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Categories: Amusement Parks, Pool Halls, Bowling [Edit]
Neighborhood: DorchesterEvery Monday night we feature 1/2 price bowling. Its…
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My first five wow!! This spot is about as good as it gets in Boston for what it offers-Bowling! I had all kinds of fun and experiences here. I've been on dates, crashed it after a party, been there with my boys, and work- all good times. The lanes are clean, very well maintained, pretty nice staff, lighting is superb and this joint is open 24/7, sometimes my GF and I roll up here and bowl at like 2 am on those hot azz summer nights! Fellas, There are a lot of hot sista's here (girls all races too), there are single guys too. This is really a great place for the family as well, the young crowd typical behaves, everybody is there to enjoy themselves. they have arcade, pool, and drink s as well. Holla at ya boy!
People thought this was:
Bowling. Pool. Candle Pin. Arcade. Greasy Food. Beer. Scratch card machine!
That's really all there is too it. Since it's open 24/7, it's always an option to chill at. The candle pin section have ultra cool lights sometimes (I'm not sure who you got to ask to get those lights on though...)!
The only con I can think of is the wait for pool. Sheesh, when it's busy you'll be waiting up to an hour and a half for a table!
People thought this was:
I hate bowling. I really do, but I get dragged here a couple times a year and I always end up having a good time.
They have beer and good "stand" food.
DO NOT DRINK THEIR "MICROBREW" It's awful, I'm sorry, it tastes really bad.
The food wasn't bad - typical greasy fare, really. I didn't have any beer.
The bowling is fun, sometimes there's a wait, but there are so many lanes that the turn-around doesn't take too long. The place is 24/7, so you really don't need to be in much of a hurry!
The negative part is, the place is old and when I went, there were some sketchy folks in the parking lot. When I went there with my ex, we had a car theft, which put a massive damper on the evening. The socks are great, because I live in flip-flops in the Summer and so I was able to bowl anyway.
Like others have said, it is far to get to. But once you get there, it's a fun place to bowl. The deals are good when you have the college coupons (sorry poor college kid here). The best part is that they provide you with free socks with shoe rentals. I've collected a good plenty from bowling at Boston Bowl.
The one thing that I don't like is the secluded area it is located in. We usually go there at night and the streets are not well lit. Sometimes drunk people trickle out of the bowling alley and they're not so fun. More light would help.
As far as bowling alleys in Boston goes, Boston Bowl may be the most bang for your buck. My friends and I usually go at least 2 times a semester. I think we're due for a trip.
Ah, I miss this place. I used to live in the Dot, near Neponset Circle, but driving up from the Cape, we decided to stop off for a few frames. It's such a cool spot, open 24-7, gives the kids something to do at night instead of robbing old people, they now have a Deadwood Brewery on site with craft beers which you can quaff at the lanes. I love candlepin bowling, and this is a nice spot for it.
The game room has a ton of good stuff, though I could use more old-school pinball.
All in all, if you're in the dot, this is a great place to hit up.
People thought this was:
It's kind of a hassle to get to but it's a pretty good place to bowl. They give you free socks and have lots of lanes. Their food is pretty standard for bowling alleys and their beer is over priced considering the place.
LOL ....i just want to start off by saying this bowling alley is run down and old the GEE WIZZ in the entrance arcade looks like a bomb hit it. and most of those old games dont even work lol lol..to make a long story short if you like to bowl its a long wait especially on friday and saturday nights ..they do have nice colorful lanes with nice lights and decent prices on the alleys the pool area is over run with asians and kids most of the time ...i didnt try any food there but it looks like some sort of restaurant way in the back of the place but wasnt too interested in eating ...would go again to bowl but not to eat or play video games
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I have bowled here a lot. I haven't been lately but last year we were there once or twice a week for 10 pin.
The pros: Lanes are kept in good condition. There is a pro-shop on the premises. Snack bar serves beer. There are also candlepin lanes and a room for playing pool. automated scoring and pinsetting. Uh... You get free socks when you rent shoes?
