I've heard about duckpin bowling, but had never gone. I was invited to an event here this afternoon. I was excited to check it. The experience starts as soon as you board an elevator that is probably close to 100 years old. When you step out to the venue, it's like you are in the 1930s. Everything here I was told is from original alleys that were rescued. The staff and service were great. Everyone was friendly and super knowledgeable. The bowling took some time to get used to. The staff was helpful for the kids and let them know they could bowl from further down the lane. Since all of the lanes are original, there are a few issues. One lanes ball return system stopped working while there. Another likes to shoot balls onto the lane. The lane I was on, 2, had a pin that you would knock down but when it reset for the second or third attempt, every time it was back. Overall it was still a fun time. We had pizza, wings and cookies. The pizza was pretty good, nothing fancy. The wings had some spice to them and had the sauce got everywhere with its color. The cookie I had was one of the best I've had. Better than Crumbl. Fun and unique place for an event. read more

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Went for a work holiday party & while I get the vibes are supposed to be nostalgic - they aren't supposed to be dusty too! Clean this place up ASAP! All of the throwback decor & look of the place is super cute but it is very dusty inside. The food was a 2/10. It's a very straight to the point menu but I still wanted to order basic items that you typically can't mess up- I got wings & onion rings. The wings come in 10 & 20 count (I got 10 dry rub) the flavor was ONLY on the outside of the wings once you bit in, you tasted straight unseasoned chicken which is enough to make you nauseous. The onion rings were pretty good though! Perfectly seasoned & breaded. I'd have to go on a limb and say I won't be returning. Sidebar: pinheads has a full bar & restaurant and now has quite a few duckpin lanes- go there instead!!! read more

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I've been twice now to duckpin bowling. To rent one lane for an hour is $40. I went with a group of 6 people so we split it amongst ourselves. We only had an hour but we were able to fit in a full game in that time period. The game itself is fun and it's cool to see how the machine works. The place itself is older but kept pretty clean- it is a bit dusty in some of the decor. read more

We were in Indianapolis on a hot day with some time to kill, and this place was exactly what we needed. Duckpin bowling is unique, with a small ball and lightweight pins. My group had so much fun at this very retro bowling alley! read more

Atomic Bowl Duckpin - Bowling Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

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Atomic Bowl Duckpin is located in the Indianapolis neighborhood of Fountain Square, and it is probably the most unusual -- and perhaps one of the oldest -- bowling alleys you'll find in the Midwest. It's family-friendly and fun for all ages. Duckpin bowling uses smaller, lighter balls, so it's perfect for the smallest bowlers in your bunch. We visited on a rainy day when we were looking for something to do that was indoors. Duckpin bowling it is. Reservations are suggested, so we made a reservation over the phone on our way there. When we arrived, I was amazed at all of the vintage bowling memorabilia. As we made our way to our lane, it was like stepping back in time to 50 years ago, when telephone booths were still a thing. Duckpin bowling is fun, especially fun for kids, because the bowling balls are smaller (about the size of a small coconut), so they are easier to hold and throw. Not only are duckpin bowling balls smaller, but the bowling pins are smaller, too. So this means that it's a little more difficult to get a strike or a spare. It's helpful to keep your expectations in check! When we played, we tried to focus on just having fun. In duckpin bowling, each player gets three chances to hit the pins (as opposed to two chances with typical 10-pin bowling), so you get more tries to knock them down. There is a small cafe inside the bowling alley, so we snagged some snacks in between games. They have pizza, pretzels, wings, nachos, fries and lots of other foods to share. You can order your food and take it to your lane to eat. We spent about an hour and a half duckpin bowling, and it was time well spent. It's definitely worth visiting this historic bowling alley in Indianapolis if you're in the downtown area. read more

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We had reservations for two lanes for an hour and a half on a Saturday afternoon. The bowling alley had almost every lane occupied when we started and it stayed that way for our entire reservation. The staff were friendly, checked us in immediately, and explained us the basics. Street shows are worn here, no bowling shoes. We had a wonderful time playing in the retro setting. The history of the building is fascinating and they have a few display cases with old bowling equipment. They have a small bar that's very fairly priced. Would definitely recommend as a fun activity while in the fountain square area! read more

