AMF Squaw Peak Lanes

Elite '08

424

125

Matthew K.

Phoenix, AZ

This place from the outside looks pretty old, but on the inside it's pretty nice as far as bowling alleys go.  

A few times we had to wait in line for the late night bowling thingy to start, you know where they play music and videos and turn the lights down. Rock and roll bowling or Disco bowling, I don't know, I forgot what they call it.

Food, no thank you, seems pretty typical pre-made deep fried stuff.

Beer and bowling are always good.   They put a ice container in the pitcher to keep your beer cold, but it displaces about one 12oz beer so you kinda get ripped off ----but at least the beer is cold!

I'd like to be more like The Dude from the Big Lebowski every time I go bowling, "that rug really tied the room together, did it not?".

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Elite '08

101

321

Alicia B.

Phoenix, AZ

4 stars.

Count 'em. Uno, dos, tres...quatro! Uhm, por que? I'll explain.

Before you hit the lanes, make damn sure you have somebody fun in tow. That's the make or break. If you bowl with a dud, you won't enjoy AMF Squaw Peak Lanes. Trust me. It all hinges on the company, for  the serious good times begin when the sun goes down (and trust me, even in Phoenix, it eventually goes down.)

Never mind germs. Grab a brew or three and claim your lane. Warm those fingers up. Crack those knuckles. And most importantly, stretch those hamstrings and calves, for bowling isn't just bowling anymore. The lights dim and the music rises. This is where it's at - Rock 'n Bowl!

Baby got back, indeed.

Upon leaving, one of my best friends and I got a round of applause. That's right. No, it wasn't because we were super studly bowlers (we weren't half bad, though). It was because we were super amazing dancers. I mean, it's Rock 'n Bowl. You Bowl. You Rock. Part of Rockin' in shaking your groove thing to whatever tune comes on. Yes, we are Equal Opportuney Dancers (get it?). Of course, what I love the best is singing about anacondas and baby don't wanna's, sugary sweetness and mutual silicone ickness...

Oh, and if you like throwing big, heavy balls and hearing the loud clank of pins hitting the ground, then you'll enjoy yourself, too.

"You two got something special," we were told on our way to turn in our sweaty shoes. "Aww, thanks!" I replied. He's right. I'm tellin' ya, it's all about the company!

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Elite '08

618

299

Thomas S.

Phoenix, AZ

Nothing starts a great bowling experience off like running into some dicey characters in the parking lot.
"No, you cannot use my cell phone."
"No, I do not know where you parked your El Camino."
"Well, fuck you too."
Now I was really ready for a pitcher of beer and a double shot of Cuervo. Sunday night at 8:00, all games and shoes are a paltry $2! Fantastic. And quite simply I cannot bowl without alcohol. It's like some people with karaoke. Of course each time I fell on my ass (and it was frequently) I blamed the slippery floor. It COULDN'T be that third pitcher! I don't know what the drink prices are there, but I ran up a serious $100 bar tab....OMG....WTF??!! Dysfuncional, Sagitarriun spender that I am...I didn't even care. The glee of bowling overwhelmed my rational reasoning skills. Although my reasoning skill did kick in when I decided to return the shoes and not run out the door with them still attached to my feet. All said, the bartender and the "shoe" man were awesome. League anyone?

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Elite '08

233

513

Stevey P.

Phoenix, AZ

The alley itself is nice inside, and they do cheap bowling night during the week (Thursdays I think).  I've bowled in a couple of tournaments here.

I get the feeling that Squaw Peak Lanes used to be an old big-box store of some sort, because it's part of the Food City strip mall and there's no recessed step down into the bowling area like most alleys have.  An OK place to bowl, and the service was good, but I think there are better alleys in town.

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Elite '08

38

379

Kristin C.

Phoenix, AZ

I suck at bowling, and yet I love it.  I love that I can like something some consider a sport.  I love that it's totally ok that you aren't any good.  A group of people who aren't good at something can have a great time doing it talking about how bad they are.  

This is my designated bowling center.  Sure, we go lots of other places, but this is always a solid central location.  Plus, the fact that it's so close to the Biz is a definite bonus!  (I've had several years of "Bowling & Boogie" themed Birthdays...I'm a geek, but I'm ok with that.)

Though I've always called ahead just in case, I've never had trouble getting a lane or two here.  The food is fairly decent too in a way that only bowling alley food can be.  And what the heck is it about Bowling Alley bars???  My friend has a theory that the better the drinks the more games you'll play - both to keep drinking and then to sober up before you go home.

The facilities are a bit older, and you'll find a few areas that could use a bit of freshening up from years of wear, but I don't mind that kind of thing so much in a bowling alley.  Hopefully you won't either.

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