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Melody Lanes
Categories: Active Life Bowling Event Planning & Services Party & Event Planning Bowling, Party & Event Planning [Edit]
461 37th St(between 4th Ave & 5th Ave)
Brooklyn, NY 11232
Neighborhood: Sunset Park
(718) 832-2695
- Nearest Transit:
-
36 St (D, N, R)
45 St (N, R)
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
61 reviews for Melody Lanes
61 reviews in English
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Review from Charles F.
Brooklyn, NY
9/11/2011 3 Check-ins Here
Pete Napolitano is a force of nature. He is also the bartender, and the heart of Melody Lanes bowling alley. It's hard to tell if Pete is the best, or worst bartender in Brooklyn. He is capable of carrying 5 or 6 conversations simultaneously on topics as diverse as the history of the neighbourhood, theoretical physics, bar tending, the nature of art and the source of creativity, and the acting career of Steve Buscemi. You may also need to ask for that drink a 5th time, but typically it doesn't matter, as Pete is so endearing and fascinating. Despite the cummerbund, dickie bow, huge spectacles and impressive mutton chops, you have no idea what you're getting into and all of a sudden, the blueprints for a philosophical idea land on the bar, scrawled on Bounty kitchen paper.
Speaking of time travel, as you may end up doing with Pete, Melody Lanes itself seems to exist in some sort of time warp. Nothing appears to have changed since the 1970s. Coming here is a unique experience. It's a quintessential Brooklyn experience. -
Review from Traci A.
Brooklyn, NY
1/30/2012
If you've only been bowling at Lucky Strike or at a really nice alley out of state, then you won't be impressed by Melody Lanes.
Melody Lanes is your easily accessible, reasonably priced, serves alcohol at cheap prices and is great for groups, families, special events and more. Sure, it's no frills, but it's a great place to go when you just want to bowl, hang out with friends and not be down $100 or feel like you have to dress like you're going to the prom. -
Review from Julia G.
Manhattan, NY
1/18/2012
My visit to Melody Lanes this weekend was certainly interesting. I have to admit that the bowling alley has an odd charm to it - generally outdated decor, a dark, saloon-type bar, and a snack counter selling all kinds of fried food right next to the arcade games. It reminded me of a bowling alley in the 'burbs.
A few friends and I did the $26 all-you-can-bowl special (includes shoes), which was a pretty good deal. The bowling system/software was old school - we couldn't enter our own names - but otherwise, the bowling itself was good. We had a couple of pitchers of Sam Adams seasonal (there were 6 or so beers on tap) and even splurged on some chicken tenders and french fries. Not too shabby.
In keeping with the odd charm of this place, there is no music playing unless someone buys songs from the jukebox. Weird, right? We ended up putting on some fun funk music, so everything turned out okay. -
Review from Peter G.
Sunset Park, Brooklyn, NY
12/15/2011 1 Check-in Here
The bar at this place is amazing..Pete the bartender is New York classic...
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Review from Erin D.
Philadelphia, PA
8/7/2011
I live down the street from Melody Lanes and never had a valid reason to go. I'm terrible at bowling and I get bored of it fast. Well, I finally went last night, along with my boyfriend, his friend, and his friend's girlfriend. Half of the lanes were closed (not sure why, possibly for an upcoming league event) so it was a bit crowded and there was a half hour wait. We decided to get drinks at the bar while we waited for a lane. First of all, the bartender is so quirky and funny I would have stayed and talked to him instead of bowling. And second of all, he looks like he's straight of the Victorian era. I wouldn't be surprised if he had a pocket watch.
But, alas, our lane was finally available. Really, bowling can be very boring, but with the right people it can be fun. Maybe having two strong Jack and Cokes in me made it that much more enjoyable. We played two games. I think it was a bit overpriced though... it was around $22 per person for two games and shoe rental. Considering the place isn't exactly the classiest establishment around and is in one of the least hip neighborhoods in Brooklyn, you would think it would be somewhat cheaper. The place clearly hasn't had much, if any, renovations since at least the mid-80s.
