Do I recommend this place? Ummm... yeah. Whether it's date night, entertaining out-of-town guests, or just looking for something fun to do, this is the spot. The food trucks outside are always a nice bonus, but the real draw is the atmosphere and games inside. Duckpin bowling is a blast, the place stays busy with great music and a lively crowd but never feels chaotic, and the staff does a great job checking in and making sure everyone's good. The restrooms are clean too, which says a lot for a place this big and popular. Parking isn't great, but that's just South End for you. Overall, this is consistently a 5/5 Charlotte hotspot. read more

Pins Mechanical in Charlotte was a pretty cool place to check out. One thing I really liked was that they have their own parking lot. We got there around 11:30 PM on a Saturday, and there was still plenty of parking available, which was a nice surprise. The crowd was decent without feeling overly packed, and the atmosphere was fun and energetic. The drinks were reasonably priced, but honestly, most of the ones I tried were pretty underwhelming. The green tea shots were definitely the highlight and probably the best thing I ordered. We were playing skee-ball around 2:05 AM and finishing up our last game when a bouncer came over and told us we needed to leave. Since they didn't close until 2:30 AM, that interaction felt a little rude and left a bad impression. Overall, it's a fun spot to visit with friends and worth checking out at least once. It's not somewhere I'd personally go every weekend, but it has a cool vibe and offers a good night out. read more

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Honestly, I haven't much to say about this place other than it is nothing short of a good experience. Went here one weekend afternoon on a whim and enjoyed myself. I saw the huge slide that they have for adults outside on TikTok and thought I might give it a twirl. The environment was awesome, the inside was pretty clean. They have fire pits, huge tvs, bowling, anything you can think of, the ambiance is pretty great and the service was also pretty nice as the bartenders were very attentive. The only thing I didn't appreciate was the extra "holiday tip charge" which I believe was only 2% but they added it I guess to pay for the ambiance and maybe decorations, I'm not sure. I'm a big tipper and have no problem tipping, that's the only thing about this experience I didn't appreciate. Other than that, it was nice, didn't order any food so I can't speak too much about that but the drinks were delightful. read more

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This arcade bar was pretty cool and a great spot for a party. You can play games inside like pins and even outside. The bar tender wasn't the friendliest but otherwise I really enjoyed my cocktail. read more

Drinks, games, and fun! Fire pits, swings, and a slide outside. We have a blast everytime we come here! read more

Pins Mechanical - Bowling Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

Fun spot to play some games, enjoy tasty drinks, and catch up with friends. Came here on Friday around 7pm- group of 4 and spent a few hours outside first and then headed up to the duckpin bowling. I got a spicy mezcal drink and then a couple glasses of prosecco. Our server Krystal was fun, friendly and attentive. She checked back on us several times throughout the evening. I wish they had basketball here but they do have skeeball and that is free. I like the open layout and plenty of seating areas (outdoor swings were my spot). No food but there was a halal truck and its close to a bunch of restaurants, markets that you can bring stuff in from. Parking is kind of a nightmare, the lot is small so your best bet is probably on the street. @azfitfoodfun read more

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I don't see how this place doesn't have a perfect 5 star rating. From having so much to do (for basically free), to having beverages for the adults and some fun ones for kids too, to the insanely clean restrooms, oh and the super friendly attentive staff, this place just rocks. This was our second experience at a Pins Mechanical, our first being in Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh was the reason we found this one, but this one is winning in our book! The slide might not be as awesome, but the hybrid indoor/outdoor play areas and the location bring this location to the #1 spot. Not only is the ratings strictly for Pins Mechanical, this place smokes any and all arcade options anywhere that I have ever been. This was my first time playing duckpins and gosh, I am pretty darn good! I was a bummed that there are no drink specials on weekends, but the kids bowling for free on Sunday was a nice touch. The ski ball might need a tuneup but other than that, high five! I forgot to add if you're into 80's/90's memorabilia (including the OG Nintendo), and slightly risky sayings on their signage, this is a place for you! read more

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My office hosted an event here and we had an amazing time! Definitely a great location and an awesome spot for team-building events, friend hang-outs, or even date nights. As soon as I arrived, I went straight for the outdoor swings (yes, I'm a big kid!), the slide from the second floor, and the outdoor games. I ordered a Teacher's Pet cocktail with all its citrusy goodness (love the names of the cocktails here) and my colleagues and I split up into teams for some competitive bowling. So much fun! I would love to come back when I have more time to play some other games like skee ball and arcade games. read more

I'm so 2000 & late! I had the best time. This barcade is dope. 3 bars and a slew of games. There's everything you could imagine or need and it's on a massive scale. 30 beers on tap with a robust and diverse mix menu. I tried the Atomic Blonde, Smurff, and Dragon Fruit drink. They were all delicious. Its open but has little nooks everywhere to chat. I loved my experience on a busy Saturday. I bet it's super chill on a weekdays. It's great vibe read more

