Ooh, boy. Where do I begin? My friends were all dragging their heels about New Year's Eve this year, so when I saw 10pin's deal--$89 ($96 with fees) for 5 hours for bowling, premium open bar, food, dancing, and bowling/shoes--I thought it'd be perfect. Of course it sounded too good to be true because it was. Doors were supposed to be at 7:00; my friends and I were outside around 7:30-7:40 and didn't get in until probably 8:00 (we're just lucky it was unseasonably warm this NYE), when the open bar and food was supposed to be ready. They said they were "setting up," but I have no idea what exactly they were setting up because there was NO food out, and it didn't show up until 9:30. Asked numerous people about it, and half of the ladies were beyond snide in telling me that they were waiting for more people to arrive so it would be fresh. Well, that certainly wasn't in the description. Also of note was that the bowling and shoes were a total clusterf*&# and we only got to bowl ONCE all night. You couldn't put all your party together unless you all arrived at the same time (they neglected to mention this on the phone when I asked how it worked before purchasing tickets); you had to go back and return your shoes after each game; and oh yeah--the bowling capacity was 144, and they sold 300 tickets. SMART, right? No wonder it was completely disorganized, not to mention "understaffed," as nearly every employee told me when I had a question or concern. Not sure how that's my problem or why you didn't anticipate doubling your staff when you doubled your capacity! The good news: when the food finally arrived, it was really tasty. The drinks were good and strong, bartenders fast and on point. There was a small dance floor, and the DJ played decent music, but was he mixing music videos all night on their 128" video wall, like the description had said? No. Football was on. It's NYE, I think we can take a break from football for one night. There was also supposed to be "bowling for prizes" - there wasn't. It took a ridiculous amount of talking and nagging to get the manager to come out. Front desk employee Charles was a COMPLETE jerk to my friend and me, talking to us as if we were incompetent, belligerent drunks (neither of us were), when we simply wanted to see what could be done for us since we were NOT getting what we paid for. He also told us he called our name when he didn't and would not stop talking to us like we were children. After a lot of waiting, the manager finally came back and gave us a certificate for another party that included free bowling, food, and drinks for up to 12 people, and he also handed us 3 bottles of champagne. I think this is pretty decent, but unfortunately it doesn't help any of the out-of-town guests we had (and there were at least 5). I plan on using the certificate, but I don't know that I'll be a returning customer after that, at least not for package deals like this where too many things can go awry. 10pin had good ideas but no follow-through, and everything was executed extremely poorly. If it had been what it was advertised as, it would've been pretty darn awesome. Instead: hugely disappointing. read more

They play loud music and have big screen tv's showing music videos, its so fun to drink and bowl here!

With all the Wii bowling I've been doing lately, I decided that it would be okay to do some actual real life bowling. Someone needs to tell me to cut that crap out next time. The bowling on my part was not great, but it certainly wasn't made any easier by the COMPLETELY, TOTALLY OVERHEATED BOWLING ALLEY. Get the air fixed guys. I don't know if that's to try and get people to drink more beer at a quicker pace, but it made for an uncomfortable experience that I wouldn't be in any rush to repeat. That is, unless the air is fixed. read more

OK, I'm normally very generous with my ratings because I am easy to please--REALLY easy to please. But while I did have fun with my party while I was here, we were treated pretty horribly by the staff. No one really knew what was going on, couldn't answer any questions and we were kicked out of a "reserved" area that wasn't marked reserved in an empty (at the time) lounge. We went Monday night where they have $4 a game per person and $1 shoe rentals, so that was kind of the only good thing about it. The food was "alright" and my drinks were never made right. I got a screwdriver that came back as vodka and uhm... limeade maybe?? It tasted a lot kind of like a gin and tonic... And I ordered an amaretto sour with extra cherries as garnish and I think they put cherry juice in it... Not the brightest staff--period... The company you bring will definitely be the only good you have at 10-pin... read more

I came here for a work thing with a big group, and the waiters were super attentive, so that's the real reason for the good review. As a bowling alley, though... the screen that showed the scores was impossible to read unless you were standing right under it so if you care at all about the score too bad. They do have big screens over the pins, but half of them were showing the news which, these days, tends to show a face that puts me in less of a mood to have fun. It does put me in more of a mood for drinking, though, so maybe they're on to something... read more

