I went there 1 month ago, the place is vintage, with a lot of pictures. Good place if you have to meet with your friends. I will repeat read more

All Star Lanes - Bowling Near Me - Whiteleys, XGL

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We had our staff Christmas Party there. With the early 50's-60's theme going on and up to date music, All Star Lane is not your typical bowling venue. I liked the cocktails, I ordered the non alcoholic Pina Colada virgin for free courtesy of the company I work for. There is a total of 6 bowling lanes and mind you it is quiet small =? I was expecting the place to be bigger. You don't have to bowl to eat there. I'd recommend this place for close friends and family. The food was good but the company was even better. I spent most of the night taking pictures, so didn't have time to look at the menu =S sorry read more

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American styled bowling lanes, bar and restaurant. I went here as part of a birthday do. We had two lanes as well a large table booked and everything went really smoothly. The staff was really nice and looked after us well. The bowling lanes were pretty standard, however, there wasn't a large selection of bowling balls of varying sizes and the score screeh was waaaay too far to the front of the lanes. As soon as you stepped on the lane, you couldn't see the screen at all anymore. Made it a little awkward to keep track of everything as you always had to step all the way back to see what's going on. They also don't have the standard bowling type seating where everyone sits in a U shaped bench style area, instead there were a few bar stools and tables at the back. The lanes next to ours did have booths off to the side, but ours didn't. Drinks from the bar took a little while to get so we tended to delay our game as everyone had to wait for thirsty people to return. Not sure if the bar staff was really slow or what was going on, but it didn't seem too busy, so shouldn't have taken as long as it did. Once we were sat down at our table after the game, everything went really smoothly. They have an American diner style menu selection. I had the Reuben with a side of mac'n'cheese. The mac was great, very mild and cheesy and luckily without the weird crumble topping a lot of places use here. The Reuben was flavourful but very very dry. It seemed like the bread was stale, so they overgrilled it to mask that, it was tough as rock and not very enjoyable. Overall a decent place to go for bowling, probably not worth it just for the food though. read more

All Star Lanes - Mac and cheese done right! - Bowling Near Me - Whiteleys, XGL

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Bowling has never been so stylish and retro with the arrival of All Star Lanes in Bayswater. Forget dodgy shoes, greasy food and beer- All Star has an impressive cocktail list and a delicious American style diner. It's great to do something a bit different at the weekend instead of just drinks and dinner. At All Star Lanes you can do both AND bowl or watch your friends while sipping a cocktail. I really love the salt and pepper squid and crab cakes aand the steaks are good too. Bowling will never ever be boring! read more

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Since its opening, I have always been a massive fan of Bloomsbury Bowling in Tavistock Square but have always been told by friends that All Star Lanes is a far slicker, cooler bowling experience. Last weekend, we were invited to a Christmas party, where the company had hired out the whole venue until 1 am (not late enough) For a big party, the two bars were not sufficient- the queues were very long and there were not enough people behind the bar. However, I'm sure for a normal bowling session it would be fine. I couldn't work out why, but I didn't think All Star Lanes was quite as fun as Bloomsbury- I think it is almost too polished and too smart. read more

All Star Lanes - Bowling Near Me - Whiteleys, XGL

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Oh we had so much fun at All Star Lanes last night. Our event there was absolutely action-packed (drinks, dinner, cocktails, canapes, bowling, karaoke, competitions) and we had an excellent time. I'm impressed that you can throw a bunch of Qypers who've never met in a room with some beer and before long they're chatting away like old friends. Qype + Bowling = happy people. I love the whole Americana feel of the venue. There's something about 50s pin ups and old school US-of-A stuff that really does it for me. It might be the dresses, or my love for all things Grease-based. Or it might be that everything comes with sour cream and fries. And there's milkshakes. Our dinner was good. I wouldn't come to All Star Lanes just for dinner, but I was pleasantly surprised. There's a lot of choice (yet I still had a burger craving, what's a girl to do). The burger could have been excellent, but it was medium-well done. I prefer mine medium rare and I'd have liked to have been asked how I wanted it cooked. I wasn't entirely sure about the strange sauce that came with it either. But, I still polished off the whole thing, despite eating tasty chicken wings for starters. That still didn't stop me eating all those little desert canapes either. Worth mentioning that the waitresses did an excellent job of looking after 20 of us. All smiles and sexy little dresses. The cocktails were excellent (some kind of fruit whiskey julep concoction, more please), and I loved the private room. Actually, I'd happily give the private room five stars. It's the perfect place to hire out for a party (yes, I'm plotting already), with two bowling lanes for a tournament (my team won, IT WASN'T A FIX), and karaoke to embarrass yourself on. We had an excellent time here. One of those evening where you're still smiling and giggling about things the next day. I enjoyed the food, but with a few tweaks I'd happily give them five stars all 'round. Can we go back please? Can Qype set up a bowling team? Can we? Please? *This review was after our Qype/All Star Lanes event, our meal and entertainment were gratis, as were our cocktails. read more

All Star Lanes - Bowling Near Me - Whiteleys, XGL

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Had a Christmas party here a while ago. Luckily we booked in advance and managed to get two lanes, so we had one team against another - great fun :-) Located in Whiteleys (entrance on the Porchester Gardens side), All Star Lanes has a very retro/50's style decor and convenient location - there are two tube stations (Queensway & Bayswater) and bus stops nearby. If you fancy going somewhere else afterwards, you could always walk towards Westbourne Grove, where you'll find some trendy bars... read more

