- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Movies |
- All
Albany Bowl
Category: Restaurants Thai Thai [Edit]
540 San Pablo Ave(between Garfield Ave & Clay St)
Albany, CA 94706
(510) 558-0688
- Price Range:
-
$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- No
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
18 reviews for Albany Bowl
18 reviews in English
-
Review from Jamie L.
Oakland, CA
3/1/2012
I come here for the atmosphere. You heard right. I come here for the bizarre mix of American and Thai food, told on a blue menu board with changeable letters in white plastic. It's like being at a KFC/Taco Bell for the first time, but way more retro.
I could go on-- the turquoise counter, the sound of crashing pins, neon arcades, and a perfectly decent bar if you follow the right path.
Last, as a person who loves chili fries, I can attest that they are good here. They are piping hot wrinkle fries topped with bean chili and cheese sauce. -
Review from Zachary J.
El Cerrito, CA
3/14/2012
This place is great, actually. Sometimes I just go to get the food; Pad see ew, a sandwich, or whatever. It's priced pretty well and surprisingly awesome. Give it a try!
-
Review from Kevin J.
Richmond, CA
12/31/2010 4 Check-ins Here
Good food, fast service. From American to Thai to Chinese food, there is something for everyone.
Each weekday they have special lunch/dinner meals. Tuesday is spaghetti and Wednesday is meatloaf, mash potatoes and gravy.
Only drawback...CASH ONLY -
Review from Judy K.
Berkeley, CA
11/19/2011
I always get strange looks when I say I'm going to the bowling alley to get Thai food but the Thai food here Is really quite good. Good portions, Good prices, and you can have a drink or play some darts next door while you wait. If you haven't tried their food, try it.
-
Review from melissa r.
Oakland, CA
2/21/2009
I love my friends. I love that we can go out bowling for 4 hours, drink tall beers, and then grub on nothing but preservative-laden, deep-fried food without a freaking care in the world!
I love that we can eat these foods along with nachos and jalapenos. I love that when I drop a bit of nacho cheese on my tit, I have friends that have no problem wiping it off with a bare finger, then lick it as I crack a typical joke, "Hey, that's nacho cheese!".
Here is what our gluttonous and gustatory cell appeasing "dinner" consisted of:
jalapeno poppers, mozzerella sticks, french fries, onion rings, and nachos with jalapenos.
Oh, and let me not forget our condiments that accompanied - ranch dressing, ketchup, mayonnaise, and marinara sauce. I ended up being someone's hero after he tried my mixture of mayonnaise and ketchup. *curtsy*
This fine array fed 7 drunk adults sufficiently for only 24 bucks - maybe not pant-size friendly, but surely pocket friendly.
All this said, the jalapeno poppers were of perfect texture and consistency - the batter held together without any leaks, the cream cheese wasn't scalding hot, and the pepper was spicy. The onion rings were crisp and juicy. The marinara sauce was so delicious. And the nacho cheese sauce was that perfect bright yellow, soupy (a ladle was used to pour it on the chips), and it was deliciously spicy.
This was definitely a wonderful deep-fried food eating experience and may just be tradition whenever we all go bowling! -
Review from Jimmy T.
Oakland, CA
6/25/2011 1 Check-in Here
It's aaaittteeee, why did my retarded ass friend said this place is the place to be at. I guess it's bc it's a bowling alley, diner, and bar. Convenience?
-
Review from David H.
Oakland, CA
This is a nice addition to the adjacent bowling alley. I think they're technically a separate business, but the food is edible and the prices are very reasonable. The only catch, CASH ONLY. In the era of the credit and debit card...there is no excuse not to accept one or the other.
-
Review from Seth F.
Oakland, CA
8/25/2010
I was tempted to order from the Thai menu because I love Thai food, but was deterred because of the high prices and the fact that I was at a bowling alley. From what I hear, I made the right choice.
I ordered the BLT and curly fries. The curly fries were unexpectedly awesome and plentiful, and the BLT was satiating though the bacon could have been a bit more crisp.
This is the best bowling alley food I've had. It's actually a legitimate establishment in its own right separate from Albany Bowl. Don't order from the Thai menu though. -
Review from Lydia W.
4/8/2010
CASH ONLY.
The word Thai needs to be eliminated from the title. I was told that Albany Bowl, aside from bowling, had the BEST cheeseburgers. Specifically, the best Bacon Cheeseburgers. I came here pretty famished and opted for the regular chesseburger. It was a delight. It came with crinkle cut fries that I was really excited about. (they turned out to be mediocre but REALLY fresh and hot)
The burgers are all 1/3 pounders. One bite into the burger and I was sold. Yeah you can get an In n Out burger for 1/3 of the price, but this is some good stuff! Even though I'm not a huge fan of bowling, next time someone wants to come to Albany Bowl, I am so down. For the burger. The bowling is second in line.