In any case, I ended up having a surprisingly good time making an ass out of myself, throwing a ball into the damn gutters over and over again. -
Review from EN G.
Brooklyn, NY
10/18/2011
Pete just called my cell phone.. no really!
I've been living in Sunset Park for over a decade. I'm 31, does that makes me a hipster in Sunset Park? No but I know the neighborhood and you're missing out if you haven't bowled here.
Mary Anne behind the counter is so old school, I heart her.
Pete the bartender makes you feel like you are the best person in the world and will talk your freaking ear off. Who has the time...I did and still do!
I love this place to bowl, drink and see my friends.
They are getting renovations, some flat screens .. yah soo.
This place is legend. -
Review from Bethany B.
Brooklyn, NY
4/21/2011
This place is semi-seedy, but that's definitely part of its charm. We come for the awesome Sunday and Monday special: $8 for the first game and $4 for every additional game, as long as you come after 8:00pm. You don't find deals like that in the city, not even at the creepy Port Authority alley.
There's no table service, no music videos, no blacklight... And for us, that's a relief. All bowling, no clubbing. But that doesn't mean everyone there takes their game super seriously, even though there are league nights. The crowd is mostly young, ethnically diverse, and laid back. A lot of them have no idea what they're doing. There was a guy there the other night who thought it was appropriate to repeatedly stand in our lane to take pictures of his girlfriend. We couldn't get mad at him though, because it's just not that kind of place. It's too chill.
I love the lady who works the front desk. She's older and calls everyone pet names. She's both no-nonsense and sweet as pie... She kind of makes you feel at home. The bartender is a little glum, especially if he finds out you have a boyfriend, but he's ultimately friendly as well.
Shoes are $4 and clean. You have to run the length of the place looking for a ball that fits, and while this sometimes doesn't happen, it never seems to matter... Like I said, the place is just that chill.
First-timers may be annoyed to find themselves in close quarters with a potentially obnoxious party in the lane next to them, but after a few rounds (of both bowling and beers) this is soon forgotten. -
Review from Ethan F.
5/31/2011 3 photos
The bartender has the most impressive muttonchops that I've EVER seen. That alone is good enough reason to come here. But, thankfully, that's not the only reason to bowl at Melody Lanes.
This alley is legit and caters to seasoned/serious bowlers. The lanes are no joke; they are well taken care of. The bowling balls are in good shape, too. There are plenty balls available, with a ride range of finger hole sizes. Balls as light as 8 pounds and as heavy as 16 pounds are available at the alley. They're open until midnight during the week and on Sunday and until 3:00AM on Friday and Saturday.
You can rent a lane for $70.00 for two hours during peak hours on a Friday or Saturday night [and the price drops a bit for weeknights and off-peak weekend hours], which is a pretty sweet deal if you ask me. If you'd rather go the pay-per-game route, it'll cost you between 6 and 8 bucks, depending on the day of the week/time of day. Also not too shabby.
The woman that works behind the counter is a character and a half. She has no qualms whatsoever on calling you out if you're being a douchebag. If you're eating or drinking on the lanes, she WILL get on the loud speaker and tell you to stop. In front of the entire alley. If that's not embarrassing, I don't know what is. Don't get me wrong; she's nice...as long as you don't get on her bad side.
There's a full bar and a full snack bar...everything that you could ever hope for at a bowling alley. The beer is suuuuper cheap. I think I paid, like, $13 for an entire pitcher of Bluepoint. BLUEPOINT. None of that Budweiser crap [although, they do have that on tap and it's even cheaper]. Reason 12899348 to fall in love with this place.
Everything is pretty clean, too, [including the bathrooms] which I appreciate because I can only imagine how messy a bowling alley could potentially get [grease + nachos + beer + drunk people throwing 13 pound balls doesn't sound like the best combination ever in regards to keeping things clean]! -
Review from Yolanda L.