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First, to be clear, there are two duckpin venues in this building. Atomic Bowl Duckpin is in the basement, Action Duckpin Bowl is on the fourth floor. A lot of the pics on Yelp and other sites gets these confused and crossed. If you see pics with windowns and pool tables, that is Action Duckpin Bowl. If you see lots of teal green, 1950's vibes, it's Atomic Bowl Duckpin. That's where we visited (Action Bowl was closed). Now then, the atmosphere here is second to none. From the moment you walk down the staircase and enter the basement you are transformed into another era a la Back To The Future. This place is a freakin gem that everyone should visit, even if you give two flips about bowling. Come here, grab a vanilla Coke and take some seriously Instagrammable pictures if that's you. If you want to duckpin bowl you can do so in your sandles, boots, slippers, whatever. It's a legit 1950's era contraption you will bowl, and I don't think its ever been refurbished. You take score manually- instructions are provided. A lane cost us $40/hour. We didn't eat anything here, we were unaware they served food so we had brunch before arriving. But the menu looked enticing for sure. Maybe next time. The young lady working that afternoon was friendly enough. She explained the history of the building (it's over 100 years old), it's previous uses (speakeasy, warehouse) and when the current business was estalished (1990's). Yearning for more I loked online for the buildings history but couldn't find much. Oh well. Look, if you are visiting Indy and want something unique to do, this has got to make your top 5. Doesn't matter if you're a family, a hipster, grandparents entertaining grandkids, this place will make everyone happy. And afterwards you can visit the many cool shops around the Fountain District, buy a record, get some coffee, maybe even some ink on your bicep. read more

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Very cool old school vibe at Atomic Bowl Duckpin. They have something to entertain everyone. What a great way to blow a couple of hours.

A great place to go with family or a group. The duck pins was a challenge for a three year old but manageable for a six year old. Each individual is allowed 3 attempts before the pins clear for the next person in line. Depending on the dynamics of your group an hour was sufficient for the attention span for a few children. read more

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We had the most fun here!! The downstairs is where it's at. It's so cool. No one is coming here for, like, competition. The lanes are buckled and crazy. For the record, I totally sucked at this and had the most fun. read more

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This is a great place to try, but not much else outside of that once. I think it's the only duckpin bowling in the Midwest. The lanes are poorly maintained (there's uneven spots that affect how the ball rolls). The machine frequently resets the pins wrong. There's spots on the approach to the lanes that can trip your feet up. All of that makes this a terrible place for a real game. It's a shame it's in this condition. However to try once and have fun, it's very cool. Also this is mad expensive. It's $40/hr per lane. That's wild for how poorly maintained it was. The owners need to invest money into improving the conditions badly. Food and drink is available and the staff was very nice when I was there. Overall this is a neat thing to try once. But the lanes and bowling machines are in DIRE need of repairs. For $40/hr/lane it's pretty bad. There is another set of lanes called "action duck pin bowling" upstairs in this building. Maybe they are better? Try for those or be ready for the problems with these. read more

Atomic Bowl Duckpin - Bowling Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

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This is not your average bowling. Duckpin bowling uses a small ball and the pins are on a cable. Parking here is OK. There is free street parking available and they have an agreement with the Goodwill Store for bowlers to use the North side of their parking lot anytime and the entire parking lot after 7pm. If you are on a time crunch then I highly recommend making reservations, as their are only 8 lanes. You rent the lanes at a rate of $40/hour (no matter how many people you have bowling). I took my little one and an hour was good enough for us. Shoe rental is free, but they let you use your own tennis shoes that you wore in to bowl. This place is very nostalgic and you feel like you have stepped back into time when you walk in. There are artifacts and what looks to be original signage from when the place opened up back in 1928. Atomic Bowling is located on the 4th floor and Cosmic Bowling is in the basement. You have to take the elevator to get to both, if they are open. Cosmic bowling was closed when I was there. With most old bowling alleys, you have to keep your own score. We were not about that. I came to bowl, not do math, so with just rolled balls down the lane and hopefully hit some pins. Duck pin bowling is not easy because the balls have a lot of nicks, the lane does not seem flat, and you do not get as much help with the pins because they are on a wire and can't bounce and knock down other pins for you very well. They have a decent snack bar that serves drinks, beer and bar food like chicken tenders, pizza, fries, wings, onion rings, salad and burgers. They have a relatively large dining/waiting are that you can sit and eat. The food and drinks are reasonably priced. The gentleman working there was very friendly, helpful, welcoming and accommodating. I must be honest, I was not a big fan of duckpin bowling and neither was my little one. I did however enjoy the atmosphere and the time with the little one. I think this may be more fun after a few cocktails. I think everyone should give this a try and I recommend checking this place out. read more

