Pinstack in Plano Is Not Your Typical Bowling Venue

When I arrived at Pinstack in Plano, I thought it would be your typical family centered bowling alley. Boy was I wrong! I was literally walking around, jaw dropped, mouth wide open, eyes as big as the Texas sky, in absolute wonderment. This is the biggest, most entertaining, family friendly, indoor playscape I’ve ever seen! There’s an enormous arcade with over-sized games including classics and games that you won’t find anywhere else in the world! Hope you’re not afraid of heights because there’s a 28 foot Rock Climbing Wall with first of its kind LED lights illuminating your adventure not to mention the seven different skill levels! There’s bumper cars and a laser maze just like in those spy movies we all love! If you really want to exert your athletic side check out the High Ropes course that sits 20 feet above the arcade floor! Like laser tag? Who doesn’t?! Pinstack has a 2-story obstacle course complete with music and effects to get you amped of for the ultimate battle!

Now I know what you’re thinking, this all sounds great for the kids but what about the adults? I mean we can all have fun channeling our inner child but let’s get real. What about the food and most importantly the cocktails! Well great news folks, this is not your grilled cheese, French fries, and giant pickle menu that we’re so accustomed to seeing. What you will be served at Pinstack is quality, gourmet food and cocktails that will make that arcade and bowling alley look like a neon dream.

I started off with a signature cocktail off the bar menu called the Room 299. It’s got everything I needed for an end of the day drink; Kettle One Vodka, St. Germain, fresh raspberries and fresh lemon juice. All crafted into a delightful pink-ish, red-ish color served in a martini glass.

One very important thing I must mention about Pinstack is they’ve created a barrier between the noise of the arcade and the upscale feel of the restaurant. I actually forgot I was even in a place that was more than a nice place to enjoy dinner with friends! That being said let’s talk about the Sicilian Mojito. Pyrat Rum, mint liqueur, fresh lime, and finished off with San Pellegrino Blood Orange. Talk about refreshing! And the best part is they don’t skimp on the rum!

I was impressed with the drinks and was anxious to see what the presentation would be as we began ordering dinner. The chef recommended a few of their top sellers so of course we had to know what all the fuss was about. To start we scarfed down the Signature Macaroni and Cheese pops because these are bite sized, fried to crispiness perfection, and served with a tomato basil sauce, shaved parmesan, and fresh parsley.

Next up was the ingenious idea of mini Chicken and Waffle Stacks. Proportioned for a single scrumptious bite, a juicy piece of fried chicken laid atop a buttery quarter of a waffle then topped with a spicy maple syrup, sriracha cream, and scallions. Making this app even more awesome, they are arranged like bowling pins on the plate!

The Fish Tacos were so fresh and made using Blackened Mahi-Mahi as opposed to a lesser quality fish that is commonly used. This definitely was some of the best fish tacos I’ve ever had and I was certainly not expecting to have said this! To add even more flavor, Pinstack adds a strawberry pico, queso fresco, and a cilantro lime aioli to stimulate the senses and deliver a superior fish taco experience.

Keeping consistent with fresh fish, Pinstack offers heathy options including the Grilled Salmon Filet. Now I am insanely picky when it comes to salmon and most times I am very underwhelmed, however, this time I was elated! Not at all fishy, you can tell immediately great pride is taken in providing outstanding dishes. Bathed in a lemon pepper butter and plated with sautéed Brussels sprouts and slow roasted bacon our table was craving more!

When it comes to home-style cooking, we in the south are leaders of the pack, and there’s nothing more comforting than meat and potatoes. The Braised Beef Short Rib is marinated in one of DFW’s most popular breweries, Revolver, using their Blood and Honey beer. The meat was so tender it was easily pulled apart using just my fork and came each piece came off was juicy and expertly flavored. Served on a bed of goat cheese mashed potatoes this is the ideal cold weather meal or a fix of traditional southern flare.

Reading over the dessert menu I began feeling so much excitement. There was such an incredible selection available and I had no idea where to start and pretty much wanted one of everything. Thankfully Pinstack is aware that dessert is a popular indecisive weakness and created way for its patrons to indulge with a smidge of self-control. I strongly urge you to give the seasonally rotated Dessert Shooters a try! We also had the Red Velvet and Chocolate Cakes and both were unbelievable! All desserts are made from scratch in-house by Pinstack’s very own pastry chef.

I received dinner in exchange for my review. All opinions in this post are mine.

Location: 6205 DALLAS PARKWAY, PLANO, TX 75024

Phone: 972-781-2695 72-781-2695

Hours: Sunday – Thursday 11AM – Midnight, Friday 11AM – 2AM, Saturday 10AM – 2AM

http://pinstackbowl.com/