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WhirlyBall
Categories: Event Planning & Services Venues & Event Spaces Nightlife Bars Sports Bars Arts & Entertainment Arcades Venues & Event Spaces, Sports Bars, Arcades [Edit]
1880 W Fullerton AveChicago, IL 60614
Neighborhood: Bucktown
(773) 486-7777
- Hours:
Mon-Thu, Sun 11 am - 12 am
Fri 11 am - 2 am
Sat 11 am - 3 am
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Music:
- Juke Box
- Best Nights:
- Fri, Thu, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- No
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- Outdoor Area/ Patio Only
- Coat Check:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
150 reviews for WhirlyBall
Review Highlights
"I love, love, LOVE Whirly Ball."
(in 19 reviews)
"Scoopball + Bumper Cars + Beer."
(in 44 reviews)
"...Fun days consist of laser tag competition between cousins..."
(in 23 reviews)
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150 reviews in English
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Review from Laura O.
Chicago, IL
10/3/2011
I've been here twice for big Birthday parties. Incredibly fun & great staff.
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Review from Amanda G.
12/21/2011
What a great excuse to act like a kid (with adult beverages!)!!
I do not remember the last time I laughed so much, while engaging in some sort of physical activity. The group slammed, taunted, laughed, whirled, and shot the ball for an hour. Was I great?!? Not so much!! Did I have a blast?!? Heck to the yeah!
As for the adult beverages, there is a full bar. How could I pass up a Guinness or two while rotating out with the others?!? I am sure it made the hits that less hurtful! As for the food, not so bad. The fries were super crispy and tasty!
Would I take another whirl at this activity?? Double, yes! -
Review from Alden V.
Chicago, IL
11/29/2011 1 Check-in Here
Hadn't played this since middle school youth group at one back in Michigan. It's exactly as I remembered it, we had a blast!
I'm always wondering what to do with my 16yr old brother in the city. It's a fun thing to do if you're entertaining someone who's under 21.
The bar there is decent and has a good selection. -
Review from David L.
11/20/2011 1 Check-in Here
I came here with about 50 people for a corporate event. They prepared a dinner and a Whirlyball court for us.
1. Food
Mediocre. We had burgers, hot dogs, potato salad, chips, and some other things. The chips were pretty good.
2. Lasertag
Fun. The arena could have been a bit more convoluted, but I still had a good time. The guy forgot to tell me that I had to hold down the two buttons at the front to shoot, so my score the first game was pretty bad.
3. Pool
okay. Tables were a bit dirty, and they cost $2 per play.
4. DDR
I played a game and got my ass kicked. I blame having to stomp on the arrows to get them to trigger.
Unfortunately, I didn't play Whirlyball, but it looked pretty good since their baskets had sensors. -
Review from Maram K.
11/7/2011
Whirlyball, the ultimate stress relief.
I come here pretty often for birthdays and just wtf days. It's fun and it really takes your mind off all other stresses in the world when you're trying to whack a ball out of someone racket while ramming them at the same time (this sounds so wrong).
Great fun place for groups, a bit pricey but definitely worth it. They offer pizza packages which are decent, but don't expect much out of the pizza, it's not that great.
In any case, looking forward to the next match to maintain our stellar winning streak! -
Review from Mike K.
9/13/2011
If you don't like your friends and want to inflict as much bodily injury to them as legally possible, Whirlyball is for you. I'm kidding about the hating your friends part, of course, but I'm dead serious about the bodily injury part. You and your friends will get banged up. This is certain as the oceans are wide and deep.
For those of you who live w/o the magic that is the internet and google searches, imagine bumper cars and basketball. Instead of dribbling a basketball, you have a scoop (like Jai alai) and a whiffle ball. Your objective is to throw the whiffle ball into the goal while your friends try to destroy you. It's simple and fun. Your chiropractor will love you a long time.
Games are timed around 10 minutes each. Plenty of time to put the bruises on. The Whirlyball court is reserved in hour increments so the referee will try to evenly space out the games for you and your crew. Like I said, it's simple and fun. What else can you ask for?
The overall space is huge. There are plenty of TVs, games, a full stocked bar and a kitchen. Think sports bar. It's that type of place. -
Review from An P.
