Love this place. Great bowling alley. Well maintained lanes with 90s-ish retro decor interior. Great staff -- "Pops" in particular is a consummate professional and the nicest guy you'll ever meet. Am in a sanctioned league there and the clientele is really diverse, both in terms of ethnicity and age, who take the bowling seriously while also having fun with it. Highly recommended. read more

40 lanes and big parking lot! I come during weekdays to practice for league. Lanes and equipment are well maintained. Staff is great and do a good job of keeping recreation bowlers on one side and the "pros" (like me - lol!) on the other. Clean bathrooms as well! They have a great special - $2 games 9 to 5 Monday thru Friday. One of the best bargains in the city. read more

Waveland Bowl - Bowling Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

It was a blast to bowl again here at historic and iconic Waveland Bowl!  I think I once bowled here like half a century ago!  You can't beat the prices here either - currently only $2 per person per game til 4pm on weekdays, all ages.   They have 40 lanes here and a big convenient parking lot.  With those prices, there were quite a few bowlers here considering it was 2pm on a Wednesday.   The lanes and automatic scorekeeping were fine as usual.  There's nothing not to like, except for us it was a 45 minute drive into the heart of the northside and relatively out of the way.   But we just wanted to visit out of nostalgia and it was worth the one visit for grins anyway.   Believe it or not, this huge bowling alley used to be a 24/7/365 operation, but those days are over.  Keep at it Waveland Bowl and best wishes! read more

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Waveland bowl is literally a time capsule. I love how it looks and that it's vintage but very well maintained. They greased the lanes before we started, the ball selections were good and I liked the screens and inputting names was so easy. We had some food at alley dogs inside. It was some of the most decent bowling alley food I've ever had. The guys in alley dogs was so nice too. Loved the pizza pocket and the chicken tenders! read more

The pitchers of beer should be cheaper or maybe free if you get a strike. Like if you get a strike then you get a coupon for a free pitcher of beer? I made my username "Flunker Jr" I thought it was clever and a tad bit ironic as I never flunked before in a school related setting. If you look at my score , I earned 120 points across 10 frames. 10 frames is how many are in a typical bowling game so it was nice to see this alley following standard rules. read more

Waveland Bowl - The scores of the game and flexing big time - Bowling Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

What a great way to spend a Tuesday evening! We went expecting it to be more affordable and less crowded. The former was true as the weekday prices are very reasonable. But it was VERY busy with all but 2 lanes filled. Lucky for us we only needed one. The new equipment and screens work very well and make setting up a game extremely easy. You can also connect it to your phone for scores and mini games. The beer was cheap and cold but a little bit flat and tasted off a bit. The pizza and veggie burger from the concession stand were decent for bowling alley food. Typical fried/microwaved food you might expect. But you're ordering dinner at a bowling alley so ‍‍. Overall a great experience! Decent prices, decent food, and surprisingly clean. read more

Waveland Bowl - Bowling Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Like stepping back in time! IN A GREAT WAY. When you're in Waveland Bowl, you're just in a simpler time. You have no worries. Everything's fantastic. It feels like it's your birthday party when you were like 8 years old or something like that and it's a fantastic feeling. It's a TRUE bowling alley. Nowadays, you see bowling alleys trying to do too much and trying to be too sexy and they lose sight of what's important. Waveland Bowl hasn't lost that. They've stayed true to their roots, and the result is brilliant. Also the food restaurant inside is really fantastic too! Excellent fast food for before, during, or after your bowling or billiards! The lanes are in really good shape, the computers are excellent, balls returns are great. The displays are really great, and they show you which pins are still standing which is a nice touch. It's the best bowling alley I've been to in Chicago BY A MILE. Way to go, Waveland Bowl. read more

My love surprised me one recent afternoon by taking me to Waveland Bowl. I went to school at nearby Lane Tech, but somehow, I do not recall having ever set foot at this gem of a bowling facility on Western Avenue. The interior is overlaid with an all-Chicago motif, depicting colorful landmarks and cityscapes. We bowled a couple of games and had a fun time. Your scores are automatically posted on the screen, so you do not have to perform complicated bowling math. The folks at Waveland Bowl are keeping clean with sanitizing stations, and signage to promote mask wearing. read more

