Hollywood Bowl

I love Hollywood bowl! This is the best atmosphere, great service, and fun! Prices are excellent and love the neighborhood! I'll be back! more

A classic bowling alley nearly ruined by ""upgrades"" and ""improvements"". The cartoon-y video screens just seem silly and unnecessary. Nice lanes, otherwise. more

Avoid the beer and food. Beer tastes like dirty taps and the food has got to be the worst food still served within city limits. more

I had a great time, and so did my friends. We might be back for a league as well. A great place to find for my first time on Citysearch.\r \r Check out their burgers and fries, better than you might expect. Pros: Nice service, clean hanging out area, good rates Cons: Too bad their not open later! more

I am a league bowler and spend a large amount of time here year round. In the past year year, I have seen an unprecidented amount of managerial changes throughout the building, and it's becoming very disheartening. I truely enjoy being able to walk into an establishment that I frequent, and see familiar faces. On any given night, it's awesome to be able to walk into the bar and be happily greeted by FAMILIAR bartenders (Kate, Amber, and Sara), and to be waited on by FAMILIAR cocktailers (Liberty). What I don't like seeing is a new manager in there every 3-6 months who, in turn, ruins the morale of the employees. I continue to bowl there in part because of the staff (David, Judy, Terri, etc), and truely feel that new management has made some very disappointing decisions when letting regular, long term staff members go. Pros: Friendly REGULAR staff Cons: Constantly changing management more

Hollywood is a great place to bowl. With 48 available, it's rare that you have trouble getting on a lane. The staff is very friendly. I've had great experiences with Ricky, David and Liberty. And the pro shop is run by perhaps the nicest guy in the world, Rohn - a PBA Senior Tour bowler who really knows his stuff. I have a hard time believing the previous review that mentioned slow service and attitude from Liberty. I've always gotten great service from her. In fact, I look forward to seeing her when I go to Hollywood to bowl in my league on Tuesday nights. It's true that the central bathrooms are pretty gross. But there are some nice, freshly remodeled ones over by the new lounge. Pros: Friendly staff, ample lanes, swanky lounge, pro shop Cons: One set of bathrooms is gross more

I recently went into hollywood bowl and order a drink and let me tell you it literally too like 30 mins for me to get my drink. I had to actually try to find the lane runner to ask where it was. then I go back and bowl and my drink arrives then the lane server I believe her name was liberty basically demanded I tip her. she looked like she was busy but I didn't see her get a lot done. she never helped clean tables or pick up. she just lefted it for someone else to clean. more

the fact is the owner is nowhere to be found. I've bowled 3 days a week for about a 1 year now and I can't recall seeing him once. I also don't agree with his spending ideas! I mean the bar does look nice. but not many people are going to go to the bowling alley for the bar. investing in the scoring machines would be a good idea or paint for the walls, and the restrooms need to be remodeled. I don't blame employees if I had a boss that never was there and invested money into useless stuff I would not help him make money either. more

seems like ever since they got rid of the manager in january this place has been falling apart. I mean who is really in charge... who is the bar accountable to? there is a big girl who says she is the boss (sometimes) and than a little girl who the big girl says is the boss (sometimes) get your act together people! I will say that there is another girl who serves drinks to the lanes who really has her head on straight. If it were up to me she would be the only one I'd deal with. It doesnt' hurt that shes a looker Pros: great cheap drinks Cons: there is a new manager everyweek more

This place has CHEAP drinks, like $3 wells every night. And they're strong! \r \r The bar/loung, where I spent most of my visit, was pretty impressive for a bowling alley. Lots going on. \r \r karaoke+bowling+cheap drinks=absolutely hilarious!!!\r \r I would definitely visit Hollywood Bowl (aka ""Club Hollywood"") for another memorable (or unmemorable... cheap drinks, srslysrsly) night out in Portland! Pros: dirt cheap drinks, weekly karaoke, great atmosphere more

