It's been a great year for Williamsburg. Both a beer garden and a bowling alley opening is cause for celebration alone, but everyone should be over the moon that they both have been done so well.
Gutter has been open for months now, but I visited only recently myself, fearing major crowds from all the excitement its addition to the neighborhood has caused. It is the first bowling alley to open in Brooklyn for fifty years, after all.
We went on a quiet Saturday afternoon at about 4 and while we still had to wait a little less than an hour for our turn at one of the eight lanes, it hardly mattered a bit. See, Gutter also consists of a large, comfy bar where you can wait in the comfort of a booth with a pitcher of Six Point Sweet Action surrounded by vintage weird prints hanging on the walls and tiffany bar lamps overhead advertising various beers and patriotism.
I said it made me feel like I was somewhere like Wisconsin – I've never been to Wisconsin – but despite that fact, I wasn't far off. All the insides of the place were purchased from an old bowling alley in the Midwest, according to Gothamist.
When your number comes up on the light board, it's time to grab your shoes and bowl. The lanes too feel old and worn in, in a good way – though our lane was slightly wonky and took a while to return our balls. Everyone had a great time and in an accomplishment I can only accredit to my Wii bowling practice, I bowled better than ever before. I (seriously) bowled a 20 or so the last time I tried, but scored a respectable 88 at Gutter.
The only problem we found is that we were enjoying ourselves so much that we really wanted to add another game to our session. Due to fairness of the people waiting, though, we had to graciously retire for the evening. So make sure you book enough games for yourself when you get your shoes.
But what do you think?