All Star Lanes - Bowling Near Me - Whiteleys, XGL

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I can appreciate that some people like high end, classy bowling alleys. These people may also enjoy things such as minimalist design, the biggest, fastest, and flashiest new technology, and "I have a small penis" cars. They're just not for me. In my world, the terms modern, stylish, smart and sleek should never never never be used in the same sentence as "bowling alley." Rather, a bowling alley should be like a blast from the past -- the lingering smell of 30+ years of cigarettes, 60s-70s tack, balls with names like "Bud" "Lefty" and "Winston," perhaps some chinsey trophies from leagues of yore, and lots of cheap beer in cans paired with fried food. In fairness, many of these reasons are why I don't spend much time in bowling alleys, so I can see what you're doing here, I really can. And by all means, style away! I'm sure attracting the Victorias, Jennifers and Kimberlys are better than the Buds of the world. Yet when I went to All Star Lanes, I paid £8.50 for a game and drank something pink with champagne and a pineapple. Something's not right with this picture. read more

All Star Lanes should get some credit for theming the bowling experience and trying to lift it above the local bowling alley night out. In what is actually quite a small space, they've created 6 bowling lanes, a dining area and a separate bar area. The main reception area to pay/get your shoes can get crowded if groups arrive together. The diner theming extends to the staff who are all dressed in suitable gear. I found them all to be very efficient and friendly. Our start time was pushed back to accommodate some latecomers without any problem. Games are perhaps a little pricey at £8.50 but this is London, I suppose. There was a nice variety of drinks and cocktails available - lovely tasting but perhaps not the cheapest. There's also quite a big menu available but we didn't eat here. There needs to be one member per group to bowl here but it's £10 to join and you get one game of bowling included in that It was a fun place to spend the afternoon with fellow Yelpers read more

Started my afternoon by getting kinda lost. Basically if you are coming from bayswater, All Stars is on the starting edge of Whiteleys, not the end so you turn down the lane as you approach and you will get to an inconspicuous entrance. As we were all running late, they very kindly agreed to let us delay by 40 minutes, which is brilliant and we had a drink in the bar while we waited for the late arrivals. My watermelon juice was extremely fresh, if not a little small. When our time came, the girls at the reception were very helpful and kitted us out with the world's ugliest velcro bowling shoes. Gone are the days of over knotted shoes, in come rather horrifying versions. The Reception area was also quite small, so if there is a large group of you (like us) it gets pretty cramped- especially if you run into a large group coming in as you return your shoes. Our bowling game was spectacular. Obviously, since it was a UYE! Unfortunately both our lanes broke and "technically" we won, because one of the pins was placed fallen, so our lane couldn't score strikes or spares. I feel that I should give them more than 3 stars as the decor was plush and it was clean etc. but the toilets were hot and our lanes were broken, so despite the fun we had, i can't give it more stars than there are in the ball. Oh, and remember to wash your hands after bowling, "you don't know what your fingers been in". read more

Ok for a Central London bowling alley i felt this was a great place, not tacky clearly for the more discerning bowlers, this place has been planned out well, with a more than ample bar and restaurant element and cozy, intimate lanes that encourage a great party atmosphere. Only reason why im not giving it five stars is the fact its a victim of its own success, it was too busy for us to buy a second impromptu game as inevitably the lanes get booked up! if youre organised enough to book a group in do it! read more

This review is not for the bowling. This review is not for the diner, which was uninspiring and a bit overpriced. This review is for the bar, and in particular one of the bartenders, Hedi. Some context here: it was a friend's birthday party. Bowling happened, then we went to the bar while waiting for a free table for dinner. I went to the bar and started flipping through the cocktail list. And then the bartender interrupted me, and asked what sort of drinks I like. We had a conversation about alcohol, and then a drink appeared in front of me. It was delicious. My girlfriend did the same, and a drink appeared in front of her. It was delicious. We asked the bartender what his name is. It was Hedi. We returned to the group, and a friend asked what we'd got. Me: "No idea." Friend: "What?" Me: "Look, just go to the bar - see that guy? That's Hedi. Talk to him about alcohol for a bit." Friend looks puzzled, but duly does so. He returns with a drink and a big smile. Word spreads through the group. Soon, everyone is getting personalised cocktails. We go for dinner; during the meal, one of the staff asks our friend if he'd like a drink. Friend: "Yes - I'd like another one of these, please." Staff: "What is it?" Friend: "I've no idea. It's a cocktail. It's MY cocktail. I just went to the bar, and had a conversation, and I got this, and now I'd like another one." Go for the bowling, if you must. But stay for delicious, custom-made cocktails. Who tends the bartenders? Hedi, apparently. read more

More like 2 Star Lanes. I'm just not feeling this place at all. Don't get me wrong, it's a great idea. When you go in it gets you feeling excited and up for a good time. The lighting is cool and the lay-out of the place is quirky and the combination of saloon bar and bowling lanes is intriguing. But then you actually try to book a lane to do some actual bowling or you buy a drink and sit on the probably-overpriced-and-certainly-not-as-comfy-as-they-look chairs and you think, 'Really?' I have only been able to stick three fingers in a ball once when I've been there and I still spent plenty. It's trying to be upmarket and I know it hosts a lot of private parties, but they're for the kind of people who go on that ghastly show on MTV about my super shit 16. Why can't I play two games of ten-pin bowling for a tenner and get a pizza on the way home like when I was 12? That's what I want. read more

1. I love bowling 2. I love diners 3. I love *doing* something while having a drink on a Saturday night. All Star Lanes ticks all boxes. Perfect for a date, I went and had two games with drinks - then dinner. The food was really good - American fast food style - which is exactly what you want when you go there. The burger was tasty, with real meat and a fresh bun. Great chips too (an odd thing to note, sure, but so easy to get wrong). I also had a rocky road sundae, because I'm a huge ice cream fan. It turned out being one of the best I've ever had. Sugar high? Uh huh, but oh so worth it. I adore the retro styling, which is so consistent throughout it's just a joy. Plus, the discounts you get as a card holder (free and given to you to first time you go) are ridiculous! For example, you get 50% off food midweek. I'm actually considering having my birthday here... read more

