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    Spare Time Northampton

    4.1 (22 reviews)
    Open 11:00 am - 12:00 AM (Next day)
    Updated 2 months ago

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    Keith R.

    This review is for the bowling alley and snack bar, we did not go inside the separate bar area. We walked in and were greeted by the man at the front desk who was helpful in explaining the daily special bowling package. There were six of us, but a few kids so we really only wanted one lane. He pointed us to the $70 special which included two hours of bowling, shoes, a large pizza, and pitcher of soda. We went for it and were given shoes. The bowling alley was clean for bowling alley standards, and was decently busy for a Sunday afternoon. There was a really diverse range of people there as well. About half way through bowling we went to the counter and ordered our pizza. The young man at the counter took our order and I think he had a cold or something because he kept sniffling the entire time I was ordering, and then he wiped his nose with his hand while he was pouring our soda. Wasn't too thrilled about that. We then went back for bowling while our pizza was cooking. It didn't take long before our pizza was delivered. I have to say it is some of the worst pizza I've ever tasted. Frozen pizza out of a box tastes significantly better than this pizza did. We finished our pizza, returned to our bowling, and called it a day. Overall the bowling alley was great, a little on the expensive side in my opinion, but great nonetheless. The food (specifically the pizza) would not be an experience I repeated, and in fact, was beyond terrible, so eat before you come or eat after!

    Amanda B.

    My husband and I chose to hold our rehearsal dinner at Spare Time Northampton last month. We wanted to have a casual, fun night and we thought bowling would be a great way to get all these people talking and bonding the night before the wedding. Besides, isn't everyone going to be dressed up for a meal the next day? Bowling shoes for all my friends! Gordon had come to this bowling alley over ten years ago when he was in college in Amherst and it was called Northampton Bowl. Let me tell you, from his stories, this place has had a management change and a major facelift. Never having been there before we reserved the night for our party and then visited in August, I was afraid it might be like other small town bowling alleys I'd been in- dark, dingy and reeking of cigarettes. But this was NOT the case. It's clean, colorful, well-lit and fun! There are arcade games and a bar where they have bands come in. Everything was all set the week before the wedding- we'd emailed with the manager to make sure we were all set up, our food was ordered and it was fine. However, when we got there, no one seemed to know we were coming. The assistant manager was notified, he came over and told us he'd take care of everything. We told him our menu and let him know we wanted the food as soon as possible. It took about an hour. People were hungry, but the bowling and drinks kept them occupied. They gave us a slightly deeper discount because of the confusion/miscommunication, which was nice. The ass. manager told me that some things they make on the premises and some things they order from outside places. Not sure where the wings came from, but they were delicious! Everyone raved about them! Overall, the food was pretty good for a bowling alley and we all had a great time. Another interesting note: not a black bowling ball in sight! They're all fun colors. This was new to someone who hasn't bowled in years. Definitely fun. Gordon and I had such a great time, we went back the night after the wedding, just the two of us.

    Rob F.

    What a great New Years night. We signed up for the special which was $20/person, 4 person minimum, 1 large pizza, 8pm-10pm. The pizza was ok. I wouldn't order a pizza from them again. The music was great and they gave out prizes throughout the 2 hours. What a great experience.

    About to bowl
    Dan R.

    After a hard day of work in Northampton, we decided to stop in and bowl a few frames. We dropped in on a Saturday evening and we're surprised at how quiet it was. The staff was pleasant but a bit absent during our stay. The prices were a bit expensive, but in the future we will come on their all you can bowl/eat pizza night. The best part of our bowling experience was the fact that we picked up a few brews at their bar and took it to our lane. In the end, not the best or worst bowling experience we have had.

    food made to order. homemade fries!!
    Jamie G.

    Thursday's the night to go!! They have a great deal that night. You pay like $13 and you get unlimited bowling 9-12 includes shoe rental! Plus you get all the free pizza you can eat! They have all kinds of specials every night. They play great music. I love when they turn off the lights and turn on the disco ball and light effects! And of course they have a full bar! What could be better?!

    Far side of the room.

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    9 months ago

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    1 year ago

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    2 years ago

    W place. Bowling was fun. Drinks were good I smacked my whole family and destroyed them to little pieces. You can say I'm "him"

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    9 years ago

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    4 years ago

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    Rachel C.

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    11 years ago

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    4 years ago

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    Rachel C.

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    7 years ago

    This place isn't bad. Drinks are cheap, bowling is cheap and great music. It's a little outdated but still kept clean.

