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Bowling lanes are old school. You fill out your own scorecards. A few steps up is the bar. Where they had kareoke (on Friday night, when I was there last). I kareoke'd
- Neil Diamond
- No Doubt
- Dolly Parton
It was a particularly gay night for me. But really fun. I would come back here with friends any old time. McDonalds right next door... BONUS.
"Let's say you have a cheap-ass can of PBR and I have a cheap-ass can of PBR. My straw goes ACROSS the room and I - DRINK - YOUR - PBR!!!!"
Lincoln Square Lanes is the premier bowling experience in Chicago.
- It's a dive
- With a full built-in dive bar
- It's not retro, it's FRAKKIN OLD
- The drunks and weirdoes still outnumber the hipsters
- You wanna know what the score is? It's on a piece of paper that someone in your party is using to keep score. What, no overhead monitor showing cheese-ass Toaster graphics everytime you get a spare? HIZZLE to the NIZZLE.
- Can't find a ball that works for you? Go upstairs into the disastrously cluttered attic and look for one.
- What happened to my ball? Don't worry, the ball returner will spit it out eventually.
- Don't get too drunk because it's on the second floor and, when you're at the top of those stairs and you're not too steady on your feet, WHOA.
It's one of those places where your opinion of it says more about you than about the place. If you don't like it, you're totally weak sauce.
After bowling here several times now, I feel I can give Lincoln Square Lanes a solid 4 stars. Overall, great place to bowl (but if you freak out at the thought of scoring your own game or absolutely need to participate in some cosmic bowling, this probably isn't the place for you).
I like the vintage feel, the cheap drinks (most bottles of beer are $3 and I got a massive gin and tonic for $4), and, of course, the bowling. Now that I live literally right behind the place, I'm sure I'll be taking advantage of the less expensive bowling before 5pm. Otherwise, it's $40/lane/hour. I like that LSL is smaller than Waveland or Diversey so there aren't nearly as many kids running around.
Awesome - the girlfriend and I finally bowled together - yippeee! (She usually beats me at pool, but bowling? NEVER!)
Great old school bowling venue. Great people, great atmosphere. Easy to get lanes during the week. Stay for a few frames and get treated like family - I like that!
I thought Lincoln Square Lanes would perhaps show up on the "Yelp Secrets, Exposed!" Weekly Yelp E-letter. Could anything be more underground in secrecy, yet above ground in location?? Thank goodness the Ace Hardware is there: 1) it could be apartments or a spa, or 2) so everyone can find where the darn bowling alley's recessed door is located.
For one reason or another, my boyfriend's friends love to go here for birthdays. Yes, it's an enjoyable time, if you don't mind crowds. Luckily for Lincoln Square Lanes, I am reviewing this AFTER the smoking ban because it used to be a cigarette clam-baking location. Just gotta love lungs full of second-hand smoke! Now it's much breathable. This time, we had another challenge and that was a dripping ceiling...and you thought the waxed lanes were slippery!! We were an easy going group and just saw it as humor when people would get "spit" on. The bar is huge in size and sells reasonably priced beers. It seems to be filled with locals, or everyone just easily fuses together.
As for bowling, it all begins on Friday and Saturday after 10 pm (that's when the leagues are finished hogging the lanes). Shoes are $3.50 (reasonable), in addition to $40 per lane per hour. In other words, GO WITH A GROUP (yet not one larger than 5 because there's no room for everyone to fit).
Parking can sometimes be difficult but you may leave your car in the Ace Hardware lot after hours & now in front of the late-night McDonalds there are a row of meters--I can't promise you that it will stay free after 9 pm however.
I'm not gonna lie--Lincoln Square Lanes wasn't exactly my first choice for bowling with buddies on a Sunday night. But, considering the fact that I called four bowling alleys before we landed here, it didn't turn out too bad--fun, even! My man teased me that this place was so scummy, it left dirt on your hands after you bowled...okay, that is a serious exaggeration. Lincoln Square Lanes is the bowler-friendly equivalent of a dive bar...and I sincerely appreciate them for it.
