Up-Down IS that girl!! Nobody does it like her and everyone else is jealous. This has got to be my…read morefavorite bar in DSM. The Mac and Cheese pizza is genuinely a godsend, and I've only thrown up from taking one too many shots once!! They have a perfect back alley for that, and there's steps leading up from downstairs to make sure you can get out there in time when you feel it coming, lmao. All jokes and drinking related mishaps aside, I truly am so glad we've got a place like this in the area. Great selection of arcade games and the cocktails are cute and nerdy. They had blood bags around Halloween-- genius! The bartenders are gems and I've had nothing but amazing experiences here.

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!

Incredible establishment with so many amenities!…read more My family has loved Great Escape for bowling parties, social outings and just fun for the kids in the arcade. Recently we enrolled in the learn to bowl class with Darla, who is an amazing teacher. Where else in the Central Iowa can you get professional help from a hall of fame bowler. The food is hands down the best I have had in a very long time. It was a perfect array of foods. From delicious wings, to incredible pizza, to the gourmet burgers. There is something for everyone on Great Escapes food menu. My personal favorite is the jalapeño popper burger. WOW! 5 stars is not enough for a diamond in the rough!! You can truly tell the owners take pride in their establishment. Always re-investing in their business. Run! Don't walk, to the best family entertainment center in Iowa!!

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 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.

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

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.

Can't bring in an *empty* water bottle? So ridiculous. It's $7 for a water from the concessions…read more Why make this so difficult when everything else is so expensive? It's water!

This place didn't just suck.....it suckity suck, sucked. My wife and I walked in tonight and no…read morehostess was available...until after several minutes we realized she was ducked down behind the computer monitor deep into something on her cell phone. After asking her if we could be seated, she said "I suppose so". She then took us to the empty dinning room and wanting to sit us at a dirty table (I'll go get a wet bar rag") ,,,we said we'd just sit at the bar. Anyway, after ordering a fish and chips/fish sandwich/beer and margarita, we got a bill for $63 (!!!!)....Never to return, bad value, worse service, totally a black eye for the fine folks at Bass Pro Shops....should close the place down, fire the employees and attempt to start over Avoid....avoid....avoid

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!

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 used to think this was a decent, affordable place to bowl. But recently, my son and a friend…read more(both seasoned bowlers on both high school teams and leagues) were kicked out of the bowling alley after bowling 1 of the 4 games they paid for (with no refund) because one of their balls hit and broke a rake. Now, I understand that these are expensive and it's the policy of the bowling alley to do so. However, a staff member admitted to my son it was the fault of their equipment. Of course, when we contacted the owner and he later followed up with the staff, that was denied. Bowl there if you wish, Just be warned that you may be asked to leave without a refund at no fault of your own.

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!

My favorite part of the summerLove coming with my daughter, the cocktails and mocktails are…read moreAMAZING! So so much fun, lots of great games

My boyfriend and I wanted a kid-free evening. We come to The Operating Room because it's advertised…read moreas a gaming and drinking establishment where under 21 is allowed up until 8pm daily. We go in on a Saturday evening 9pm to see that there are about 20 obnoxious boys from what looks to be an out of town traveling team of some sorts. They're running around while the adults supervising are drinking. I heard other customers complain about the children, as well. Maybe stick to what you advertise!!