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Came with my work team after work and was surprised how large this place was. We had a section reserved with our own personal server who took our drink orders and brought them out so quickly. She was fabulous. I did start with a sparkling glass of wine, but it was not bubbly at all. Found out it was from a can so changed over to aperol spritz which was much better. Tried their Carrie Fischer drink and that was tasty as well. Tried duckpin bowling for the first time and it was fun and much easier than your usual bowling. The pinball machines were not working for us, but lots of fun activities here. Oddly they don't serve any food but they do have a food truck outside and we were able to bring catered food in. Love the kid activities that are fun for adults like the slide and swings as well. read more

Pins Mechanical - Bowling Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

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Pins Mechanical is a lot of fun, and is one of the most unique bars, restaurants, and even barcades that I've ever been to! I loved the duckpin bowling, which was my first time playing, (or even hearing the word "duckpin") the massive ping-pong tables, and, obviously, the skee-ball pit! The outside concourse was really fun as well, which included larger than life-sized adult swings and even a slide! It seems like the perfect place to sit outside and relax on a warm-weather day. One of the nights I went they also had a food-truck outside, which was a nice addition too. Finally, they have a great selection of beers, to include pale ales along with IPAs. I have gotten their cocktails before as well, which were solid, albeit expensive. All-in-all, I would definitely recommend Pins for a night of fun! read more

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Pins Mechanical and 16 Bit Bar + Arcade is one giant bar that is dog friendly and kid friendly (please note that no one under 21 is allowed after 9 pm) with free parking, fun arcade games, bowling, pinball machines, a fun slide to go down and so much more. While visiting Charlotte, my husband, our little girl dog and I ended up coming here 3 days in a row because we really loved this place so much. What initially brought us here was the annual Wag-O-Ween dog costume contest on Wednesday, October 30. This annual dog Halloween event is free and open to all costumed dogs and is also encouraged for the owners to dress with their pet. Since we are traveling, only our little girl dog had a costume (she was Tinkerbell with a wand and lit up leash). Although we did not win the contest (our little girl is still a winner to us), we still had a great time. Although food trucks may be here during your visit, you are welcomed to bring your own food (just no beverages since they do have a wide selection of beer, cocktails and also some non- alcoholic beverages too). Over our three visits, we played one game of Duckpin Bowling. This is slightly different from regular bowling, as the ball is smaller and it looks like you have three tries to get a strike per frame. We actually played this game this afternoon. A friendly employee came by to take our drink order while we were getting ready to play. The arcade machines and skeeball are free. But if you place a quarter in the machine, all the quarters are donated to the local Ronald McDonald House which is really awesome. With this place being so busy at night, I was surprised how clean the place was, including the bathrooms. The ladies stall was always adequately stocked with toilet paper and was very clean. The communal sink area was also stocked with soap and paper towels as well. Although there are barcades back at home in Los Angeles, there aren't any that I know of that offer so many different type of games and are also dog friendly. If I lived in this area, I would probably be here every month. read more

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10/10 drinks , 10/10 games , 10/10 service, 10/10 atmosphere. Absolutely loved this place. Can't ask for more read more

Pins Mechanical - Drink with coconut rum, pineapple and rock candy! - Bowling Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

We came on Sunday for my son's bday because of the free bowling for kids and family friendly atmosphere during the time. We were able to set up a table with food, cake, and invite our family and his friends. As soon as we arrived DAVE came over to introduce himself. He would stop by periodically to take all our drinks. Make sure we were good. Even when we moved all about the venue he would find us and hand us whatever drink we ordered. DAVE Made the experience awesome and it was a great bday party read more

Super cool and fun place for all ages! Relaxing, fun drinks, and great atmosphere with plenty of room. read more

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Amazing!!! Great bar! Let's get some Hennessy though. Free skeeball and videos games. There is a bowling alley. And random games to play throughout the place. Swings are on two sides of the building. I would say this place is kid-friendly in the AM. Bartender was very nice. We didn't get any drinks but overall still had a good time. Definitely a great place to have a group of friends meet up. Have a great date night. They don't serve food but there is a taco truck on the front side. An amazing place to go! read more

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Such a fun place for adults to enjoy being a kid again! Had so much fun playing all the games and going down the slide!