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    12 years ago

    Go on Thursdays for all you can bowl, unlimited pizza, and shoe rental for about $13 all together. Cosmic lights and a bar

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    Review Highlights - Spare Time Northampton

    The bar/seating area looks like a true sit down restaurant, lots of TV's, tables, and a full bar.

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    Canal Bowling Lanes

    Canal Bowling Lanes

    3.9(8 reviews)
    6.4 mi

    A classic Candlepin Bowling alley and family owned Mom & Pop shop in every sense. The decor…read morereflects a time when the game was at its peak and was the 'in' thing to do on a Friday night instead of sitting at home watching TV or playing video games. The lanes themselves are well maintained in terms of finish and mechanics of the pinsetting equipment considering the business has been in operation for OVER 50 YEARS. They do lack automatic scoring, however in Candlepin bowling, automatic score systems are not always accurate due to the the use of felled pins in subsequent shots. Frankly, if you have a problem with writing on a piece of paper to keep score and think that is a reason to complain, you're a moron. Additionally they have a nice array of Brunswick tournament class billiard tables. There is also a bar and lounge with a decent selection for such a small operation and everything is modestly priced. My only reason for giving 4 stars instead of 5 is because their hours fluctuate unpredictably. Generally one can find them open on a weekend afternoon, but if you're looking for something to do after 10PM, it's rare that they're open that late. I highly recommend a quick call prior to arriving to confirm availability. Do yourself a favor and experience the classic New England tradition known as Candlepin Bowling at Canal Lanes.

    For $20, we got two games for two people plus shoe rentals. It was our first time candle pin…read morebowling, and the woman staffing the place was beyond kind and patient, explaining the scoring and fixing the pins that would reset properly. This place has character, and character does require some patience. When balls returned, sometimes the hopped off into the neighboring lane and came hurdling at you, which was frightening and amusing. There were issues with the pin reset. But on the flipside, this was an incredibly neighborly, welcoming place, even for an outsider like me. Note: summertime hours are spotty, so be sure to call before coming.

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    Canal Bowling Lanes
    Canal Bowling Lanes - Tin Can Alley Lounge

    Tin Can Alley Lounge

    Canal Bowling Lanes

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    Round1 Bowling & Arcade - Holyoke

    Round1 Bowling & Arcade - Holyoke

    2.4(41 reviews)
    9.9 mi
    $$
    Kid friendly
    Large group friendly

    I don't typically leave reviews, but I felt compelled to share my experience. I'll start with the…read moreone positive: the facility itself was clean. Unfortunately, everything else about the visit was disappointing. My husband and I came here to celebrate my birthday, and it was also our first time visiting since recently moving to Massachusetts. When we arrived around 10:30 PM, we went to purchase tokens for the arcade games. At that time, we were told we should buy all the tokens we wanted immediately because token service would be closing in about 20 minutes. This seemed unusual considering the business advertises closing at 2:00 AM. I mentioned that we could simply use the self-service machines later if needed, but we were told those might also be shut down soon due to being short staffed. We then decided we would just get drinks and bowl instead, but we were informed that the bartender would also be leaving shortly. When I said we would just order drinks right away, we were then told the bartender was currently on break. At this point, I was confused and frustrated because we had called the business only a couple of minutes before arriving and were not told that services would be shutting down early. We had specifically planned our evening based on the posted hours. Another staff member kindly offered to sell us bottled drinks but explained he could not make cocktails until the bartender returned. While purchasing those drinks, we were also told that lane purchases would be closing soon due to the same staffing issue. At that point, we decided to just pay for two games of bowling and end the night early since it seemed like multiple services were shutting down. After we started bowling, the bartender returned from break. When I finished my drink and went to the bar to order a mixed drink, I stood there waiting for some time. The bartender made eye contact with me, but then proceeded to serve another guest who had just walked up after me. I found this frustrating and ultimately decided not to order anything further. I understand that staffing shortages happen and that employees can have difficult shifts. However, the lack of communication about services closing early and the overall experience made what was meant to be a special birthday outing very disappointing--especially as a first experience at this establishment. I hope this was an isolated situation, but based on this visit, I unfortunately would not recommend it.

    I don't understand how this place has such bad reviews! If youre in the area I would definitely…read morerecommend coming! The games were amazing quality and very clean. The staff were also amazing. They also had my favorite game Project Diva!! I'll definitely be coming again!!!

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    Round1 Bowling & Arcade - Holyoke
    Round1 Bowling & Arcade - Holyoke
    Round1 Bowling & Arcade - Holyoke

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    Spare Time Northampton - bowling - Updated May 2026

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