Chicago, IL
9/7/2011 1 Check-in Here
Upon explanation of WhirlyBall I quickly scoffed at the notion and put it in the category of "Stuff people who don't know how to have fun call fun." Bumper cars? Lacross sticks? Whiffle balls? Basketball nets? Oh really?
Oh really!
I got over to WhirlyBall and started snapping pictures as that is generally what I do. Snapping pictures of friends in bumper cars go after a ball could be likened to watching your neighborhood pee wee football game with lots of stop and go action. My first thought reaffirmed my initial suspicious: B-O-R-I-N-G!!!
Like most good things in life, don't denigrate them before you try it. After friends got tired of driving around I finally got a shot to go for a round of WhirlyBall. It was love at the first push of the pedal. Steering around and attacking friends with sticks is a whole lot more fun when you're doing it then when you're watching it!
After an hour of driving around trying to get that damn whiffleball into the net and giving many friends bruises, we finally finished and helped ourselves to beer and food. WhirlyBall is a great team building event and fun way for a bunch of friends to get out and do something a bit more fun.
Great job, WhirlyBall! -
Review from Joanne C.
Chicago, IL
11/7/2011
Wow. I can't believe I only just discovered how fun this is. A bunch of us went for my bday and I couldn't stop laughing the entire time we were playing. We had the court to ourselves for an hour and it went by fast. At the end we tied but the fun that we all had was pretty much all we cared about.
Also it was really nice of them to let us use the party room even though we didn't reserve it and we had a small party. But we had a cake so we needed some place to eat it. It was cool to just have a nice quiet place to chill after that raucousness. I would definitely do this again. -
Review from Cheryl V.
La Grange, IL
7/8/2011
OMG! I never had so much fun with my clothes on!!! It's fun. It's fast. It's athletic. Don't drink. You MAY sweat. It's competitive. It KICKS ASS!
I loved WhirlyBall. I was hesitant to go because I went with a team from work and ya know, I like to keep my work and play separate. But after looking at the website, I decided to go.
We had the catering option (chicken wings, pulled pork, salad, rice/beans, buns). Good stuff.
Yeah, some people got bruises. I'm looking at this photo below...with the chick in the dress....they tell you ahead of time not to wear a dress. But yes, if you're a little out of shape you will sweat profusely, get bruised and get tired quickly.
I didn't bruise (well, I had a quarter-sized bruise on my inner calf---but it didn't hurt and I wasn't sore the next day). But I heard from many others that they were indeed sore and bruised.
So if you're out of shape, you might want to hit the gym a few days prior to participating. But if you're in shape, you're gonna love the competition, the challenge to your eye/hand coordination and running that little vehicle around the track.
I laughed my ass off! It was a blast! -
Review from Kathleen L.
Chicago, IL
7/5/2011
This is SUCH a great place to go for some clean and friendly adult fun. There's a bar if you want to drink (but don't drink before you play!) There's some pool tables and arcade games to keep you occupied....
But the WHIRLYBALL! So. Much. Fun. bumper cars, basket ball, and lacrosse all combined. How could you not go wrong! Went with mostly girls and a few guys-- oh, how the competition comes out. But really it's fun for all and even those not as "athletic" have fun too! I think the skill required for whirlyball probably comes with time and starts out pretty awkward for everyone on an equal playing level.
Will SO be back =) -
Review from Rita B.
7/23/2011
First time at WhirlyBall last night, gotta say, it was fun. I didn't actually play the bumper cars/whirlyball but the entire atmosphere was excellent.
Games (air hockey, basketball, and pool tables) were pretty cheap. You get 4 tokens for every dollar. Depending on what games you play, they are relatively inexpensive. Drinks weren't bad either. Captain & coke was $5. Service was blah.
No food served at our event but I know that there is that option.
Only bad thing was that there was what felt like no air conditioning in this extreme HOT weather. The parking lot SUCKED!!! Potholes galore! The lighting...not so helpful either. The building looks like an old warehouse and was kinda empty but hey....everyone is having a good time. That's all that matters.
I would like to go back and give the bumper cars a try but for now...3 stars is fair.Comment from Sam E. of WhirlyBall 8/1/2011
Thank you for your review, I am glad you had a good time. I… More » -
Review from Kit G.
7/5/2011
I went for a company event. We all had a blast! First I need to say that their waitstaff is probably the best in Chicago. They are so nice, and very attentive.