I was going to follow on the 2 stars mentioned by Phil R and Leon C, but I had something they didn't - an Oreo milkshake. The variety of drinks that they do, and the good taste of them, was what redeemed it for me. As a venue, I can see what they were going for. It has a nice style to it, but it's not *my* style, for bowling. In fact, when the food/drink area is about 3 or 4 times the size of the bowling area, I get a little confused as to what I'm here for. Unfortunately lane 4 appears to have a problem with one of the pins not being placed on the lane too often, though if you tell them after the go, they are quick at adding another point on. Unfortunately, it means you have to agree on if it would have been knocked down, and if it happens a lot like it did for us, you're potentially spending half your game just fixing errors. Not ideal. If you want somewhere small, quite and a little more intimate for some bowling, however, and are happy to spend a bit more for this, then the idea is gonna suit you just fine. read more

I've been there twice. First time was 5 star. We really had a lot of fun. Last night was a series of mistakes and snotty service from beginning to end. Reservations: two phone messages (because they didn't answer despite it being opening hours) and the online form did not result in a response let alone a reservation. We finally managed to get someone to pick up the phone the night before. Our reservation for dinner and bowling set 90 minutes apart were handled correctly but the reservation for post-bowl drinks in the bar was forgotten. We found our name card prepared but sitting at the side of the bar having never been placed on a table. Food and drink: food was delayed with a lengthy gap between appetizers and mains. Main courses arrived 15 minutes before our scheduled bowling time. When we asked what could be done they said "you've got time". Cocktails were inconsistently made. First one was ok. Second round I ordered the same drink but received an entirely different one. They took it away but only after implying that it was in my head. An Airmail and a Margarita are not the same drink. Additional small mistakes like forgetting the sauces etc could normally be overlooked over the course of the evening but it's telling of of an overall lack of attention to detail. The bowling was fun and enjoyable but the package around it, the thing that makes them their money, needs to step up in a big way from what I saw last night. I might give them one more try (every place has an occasional bad night) but then again London is a city with lots of options. read more

Great little bowling alley, with a much more intimate feel than other places I've visited, and nice plush decor. Soon after arriving, a waitress immediately came over to take our drinks orders, however there was a bit of a wait before the drinks actually arrived. We were quite a large group, so perhaps this is what slowed things down. After enjoying our bowling game we then headed down to the restaurant where we were shown straight to our table. I believe we had to eat in the restaurant in order to book the bowling (I don't know if it's because we were a large group or if this is true for all bookings as someone else in my party organised the event). The food was generally great. I had steak, which was a decent size and cooked exactly as I'd requested. Service was a little on the slow side, but again it could be because we are a large group and the wait wasn't excessively long. Overall we had a great night here and I would definitely consider returning next time I go bowling. read more

I always enjoy All Stars.. what's not to love? A lovely Americano experience. We came for a work do and had a lot of fun bowling and enjoying beers and cocktails. Then we ate and it was a similar experience but I'm not impressed with the service at all. It wasn't rammed and our waiter routinely disappeared. Lots of waving and hey mate! action ensued but, well as usual I ended up going to find them. My colleagues didn't want to fight over the service charge but it was pretty frustrating given the excellent service I've had before.. The food was great as ever and the atmosphere convivial but. Meh. I'd expect better from such an established chain.. read more

My first encounter with all-star lanes was designing a flyer for a private party held there around a year ago. I didn't get to go myself but from what I could see on the website it looked pretty damn funky. So when I got there last Friday at around 11 I was full of anticipation, but was surprised to see how empty it was. It is not very trendy to drink and bowl on a Friday night anymore? Perhaps it's because it closes at midnight? Unperturbed by this turn of events I laced up my shoes and took to the lanes with my buddies. The lanes seem a little shorter than usual and I have to say I think that impaired my performance somewhat, or perhaps it was limitless buckets of beer (£15 for 5 Coors) or maybe it's just that I'm terrible. However, I managed to pull out a strike at the critical moment to save our team so I still came off looking like the dude. Afterwards we took to the bar where it had in the meantime filled up a little, although it felt a little like a school disco as groups of men and women collected in different sections, and although the DJ was spinning some great house and disco, there was only sporadic dancing and commingling. And it was as hot as Freddie Ljundberg down there. read more

I completely adore the red leather seated bar area with it's little tables with inbuilt lamps. and with the checkered floor in the restaurant area, you can't help but feel this place is a little bit David Lynchian The venue itself is laid out well, with bowling, a restaurant where they serve amazing American themed food, and a fantastic bar that serves a range of amazing cocktails and includes a tiki, Trader Vic themed section a personal favourite of mine. They have everything you need for a great night out, and indeed, I had a fantastic night here with friends. My one recommendation as a lover of spicy things and of cocktails, is to try the voodoo it's fantastic, if an acquired taste. Not bad value for money (although it's more on the expensive side), but with well maintained lanes, quality food and drinks, it's well worth a visit. read more