Above the local Ace Hardware (I wonder if Ace customers can hear balls rolling during business hours? heh), this place has a bar with cheap beer and snacks...and a refrigerator with a "Blagojevich for Governor" bumper sticker on the door. Classy!
There are 12 lanes (I think?) and an old school mural that looks like it was painted in 1952...no qualms, here. You've gotta score yourself...and for those of us who've been spoiled by fancy electronic scoring systems with computers overhead, just remember--people used to bowl like this ALL the time. No qualms there either!
If you're lookin' for the fancy-schmancy bowling experience, this ain't your joint. If you wanna have a good ol' time with $3 games after 11pm and $3 bottles of beer with Garth Brooks on in the background, well, Lincoln Square Lanes is where it's at. I'll be back--and sooooon.
I'm going to keep this short and simple.
dive Bar + bowling alley + under one roof = GOOD TIMES
Old school bowling at its finest.
Numerous reasons make this apply:
- the lane approaches are very short especially if you are on the far right alley, which is cut off.
- they only take cash - no credit cards
- no automatic scoring machines here so remember that after each spare you add 10 and what was thrown on the next ball and next two balls for strikes
- no beer on tap, cans or bottles only
- the drinks are very strong, order Jim Beam and ice and its like making them at home :)
- the jukebox has some sweet George Michael on it, along with Johnny Cash and others...
- it is on the second floor and above what used to be a ACE hardware :(
- the mural along the alley wall was 'found' not so long ago and is some cool public art
I love this place and it is great so Yay! I'm a fan.
Two words: Old.School.
Above an old hardware store, Lincoln Square Lanes was a hoot. Open on Easter Sunday, we bowled a couple games. With shoes and 1 lane, it was about $60 or so.
PBR comes in a bottle, Bud comes in a can. You have to keep score on paper (bring a calculator or someone who knows how to keep score) and have a great time "shooting the ball" (thanks, Mom).
It was a lot of fun. You don't get many places like this.
I went here last night for a friend's birthday. The place is definitely cool. I had heard lots of fun stories about it, and I love how its over an old hardware store. Lincoln square has lots of cool, old timey places like that. Anyway, so we played for 1 hour, which is $40. I guess its cheaper than Waveland or Diversey, but you can bowl for even less at Fireside.
I had to learn to score for bowling for which was fun! Only thing is I think its hard to find a good ball. I am a wimp and need a light one! And its really crowded. But it does the trick.
If you ever want to see what your relationship is made of, ladies, then see what happens if you bowl a better game than your man once. It's ...ugly.
I love LSL for the old school. I enjoyed keeping my own score and not having things lit by black light with explosions in neon everywhere. I love that its old-fashioned and down to earth likethe Davis theatre near by. However, $5 a game per person seems a little steep. They must have specials certain days or something? Maybe I just don't bowl that often...
I celebrated New Years' Eve at Lincoln Lanes' Chuckle Bowl.
First, the good: This is an old-school, down and dirty bowling alley with cheap drinks and a fun atmosphere. If you like a traditional, no frills bowling experience this place will hit the spot.
Now, the bad: The customer is always wrong here. I called on Wednesday morning to ask if there were still tickets available for the New Years' party. "Every one waits til the last minute, don't they!" the proprietor snapped.
Worse yet, the website advertising the Chuckle Bowl says in all caps typeface: "Bowling. Cheap Beer. Pizza. Free Parking." Unfortunately, when they proclaimed "free parking" they neglected to say "in the three spots directly adjacent to our building. Park in the rest of our lot, and you will get towed 10 blocks away to the tune of $170." Needless to say, Lincoln Lanes "free parking" got me towed. But what really, really annoyed me about this is that when I came upstairs to ask why I'd been towed from their free parking, the owner again snapped at me, "you should have read the signs! we've got a sign on our door. the people who took your ticket should have told you."
