Kings Bowl Doral Is a Retro Palace of Games, Food, and Rum

If it wasn’t already clear that CityPlace Doral is one of Miami-Dade’s top new dining and entertainment destinations, now it’s official. The latest venue to open at the hub is a place where locals can pair a night of bowling, games, and karaoke with tropical-inspired comfort food and plenty of rum.

At Kings Bowl Doral, which opened in late May, guests will find 14 bowling lanes (including four lanes inside a private suite called the King Pin Room), an upscale rum lounge offering craft cocktails and a chef-driven menu, and even social games such as shuffleboard, pool, and two- or four-player air hockey.

“Doral is vibrant and beautiful in its own right, but it was in need of some great dining and entertainment options that don’t require the residents and workforce to drive to South Beach,” Gideon Horowitz, general manager at Kings Bowl Doral, says.

Walking into the 20,000-square-foot bowling, dining, and cocktail venue, guests are greeted by a 1960s-inspired atmosphere with retro decor such as red vinyl seating. In addition to the ten-lane bowling alley, private bowling suite, and main dining room, the space also offers a private events space that can be booked for karaoke and dining or used by the public when it’s not reserved. There's also the Royal Room, which connects to the dining area and offers low-tech games for socializing such as billiards, foosball, air hockey, and shuffleboard.

Kings Bowl is known for its restaurant-first ethos, and because the Doral spot is a milestone tenth location for the brand (but the first in South Florida), Horowitz says Kings wanted to create something special for Miamians.

“One of my favorite features in this location is the Rum Room, our lounge and restaurant space featuring a curated list of over 30 rum varieties from Doral and all over the world,” he says.

The Rum Room serves a curated selection of light and full-bodied rums, signature rum cocktails, and several rum flights. The lounge also offers a humidor so guests can enjoy cigars with their rum drinks on the 40-seat patio.

The made-from-scratch, chef-driven menu is especially important at Kings, Horowitz says, where food is central to the entertainment experience.

Dishes include appetizers such as bacon sriracha deviled eggs, kung pao fried cauliflower, and pan-seared mac 'n' cheese, as well as pizza, wings, sandwiches, and wraps. There are also specialty burgers, such as the Spicy Korean BBQ (cucumber, Asian slaw, fried rice noodles, and cilantro on a sesame-seed bun) and the Fat Elvis (topped with bacon and a fried banana tossed in spicy Thai peanut sauce). Desserts include boozy adult milkshakes and oversize sundaes.

“The inspiration for the menu is to redefine people’s perceptions of the quality of food that comes from an entertainment venue,” Horowitz says. “Kings really is a great restaurant that happens to have bowling and games, and not the other way around.”