This place is ghetto and dated. I have never seen a bowling alley require armed security. Smells like urine and even with armed security i felt unsafe. Especially when I went outside to smoke.
I remember the first time going to Hudson Lanes as a real young kid, and its nice for a place to stay put after a few decades. Its also hard to find a place where a bowler (bowling more then just for fun) has a place with 1) non synthetic lanes and 2) that hasn't gone to the "rave" dark lit lanes and loud base driven music. Management and lanes staff are always willing to listen and work with you as long as the same respect is returned. Their Tuesday/Wednesday deals are some of the best bowling deals in all of Jersey City and within about a 25 minute driving radius. You have concession with American/Filipino Food to help feed the inner beast within between frames and a bar with a limited drink selection but its always nice to have the both inside the same environment. I have bowled here now on a weekly basis and its something that I look forward too. Easy to get to via public transportation via Bus and Light Rail and lots of ample parking on the side and the back. Hope that atmosphere continues to happen for years and many more bowling days to come. ;3
Fast forward to our party day, we show 15 minutes before as do some of our guests. Everything is running smooth. Then, more guests show up, things begin to get chaotic but it's still managed and the kids begin to bowl and have a good time.
It's important here to keep in mind that this is primarily a toddler party, full of needy toddlers. Toddlers want things. Toddlers want things now and not exactly when it'd convenient for everyone else. They wanted juice, they wanted fries, they wanted pizza, NOW! Not an hour from now, not 20 minutes from now, but NOW!!! and a toddler doesn't care if "I'm the only person working the counter right now" (which is an inappropriate response to someone asking for juice or food for their needy kid. Especially when you were warned that it was going to be this kind of party.)
Answer- No! We had a great time!!
The party package seemed very reasonable, we felt like kids of all ages love bowl, and all that crazy decor made the Hudson Lanes a logical choice for our party. When I booked our time for the party I explained to the person behind the counter that I expected to have a large turnout of people of all ages and that I needed to be sure that they were able to accommodate such a large diverse group of people. I was assured that parties were "what they do and have been doing for years", and that they "have it down to a science", and I didn't need to worry. All I needed to do was contact them a week in advance and give them a headcount so they were prepared for us day of the event. I did that. I did better, I physically went to the bowling alley and had a real live conversation with the same person that booked us in the first place. I gave her a headcount of 30+ toddlers and about 10 grown-ups that would like to bowl separately in their own lanes and have beer made available. I was told "not a problem" and that all I needed to do was arrive 15 minutes before the party day of to set up and they would handle the rest. Awesome, right?
Let me begin by saying that we love going to Hudson Lanes as a family and we go often. Yes, you could point out that the decor is dingy, dated, and threadbare but we LOVE that it has retained it's late 70s mid 80s style! It's actually the reason why we selected Hudson Lanes to have our son's 5th birthday party this past weekend.
I still love Hudson Lanes. I love that it still exists in this world of constant change and it seems to thrive! But, please, Hudson Lanes hire more help.
I've lived in Bayonne, NJ for over 7 years and have never visited Hudson Lanes until today. Wow!! I was so surprised!! What a great place this is. Lots of lanes. Great prices. And friendly attentive staff. I will be coming back more often with family and friends. Thanks for a great experience!
Nice place with good housekeeping. Good lanes & house balls. Generous too... allowed me a number of strikes & spares hehehe
Question- Did we have a bad time at the party?
However, this situation needed to be managed better by Hudson Lanes. They were warned that a large group of needy toddlers was going to converge in their establishment 11:45 am on a Sunday morning. Why didn't they prepare? Why was only one girl running the snack counter? Why was that same girl the only person cooking and serving the snacks? Why was there only one girl running back and forth getting shoes, balls, and entering names into the computer to bowl? It was chaos! At one point myself and a friend began to dole out the snacks ourselves! They ran out of fruit punch!!! Toddler hell!!!
Hudson Lanes is a US Bowling Alley based in Jersey City, New Jersey. Hudson Lanes is located at 1 Garfield Ave, Jersey City, NJ 07305, USA.
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