The Cons: It is always crowded. Every night it seems like either a league has most of the lanes tied up or its just crawling with loud teenagers. If you go on the weekends during the day to beat the crowds, its full of children and screaming babies. The beer is very expensive, $8 for a tall PBR and $5 for a bud bottle. The arcade area smells like burning hair. The pinsetters/scoring computers break down often. No matter what lane they put you in, it seems like there are always people spilling over onto your approach; be it drunks, teenagers being stupid, kids whose parents don't feel like parenting, whatever. The staff does nothing to police behavior. I mean, i drink more than my share here despite the prices, but i still manage to stay off of other peoples' lanes. i pay to bowl, you pay to bowl, let's each bowl and leave eachother alone, hey? And i don't need toddlers running under my feet when i'm on a hot streak, since i so rarely AM on any kind of hot streak, so parents: do not bring kids that you cannot wrangle.
That said, it's 10 pin and it's near my house. I will bowl here again. It's not a bad place it's just full of annoying people most of the time and, oh yeah the stall doors in the ladies room are often broken. The guy in the pro shop is nice though and did a great job drilling my ball.
If it was 21+ after like 9pm or something it might improve. Repetitive i know, but seriously. Teenagers in large groups can kill almost any good time.
I'm real bad at bowling,
and i find it kind of a bore,
but the game room and free socks
at Boston Bowl I adore.
People thought this was:
First, its open 24/7, so you can always hit up the lanes. Used to go there almost every day for a while. The cafe has decent looking food (never tried any) and serves beer and wine as well. It was the first place I wasn't carded for liquor! I remember that they used to have cops at the doors carding to make sure everyone was 18+... which seemed weird since its just an arcade and bowling alley. In any case, you can walk across to the other doors and get in with no problem.
The arcade is good sized, with a wide assortment of games. Pro or con, there is now a video camera behind the DDR machine. Perhaps you like people watching you from monitors around the place, or perhaps you don't like the staff monitoring you while playing. Whatever. They have disco bowling, but I think it costs more just to put the strobe light on over your lane.
The pool room is always crowded at night, so I've only been in there a few times. My favorite part of Boston Ball is the Touch Screen games they had next to the cafe. Our team name was plastered all over the high scores. But, they are being replaced, by what seems like beer brewery equipment. Loses a star because of that. Also loses a star because of the time a gang of people harassed my friends, and ended up keying our car... Not the safest place.
People thought this was:
To make Boston Bowl work, you have to work with Boston Bowl. Friday and Saturday nights are a no. Despite how great cosmic bowling may sound, in actuality, it's green and blue lights illuminating people in their early teens who haven't yet gotten around to stealing their parents liquor (darn the foil of the fill it with water trick). At Kings or Jillian's you can amuse yourself with pitchers and conversation while you wait for your turn. At Boston Bowl you just realize you're spending $9 for a draft beer. At a bowling alley. In Dorchester.
And yet, there is a light at end of this bleak tunnel. That light is Wednesday night (or Mon, or Tues), any time after 9 (and I mean ANYTIME, this bad boy's 24 hrs). Practically empty, save for remnants of league play earlier in the night, some old timers keeping an eye on both the Sox game and the Keno screen, and, as previously mentioned, a handful of children who most certainly should be in bed, you'll be able to breeze right in, pick up your shoes (and free socks!) and be at a lane in no time. No fighting for balls, no waiting in line, and no side-eyeing the gaggle of teens at the lane next to you who may or may not be molesting each other. Plus it's slow enough that the people working the counter will slide you some 1/2 price coupons to help lighten the load. Bowling bliss.
The one downfall of coming at this time is that the arcade is closed. Not a usual issue for me, since I'm not a big arcade kind of gal, but this arcade does have skee-ball. And ribbon dancers as a prize. Yeah, you heard me right.
People thought this was:
Open 24/7!! Got a craving for a 3 AM bowling? or perhaps looking to sharpen your billiard skills at 4 AM? Well this is the place to be!
This place over-runned by Asians who would rather skip class or perhaps have nothing better to do than to hang out here all day. Make sure you have a high level of Asian pride before entering otherwise be prepared to be intimidated. As for the parking lot, it's really small due to Boston's Fast and Furious cars with wide-body ground effects.