Hollywood bowl hasn't only been remodeled in the restaurant and lounge, it has new staff, new menu, and new management. It feels like a breath a fresh air when you walk in. The employees seem happier, the customers love the prices, and the new lounge offers a great space for people to watch their favorite playoff game, or enjoy the outdoor patio. You can see that the change did bring some challenges, but change is good, and it is inevitable that a few glitches still be worked out. It just seems that everyone is working so hard to make Hollywood Bowl the best bowling alley in town. My family and I will continue to recommend Hollywood Bowl as an inexpensive entertainment option. Pros: Close to the max, great customer service, and prices Cons: Negative bowlers more

I have frequented Hollywood Bowl for years. I recently went in there and they have remodeled the lounge and restaurant. The restaurant looks pretty good, at least you do not have to see the cooking area any longer. The lounge what a joke, you use to be able to sit in there and be able to relax and have a conversation with your friends. It is a big hollow hole, and there are so many TV's that you do not know what you are watching. The poker machines are hidden and I did not feel safe playing them. In the past the staff has always been very helpful, this time I thought it was self-serve. The bar staff did not even make eye contact with me or ask if I needed anything. I guess they were to busy having their own conversation to notice that I had come in. I thought I would try the restaurant, the staff was more helpful but there was not much to choose from, they were out of bowling alley food. I could have had some fancy calamari. I finally went down to bowl, the lanes were absolutely gross. There was food stuck to the tables and chairs. There were dust bunnies big enough to carry a small child away. The approaches were black from a spill and no one cleaning it up. I asked to speak to a Manager and was told that she was not in. I asked when could I reach her and was told that if I had a complaint that they would make sure that she got it. I gave my complaint to the blonde gal at the desk and have yet to hear from the General Manager. Does the manager care about customer service? Does she know what she is doing? The place is in a bad way and needs some help. I am not sure that I will return. Cons: Alot more

Recently there has been a few LARGE changes like the new General Manager. Woo Buddy! for those who've seen her know what I'm talking about. She has no idea what goes on in bowling centers period!\r She is extremely rude to the employees and is definitely buddy buddy with the fat blond who works the front desk during the day; who is also extremely disrespectful, fake and rude. I think a little too close for a General Manager and the front desk employee. Both of them are oblivious! I've been bowling at Hollywood bowl since I was little, back when there was a full house of junior league bowlers and now there's like 4. My personal experiences at Hollywood are ones that I want to remember forever. But nothing after early November this last year when the new management invaded the place I spent most of my childhood. \r \r Along with ""New Management"" is the ""bar and restaurant manager"" what a joke. I wanted a burger and fries. Kinda the typical BOWLING ALLY food if I do recall. Unfortunately they were out. WTH I asked to speak to the manager and a young man comes strolling around the corner in some goofy kangol hat, tight shirt, jeans, and flip flops... Talk about ""PROFESIONAL!!!"" I laughed under my breath. He tried to tell me they were changing protocol on the food and they were trying to push the new menu items and that I should try the new calamari and some fancy chicken burger... I chose to pass. Calamari at effing bowling ally WTF?? That place is going down hill and will probably be out of business in the next few years. I would most definitely not recommend Hollywood Bowl to anyone who wants to have a good time. Pros: PRO-SHOP Cons: Bowling Center Period more

I bowl here twice a week, spending around $125 a month (not counting league fees). Add to that the fact that several of my friends now bowl here. I have a significant attachment to whether or not Hollywood Bowl treats its customers right.\r \r They're falling short. The current area sorely needing attention is the Food and Beverage area. It is unacceptable to run out of burgers for 2 days straight, or to dispense drinks without lids because they ran out several days ago. This is, after all, a major metropolitan city with plenty of places to buy ground beef and cup lids.\r \r But they'll fix that, and in two weeks it will be something else just as trivial and stupid...\r \r ... like when they had a contest to see just how foul-smelling they could make the swampy men's room ...\r \r ... or every summer when the Pro-shop is closed and you can't buy basic bowling supplies anywhere (like the front desk or the vending machines) ...\r \r ... the heat and A/C is often broken\r \r ... or the three weeks straight when the ATM machine is out of service ...\r \r Or maybe you'll NOT like one of the chronic problems ...\r \r ... like the public address system that is inaudible half of the time\r \r ... the slow lane service from the wait staff (yes, their poor management and staffing really makes you wait)\r \r ... the 10+ year old, energy guzzling CRT scoreboards that display 2 out of 3 colors and aren't aligned\r \r ... fouls aren't scored, half the time aren't even remembered to be turned on\r \r The place has great potential. The line-level employees do their jobs -- this is a management-level problem.\r \r The place just is not managed such that the issues are avoided or automatically handled (like buying burgers and lids either before or as you run out, not days later). That the joint's owners tolerate this kind of incompetence is simply amazing! Pros: Large hall (48 lanes), something gets remodeled every summer or two, lower prices Cons: Facility and business poorly maintained, poorly managed more