We were visiting for thanksgiving and had such a wonderful time here. Hattie was working the counter upstairs and she was so helpful, kind and patient with us and all the guests. We were surprised to find out she was new! The ambiance is great and customer service top notch! If we are ever in Indy again will will be back! read more

Atomic Bowl Duckpin - Good times!!! - Bowling Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

Great fun for couples or groups. Even more fun if you go with someone who is good at bowling. Since the pins and balls (both smaller) even the playing field. We were entertaining a guest from Germany, they truly enjoyed this American experience. 40 bucks for the 5 adults for an hour. No special shoes necessary and just real casual fun. Beer and pizza is also served along with snacks. Several local craft beers. Highly recommend for locals and tourists alike. Let's also keep this piece of history. I was glad to see it survived COVID. We were in the basement. There seems to be another set of alleys on the fourth floor. Both are suitable for parties also and are setup as such. read more

An Indianapolis staple. Located in the middle of Fountain Square in the basement of the Fountain Square Theatre building, this spot brings all of the retro vibes. It was established almost a hundred years ago and I love that it's kept most of its charm. There are only a few bowling lanes, so I recommend calling ahead to ry and reserve a lane. We came here (pre-COVID) with a group of friends and had a blast, all sharing a lane. They have food/drinks and you can order at the same counter you got your bowling shoes. They had a good beer list and also had great shareables - fries, chicken tenders, pizzas, etc. The food was surprisingly good. We'll definitely make plans to come back! read more

I have been to this building so many times for Friday Night swing dance, how have I never tried duckpin bowling before?? We just walked in after visiting the rooftop bar upstairs, but they opened a lane for us in the basement anyway. The staff were so incredibly friendly and you could tell just grateful for the business. We mentioned to the guy who was taking us down to the basement that we we were in swing club at Ball State when we were in college. He said that the theater was a big chunk of their revenue and that they were only earning about 15-30% of normal revenue with just the bowling and bars. I did not bowl a lot as a child and I've maybe been 5 times and my life. Both my friends and the guy running the bowling alley said their parents were in leagues and they just grew up around it. I guess I missed out on a whole subculture growing up! It was so fun and I enjoyed just looking around at all the memorabilia. Both the 4th floor and basement were full of interesting things to look at. Right now they are booking every other lane to enforce social distancing. They are also taking reservations. I will definitely be back. It was fun with just us but I imagine it would be so much cooler in non-Covid times if the place was full. read more

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We went on a Saturday afternoon while my parents were in town. We got there right as it opened and were able to get onto a lane, even without a reservation! We had tried to make a reservation via phone earlier in the day but no one answered. We expected to wait when we got there but didn't have to which was a nice surprise. They have every other lane blocked off for social distancing. It was about half and half whether the other parties in the place were wearing masks, but I personally saw the worker get up and sanitize the sitting and bowling area in between every reservation which was nice. It is such a quaint place. It really feels like you are in the 30s or 40s bowling like they used to! It's a bit more difficult than regular bowling because you have to get used to it, but that's part of what makes it fun!! A great place to go if you are showing guests around Indy or if you need a fun date idea! read more

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Super cool and fun place. A super neat slice of American history. Very nice staff and worth a visit if you like bowling.

love it! first timers and we had a blast plus there was a beer. Staff was really nice and accommodating. Money well spent! read more