What a fun place! Stepping into Waveland Bowl immediately transported me back in time to my own local bowling alley growing up. Everything from the funky carpets to classic arcade just felt familiar. 2 games for 2 people on a Saturday around noon cost $24.. pretty affordable. They had apparently just wrapped up the junior league around the time we went, so there were many open lanes. They intentionally spread groups apart so that you weren't sharing your space with random people, which I really appreciated. We decided to try Alley Dogs for a quick bowling snack- Mozzarella Sticks, Seasoned Fries, and a large Dr. Pepper to share. I believe I paid $14 after tip. My most favorite part of the experience, though, was the music! Absolute bop after bop. I am horrible at bowling, completely untalented, but luckily Rascal Flatt's Life is a Highway distracted me from that truth. read more

Waveland Bowl - Bowling Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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as an African American felt very harassed trying to have a good night out bowling for the first time in years with family. Having someone walk around your lanes to keep oversight over your group of adults who are all having fun not being rowdy. this whole experience was crazy and uncomfortable. If you black or brown save your dollars. They don't want it anyway. read more

It's shocking how rude staff is at Waveland. Our lane broke down twice and we were afraid we were not going to be able to finish our game within the 2-hour allotted time slot we reserved due to the delay caused by the break down. The bowling balls also took a long time to come back into their designated slot. We kindly asked the man at the desk if we could have our time extended by ten minutes or so in order to finish the game, but instead he verbally accosted us. I was so taken aback at this man's anger so I just walked back to our lane in utter shock. Never have I been spoken to like that. If it was not possible to allow an extension, we would have completely understood and complied. You have no idea what someone is going through, so professionalism and kind words is the least he could have offered us. The trauma of being verbally accosted at this place is so severe that we will not be returning. read more

Waveland Bowl is a Chicago Institution. A great place to bring your family and friends for a wholesome evening of bowling. The staff is great. The lanes are very well maintained. Their prices are affordable. Some other bowling alleys have jacked up their prices recently. Add some beer and snacks and it's still a great deal. The lanes keep score automatically so you can focus on knocking down some pins. They have a good selection of beer. Get a pitcher. The food is basic fried bar food but you don't go to a bowling alley for the food. Fake orange goo for nachos. Might want to skip that. If going in a weeknight check ahead because the have league nights and might not have open bowling lanes available. read more

Waveland Bowl - Draft Beer Selection - Bowling Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Great place to bowl! Took our niece and nephew around 430 on a Saturday and had a great time. The lights were down low and the fun music videos were playing and they really enjoyed it, but about 30 minutes in, the lights came back up. I think they were only originally down because there was a birthday party so that was a bummer because the kids like the black lights alot. I haven't been bowling in a while but 70 for a lane for an hour seemed steep. At least that included all our shoes. Great little arcade for kids. Make sure to make a reservation ahead of time on busy days! read more

Waveland Bowl - Bowling Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Wow this place took me back to my high school years. So a bunch of us parents wanted to take the little ones bowling on the last Saturday before Winter Break ended. Waited about 1 hour for 2 lanes to open up. Forgot this place turned into cosmic bowling after 8pm. All the glow in the dark stuff and the music videos showing on the screens were cool. I just forgot that others actually treat Waveland Bowl as "date night" cuz all these girls had their club gear on. We are talking about low necklines, tank tops, and tube tops like these girls were about to join the Booty Contest over at Nitro Nightclub or something. For those that dont know what Nitro is, then you missed out lol. Anywayz, I guess I'll try to remember to wear my club gear next time I come. Anywho, it must have been some time since the last time I came cuz all the monitors have all these crazy templates to choose from on how you want your score displayed. A little bit of an overload, but if you are pretty tech savvy you should be able to figure it out. And once you do figure it out, you can customize the different characters you want to appear on the screen, especially if you have kids in your group. I like Waveland because prices are affordable here, even on a Sat night. I believe its about $7 per game and $4 for shoe rentals. They even have a restaurant that you can order food from. We got pizza and pop but they have other options available. Waveland Bowl has been here ever since I can remember. And i am sure they will be here for the years to come. read more

