Here’s what I like about bowling: the sound. The sound of a 14 pound ball of dense, heavy plastic spheres thundering down a hardwood lane until they explode in a clatter of pins is one of the most satisfying sounds in sports. It’s the swish of a basketball net and the crack of a bat. With 40 lanes, there’s no better place to hear the ambient soundscape of bowling, or even to play a few rounds yourself, than Gable House Bowl in Torrance.
With its authentic retro sensibility and enormous size, Gable House is the premiere place in the South Bay to take down those pins. It won’t be hard to find an open lane for your party to inhabit for an hour, and you’ll find the lack of updated technology & architecture to be either nostalgic or old school charming. It’s a house of bowling that has all the amenities and more, such as freshly cooked food, leagues for participation, party space and even a bar in the back with popular karaoke nights. Let’s also not underestimate this important factor: their shoe rentals come with clean socks.
Something For All Of Us
Bowling is fun whether you’re good or not, and so it’s in the building’s best interest to provide something for everyone. There’s a huge diversity of lightweight and heavyweight balls that you can scour at your pleasure until you find the one that was made just for your fingers. For kids and newbies, there are bumper lanes available so that you’ll never launch a gutter ball and, if it comes to it, those little ramps that negate the need for proper bowling form.
Bowling Party Strike
The best thing about Gable House Bowl is that it’s the ideal place to bring a group of people. If it’s a post-work bonding experience, or a birthday party for your kid, or a double date night, Gable House remains a solid afternoon or night out. The facilities at Gable House have the effect of encouraging big nights out and large crowds. After all, with 40 lanes, it would be a waste if they weren’t filled to capacity.
On Monday nights though, is Gable House’s signature “Quartermania” where 4 hours before closing everything is suddenly dangerously cheap. Games are a quarter, soda is a quarter, nachos, hot dogs, popcorn — all of this is a quarter. Sure, draft beer is a dollar and there’s a $12 cover, but music plays all night and it’s still the best value of the week. Similar to this hysteria is glow-in-the-dark bowling on Friday and Saturday nights, where from midnight to 3 AM you can bowl to black lights and neon colors set to a DJ kicking out 70s and 80s music.
All the while at Jack’s Place, the attached bar, you’ll often find a riotous, older crowd singing their hearts out on karaoke fueled by generous cocktails. It’s great entertainment whether you’re participating or not. It’s a draw based on that alone, never mind the meaty bowling experience happening all around you.
Are you any good at bowling? What’s your best game?
Gable House Bowl – (310) 378 – 2265
22501 Hawthorne Blvd., Torrance, CA 90505
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