KNICKERBOCKER, NY
2/26/2011
Definitely a grumpy large woman at the shoe counter. And it looks like a total throwback from the '80's. The decor hasn't been updated since like, 1984 but everything works and it's a good spot to go to on a Sunday afternoon when you wanna throw some balls.
Saturday night without a reservation however is a total fail. We got there at 7pm on a Saturday night and the wait was more than an hour. Go figure, Saturday night at a bowling alley. I really didn't think it was going to be packed because it isn't the hippest spot around but I guess it's a functioning bowling alley after all.
The weirdest thing about the setup is that it's split into two sides, one side is cosmic bowling with the weird blacklight and glowing pins and one side is normal bowling. One side is futuristic for lack of a better word and the other side is outdated. I guess they have something for everyone.
What I really don't get is the fact that the cosmic bowling side is ALWAYS packed. Everyone likes a good neon green pin it seems. Lucky for me, I like to bowl "normally" if there is such a thing... -
Review from Anne-Paige D.
Brooklyn, NY
2/4/2011
Love this place! You have to be prepared for an old school Brooklyn experience, which includes: grumpy woman at the shoe counter, long wait for a lane on a Saturday night, interesting bartender Pete (who makes the long wait bearable), cheap beer and cheap bowling.
I don't really care so much about my score, so the fact that the balls are dented and the shoes don't slide make no difference to me. My husband, on the other hand, is serious about bowling, so he brings his OWN ball and bowling powder for his shoes.
Always a good time at Melody Lane.
P.S. I think it is funny that one Yelper whose moniker is "keeping it real" says he turned around and walked out after walking in and smelling a locker room stench. -
Review from Kim N.
Brooklyn, NY
8/17/2011
This place is everything you want a neighborhood bowling alley to be! Lots of lanes. Lots of beer. Lots of fried food. Lots of bumpers! (You know you want them!) We had a birthday party there on a Sunday afternoon and it was great! The staff was a little strict on our two hours of pre-paid bowling, but we gave them a piece of birthday cake and everyone was happy.
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Review from Alice C.
2/28/2011
Went on a Thursday evening with a large group of about 35, and they were rather accommodating.
Kind of an old-timey, suburban feel since they're so far out. Includes a number of lanes (though one side was blocked off-- probably because the place was not full), food area, and a bar.
$5 pitchers of beer that night-- pretty sweet. -
Review from Alysha R.
Brooklyn, NY
8/19/2010
OMG! this place still exists? MELODY LANES??? No WAY!
My BFF from elementary school and I lived here!!!!!... (think 1988 - 1993)
her parents were in a bowling league..and she had her bday parties here every year..... we ran around eating burgers with cheese fries..and flirting with boys......it was a great place to hang out on the weekends.....and the staff were always sweet to us.....I hope it hasn't lost its essence...
Will have to stop by again...and see how they've spruced things up over the years...... hope its still a fun....laid back place..... -
Review from rachel h.
5/15/2011
when i moved from queens to brooklyn, i was worried that all the places i would go would be gentrified/hipster/organic establishments. luckily there are still places like melody lanes to give you that old brooklyn experience.
the bartender is something out of a cartoon. he's got this amazing facial hair (you just have to see it), and is so insanely friendly. he kept asking me if i was on tv, because surely he's seen me somewhere before. he was carrying on about 4 different conversations with the patrons as he filled up our $10 pitcher of bud.
then the actual bowling will remind you of the bowling you used to do as a kid. the alley is small, i think about 24 lanes, and quarters are close. but that's all good because everyone is friendly.
i did have one more experience that was...frankly one of the oddest things i've seen in public. when i went into the ladies room, some very drunk girls were taking naked photos of themselves in front of the sinks. in all my years going to bars in the 5 boroughs, i've never seen anything like that. i politely declined their invitation to join them in the photos, and got the hell out of dodge. now, i'm sure that's not a common occurrence at melody lanes, but it might be some insight into the types of characters you'll encounter there. -
Review from Chris B.