Waveland Bowl - Cosmic bowling on Sat nights - Bowling Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Went last night for Cosmic Bowl which, according to their website, is supposed to be from 8-10 on Fridays. Nope. When i asked staff said it usually is but during league season they they don't turn it on until the leagues are done. (You might note that in your website, Waveland.). Otherwise it's a pretty typical bowling alley. Parking lot was full but easy to park on Western right in front. We had fun. read more

The Customer service is horrible. I stood at the rental desk and both cashiers just stared at me. I looked back and fourth at them and neither said anything. Then, I said, " do I go to you or you?" Again, no response. I said, " here or there?" Finally the girl said " where ever." I was like... ok. They are literally sitting at the desk and their only job is to sit there and rent out the lanes. They were to lazy to even say hello. Then I get to the food court. Their attitudes were no better. Another one at the register that just stared at me. I had to ask her if she was ready to take my order. I gave 2 stars just because they are reasonably priced and not the entire staff suck. I ran into 3 staff members that are nice. Too bad it's the closest bowling alley to me. read more

Avoid the pizza, you are looking at paying nearly $20 for a frozen pizza. Mozzarella sticks were okay, not awesome. Beer is close to the appropriate price, but I bet rent for the space and the parking lot is outrageous in this neighborhood. Bowling was fun! But at $7 per person/ per game, and $4 shoe rental, it ended up being an mildly expensive outing. The video game room is as good as it gets. They have the USA vs. USSR hockey game that I played in the 1980s, Ms. Pacman, Spiderman, and more great games that I can't immediately recall. This was my first visit, so I know that in the future I have to carefully select a time to take the family there to maximize dollars and eat ahead of time, or just eat hotdogs at Waveland Bowl. read more

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Full house (thanks to the rain) today but our wait for a party of 4 was only about 10 minutes. We passed the time playing in the arcade and the front desk staff called us over the loudspeaker. There are so many things to like about this bowling alley: the friendly staff, up to date displays/digital cards for arcade, and price! Kids under 12 bowl free with simple email sign up and they offer a summer adult package (for 2 or 4 family members) for a super reasonable price. We opted for the 2 adults package, so we have until Sept 30th to bowl with just shoe rental fees. I can't vouch for the food (other than the vending machines) but I'm sure we'll have a chance to try it this summer. read more

Any bowling alley but this one... seriously ANY other one. The staff here is not only rude but hella incompetent. Beware of their shady pricing... afternoon games are $4/person if you WALK-IN but yet that is NOT listed on the site... if you reserve a lane for the same time it's $70 for the lane.... WTF???!! (We paid $22 extra for a reservation) You will only find this out if you ask. Last time we were here about six weeks ago our lane got stuck during a Saturday night $60/hr for night games...yet we had to wait for the lane to be fixed for 20 mins and then wait another 10 mins for them to adjust the time and told them if the equipment is problematic then it's unethical to charge by the hour. But today we went to order food at the in house restaurant Alley Dogs... while standing in line I told my husband to get a pitcher of water for me and and sprite or lemonade for the rest of us. The guy at the register (with disgusting nails to be in food service) says we don't serve pitchers of water. I asked well how do you serve water? "Bottled only or you can drink from the fountain" I retorted well what if I want to buy a pitcher of water the same as one would soda... he responds "I wouldn't charge you $8 for tap water, and we need the pitchers for the birthday parties, if I serve you a pitcher of water everyone will ask for pitchers of water." To which I responded I simply don't drink soda and sugary drinks... I'm not sure why my requesting a pitcher of water was met with a combative response. Needless to say we will NEVER EVER come TF back here. I don't give a damn how close we live. Between the price gouging, horrific staff, and janky equipment I wish I could recoup every penny we've spent at Waveland Bowl. The last few visits have been absolute trash. There aren't enough F-Bombs to say how much I EFFFING HATE THIS PLACE!! read more