I wasn't asking them to pay for it, or even take the blame. But an "I'm sorry that happened to you" probably would have been the more appropriate reaction here.
I don't think that someone who is so hostile to his customers deserves my business. I won't be back. It's a shame, really, because this could have been a fun place in the neighborhood.
I was a little torn on this review. It's an excellent, low-key place to go bowling. The price isn't bad if you've got a group, the beer is cheap and low-brow, and the crowd is pretty down to earth. You DO have to score yourself, but I'm good with the maths, so that wasn't too much of a problem until I'd had a few. Unfortunately, they also get the award for the WORST pizza that I've had in chicago. Then again, what can you expect from a bowling alley?
One tip: you can park in the McDonald's lot after six.
I'll agree that Lincoln Square Lanes is retro in one respect - the place smells like my grandma's shoe closet .
What this bowling alley lacks in cleanliness and general atmosphere, it make up for with.....oh yea, nothing.
The money collector (that's all he was good for) was so incredibly rude. What does he think this place is? It's a crappy attic bowling alley that boasts 5 dollar PER PERSON games and 3 dollar cans of old style.
I'm so glad I didn't go in the bathroom after reading Samantha S.' review. Non-disposable hand towel?!
Dear God.....it really doesn't get worse than this. I wish I would have just stayed at home.
I absolutely refuse to learn how to score bowling by hand. Absolutely. Sure, I could easily learn but how many times am I going to have to do this in my life? Shouldn't I reserve the extra space in my brain for more useful information?
Well, the only time I would need to know this is when I go to Lincoln Square Lanes. Even then I will just make sure someone in the group knows how to do this (keeping score is boring anyway, I'm too busy drinking and focusing on my game).
So, obviously there's no electronic scoring. Or neon lights, or a wide selection of bowling balls... It is best described as a dive bowling alley.
I was going to give it 4 stars because it's cheap and serves its purpose but I just remembered that nasty continuous loop hand towel thing in the bathroom. Those are yucky. And the bathroom smelled like camping.
I celebrated my birthday with a bunch of friends at Lincoln Lanes. It's an old-school, dive bowling alley with cheap drinks and some makings of a fun atmosphere. If you like generous pours with no frills, bowling without a ton of people making it impossible to breathe, this place will hit the spot.
Unfortunately, they provided beyond poor customer service -- they're actually a**holes. One of our party got there early and got a lane, which they charge $40 an hour on Fridays and Saturdays. When he was done, we kept bowling more frames. Apparently, this is not the appropriate behavior, but we didn't know, and their passive-aggressive staff couldn't be bothered to tell us that there were other parties waiting for the lane. As soon as we figured out that they weren't happy with us, we stopped bowling and paid in full in cash, and they still had the nerve to insult us.
We had a diverse party, and some bartenders refused to serve some of my friends. They also charged people differently for the same drinks.
I so wanted to love this joint, but I'll be taking my business elsewhere.
Quicktake: Looking for a place to bowl? Here is a cheaper alternative to Diversey Rock N' Bowl or Waveland Bowl.
The Good: Cheap beer and cheap bowling flow like chi here. There are a good number of lanes with no crazy video graphics of bowling balls dancing or pins getting their arse kicked. Scoring is done old school manually and he balls are not utterly dented.
This place has a dartboard that can be used but is blocked off if live bands come to play. Rumor has it that the people who work behind the counter and bar are bookies.
Put on your bowling shoes!
Warning: If you're not into dive establishments, then this isn't the bowling alley for you.
Warning: If you like the modern conveniences of automatic scoring mechanisms, then this isn't the bowling alley for you.
However, if you love the rare find of good old-fashioned bowling, then this is the place.
Key Features:
Cheap Lanes. ($40 per lane, per hour)
Cheap Beer.
Manual Scoring.
Jukebox.
Darts, also with manual scoring.
Mural of Abe Lincoln, set on the backdrop of Illinois' mountainous terrain.
Gotta love it!
