Share:

There is nothing like hitting up your neighborhood run-of-the-mill bowling alley where all you need is the right shoes and a group of friends to be good to go. But if you would like to experience an upgrade from the worn-out wood flooring, cafeteria-style food and minimal side entertainment, 300 Pasadena – just minutes away from campus – is the place to go. Upon entering, you are greeted by a host who will direct you to your choice of dine-in area, bar, billiard lounge, or bowling lanes. If you are looking to bowl a few rounds before your next class, you won’t waste time looking through an amalgam of bowling balls and settling on something that turns out to be too heavy, or too loose. An equipment specialist is ready to find you the appropriate shoe and bowling ball size.

Stepping into the lanes feels as if you just entered the “I’ve Just Seen a Face” scene of the movie Across the Universe, with sharp active runway lights and a multicolor scheme that suggests retro chic. All the modern kinks, however, quickly flash you back to the present. The wide projection screens directly above the pins playing music videos will keep you awake between turns.

One cannot help but be impressed at the amount of space there is, a contrast and great alternative to your traditional sports bar. Generally, you might be able to request your favorite sports or news channel.

If appetite happens to accompany you along the way, a “lane captain” awaits your order from the menu of 35 items prepared by an executive chef – with the help of students from Pasadena’s Le Cordon Bleu school of culinary arts – or a well-stocked bar. Fourteen of the menu items are appetizers and include buffalo wings, grilled quesadillas, crab cakes, and hefty sampler fit for three to four people.

Try the Vietnamese summer rolls composed of a savory mix of grilled shrimp, cucumber, basil and cilantro, wrapped in tender rice paper, accompanied with a sweet and spicy dipping sauce that makes the flavors burst on the palate. The order comes with two rolls, and at $9, this tasty delicacy serves better as a way to spoil yourself than a regular order.

For an extra dollar you can get something more filling, such as a juicy half-pound cheeseburger with peppered bacon and a side of fries that is sure to hit the spot. In the same category in terms of price and fill factor, the selection of flatbread dishes can serve up to two and will definitely have you fighting for the last piece. The Florentine and Margherita Flatbread are good substitutes to a cheese pizza, which is inexplicably priced the same as the pepperoni and sausage pizzas at $7 more.

Those $7 saved can get you cheese sticks, sliders or chicken strips from the kids menu or a rich NY Cheesecake or a Chocolate Chip Cookie Sundae. To get a better idea of what to expect, a number of the menu items can be seen depicted on the dozen or so television screens above the lanes.

“For a pair of students coming in to eat, I think one order would [satisfy] their hunger,” said Mike Eggert, general manager of 300 Pasadena.

Arrive before 5 p.m. on a weekday and enjoy the special rate of $5 per person, per game, but take note that it’s $5 to rent shoes. Best sport your own pair and save it for the food and drinks.

For some late-night fun Sunday through Thursday, 300 Pasadena made things easier with a $4 rate to bowl after 9 p.m.

“They don’t have to come here to bowl. You can come in here, watch TV, play billiards, have a soda and watch the Lakers in the finals,” said Eggert.

—The ambiance at 300 Pasadena is as elaborate as bowling alleys can get, and it would be a great place to plan your next birthday party or gathering. For that, a private bar and seven private lanes – known as Club 300 – are available for an hourly rate per lane.

“We are not a night club, we don’t [market] ourselves as a night club. We’re an entertainment center,” said Eggert.

The staff at 300 welcomes all the feedback they can get, in preparation for their grand opening on June 17 when 400 people are expected to show.

You can find 300 Pasadena at 3545 E. Foothill Blvd. at the Hastings Ranch plaza. For more information call (626) 351-8858 or visit www.300pasadena.com.

Follow: