I was in town for vacation and came across this bar online and was not disspaointed--it was a…read moreThursday night which meant all games were $.10 which was awesome and they have tons of old school classic games like Paper Boy, NBA Jam, Tetris etc. Also a nice selection of drinks available which I liked. I could have easily stayed there all night and just played pinball because they had a nice variety and I always love playing pinball games! The best part was they had a Super Nintendo setup so you could play Mario Kart for free which was amazing-this is a must visit if you are in Des Moines!

Fun spot for grabbing drinks and having an activity with all the game options. The security…read morechecking IDs were super funny and welcoming. They did have pizza there which I did not try, but thought it was nice they did offer a food option. The games take quarter tokens and they have a machine to convert dollars into the tokens. Unfortunately, a lot of the games were broken. This is also a very gaming style heavy arcade. The only games they have that are not arcade style games is skee ball and basketball (which was broken). Overall a fun spot in DSM for a date night or hanging out with friends!

A Remarkable Birthday Experience - Truly Unforgettable!…read more We celebrated our twins' 6th birthday party at this bowling alley back in October 2024, and even months later, the experience still stands out as one of the most memorable events we've had as a family. Life got in the way of writing this sooner, but the level of care and professionalism we received from the staff deserves to be recognized, no matter how much time has passed. From the moment we started planning, the staff was beyond accommodating and attentive. Communication was seamless leading up to the big day, and they made every effort to ensure things ran smoothly from start to finish. On the day of the party, they assigned our group a dedicated support person who went above and beyond--keeping drinks filled, food warm, and everyone smiling. It felt like every detail, big or small, mattered to them. What really touched us most was the way they made our twins and their friends feel special, especially in the arcade area. Their kindness, patience, and energy created an unforgettable atmosphere for the kids, and left a lasting impression on every adult in the room. It's rare these days to find a team that takes pride in genuine customer service the way this crew did. They didn't just host a party--they created an experience, and it's why we will continue to celebrate our family birthdays here. Customer service is free, but this team gave it with heart, effort, and professionalism that went above and beyond expectations. Thank you for making our twins' birthday so special--we can't wait to come back!

I bowl league here and idk why but it's some of the driest lanes I've ever bowled on I might be…read moreswitching centers next year unless this changes the oil at bowlerama is 10 times better the lanes are fresh all night

Excellent nice atmosphere for Iowa football game and very decent beer prices…read more Service was great

I love the idea of this place!…read more The putt putt was glitchy and took a while to learn the interface. Plus at 22$ a person it wasn't cheap. We didn't try the food, but it looked like a solid selection of fried bar food. Had some drinks and those were fine. Hard to rate beers, but The bartenders were so kind and awesome! I wish I had more time to just hang with them. The place has that "I'm modern" quasi flavortown vibe. Graffiti and bright colors. Had more potential than follow through but maybe it's brand new and will iron out the kinks over time.

Great wait staff, they let us know how long it would be (we came at the tail end of league night)…read more Everyone there was super respectful. We can't wait to go back. Galaxy bowl definitely changes the game!

Staff is incredibly rude. We walked out because the staff member thought she was cute. We'll spend…read moreour money elsewhere.

MACY IS AS OUTSTANDING!! She treated all of my military friends with nothing but kindness!!! This…read morewas our second time and we will be back! THANK YOU MACY AND AMELIA!!! Godbless you guys

Could've sold food. The games were fun and over all a good vibe. Bartenders were very friendly.read more

This is an entertainment complex in the heart of Ankeny. It has a 12 screen movie theater, a video…read morearcade, and a bowling alley. They also have a full bar in the front and a patio area outside. They have a large private parking lot and is very clean, updated and trendy. This place is perfect for date night, family night or a gathering with your co-workers. Be on the lookout for the complex's Game Night. I did not visit the movie theater part. I spent my time at the bowling alley and arcade. They also have a private room that can be rented out for special events such as birthdays and corporate parties. The lanes were $30/lane (up to 6 bowlers for an hour), plus $5/per bowler for shoe rental. The lanes were very modern. They have electronic scoring and there are bowling assist tools available. As I mentioned they have a full bar. They also serve food. The menu is light, but would do if you were really hungry. I got a BLT with a side of broccoli. It was good, buit bowling alley food. I would not come here just for the food though. The staff there was very friendly and helpful. The arcade is decent sized and has your typical games were you can earn points towards cheaply made but overpriced toys. The arcade was also very clean. I do know that if you are going to check out a movie, they recommend that you skip the line and purchase your tickets in advance, online. This is a fun spot to be and you can easily spend a few hours here. I highly recommend checking this place out. It will not disappoint.