Brooklyn, NY
3/10/2011 1 Check-in Here
This place is like nothing I have ever seen in BK. We're talking bowling alley out of the 80's, and an old school bartender that makes the hour wait on weekends worth it! I know I'm supposed to review the bowling alley, but Peter the bartender is the main attraction! This guy is HILARIOUS people! Makes you feel at home and welcomes everyone with a handshake and a missing tooth smile.
Now the bowling alley itself has a lame selection of bowling balls, but I'm def going back! Meet me there? -
Review from Alex Z.
Somerville, MA
3/6/2011
This place feels like a real throwback.
It's simple, old-fashioned fun at the bowling alley. They got a bar (with cheap pitchers) which is nice, and they got an interesting crew that works there late. Certainly worthy of "characters."
It does feel seedy, but it also feels vintage. Honestly though, I don't think you'd catch "the dude" playing here anytime soon. Bring your kids during the day or your drunk friends during the night. -
Review from Sally N.
Brooklyn, NY
2/9/2011
I came here on a Saturday with some friends, and the experience was pretty much exactly what Anne-Paige D. described.
There is also erotic photo hunt to help pass the wait time, and the food is hit or miss. The cheese for the fries is pretty gross, but the fried zucchini stick were tasty. Byt the time we got a lane, the keyboard didn't work, so we had to give the woman at the desk our names. My friends and I got drunk and had a great time. -
Review from Javier M.
New York, NY
2/24/2008
Decorated around the time when Liberace was featured in the tabloids, this 70's relic oozes nostalgia and a creepy reminder of Ford's administration. The paint job however, is probably circa 1985 when the color purple was being iconized in the silver screen, in furry TV friends called Popples and in many crotches around the nation via shameless brands of spandex.
Fortunately, inflation could not enter this time capsule, and I decided to eat a hamblehger that cost me $2 washingtons.... On another note, the arcade "section" did NOT, I repeat, NOT had any pacman, or galaga, or frogger... a lonely "bust-a-move" arcade machine of super-NES fame was the sole reminder of a probable video game "purge" back in the early 90's to make Melody Lanes sing-a-long with the changing times...
This brings us to why I sucked at bowling that night.
An erstwhile bowler extraordinaire in my acne years, I hadn't bowled since December 2005, and I looked forward to this star-studded bowling extravaganza. But alas, we were assigned the last lane next to an ugly ass blue wall which exacerbated the sense of aesthetic consternation. Yes, I blame it on the lanes. I only managed to do 1 strike, and that was only because of the timely intervention of ZZ Top's "Rough Boy" which was a welcome oldie I hadn't heard in a while.
Overall, an ok place for exercising your arms, tamper with your mood, and envy the life prior to the Energy Crisis of 1973. -
Review from Juicy K.
Sunset Park, Brooklyn, NY
7/19/2011
I love this place. I remember going here as a kid and when I moved back to NY 20 years later it was still there! So I dragged my husband to the bowling alley.
It's not as pretty as the newer ones in the city, but it IS cool in its own way. It is also very clean. We went on a day they were offering a family night special which I think for 3 games and shoe rental for 2 we paid like 40 something dollars. I love that they are so cheap. The bar looks pretty cool, I am pregnant so we didn't stop in there but there's enough rave reviews on Yelp about the bar alone. Bathrooms were clean, and near the food stand. We had some cheese fries, yummy greasy deliciousness and the food is cheap too. Good music playing too (a little mix of everything for everybody)
This is one of the best date nights we had that didn't cost us over $100 and we had tons of fun, even if you're not from Brooklyn it's worth the trip to save money on a fun night out. Plus this place has been in business for years, so they're doing something right! -
Review from Audrey J.
2/27/2008
I'd say........3.5.
As the setting of the pink versus green showdown, Melody Lanes provided a kitschy, '70s-inspired ambiance that I am guessing would never be found in Manhattan. Yes, this place is in Brooklyn. Like....deep Brooklyn. (You know, in the way that there is (1) the "South" where "South" is, say, Virginia, and then there is (2) the "dirty South," which would be, say, sweet home Alabama.)