Cash only, but they have an ATM.
Lincoln Square Lanes is an old school bowling alley.
They don't have the computerized scoring systems nor the lasers and colored lights that you'll find en mass at most lanes. What they do have is a bowling alley you'd expect to find in the late 60's early 70's. The place sits atop a hardware store and genuinely feels like you're bowling in your grandfather's basement. Pine paneling and vintage aesthetics make this place feel like both a dive and a trip back in time. It can be crowded on the weekends but it does have a pretty decent sized bar to pass the time.
Parking is OK here. It can be dicey depending on when you go. While they do have a parking lot, you can only use it AFTER 6 pm and their actual spaces are the ones directly against their building. Everything else is considered McDonald's and you WILL get towed. There's plenty of signage against the wall letting you know where you can park. There are usually some meter spots available there along Lincoln. Not too much trouble just be aware of the towing....
I like Lincoln Square Lanes but if you are expecting Diversey Rock N Bowl, Or Waveland Lanes you'll be totally disappointed. This is an old Man bar that's also a Bowling Alley.
You DO have to keep your own score. I can't tell you how many times I've been there bowling only to have hapless teens approach me asking me how to keep score. It's not complicated just know you'll have to do this. Suck it up teens. A Spare is 10 plus your next ball a strike is 10 plus your next 2 balls. It's easy!
From someone who has bowled in leagues before, you might appreciate the retro feel of the place but the conditions on the lanes are sub par. Often not oiled well and the approaches are very cramped. On one occasion the lane was so dry I had to throw the ball from as far left to as far right as I could just to be able to come back and nudge the head pin. I've heard for leagues they are a little more conscientious about the oil and that it's not terrible but for open lanes don't expect much if any oil on the lanes. I've NEVER seen it oiled well in the handful of times I've been there.
The House balls are a mixed bag of cheap House balls and OLD and likely abandoned balls. None of them are very good. If this is an issue for you, you'll likely have your own ball anyway. . DON'T bring your best ball here though... their equipment is 30+ years old and it can take giant chunks out of your ball as the rickety old ball return sends your it back.
This cavernous, poorly illuminated behemoth sits atop an ACE Hardware in near-perfect camouflage, its door unmarked and uninviting, it's littered stairway giving no clue to the FUCKING BOWLING WONDERLAND awaiting you upon entry.
No blacklights, no disco ball, no video screens.
No martinis, either, fancypants.
Shit, you'd be lucky to find a lane whose wood is intact, let alone properly oiled. Don't know what weight your ball is? That's because you're a little sissy who needs 'em numbered to figure it out. I myself used a formerly black ball (it was a 12 pounder) with a lovely sharktooth-shaped chunk missing and had to learn my lane's particular quirks as I watched it wobble and skip toward the headpin.
Abraham Lincoln gazed down upon the whole affair with a knowing look of condescending approval, for all the world like a father watching his son attempt to start a lawn mower unsuccessfully. I thought maybe he would crawl down from his mural perch and show me how to "put a little spin on it." Regardless, it was nice to see him. Abe doesn't get around much anymore. He's out of fashion.
What? Is there a bar? Of course there's a bar, moron. It's a bowling alley. There is an enormous bar, in an enormous room, with tiny televisions (okay, maybe they're not tiny but the room is so f'ing huge they look miniscule). There is a real jukebox, not one of them "internet jukeboxes," and a MegaTouch machine for when you need a little Foxy Boxxi to get warmed up for the bowl-o-rama.
I saw what appeared to be the Gordon's Fisherman fallen on hard times. I saw a feathered and mulleted couple trapped in a temporal shift, dressed as teenage rebels circa 1981 only 50 years old and drunk at 3pm. I saw the bartender stop giving me that "What are ya, half a fag?" look and start cracking wise in his ridiculous accent when it became apparent I meant to get drunk on cheap beer instead of asking for cocktails. I saw some titties on the MegaTouch.