All Star Lanes - Bowling Near Me - Whiteleys, XGL

Last night, Qype treated a few of us to an evening of food, booze, bowling and karaoke (strange combination, I admit). And what a fun evening it was. Having initially walked straight past Porchester Gardens, I duly backtracked, and turned into the aforenamed Gardens, and practically ran straight into it. I negotiated past the bouncer (who ever heard of a bouncer at a bowling alley, I thought. It made more sense when you realise they serve drinks, and so don't want teen bowlers invading the venue), and went downstairs. The place is decked out like an American diner - indeed, Americana is the theme, right down to the attire of the wait staff. It's big - bigger than you'd think. It doesn't have the seemingly thousand of lanes that a 'chain' alley might have; there are around six or eight, I'd guess (I didn't count) in the main room, and then two in the private room we ended up in. We were lucky; our first drink (a bottle of Sam Adams in my case - a beer I do like, even though I am mostly a real ale drinker), drinks (red wine, white wine, or Coors Light) with dinner, dinner and a couple of cocktails were free. This is just as well, as an evening at All Star Lanes won't be a cheap one. The bottle of Liberty Ale (another nice American beer - slightly hoppy, though still fizzy) I purchased was £4.50 - rather pricey for a 12 oz bottle. There is a good selection of American beers (well, there is a large selection - there are some very good beers, but also some awful ones - avoid the Coors Light, unless you like making love in a canoe). The main meals seem to hover at around the £10 - £15 mark - again, expensive for what is essentially an eating place attached to a bowling alley (though far nicer than the standard nacho fare of most alleys). Cocktails can reach the dizzy heights of £10; though they are nice, I'd avoid them for that reason. The food is again, American themed. I had a seared tuna taco to start, which was quite nice (the tuna was excellent), though I'd have preferred it a little more adventurously spiced. The ribs I had to follow were good, but truthfully, don't hold a candle to 24 hour slow cooked ribs I've had in the States. But the sauce was tasty, and the spiced apple that accompanied it was a nice touch. It came also with cole slaw. This was better than many slaws I've had here in the UK. The view of other members of the party of the food was mixed - one lady had what she described as a disappointing macaroni cheese, and the burgers while apparently good, looked a bit overcooked, and those that ordered the burger were never asked how they'd like them cooked. Following the meal, we were escorted to the private lanes, where little canapé deserts awaited us. I had a bit of brownie. Again, it was tasty, but uninspiring - competent but not hugely special. Cocktails were also on offer (supposedly one per person...I may have had more than one) - I was told what they were called, but I forget. It was seriously nice though - there was mint, raspberries and I think an American whiskey. Do bear in mind, however, they are expensive if you have to pay yourself. The bowling was fun, even though I am the world's worst adult bowler. The lanes are clean, there is a good selection of balls of various weights and sizes. The electronic and automatic scoreboard made life very easy, as it seems only the most dedicated bowlers can remember what happens at the end of a frame if there is a strike or spare. The private room only has two lanes; this is worth noting if your group is large, as you may struggle to get everyone bowling in a given period of time. I can't complain too much, as our team won (no thanks to me), thus snagging me a £20 voucher for next time. I would point out, though, that £20 won't go terribly far, especially if food and cocktails are on the menu. The private room also featured a karaoke machine. I declined to participate in that - I'm more of a finger-in-the-ear-folkie, but I can say that other members of the party enjoyed it immensely, and some had real talent. I did not examine the machine in detail, as I didn't 'play,' so cannot really comment on its features. Should you care to bowl and actually pay for it, a game at peak times (after 6.00pm and weekends) will set you back £8.75 per person (ouch). Off peak, before 6.00pm Monday to Fridays except in December) is a slightly more palatable £6.25. They do have kids' bowling, though I do not know what time they allow children. All prices include shoe hire. Monday to Thursday they are open from 4.00pm until 11.30pm (so there is a short off peak window there) - they are open most of the day at weekends, and shut at midnight on Fridays and Saturdays. All this information can, of course, be found on their website (http://www.allstarlanes.co.uk/bayswater/bowl.aspx) . They also have two other branches in London, should Bayswater not be convenient. I really did have a fun time, despite my abysmal bowling performance. Were I read more

I had a 'spare' evening (groan), so registered for and subsequently turned up at the #BowledOverByQype event - held here at the All Star Lanes, nestled close to the Whiteleys shopping centre in Queensway. I arrive at the Bayswater branch of the ten-pin empire to find some friendly faces lined up on 2 tables, awaiting dinner. Looking at the menu, I am one of the few who are relieved to find there are alternatives to burgers! I order the Tuna with red slaw (no mayo!! Hurrah!!) followed by the blackened salmon with beetroot. Considering this is a bowling alley, I'm pleasantly surprised by the food - instead of an 'out of the freezer via the deep fat fryer/microwave' selection, I felt like I ate something healthy here - although there was a distinct impression of 'nearly but not quite' around the table when the food arrived. Still, the food was more than adequate for my empty belly, and I didn't need to have 'dinner no. 2' later. Suitably filled with food, we were treated to a few frames in the private room. This had 2 lanes, a karaoke machine and kind and patient Oscar, our genial chap behind the bar, who whipped up incredibly boozy juleps to accompany the pudding canapes. Oscar, I can only apologise for the joyous audio assault on your ears as we wailed our way through some of our favourite songs as others tried in vain to bowl during this aural torture. It is impossible to describe the sheer noise that 20 or so Qypers can make once they are filled with sugar and alcohol and encouraged to throw stuff and sing. A fun night was had by all. I would unhesitatingly recommend the private room as a brilliant place to hold a party or event. What a great night out, even if you, like me, aren't that brilliant at bowling. As at Jan 2011: 2 courses: around £20 Bowling: £6.25-8.75 per person per game Private bowling and Karaoke Room holds up to 80 people read more

I've been to the AllStar Lanes a few times in the past. Holborn twice and last night was my second time at the Bayswater branch as part of the #BowledOverByQype event. I'm not the world's best bowler and always feel like having a Fred Flintstone moment whenever I pick up a bowling ball (I loved the Flintstones as a kid & bowling looked fun, but I never got to bowl until I was 'grown up'). I really love the old Americana retro styling of the lanes here, so it was good to see the menu matched the decor well. I came just expecting burgers and nothing else, so it was a pleasant surprise to see chilli, seared salmon, pork butt cheeks with giant baked beans and ribs on the menu too. Fred Flintstone would have been happy with the portion of ribs which was about the length of my cat (he's not a small cat) and amazingly, with the help of a friend, I polished them off . The meat was meltingly tender and worked well with the accompanying baked apple (apple & ribs - made a combo - who knew? - I felt like I had a bit of my five a day with that). The bowling was fun and made even more fun by the karaoke machine for those who were waiting to bowl. Like Siany, I'm seriously considering hiring the private room for a party! Will certainly be back - yet again! read more