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This is a fun place! It's on the 4th floor of the Fountain Square Theatre Building. This means it's nice and shiny and bright from sunshine spilling in with great views from the windows. It's $40/hour per lane and up to 6 people per lane. There's a bar with food, cocktails, beer, wine, etc. really nice sitting area with booths and fun seating as well. If you want a group activity, it's a great spot! Duckpin bowling itself is fuuuun but I do prefer regular bowling. So duckpin bowling has a small bowl that fits in the palm of your hand. The pins are smaller and more spread out, so what would be a strike is maybe just 1/2 or 3/4 of the pins. It is a great way to work off energy and just throw the ball as far as you can! Our group had looots of gutter balls lol. read more

Duckpin bowling is so much fun! My first impression wasn't the greatest though. First, there was only street parking (plenty of free street parking available), but I'm not much on parallel parking. (I wasn't surprised by the parking situation with where it's located.) We were in the basement bowling area. I was a little weary as I walked down the stairs and around the corner to the location. It hasn't been renovated in a long time, but has a cool retro vibe. If you've never been, duckpin bowling is unlike bowling in so many ways. After bowling for a while, I realized the skill set needed was more like those for ski ball than regular bowling. There is no electronic scoring, which proved to be a challenge for my aging eyes (but not impossible). We all had fun, and I really want to go play again! read more

One of the things I always bring guests to do while visiting Indianapolis. I've brought friends, family and more family. It's an easy activity and you can show off the artsy side of fountain square. I wish they had online reservations but you have to call to set up a spot. 1.5-2 hours is plenty of time for 3-4 people. The spot brings old times vibes as it should. They play music from the 20s(upstairs) but it's just so low you can really barely hear it. I wish they served food, but it seems like you can bring your own in and eat at the tables. A variety of domestic & local beers and non alcoholic options as well. Bowling is slightly different from the bowling you're used to- a smaller ball and 3 tries but it's easy to catch on. read more

Atomic Bowl Duckpin - Bowling Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

Overall a very fun experience. It was our first time duck pin bowling, so we were sure what to expect. But it was a ton of fun. The place is upstairs and has a very retro feel. It's super loud as it is pretty small. Drinks were reasonably priced, but bowling was pretty expensive. Especially considering the staff started our lane late and ended it early. This is a fun place to try something new and get out with friends or even for a date night. I recommended calling ahead to reserve as it seems like a very hoppin spot! read more

Atomic Bowl Duckpin - Bowling Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

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This was super fun!!! But you need a reservation, so call in advance. We went as a group, our social director had made a reservation which was very good. While I was waiting to pay at the end of our time the very nice lady at the desk had to turn two couples away, she indicated that all the lanes were booked for the next time slot. I'd say always call ahead. Anyway! So much fun!!! The pins are about half the size of normal pins, the ball fits in the palm of your hand. You get three throws each time your up so the game takes a little longer than regular bowling. The venue has a great nostalgic vibe, very cool wooden lockers and old memorabilia on the walls. They have a cafe with pizza, burgers, bar food (we didn't eat) and they also have a snack bar. They have an over 21 area and a full bar. I saw bottled beer, and hubby had a bourbon so that means they have everything! Definitely a fun group activity or date night! read more