Whirlyball has a great variety of games. Whirlyball is actually a difficult game, and I think everyone gets bruises from it. They also have pool, arcade games, and lasor tag. And of course a bar. There is something for everyone. -
Review from Mihir S.
Chicago, IL
5/4/2011 1 Check-in Here
How can you not give Whirlyball 5 stars when you get to play game that's a mix of jai alia, basketball and bumper cars?
The staff. They're unenthusiastic. The food. I had a grilled cheese that was barely cooked. The parking lot needs to have the potholes filled and it needs to be repaved.
And yes, I know one comes for the Whirlyball and stays for the Whirlyball. -
Review from Nick M.
3/9/2011
So THIS is what it feels like to be a crash test dummy or a contestant on that "Wipeout" show!!
I left bruised and in pain but you know what, I scored the winning goal in game three. Win or lose and despite the soreness the next day, WhirlyBall is a blast!! It's basically combining bumper cars and lacrosse. I'll warn you, it's not as easy as it looks. It will drive you mad trying to score into this tiny netted area. It's mostly played for a hour with some breaks to rest or to rotate out players (pending the size of your group). It's a lot of fun and should be tried by all.
Now that being all said I've played before in different locations. This place was not so great. Staff doesn't really care to help with anything until you make them, some of the equipment is shotty, and it smells pretty bad in the whole building. I would go as far as to say it's a dive sports bar. Huge bar, a weird area with leather couches in front of a large rear panel tv (basically a hug box tv), pool tables, darts, dirty bathrooms, and then then 3 WhirlyBall courts. Almost like a dirty, smelly, smaller version of Dave and Busters. It looks like it might turn into one of those scary suburb clubs at night. Drinks and food are cheap but WhirlyBall is not but thanks to the magic Groupon it wasn't so bad.
Though I don't care for the place, playing WhirlyBall makes you forget all about it.Listed in: I bored take me to......
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Review from Rafael C.
3/3/2011
Ok, I just love the game itself that I can't see giving it less the 4 stars. It's an hour of good fun yet enough to fire that competitive spirit in you. There are other things to do that is for sure but I can't see making a trip here unless I go out for a whirl!
My only complaints are this: The place smells of carbon nastiness and I think they can use some kind of air ventilation that actually helps. Also, the place isn't cheap but hopefully they'll keep doing Groupons and specials to help defray some of the cost. Perhaps install an oxygen bar! -
Review from nikki c.
8/1/2011 1 Check-in Here
freeballing while whirlyballing is not advised.
proper ball handling is a must as getting your cherries tossed about in abrupt and violent changes of direction is quite unpleasant, unless your fetish closet includes such things.
then by all means freeball and whack away.
good times to be enjoyed by all sizes of egos and body types.
take the time to study which mechanical chariots have the speed and functioning strap on devices.
the more the merrier and laser tag in the upper levels for the bonus win.
nice wicked times here. -
Review from Dex Y.
Chicago, IL
5/28/2011
You would assume WhirlyBall is just a regular causal game, cuz its name suggests no seriousness.
False.
It's actually intense, especially when you get 4+ people on each side. You may get hurt if you don't stay in the zone.
With all that said, this game rules! I went with 10+ friends and everybody had tons of fun. Never thought lacrosse and bumper car could be combined this way. We got pizzas and wings, which tasted decent enough.
Two minor complaints, though:
1. beer list was too limited;
2. the controller on my bumper car was not sensitive at times.
Overall, great experience! Really wanna try laser tag next time. -
Review from Justin H.
Chicago, IL
11/14/2010 1 Check-in Here
So on a last moment decision to avoid Dave and Busters and looking for Laser Tag we settled on heading to Whirly Ball. Having only a small idea of what it is and not having any reservations for our group of 3 we weren't sure if we were going to be able to play either. About 10 minutes after we give them our name they call us and say they have room for our tiny group to play WhirlyBall against a team of 4 that claimed they had never played before! (they were pros). Whirly Ball was the craziest, action packed, workout one could have. the poor wiffle balls get smooshed more often than we scored and it can be ruthless. Two of us ended up with bruises due to the alienlike steering mechanism. The other team beat us and we all greeted each other and shook hands saying good game at the end. Very fun 30 minutes for just $12 each!