If ever there were a sport in which you could simultaneously excel and completely suck, bowling would be it. The average beginner seems to hit 2 strikes in a row then fail miserably for the rest of the night managing to get ball in gutter within about 8 inches of letting go of the thing, 95% of the time. Maybe I exaggerate. Maybe I should speak for myself... I used to go bowling with church youth group. I kid you not. (Please don't hold my upbringing against me.) From this time I remember bowling alleys to be distinctly inert affairs; they were the kiddy-friendly alternative to going to bars and clubs. (Which I did as well, from a young age. Fabulously hypocritical Christian upbringing I hope you'll agree.) As well as inert (no alcohol) they were naff to the extreme and mildly grubby to boot. I am glad that my first experience in 10 years was at All Star Lanes in Bayswater, a decidedly fancy bowling and food venue, and one where alcohol was decidedly on the menu; now these memories can be erased. We were greeted with drinks (the Root Beer on ice is a must), chatted in the bar (quite plush actually) then were seated at the diner. Although a tad "themed", the diner was pleasant. For some reason I loved the immaculate tiled black and white floor, the printed menu which was tailored to our event, and I found the service to be reasonably attentive. I wasn't bowled-over by the food or drink, but please note I am a huge fusspot when it comes to food. For a starter I had the seared tuna and red slaw taco. Tuna was perfectly cooked but bland, taco was a very strange texture, neither tasty nor crunchy. The slaw was okay. My main dish was a burger - one shouldn't be too critical of the quality of a burger, because a burger is a burger is a burger, however it was definitely of "Gourmet Burger Kitchen" quality as opposed to "Byron". (God I sound so middle class, kill me now. For the uninitiated, this means the burger was pretty average.) We were then treated to the private room with a double bowling lane and our own bar staff. It was a great atmosphere, cocktails were served, and Karaoke was sung. I'm no Karaoke aficionado but I liked the fact we could choose our own music and bowl at whatever rate we chose. Sadly we were asked by door / security staff at the end of the evening to leave; there's a reason that security staff should never interface with customer unless there is a problem (especially when your front of house are infinitely more attractive and personable). Anyway this was smoothed over by our brilliant, friendly, professional host Matt, whose hospitality during the evening was greatly appreciated. Thanks for a great night! read more

Things I love: booze, bowling and baraoke, so hurrah for Qype very kindly letting me come along to an evening of oodles of free same, if without the third b and correct spelling back in situ. We hung out in the lovely bar area before dinner. All Star really do bars well those fabulous red circular sofas, pretty waitresses, affable looking bar staff. Great. I had a glass of Pinot Grigio to start bit on the sharp side and then we toddled off to two long tables in the restaurant area for dinner. The loos are like a five minute walk away through double doors next to our table, but we still got a faint waft of bleach every now and then which was weird. Anyway, dinner! We had a special group menu drawn up by the chef to let us try a few of their options. The house Chardonnay was a lovely surprise and much better than the more expensive Pinot I'd had (£4 versus £4.70 a glass) so yay for white wine. Like a huge chunk of the table I had spiced BBQ chicken wings with blue cheese sauce. Pretty good and lots of it if not as BBQ sauce-tasting as this obsessive would have liked. Spurred on by the memory of a ridiculously indulgent macaroni cheese I had at Bodeans in Clapham last month, I ordered a baked three cheese mac with added bacon. This, sadly, sucked. If the word cheese is in the description of something savoury, I kind of expect, nay demand, to taste it. This may as well have been baked in béchamel sauce without adding the cheese, unless the three were Babybel, Cheez Strings and that other generic, flavourless yellow stuff that always turned up on the top of restaurant dishes. Have we got this yet? It didn't taste of cheese. I left half of it, partly because it was disappointing and partly because I was stuffed after the chicken. Well, now I'm thinking about that macaroni cheese and reliving that poor sad main course all over again, I may as well get all the whingeing out of my system. The waitress wrote down our orders, but my macaroni still turned up sans bacon (probably for the best, but really? I fricking LOVE BACON) and our finger bowls only turned up at the end of our starters when some of us (and obviously me, duh) had already destroyed our napkins with barbecue hands. We were here on a jolly, so I'd have guessed they were all on super best behaviour, but forgetting a couple of really basic things was odd. Still, we left a lot of very happy people bowling and drinking in the main area to head off to the private room for a cocktail and pudding canapes. It's a lovely private room, much smaller than the Brick Lane branch and would probably work better for birthday parties where you don't want to flounder around in lots of extra space. I also loved the bar lots of unexpected touches like dream catchers which made me giggle, and again, friendly bar staff. The karaoke machine was right next to the lane, meaning the teams who weren't playing could hang out without leaving the action. Great song selection and lots of amazing singing from the Qypers - Dan and Melinda OWNED Lady GaGa, Sian and Jane B did a cracking Ballroom Blitz, and Gemma and Kat did the best karaoke dancing I've ever seen. LJ clearly has a future as a classier Butlin's redcoat - great fun. All Star is always great fun for groups and it looked like they had some deals on here I clocked a poster offering two courses, a drink and bowling for £26), but at Bayswater at least, stick to the three tenuous b's and leave the food alone. read more