It was ok we just went to see a 4d movie it was cool and fun a little boring and super expensiveread more

Traveling from Omaha to Minnesota this was a great stopping place to the let kids get out and…read morestretch their legs! We only did 1 hour for the lane of bowling and with the 6 of us we got in one game and 2 frames on the next, it was enough though just to do some kind of activity, plus seeing the under water scene was really neat and the kids really enjoyed it too! There is a big arcade as well although we did not partake in that. After bowling we sat down to have lunch. The kids meals are a little pricy over $12 for some Kraft Mac and cheese. The food was really good though and I would come back for lunch or dinner. I had the spicy chicken sandwich with tater tots it was good I enjoyed the grilled bread and the two chicken breasts and the buffalo sauce that it was tossed in had the right amount of spice it was very good. My wife had the buffalo chicken tacos and that is what I would order if I come back. It was very good and it even comes with fried pickles on top of each taco. Delicious! The fried pickle appetizer was full of pickles definitely shareable depending on the size of your group. I would definitely recommend stopping here if you are out by Altoona, IA and need a break from the car!

Party of 2. Seat yourself, order from the QR reader on the table and prepay and tip. Wait 15…read moreminutes for a $3.89 fountain Diet Coke. Maybe another 5 for food and never see the server again. Chicken strips and fries are delicious. Homemade ranch is fantastic. BLT salad was not made with Romaine. No, they went the extra mile and made it with iceberg, including lots of core pieces. $11 for iceberg lettuce, bacon & diced tomatoes. I should know better. The service is atrocious as it's ever been. I recommend hitting the arcade & then bouncing over to any other eateries in town.

My server was friendly and attentive. My food was prepared fresh minus the bagged guacamole and…read morecame out hot and had great flavor. I was the only one eating but they had plenty of TVs on with different sporting events so I had plenty to watch. I will stop back.

Trivia on Thursdays 6pm is awesome Happy Hour 5pm -7pm is also awesome. For drinks as well as…read moreappetizers. Bartenders always friendly & on point.

I really had a good experience at this bowling alley. It's in the basement of the mall. Seems like…read morean older bowling alley but they have updated the lanes so it was nice and didn't feel dirty. Bowling shoes seemed newer which was nice. Very busy on a Saturday night. My group of 4 had to wait for about 30 minutes for a lane during the "cosmic bowling" time. They were playing great rap music and the lights were dimmed and neon lights were going in the bowling alley area. They did have a full bar with an awesome bartender. She was so sweet and attentive- she made our drinks strong and fast. They have two pool tables that takes quarters only (they do have a change machine by the register). Tables in the bar area for hanging out before bowling. They do have food but we didn't try any. Overall, a great experience. We paid maybe $50 for 4 people to bowl during the cosmic bowling on a Saturday night. We will be back!

The Merl Hay lanes have been here as long as I remember…read more One of the entrances used to be inside the mall, down the escalator to the right of McD's. With that long gone, you get in just to the left of the main entrance on the east side of the mall or inside the mall near the information booth. Here you will still have your traditional bowling. The staff were attentive and we were accommodated right away. We had a big group and needed two lanes. One of the lanes needed the bumpers and they pulled that up for us right away. We later ordered pizza from the bar/pub. I had asked previous how they make their pizza. The dough is frozen, however the ingredients are added and baked fresh. The pizza came out hot and it was really good. We chowed down on the pizza as we continued to roll our balls. I think you can either be in a league or just go bowling just a few games on your own. We had a really good time and I dont remember ever going and not enjoying the establishment.

It's so fun everytime we come here; one thing I can't thank the company enough is that the money on…read morethe card doesn't expire. We are only in town once a year and never get through the money we put on the card and come back the next year and it's still there!! The service can be a bit more friendlier but is what it is

Drinks where fun for the atmosphere. The service was fast. More of an arcade than a bar. This would…read morebe a perfect place for a date night.