An odd little bowling alley sits on Honolulu Avenue in the town of Montrose. With just eight lanes, it’s about the size a billionaire might tack onto their mansion on a whim. But at 84 years old, Montrose Bowl is neither a grandiose mogul’s idea of recreation nor the kind of midcentury mecca revered by “The Dude” in The Big Lebowski. There are no cheesy strike animations or sound effects, no screens with automatic scoring, and no zany lighting. Instead, find fresh coats of green, white, pink, and black paint, glittering green vinyl booths and stools, ballpoint pens, and paper scoresheets. The cozy space reverberates with every triumphant shout and despairing cry, every hoot, holler, and crash of pins against a constant backdrop of bumping party tunes.

Now, for the first time in 20 years, the public can enjoy this 84-year-old institution every day of the week, along with comforting vegan food served at its restaurant Never Caged.

Montrose Bowl opened in 1940 to a vastly different neighborhood, though one still somewhat recognizable today. The town, which sprung up 30 years earlier amid orchards, vineyards, and desert brush, had already experienced its own ’20s boom and ’30s collapse. In 1940 and for decades after, Montrose’s only attraction was the Indian Springs Resort and Pool on Verdugo Boulevard, a refreshing canyon getaway for urban-weary Angelenos.

Today where that resort once stood is a strip mall with a Vons, CVS, and Crumbl Cookies. Few landmarks remain to distinguish Montrose in the map of greater LA — Descanso Gardens, maybe, up the hill (though it’s technically in La Cañada Flintridge), and Honolulu Avenue, with its many cute boutiques, cafes, and restaurants and nostalgic 1960s shopping park design. Many of the buildings those shops inhabit are as old or older than Montrose Bowl, but continuity is important, and this enduring little alley stands as a living relic of a bygone era.

Montrose Bowl

Montrose Bowl

Montrose Bowl

Over the years and under three sets of owners, Montrose Bowl aged into a natural charm — with bright orange plastic seats, red vinyl booths, tacky floors, faux-wood tabletops, jukebox, and dim overhead projectors that displayed marker-stained laminated scoresheets. The ’50s-style retro setting has attracted the discerning eyes of location scouts who have featured the time-stuck alley in period-specific films such as Teen Wolf, Pleasantville, and Jersey Boys. In the early 2000s, Montrose Bowl was largely closed to the public, only open as a private event and party space.

That changed in 2021 when new owner Tzvi Ratner-Stauber and operator Robert Grigoryan acquired the bowling alley with a plan to update the space while maintaining its classic qualities. After two-and-a-half years of construction, completely gutting the interior, replacing the plumbing and electricity, and restoring the lanes, the alley’s new management maintained as much of its original look and layout, with a few comfortable updates.

The diner booths and countertop remain in place, overlooking the downstairs bowling action but with new upholstery that matches the aforementioned color scheme. Down on the lanes, the orange plastic seating and overhead projectors have been replaced with plush vinyl benches, stools, and tables so patrons can finally eat and drink while bowling, which was not previously allowed. Shoe storage moved from behind-the-counter cubbies upstairs to help-yourself cubbies flanking the lanes (bowling shoes are free to use).

What’s semi-miraculous is how closely the new look adheres to the old, despite the depth of the reconstruction, and that was precisely the plan. “We really wanted to make sure to keep that old feeling of Montrose Bowl,” says Grigoryan. “We didn’t want to make it super modern and take away from the history because I know how important this place is.”

More comprehensive changes were applied to the kitchen and bar, both of which expanded to comply with current standards and to fit modern equipment to accommodate the alley’s in-house restaurant. Never Caged, which was founded by Grigoryan with now-closed locations in Koreatown and Chinatown, exclusively operates inside Montrose Bowl. The Never Caged menu features several vegan fried chicken sandwiches (made with plant-based protein), an Impossible burger, loaded fries, and more. It’s the kind of comforting fast-food fare that pairs well with wine and beer, especially when shared among a few friends over crashing pins.

Montrose Bowl reopened to the public in September 2023, though the news is still spreading through the suburban locale, where word-of-mouth remains the most effective marketing tool. Grigoryan says the next step is toward a broader audience. “I definitely want to scale it so that we’re getting the greater LA area, so more people know about us.” On most nights, there’s usually plenty of room in the alley’s 100-person capacity, at least for now.

Grigoryan sees this new incarnation of Montrose Bowl not only as an important historical landmark, but also as a missing piece of the local scene, an activity for everyone that complements the eating, drinking, and shopping on Honolulu. On a recent rainy day, the alley was packed with kids and teens chaperoned by weary parents. “The idea was something fun for everyone,” says Grigoryan. “And everyone always says, ‘Thank you so much for opening it back up.’”

Montrose Bowl is open Monday to Wednesday from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m., Thursday to Saturday from noon to midnight, and Sunday from noon to 9 p.m. The current weekly schedule can be found on Instagram.