We then placed our name on the list to possibly play Laser Tag and then went and played some air hockey. When I went to the bar to order just a soda the bartender told me it was free when I went to pay so I left her with a very good tip! THANKS. One of the ladies decided she was too sore from Whirly Ball to play laser tag! Again a work out and a great setup made for a fun quick 15 minute game. With just 2 people playing it created a very interesting game with lots of ups and downs.
I will be back here again soon since it was so much fun! -
Review from Christina B.
Chicago, IL
1/12/2011
We had a lot of fun--and the bruises to show for it!
Came for a birthday party on a Friday night-- $200 for one hour (10 people can play at a time so thats only $20 a head) Matches are 15 minutes so you SHOULD get 4 rounds (feel free to point this out when they try to chop you off at the 1 hour mark of when you walked through the door. 1 hour of PLAY not one hour after arriving and receiving directions on how to play and getting situated etc.)
Kind of smells like burning rubber and is a little rough but you can stay on the outsides if you don't want to be banged into.
We all had a great time and its good for probably ages 10-50s
NOTE** we had someone under 21 in our group on that late friday night and they were ok with it as long as he left after our reservation was up. -
Review from Brandy C.
7/28/2010 1 photo
The act of Whirlyball is amazing. A not-at-all intuitive bumper cart, liquored up people, and basically lacrosse sticks - let's roll. You should be warned, you will injure your body in ways you have never imagined; over the next weeks, you and your pals will sprout bruises that make it look like you played in an alley with thugs. It is unavoidable and, if nothing else, a great way to make sure people look at you and comment on your appearance for weeks to come. It is a conversation starter when you look like someone tossed a bar of soap in a sock and beat the crap out of you with it. Like I said, I recommend.
It's a fun time and a great alternative to the other lame ways you could spend your time. That said, the facility is a little funky (read: sketchy or icky), so the bar food and atmosphere weren't all that. But you're not there for the gourmet eats, you're there to get your butt kicked and have fun. Both of those, I guarantee you will. -
Review from Tricia T.
1/17/2011
We had a blast @ Whirlyball!!! We had about 18 ppl and reserved for 1 hour. That was perfect because they have "10 minute" games and people can easily rotate in and out. Any more people than that and 2 hours probably would have been needed. I've never done whirlyball, but would definitely go again.
Atmosphere - I'd give it a 2. Odd crowd, particularly as it got later. We originally planned to stay for a few drinks, but after our 10-11pm hour ended, we finished up our drinks and went elsewhere. -
Review from james c.
Skokie, IL
9/1/2011
Depending on your referee, it's either more fun than doing naked back flips on an over sized trampoline, or less fun than recounting your biggest failures as a human being. When it's good (when mayhem, vehicular carnage and bodily damage are permitted) there ain't much in this planet that would provide a more hilarious and delightful experience.
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Review from Vineet S.
9/27/2010
Went there for a get together with office collegues. A fun place to enjoy the game to whirly ball with friends.We booked the court for 4 hours, it was great fun. They also have laser tag, pool tables etc. We were at the bar for quite a long time and also tried the food. The pizza was good.
We had great fun since we were in a big group.Great place to enjoy. -
Review from Evan S.
Chicago, IL
2/26/2011
WhirlyBall is a great place that rivals Dave & Busters for adult fun.
We had a group of about 18 people and played for like 2 hours. The game of whirly ball is a lot of fun and I could have played for hours. In addition to the whirly ball, there was also a full bar, video games, air hockey, pool tables, etc. My only knock on the place was the condition of the carts and arena. During our two hours, there was several times that we had to stop playing so that the referees could come and replace carts that died. Seems like they would want to do some maintenance on the carts every now and then.
Overall, great experience and will definitely be back. -
Review from Cerene P.
11/3/2010
AWESOME!!!!
Went here for a birthday party late one Friday night and had an absolute BLAST!!! The whirlyball courts weren't available so we did a couple rounds of laser tag. Haven't had that much fun in years. The laser tag arena is huge and 2 levels. A bunch of guys and girls 30ish running around zapping one another. Good times :) -
Review from Santiago A.
Chicago, IL
5/11/2010
Ah Whirlyball, you were everything I hoped you'd be. With whirlyball courts, lastertag, pool tables, video games, booze, great bar food... you're like a ShowBiz for adults. Can I have my next birthday party here??