I feel bad not giving All Star Lanes the full five stars, because it's safe to say my night was definitely five star in terms of enjoyment - but I do feel the fives should be saved for absolutely perfect nights...and there is room to improve here. Mostly, I would say it was the food that didn't quite live up to expectations. Like many other unimaginative folks on our Qype night out, I opted for the burger, with a chicken quesadilla for starter. Both were good, but not exceptional - we weren't asked how we'd like the burgers cooked, and the waitress didn't know what I meant when I asked for it "with the works" - maybe I've been watching too many American tv shows, but this is an American diner style establishment, and I thought I was getting in the mood. She clearly thought I was speaking gibberish. This is not to say the staff were bad - they weren't. We we were looked after well, without any of the usual rushing, sighing and frustrated looks you often get at places like this when you're in a group of more than ten people. This goes for the bartender in the private room too - smiles, good service and good cocktails all round. And this from somone who had to put up with the dulcet tones of two dozen tipsy qypers. I'd be in the corner, holding my head in my hands, rocking from side to side yelling "make it stop." I jest - never have I experienced karaoke with so many people who can actually sing. The combo of bowling and karaoke is pretty much a dream night out for me, so no complaints there. The private room has two lanes, its own bar, a huge seating area and the karaoke machine / dancing area. This is a modern, Lucky Voice style karaoke system, not the scary japanese ones you find in some places. And the playlist is huge. We even found Charles & Eddie's 'Would I Lie To You' (sorry, everyone). My only problem with the bowling is that the lane we were on clearly tilted to the left a bit - how else can you explain why my ball kept going into the gutter ;0) read more

So...I feel I ought to start with a mini disclaimer. I was part of the Qype crew that went to All Star Lanes and consequently we were probably treated to an above average experience. I've given a 4* rating, which is definitely deserved if non-Qypers get the same attention to detail and smiling faces. Only a future surprise visit will tell the truth... Onto the food! To be honest, I never had great expectations for the food. After all, you go to a bowling alley to bowl, not to eat. But they are obviously making an effort on the food front, and the menu had some pretty inventive dishes for a bowling alley. I started with tuna and red cabbage. The tuna was bland and a bit dull in colour. All in all, an average dish. For my main, I had the pork butt with beans. Again, the food was perfectly edible but nothing to write home about. To sum up, the food met my expectations - American diner style food, lots of potential to taste great but slightly disappointing in execution. As far as I could gather (our menu had no prices) the main dishes were under £10, so at that price you can't really complain. And now moving on to the good stuff! The bowling, karaoke and the cocktails! The private room at the All Star Lanes is superb! I would definitely look to hire it out in future. We had a blast, bowling and singing for a good few hours. The barman knocked up a decently strong cocktail and the service was excellent - top notch for providing a great evening. Will I be back? To bowl, absolutely. To bowl and eat, probably. Just to eat, unlikely. read more

All Star Lanes has a retro American vibe. This one has the bar area with booths running along the opposite side to the bar. The restaurant section and then the bowling alleys. The bar serves all manor of cocktails and milkshakes (that can have alcohol added as an optional extra) and snacks. Drinks can be ordered at the bar, but they will also send a waiter to the bowling lanes to take drinks orders. Usually you have to book bowling and the restaurant, it may change depending on if it's busy, I'm not sure. The restaurant has a nice selection of dishes, though not massive. If you like burgers or mac n' cheese, you'll be fine. They did add a service charge, which I thought was a bit cheeky as it included the £70 for bowling on the bill. If we had bought the cocktails on the tab, we may have had to say something as the service was never really anything special. read more

Unfriendly staff and expensive. Not only are the drinks pricey - from about £4 and up - but they're weak American beers only. This place gets 1 star for having bowling lanes, but there are far better alternatives, check out the Bloomsbury Lanes for a good-time bowling party that will likely have some fine live music! read more

We had a work do here, and the place was nice enough. I must say though I was completely dissapointed by the DJ who was a complete douchebag. Despite complaints to the staff and in a survey back to the company I have had no response. So I suppose I will continue to have a justified view that All Star Lanes and bowling in this country as a whole is an over-priced and generally poor experience overall. The food is fair, the drinks good and the staff otherwise generally decent. read more

I've been to the Bayswater venue three times now (twice for corporate 'dos, and the third time for #BowledOverByQype), and they just keep getting more and more fun. I'm a real fan of the whole retro Americana theme that runs from the decor to the menu to the drinks to the waitresses' gorgeous Agent Provocateur-style dresses. The food is classic diner stuff -- burgers, ribs, milkshakes (oh the milkshakes! They're my favourite things ever!), and pretty tasty too. The starter I chose last night was a tasty aubergine quasedilla, which was a generous serve and really filling! Honestly, it could've been a main. Following that I chose the blackened salmon with candied beets. It was a really nice fillet of salmon surprisingly, and again, a generous serve. The candied beets could've had a bit more flavour, but the salmon was really nice. I was absolutely stuffed after those two courses, but managed to choke down a tiny brownie dessert canape. Yum! Then, a julep cocktail followed. Yes, I rolled home, in case you're wondering. Each time I've been I've always been really impressed with the service. One time I had to negotiate a tricky coat-swap (my friend had taken my coat instead of hers from my house accidentally, so she dropped it off with the cloakroom and exchanged it for her own), but they were nothing but helpful and lovely to me when explaining my predicament. All in all, I'd really recommend visiting the Bayswater branch of All Star Lanes. I've not had the pleasure of bowling at the other branches, but if the west-side one is anything to go by, I definitely plan on scheduling in a visit soon. read more

I can't fault this venue at all - lovely intimate atmosphere, fantastic cocktails, a vast array of difficult to find American beers, an adventurous menu and, of course, bowling! Wonderful! http://thelondoneer.blogspot.com/2011/01/all-star-lanes-bowling-bayswater-with.html read more