Do me a favor and stay out of Lincoln Square Lanes, all right? I don't need your uppity cityfolk nonsense ruining my otherwise perfect bowling experience. Besides, they don't even have electronic scoring, so you spoiled monkeys would have to do it longhand ... with a pencil.
Do you even remember pencils?
Yeah, stay out my alley or you'll likely catch a beating, dig?
If I had written this review Saturday night, it would have been 3 stars, but I've calmed down a bit so I'm going with 4. Allow me to explain.
Saturday night was the boyfriend's 30th birthday party. I had called about a month ago to reserve the lanes. At that time I was informed of the price ($35 per hour per lane) and that if I wanted to extend it one we were there it probably wouldn't be a problem, unless other lanes were reserved. I reserved 4 lanes from 9-11pm. I called on Thursday to confirm and said we were planning on getting there around 8 to set up, which the guy on the phone was very happy about- he said he'd wished more people would do that. So we show up around 8:20, and the table I had requested is still being used by the previous party. Okay, no big deal. We (and our guests who had gotten there early) hung out in the bar. Our table cleared, we went over to the lanes, and set up shop. Bowling ensued, merriment was had by all.
After our 2 hours were up, they needed 2 of the lanes for other people. We decided to keep 2 lanes for another hour. Once we were done (around midnight) I went over to the bar to settle up. Total came to $350. I pull out my credit card- only to be informed that they are CASH ONLY. Um. . . what? I understand the bar being cash only, but I assumed they took credit cards for parties and stuff, especially since no one told me otherwise the TWO times I had called.
I don't know about you, but I typically don't walk around with $350 in cash on me. He gave me the option of paying with a check, but I also don't carry my checkbook with me. Even if I did, I can tell you there's not $350 in there either. LOL! Wait. . . that's not funny.
So basically, the boyfriend and I had to drive all the way back up here on Sunday. The boyfriend had to pay for his own party, and now I owe the boyfriend $350. And sadly, like Lincoln Lanes, the boyfriend does not accept credit.
Despite the communication snafu, Lincoln Lanes is still a good time, hence the 4 stars. It's basically a dive bar that happens to have bowling. Who doesn't love that?
Apart from the subtle stench of B.O., this place is okay.
Came here for an office team building event, and while I was stressed out, recovering from a cold and bowled a personal best of 45, I had a good time. It's old school, with no computerized score keepers, but they do have a juke box with awesome song selections (I think we all rocked out to Neil Diamond and Bruce Springstein). There's one of those dirty non-disposable hand towels in the bathroom, so that grossed me out. To balance that out, the bartenders and other employees here are really old guys with tattoos, so that's pretty cool.
Overall, Lincoln Square Lanes gets the job done.
Bowling is pretty fun and it's usually a good time. However if you're going to do bowling at least show an effort to actually do the game right. I don't mean that there are professionals that go up there to play but at least care about the lane conditions and put a little work into actually being able to provide a decent game of bowling. I'm no pro but I do like and appreciate a nicely kept bowling alley and to pay 40$ an hour for a lane? And a shitty lane to boot. I can't believe they have leagues here.
But I guess if you don't care about bowling and just want to throw a ball down a lane and hit some pins and have some drinks, then you'll have a perfectly good time here. If you actually enjoy bowling and playing the game right then go elsewhere.
Hey Owners! Maybe get a website that gives your league bowling nights? I peddled half an hour to get here just to find out it was league bowling night so I went home. Which takes away one star, I'd only take away half a star if that was an option as this has happened to me at every bowling alley I've ever been to.
That being said, I still love this place. You get to fill out your own card, which give you a chance to make up your own scoring system and not be held back by "rules". My last gave here I scored 14 pineapples and three knutz (a personal best).
Pretty cheap drinks. Cheaper women. JK JK LOL. But seriously, the drinks aren't expensive and there are hookers nearby. JK....
The only star I'm removing is for the warped lanes. Luckily, I figured out the trick, bowled from the left to compensate and got my first turkey (albeit in the 10th frame and I still only pulled out a 104 score but whatever!)