The establishment does card people after 10:30 PM due to the fact that they serve alcohol and also helps reduce rowdy underaged crowds.
You get a free pair of socks to help mask your stinky a$$ feet and also help prolong their bowling shoes. After you're done bowling, be prepared for the bill since the rate is based on what time of day you bowl.
Overall, this place is fun place whether you're bowling or shooting pool. A great place to bring a group of friends if you don't mind large crowd of Asians.
People thought this was:
Bowling alleys are pretty much a dime a dozen. It takes alot to make one feel special, but it takes alot of effort to make a bowling alley feel like a cheesy corporate rip-off. However, Boston Bowl accomplishes this with unassuming ease.
It looked clean and in good repair, which I imagine may be a real selling point to some. I imagine these are also people willing to pay $5 bucks for a bud light and $7 for really really awful mozzarella sticks. The food was a complete racket. If 4.95 for bowling doesn't seem that bad, it is surely made up for by a 4.25 shoe rental.
The whole place reeked of shmoozy corporate schlock that caters to people who don't want any personality in their bowling joint. The only reason I give it 3 stars is because its open 24 hours--a feature lacking in most Boston hangouts.
People thought this was:
Great for parties! The scheduling process was absolutely painless. I called a couple weeks in advance telling them there were 25 in our party that wanted to bowl for a couple of hours on a Saturday night and girlfriend hooked me up!
They gave us the 5 lanes at the end of the alley where there was plenty of seating and it was close to the bar. So we basically had a nice little party setting where people could choose to bowl or hang out and just drink. Total damage was $14 per person including shoe rental and 2 arcade tokens.
The only downsides are the socks aren't free anymore (they cost $1.40) and finding the place can be difficult for drivers unfamiliar with the area. But really I love this place and they treated our party great. GO BOSTON BOWL!
This place is over priced - but they're the only 24 hour place around that I've found... so I guess that's why you pay a premium. Billiards, Bowling, Arcade - I've only used it for billiards, and just once b/c I didn't feel like going all the way to boston billiards on a rainy Sunday afternoon. The tables and cues were in okay condition, and the tables aren't overly crowded next to each other. I think I remember reading somewhere on their website when I originally looked at them, that there is a shuttle bus that they have to take you from JFK/UMass T stop to their location during certain hours. Other than that, it's not accessible w/o a car unless you're within walking distance... and you'll be walking along Morrissey Blvd, so I would not do this after you've had a few drinks.
I think this would be a fun place to take a group and go cosmic bowling, have a few pitchers - or to go and shoot a few games of pool - but only if you're visiting in the area or you live here. I wouldn't take a trip from elsewhere in the city to visit this venue, like you would find at other spots (i.e. Boston Billiards, Jillians, etc).
I haven't been here in forever, but this place is always worth a mention. Consider that, in Boston, at 4:30 in the morning, one cannot:
- ride the subway
- get a drink
- do laundry
- go grocery shopping anywhere outside the Fenway
- even eat at more than a few rare and scattered places
...but one can bowl, any time of the day or night, at Boston Bowl. This city, I will never understand it.
People thought this was:
I LOVE bowling. Too bad I'm terrible at it!
I'm the girl whose arm gets tired and after almost tossing the ball into her neighbors lane opts for the through the legs method. And the girl who will run up behind her friends to scare them so they get a gutter ball and she's not the only one bowling a 15 average.
Anyway, this place is so much fun!
Well, when you're not getting ready to beat High school aged Dot skanks for the 8lb ball you're fighting over so you don't have to lug around a 13 pounder. But even that ADDS to the fun! And you get *free* Boston Bowl socks! Who doesn't love socks?
There's also an arcade where I can kick your ass at any driving game!
Any takers?!
People thought this was:
XXGo to Boston Bowl in Dot if you are into authenticity, affordability. XX
It's 24 hour bowl, let's go in the middle of the night!!
Only mintues on a special shuttle from the Red Line T, close to Umass Boston. No waiting cause there's like 31 regular lanes, and 14 candlepin "New England style" lanes.