Also heard that the curly fries are delicious. So, skip the crinkle cut, go for the bacon cheeseburger and curly fries and you are SET for a good time.
As a side note, I'm sure anybody will find something to eat off the menu. It is so eclectic, ranging from breakfast foods to traditional american food to curry and pad see ew. So interesting. -
Review from Rat a tat R.
San Francisco, CA
8/16/2009
Good food for a bowling alley, average food generally.
I like that Albany Bowl has a cafe with thai options rather than just the typical greasy bowling alley options. When I bowl I work up an appetite, and I appreciate having something at least semi-healthy to eat. (They also do have typical greasy bowling alley options.) The thai food isn't great, but I give them credit for trying. They also have GIGANTIC sodas. Service can be a little slow, so allot plenty of time before it's time to bowl when you order here. You can get take-out and go take the food to the bowling areas. -
Review from Pat T.
Berkeley, CA
1/7/2006
I give it three stars. Don't think of this as a thai restaurant (if it were just that, I'd give it two stars), think of it as a diner that happens to offer thai food.
The pad thai is decent and they have thai iced tea. It's no Cha-am, but that's not the point.
Nothing beats ordering nachos with cheese and pad thai in a single meal. A good place to grab a bite before or after bowling at the attached Albany Bowl.
Two stars for the diner, one more star for offering reasonable cheap thai food. -
Review from Anthony H.
San Francisco, CA
6/26/2011
Basic Thai cuisine not great, but not bad. The menu selection is limited as it is a really just a Thai food themed Café attached to a Bowling and gaming center.
-
Review from John A.
Richmond, CA
3/8/2009
I go out to Albany at night to bowl with my friends and I am 50% sure I leave my house hungry. So I end up eating dinner here most of the time. They are pretty pricey for the food but its worth it when you got a number to get a lane while you eat. I enjoy their pepper pork on rice and salad; which is 11 bucks but its really good. The Thai food is good as well I love the EXTRA spicy Pad Thai lol it makes me cry xD but its so freaken good. (Well that's if you like spicy food.) Well this place is very convenient when you want a quick bite and not leaving the bowling alley.
The only thing that stops me from giving this place a 4 is the price. LOWER EM PLs =P
other then that.
great for a Quick (good food) bite. -
Review from Kathleen M.
San Jose, CA
8/24/2005
I went here really wanting to love this place - I mean it's a Thai restaurant inside a bowling alley! Well, I've been to 27 different Thai restaurants in the East Bay, and I can say without a doubt that this is the worst.
Listed in: A Thai-Phoon of Thai
-
Review from Herbert S.
Davis, CA
9/25/2005
I would really like to give this place 2 stars, just for the audacity of it, and being able to order Pad Thai with onion rings, but i can't. Nothing merits even the slightest bit of sympathy; the Thai food is horrendously sub par and the onion rings were the frozen kind that you buy in Costco. Maybe if your bowling and desperately need food come here, but unless your about to pass out from low blood sugar brought on by too much bowling, skip it.
-
Review from Hank P.
Emeryville, CA
4/13/2007
it's important to remember that this is just a little cafe with 3 tables and like 8 counter stools (not a restaurant) located within a bowling alley. with this criteria in mind, it rocks the pants off most alley cafes, so 4/5.
naturally I wouldn't go out of my way to come here for a meal, but it's a luxury of sorts to even have such a wide selection of dinner-style food choices (such as pad thai and assorted rice dishes) while waiting for a lane. it sure beats having to just choose from a plain hot dog or fries all the time, as BLT's and club sandwiches are on my usual order list. the food is also really resonably priced, so you can spend more on beer later. always a plus!
the staff is always prompt and friendly, esp the shorter lady with the stylish short hair.
try the thai iced tea, it might help you pick up that vicious 10 pin. haha. -
Review from D L.
Richmond, CA
8/4/2011
I try to eat breakfast here whenever i get my car serviced down the street. I usually get the egg, sausage, hash browns, and toast. Nothing fancy, but breakfast is my favorite meal of the day and I always enjoy what I order... just wish they opened earlier.
-
Review from Ray M.
San Jose, CA
1/13/2009
people are too harsh on this place. its a diner at a bowling alley that serves some thai food. if ur lookin for fine dining go some place else, but if ur looking for a 32oz thai ice tea for $2 while bowling this is the place to go. beats buyin 5oz $3 thai ice tea at a restaurant.
the container full chili cheese fries for $4, good enough for 2 or maybe 3 people, is good to have when ur waiting for a lane on a busy night.
