I love bowling at Western Bowl, but I honestly don't know how they stay open. All they do is cater to their bowling league or children's birthday parties, not walk-in customers. For many weekends in a row, I have walked in on a weekend day trying to bowl and have been instantly turned away because they apparently don't have space. I'm able to bowl 1 out of 3 times I go in and ask. I keep trying because it's a fun place and something to do, but I don't recommend visiting without a backup plan because they'll probably turn you away too. read more

Western bowl $37 for one hour + $4.87 + tax for shoes (1 of the members of my group had her own pair of bowling shoes) 2 games each x3 people = $47??? Took 35 minutes to get through the games I went up to the lady who rang me up and I asked if it's possible to get a refund and she said well since you guys already played I can't do anything about it. So I asked can you add 25 minutes onto our lane(no one was there). And she said no. I said well it doesn't make sense if I paid more than the hour price is. She rudely said "how long do you think a game is" (I told her I didn't know how long bowling games take, because this is the first time I've gone bowling). and she then told me you can come back tomorrow and you can talk to Charles. I said there's no one who can help me out tonight? And she said no. I asked for a receipt and it took her 10 minutes to "find" the receipt. (Which I think she pocketed the cash and didn't write up a receipt).....She handed the receipt to me and I said ma'am this is wrong, she waved me off. As shown below Receipt 1: a charge of $43.50 on card (I had paid in cash) Receipt 2: and another receipt for $3.50 that my sister had covered. Total: $47 for 35 minutes of bowling is absurd. read more

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Ok, a bowling alley with a full pro store next door and a Mexican restaurant attached PLUS full bar and foodservice inside!? Yes I will be coming back here. $10 per person plus $5 for shoes ($4 and change) it was great for our party of 13 bowlers along with family and friends. The staff was very friendly and they were quick to help with whatever we needed. I didn't order any food, but I did have a few drinks from the bar and the pours were not skimpy! read more

Western Bowl - View of our lanes. - Pool Halls Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Many many lanes (like 60). I appreciated all the space to spread out. The staff was helpful and quick. Great place to bowl. read more

yeah this place is a absolute rip off. it used to be a good place to bowl. now they charge by the hour, so if you have 5 people, you can barely get in 2 games. I feel the reason they are doing $32* hour ( at least for 2 people ) is because they have gotten pretty greedy. most places charge by the game. greedy place, lanes suck, I hope they forreal go out of buisness. you can't really go out and smoke a cigarett, or go to the concession stand because the time clicks down. worst ally in the tri state. I'd give them 0 star's, also the place has become pretty ghetto. read more

We always have a great time when we bowl here! The alleys are very nice & kept up. The concessions are good & the pro shop has great stuff.

**APPARENTLY THIS PLACE CLOSES AT 1 AM NOT 2:30AM LIKE YELP STATES** I say this because my boyfriend and I went one night and got there about 12:15 and the rude guy behind the counter told us they stopped giving out lanes at midnight. We questioned the 2:30am closing time per our phones showing that and he said that Yelp charges around $300 to update their closing time so they chose not to do it. SOOOO don't be alarmed if you show up and they send you packing. So in knowing what we know above now....Western Bowl seems to be one of the nicest bowling alleys in the Cincy area. I LOVE their moonlight bowling! The place has such an old school feel, and all of the balls are fun colors so they glow for moonlight bowling! Staff can be hit or miss depending on who's working it seems. I can't say anything about the bar or food served, but looking at other reviews they seem like they'd be good! Bowling and shoe rental is pretty cheap. The place also seems super clean compared to other bowling alleys I've been to. This is our go to place now (Just before midnight)! read more

Western Bowl - a row of bowling balls in a bowling alley - Pool Halls Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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I tried to call and ask if there was a wait time to bowl and whoever answered the phone hung up in my ear so disrespectful i will never go there again.... read more

bad food with shit taste very bad service dirty place smell like a restroom a lot of bad thing they keep adding money on you for anything (steeling) they keep pushing you to leave 0 star read more

My dad died here in 2001 so that wasn't great but the restrooms are nice and the nachos are good

This place cracks me up and reminds me of when I was a kid, but the Kids Bowl Free program is amazing. Mommy can have a beer. The kids can pull and everybody's entertained. read more

