We haven't been bowling in maybe 20 years, yet found ourselves here on a Friday afternoon. This was…read moreprobably the best possible location for bowling re-entry, with good lighting, reasonable prices, clear instructions and a fine tap list. The staff were easy-going and handled small glitches like resetting pins and sizing up shoes with no drama at all. They do take reservations, which is probably a good idea if you are set on bowling at a particular time.

This is one of my new favorite places in Iowa City. Especially when the college kids are home on…read morebreak and you can come in and enjoy a place like this with no crowds whatsoever. We were downtown on New Year's Day looking for something entertaining to do; 4 adults and 2 kids under 10. Enter Spare Me. They were open on NY Day when many other businesses weren't. We walked in around 12:30 and got a table smack dab next to the bar. Purchased some tokens and away we went for the next 4 hours. Skee Ball is always my #1, but I love all pinball machines. Suffice it to say, I was entertained. Couple that with a few Sour Cherry Ciders and I didn't want to leave. The venue was extremely clean. Tasty appetizers (they were only serving apps and pizzas while we were there) and pizza, funky holiday cocktail choices and extremely friendly staff. The guy tending bar said he had worked all day/night on NYE and the place was sold out from near open to close. You never would have known they were so busy because the place was immaculately clean. We didn't bowl, but it looked fun and all lanes were booked the whole time we were there. Lanes upstairs and downstairs. Restrooms are located outside the venue and they were pretty messy with no soap (at least the ladies). Parking is really close and free on the weekends. Spare Me offers brunch, so that piqued my interest. We definitely plan to come back. Great choice for groups big or small, date night, birthday, etc.

Came here on a Saturday evening and instantly I knew this was a community environment. It Carrie's…read morea chill vibes and it appears that all walks of life come and enjoy themselves here. Huge shout out to Caitlyn (hopefully spelled that correctly) for being such an amazing trainer and teacher. There was a decent amount of people who came through in the one hour we were there and she was phenomenal at helping them all. Upon entering you're required to sign a waiver but not really show your ID and one hour is $23, which I felt was pretty steep but maybe it's due to slow business or the location versus demand. Who knows? Nonetheless, I enjoyed my time here and would be inclined to return and practice my technique or blow off some steam.

This place was a blast! We went in not really knowing what to expect. We were rather concerned that…read morewe would get bored throwing hatchets for an hour. Let me just tell you that after 15 minutes you quickly become hooked. Especially once you start playing one of their games and keeping score. The staff is very friendly and explain to you the rules of the place as well as how to throw an ax. Seems rather simple, in theory. In practice, it is much more difficult than you would think. Which is what makes it even more addictive. They have a wonderful beer selection and the environment is very casual and cool. If you are looking for a place to have some kind of team building event or simply something to do out of the ordinary, I would highly recommend hatchet Jack's The process is quite simple. You make a reservation. You show up for your reservation at the time of your reservation. You throw axes. That's it. Really simple. Really fun.

We met up with another family to go bowling and our kids (and us parents) had a blast here!…read more It was brightly lit, the music was family friendly, the prices were reasonable. We ordered some pizzas a couple pitchers of soda and everyone had an awesome time. We'll be returning in the future!

Bowling was great lots fun Food was not so great wouldn't order anything off menu again Ordered…read moremini corn dogs , hotdogs , fries fried pickles and more nothing tasted very good

Apex Laser Tag is a HIDDEN GEM living in the ghost town that is the old Sycamore Mall…read more I was shocked to learn that Iowa City had a laser tag biz living in it-- more shocked to learn it has been around for almost three years! Where have I been? My kids are so mad at me for not knowing about it sooner. Apex Laser Tag is available for rental daily. You can have accommodate up to 40 folks. Weeknights are obviously cheaper-- though all events are available for one, two, three or four hour packages. There are also arcade games and a spot for dining. (You can bring food and drinks-- no alcohol.) You can book easily online. Pricing is reasonable. Apex Laser Tag needs to be on your radar for kiddos 10+ but also adults.

Wicked awesome time. They are the best. So much fun. I should actually not write a review because I…read morewant this to be a hidden gem for even longer!

Iconic live music bar. Legends of all genres, near and far, have all played this unsuspecting dive…read moretucked into downtown Iowa City. Two levels and a courtyard. Come early and stake out a spot front and center for your favorite band. Cool, intimate experience buuut that means it also gets crowded quick. Haven't had a problem with sound or service. Great spot to catch a killer show at an affordable price.