Anyway, so yes...this place is not only in Brooklyn, but deep Brooklyn. HOWEVER, after managing to get a group of 13 out there from the West Village via the D train, I'm convinced that this location is perfect. There may not be other bars around, but the bar in the bowling alley offered 8 oz. cups for "shots." Yes...I like that definition of "shots." And the 36th Street subway stop is super convenient, so do not, I beg of you, do NOT be intimidated by the "other" borough.
Knocking down some starrage for the wait -- it was pretty busy that night, and we had to entertain ourselves for a good 30-45 minutes. The lanes are first come, first serve, so even calling ahead to check the wait time was not very useful.
In the end, though, the pricing is good, and the lanes are pretty clean. The electronic scoring system is consistent, and the pinks shall inherit the earth.
Oh wait...what? -
Review from Peter K.
9/5/2008 10 photos
On a Sunday afternoon, it was $6.50 per game. I brought my equipment and saved money on shoe rental (no car insurance pun here - I've officially overused it).
The scoring machine setup is peculiar because the consoles are difficult to use. It took me and friends 15 minutes to figure out how to determine to change players' names (instead of being PLAYER1 and PLAYER2) and reset the pinsetters (no local button on the side of the ball return). If you are not familiar with the system, it will be difficult for you too (not intuitive).
I did appreciate the animated - scoring system. At times you would see some 'creepy gas face' depending how many pins you knocked down. You have to experience it for yourself.
This bowling alley has a very old school feel. Equipped with 20+ lanes (26 maybe - I was on the left side) and both a snackbar and a fully stocked alcohol bar, I would bowl here again.
Should I be apprehensive that you have to be "buzzed in"? What am I entering, a penitentiary?
IFHTP 1Listed in: Pedro Yelp Map, The Art of Bowling
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Review from Katie Z.
New York, NY
2/7/2009
You know how all bowling alleys in NYC are super expensive and the bowlers there are really, really into the irony of the fact that they're bowling? The quality of the lanes often suck, the balls are dented and yet you pay prices comparable to a four star dining experience for 2 hours on a lane?
Well Melody Lanes is something different. This is real deal bowling. It's none of that techno-disco bowling crap. In fact, don't even try to get a lane on Friday night because that's league night. It's that kind of bowling alley.
I like that. Plus, the prices of beer and bowling are less expensive than those other ripoff places. Sure, it's not going to compare to the bowling alley in some midwestern small town, this is still New York after all, but it's way better and at least it's legit. -
Review from Brett W.
Manhattan, NY
9/14/2009
Reasons why I might have won a game of bowling:
1. I have great form.
2. I look really, really good in bowling shoes.
3. A 12 lb, sparkly red ball is the perfect weight and aesthetic for the force of my roll meeting the weight and formation of the pins.
4. I used the fact that it was night bowling to intimidate my components, thus allowing them to be distracted by intense scenes of random, moving lights that I can only assume one experiences on E.
5. We were all drunk off of $9 pitchers of beer.
6. We ran out of time before the game could actually finish.
Okay, so maybe 5 and 6 are the true reasons, but that doesn't discount the others. Well, except maybe 1 and 2.*
When you go see the bartender for drinks--and you MUST visit the bartender, who is a cartoon character--take his advice and get the cheapest beer for $9/pitcher. It tastes fine--nay, better, because this is a bowling alley--and is almost half the cost of other beers.
Then, return to your lane(s) and drink liberally. It will only improve your game. It will also help you laugh off all the times when the lane refuses to automatically clear your pins, and you have to ask an employee to do it. (Seriously, fix that problem. It eats up valuable time!)
This is a really fun place to bowl. I went with a group of 10, and altogether it was $17 for each of us to play for 2 hours, which seems pretty reasonable to me.
Is it sketchy that the food is kept all the way in the back with the bathrooms? Maybe. Did that stop me from eating delicious nachos when I got the munchies? No way! This is bowling, my friends, and you risk your life every time you enter an alley. I should know--the bowling alley in my hometown burned down back in the day. It made front page news, of course. These are dangerous times, pals.