I remembered that bowling was one of my high school student's go-to activities in the early 2000s. Before the cellular era blossomed, the entire class would either go to an arcade venue or go bowling in the beginning of each semester to get to know the new transfers. It was my first time entering the "Waveland Bowl," even though I I often passed by on either Addison or Western busses. The lanes were all full on a Thursday evening. However, our business partner reserved the lane, two (2) games, and got our shoe rentals for the team. He informed us that the lane would be open in twenty minutes or so. I guess it wasn't much of the wait considering we came in during their peak hours. Their "alley dog" restaurant onsite was a typical greasy spoon. The prices on the menu included tax, which could be convenient for some. Nevertheless, I had a slight frustration when it was time to pay, the tipping amount was preset at 20%. It really wasn't planning on rendering any tip because I didn't justify for a quick-order place like this. I eventually escaped it out by clicking "other" and moved on from there. The food was satisfactory, yet the card reader almost ripped me off a couple of bucks! In spite of experiencing the trickery on their unspoken tipping structure, the games themselves were entertaining and interactive. The lanes were in good condition. For those who needed the assistance from the gutter bumpers while bowling, one could remotely program them. The scoring device wasn't difficult to maneuver. Overall, I still believed that "Waveland Bowl" deserved an above-average rating, for it provided clean-fun for the entire family and an effortless icebreaker for the members in our party. In addition, it's much cheaper to come during non-peak hours, such weekday daytime. One can also rent a billiard room by the hour; an arcade room towards the back passing the customer service counter is available. With that being said, there's something for everyone to participate just in case someone in your company despises bowling... read more

Wonderful staff here ! I visited today with clients from my non-profit and we had a great time! The staff was super helpful and professional . We will come back soon ! Thank you Pilsen Wellness read more

Terrible! Called a week in advance to book a lane. Was told they didn't take reservations. Called an hour early to confirm there would be no issues with the party that was coming. "O no, you won't have any issues. The place is usually dead then." Arrived and was told we would get the next lane. (All good - guess everyone had the same idea we had). After waiting 30 mins and watching several people leave - I asked when we would be helped. Then was graced with the news that the lanes were booked solid through until 10p. And that all the open lanes were being held for reservations. Hold on - so you don't take reservations, but the lanes are booked? Yes sir! That's correct! Awesome. Moved the group downtown and was able to walk right in. Sucks to suck waveland! read more

After patronizing this business, I sat in my car to figure out on GPS where I was going next, and to text my friends and was harassed by security saying I had to leave now. Way to encourage repeat business... Very unprofessional read more

This is such a fun place to go with friends and just have a lovely time. Had my going away party here years ago and I had such a lovely experience at this spot. The food was decent, customer service was on point and I loved that there was parking. I look forward to visiting this spot again. read more

We celebrate my bf bday 2 hour bowling Whit family we order pizza and pop You can bring your balloons and cake See you next time read more

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I've been coming here For group hangouts for the last 15 years or so. It's always a great time! It's not a bougie bowling place, I love that the games are still pretty cheap when you go on a Sunday or a weekday. The last time I went was on a Sunday with a larger group of eight. We needed two lanes and we came at 6 PM. It was cosmic bowling and it was pretty packed. We put our name on the waitlist and probably waited about 20 minutes or so to get two lanes next to each other. There were a lot of families there, I think after 8 PM it's adults only and they also turned the normal lights back on. They have security outside starting at 8 PM and you get carded and patted down. Our group ended up bowling three games and we were there for about four hours. We all had an amazing time. The vibe was right and other groups there were really friendly and all cheering each other on which was very refreshing. Pitchers of beer were $18-$22 which is definitely the better deal than getting a single cup! We also got some food at Alley dogs - They were normal concession stand prices. I think my Chicago dog, fries and drink cost around $12 or so. Everything was pretty good! read more