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The pins were mocking me. Two of them danced like drunken marionettes on their wire nooses, refusing to do the easy thing, the RIGHT thing, and acquiesce to gravity. Instead, they lingered long enough to be reeled back up and reset for my third throw of frame 8. I examined each of the palm-sized, 5 lb. balls lined up in the return, convinced that there was a difference between those that were red and those that were black. Aside from the nicks and gouges, there probably isn't, but I waited till my favorite black ball sprinted back on the return before lining up on the dots and launching the ball down the standard lanes at the miniaturized pins, trying to stay aware of the... idiosyncrasies of the lane that have developed over the years only to leave two pins standing. Those same two pins... This is Duck Pin bowling. Its like regular bowling, but different. It is rare, you're probably not good at it, and you'll have a lot of fun. Balls and pins are smaller, so knocking them all down is more difficult. Luckily, you get three tries, but the scoring is different and there is no computerized scoring, so you'll need to think back to 4th grade gym class where they taught you how to keep score in bowling while you anxiously waited to play dodgeball. You pay by the hour, not by the game here, so speed is your friend. Like I said, you're probably no good at this, so it is good to try and get lots of throws in to improve. Fighting against you, aside from your noob skills, is the fact that the gaming components are, how to put this nicely, less-than-pristine. Everything is vintage, used, and has seen better days, but still works just fine. Additionally, the game is similar enough to regular bowling that you understand what you're supposed to do, but different enough that it isn't obvious that someone is going to just dominate and ruin the competition. To help your group deal with the learning curve, there is a counter where you can order soda, beers, ciders, and some snacks. A helpful menu at each of the scoring stations lets you know your options along with a delightful history of the sport. The alleys make up only about half of the space. The rest looks like a retro museum devoted to the heyday of rock 'n roll in the 1950's. There's a massive dining space, great neon signage, a large bar, and plenty of displays from the days of yore when duck pin bowling was taken more seriously. I highly recommend this because it is something unique, out of the ordinary, and fun! read more

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Unique. Personable. Great food & customer service like you rarely receive these days. Had a friend's bday celebration there for 8 adults and the service was great. Experience very unique & just an all around great Sunday late afternoon get together in late September. Have been sharing info & encouraging many other friends to go check it out! read more

This is a very neat old building! We were booked on the 4th floor. There is a lot of nostalgia with the old lanes and the setup. It is not fancy at all but it is something unique and historic. Duckpin is a lot harder than regular bowling! The other duckpin level was closed on the day we went so we didn't get to see the other alley. The person working upstairs was very friendly and helpful. A neat thing to do if you are looking for something different. read more

This is a fun time for a couple of hours for a group of people. Our friends from out of town were visiting and we booked a lane for the four of us. We booked it for an hour and a half and we got through a game and a half. We had a good time, but you could tell the place is getting tired. While it used to feel like you were stepping back in time, now it feels a bit unorganized. A bit dusty. Nonetheless, our group loves competition so we had a blast trying to win against each other. They have food options and a full bar, so that was nice being able to have a few drinks with friends. Make sure to call ahead for reservations because we wouldn't have been able to bowl until 11pm if we didn't have reservations. I definitely recommend going to have fun. read more

What a fun place to visit. Drop back to 1950 or 1930 if you want. Old school bowling/cafe/bar. Simple beer and drink list. It's a bowling alley don't expect a lot. However it was a blast. Softball size balls and tiny pins. It's hard. Balls do curve quite a bit if you try. Concrete posts show wear of years of misguided "bowling". Food was meh but that's now what this is about. It's old time fun. Go there and drink a few beers. It's a blast. At least two game to get the hang of it. I bet your parents beat you if you are over 45. Will go again win friends. Definitely recommend. read more

Atomic Bowl Duckpin - Logo - Bowling Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

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When we arrived we were the only ones which was fun! They had food and cocktails / beer / wine available. Such a cute place for a date night or to bring the kids read more

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It's a old school bowling area. It was established in 1928 and you can feel the old school vibe. The bowling is still using the old style bowling machines and we had a great time here. So as sson as we entered the building we had to take an elevator for the ground floor and as soon as you enter you can have the retro feeling. We went just a day after Christmas so there was only one staff taking care of everyone so we had a little bit of mix up in getting the bowling zones but I understand managing the place single hand is not easy. The only complaint I had was that the restrooms were in bad shape. There were no doors even at the entry at the man's restroom and the dustbin also looked filthy. Otherwise overall a fun place. read more

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I was so excited to try this place, but I sadly left extremely disappointed. To start, It's not worth the money. The place is extremely old, which is fine except for the fact that we kept having issues with multiple things on our lane and we were told each time "well it's old and that's that". The pins would never set up properly. You would hit 5 and instead of 5 being re-racked, 7 would be re racked. We also had to retrieve our balls every 5 minutes because they could never back to us using the ball return. A lot of the lanes have bumps, on some the floor board is literally buckled. We were told this is on purpose since the place is old... You also have to keep your own score, which is fine, but if you don't have good vision you're SOL. I think it would have been more enjoyable if the re-racking of our lane worked. Other lanes were not having this problem, but like I mentioned before, when I brought it to someone's attention they just told me that the place was old and that's how it was. read more