Was it embarrassing to watch a kid 10 years my junior next to my lane beat all of us? Only for the couple of minutes that I was sober. Nice try, kid. You may have the better score when it comes to bowling, but us adults have a better BAC level.**
The only downside is that you don't get a free pair of socks, so don't forget to bring a pair. Seriously, the last time I went bowling***, we got a free pair of socks with "U.S.A." labeled on the ankles. Nothing made me feel more patriotic and American--bowling and scoring a free pair of socks. I petition we bring that perk back.
__________
* Although I think it helps to have small feet so that you don't look like you're wearing clown shoes.
** Pretty sure I saw a couple babies sippin' on the sweet nectar though. Great parenting can always be observed at bowling alleys.
*** Like, 1995. For a birthday party. We used bumpers. -
Review from J O.
New York, NY
1/4/2007
Tonight, Melody Lanes provided me with the single best bowling experience of my life. I pass it every day on my way to the subway station and have always wanted to go. It is super cheap and the decor is all right, but I knew I wasn't in Ohio anymore when a group of five Hasidic Jews, aged twenty or so and all speaking Yiddish, came in and started a game in the lane next to us. I was so sad that our round was over and we couldn't stay and surreptitiously watch the clumsiest game of bowling ever.
Also, this place is miles better in terms of atmosphere and music (which wasn't so loud that we couldn't hear each other's cursing when we threw gutter balls) and is way, way cheaper than the only other place I've been bowling in NYC, which is in the Port Authority. That place was ridiculously expensive even for Manhattan. -
Review from roderick A.
Jersey City, NY
2/21/2008
Nothing beats hanging out in a bowling alley, nothing. You got the smell of stale beer, overweight men named Tom with their bellies hanging from the bottom of their bowling shirts, not to mention people walking around in wrong-sized bowling shoes. I tell ya, there's no better time to be had.
The electronic scoring system is awesome, because:
1. You don't have to keep score yourself, which ruins the chances for cheating
2. The numerous and random pictures of famous bowlers that come up after every roll of the ball
3. The ability to put a crazy ass name on the scoreboard, instead of your own. So you know I had to have the moniker "O. Hai Dare". I wanted to use "I.M. Sum Yung Gai" but it proved to be too long.
The downside is that the place is rather small. I think there are ten lanes on each side of the building, I don't know. Which meant that we had to wait about 30 minutes for two lanes to open up. But being that this was the Sunday before Presidents Day I understood why the place was crowded.
Big up's to the bartender who gave us shots in an 8 ounce plastic cup. I don't remember what was in it, but it tasted pretty good. And I cannot forget the cheese fries that I ordered. What's sad is that I had a full plate when I went to get my bowling shes, and when I returned it was half empty. Hmm, I wonder how the hell that happened?
Bunch of moochers...
Big Tip: On Sundays from 8pm - 12 midnight they have a special where its $8 for the first game and $3 per game after that. Pretty good deal, right? -
Review from Lizz K.
5/25/2011
Regular bowling for regular people. Affordable.
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Review from Jennifer S.
Huntington Station, NY
4/23/2007
Wait...so $36 for two people to bowl 2 games is a good deal?
Since when? I went bowling 2 weeks ago and it was about $20 for 3 games and shoes. What the frack.
The lil runway up to lanes are way too short. I felt like I was tripping over myself getting there. The place itself was humid and damp.
The foods were cheap though. I will give it that. I had a good time but from the reviews I guess I was expecting a little more. I dont know what to expect from a bowling alley really.Listed in: My OLD Hood- SUNSET....RIDGE?
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Review from Sarah H.
Brooklyn, NY
1/5/2009
Fun place! You totally don't feel like you're in NYC when you bowl at Melody Lanes. It has a nostalgic suburban feel which of course reminded me of my childhood. Before I went I read some reviews here and saw some comments about the bartender - and they were spot on, he is quite the character.
