THE SCENE
Happy hour in a bowling alley? We were skeptical, too, but it totally works. Luckily, bowling alley food has come a long way from cigarette-scented potato skins and floppy pizza languishing under snack bar heat lamps. At Uptown Alley, you can get Cajun mahi tacos with watermelon radish and jalapeño-cilantro slaw. (Watermelon radish! The fanciest radish!) Plus, Uptown is more than a bowling alley – it’s like an indoor entertainment village, with an arcade, laser tag arena and live music keeping the pins company.
THE FOOD
Save for daily specials (see below), food isn’t discounted for happy hour, but the prices are right for snacky “for the table” options like street corn fritters ($7), tavern pretzels with cheese fondue ($8), tostadas (three for $8), crispy marinated calamari ($10) and Southwest rolls stuffed with grilled chicken, black beans, grilled corn, avocado, cheddar jack and Southwest ranch ($11). Chicken wings come with your choice of sauces (Buffalo, garlic-Parmesan, chipotle Baja, barbecue, blood orange-habanero, spicy garlic) or rubs (Old Bay, lemon-pepper, Caribbean, ranch) in three sizes: small ($9), medium ($15) or large ($21). Pizza, burgers, sandwiches, pasta and salads round out the menu.
THE DRINKS
During happy hour, $3 will get you a domestic draft beer or well drink, and $5.50 will get you a glass of wine or a specialty drink like the Downtown Punch, Uptown Margarita and Caribbean Shark Bite.
THE INSIDER SECRET
The family crowds die down after 9 p.m., so if you want some quiet, adults-only bowling time with your sweetheart or your posse, time your visit accordingly. No happy hour pricing then, but weekly specials (below) entice. There’s also a 21+ area where you can sequester yourselves during peak kiddie time, should you desire.
THE DETAILS
Happy hour runs Monday through Friday from 3-7 p.m. Weekly specials include:
- Monday: Classic burger and fries for $6
- Tuesday: $3 each – game of bowling, shoe rental, domestic pint, two street tacos (open-close)
- Wednesday: Double game play; $3 game of laser tag
- Thursday: Happy hour from 3 p.m.-close
- Friday: Pizza, Pins & Pints – $6 for a 10-inch pizza, $2 bowling, $2 shoe rental, $3 domestic pints
- Sunday: $25 – large, single-topping pizza and $25 in game play