I think I have finally learned my lesson never to go back to Hollywood Bowl. Everytime we go, we have problems with the lanes and the scoring. This past time the staff was so rude and not willing to work with us to correct the computer. Our games were all messed up and then they cut the power on us on the very last frame, not allowing us to finish our game. \r \r In addition, they remodled the bar and put in like 10 TVs. It is so LAME now. It looks like Starbucks/ airport sportsbar in there now. What were they thinking? Pros: Ususally don't have to wait Cons: Don't expect to bowl without lane/scoring problems more

I am a league bowler there....no more.\r Walked into the mens bathroom this evening, vivid urine smell. \r Being a bowler, and not wanting water on my sliding shoe, wore the geek booties that they give you with the shoes....soaked to the bone. \r Tried to complain at the desk, no one noticed me till I spoke up, loudly. Manager was busy. Girl told me ""I don't go into the mens bathroom"" Duh...well you ought to! And the manager ought to be available for a CUSTOMER! And we are league bowlers.\r I've bowled all over the city. This place is the worst.\r It's not that hard to keep the bathroom clean. A little bleach, a mop, you get it.\r Shoot, I've been to countless dragstrips in the NW, and even their porta pottys are cleaner!\r Don't even get me started on lane conditions.......\r I quit the league....good league (people) , junk house. If there are worse, I haven't yet bowled there.\r Want to go bowl at a very nice place? Sunset Lanes. A model for Portland....\r \r Rolo more

definitely one of the worst bowling alleys in portland. \r \r extremely rude, inefficient, uncaring staff. i am amazed that this bowling alley is still in business and would not be surprised if it went under within the next few years.\r \r as one of the staff members said themselves ""hollywood bowl: where we fix things with scotch tape""\r \r do yourself a favor and go somewhere else. Pros: none that i can think of Cons: rude staff, failing machinary, weak ball selection, overpriced drinks more

These lanes are great because of a number of reasons. There are no giant T.V.s playing on the lanes, you can smoke and its very cheap to bowl here. \r Things that are bad about it: the beer is OVER PRICED!, the staff are very rude at times! They raised the price of everything without changing anything as far as I can tell. They need to list what nights are league nights on here as well. I saw some skinheads stab a guy here once right on the lanes, it was during a punk bowling night that used to happen... weird huh? The atmosphere is 90's modern.\r Besides that, I love to bowl and this place is the best Portland has got going money wise. Pros: Cheap Lanes Cons: Bad Service more

Best alley in town. I love this place.. I have been bowling there for years, good prices and clean lanes. more

I agree with other users when I comment that this bowling alley has the rudest front desk staff. You can stand there waiting forever and they will never look up and help you. They treat you like you are going to detroy their alley or something. Even when I've exuded cheerfulness and gratitude, all I've ever received was a reluctant acknowledgement of this. I also believe that the have a dress code policy that goes into effect after 9pm or so that is not race friendly. \r \r They do have good prices and the food court people have always been nice. The bowlingballs are in pretty bad shape and it is hard to find ones under 12lbs. They hide the ones under 10lbs and you have to be a kid to get them out of their locked closet. They wouldn't even give one to my roommate who broke her elbow and was trying to bowl left handed. Love the fact that it is non smoking and the automatic scoring units are in pretty good shape. \r \r My tip, if you go, is to always, always call ahead of time to see if there are open lanes available. I don't know how many times I've gone over both days and evenings, and they have events or leagues going on or about to start and we can't get a lane. It's very obnoxious to walk into a nearly empty alley and be told you can't bowl because of things happening in an hour. And in their typical non-helpful way, they don't suggest to you another time that you could return. They just don't seem to care that you might not come back again. Pros: Affordable, non-smoking Cons: rude staff, hard to find times lanes are available more