The bowling balls here are kind of busted so I went through a few before I found one that worked for me. I'd like to blame the ball on my low scores, but in all honesty I just kind of suck. Didn't stop me from having a great time though, and I can't wait to go back! -
Review from Rachel D.
Brooklyn, NY
8/17/2010
Honestly....this bowling alley was not ANYTHING to brag about! I don't know whattt one yelper was talking about when they said Friday nights are really good?! Maybe, my friends and I went on n off Friday or maybe that yelper needs to get out more.
In any case, the alley was average at best. My friends and I did the midnight bowl (12am-2am) for $22/person it inlcudes shoe rentals and unlimited games within that 2 hour span. We had fun b/c it was about 10-15 of us and we were a bit tipsy, But, the music was LAME and the crowd was LAME (and young). The drinks were pretty tasty and cheap, and the old bartender with the ship bar uniform was sooo cute. lol
The best part of the night: CHEESE FRIES w/ ketchup n pepper!!! Go for those fries alone!! -
Review from Eric V.
Brooklyn, NY
6/4/2010
Is it dirty? Of course! And that's why it's amazing. The prices are pretty good and the beer is super cheap, so what's not to like? Truth be told, you'll probably bloody up your fingers on thier chipped bowling balls, but it's all part of the ambiance. Not to mention a jukebox filled with some of the greatest hits of Creed and Abba! There's nothing I enjoy more than cranking those hits at around 11 or so, when they'll really get the crowd going (that crowd being ironic hipsters, families, and locals).
I love it for a million different reasons, not the least of which being that I've been thrown out on three seperate occasions and they've yet to remember me.
Don't smuggle in your own booze! -
Review from Jared C.
3/10/2009
Low star count is purely based on the equipment.... the balls are in sad shape, the shoes don't slide well, and the floor is not polished enough.
With that out of the way, Melody Lanes is a blast. You can come here, bowl in New York City at a fair price, and have a good time, not always worrying about the clock and how much money is being sifted out of your pocket per minute. The beer pitchers are priced well, and the charm of the place is contagious.
The front desk works you like you shouldn't be there. Don't ask stupid questions! But equally charming, for sure.
On the open bowling nights, there are a lot of amateurs (like myself), and I can imagine serious bowlers might be distracted by all the talk and general horseplay... but it's all in good fun for us amateurs. I mean, you don't see us bothering them on league nights, right? -
Review from Tim L.
12/12/2009
Melody Lanes is definitely more than a hike out to Brooklyn if you're coming from the city. If you happen to find yourself out this way though with a hankering for bowling, this is a great place to come.
Even if you like bowling and you're not in the area it's still a great spot to venture out to. There's a real 70's vibe to this place with the crazy colors to the staff working the place. This definitely adds to the fun.
The bar offers a decent selection of drinks to make drunken bowling a quick variety. The group I was with ended up getting shots which showed up in cups instead of shot glasses. As you can imagine this will quickly mess you up!
I don't think you can reserve lanes here which caused us to have to wait for a pretty lengthy time, but it ended up passing quickly with drinks and the funky decor.
The lanes are well maintained and so are the selection of bowling balls. None of those crazy chipped up balls or the ones that have rough edges on the finger holes that cut up your fingers.
The rates are reasonable and it's almost a guaranteed good time coming here. -
Review from Evan K.
Brooklyn, NY
2/27/2008
Bowling it's almost a guaranteed good time. However, when you end up doing it in Manhattan it can cost an entire week's pay. With precious few places to knock down pins in this great big city, sometimes you have to go just a little out of the way to let the good times roll.
Whether your gorging yourself on curly fries and pitchers of beer or just plain sober, Melody lanes is a guaranteed good time...unless you hate bowling...You don't hate bowling do you? Because then you hate children and puppy dogs and ice cream. -
Review from Marcus V.
Brooklyn, NY
12/15/2008 1 photo
Living close by, decided to venture in to check out this bowling alley. All it took was a few steps through the front door and a quick turnaround and back out onto the street. The stench in this place is horrific. It's like a locker room at the gym, only 10-fold worse. What a foul-smelling place...it was so gross and probably very unsanitary.