I signed up for the Kids Bowl Free Plan and a family of four adults and all kids can bowl for free. You still have to pay for shoe rental but you bowl for free until Aug 31st. This is one of the locations that honors the pass. The pass itself cost $30 but so does two games with two adults a child and show rental. I went with my family and we had a great time. Watching my 5 year old son throw balls down the alley was hilarious and he was so excited he couldn't contain himself. I look forward to spending more time bowling here this summer. It was low-key and relaxing and I had not been bowling in a while. For 5 year old entertainment and activity it's pretty cheap too! Not so humbly submitted, Michael C. read more

At one time Western bowl was a huge establishment on the west side that attracted bowlers from all over the world for its annual Hoinke bowling tournament. As new owners took over a number of years ago, this once famous bowling Center is degrading before my eyes. It is very sad when I go there to watch my husband bowl to see the decay of the outer building as well as the decline inside. Siding is falling off outside, wood trim is rotting, the ladies room inside is a joke with a sign stating that it is regularly sanitized while doors are broken and the buildup of dirt around the stalls looks like it hasn't been cleaned in about 10 years. The only upgrade the new owners added were automatic scoring machines. Sadly the rumor is that more lanes will be removed to add a game room which existed previously in their downstairs area and was closed years ago. read more

For such a Cincinnati staple do not go there. The staff is the rudest employees at a business I have ever encountered. They cherry pick who they are going to let do what. They say they don't allow outside food and drinks but that's false. They don't practice social distancing and Covid protocols. No one wears face masks. read more

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We LOVE Western Bowl. Great lanes, cheap beer, good ol' fashioned bowling alley snack bar food. Attached to one of my favorite mexican restaurants. Can't really beat it. There are specials on different nights of the week so check out the website for the best night for you to go. I know one night of the week they have all you can bowl for a set price. They also have electronic scoring. That helps! read more

Wow. 5 stars is a little much, especially after our experience. First of all, it was insanely expensive. Second of all, it took over 5 minutes for anyone to wait on us, even though three people were behind the counter. I would be less irritated about it if someone had at least said "It will be just one minute, sorry about your wait!" Nope, no one said that. We just stood there awkwardly, with two excited children, waiting. When someone finally did wait on us, no apology was given. It took another 20 minutes to get us shoes and send us to our lane. For serious?! In the first frame, the ball got stuck and someone had to re-set it from the back. I think if the other things hadn't been an issue, this wouldn't have been as upsetting, but I think the combination of everything really left a bad taste in our mouths. I will say I do like that it's connected to Cancun, because it's a great, reasonably priced spot to get decent Mexican food, but otherwise I was not impressed with the staff, prices, or the overall experience. read more

Customer service is terrible. We were made to feel like an inconvenience because we wanted to spend our money here. Three of the employees (even including a manager) were extremely rude. I know times are difficult but if everyone sucks it up and smiles (especially when you are getting paid for it) things would be much easier for all of us! read more

nice new lanes being installed.the new owner is spending alot of money to fix this place up.looking nice.all you can bowl specials are great.nice clean and safe atmosphere.check this place out if you haven't yet.under new mangement. read more

These people are turds. Everyone gives you an attitude about something. They are always closing early because they don't have an available mechanic. Would not recommend at all. read more

I recently went to Western Bowl with my husband and some family after about a ten year break from going. My husband works every single day and never has the time to do anything fun and he so badly wanted to go bowling that it felt like a really special treat to take him. I'll preface with this; it's a good thing there's minimal interaction with staff when you're bowling. We went on a Saturday night and, although they were busy, there were actually lanes open. The line at the shoe counter wasn't long, but it took us a very long time to get through for some reason, which was fine, save for the fact that the woman at the counter was openly rude to my uncle when he asked if that's where we got shoes and a lane. We don't go bowling often so we didn't know. We brushed it off and went to our lanes. While I set up the names my uncle and husband left to get beer and returned shortly after saying that the credit card machine was down so they would look for an ATM. By the time they got through the line for the ATM we'd been waiting so long to play that we decided we'd each take turns standing in line. I was in line for over 15 minutes when I finally got to the counter and the bartender immediately told me she would only serve me and no one else unless she saw their ID, which is fair, but an interesting way to greet a customer to say the least. When I asked if we could get two pitchers she responded with, "I have two pitchers." And I wasn't really sure how to respond beyond that because I'd already asked if I could get two pitchers so I just repeated the question and eventually was able to bring them back to our lanes. That being said, my husband did later go to the other bar closer to Cancun and he said the bartender there was very nice to him, so I don't want to make it seem like the service was all bad. The place is very clean too and we did have a great time bowling and my husband was happy he got to go. I'd definitely go back and hopefully everything that happened on this occasion was just a fluke. read more