Strike! Strike! Strike! Why pay uber euros downtown with a dress code, when you can Bowl 10 pin for around $4.10 and rent shoes for around $4.25.
Strike! This deal is unbelivable time-warp prices. On Saturdays from 4-7 for a mere $12.50 you get the following?!!:
2 games
shoe rental with free logo sports socks
2 slices of cheese or pepperoni pizza
1 22 oz soda
4 game room tokens
$12.50 for all this! Go if you don't even like bowling!
Spare! Spare! Apparently you can play Dance Dance revloution and there is a Rock Climbing Wall in the game room
You get *free white anklet socks with American flags that say "Boston Bowl" on them. They're hot.
Spare! Spare! There is classic literature for kids for $1.50, yes books, in the vending machines. Bizarre, huh?
Apparently my friends are secret king-pins as I learned staring at their form from behind. AND the hospital where I work has their bowling club at Boston Bowl , oh sh*t I can't commit to that rigorous bowling schedule, but I will definetly visit!
People thought this was:
FIVE DOLLARS FOR BOWLING ALLEY BEER? You gotta be kidding me! Where's my $2 (or less) bathtub bowling gin?
I went here on Friday to play a couple games for a social night with Boston Cares. For a car-less person like myself, it's a bit of a trek. I had to take the T from Davis to JFK/UMass.. then a somewhat shady hotel shuttle bus.. then walk over to the bowling alley. Meh.. seeing as that there's a bowling alley right by me, I don't know if I will be visiting this place a lot.
I had no idea bowling was so popular among the younger set these days. The place was packed! The way they were hanging out (there were teenagers literally hanging from the railing outside), it reminded me of Peter Pan and the lost boys' fantasy land.. but in Dorchester and minus Tinkerbell(all the kids and their clap-less lives.. she's living on the streets now). I wanted to yell out Rufio just to see if anyone would respond. I didn't.. uh.. I just rushed inside. I'm scared of young people in large groups.
On to the inside of Boston Bowl..the workers are really nice and you get free socks when you rent shoes. SWEET. The alley was divided up in half when I got there. Candlepin laser light bowling and regular bowling. We'll skip over all the bowling antics because I stink, but yeah. There's a lot going on here though. From Keno, to this weird Where's-Waldo-Eye-Spy game in the lounge, video games, pool tables and more! I heard there was DDR.. but let's face it. Who wants to challenge a lost boy to DDR?
I'll visit again if I get a ride. Or if I fashion myself a sword out of vines and tree bark. Hmm. Yeah.
People thought this was:
FREE SOCKS.
I'd leave it at that, but I should mention their pizza is surprisingly edible. Why only 3 stars, in spite of their complimentary toe cozies? Well, it's a bowling alley. And, if you are cursed enough to show up when the lights are off and the disco ball is spinning for "cosmic space alien bowlathon" it's filled with baby townies shrieking like demons. The alley compensates for this by staying open 24 hours in case you wake up at 3 am with an urge to bowl. At this time, it is a different crew of wacky characters.
P.S. Your free socks have American flags on them! When I bowl here, I am reminded that the terrorists have not yet won!
People thought this was:
For those living in Boston without a car, Boston Bowl is T accessible.
Kind of.
Take the Red Line to JFK UMass, and wait in the parking lot for the hotel shuttle. No lie. Get off at the first hotel, and Boston Bowl is across the parking lot. It runs every half hour that the T is open. I discovered this when I actually stayed at the hotel, and I've never had trouble taking large or small groups to the bowling alley from the T.
This is one of my favorite second or third dates - keep it a surprise, and if they're willing to wait around with you in the parking lot and board the shuttle bus, they're a keeper. The bowling alley itself is suburb-astic, but always fun.
People thought this was:
Great place for us all for when you want to do something fun with a friend or partner/s. 24hrs. of service will open the "door" for when all else is closed....Great for all you night-owls!!!
People thought this was:
If you are going to take the drive down from downtown, you better get to a comfortable bowling alley and leave behind the crowd of jillian's.