If you want something to do that is different in Indianapolis, then I suggest you go duckpin bowling. It's always a fun time. While you're in Fountain Square, you can check out the different restaurants, shops, and bars and make a day (or night) of it. read more

Atomic Bowl Duckpin - Bowling Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

Very fun place for a get together as long as you are not too competitive. Why ? Because there is a mix of skill but a lot of luck with the original mechanisms in place . Sometimes you get less knocked down and sometimes more just depending on the finicky machinery. It actually takes the pressure off and adds to the fun. The esthetics are cool and combine it with a trip to the rooftop bar and you have a nice way to spend your evening. If you stick with just bowling it is kid friendly as well. Bar food looked good but stick with beer as the sodas were blah. read more

Easy to book and great, affordable fun time! Able to get through about three games with two people in an hour.

This place is a quirky and fun blast from the past perfect for a fun night with friends or family! It's great for people of all ages. My grandma loved that it reminded her of her youth and there were several little ones in other parties who were able to participate since the ball and pins are smaller than traditional bowling. The staff is very nice and is great as getting you all set up in your lane. Keeping with the retro feel, you have to keep score by hand. Even the tables, chairs, decorations and restroom are retro, which really adds to the feel. Bowling shoes are optional, but if you do want them, they are free to rent from the counter. If you want to play in your own shoes, just make sure to bring something closed toe that has a back! I found this place especially great for my elderly grandma, as she was able to hold on to the ball and bowl since it wasn't very heavy. Plus, she enjoyed reminiscing on her 20's and 30's with my grandpa in Fountain Square while we were there. They welcome walk ins, but I do recommend reserving a lane just to ensure that you have enough time and room for your party. Prices are very reasonable and definitely worth it for an activity outside of the norm. I had a great time and definitely plan to return sometime soon! read more

Atomic Bowl Duckpin - Old time decorations - Bowling Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

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This place seems like its been in Indy forever. I mean that both as a criticism and a compliment. The atmosphere, lanes, and balls are all very dated dingy and not the most inviting. Compared to the rest of fountain square which has (for the most part) had a major facelift this place looks rough. Especially when you consider the price is $40 an hour per lane That said the service tends to be pretty great since the employees are all super knowledgeable. And the game is really fun! I love duckpin bowling even though it is incredibly over priced, and tough because of if huge warps in the lanes and some of the balls. Its a great way to pass time and have a blast trying to figure out how to throw the palm sized balls with accuracy. It might not be worth it to some people and it could be wayy better. But its a great game. You should try it read more

Atomic Bowl Duckpin - Bowling Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

If standard bowling is Jerry Lewis, duck pin bowling is Don Rickles. In other words, ancient, still funny, less mainstream, and there may be more curse words. This is a beautiful, if a bit worn-down alley. $30/hr is a bit steep, but you can squeeze in a lot more duck pin frames than standard ones in an hour. A very big plus: no computerized scoring. Good ole pencil and paper. I think it's been 25 years since I've seen that. Worth the price of admission alone. read more

Atomic Bowl Duckpin - Action! - Bowling Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

Great for our 12u soccer team outing. The kids and parents had a great time doing something unique. The place is classic through and through. Awesome staff. Highly recommend!! read more

Atomic Bowl Duckpin - Bowling Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

I reserved 2 lanes on the top level of fountain square for the duckpin bowling for 2:00 pm. When we got there we were told the elevator was broke and there was no one working the top level until 5 pm. So we did the duckpin bowling on the basement level. It was ok but not like posted in the pictures. The bowling is hard. As we bowled the pins would fall and then bounce back upright with the wires that hold them. Maybe in the evening it would be more fun but it was not that great when we went. At least I can say I have done it if anyone were to ask. read more