Bowling Comes Back to Brooklyn with The Gutter

The first bowling alley to open in Brooklyn in (we can't even believe this) nearly 50 years is about to open up! The Gutter is new...but the feeling old. Brought to you by two of the same people who brought you Barcade, expect a similar vibe. There's a Schlitz globe spinning over the shoe counter, vintage bowling items adorning the bar, old lamps throughout, and even some TVs with rabbit ear antennas.

You won't find flashy flatscreens displaying your scores and advertisements hanging above the lanes. The scoring machines are straight out of the past, and the only advertisements are on the pin clearing machine. Those ads are likely for establishments in a town far far away, however -- as the equipment was all purchased from an old bowling alley in the midwest.

Some more fine details: the bar overlooks the lanes, there are no league nights, the bathrooms are unisex, and the bar is stocked with good beer (you can get pitchers too) and spirits. Located at 200 North 14th Street just west of Berry in Greenpoint, it's near Automotive High School -- but you can rest assured this is a 21+ establishment.

Regular Hours: Monday-Thursday 4pm to 4am; Friday-Sunday 12 noon to 4am.
How much money you'll need: $4 shoes, $7/person/game, $6 during happy hour (M-F before 8pm)
For groups of 4 or more: $42/hour and $36/hour during happy hour.
Cash only for bowling, but credit cards accepted at the bar for alcohol

The Gutter opens THIS WEEKEND with limited hours: Saturday 8pm-4am and Sunday 5pm-4am. Better stretch that bowling arm!

Photographs by Tien Mao

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Carlson in Food on September 12, 2007 4:00 PM

Comments [rss]

bvllets

Lots of haters. What a shame.

broadwayblue29

They should hold a "big lebowski" night. I'll be Donny.

spardo

Vintage bowling + Modern prices = not so cool.

I guess $7 a game isn't that bad but I mean c'mon...it's obviously going to be about the beer and the scene, not the bowling. Even barcade is only 50cents a play...

Who am I kidding I'll go there no less than 3 times a year.

guest

Great place looks like fun.

I love bowling.

guest

Looks great.

Can't wait till i come to NY.

Happy Birthday Wally.

guest

how many total lanes are there, just eight? that is not going to cut it.

all you hipsters please stick with bowlmore, there are real bowlers in brooklyn that need a place to go that absolutely hate hipsters.

guest

oh jeezus, with the hipster jokes. i don't know whats worse: hipsters or anti-hipsters. are they really THAT bad that you have to openly bitch and moan about it? do you take them THAT seriously?

get over it and go to this place after work on a weekday, or lunchtime on the weekends, and you'll get a lane with little or no wait. i hear monday nights are slow ones too.

"waah waah hipster this, waah waah hipster that"...

guest

brought to you by WHICH two people from barcade? half the owners are great, the other half are douches...

guest

yo. stalin. you handle my obstacles like old people fcuk. my bumpers are on lock down.

guest

aight. rock out with your house balls out. i hope they have bitch bumpers for caligula....hoe.

guest

ok, went there this weekend, and it's a wonderful place...howEVAR:

1. The old equipment sort of sucks, the computer didn't score our games properly, hope this gets fixed

2. They charged us for an extra game post-game, and were sort of dicks about it, which surprised me a little on the opening weekend...

but once they get the kinks out it will be a welcome and awesome addition to the neighborhood. Nice even lanes, ball-return and mechanics need some kinks out...

guest

for a minute I thought it was going to be a fun place, but after all this jibber jabber I just dont know anymore. Ive lived in f'in Williamsburg for 23 years. Used to be you couldnt find a god damned egg sandwich in this joint.

guest

FYI, no PBR.

guest

Yikes.

guest

jesus christ. it's a fucking BOWLING ALLEY where you can BOWL. why shit all over it before it opens? It'll be fun. and why would everyone from Barcade go there just because it's run by the same people? I haven't checked, but I'm pretty sure Barcade hasn't been building an army. Oh, and last time i did check, present day Williamsburg is a haven for YUPPIES and NYU kids, you idiots. It hasn't been "cool" here in 3 years. And the retro design? It looks pretty fucking cool. Would you prefer some horrible flashy place w a jumbotron? AND PBR? It's shitty beer but good cause it's cheap. If you do drink it cause you think it's cool, then you're just an idiot. REAL BOWLERS WONT GO THERE! I don't even want to imagine the makeup of a "real bowler" who also happens to comment on the Gothamist. Yeah Williamsburg sucks, but FUCK. it's still better than the NYU compound that is the East Village or the tragically co-opted LES or fucking Park Slope or shitty uptown. Move to the Bronx and think you're just awesome because you're fighting some non-existant battle that no one gives a shit about.

guest

$56 an hour? What a joke. But hey - its hipsterifically ironic and retro! Bring on the PBR!!!!

Hipsters suck

guest

wow -- I appreciate this great feedback about how this place will almost certainly suck. I was getting excited about having a bowling alley a few blocks from my house but now I know that I was just being a fucking douchy nerd. Nothing worse than people having a good time -- especially if they have moustaches. Thanks for protecting me from myself!

guest

this is great news!!!!

for those concerned about the price, there is a much cheaper alley near the cypress hill area but it's quite a subway hike from the greenpoint area.

guest

Now that the port authority lanes have been "upgraded" with flashing lights and a DJ there is no place for me and my friends to go. Athletes need an alley where they can see both the lanes and the beer selection. Respect the game.

guest

barcade is full of beer snob, too cool for school bartenders and it's patrons might be worse - fucking nerds. i like the idea of barcade, just can't get myself to go inside. hopefully the new bowling alley wont be full of idiots like barcade.