Metro Bowl is a local bowling place where you can do candle pin bowling. What is candle pin bowling you ask? Well it is similar to regular bowling but with a few different variations on the rules. The bowling pins themselves are tall and thinner, that are supposed to resemble the shape of candles (thus the name). Also the bowling ball you use is smaller with no holes in the ball and you are supposed to hold the ball in your palm and then throw or release it in the lane (in hopes of knocking over the pins). Players get 3 chances to knock down the pins instead of 2 chances in regular bowling. The pins are not cleared away until you are done with the 3rd chance to knock down those pins. Candle pin bowling actually was invented in Massachusetts and is played in some New England states (Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine) and Eastern Canada. When looking for things to do in Boston, the idea of candle pin bowling came up, which really peaked my interest. And so on a rainy Sunday, my husband and I ended up coming to Metro Bowl. The reason why I picked Metro Bowl was because of their Sunday special where you can play either Cosmic (candle pin) bowling or regular (candle pin) bowling for an unlimited play of 2 hours between the hours of 6- 10 pm on Sundays for only $15 per person (that also includes shoes). There are 2 different areas for either type (regular and cosmic) of bowling in case you are wondering. So we came in a few minutes before 6 pm and bowled for 2 hours. We were able to bowl 9 games I think in that time frame. If we were lucky to get a strike on the first try or pick up the spare, there would be this little animation cartoon on the scoreboard screen to celebrate your strike or spare. There would be a different little animation each time and we always looked forward to seeing what it would play. Most of them were pretty silly but brought a smile to our faces when we watched them. After playing candle pin bowling, I will say that it is harder than regular bowling. You don't knock down pins with momentum like you would in regular bowling so the game itself really relies on strategy because it is much harder to knock down those pins. Same for duck pin bowling (where it is popular in Northeast states and the Mid Atlantic area. If you want to know, the first time I did duck pin bowling was in Charlotte, North Carolina). The manager was helpful to teach us how to use the machine at our lane since we had never played candle pin bowling. She was very kind to make sure we felt comfortable and told us if we have any other questions, she would be more than happy to help out. We both really enjoyed ourselves and would come back if we lived in the area. Please note that Metro Bowl also has a restaurant on site in case you are hungry. Also the restrooms were clean during our visit. read more

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Finally a place to bowl with your family and it does not break your bank! I've been here a couple times now and was just there recently for some bowling with 3 children! They had a lot of fun! We also played arcade games after and ordered food to bring home. Everyone was super nice & the atmosphere felt family oriented. Will definitely come back! read more

Super friendly staff and great family fun environment. We took our daughter and was $40 for an hour for the three of us, great value! We all had a blast and then went to the arcade. The gentleman manning the ticket booth was so patient and funny with our young daughter choosing what to spend her tickets on... what nice people. We will be back for sure. read more

First and last time coming here. We got a lane for 6 people. $21 for shoes. Once we started our lane, our ball returned was broken for 20+ minutes. Didn't explain how the game/keeping score works. The computer score board stopped working. The time on the score board is wrong and has skits to waist time. Total cost 5:09 to 6:16 with shoes $73. Never again. Sorry I forgot We ordered pizza over 45 minutes. Got refunded no pizza still with no pizza ready. read more

This place is pretty cool. They have a huge bar and dining area. Lots of lanes, cosmic candle pin bowling, a small arcade and pool tables. They have decently priced drinks so that's always a plus. Patty was on duty when I went for my cousins bday. She offered to take the cake from me and fridge it. She displayed wonderful customer service the whole time we were there. I would recommend it here read more

Although my bartender was efficient and kind, he didn't have the charisma of the previous one, Zach. Zach honestly makes the best Cosmopolitan and Margarita cocktails. Also, he made a point to ask how my day had been and was genuinely concerned it went well. I honestly looked forward to Friday's at Metro bowl to have Zach wait on me and to eat my usual delicious grilled chicken. I was disappointed to learn the proprietor had let him go. Now I will need to find another restaurant/. bar to spend my Friday evenings at. read more