Our group really enjoyed our visit! It was clean, inviting, the staff was kind and attentive. This is a great place for adults just looking to relax and experience that childhood nostalgia! I wish there was food, but...you can eat at a food truck or neighboring restaurant and bring the food in! Great experience read more

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An easy 5 out of 5, and the best bar/lounge I visited in Charlotte. Free parking and free games made it easy for us to stay for 4+ hours (a long time for our group) at Pins Mechanical. We played HUGE Jenga, IRL Pong, arcade games and Duck Pin Bowling, plus tested cocktails and got beers. Returning here will be a no brainer! I come from Orlando, the king of entertainment offerings in the south, and I wish we had a place like this. I would go out more often. read more

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Will was the most accommodating bartender! 10/10 experience at Pins! Amazing experience!

This place slaps. Went here 4 a friend's party and had a great time. Shoutout 2 Rae the Security guy & Aspen for telling us about the promos. read more

SLAM TILT Some of the pinball tables at this Charlotte arcade are looking worse for wear. While in the area for work, I was looking to kill some time and found Pins Mechanical in a district called South End. The place has an open-air feel with a firepit, roof, full bar, and lots of video games. Having opened in December 2019, they've got a few years under their belt. They currently have 18 pinball machines ($1/game), as well as a handful of arcade cabinets (free), foosball, and trash can beer pong. Pins Mechanical is also known for their lanes of 'Duckpin', a quirky (or should I say, quacky) bowling arrangement with smaller balls and pins. They're very dog-friendly....in fact, I saw one poochie pinching out a loaf on the floor. Bad dog! Excited to crack off some high scores, I fished out a handful of quarters and worked my way around the arcade. The newer Stern pinball tables (Godzilla, Deadpool, Avengers Infinity Quest, Jurassic Park) played just fine, but elsewhere I ran into problems: * Ripley's Believe It or Not was unplayable; issues with code/bad wiring, tons of cosmetic flaws, and a playfield tilted so far out of whack every single ball drained in the left outlane. *Bram Stoker's Dracula had a launch button (in place of a plunger) that was broken, which made starting a game impossible due to a misfiring coil. *World Cup Soccer had a super weak and barely functioning left flipper, which is also a coil issue. *Black Knight Sword of Rage (a 2022 Stern pinball) was cool other than the fact that the playfield was pitched way too shallow, meaning it was not setup correctly and no one took the ~5min to properly level it. If that wasn't enough, a 22oz Allagash White ran me $13!! When the bartender spun the tablet around to show me the total, I nearly fainted. That comes out to $9/pint, and the only places I know that charge that much are sports stadiums or concert venues. On top of that, service at the bar was brutally slow, as if they were actively avoiding me (what gives?) * TL;DR * For a place that has the word 'pins' in their name, you would think they'd take better care of their stuff. Whoever's in charge of maintaining the pinball tables at Pins Mechanical is fast asleep at the switch. I can't remember the last time I saw machines in such a state of neglect......honestly, they ought to unplug them until they can be fixed. If a place has the gall to charge $1 per game, they better have them in decent condition. I had 1-2hrs worth of fun, but I would hit up Paranoia Pinball before coming back here. read more

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We just celebrated my son's 12th birthday at Pins Mechanical, and I can't say enough good things about the experience. Having been there a few times before, it was his idea. We always have fun, but this party was extra! From start to finish, the staff was absolutely amazing--super chill, friendly, and accommodating as we set up for the party. The atmosphere is unbeatable. It feels like a beer garden inside a cool warehouse, with so many ways to have fun: free old-school arcade games, bowling, skee-ball, swings, and even a slide. The kids were entertained nonstop while the parents got to hang out and enjoy themselves too. One mom texted me "I think we had as much fun as the kids!" I also loved how flexible it was--you can bring in your own food, then purchase drinks on-site (the 100-ounce beer towers were a huge hit!). Between the games, drinks, and overall vibe, it was worth every penny for such a memorable day. Huge thanks to the team at Pins for making my son's birthday celebration so much fun. We'll definitely be back, and I highly recommend this spot for both family events and adult nights out! read more

Pins is probably my favorite casual bar in all of Charlotte. So many fun things to do and service has always been great! I reserved some tables and duck pin lanes for my bf's birthday last year and the staff was super accommodating and helpful. I was able to decorate our tables and bring in food. It was awesome! read more

There was ample space for large groups. The food trucks out front were good options and the food was good

During the summer, my husband, brother, and sister in law visited Pins Mechanical to celebrate my SIL birthday. We have arcade bars where we live, but this one was next level! The area is SUPER spacious. They have their own parking lot which is always a plus. There are two bars - one on each side of the property and a rooftop bar. We ordered several cocktails and they were all very unique and delicious. They also have any kind of "bar" game you can think of. We played duck pun bowling, trash can pong, and an array of other games. They also have an impressive amount of pinball machines. This spot hosts all ages until 8 pm when it's 21 and up. They also have an option to host events in their space if you're looking for a great place for a work outing or birthday party! read more