Around 40 bowling alleys, with half belonging to the colorful (but to me, not attractive) world of Candlepin. I like my balls bigger, heavier and shinier. That is surely what you get at Boston Bowl.
A little shady but right type of music; no laser games; a few teenagers running around and making out but overall a good bowling experience. It is definitely a plus that there are a couple of pool tables (even though they are too close). If it is rubbing against strangers while playing pool that gets you going, you found it!
One thing to be noted about the bowling area is that if you are sitting around the table, your view is obstructed by the digital screens standing between you and the alley. If you also like fighting over a chair to watch your friends play, you are at the right place.
Could have been my luck but didn't run into such a wait on a Saturday night (except for a few mins at the register).
People thought this was:
We waited 2 hours to bowl 3 games of candlepin bowling. That being said, this place was happenin'. I was fine with the prices, although we did get some free stuff b/c we waited so long.
This particular visit to Boston Bowl convinced me that I hate:
1. candlepin bowling,
2. teenagers, and
3. waiting.
This particular visit to Boston Bowl also convinced me that I love:
1. arcades,
2. people watching,* and
3. the feeling of eventually getting to bowl, even though I hate it
*where else do you see white kids from the suburbs dressed in '70's afros and polyester, a few members of the Crips, a group of Asians enjoying an ice cream birthday cake, and a 4 year old out WAY past her bed time?
People thought this was:
One of the only 24 hour places around, that in itself is amazing! Even better are the lane conditions...I haven't found any center as nice as here. Thanks for the socks too!
Okay, it's not REAL bowling-- it's candlepin. But it's a fun semi-wholesome night of cheap beer and games-- though the price to play has increased in the last year. Tired of feeling useless on the same bar stool? Find a Designated Driver and go to Boston Bowl. It's true, there are a lot of little punk running about, but it's in no way a dangerous place at night. More like a place where people who couldn't hack it at an ACTUAL dangerous place may go to strut about.
Anyhow, I've never had anything but fun here. Bowling and beer with your friends with very reasonable prices.
Hmmm....wasn't that wildly impressed. Granted, there is a formula I utilize when critiquing a place, and it goes something like this:
Experience / Cost of Experience = Quality of Experience
Thusly, after having gone on Sunday afternoon and being struck with the price of about $4.50 per person per game...(plus shoes!), I was a little taken aback. For some odd reason I expected it to be cheaper.
Yeah I'm cheap I know, but I remember bowling as a kid and it used to be one of those things that didn't leave your wallet empty for an afternoon's entertainment. This ended up costing us about 30 bucks for like 1 1/2 hours of fun. That's a little high in my book.
Plus the bowling balls were kinda notched up, and everything had a slight film on it. The lanes were ok, but the scoring machine was a bit old-school...and the hand-drier on our lane wasn't even up to par (yeah...I took bowling in college...so I'm something of an expert...he he). Seriously though, not to sound snotty, but I imagine the thing that makes this place cool, as a bowling joint, is that it's open 24 hours...so points for that. And I do respect that...that's cool. But if you want to go bowling in the afternoon, there are better locations.
I think I was a little stingy with my review...so maybe the price isn't bad...but still, I've had much better bowling experiences than this place - it's ok. 3 stars solid.
Boston Bowl is one of the premier bowling establishments in the city, and is the only bowling alley in Boston open 24 hours! It was modernized over the last few years. It has 14 lanes of Candlepin Bowling and 30 lanes of Tenpin Bowling on one level. It has a good sized parking lot attached to the facility.
Recently, Boston Bowl installed new lanes for their facility. The last time the Guru was there, the Candlepin Bowling was tough (many Candlepin Bowlers considered Boston Bowl to be a very tough house). This is because Boston Bowl is one of the few houses in the area that use AMF Candlepin machines and the belt in the pit of the machines burnishes the plastic pins and makes them tacky. Also, the Candlepin lanes were built to Tenpin specifications (the sidewalls are further apart than in other Candlepin Houses). While these may make your scores a little lower, unless you're a pro Candlepin bowler, you probably won't notice, and you'll still have fun!
As for the Tenpin side, the Guru has never had a problem over there.