Fantastic Family Saturday night out at Metro Bowl for 2 parents and 4 kids! $53 total for all 6 of us to enjoy 1.5 hours of cosmic candle pin bowling and our own little, family dance party in a huge, clean space. Totally old school scoring and pin system reset, but that added to it's charm. Small bar, awesome arcade (offering the prizes for tickets system that parents hate but kids love) and a pool table. Staff was awesome, especially Walt the weekend manager who went out of his way the entire time to make sure we were happy and having fun. We'll definitely be back! read more

Metro Bowl - Groovin at cosmic bowling - Pool Halls Near Me - Peabody, Massachusetts

When I started going bowling, this is where I went. I still go when I need a candle-pin fix, or on Sunday nights where $9.95/person gets you an hour, shoes, food, and a soft drink. (Don't quote me on this) The location is a cross between old school lanes with paper/pencil scoring, and modern lanes with automatic scoring that sings and dances. They have computerized scoring: this means you enter the score yourself on a keyboard, it will give you instructions in the case of a spare or strike (or multiple in a row). Aside from a little "dance" from Tens, Spares, and Strikes, there are no special effects. They are in the process of replacing tube TVs with flat screens, but do not expect huge TVs with news or sports. They are there mostly for scoring purposes, with a few for news. Their lanes are good. They are not bumpy as in Lanes and Games in Cambridge, but they are not as oiled and sleek as in Boston Bowl. If you are playing for fun or practice, lane condition should not even be on your mind. If you are a professional, then you might want to check them out first. Arcade is small, some older games, and some newer ones. They are no retro ones though, and machines are being perpetually replaced with newer ones. A game may be there one day, but gone the next. Token machines now accept credit cards. Location is clean, but it would be nice is the urinal flushing was not on a timer and had a handle/button/whatever. (sorry for weirdness) People who work here are cool, and helpful when lanes malfunction. They have a small, uninteresting, and very cheap selection of food and drink. Pizza, hot dogs, pretzels, soft drinks, and bottled beer/wine. Bowling is a bit pricey, but not overly so. read more

Metro is a cute local bowling with a lot of lanes. The cosmic bowling lanes looked trippy and interesting, but I just went for the candlepin, which frustrates me beyond compare. The score computer is a little bit of a hassle to get used to initlally. Anyway, the staff is friendly and considerate. The place is relatively clean. The parking is awkward, however, and can be pretty inconvenient. The arcade games are a throwback to a time when I was much younger... read more

I want to thank the young girl working at the prize counter today. My son didn't have enough tickets for the prize he wanted. Well Ava scanned her own ticket card so my son could get the prize. Keep being kind, you'll be repayed in more ways then you can imagine. Thank you! read more

The place has gone through a major facelift. Came here last night for a staff outing, it was fairly empty apart from the 12 or so of us. $3 to rent shoes & $4.60 per string per person. They bring you your drinks & food as your bowling which is awesome. The pizza & finger foods were all really tasty and they've added an entire restaurant/bar in the back which really adds to the appeal. The staff were friendly and helpful when some of us were clueless with scoring (don't judge us, it's been a while!). Definitely will be back for date night! read more

Out of all the places to bowl around the North Shore, this is the most low budget and most expensive. 2kids and 2 adults bowl 2 strings it cost 50 dollars. Not to mention the place was in bad shape. The button to clear the pins worked once in a while, balls in bad shape and the pins would keep falling down immediately after being set up. That was my first time at Metro Bowl and my last. read more

Ah Metro Bowl. Our long lost high school Saturday night hangout. Love this place. I'm not too much of a bowler, but the cosmic bowling is really cool and the prices are reasonable. They have updated and re done a lot of this place over the past few years. They have pool tables and video games and a small snack bar area that has fountain drinks and pizza, candy etc. Memories memories. I miss the Metro Bowl days!!! read more