The bar staff was so lovely, she bought us a round and made sure we knew our place in line to get a lane. In fact, another guy came over to tell us we only had one person in front of us, and then we were offered some free pizza. It's a great place, and really decently priced considering how out of control the other fancier bowling alleys are around town.
Hand-tallying the scores means becoming friends with your neighbors in the next lane since someone is always sitting at the score table, and it's great when they too get excited by my turkey. Er, I mean, your turkey. Or your spare. Whatever. Screw blacklights, I'm going back to Lincoln Lanes!
If I was a bowling alley, I'd be Lincoln Square Lanes: not as dingy as the Fireside, but definitely not very well-maintained. We could both use a few touch-ups. We're both pretty accepting of different crowds and will do our best to show them a good time.
I joined a league this winter, and this is where we bowl. It's convenient, roomy and cheap (just like me). The staff is as old and beat-up as the shoes they rent. They're nice enough, but mostly indifferent. I guess we also have that in common.
I gotta give this place 4 stars just for how old school it is. Couple that with the fact I was able to get a lane when other places would have been a lot harder. Yeah, I was lucky no league night that week!
So make no doubt, you need to remember that this bowling alley is one of the oldest in the city and it shows. However, this place can be the most accommodating since many people flock to the shmancy fancy alleys. The bar area is good enough to have some brews while waiting for a lane and hanging with the buds.
So they'll always be a couple of reasons to keep coming back ... the best shot of getting a lane and for a retro experience. Bowling a bad game not included!
Lincoln Square lanes is the exactly what you would expect from a bowling alley nestled atop of a Hardware Store. When I was younger, and I would go shopping in the hardware store with my parents, I always thought it was raining outside because the bowling going on above me sounded like thunder and lightning. The strange thing is, I think I knew the bowling alley was up there.
Anyways-
I used to be in a leage at LSL when I was in grammar school. It was a bunch of neighborhood kids just playing aferschool, but it was great - and I was horrible. That has not changed. The best part about this place is its old school look. It has not been updated in years, and there really is no reason to update it! The bar is a great place to just hang out and have a beer. If you are looking to have a party here as well, they can also accomidate that too.
Another note - they have a pretty sweet superbowl party every year! If you are looking for a great place to watch the game, drink and eat - buy your ticket to the party in advance!
Oldskool lanes where you have to keep your own score with a pencil. Rent your shoes and find you ball. No cosmic bowling here, and for me that's a PLUS and a half.
It going to suck if you don't know how to keep score, so:
HOW TO KEEP SCORE
1. Understand that a bowling game is broken down into 10 frames. Each bowler gets two chances per frame to knock down all 10 pins.
2. Write each bowler's name in the space provided on the score sheet.
3. Note how many pins were knocked down on the bowler's first ball.
4. Locate the bowler's name and follow the line across to the first frame.
5. Write the number of pins knocked down in the small space in the top left corner of the box for that frame.
6. Record the number of pins knocked down on the second attempt in the small box next to where you recorded the first ball, add the two numbers and record the result in the large blank space at the bottom of the box.
7. Score a strike by putting an "X" in the box for that frame. On the bowler's next attempt, score 10 points for the strike, plus the pins knocked down that turn. Record the result in the totals area for the frame in which the strike was thrown. Score the frame after the strike as usual. If the next ball thrown is also a strike, add 10 points for the first strike, 10 for the second strike and the number of pins knocked down with the first ball of the next frame.
8. Record a spare, which is when a bowler knocks down all the pins with the second attempt, with a "/" in the small box. On the bowler's next turn, score 10 points for the spare, plus all the pins knocked down by the next ball thrown. Record the result in the totals box for the frame in which the spare was thrown.
9. Add up the scores when everyone's done then go have a beer.
Amazing.
I went here for a birthday party, and personally this place is fucking awesome. It's dirty and smelly and looks like a bowling alley straight out of a 1970's coming of age movie, which makes it so amazing.
