The third in the chain of popular boutique bowling lanes, All Star Lanes has come to Brick Lane to add a bit of cheesy American fun to one of East London’s trendiest areas. So cliched it’s cool, transport yourself back to ‘50s America for a night of eating, drinking and bowling.

The Venue
Located in the ever trendy Truman Brewery, surrounded by some of Brick Lane’s most popular venues, nestles All Star Lanes. Easy to find, walking through the glass doors instantly transports you back to 1950s America.

The largest of the three bowling alleys, upon entering you’ll spy the huge 200-cover restaurant – it’s hard to miss. A gleaming ‘50s-style bar and deli counter sits at the front of the dining area, called Luncheonette. Here Brick Lane locals can pop in for a quick bite at lunch or quickly dine on snacks before hitting the lanes. However, if you’re keen to settle in first with a full meal then the red leather banquette seating gleams under the bright glare of the lights. Dark brown round tables for larger groups line the outside of the restaurant, with seats in the same red hue. No tablecloths adorn the tables, but they are tied in nicely with red and white chequered napkins, bringing back that American diner feel. Pine wooden floors shine and could almost be part of the bowling alley itself. Although this is in no way upmarket, the overall decor and layout is cleverly thought out and does well to increase the anticipation of the night’s entertainment.

To the left of the sprawling restaurant, immediately in front of you as you enter the venue, is a long corridor at the front of which is the cloakroom. A diamond-shaped trellis allows you to peer through at diners as you make your way to where all the action takes place – the first of two bowling alleys. First, you pass through an area where you can obtain your bowling shoes, with neat shelves sitting behind a large wooden counter containing row upon row of gleaming black shoes. A small round sofa sits in the middle of the room and is flanked by a wall displaying the neatly pressed bowling shirts in varying colours that are available to purchase. Gleaming bowling balls sit alongside them, also available to buy, and a headless mannequin proudly displays how good you could look were you to stump up the cash. There’s also a large DJ box where the DJ throws out American-style tunes to get your toe tapping whilst waiting for your turn.

Ascending a few steps to the left of the room takes you to an impressive scene of four gleaming bowling lanes. The white aisles dominate and the high polish almost sparkles under the bright fluorescent lights above. Neat pins sit nestled perfectly against each other at the end of each of the lanes and the screens declare who is doing well (or badly). At the front of this area are two high round tables with red high plush stools. The balls themselves come out of one of two dark machines, are brightly coloured and - as with everything here - are polished to within inches of their life. If you can’t face hitting the lanes straight away, to the left is another area where you can top up on Dutch courage. Impressively, the long bar extends back almost the whole length of the lanes behind it, allowing the staff to cope with the inevitably huge demand for drinks. Six pumps offer draught beer and the spirits glisten behind, tempting in more nervous bowlers. Beneath the almost mirrored bar top is black leather, making it come together in a surprisingly stylish way. Beside the bar runs several booths with a much larger area widening out at the top. Located within all these spaces are bright orange leather banquette seating for when you’re waiting for your alley. Although the ‘50s diner feel is less palpable here than in the restaurant, it’s still cleverly evident with such small touches as the banquette styling and den-like seating arrangements. You can even peer over at the lanes behind, if you’re so inclined, and see how the other bowlers are faring.

Finally, there’s the pierce de resistance of All Star Lanes. The private bowling room is self contained with its own, smaller bar, separate selection of shoes, an open-plan kitchen, plenty of comfortable seating – including the same high tables and stools as downstairs – and two private bowling alleys. The style up here is a lot different; it’s much sleeker and is decked out primarily in white, which gleams almost blue under the fluorescent lighting. It’s definitely more stylish than downstairs, and it’s nice to feel more secluded and tucked away from the throng below. Unfortunately, to get here you have to walk up a flight of stairs with sickening wallpaper. Stark, narrow black and white striped papering the whole way up the quite narrow stairway confuses the eyes and induces a stomach churning experience. You’re better off taking the lift. Almost like stepping into some futuristic white time machine, make sure you keep the button held down if you want to go anywhere – an amusing experience in itself.

The Atmosphere
Although the restaurant and bar are decent looking venues in their own right, how much you’ll enjoy your experience at All Star Lanes is largely dictated by whether you like bowling. However, if you’re not a fan but are with a big group of mates that are, at least the venue has a lot more to offer and you’ll probably find yourself caught up in the upbeat atmosphere.

The staff really help to make this place. Full of friendly smiles and genuine banter, they’re all dressed up to look the part, helping the ‘50s theme along nicely. They wear cool bowling shirts with ASL branding and the girls have the added touch of big puffball skirts, complete with cute pumps. Swinging ponytails and big smiles put you at ease, and the feeling of people having fun crackles in the air, so it’s hard not to get caught up in it all. Being in Brick Lane, the clientele consists of a large contingent of the fashion set, and the actually quite attractive black bowling shoes help to fit in with that ethos. This is boutique bowling and is about a million miles away from the cheesy lanes of your teenage years.

The Music
The DJ further ties in the American theme with a set filled with old school tunes from the 1950s with a definite upbeat dance skew. You can’t help but tap your toe, and it does convince you that you really have been whisked back in time and just outside there are no longer a thousand curry houses, just suburban America waiting.

The Drink
There’s a good selection of drinks on offer at All Star Lanes. It’s nice to see a couple of American beers making an appearance in the form of Coors Light (from the Rocky Mountains) and Anchor Steam. Of course, Guinness is ever present (well the Americans love the Irish, right?). Interestingly, there are even some beer cocktails. The Largarita (Arette Blanco, triple sec, fresh lime, agave, topped with Coors Light) is an interesting addition to the menu and the perfect fusion of lager-lover’s delight and cocktail-fan’s dream. Alternatively, you can sample a Guinness Punch (Guinness, Wray and Nephew rum, condensed milk and nutmeg), at the same price of just £7.

If you prefer the more traditional style cocktails then they are also on offer at £7-£8 and include such options as Elderflower Julep (Beefeater gin, elderflower, apple juice, lemon oils and fresh mint). This is a light, fresh tasting cocktail that’s as easy to drink as lemonade. Not overly sweet, the elderflower flavouring is subtle and the gin not unpleasantly evident in this well-balanced cocktail. The caipirinhas are well made and as strong as you might expect, but they don’t have the unpleasant kick that they sometimes come with. However, if you’re not a fan of strong alcoholic cocktails then steer clear of the Markee (Marker’s Mark bourbon, Chambord cherry liqueur, lemon and cranberry juice and fresh raspberries), which has quite a bite. If you like the bourbon flavour then this will surprise as it looks like a really girly cocktail, being bright red with a slice of lemon, but proves appearances can be deceiving. In all, the drink menu is rather impressive and cleverly put together, making it worth a look even if you're adamant you hate to bowl.

The Last Word
All Star Lanes is an interesting addition to Brick Lane and certainly fills a niche in the market. It will undoubtedly be regularly packed to the rafters, especially at the weekends, and you’ll find it hard not to get caught up in the well executed theme – even if you do suck at bowling.

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