My go to place for family fun and even birthday parties for the kids! Bumper bowling I believe its charged every 30min which is ample time for our boys. And the beautiful new arcade space I love it! Can't wait to see what being done in the original space! One thing i know is we'll be back for some blacklight bowling! Bad thing. A lot of bowling leagues so sometimes theres no black lights on or even music! read more

This place is fun, the bowling is decent and they have theme nights and such. Parking can be a nightmare though. But if you enjoy cosmic bowling this is the place to go on the North Shore. Otherwise I'd say there are tons of other places to get the same experience. read more

So we went to Peabody cause we were looking for a fun filled day of mini golf, bowling, and seafood. Metro Bowl was where we ended up. SO GLAD. For a Saturday early evening, the place was spacious, smelled clean, and the service was FANTASTIC. Elvis, or Walt the guy behind the counter is such a sweetheart. He laid compliments and funny comments to us the whole time. What a great guy. The computer system is a little old as we have to put our scores in ourselves, but heck I grew up on paper and pencil, so WHO CARES? They have a little arcade area with prizes so that's a nice addition, and the bathrooms are clean. They have food and drinks as offer, so that is pretty cool too. We would never have stumbled upon this place if we weren't looking specifically for bowling places near the Sea Witch, but we are so glad we did. The atmosphere was comfortable, and the disco bowling was cute with likeable music. The service was a plus, even the two teens working behind the counter was attentive. This looks like a place where the locals go, and good for them. I would too if I lived in this area. The lanes seemed well taken care of too, you'd be surprise how often lanes break, we have gone to Lucky Strikes and other Boston places, and it's such a pain to find people to reset your pins or whatever. We never had to here. We had a good time, thank you Metro Bowl and Walt/Elvis! read more

Needed to get kids out of the house. Metro has an awesome Sunday special. $10.00 per person for 2 hours. This includes shoe rental. What a bargin! Once there, your standard food selection is available(fries, burgers, pizza, etc.) Even a bar to keep mom & dad happy. Will definately go back when in the area. read more

Bumper bowling rates are by the hour, which makes it cost prohibitive for me to bring just my son (maybe consider going back with the whole family). Video games take two tokens, which is kind of a rip-off, especially since most were old and didn't have good ticket payouts. read more

Great staff from counter to restaurant. Joe, Patty, and the waitstaff made our family celebration of a few strings, followed by pizza, a winner. We enjoyed the clean and well- maintained facility, but it was the friendly and professional staff that made our grandson's 18th birthday a wonderful time for us all. JMc read more

Definatly my favorite local bowling alley without driving all the way to town line. I used to come here when I lived in beverly and now I live in peabody (within walking distance , Win!) Its pretty clean The lanes are on good shape Never had the food but cmon it's a bowling alley, what are u expecting. read more

I brought a child to a friend's birthday party here, so take my review with that grain of salt. I can't speak to prices, service as much as if I'd purchased anything myself. Several reviews mentioned PARKING as a problem, and I'm compelled to review myself because I worried about it. The bowling alley has a small lot adjacent to the building, PLUS ANOTHER LOT that's a bit larger across the side street (not Foster itself.) I hate driving through Salem, and I hate difficult parking situations. Parking at Metro Bowl on a Saturday afternoon was easy, though we had to cross a quiet side street to go inside. There was a somewhat faded sign stating that this additional parking lot was for Metro Bowl customers. Like most bowling alleys, expect to walk into a noisy environment with lots of flashing lights, at least on a Saturday afternoon with kids' parties scheduled. It was hopping; lots of busy lanes and I had to wait a minute at the front counter to ask where I should bring the little party goer. The front desk was staffed by at least one smiling, friendly young woman who gave me clear directions. The party room was another noisy space, but the large group of kids were making most of the ruckus themselves. Since the door was propped open, I can't say whether the bowling noise will come in even with it shut, but I'd suspect that's a yes. Those rumble-rumble-BOOM! shocks travel right through standard walls. The video arcade room, right outside the two party rooms that I saw, was delighting the children. I didn't see anything I would rush to play, but I'm a middle aged occasional gamer who's only likely to get worked up by an old fashioned Gauntlet arcade unit. My son had a great time at the party. Candlepin bowling is much more fun for him because he's small and regular bowling balls are too heavy for him to have fun for very long. We probably won't use the "free game of bowling" gift that came as a party favor, but only because my husband, who picked the kid up, thinks our local bowling alley is bit nicer AND CLOSER to home. Metro Bowl isn't a fancy place; it's a traditional bowling alley that's somewhat scruffy looking but not frightening to enter. It was less iffy than my reading of Yelp reviews led me to believe, so I'm posting my own thoughts. read more