We had a corporate event here and the service was great! Some of us arrived early, so they did not have everything set up yet, but they let us sit at our table and start the game until then. They had an entire set up of food, which includes, guacamole, wings, mini sliders, etc. The food was delicious and the service was wonderful! The waitress worked with us to get all of our drink orders placed and was constantly around to check and make sure we were during alright. The bowling itself was fun, and we really had a great time! read more

I am not a clubber. I didn't expect to like 10-Pin, especially because of the reviews here that talk about how much nobody at 10-Pin cares about bowling. That said, this place has got three good things going for it: 1. The martinis are amazing, and they rotate them out just about monthly. 2. Industry night - $2 bowling with $1 shoes on Monday nights. 3. The largest screen televisions I've ever seen in a bowling alley, playing all your favorite music requests all night long. The food is good and surprisingly not too pricey, even though the drinks are outrageously marked up. I never know how to dress when I'm going to 10-Pin... It's fancy, but it's still a bowling alley. The no-5-star deal breaker: Sometimes waitresses there disappear for half-hour increments. I needs my drinks to keep my bowling game up to par... or... whatever par would be in bowling terms. Edit: I went back for my 23rd birthday. I was charged for 13 drinks when I ordered about 5. I was there with a group of 10, and there were 3 tabs running in our group. The waitress got snotty about the tabs. Gratuity got added, but you can bet I wouldn't have given her a good tip, especially on the 7 drinks I DIDN'T order. Also, they have a $20 minimum for credit card purchases. This is against Mastercard regulations. If they do this to you, complain on Mastercard's web site: http://www.mastercard.com/us/personal/en/contactus/merchantviolations.html The waitress also charged my card without asking me. I had cash to give her for the drinks, and the card was just to secure a tab. We finished bowling, started packing up, and were given already-charged slips. Dropping my review down to 2 stars because the service broke the deal this time. It's really hit-or-miss... Lately, only miss, though. read more

It has been a long time that I've been on Yelp and I cannot believe I didn't comment on 10pin. I go here with my friends a lot and I believe that this place is great for serious bowlers and others who just want to have a fun game. A couple years ago, I did not like the fact that I was 15 or 16 and I had to leave after 7pm, which is exactly the time when they shut off the lights and start up the cosmic bowling. That is still the most extremely dumb idea I have ever witnessed. I understand that they are also a bar, but the bar is open before 7pm, so I do not get it. I still go there, but it is extremely crowded in the evenings. I've been going in the daytime recently to beat the crowds, but it is still not as good as evening bowling. They have these mini cheeseburgers that are 3 for $7 and they are good. I love those little burgers and I dream about them sometimes at night. read more

I absolutely adore 10 Pin. I discovered the place a few years back while strolling through downtown with soem family I had in from out of town. As the group contained kids and adults it was nice to find somplace we could all hang out on (a oppreessively hot) saturday afternoon. Since that first visit I have become devoted to the place. I've organized several work related functions and random gatherings. Last year I threw my birthday party here. I was a little pissed about how much it costs to reserve lanes (and don't even consider the party packages unless you've got money to burn or a corporate credit card) but once I arrived at 10 Pin on that friday night and found it relatiely un-busy, the counter person may or may not have cancelled my reservation and just assigned me two lanes in the corner, allowing me to pay regualr lane fees and save some moola. I love the video wall and the drinks, can't say much about the food because I tend to forget to eat. I did have those mini-burgers once and the pizza and they were yum! read more

I went here last night and I really enjoyed it. I have to knock off one star because the lanes do not have arrows on them to judge where you are throwing the ball. Other than that, this was the coolest bowling alley that I have been to. The gigantic screens at the end of the alleys had some old school music playing from all varieties. They were playing some Destiny's Child back when there were four members and some Drops of Jupiter by Train. Good stuff. Check this place out. read more

A pretty cool spot for bowling and a few drinks, but it can get crowded fast. It can also get a bit spendy for bowling. I really like the big screen TVs with videos and good music. The last time I was there was for a work event and I was impressed by both the wait staff and the food. I never waited more than 5 minutes for a drink (considering there were about 50 of us, that was impressive) and the buffet food was actually really good. I am giving 10pin 4 stars instead of 5 because of price and the fact that it was really hot in there the night that I went. It was humid outside and it didn't feel much different inside, I wish that they would have turned up the AC. I didn't bowl so well, but I will blame my lack of skill for that. :) read more

I hosted a corporate event for a large group (100+). Everything was nicely set up when we got there and the staff was amazing. Our food was consistently restocked with little waiting time and the staff handled peoples requests for drinks and food with ease. Everyone was extremely nice and welcoming to our group and I really appreciate the professionalism and ease of service. We will definitely be return customers! ORDER: Cookies with shots of milk--it was a hit! read more

