Lucky Strike Queens is ringing in the new year celebrating its recent rebranding and refurbishment at the venue, bringing family-friendly entertainment — as well as some fun just for adults — to 34th Avenue in Woodside.
The bowling alley — formerly AMF 34th Avenue Lanes and, most recently, Bowlero — has undergone a major transformation with a modern interior design, upgraded lighting and menu overhaul that elevates the experience from an average bowling alley into a lively community hub.
“It’s not just your traditional bowling center anymore,” said Yayra De La Cruz, general manager of the Queens location. “I want to make sure we’re building core memories for everyone when they come here.”
What’s on the menu at Lucky Strike?
Lucky Strike traded in its bright fluorescent lighting, plastic gray chairs and outdated menu for a warm orange- and blue-lit atmosphere, long couches to comfortably seat larger groups, and a brand new array of menu items including Mike’s Hot Honey pepperoni pizza, a taco flight big enough to feed up to four guests, and a unique take on a carnival classic — funnel cake fries, complete with chocolate and marshmallow dipping sauces.
For the adults, a new sports bar area with an updated drink menu that features craft beers, wines, classic cocktails and original cocktails such as its signature fishbowl, a sweet and fruity drink served in a fishbowl that’s big enough for two.
“With the rebrand of our Queens location, we saw an opportunity to fully align the space with what the Lucky Strike brand stands for,” said Katie Warner, chief marketing officer for Lucky Strike Entertainment. “The refresh brings a more modern, energetic, and welcoming environment that reflects the community and delivers elevated entertainment, food, and hospitality guests expect from Lucky Strike.”
De La Cruz emphasized that the center isn’t all about bowling, but rather serves as an entertainment center.
The arcade includes a New York Islanders air hockey table, Halo shooting game, Mario Kart racing game, Connect-4 basketball, and a massive claw machine with plenty of fluffy, oversized prizes.
The bowling alley is also available to host a range of events, including school field trips, kid and teen parties, corporate events, and adult social events such as bachelor and bachelorette parties.
Many guests that have walked through the doors have been surprised at the transformation the bowling alley has undergone, she continued, and some guests never even knew the bowling alley was there until recently.
“We still have people come in that feel like this is tucked away in this little space,” De La Cruz said. “You don’t know how big it is or how great it looks until you come inside.”
Staff and community input matters
According to De La Cruz, who has worked for the company for 15 years and served as the Queens general manager since 2019, the entertainment company began renovating the venue in April of last year.
She said the team began completing small projects around the venue during times it was closed so as not to interfere with its daily operations. Section by section, crews began replacing the hard, aluminum chairs — only four of which lined each bowling lane — with softer couches that a larger group could utilize while occupying the lane.
While Lucky Strike Queens has gone through several renovations since the location first opened as an AMF in 1959, De La Cruz said she does not take its history for granted.
“I love hearing stories from all the league bowlers that used to come when they were little,” she said. “I know that’s been here for a long time. When we do renovations, I don’t want to take away a lot of the traditional stuff.”
Many of the interior details harken back to 1950s decor, including the retro seat upholstery meant to look like the interior of a vintage car.
Many of the renovations were made on the recommendation of Lucky Strike Queens staff, De La Cruz noted. She said as far as management goes, they take their employees’ opinions to heart. That’s why, she explained, many of the renovations that make the Woodside location special to the surrounding community can be attributed to those that actually work there.
“They always ask for our input and what we think would look best,” De La Cruz said. “I think that’s what makes us unique. The reason why they always ask us is because we’ve been here for so long.”
A bowling alley unique to Queens
Lucky Strike Entertainment owns and operates over 250 locations nationwide, three of which are located in New York City — two in Manhattan, Times Square and Chelsea Piers, and the one in Woodside, Queens.
The Queens location, which can serve up to 300 guests at a time, generally serves anywhere between 100-150 patrons per day during the week and around 250 guests per day on weekends.
De La Cruz said October through April tends to be its busy season because the weather is colder and people are looking for indoor activities. However, she said they often run specials and promotions during the summer months to help attract more business, such as two free games per day with the purchase of a membership.
The bowling alley has also added live DJs on Friday and Saturday nights to keep the energy high during late nights out.
It was important to De La Cruz, who used to work at the Times Square location, to be mindful of the surrounding residential community and keep in mind that it’s not a tourist area like in Manhattan.
“It’s a lot of working families,” she said. “I noticed that when I came here. I thought it was really important that we don’t have age restrictions after a certain time. There’s a lot of kids that come here after 9 with their parents. We’re very family-oriented.”
A welcoming space for all
De La Cruz said it was also important to her that the venue be a welcoming space for students at local schools, whether it be during field trips or for educational purposes. She said she always shows new bowlers, often kindergarten students, a short video to teach them how to bowl safely and not injure themselves or others.
The venue even works with communities with special needs and charges a discounted price for those groups that visit. It also hosts Kids Fest, during which De La Cruz said everything is free for kids from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., including visits from face painters, firefighters and cops.
However, she pointed out that bowling isn’t just for recreation but serves as a sport, as well. By providing space for both academic and professional leagues at the venue, she continued, it ensures Lucky Strike helps produce the next generation of bowlers.
Lucky Strike Queens’ next big event will be its Penny Retirement Party, in lieu of the penny officially going out of circulation, on Sunday, Jan. 25. Guests that buy two games that day can get a third game for only a penny.
The venue will also host an event in February for Valentines Day, encouraging couples to spend a date night out at the bowling alley. Guests can check the website for when details will be available, as well as get updates about future events at the bowling alley.
“I care about this community so much,” De La Cruz said. “I’m excited for what 2026 is gonna bring.”