I came in tonight on Saturday and it was honeslty the worst experience ever. I was at the bar…read moreordering my drinks and I watch the bartenders and the other employees point and laugh at my boyfriend and then the security goes up to him and asks for his ID, after he was already questioned at the door. I get it. I work in a restaurant also, but I would NEVER do that to someone. I was signing my check to close out my bill, and 3 of the employees stared me down when I wasn't going to tip because of what I watched happen to my partner. I had to ask them what the issue was because it was that obvious. I have loved coming here in the past since it is right by where I live, but I will honeslty never come again.

Best bar staff in town and the coolest regulars of any bar I've ever been to. A great townie dive.read more

If you would like to wait 20 minutes for a drink, this is your spot. Came back for nostalgia during…read morehomecoming weekend with an old roomate. They decided bar should be closed by 1:30, we immediately booked an uber. Went to the restroom before we entered the uber (women understand) and were then greeted with the entire staff making disappointing comments. I understand they're supposed to be a "local" bar, but they are just blatantly rude for no reason. Not happy.

It's a pretty large place with maybe 10 or so pool tables, 2 dart boards, shuffle board, and some…read morearcade games. It's a pretty typical bar with wood paneling, green walls, highboy tables, etc. Nothing to write home about. They have good drink specials, although, I don't know how they compare to other Iowa bars cause they seem to be on the cheaper side in general. Also, Iowa isn't smoke-free yet, so this bar is big enough that it allows for the smoke to move around without suffocating on all the smoke at the same time (some other bars are WAY worse; try Deadwood if you're looking for instant lung cancer).

Arrived not long after opening on a Saturday. We were able to be seated right away and our server…read morewas very attentive throughout. The space is large and can accommodate large groups. There is a lot of pm street parking throughout the area. We got a variety of food including Philly Cheesesteak, Crunchwraps, and wings. Everything came hot and delicious. There is a good drink menu including tap and draft beers as well as cocktails. We got the Malice in a Chalice as well as Larry Birds Underpants (both mules). Both were delicious. Would def come back

Stopped in yesterday to watch the Hawks with my husband. We had a couple beers and shared the…read moreslider appetizer. The place was crowded!!! But they have a nice space to accommodate a huge crowd. Service was great! Go Hawks!

Every August, a little magic happens in downtown IC. The taste of IC is a chance for local spots to…read moreshowcase their culinary prowess to the masses. Tickets for food are purchased from a number of booths set up around downtown and are $1 each. Samples from approximately 40 restaurants in the area run between 1-4 tickets each and give all comers a great chance to sample a few or many of the offerings around town. In 2012, Molly's cupcakes, Mesa Pizza, Moonrakers, Basta and Masala were our favorite spots, but it's seriously hard to go wrong when you can walk around on a nice evening for 3 hours and go costco sample style for $20. A great event for a city that's doing a good job at expanding their culinary offerings downtown. Well worth a stop by when it's going on, you won't be disasppointed and you might even find your favorite new restaurant!

Downtown Iowa City is becoming a foodie's paradise. Places like Pullman, Iowa Chop House, Atlas,…read moreBasta, Forbidden Planet, Formosa, Devotay, and Masala are a few of my favorites (yes, only a few from my favorites). There are several tents stationed around the downtown area where you can buy tickets and pick up a map. $1 gets you 1 ticket (sold in bundles of 5). All the participating restaurants then have tables set up outside their storefronts where they're serving sample-sized versions of items on their menu and sampling these items requires anywhere from one to three tickets. My personal favorite of everything I tried this year was Pullman - their cinnamon roll with ice cream on the side melts in the mouth but the pulled pork sandwich was incredible. Let me say that again... incredible. I also really enjoyed the samples from Formosa, Iowa Chop House, and Pop's Old-N-New BBQ. Oh my word, I can hardly wait until my next dine-in experience at any of these restaurants! I love this event since it's an opportunity to sample new dishes and new restaurants without the commitment of ordering the full dish. The Taste of Iowa City seems to be growing in popularity and in offerings, with live bands and performances, plus a giant blow-up Herky on the Ped Mall, all upping the ante and making this a fun chance to slow down and enjoy the atmosphere of Downtown Iowa City.