You have to do your own math, which is cool because you can cheat and you pay per game/per person so don't let people leave the way we did the night we went, or you'll be stuck paying for other people's games.
That being said, the guy who runs the bowling alley gave us a deal when he found out our friends had ditched. He was awesome. This place is awesome. AWESOME AWESOME AWESOME!
I didnt even bowl here, but I enjoyed hanging out!
We had kind of a big group so we waited probably an hour for a lane. By that time I had to go home and go to sleep cause I had to run in a race the next day. But I liked sittin around in the bar area...it felt like someones basement. Interesting mix of people, ages, etc. I would like to have a birthday party here. i agree w/ sarah that it feels like you've transported out of chicago and into some small town in the midwest...and maybe back in time 5 or 10 years too. But in a good way. The staff seemed friendly enough...maybe annoyed that we kept asking how long til our lane. But i will definitely be coming back.
Bowling with an Elvis impersonator? Drunken self-scoring?
Live music on the wekends? (Sometimes rock, sometimes jazz...)
Cheesy decor (and did i mention prices) not updated since Charlie's Angels and The Brady Bunch episodes started playing on TV? Wow. Just Wow.
You have to go at least once- it's above Ace Hardware (you might just miss it) beside the exeptionally-sleezy looking McDonalds.
Have a stiff drink and you too can Bowl with the King!
Or, y'know, just bring him a super-sized double cheeseburger as a holy offering. Sorry Mr. Presley, no peanut butter or bacon...
Lincoln Square Lanes is all about charm and patina. It's upstairs over a True Value hardware store and just feels like old school Chicago. I know it hasn't been there this long, but it feels, at times. like it could have remained unchanged since the 1950's. They have wooden lanes and manual scoring, coupled with only a dozen or so lanes. It's perfect if you want to go do some fun, recreational bowling with friends. You'll even learn how to keep score instead of relying on the machine.
The size of this bowling alley will constitute a wait for a lane if you go during peak times on the weekends, so be prepared. Also, the lanes (apparently) aren't up to tournament standards. If you wear the wrist guard thing and have your own shoes and ball, you might take issue with the lane quality. For the rest of us who get stoked to sneak into triple digits with the score, it is perfect. There is no game room, but there is a large bar and a halfway decent jukebox. Games are 4 dollars per person per game, and i think that's a deal. My only complaint is that they have those creepy cloth hand towel machines in the bathrooms... you know where the towel is on the continous loop in an out of the machine. I hate those things.
My review has to be editted: The guy who works behind the counter here is a complete asshole.
Well...I've never actually been to Lincoln Square Lanes. But that's not by my choice.
The company I work for had our holiday party booked there. Lanes reserved, open bar arrangements, deposit paid...the whole thing. We all show up for the party, and the gate on the exterior door is all locked up and the owners can't be reached. Luckily another area business was kind enough to accommodate us at the last moment.
So I sure do hope this place went out of business...and for good. I can't imagine any other excuse for shutting the doors early on a Friday night and never contacting us to let us know they couldn't host our party. Quite bogus, A big fat F.U. to Lincoln Square Lanes.
Sometimes, just SOMEtimes, I forget that I'm in the Midwest when I'm in Chicago. Fortunately, places like this prevent me from completely losing myself in that fantasy. It's like they combined southern Ohio with a few PBR-drinking contemporaries, and then threw in a couple of birthday parties from Indiana. Really a great, wholesome mix.
If it weren't for the two-hour wait for a lane, this place would earn at least one more star. Heed the warnings and either arrive early (before 8pm) or late (after 12am) on weekends to avoid waiting longer than you will end up bowling.
$4 per person per game, plus $3 for shoe rental. But they don't really keep track of how long you bowl, so feel free to keep going. There's a cool semicircular bar, with large windows for you to watch the games. No kitchen, but you can order in pizza. It seems to be family-run, so bonus points for that.