Apparently they got new owners. There was plenty of lanes and not busy but we couldn't get two lanes. The bathrooms were filthy and there was no soap. The place is really ruin down from what I remember. The bar only had one bartender and a long line. Definitely not coming back and would not recommend at all. read more

I really hate giving them one star because I don't want to discourage people from bowling, but WOW! We've been bowling league there for several years but this last weekend took the cake. A packed house, kids birthday parties and league - hey here's a suggestion, kids birthday parties are in the afternoon, not on league nights. And then it looked like there was a kids party on our lanes prior to league as there was all kinds of sticky goop all over the lanes. Damn near fell forward on the lanes before we realized the floors were the issue. Not enough employees to staff the place, kitchen isn't open most of the time anymore. Employees are slow and most are rude--not Joe or the girl that works the bar by the kitchen. It's dirty,can't keep towels and toilet paper stocked. Now for some reason on Friday nights they have an open pair between each pair of lanes but on Saturday there is none of that. Makes no sense. I could go on but I really don't want this place to close down. The owners need to really take a look at who they have managing this place. read more

How the hiiiiiizzzzzeck have I not written a review for Western Bowl??? If you are currently looking at this review and deciding on which bowling alley to go to, stop looking and come here NOW! I've written over 600+ reviews and I have never written a review with more certainty than this one. Here are my Top 10 reasons why Western Bowl is amazing, and why I will even pay the $20 uber ride to get there LOL! 1. It's OLD SCHOOL! You feel like you are literally on the set of the Big Lebowski. 2. It's spotless. This place is old, but it's not gross. The floors, grooves in the seats did not have a speck of dust on them. 3. It's home to the HOINKE classic, and winner "Dix Brown" tagline - Dix Brown knocks 'em down - which will forever be a running joke in my family. 4. The serve pitchers of cheap beer! And if you don't want to participate in the tradition of drinking multiple pitchers of crappy beer while you bowl they also have local beer options for the win! 5. The food is as greasy and delicious as they come (get a burger and fries, no other way to do it) 6. Bowling is cheap - 7. CANCUN Mexican restaurant is next door and although you can't bring booze over, you can suck down a few margs before or after bowling. 8. And even though it is as old school as they come, they have huge beautiful flat screens all the way down, with updated score keeping systems. 9. It's HUGE. They have around 70 lanes. Which is insane. And it also means that you will be able to get in here at almost any time which you can definitely not say for other places. 10. Last but not least they have GREAT specials! Sunday: 6pm - Close: $1.75 per game Monday: 9pm - Close: $6.00 All You Can Bowl Tuesday: 12pm - 5pm: $1.75 Games Wednesday: 9pm - Close: $6.00 All You Can Bowl Thursday: $6 Cover Charge per person then .50 cent games after Friday: 10pm - Close: $15.00 All You Can Glow in the Dark Bowl Regular Game Rates - Monday thru Friday 9AM to 5PM: $3.85 Sunday thru Thursday 5PM to Close: $4.35 Friday thru Sunday 5PM to 5PM: $4.55 As it gets crummier outside, and you find yourself arguing with your significant other for two hours about what to do that night, save yourself the trouble and visit Western Bowl! You won't regret it ;) read more

