It’s not often that a single location makes for both a date night destination and a spot for family fun – but that’s what Pinstripes brings to DC’s Georgetown Park Mall. Describing itself as a unique bowling/bocce/bistro experience, Pinstripes manages to have a little something for everyone. With five Midwestern locations, Georgetown is Pinstripes’ first foray into the DC area – and a second location is already in the works for Rockville’s Pike and Rose development.
Earlier this month, I joined my fellow DC Moms Sandie and Elaine for an evening of family fun at Pinstripes. The two-floor space includes 18 bowling lanes, six bocce courts, and multiple event and party rooms, including a large ballroom and a beautiful room overlooking Georgetown’s canal. Outside, a cozy fireplace is a perfect place for a quiet drink – and if it’s a chilly evening, you can grab a fleece blanket from a basket in the entryway.
Want to enjoy a quiet dinner out? The 18 lane bowling alley is fully soundproof, something I didn’t quite believe until I heard it for myself (or should I say didn’t hear it?).
Bowling and bocce are a huge draw at Pinstripes, and prices are reasonable – bowling is $5 per person/game every day of the week except for Friday and Saturday nights, when it rises to $7 per person/game. Kids 12 and under bowl for $3 Monday through Thursday. Shoe rentals are $4, and complimentary socks are available – a nice touch, especially if you are someone like me who has paid for more than one pair of overpriced bouncy house socks over the years. Bocce is $5 per person/hour, and that rises to $10 per person/hour on Friday and Saturday evenings.
Chef Laurence Cohen led our kids in a pizza making session, and as he led them through the steps to building a perfect pizza he told us more about Pinstripes’ offerings for adults. We sampled several of Pinstripes’ flatbreads, along with a delicious pear salad and a sampling of tempting desserts. Pinstripes serves lunch, dinner, and Sunday brunch – and kids 5 and under are free at brunch.
Pinstripes offers several kid-friendly options, including bowling and bocce birthday parties and field trips. Every Monday through Friday, Pinstripes hosts Tots Playtime from 10:00 am – 12:00 pm. Kids 12 and under bowl for $5 and parents bowl for free!
The lone downside to a trip to Pinstripes is parking in Georgetown. Two hours in the Georgetown Park garage is $20 – but that’s also the max rate for the garage, so if you can plan to make a long morning or late evening of it the rate feels a little less steep.
My family had such a good time that we’re already making plans to head back to Pinstripes for brunch – and my husband and I want to plan a dinner and bocce date night. If you’re looking for something new to do in DC, give Pinstripes a try!
::::::::::
Pinstripes hosted our families for an evening of dinner and bowling fun, but all opinions are my own. Allison writes about life at home in the Maryland suburbs at Home and Never Alone.