Yay! The best place to bowl in this city or any other! And yes... probably the crappiest. No fancy machinery here... it falls just above making you physically re-set your own pins. yes... you are taking your own score on this trip out.
If you've never been, just imagine this: take your favorite local-dive bar (unless you live in an ultra trendy/yuppie/rich area of the city... it MUST be dive-y), add a stage for local bands, and stick some bowling lanes dating back to 19-O-jesus in the corner. Top it off with a fun local crowd, friendly bartenders (well, unless you get a bitchy one... but for the most part, everyone working there will treat you right), and no, do not forget the 60+ year-old drunk regulars that will try to hit on you... sorry, just part of the package. They are mostly amussing though.
This place is a great hangout, mostly for area locals and the regulars who have been coming here for years, but I have seen a different crowd the last few times due to the area becoming, well, up and coming I guess you could say.
Anyway, it is true that you WILL wait... this is mainly because they really don't keep track of how long each group has the lane or how many games they bowl. Plus the bowlers take their time and mostly just hang out and talk because no one pressures you to move along. So if you like to bitch about lines, either come early or don't come. And also make sure you check the league schedule, cause then you'll really pitch a fit waiting for a lane.
Yeah this places rules. It has the vintage ball-retrieval systems and pin-setting systems. It's pretty retro and very fun. Join a league for the ultimate fun!
The only drawback- it has recently become a non-smoking area because of the communist laws that prevent smoking in 'athletic facilities'.
Whatever! I'm a non-smoker but I still can't believe this city has implemented these ridiculous, draconian laws. Just another example of what too much government rule will do to your life. Pretty soon Lincoln Square Lanes will cease to exist because they can't keep up business thanks to the smoking ban.
You can park in the lot relatively unscathed after 6pm. It is shared with McDonald's and ACE Hardware.
The first company event I planned in the new location was here and it was awesome. The lanes boast the last vintage hardwood lanes in Chicago as well as being the only second-story bowling alley. The chairs and tables look like the original stuff and I love it. No computers, which means I can cheat and get away with it :)
The bar and chairs are old, the carpet ancient, the paneling straight from 70's. The manager (owner?) is a really swell guy. We booked the place at peak hours for next to nothing. I cut him a check for over and above his quote (if the accounting dept is paying attention, it's called a tip, you corporate swills!) because the party got a little out of hand and I didn't think he charged us for all the drinks we got anyway. I know not enough were tipping the truly awesome waitress, that's for sure.
Anyway, go here. It rocks.
I would liken this place to a Miller Highlife:
Wood paneling, a bizarre layout that "bottlenecks" easily, scoring by pencil and paper, people trying to smoke secretly in the bathroom next to the posted "No Smoking" signs, raunchous friends just out for a good time, birthday and bachelorette parties, cans of beer, and of course, Miller Highlife. A fun an inexpensive night with pals. Good times, good times.
I have to preface what I am going to say about Lincoln Square Lanes by saying that I am a serious bowler who bowls in several leagues during the year and has worked and two different family owned bowling centers in the past.
I hate this place. Not on purpose. Don't get me wrong. The "feel" of it that everyone talks about, it's great. The employees are all pretty cool, yet smarmy, people. The problem is that they take terrible care of their lanes.
Lanes need to be conditioned and oiled regularly. Someone forgot to tell LSL that. With the lack of oil in the lanes, it is nearly impossible for a serious bowler to practice, let alone bowl. If you're the kind of person who has always wondered how people get a bowling ball to "hook", this is the place for you, because less oil = more hook/less control. It's miserable, and very difficult to have a good time.
As far as the old fashioned, self-scoring, I love that about LSL. My only problem is that if you are bowling in a small center with crappy lanes and dust everywhere without automatic scoring you should not be paying $4 a game. That is, by comparison, too much.
Taking all of this into consideration, I do give LSL points for having bands on the weekend and decent booze prices. This is, for sure, a great place to hang out and have fun if you don't take bowling seriously or aren't trying to learn.
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