Boston Bowl has a selection of food and drinks for the more adult crowd.
They *DO* have a game room (on the former site of Candlepin Lanes 1 through 6).
They *DO* have a pool room.
They *DO* have bumper bowling for children.
They *DO* offer "Glow" or "Cosmic" bowling (it's new and the Guru hasn't had a chance to see it yet).
They use computer scoring for the public.
Boston Bowl is "smoke-free"
People thought this was:
....i usually come here at least once a week to play games and hang out with my friends...im not really like pool or bowling so i just came to chill out....food are good...i have popcorn shrimp everytime...so delicious...it's a nice fun place to meet up with friends by the way...
People thought this was:
Let's face it, bowling is great. It's one of the only sports you can excel at with a beer gut and cellulose. You can be a heavy drinker and smoker and still be the sheez at this sport. All computerized, open 24 hours a day. This is where I roll to after 2am on Friday and Saturdays. Blaze on the way and have a great time. I also can't resist the choco-tacos in the vending machines. I have spent many an Andrew Jackson on those tasty treats....
Fun for the whole Family!
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Beer + Throwing balls as hard as you can + Free Socks = Hours upon hours of exhilerating entertainment.
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What can I say about Boston Bowl. Its a great place to have fun. My god I try to go here as much as I can. My goodness I love bowling, pool, the arcade, and everything there. There prices are average, but its worth every penny. And ITS OPEN 24 HOUR, I'M A 5 AM PERSON LOL SO THERE LOONNGG WEEKENDS. The only downside is the food suck ass. I mean its a step DOWN from mc donald's. EAT BEFORE YOU GET HEREEEEEEE!!!!!. I'm serious. But they do have drinks, soo go wild. Remember chew well play twice once for you and once for me !!!!.
People thought this was:
Visited this place for the first time this past weekend and had a really good time. My nephew is a big fan of bowling so I decided to go see what all the hype is about. I have done candlepin bowling before at that other place I will leave unmentioned, as they never have the big balls bowling lanes available, but Boston Bowl had more than enough lanes open on a Friday night, that was good stuff! There were some rowdy teenagers in there, but it was all fun. The facilities were pretty modern and everywhere was fairly clean. I would say this is the best bowling alley I have ever been to, but seeing that i have only been to two, its pointless for me to be a good judge. I would make the extra effort to drive out here if you don't live in this part of town, you will have an awesome time without the extra long wait!!
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I went here on a weekend night and the place was PACKED. There were children without parents rnning everywhere and there was an hour wait to get on the lanes. The place was not nearly as nice as it appeared on the website. I quickly left, this was NOT the place for me. I don't know what it is like during the week, but I would advise definitely avoiding it on weekends.
People thought this was:
Boston Bowl is fun for a "cheap" date- it's gotten pretty expensive now- but it can get almost sketchy at night. Always loud and crowded. Worth going to see it, there's lots to do there, but don't go if you're expecting ambiance.
People thought this was:
They have candlepin bowling, billiards and arcade games.
They have the typical food menu. A good atmosphere at a good price.
Much cheaper and way bigger than Kings and opened 24 hrs. Can get very rowdy but that is what makes it fun! However, sometimes there are too many teenagers there. But overall a rowdy great place to bowl.
Hectic, loud, and shady. I love it!!! A few too many little punks running around thinking they own the joint, but it doesn't phase me much. Massive place, you'll rarely have to wait for a lane. Plenty of pool tables and video games too. Fun spot for a kitschy night out. I think it's open until 4am or something ridiculous like that too (though I don't recommend staying there that late).
Those of you that like Candlepin bowling will certainly have a blast at Boston Bowl. However, those of you that like Big Ball, not so much (way more expensive). It is cheaper to go Tuesday-Friday 6 to 11. The clientele, however, is not what you'd call 'classy.' It's location is further outside of boston so you have to drive there, it's closer to UMASS than Boston. I always have fun when I'm there, but you certainly don't have to dress to the nines. They also have beer avaliable, but really just Miller Lite and Bud Light.
Neighborhood: North Cambridge
Category: Bowling
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