Waveland Bowl is definitely the place to be if you are looking for cheap bowling and good times. Having spent so much time at places that are a little bit more upscale and expensive, Waveland Bowl is a breathe of fresh air. I have been to Waveland Bowl a handful of times and I always have a blast. This bowling alley is a place that my middle school and high school self would love. It is retro with a little bit of a modern flare. The inside of the bowling alley is massive and can easily accommodate a large party or a date night. My friends and I typically will pay for two games. I like that you are not timed when you bowl, the screen will remind you if you play too slow, but you can play comfortably. I love that after hours they turn off the mains lights and turn on the colorful lights along with the black lights. The music that they play at Waveland Bowl will have you thinking you're at a club but without having to wear the uncomfortable clothing. The bottled adult beverages are reasonably priced but the mixed drinks are a little over priced but not surprising for a bowling alley. The food is always reasonably priced. It is the standard bowling alley food that is deliciously bad for you. The food quality is not top notch but you cannot expect much from a bowling alley. read more

I've been coming here since high school for bowling leagues and have never had a problem. It has always been great to come here with family and friends to play a couple of rounds of a game. Their prices are probably the best in the area. The lanes are clean and the equipment is completely up to date. You can still get the best cheese fries from the indoor restaurant and get a drink or two from the bar. The kiddos can even play a game or two in their arcade, if they aren't into bowling but they should give bowling a chance! The people at the front desk are just the friendliest people around. And the atmosphere & music is great for gatherings with friends. read more

I never leave reviews but I came to Waveland bowl last night and I just have to say how wonderful all of the staff is. From the security, the bartender, the food counter worker, and the people working the desk for lanes/shoes .. all those boys were so sweet!! I'm a bartender myself and I feel like when I go out I deal w more shitty service than not. Everyone was so accommodating and happy to help. Was so refreshing to see all the staff in a good mood. Fr y'all were great read more

Good vibe with a retro feel. Fun place to spend time with friends. Lots of other stuff to do like pool and arcade. Parking is a bit limited and was late for an event. Pretty good snack bar. Would go again any time read more

Waveland Bowl - Go team! - Bowling Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

My son loves to bowl. We had his 10th and 13th birthday parties at Waveland, and both were a BIG HIT with him. As we were planning for those parties, we found the staff helpful and pleasant. I thought the price for the gathering was reasonable, and both times our son left with a bowling pin signed by the boys who attended his party. Fun stuff. In the summer of 2018, about mid-July, we learned of a program that Waveland was having all summer long (actually from May through September) called Kids Bowl Free. You sign up, and you can take your child bowling for two games EVERYDAY. For the parents, you could pay a onetime fee of about $30 to bowl free with your children. Shoes would still be $4 a visit. So we bought both my son and I each a pair of bowling shoes, and almost everyday from mid-July to October 1st when the program ended, we biked over to Waveland and bowled, FOR FREE!. My son's game dramatically improved. My game, well, old habits are hard to break, and I am not a great bowler. In fact, I never really liked the game. BUT, I got to do something with my 13 year old son that he loves, and while we do it HE TALKS TO ME ABOUT BOWLING AND LIFE. As a parent, there is no price to high enough to pay for that. We found that the staff got to know us (we once bowled there and had the whole place to ourselves, which was a bit weird), and they are a kind, humorous lot, who always seemed to have a smile and a hello to share. The bathrooms are always wonderfully clean, and the lanes are well maintained. This October 1st, they got all new bowling pins, and they look and play great. As a result of this summer of bowling for free, my son has now joined their year long Saturday morning bowling league, where there is a modest amount of coaching, but more than that, other kids who like the game as much as he does. He isn't thrilled with the dedication of his three fellow teammates, who aren't there every week like he is, but likes bowling so much that he remains motivated to get there for practice every Saturday at 9am sharp no matter who else shows up. If you have never been to Waveland, enjoy the colorful retro Art Deco exterior (accented with neon at night), as well as the fantastic paintings of Chicago icons that can be found over each lane. 40 beautiful works of art, that frankly, are worth stopping in to see even if you don't bowl. Another thing I love about this place, is the diversity of clientele it attracts. Can't go many places in Chicago and see Conservative Jews bowling in a lane next to Muslims in head scarfs. Also don't get to many places where people with handicaps fit right in, and where the gay bowling league is embraced, with children in the lanes right next to them. I LOVE THIS, and am thrilled to strike up conversations with the bowlers next to us, who come from all walks of life. It is a brilliant mix of Chicago in this welcoming neighborhood place. So, yes, we like this place. A lot. We avoid the busiest lane times, always have fun, and are glad to have this place close to us on Western Avenue, where I believe it has been for 50+ years now. read more