Being from Florida, it is always a good time to do some candle pin bowling when I come up to Mass. This place isn't too expensive and they just renovated their entire bar/restaurant area. Would definitely recommend for kids and adults. read more

We went there for the bowling and so didn't expect for the food to be that good! Their burgers are some of the greatest burgers in town! I know what my family's next favorite spot for the rainy days will be! Keep on rocking! read more

Its inexpensive compared to other places but most of the staff is rude and ignorant. They are old people who just seem miserable. The only good thing I can say is I dont see that overweight lady there anymore who was the absolute worse. I also tend to notice they treat people who dont look like me & my kid different, yea, I do notice that. I remember one time i requested music for my child and I. The place was empty and the guy got mad cause he wanted to watch his politics on TV. This is your place of work, not your home. If it wasnt around the corner and somewhat cheap, Id stop coming here. read more

I've been coming here since I was a child. I love the cosmic bowling when they have it, it makes bowling so much more fun! Plus, you have the option of the arcade as well. Great for kid's birthday parties and family fun! read more

Horrible venue for a party. Worst experience ever. No help from the staff, no organization food not ready when it was supposed to be. Manager claimed that he was just a chef.... read more

They say they're open until 12, but don't come late if you want everyone to be rude to you! Came in around 11 with some friends looking to bowl, just a quick game. We were told at 11:10 that we only had 30 minutes to bowl. I understand that you want to get home as soon as possible, but this is the job you chose to work at. Their machine broke and they were mad at us for it. After they fixed the machine they kept glaring at us, making us feel extremely uncomfortable so we rushed to finish and get out of there. The final nail in the coffin was when one of the workers made a comment about me being lazy. Last words were "next time come in earlier", no thanks, I won't be coming back. read more

My league bowls on lanes 1-8.these lanes routinely breaking down and have dead pins that fall before you can hit them.

I started coming here with my foster son because of their participation in the Kids Bowl Free program (Google it!). For $5.25 total in shoe rental, both of us can play two games of candle-pin bowling! Technically, the kids can play on their own, so it'd be less on shoe rental, but how boring for the parents to just sit there. The program works between 9am and 5pm, and lasts for the summer. It's a fun (and cheap) way to keep the kids entertained, and I'm getting better at bowling now :) read more

I had never been candle-pin before, this place was great! There's a small selection of beer and wine. We didn't eat there, so I can't talk about their food, although, I did see pizza being served. Back to bowling- There were probably 4 parties at the time we got there. We chose regular candle-pin bowling, and it is old school. Remember I said I had never been candle-pin before? Well, this may seem obvious to you, but to me, it's new :-) The screen won't capture how many pins you knock down, it's the honor system as you type it yourself. Oh- and it uses the small bowling balls. Overall, we had a great time. The owner or employees were very friendly and happy to help. Go to this place, you will have a great time!! read more

Can never get a lane here. We live locally and if I want to take my son bowling early evening you can't because it's always filled with leagues. They don't leave lanes open for locals to come enjoy. Having to go to Sunnyside in Danvers to have a good time with my son instead of Metro Bowl which is down the street from us. read more

A lovely little local establishment. The cleanest bathrooms of any bowling alley I've ever been in. The staff are extremely friendly and nice. They gave my 4 year old a stuffed monkey that was 1,000 tickets, in exchange for her little pile of 74 tickets - which was very sweet. It made her day! read more

