentary bag of cashews as a signing bonus.

Nothing is sacred.
That’s fucking IT!
I’m moving to Mexico. I think I will be one of those dudes that comes by in the morning with the agua. Or maybe I will drive a taxi? I guess I could be a masseuse — no one will check my credentials there and I give a mean Shiatsu rub down. I could probably be a housekeeper or gardener if nothing else works out.
Pinche condos.

Sunset Bowl is a karaōke contradiction and it breaks my heart.
It has the BEST BOOK you will find in the city, if not anywhere. Why? Because it’s computerized. The database of song choices is staggering! If you want it… here it is, come and get it. Also, what better atmosphere could you ask for in which to drunkenly croon Sinatra or twang David Alan Coe than a Formica and pleather infused bowling alley where you can swill Budweiser from bowling pin-​shaped bottles whilst dining on handfuls of salty nuts scooped from a bin?
Unfortunately, while Sunset Bowl has a lot going for it, it also has some MAJOR shortcomings. First, the speakers are old and the hosts are paranoid about having them blow out. I have been badgered and my roommate has even had the mic switched off on him just for singing with the degree of enthusiasm one would expect from someone trying to do justice to Prince’s Darling Nikki.
However, the biggest drawback for the Sunset’s karaōke quality is the primary host. The alternate hosts are wonderful, normal people, but the guy who normally runs the show is the most obnoxious, ego-​maniacal schlub to sling songs in a bar. Imagine attending karaōke hosted by the comic book guy from the Simpson’s minus the charm of being an animated fictional character. In fact, I find the primary host so irritating, that I have vowed NEVER to attend karaōke there while he is present.
So, if you find yourself at the Sunset Bowl with the alternate hosts, sing quietly to your hearts content. But when the boss man is there run away and never look back.

«Not too shabby.» Just like «Harrison Ford’s a quarter Jewish» in Adam Sandler’s Hanukkah Song. There’s lots to do here, and even more fun for the adults (sorry kids!).
Bowling, arcades, karaōke, drink, eat, pull tabs, and bathrooms! Oh did you forget your socks? No worries, buy some with bowling pins and a ball on it from the vending machine. I had socks, but was still tempted. Darn you, socks!
The server comes around often, so your drink is never empty when yer at the lanes. Because you know, you will always bowl better drunk!
You don’t? That’s a shame.
If you’re going to go bowl, do yourself a favor and print the coupons from their website. Hot buys all around, and then you can splurge on some nachos… or a few games of Dance Dance Revolution!
Lots of parking, and now non-​smoking (YEAY!) so things are tolerable inside and outside!
Just watch out for people taking a piss outside. Um. Yeah.

Low –key bowling alley… pretty much what you’d expect.
**Make sure to print the coupons off their website, especially if you’re going with a large group. We probably saved almost $ 100.
I was a little confused about the reservation policy: they only take them during the day, not at night. I’m not sure about weekends.

Someone needs to drive me here so that I can drink way too much whilst bowling and then roll into the bar to rock out at karaōke.
You know the service button in bowling alleys that you press to get people to come and bring you more drinks? Sure you do! Well they don’t seem to watch for you to press it. So, if you can figure out how to call it up in the comp-​u-​tron bowling computer, they likely will not come any sooner. Try shouting and screaming for booze. That might work better.
Bowling is the working mans’ golf*, so dress and act accordingly. Make sure to talk about dick and fart jokes, drink too much, and bellow at each other. Cat call all women in sight, not just the hot ones, all of them. They’ll love it. If they start throwing things at you, do it more. Trust me. They can’t get enough. They are put on this earth for your amusement, after all. Hey! Another round over here!
Karaōke here is fun-​ish, but small and cramped feeling. The last time I went out was Bush Garden, and that place is a winatorium for karaōke. This just can’t stand up in comparison.
Bowl, have some drinks, do a little karaōke. It’s a good time and open 24 hours. Bowling at any time of the day or night!
.
* It’s true that many grown manchildren play golf just to get away from the wife and/​or family and drink beer served by hotties in sundresses that drive around a booze cart. How do I know this if I do not play golf? Because the married guys never stfu about it. These are also the men that have made Hooters a wildly successful national chain.

i get excited when my ball does not go into the gutter, so you can only imagine what kind of bowler i am. It is okay. I have come to terms with it. My atleticism does not extend to bowling, but my enjoyment of sport def does. Although i did not beat my PR (personal record) of 90, I did have one of the best times i have had in a long time. I think the 3.50 screwdrivers that the attentive waitress kept on bringing, had something to do with it… and the cake the michelle brought… and all the funny jokes/​things Unilocalers were saying… and my excitement of singing at the karaōke…
which brings me to my next point, when you are there, you have to sing. The best part of sunset bowl is the karaoking. It’s small enough to make your inner rock star or your childhood dream of being the opening act of New Kids on the Block come out. I don’t think i had that much fun dancing and singing. The sound quality is not great, but who cares?
so go. sing. bowl. laugh. make an ass out of yourself. you won’t regret it.‘
p. s. their fries are awesome. their thin and crispy and oh so delish. my boyfriend got their burger and he said that it was really really good. so their food rocked too.

Truth be told I would love to be pissed drunk here. I haven’t bowled a good game lately, and I definitely haven’t bowled drunk lately. I’m one of those «athletes» who uses substances to enhance their skills. Pool, darts, and now bowling are physical activities that I look forward to participating in but yet lack absolute confidence to do them without enhancers.
Enhancers such as the bowling pin shaped Bud bottles. I don’t really like Bud but it’s in a frakkin’ bowling pin shaped bottle! Ya gotta love it.
The bowling is fun, and with the child the bumpers are always up, but after the last time I was there on a Sunday, the bumpers being up seemed the norm.
But what can I say? It’s a fucking bowling alley and it’s holding fast to its 70s atmosphere. But the employees are nice (demented and sad but social) and the one gal at the counter always confirms which coupon to use to get the better deal.
Their shoes run big, get one size down to start and go to their website for coupons. Good luck and happy bowling.

She was a small town girl,
Livin’ in a lonely wor-​r-​r-​ld…
She took the midnight train going annnnnnyyyywherrrrrre…
Karaōke here rocks. They recently upgraded to an all computerized system with a boat load of songs. There was not a one song that I wanted to sing that wasn’t in the system. Wasn’t very crowded on a Saturday night either. Make sure to tip the KJ so he buys more songs!
so Don’t Stop Believin’, hold on to that feeeeeeeelin’
P. S. the KJ dude reeeeeeeeeally likes to sing. Like, so much that you end up drinking lots more so that you tune him out but then have to call a cab home.
P. P. S. Journey rules.