I bowled at All Star Lanes in Holborn a year or so ago and had a really brilliant night, so when Qype invited me to #BowledOverByQype last week at All Star Lanes in Bayswater I jumped at the chance. Bowling, burgers and karaoke? Urm, yeah, that sounds ok, I guess... It was a brilliant night. Of course, it was a special event and the people at the All Star Lanes kind of spoiled us, but I'd really recommend All Star Lanes for a night out all the same. My meal in the large restaurant area was delicious. I started off with chicken wings before moving on to their award-winning chilli. Despite the chilli and rice being served in two small separate bowls (no one else eats chilli like that, right?), I really enjoyed both. The chicken wings came in a gently spiced sauce and the chilli was warming and delicious. Other options included a HUGE burger and a rack of ribs that just fell off the bone. Nom. After eating we were ushered through into their private room. What a nice place! Two bowling lanes, a karaoke machine and a bar. And you don't even have to change into bowling shoes to bowl in there. Awesome. We were treated to dessert canapes of little waffles with buttermilk cream, chocolate mousse, brownies and cheesecakes, and a cocktail maker whipped up drinks on demand. So indulgent. But it's fine, because we were bowling, which is totally a sport. OK? All in all, a wonderful night. Good food, and great entertainment. For parties, I'd totally recommend the private room. For fun times, I suspect a night out eating and playing the lanes would be brilliant too. read more

I attended the recent Qype party at All Star Lanes and it was a very different experience to my previous visit to the lanes. I had only bowled here before after arriving late for a work do and sampled a couple of beers. This Qype party meant I was going to get a proper taste of all that I missed previously. After arriving and finally finding the rest of the Qype gang who i had never met before I sampled the first of my American beers for the evening and I was pleasantly surprised after having a few people tell me the beers weren't up to scratch, but they were. We moved onto the dinner and were provided with a selected menu arranged by the chef. A good choice was available in the starters and main course options and I went for the messiest food I could find, this was accidental but made the meal fun. For starter I opted for the spicy bqq chicken wings and was presented with three large wings smothered in sauce. The chicken was juicy and the ckin just about crisped up. For the main I moved to the ribs, which much like the chicken were juicy and smothered in sauce, I loved the ribs so much I helped out one of the Qypers finish off their ribs as well. My only gripe was that the ribs didn't come with chips as a side, the apple and coleslaw weren't my cup-of-tea so would have been nice if there were some choices for the sides. During the meal I drank the coors lite, an ok beer but I had preferred the Brooklyn Lager I had before I sat down. After dinner and with the booze about to kick in we headed to the private room for the bowling and Kareoke. Luckily for the other Qypers I stayed well clear from the Kareoke. My singing can only be described as poor on the best of days so there was no way I was ging to subject a bunch of strangers to my wailings. I stuck with the bowling and between turns consumed one of each of the canape style deserts, the brownie was moist, the waffle had a good bite to it and the pot of chocolate mousse was gorgeous. The raspberry and mint julep that washed it all down with was extremly nice. somehow I managed to bowl a not particularly bad score and made it through with my team to the final of our mini competition. Somehow we won and were treated with a voucher to come back. which I definately will. I'd like to point out that our host Mat and the staff were friendly and very helpful throughout the time there and that the Private room would make a great place to have a birthday party should anyone wish to organise me one this year. read more

(Although I can't claim to have experienced the kind of night out at All Star Lanes that a typical punter would experience, I certainly had ample opportunity to sample the constituent parts of the total All Star package, of which you can pick and choose from as you see fit. That validates my opinion, right?) With Bloomsbury Bowling Lanes as my benchmark for bowling-by-way-of-temple-of-1950s-Americana, first impressions of its closest rival were favourable. Fundamentally, they're one and the same; there's a bar and dining area that acts a hub area for groups to eat, drink and chat animatedly against a soundtrack of classic rock 'n' roll, soul and hearty cheers as Monica from accounts finally hits a pin. From my vantage point in the holding pen, bottle of Sam Adams in hand, army of fellow Qypers in attendance, however, it becomes rapidly apparent that All Stars has the edge aesthetically speaking at least. It's a more expansive, brighter, airier space than its endearingly ramshackle alternative, with a greater sense of cohesiveness between its disparate disciplines (booze, burgers, bowling). The serving staff, clad in period waitress uniform complete with distractingly low-cut fronts, seem to be uniformly gorgeous and genuinely friendly, again entirely in keeping with the venue's retro styling. (If my wife is reading this, they were ungainly, hideous gargoyle-like creatures and I maintained eye contact at all times.) Our genial host Matt soon led us to a table that offered a perfect view of the ten-pin action we were soon to enjoy, but it didn't take long for the menu a selection of luxurious, if not drastically revised takes on American culinary staples to distract us from the midweek post-work revelry. Matt's vicarious heartfelt plea from the resident chef Please don't all order burgers was, shockingly, actually observed by a fair few of us, although food envy inevitably set in when the generously sized patties and hearty accoutrements were served up to those who refused to heed our host's advice. Suffice to say, these philistines gorged on exceptionally delicious-looking chicken wings prior to their glorified beef sandwiches while I, in the role of American diner gourmand, quietly slurped on my ham and white bean soup. Amidst the laughter and finger pointing, I was still able to enjoy its creamy texture, offset by the odd chunk of tender ham and pleasingly soft bean. It was probably the Award-winning part of Award-winning chilli con carne that first attracted me to the award-winning chilli con carne, although chilli con carne played no small part either. The nature of the award wasn't revealed much like the 'award-winning' curries so many local takeaways pride themselves on but if they're dishing out accolades for odd-but-not unpleasant smoothness (not an adjective I ever thought I'd apply to this dish), succulent steak mince and a spiciness that creeps up on you and whispers in your ear rather than screaming Boo!, it certainly warranted a ribbon. Elsewhere, the burgers seemed to enjoy universal acclaim, save the odd, valid grumble about not being consulted about how well the meat should be done surely the standard for any would-be gourmet burger the ribs looked like a carnivore's saucy dream, and I can personally vouch for the veggie quesadillas that one of my dining buddies couldn't quite polish off. By the time we entered our private room, complete with twin bowling lanes (I called them Topsy and Tim. In my head), curiously positioned karaoke unit (with microphones apparently fashioned on Joseph Merrick's head) and dedicated bar (er, something else ending with 'head'), I was sufficiently bloated to bypass the sweet canapés. I could barely bring myself to even look at them, but I have vague recollections of a caramel-smothered mini-waffle that I, were I in a far less swollen state, would have inhaled in a heartbeat. The rest is a blur of hurling heavy balls down shiny lanes, singing Poker Face, supping on a rather lovely raspberry-enhanced Mint Julep and being presented with vouchers for a return visit on account of being a member of The Greatest Qype Bowling Team In The Worldtm. And all on a Tuesday! Considering the circumstances, it was undoubtedly a five-star experience, but I have a feeling I would've still had at least a four-star one had I actually been made to pay for the privilege. Huge thanks to Siany for allowing this Qype virgin to come along, to Matt (aka @allstarlanes for you Tweeters) for his marvellous hospitality and to my fellow Qypers for providing such great company. (I promise that not all of my reviews will be this long. I also didn't see the bit about writing as if you were talking to a good friend until it was too late, so I'll be sure to do that next time too. Sorry.) read more