For those of you who don't know what Whirlyball is, it is a mix of bumper cars, lacrosse, and basketball. Two teams ride about scooping up the ball and trying to score in the goal on a pole.
Seriously, where else can you go that drinking and driving is not only allowed... but it's encouraged! Woo!
I went with some people from work, and it was non-stop laughs. The staff was very friendly. The food was delicious. I will definitely be back soon. -
Review from Shanna K.
Fremont, CA
8/30/2010
WTH is WhirlyBall?
Imagine if you will a combination of bumper cars, a hi-lo type of catcher, and basketball (without the hoop) all rolled in one? Crazy? Yes ... yes it is, especially cause I have never seen this outside of Chicago.
The objective of the game is to catch a plastic ball with a plastic scooper and pass it to your teammates for them to fling it towards a basketball like board with a hole cut out in the middle with a net. All the while driving a bumper car that steers by you turning a thing medal rod left and right to go forward, back and any other direction you can get it to go. Corny? Yes. Fun? You won't even believe it!
It's something you have to experience, especially because they have a bar, pool table, T.V.'s and a lounge area to boot. It's like a tucked away oasis to GO DRIVE A BUMPER CAR DRUNK. Who wouldn't want to do that?
Keep in Mind it's a bit pricey, but if everyone puts in money it shouldn't go over $10 bucks or so. Also, if you have a large group and want to do short 15 minute games, rather than 30 min. games you can ask them to split the times up so everyone gets a chance to play. Two 30 min. games seem to be good for everyone. -
Review from Megan G.
12/20/2009 ROTD 2/3/2010
My friend decided to celebrate her 30th birthday with the most immature activity she could think of. Drunken bumper car piloting won out. We had about 20 people and two hours of court time. I'm surprised people are complaining this is expensive - $20/pp for 2 hours of activity really isn't that bad. We all got to play as much as we cared to - by the end we were hot, in pain, and ready to move along.
I showed up grumpy, ready to take out some aggression, and in need of a drink. $3 Blue Moon drafts to the rescue! As it turns out, I'm awful at Whirleyball, like all even remotely athletic pursuits, however I still had an awesome time and managed to ram my friends' cars repeatedly, which is all this "game" is really about, when you get down to it.
A few caveats: you're going to hurt. I have these weird bruises from my seatbelt and ache everywhere today. It's also really, really hot in the Whirleyball arena. Layer people, layer. We all agreed that the staff ranged from disinterested to actively hating us for being there. We could barely get their attention during games when the ball got crushed or people's cars got stuck and flagging down a bartender at the (nearly empty) bar was far more difficult than it should have been. Most annoyingly, the equipment is NOT in great condition. I played two games in a car that would just stall for minutes at a time. The staff yelled at me to have someone bump me. Which didn't work, ever. To which the staff shrugged. Thanks for the help, guys.
Does any of that REALLY matter, though? Of course not. It's drunken bumper car-ing aka: the best thing ever.Listed in: An Unapologetic Vanity Project
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Review from Y M.
Chicago, IL
1/24/2009
This is where your old ass can act like a kid, play bumper cars, laser tag, play pool, and most importantly.... DRINK. I went here a couple times and everyone had a blast. Whirlyball is a cross between bumper cars and lacrosse. I'm not great at it, but it's always fun ramming your car into someone else's car. Especially if you're there for a company party. It's a good way to release pent-up aggression on your coworkers and boss!
Lasertag is like a live version of a video game. You have to wear electronic-sensored vests and carry a badass laser gun. I took my younger nephews here (they don't have laser tag where they live) and they absolutely loved it. The room is big enough to run around and hide, with fog, lights, and music to set the pace of the game. If you get hit, your vest vibrates, and that means you need to head over to the "charging station". Always watch your back!
It's a great place to have a birthday or company party. Forget the usual restaurant or bar. Go here instead for the fun activities and laughs.Listed in: Bucktown & Wicker Park
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Review from Ebs B.
1/25/2010 ROTD 11/7/2010
Bruise 1: Inner left thigh
Bruise 2: Upper left hip
Bruise 3: Front of the waist
Ahhh, the battle scars from WhirlyBall! I was fortunate enough to go with a good group this weekend to take advantage of being a kid again (even if it was for just a couple hours).