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This is the best adult arcade around! The atmosphere is awesome. The staff is top notch and are always warm and welcoming. They don't serve food but you can have your event catered or enjoy the food truck outside. They have swings!!! I recommend checking this place out! read more

Our experience today felt sub par. We arrived at 12:15p and checked in to bowl with our 8-person group. We filled out the form with name and phone number and we were told 30-45 min. After an hour and a half, we followed up to see where we stood. We understood they were busy and bowling can take longer than expected. The lady at the counter started flipping sheets to find ours and went through about 20 before she found us. They had 4-5 sheets ahead of us when we arrived. Her answer was we have all of these people ahead of you. So, we checked in by 12:30pm. Received our arrival text at 4:45p and then received "our turn to play" text at 6:02pm. We received our "you missed your bowl time" text 5 minutes later. The bar staff was super and ambiance very nice! 5/5 stars. The Cutting Board food truck was amazing! Food and staff 5/5 stars! read more

Pins Mechanical - Bowling Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

Stop here while visiting my sister and her family for the holidays. It was a TON of fun for both the adults and the kids. With the exception that is some of the pinball machines and table hockey the games are free. The beer selection is decent and the cocktails are intriguing. We definitely will be back. read more

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If your looking for a great Date Night or just a night out with your friends this is the place . This is what Charlotte has been missing . read more

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I visited with a group and was pleasantly surprised. On a Tuesday evening, it was not chaotic. There was pin bowling (can be loud), two bar areas, a myriad of pinball games (3 games for $1), and specialty computer/online games in the back. The facility is spacious with plenty of seating throughout to observe what's going on around you. They have nice outdoor areas for when the weather is not too cold. There are televisions that are muted but you can tune in to your favorite game. Parking was not a problem but on a Saturday afternoon, I don't know that all patrons would find a spot as there is an apartment building across the lot. This is an excellent place to hang out or chill! read more

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I had a good time celebrating Happy Hour with co-workers! We bowled, played outdoor games, played arcade video games, took shots and had cool and tasty drinks/beers! The duck pins are not the traditional bowling style but still a lot of fun! The vibe was fun and exciting. The staff was friendly and accommodating. There's a lot of parking but also additional parking if needed. Check it out during the week for just as much fun if you can't make it on a weekend. read more

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I had a blast at pins mechanical with my friends. The drinks were really strong and delicious, and the staff was friendly and attentive. We loved playing the free games, especially the old school video games that brought back some nostalgia. The place was spacious and clean, and the vibe was fun and relaxed. It was a great place to hang out with friends and have a good time. I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a cool spot to chill and play. There were some food options as well but didn't have a chance to get any! Will be coming back if I'm ever in the area :) read more

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Adult and kid fun every where!! Even a slide from the top bar. Exciting. Great vibes!!! Come and bring a group or date. read more

Pins Mechanical - Front - Bowling Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

Very cool concept in Charlotte North Carolina. It's a large play place surrounding several bars throughout. They have duckpin bowling which is very similar to regular bowling but the ball and pins are much smaller and the lane shorter. They also have multiple pinball machines, arcade games, ping pong. You have to rent out the equipment from the staff but sometimes there's a wait for the equipment (ping pong was 45 min wait.) drinks are very creative and good and it's a very lively place. They had a DJ on a Saturday night and we had our own little dance party. read more

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Extremely cool place with lots do! There's literally something to entertain the whole family! From bowling to arcade games to outdoor games! They also have amazing cocktails and beer selections! We will definitely be back! read more

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Had a great time at Pins Mechanical with my boys for my birthday. This was our first time so we tried to see everything but I know we missed alot so we an to go back. We bowled which was alot of fun once I got used to the ball. They have the classic pinball machines and many other games to play. It's very spacious so you don't feel cramped. They allow dogs so that was a plus for me. read more

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If you are looking for somewhere fun or something to do look No further!! Pins Mechanical Company Offers something everyone from the bar with variety of drinks to the rooftop! The arcade has great variety and duck pin looks like lots of fun! This place is busy and fun! Hulk Hogan is very strong but once the popsicle begins to melt it is good!! Next time I will try the "pin ball" drink! I highly recommend if you are looking for fun! Saturday 5/8/21 read more

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Love everything about Pins. The drink menu is amazing and there are quite a few beers and ales on tap. We went on Monday and they had a few specials. It is also welcoming to families on Monday nights. I have also gone on a weekend day and the atmosphere is also nice they often have a dj and the rooftop bar has a great view of the city. read more

Pins Mechanical - Bowling Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

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We had our company Christmas Party here and Marco was our server. He was very attentive, sweet and kind. Service was excellent and fast! Sara was equally awesome at helping us get set up. Aspen and Kaitlin were amazing as we were planning. We heard over and over that it was the best Christmas Party we have ever had. Thank you! read more