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Probably one of the worst public places I've ever been. We went on a Friday night around 8:30p. The atmosphere is uninviting and the staff is just, kind of there. No one cares about anything, except the security guards, and I assume that's because some awful things have gone down in the past. At least, that's the vibe their attitude and demeanor give off. The clientele is questionable to say the least. I genuinely would not recommend it. Seriously. read more

We had my son's 9th birthday party yesterday (Saturday) and we paid for the birthday package for 20 kids. They had these very cool cosmic lights that maid the entire place look like a club. He had a great time and his friends did too! The staff was very friendly and accommodating. When we put the order for the pizza, one of the guys that worked there brought a big table out and helped set everything up. Definitely a fun time for kids and adults. I definitely recommend having a kids party here. read more

Any business owner who reaches out to help kids at anytime especially during the current teachers strike is A-Okay in my book. The owners at Waveland Bowl deserves huge kudos for what they're doing for the kids! True Chicagoans is who they are!!!! read more

Guy at the register told us (and a bunch of other people) that we should come back in an hour and he'll have some lanes open by then. We went to Pete's to get some good grub and enjoy that hour of waiting. When we returned at the designated time that he told us to come back at he said he'd put us on the waiting list instead of having a lane for me and my girlfriend. I understand places get busy but also understand professionalism and this guy did not have it. Wish it was different as the place looks like a fun time read more

We wanted to take the kids bowling for the first time and this is basically in the hood. We went on a Sunday morning. Walking in takes me back, about several decades. Maybe it was the cosmic bowling carpet or the decades worth of stale smoke that filled the air. It was clean and I read a nice little flyer about them having one of the best cheap burgers in the city. Sadly, I didn't get to try it. They didn't have the ramps for the kids to use, but they did have bumpers. We prepaid for two games, but my little one started to lose her mind halfway through the first game so I went to ask for a refund on the second game. You could tell that they weren't going to jump at the chance to refund us until said crazy kid started screaming right on cue and then they were absolutely okay with refunding us the rest so we could get the heck out of dodge. Prices were fair, parking is good, it's really what I would expect from a typical bowling alley. read more

Enjoyed a nice Saturday night out w the gf, Son and his buddy. Place is well maintained and with a 7$ per game, per person + $4 shoe rental, it better be....that like $60 for only two games! Ouch!! At least they are consistent bc we wandered over to shoot some pool. $20/ hr....more ouch! This ain't your parent's bowling alley that is for sure. read more

Late post, August 2017: This establishment updated their neon sign and been in this neighborhood for over 50 years. Bowling alley has 40 lanes, 2 bars, and billiards area. There's also a movie theatre, though I've never seen nor seen advertisement if it's operation. I went with my 4 year old daughter and a friend for cosmic bowling. My daughter enjoyed the bumpers in the lanes and a bowling ramp that she slides her ball towards the pins. We had fun and enjoyed our decent food with cost. I had a voucher for free bowling and shoes for the 3 of us, thus the main reason to check this place out again. Waveland Bowling has their share of teenage customers during lunch breaks since it's in the same neighborhood of Lane High School; there's a restaurant named Alley Dog with an affordable menu. No solicitators, must be paying customers, either bowl or eat in. Aside from open bowling, there's leagues (children and adults), fundraisers, and events throughout the year. read more

Waveland Bowl - Cosmic bowling - Bowling Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We took our kids here for the first time today and it was a pretty fun place. About half way into our second game the staff announce that whoever is still playing (4 lanes) please come to front. They then proceed to tell us that a birthday party arrived and that we had to leave. Offered us $4 cash back . I told them I wanted the full amount back for the game they ruined and they said no. I'll now be disputing the full amount when I dispute the charge with Amex. read more

Understaffed and bad service. Disappointed how far this place has fallen off. Staff is rude and do not value service