I went to All Star Lanes as part of the #BowledOverByQype event. I had passed this place so many times when I used to still live in Notting Hill (it was on the route of my 24 hour bus), but from the outside it just seems like any other bowling alley. It was such a nice surprise to discover it was so much more! Inside everything has a 50s theme; the waiters and bar staff have 50s inspired outfits, the diner has nice low comfy booths and a black and white checkered tile floor, and the whole place is decorated with paintings of pinups. We started out with drinks in the main bar area, where there were several round red booths (each fitting about 8-10 people). Once everyone had arrived, the 20 or so of us settled down in the diner where All Star lanes had provided us with our own menu. There were a couple of yummy sounding starters to choose from, but I couldn't resist the Spiced BBQ Wings, Celery and Blue Cheese Dip. This turned out to be so messy, but so very tasty. The wings could have been a bit spicier for my taste (but then I'm a sucker for extremely spicy food). The celery and the blue cheese dip were a nice addition to the wings. I could have easily survived the night on only this; it's a larger starter than I was expecting. For my main I chose the "2009 UK Chilli Championship winning Chili Con Carne". It was a good chili, nice and spicy with bits of mushrooms and peppers. I wasn't much a fan of having the chili and rice served in two sperate bowls though. After the lovely dinner, we all headed to the private function room for bowling and karaoke. It's a nice room for parties; on one end you've got two bowling lanes, on the other a nicely lit bar area with your own private cocktail bar and karaoke machine. I liked the idea of combining bowling and karaoke; instead of just waiting for your turn to bowl, you can enjoy singing along to the usual karaoke. I attempted a couple of songs; singing Build Me Up Buttercup with LJ, and trying to Lady Gaga's Poker Face with Dan. During the bowling and karaoke, we got served some delightful treats. First everyone got a Mint Julep cocktail. The we got deserts in the form of canapes! I had already aten so much, but the canapes were just way too cute not to try. My favourites were the chocolate mousse with a layer of caramel on top, and the mini waffle with something on top of it (don't remember what though). Next to that we got a chocolate fudge brownie bite, and some type of cheesecake (I think). It was a great evening, and All Star Lanes is definitely a place I'll visit in the future. The food on it's own wasn't amazing, but as part of an easily arranged night out, it's perfect. Dinner, cocktails, bowling, what more do you need? Also I really need to come back to try out the Bailey's milkshake... For photos, see: http://missgeeky.com/2011/01/28/event-report-bowled-over-by-qype-at-all-star-lanes/ read more

I recently visited the All Star Bowling lanes and I must say I was so impressed! the decor was superb, being into the rockabilly/50's scene the pin ups on the wall really were brilliant. The waiter was really friendly and fun, and the food omg the food!!! the burger was cooked to perfection, meaty and the best I have ever tasted in London, the fries were crispy and I washed it down with a Lone Star beer, chilled to perfection!. The music playing when I walked in was in keeping with the lanes image, rock and roll classics and old 50's faves The waiter even suggested coming back on a Saturday for a rock and bowl evening All in all I would recommend this place to anyone looking for a fun night out and great food All Star five stars all the way. Forget Eds, this is the real deal!! read more

Great bowling alley - decent lanes and good selection of bowling balls to choose from...which had been cleaned! Restaurant and bar are very dark and have low ceilings. Would be great in the evening, not somewhere for lunch. Very good drinks menu. read more

We went to the Bayswater Allstar lanes for a birthday last night! Food was delicious, and the staff were all really friendly! Friday nights kingpin night, try to win a bucket of beer!! read more

All Star Lanes - Kingpin burger with Mac and cheese croquet is the one! - Bowling Near Me - Whiteleys, XGL

I am with Phil R on this one, as a venue All Star Lanes on Porchester Gardens doesn't quite do it for me. When I think Bowling Alleys I think of films like the Big Lebowski with big open bowling lanes and fat guys in dodgy pink shirts. All Star was a little too dark, enclosed and smart. I understand many may want an upmarket bowling alley with nice diner, and cool bar. Not me though. At £8.50 per person for one game, it is unlikely I'll be back to All Star Lanes. It just isn't my vibe. read more