Western Bowl - rows of bowling lanes in a bowling alley - Pool Halls Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Wanna go Bowling? Sure there is Star Lanes in Newport that offers you "luxury bowling" with the wait staff and fancy couches. What I mean though is, Wanna go BOWLING. I'm talking old school bowling. 90's computer scorers, $6 dollar pitchers of beer, the smell of a once smoke friendly facility. Ahhhh, its great!!! If I remember correctly they have around 70 lanes. Thass'a what I'm talkin' bout. Not only does this insure your going to get to play almost anytime you go, but it also gives you some space between you and the other groups on the slower nights, giving you perfectly adequate room for you to throw that gutter ball 7 times in a row or use the bumpers without others laughing at you. No shame using the bumpers people. Sure, it isn't as classy as Star Lanes, but what it is, is cheap. $3 games and specials every night including $1.25 on Sundays. Not only are their games cheap but the food and drink are cheap including a pretty large food menu. I was actually very very surprised with the quality of the (bowling alley) burger. It had to be cooked on one of those grills that hasn't been washed in 10 years, but ya know what? I don't give damn, that's exactly what I want when I'm bowlin. Greasy burgers, cheap beer (6.00 pitchers) and tons of fun. The menu is actually pretty extensive, not with the wait staff like Star Lanes but honestly, in all seriousness, the food is better. I'm not just saying that either, I really believe it. One of me and my friends favorite things to do when we plan to go bowling here is to first pay a visit to the outstanding Mexican restaurant connected to the alley. It's called Cancun Mexican food (or something along those lines, I never do remember the name for some reason). Regardless of the name it is excellent Mexican food with outstanding margaritas. Nothing better than starting a night of bowling with a few pitchers of margaritas and a bowl full of spicy delicious queso dip. At the end of the day, if your willing to take a short drive, as opposed to a shorter drive to Star Lanes, you surly won't be disappointed with Western Bowl. And and even if you are, you'll be out what, 10 bucks? Give me your address, I'll re-emberse you for it. I offer this deal because I know you'll love it as much as I do and I know you won't want your money back n read more

Growing up on the westside, Western Bowl was the place to be for bowling and for teenage fun on a Saturday night for glow bowling and a great hang out. The Hoinke family owned Western Bowl for years, and recently sold it in the past few years before they sold it Western Bowl was known for the Hoinke Classic bringing in some of the best regional bowlers and the prize was around 15K for the winner. Another great thing about Western Bowl, the staff are so friendly and remember the shoe size and everything. Plus they serve Bud Lights in bowling pin shaped bottles. The new ownership has done a great job with fresh paint and remodeling the inside. For a fun time on the Westside I recommend Western Bowl. read more

Basically grew up here. I've worked here, bowled here, hung out here, and just about anything else that can be done here over the years. I keep coming back because of the good people that are employed here. Stop in for a few games of bowling, at the bar for a couple drinks, a game of pool, or head down to Cancun for some great Mexican food! read more

Western Bowl - Pool Halls Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

This place is laughable. I did Sunday BOGO, and didn't even finish the first game. I didn't even try for any refreshments. I'm not even sure the staff is to blame. School kids had already spilled drinks everywhere. Struggled to get staff attention for the slick floor. Lane locked up half way through the first game and spent 20 minutes trying to get that addressed... Walked out. read more

As fellow Yelper Christoffer M. put it, I personally have "lived in ignorance to (Western Bowl) for far too long." He makes a good point because Western Bowl may be all the way on the West Side, but the "landmark" bowling center is a really unique place to Cincinnati. I just drove by Brentwood Bowl yesterday and saw they have 48 lanes, but guess what? Western Bowl has 68. Maybe I'm not fully "ignorant," as I have at least heard of Western Bowl; I just didn't know really anything about it. Well if you ever get a chance to see the place and bowl there, then it is definitely worth your time. Although Western Bowl has been referred to as "Cincinnati's largest bowling alley," I referred to it as a bowling CENTER above, because it's not just about bowling. Western Bowl also is home to Surf Club Billiards, the Fehr Calhoun Pro Shop, Cancun Restaurant and Cantina, and Perky's Pizza, while it is also connected with General Custer's Golf and Gulp (mini golf, ice cream, paddle boats) located on the other side of the parking lot. Western Bowl has been owned and operated by the Hoinke family since 1962, and the Hoinkes have lent their name to Western Bowl's greatest feature of them all: the Hoinke Classic Bowling Tournament. The Hoinke Classic is a ten-month long (February to November) event, currently in its 66th year, and it is the "largest non-professional privately owned bowling tournament in the world" that draws thousands to Cincinnati each year. Men and women compete in singles, doubles, and five-person team events, among others, and compete for the estimated two million dollars in cash and prizes, according to the website. Unfortunately for Western Bowl fans, the Hoinke family may be on its way out, according to an article published in the Business Courier of Cincinnati back in late May. The article said that a Tennessee-based developer is after Western Bowl and the Hoinke's have been considering the offer. Reporter Dan Monk wrote how Russ Hoinke posted on a PBA message board earlier that month that the deal to purchase the bowling center would be "hard to pass up" for he and his family, despite the successful annual bowling tournament. "Open bowling is way down, league bowling is terrible and the surrounding area is getting worse," Hoinke wrote. "These factors have all contributed to us exploring other options." No matter the fate of Western Bowl, it has been a great run for the Hoinke's and for Cincinnati and the West Side...even if we East Siders have been "ignorant" all this time. read more