Now, these aren't the most high-tech cars in the world and you might walk out of there with a sore shoulder and a lost voice from screaming so much (or maybe I'm just too much of a girl for WhirlyBall lol). It was definitely fun driving around the rink as fast as I could and slamming into walls (yes, Tiff H., who just reviewed this, also hit into me a couple times, but it was fun). I suggest looking onto the courts before your turn to see which cars are the good cars and actually work.
Price wise, it's not the cheapest tool in the shed, but it is a fun activity every once in awhile. They do serve food, though it's typical frozen then fried food, but okay if you're not expecting much...
Warning: This is not the cleanest place in the world! In fact, it's close from it. But, if I can get over the dirtiness (and I'm a clean freak), then I'm sure you'll have a great time there as well!! -
Review from Mary T.
5/4/2009
When I Googled "What is Whirlyball" here are some fun tidbits I found:
* Whirlyball is a lesson in humility
* Almost anything is allowed.
* It is extremely rare for a fatal injury to occur.
Despite these somewhat scary tidbits of information I was excited to try Whirlyball. My old company had considered a holiday party here once, but nixed the idea for fear there would be tears and bloodshed - wusses!
I'll be honest there is one thing you need to get past when walking into this place - the sweaty locker room smell. Whirlyball tends to get a bit heated and there will be sweating. Take that as a warning not to bother looking super cute because by the end you'll be a sweaty mess. Also, wear layers because I can almost guarantee you'll be down to a t-shirt after the first round.
I went here for a birthday party; about 20 of us played Whirlyball for 2 hours, which was plenty of time. For our reservation we got court time and had a little room where we could sit, talk, watch the basketball game and drink some beer between rounds. Since 10 people play each period we rotated and had the chance to catch our breath and cool off a bit.
They tell you there are penalties for things like slashing, ramming from the front or back, and repeated ramming at excess speeds. While that may be true in theory, in reality anything goes. Even the most docile people turned into competitive, trash talking, scoop-wielding animals once they got into their Whirlybug; you could almost hear the Wizard of Oz bike song playing.
The rest of the place is pretty cool too. There's a full bar, food service, pool tables, some arcade games and huge TV's. The beers were pretty reasonably priced and the veggie pizza decent. My only complaint is their PA system, it was so loud every time they paged a ref we were practically covering our ears!
Bottom line: Whirlyball is a blast - do it!
TIP: If you're not willing to get a few bumps, bruises and a mild case of whiplash Whirlyball might not be your thing.Listed in: Wicker Town, LXXIV - Fullerton
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Review from Tricia L.
11/10/2009
In 3 letters, Whirlyball = DUI.
Things you should know:
- you will leave the facility smelling like gasoline grease or some variation of that.
- the black 19 car on court 2S is da bomb.
- good eye-hand coordination is an advantage.
- you may or may not leave with battle wounds. I escaped with 3 small bruises.
- it's a good group activity that combines basketball, lacrosse, and bumper carring.
- don't forget on your drive home that you're no longer in a bumper car!
- WB can be costly, at $200/hr prime time on the weekends. -
Review from Kristin R.
Chicago, IL
5/17/2008
Wow what a CRAZY time whirlyball is! I loved it and had so much fun. I was a bit hesitant at first given the nature of the game and the fact that I knew absolutely nobody that was playing whirlyball, except for a friend of mine. Oh and the main players consisted of a softball team from some college in Valpairiso so as you can imagine, a few of them were quite husky and let's just say they knew how to catch and pass the ball, unlike me.
For those of you who don't know what whirlyball is, no worries, neither did I! It's basically a combination of hockey, basketball and lacrosse IN a bumper car. Random but so so sooooo fun.
It's hard to steer the bumper cars as you have to crank a stick (hint: one time around sends you in reverse; cranking to the left sends you to the right; cranking to the right sends you to the left) but that makes the game all the more fun. Not to mention the hysteria you get from banging everyone else on the court with your car.
There is, of course, a bar. No drinking on the court though, thank God. There are also some pool tables and an arcade for the anti-whirlyball peeps who just want to come for the entertainment and the beer.
I hope I'll be back here soon, and you should check it out too! -
Review from Brett C.
Long Beach, CA
8/6/2008
WhirlyBall is quite possibly the bestest mostest fun you can have injuring your back that doesn't involve a 90 pound girl and a happy ending.