I really don't enjoy bowling that much...certainly not enough to put up with such a ghastly stench. -
Review from Jessica W.
Brooklyn, NY
6/23/2008
Oh Pete, Pete. Don't talk to the bartender Pete - who is even more kooky than a mad scientist, though with apropros white hair - or you will never get your game on.
I've got a divided loyalty with this place, for, though I spent two birthdays rolling at Melody and adore their greasy and delightful cheeseburgers to no end, I have also found them to be disorganized with billing for games (or, as one person suggested, 'scammed out of money'), remiss over reservations, very lousy attitude-wise, and in general purveyors of the kind of tetchy manic experience most of us would choose to avoid in our non-working hours.
Alas, it is the modern era of property values, foreclosure fallout or no, and this is only one of too few recreational centers. So, viva la Melody.
And don't 1) go around expecting too much in the way of accomodations (don't even reserve lanes, they'll forget) or 2) leave your ATM/debit card with ANYBODY if you can help it. No ATMs there, so bring cash!
You'll spend more money than you want to, regardless, and have one hell of a blast. -
Review from Carlos C.
4/13/2010
Besides waiting an hour and a half for a lane...this place is Ok....Where can I start, First of all, I been coming here since I was a child and the last time I was here was in 2001...So its been a while...nothing much has changed just like my bowling skills. (You should see me bowl, I suck ...trust me you don't want me on your bowling team!) As I waited for the lanes to clear up, I went to their bar, the bar tender looked very old (looked like Grandpa Munster,without the cape and fangs). So I ordered Gin and tonic (No am not British)...and to my surprise the drink was strong, wow!...Smack me 'round and call me James Son get it, Jameson...(dry joke) the drink was so strong that I almost forgot that I was waiting for a bowling lane. Anyway, Melody Lanes or whatever the hell its called these days, will sure bring lots of fun memories...even if they're tipsey ones!
*Sorry for "breaking" the jukebox, its not my fault it don't take crinkle dollars. -
Review from Leti R.
Brooklyn, NY
12/3/2009 2 photos
Fun!
Great Bowling.
Delicious hot dogs.
Very funny bartender. -
Review from Katherine B.
Brooklyn, NY
6/17/2010
Oh, yes, there's really nothing I can add that another Yelper hasn't already covered about Melody Lanes. It's a favorite destination for me & my old work buddies to goof off, drink cheap pitchers of (fresh!) Bud, put songs on the jukebox and--oh yeah--bowl.
The counter lady is totally surly. Last time we went I walked in and said something like "We're here to BOWL!" and she was not havin' any of it. Ha ha.
The bartender is a primo nutjob! He must be encountered to be believed. He even had a NY Times blurb written about him!:
http://www.nytimes.com...
Just go. Between the crazy paint job + linoleum flooring, the bar, the extremely diverse crowd and the cheeseball bowling ephemera, it's what all those hipster bowling alleys in this city WISH they were. -
Review from Igor M.
Rutherford, NJ
3/13/2011 1 Check-in Here
I'm split on this as most reviewers here. On one hand - it has its own ambiance, cheap beer and food place (a bit overprice and looks dirty but delicious). On another hand - it has its own ambiance, cheap beer and dirty but delicious food place.
So you just need to be in the mood, or prefer old-school places. I'll give it a 4 but I fully realize that if we got there in a different mood it could have been a 3 or even a 2. -
Review from Karen M.
Brooklyn, NY
5/27/2006
This is a great suburban bowling alley - in NYC! It is one of the few affordable bowling alleys in NYC, and even though it is in Brooklyn it is quite easy to get to. Take the N train from Canal St. two stops to 36th Street in Brooklyn and then walk up the hill to 5th Avenue and one block down to the bowling alley.
The bowling is inexpensive, they have a good amount of lanes, its never crowded (even on weekend nights), they have an internet jukebox, cheap beers, and are known for their "ill fried chicken" (that's a compliment).
If you are looking for bowling in NYC, this is your place!