If I could give 0 stars I would, hands down worst bowling alley iv ever been to. The older man behind the counter is extremely rude and made my family and I leave because our youngest daughter was being loud and running around (with my husband right besides her) and when he confronted us about it he went on for 5 minutes about how we don't watch our kids and shouldn't be there in the first place so we decided to leave and when my husband confronted him about it calmly and respectfully he started screaming and still made us pay $30. Also the whole arcade was shut down. 100% would never go again or recommend this place to anyone, especially families. read more

If you and your fellow early-20s friends are looking, like I was, to spend a day looking like fools and playing arcade games, this is probably the best place to go. Minus points because they didn't have bubble hockey, but this was the site of an excellent, raging air hockey battle. Also, they sell Sam Adams for like $3.50. read more

Love this place. Especially the cosmic bowling. They serve pizza and some beer which is also awesome. Very clean and there are alot of lanes. There is also a small arcade and pool tables in the back! Pizza is good too! read more

Ok I feel strange leaving a review for food at a bowling alley but the food here is delicious! It's made from scratch and you can tell. The chicken fingers are tender, juicy and fresh. Same with the mozerrella sticks, they literally melt in your mouth. The onion rings are awesome too! The pizza is great with tons of flavor. The staff is nice and helpful. Also, they have a great selection of beer and wine. Lastly, you can pay by time if the kids get bored. read more

I will never ever go here again. I run a group home for people with special needs...several times I have sent one of my staff here with a couple of folks with special needs...on 2 occasions my staff was told that he can't just show up with "these people" we need to call first and was treated very rudely. Today I sent my staff and 2 individuals there to bowl. Again my staff was told he needed to call first...he asked why as all the lanes were empty and there was nobody in the place...the employee refused to let them bowl...there were people in line behind my clients who were greeted with a friendly hello and allowed to bowl. My staff asked for a business card. This is blatant discrimination against people with disabilities. We called them and questioned them about the incident...they were unhelpful. We will be contacting several organizations about this incident. Discrimination against people with disabilities is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. Think twice before patronizing this business. read more

It was ok. Nothing special. My husband and I with our 2 kids played one game of bowling. $30. Game was $18 shoes $12 For that reason I'll never come back. We weren't offered any specials or deals. I don't think they had any. For $30 bucks I at least wanted to get a drink and play a few arcade games on top of the 45 minutes we bowled geez ! read more

I wish I would of read reviews before I decided to do a party there, I ALWAYS read reviews in places first, rude is what you get. the staff seemed very miserable and uninviting. even in the bar, if I started 15 minutes or 30 minutes in I'm the one taking a loss in party time that I still have to pay for. no need to be rude or condescending or chastising maybe the girl was too young to handle adult situations properly but even after her mistakenly giving us a wrong lane an ADULT staff made one of my children very uncomfortable too! we just felt unwanted and rushed the entire time. Not only did they rush to give me the certificates and game cards they shorted me on them so a couple of kids missed out. I rushed so bad I left the cake and lost a gift. I was so stressed out I couldn't enjoy it literally put a strain on my physical and emotional state of being and caused my blood pressure to rise and a migraine I couldn't shake off till just yesterday, This happened 3 days ago, I wouldn't of did this review but the dismissive, annoyed and rude vibe I got from the manager that only after pointing it out did he seem kind of fake nice, but RUSHED me off the phone. He wasn't any better... I didn't even get to fully address all my issues. I felt excuses on his behalf even though he rushingly said "he would speak to them, and see what happens" WHAT? I do NOT recommend families or kids parties there! even the people at the bar seemed miserable and rude I can't believe at How unprofessional the people there are. Quality Customer service is clearly not a priority. I see why I never knew this place existed! DO BETTER! because if not that's what the BBB is for! read more

Been waiting over an hour for 2 Pizza's. Bartender seemed like she couldn't figure out the cash register. Waitress apologized and said 2 minutes that was 20 minutes ago. There is only one other table seated. Place is empty. read more