When asked to explain what WhirlyBall is, I say this. It's a combination of bumper cars, basketball, lacrosse, and polo. Throw in some good friends and alcohol, and you're ready to go. It really is an awesome experience. Protip: Find the really, really fast bumpercar and never get out.
WhirlyBall also has lasertag, but at the same price as WhirlyBall. If you have to do either, do WhirlyBall, as some of the game modes for lasertag can be ultimately boring. For me, coming to WhirlyBall was all about the WhirlyBall. Throw in a really well stocked bar and some barfood and you have little slice of heaven.Listed in: Places I really, REALLY miss.
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Review from Damian C.
4/16/2007
What a great concept - bumper cars, lacrosse, 10 crazy people, and a FEW* beers mixed together for an hour on a closed court. Our court was $180 for an hour, divided by 12 people, which was completely worth it.
As a competitive person (as well as salesman), it was hilarious to see how truly ridiculous my co-workers could be when it came to winning in another aspect. It was even funnier to see how unathletic and uncoordinated people can be. Even though my lower back hurt for about a week afterwards due to all the roughhousing, it was completely worth it watching the other team go down like the losers they were!
Though it is similar to an event I would have done with my college fraternity brothers, I am a sucker for team-oriented activities and had a great time. -
Review from Giovanna B.
Chicago, IL
7/16/2007
Oh man... I love, love, LOVE Whirly Ball! I never heard of it until I moved out here to the Midwest. This bumper-car/lacrosse hybrid brings out the kid in all of us, and having a few drinks before/after helps some ;) I'll be honest with you though, this game can hurt like a &*$@#. I've been "bumped" so hard a couple of times that my abdomen would hit the steering wheel, leaving bruises for me to find the next day that made me wonder what the heck I must have obviously selectively erased from my mind. I'm not a masochist or anything, but having said that, though I was hurting and I may/may not have popped an ovary, I still had a great time =). Of course, the game lends itself for all kinds of shenanigans, and with the right group of people, it's a total blast.
The place itself isn't much to look at. It's like any other scruffy bar, with giant screens showing whatever sport, but it also has pool tables, pinball machines, foosball, air hockey tables [my all-time favorite and of which I am the mistress], and of course, Whirly Ball!! I totally recommend this place to anyone who is into that kind of thing =) -
Review from Lindley E.
Chicago, IL
10/26/2006
best place ever to take your b-school classmates when you have two grand to burn and a school bus to drive you around. If your company is flush with cash, you might also work on your boss to let you expense a team-building activity here. Silly, fun and abundant social lubricant will get the crowd to loosen up.
sounds so dirty! -
Review from Ben K.
8/2/2009
This place is like dave and busters but cool instead of touristy. The game of whirlyball itself is awesome, there are pool tables, arcade games, a full bar, really enough entertainment to keep you and your group busy for many many hours. Court time is kind of expensive ($200 an hour on weekend nights) but if your group is big enough it's really not a big deal.
My only gripe is that the staff all could care less about your group and the fact that you are paying over $3 a minute for court time. They don't seem all that interested in letting you get the absolute most out of your experience and it can be pretty frustrating. Additionally the equipment is all pretty erratic... some carts are nice and fast, while some are significantly slower. You'd think they could find it within themselves to provide a decent supply of fresh non-cracked game balls too.Listed in: Billiards.
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Review from Christine J.
Chicago, IL
6/7/2011
Our group had a lot of fun. The car takes a while to get used to driving and the lacrosse sticks are hard to control. Our group broke a lot of rules, which I noticed were posted on the way out, but I think the Whirlyball attendant figured out how much we cared. Make sure you get here on time, they hold you to the hour that you book.
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Review from Kevin A.
5/21/2008
ATTENTION: "RAMMING FROM BEHIND WILL NOT BE TOLERATED"
Curse you Whirlyball and all your "rules"! There's also a rule about repeated ramming although I'm not sure my group got that memo either. But I digress...
I went here for a birthday party and everyone had a great time. They've got a full bar, reasonable drink prices, and lots of things to distract the kids (and adults acting like kids). Also, whomever the chef is, s/he needs to teach a master class on deep-frying, because their fries are freakin' delicious. Crisp, not greasy, and seasoned to perfection.
