It used to be that if you wanted to channel The Big Lebowski, you had to leave the comforts of downtown and head to an area of Toronto that you’ve probably never been to. Bowling alleys are few and far between in the city and all have been located in the outskirts – until now. In 2011, The Ballroom opened it’s doors at Richmond and John St., right in the heart of downtown nightlife.
I recently checked it out and was surprised by the design. The lanes are not full length and are surrounded by massive plasma screens broadcasting sports games. The decor is like a more plush sports bar then the kitsch that I would associate with bowling — a little disappointing. However, I suppose given it’s clubland location I am probably not who they are catering to and with rates at $65/hour at peak times they have to offer something that makes people feel like it’s worth it. The other bummer is that they kicked us out of our lane after an hour since they got wait listed for availability – not cool. I noticed that during the week the rates go down and it might be more fun to chill there when it’s not so packed and you can really get your roll on.