damnlines.comdamnlines.comThe first U.S. location of the Sydney-founded fast-casual chain This Bowl, which Forbes reports "opened with lines out the door" on Bleecker Street in April 2024 and has kept a perennial queue since.
No camera at This Bowl yet — these are the closest live lines we cover.
damnlines hasn't pointed a lens at This Bowl yet. The most-wanted lines get a camera first.
Forbes contributor Gary Stern reported that This Bowl's NoHo debut in early April 2024 "opened with lines out the door," and that the queue has stayed a fixture since — on his weekday-evening visit he was "about 15th on line for dinner" and seated within roughly 10 minutes, but by the time he left the line had grown to about 25 people.
Forbes attributes the smooth-running queue to the brand's experience running 45 locations across Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane before Bleecker Street, quoting management: "We've done this 46 times. We know how to manage through-put and customer expectations." The Infatuation's review of the NoHo shop focuses more on the scene than a wait estimate, describing a room full of "a hoard of people in tan leggings and claw clips" where it "looks and sounds like a store that could convince you to spend too much money on a pair of sneakers" — a picture of a consistently packed counter rather than an occasional rush.
There's no way to skip the line by booking ahead: Forbes describes This Bowl as counter-service with just 18 indoor seats, so the sidewalk queue is the only way in, and the open kitchen is credited, per Forbes, with making the wait feel shorter for the roughly 15-to-25-deep lines observed during dinner.
Patterns as reported by press and regulars — not measured by damnlines.
Reservations: None — walk-in, counter-service only, per Forbes.
Walk-ins: Yes, walk-in only; no reservations offered.
Open daily, roughly 11 am–9 pm, per local coverage.
Forbes reported being "about 15th on line for dinner" on a weekday evening and seated within roughly 10 minutes — but by the time that visit ended, the line had grown to about 25 people, showing how quickly it builds during the dinner rush. The NoHo location has kept a "perennial" line since it opened in April 2024, per Forbes.
No — per Forbes, This Bowl is a walk-in, counter-service spot with only 18 indoor seats, so there's no reservation system and everyone queues on the sidewalk together.
Yes, walking in is the only option since the NoHo shop doesn't take reservations; Forbes describes lining up on Bleecker Street, with staff who've "done this 46 times" at other locations keeping the queue moving despite the crowd.
This Bowl is the first U.S. outpost of an Australian chain with 45 existing stores across Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane, and Forbes reports it "opened with lines out the door" in April 2024 and has kept a cult following since. The Infatuation similarly describes a packed room of regulars drawn to the bowls.
Sources: Forbes — "Lines Form To The Left At ThisBowl In New York City" (Gary Stern) · The Infatuation — ThisBowl review