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Horrible, unfriendly staff and malfunctioning lanes. The worst treatment I have received from any employee at any establishment in a very, very long time. The guy working behind the desk was extremely rude and sarcastic. He was tall and very heavy-set. Wish I had gotten his name. I will never return, nor will anyone else in my group. Do not go here when there are so many other bowling options where you can be treated with respect and professionalism. read more

They have great specials, and the lanes are well-kept. It's a pretty old place, but I didn't think it was especially dirty for a bowling alley, and the scoring systems were accurate and not too hard to use. read more

Terrible unfriendly service. Thought I was going to be attacked by man behind front counter. Yelled when I ask him a question. The place was dirty. Never will go back. read more

One of the nicest bowling facilities in Cincinnati. Let's face it....bowling alleys can be creepy. Broken down lanes, dirty restrooms, peeling paint, stained and smelly carpets and food you don't dare eat. Yeah, you've been there. Western Bowl is NOT like that. This is a classy bowling alley. Their facilities are clean and well lit. Lanes are well oiled and functional. No trouble finding a kid sized bowling ball (are you serious!?). Food is typical bar fare (pizza, nachos, beer) with a separate area for eating if you don't want to eat at your lane. Of course, it's always great to bowl to music and Western Bowl certainly has the sound system for it. Throw in the friendly staff and the Cancun restaurant located directly next door, and you have the perfect rx for a wonderful night out with family and friends. STRIKE! read more

I would not recommend this place. I called in the morning asking if there will be open lanes at 7pm and they told me yes there will. I get there at 730 and they tell me there are no lanes till 10 because of.the bowling league. I drove 40 mins to go here and my friends and I can not bowl. I went to ask about it and they just said sorry can't do anything about it. Not happy at all. Also there are families bowling that are not in the league read more

Western Bowl has been a West Side fixture for as long as I can remember. I don't live in Cincinnati anymore, but nostalgia drags me back there from time to time. The place is HUGE and there's plenty going on other than bowling. Of course bowling is why you'd go there, but there's other stuff to do as well. The place is pretty clean, even on a bustling evening. I think it was 11pm when the bowl turned to the Cosmic blacklight bowling, which makes it hard to be good, but it's still fun. read more

Just went here for the first time in years. It looks so run down on the outside I wasn't sure it was even open. I had a hard time figuring out where I was supposed to go. The inside looked the same and was fine. In general it was an ok experience with mostly nice staff. I dealt with one guy in particular who was surly and clearly didn't give two hoots about my request for a pitcher of Coke. He seemed annoyed I even asked. I would go back with friends if they decided the location, but prefer Colerain bowl. read more

Love this place. Been here twice. They play great music. There is a bar inside, everyone is respectful and the prices are great!!!

I am currently standing in line at the Western Bowl bar and have been for the last thirty minutes. I am shocked at how far downhill this establishment has gone over the past decade. It is Saturday night and there is just one bar open with one and one half bartenders. It is only 11:00 pm and they are out of Jell-O shots and out of pitchers for draught beer which are the supposed specials. It is certainly not cheap to bowl here and the music is only played when someone pays the juke box. Western Bowl used to be a find childhood memory that has now become a run- down, understaffed and overpriced experience. I can think of a hundred other places that I would prefer to spend future Saturday nights. read more

Bathroom are disgusting. Was here for a tournament with ALL lanes FULL and they had only 1 bar open and no servers. Would give zero stars if it was an option. read more

The worker that check me Into a lane, didn't have his 2 front teeth, was straight up a bully, and was very inconsiderate.

I was rather disappointed with my experience here. They had advertised that kids could bowl free during the summer, so we decided to go as a family. When we get there we discover that in order for the kids to get in free, you have to have a coupon. I tried to pull it up on my phone, but that wasn't good enough. They told us we would have to go home, print the coupon out and come back. (And you have to do that every time you come during the summer FYI. ) Anyway, my kids were so excited that I went ahead and drove home, printed out the coupon and drove back. However, even with my kids getting in free, it still cost over $30! read more