This bowling alley has the potential to be the best in the city... I will get back to that idea in a moment. Unfortunately, if you are an experienced bowler; this is not the place for you. They never oil the lanes so even the slightest curve sticks with a vengeance. This is definitely a good place to go if you do not use a curve. You keep track of your own score using a pen and paper. Personally, I love that aspect of this place; others may not appreciate the added work. The lanes also have a very vintage/classic look :) The rest of the place is fantastic! Great bar, several other games (including shuffle board), live music, HUGE area to eat and dance! We had a lot of fun there; except when we were bowling. Hope you get Katie as a waitress. She knows the menu/brew list up and down and constantly makes sure your glasses and bellies are full read more

I came to 10pin to celebrate my birthday with a couple of my friends. We had such a blast! We made a reservation for a Saturday night, and good thing we did because the place was busy. I think we paid $70 per hour for each lane, which was worth it because we didn't want to have to wait a long time to be able to bowl. Food and drinks were GREAT! Their martinis are delicious - try the 10pintini! My favorite thing on the menu is the mac and cheese and cookies and milk for dessert. We had our own server for our lanes, which was nice because we didn't have to keep going up to the bar to order drinks. Unfortunately, I can't remember her name, but she was very friendly and attentive. Also - LOVE the video jukebox! It's so much fun picking songs and getting to watch the music videos on the screens at the end of our lanes. The reviews for 10pin seem to be mixed, but I would definitely recommend 10pin to all of my friends. I plan to be back again soon! read more

Late night bowling is always a good time...especially for $2. It felt like a party and that was great. I loved the H U G E television screens up behind the alleys, above the pins. We heard a dirty little rumor that it cost $75 per bowling game.. that's a lie, though they DID say that it cost $75 to reserve the lines on a Friday or Saturday... read more

Stopped by 10pin for a couple games of bowling on my night in the city. Parking was a pain in the ass, I'll start with that, but it's not their fault. It's however the parking garage is run. Was not a fan. Ok, so the place was pretty fun! Decently priced games and shoe rentals. A very good selection of beer and alcohol. I had the Sam Adam's seasonal and it was nice and tasty. The food was really good too, we got a plate of cookies with shots of milk and a plate of smores....yes, that's right, smores! Graham crackers with some melted chocolate and a toasted marshmallow, served up all fancy and well-presented. I liked the perfect browning on the marshmallows, it made the dish look really good. And it tasted awesome, nice and homey! The bowling was fun too with the big screens and black lights. My only complaint is that the bowling ball selection was very small. I could only use a 15 lb ball because that's the only size with finger holes big enough for my fingers, and I don't even have big hands/fingers. But on the other hand, the ball sizes were consistent - 2 balls minimum of each weight, per rack, so there's plenty of selection and you're not chasing balls all over the place. The bartenders and servers were very fast and accurate with their orders too, that was a nice plus. Front desk staff was nice, and the door man kept the place classy. read more

I came here to bowl on a weekend afternoon with my nieces and nephew, my cousin and her hubs. It was an OK experience. It was more for adults than kids and the person at the desk told me so. They had bumpers for the kids, but they were not retractable so all of us had bumpers for our bowling. This is neither current or upscale. There is no separation between lanes either. Seating is bar-like tables. We ordered sliders and chicken sandwiches. Sliders were OK; chicken was dry. They did go out of their way to get us chocolate milk for the kids. We did have fun, but it was a very expensive afternoon. It was also SWELTERING inside. We asked to have the heat turned down and were told that they didn't have control over the thermostat. read more

As far as bowling goes, it was okay, although the electronic board was not easy to use, many keys had to be hit multiple times just to get it going (maybe it was just the one I was using). Came here for a work function. There were 2 other after work functions going on, it was 98 degrees outside and very stuffy at the lanes as a result... not sure if I can really fault them for how hot it was, but seriously, with as many people as were in there, I think maybe they could have turned the air up a little more. Food... EH! I've had much better, but it was typical bar fare and it was plentiful for our function. Pizza was pretty nasty thoughl Juke box rocks, but it's a $1/song... I guess I'd head back with a group, but I'm not going to rush to make plans and head over any time soon. read more

I really like this place! It is only 21 and over at night, so there are no teens running around. They play pretty good music, though it sometimes goes astray when certain people utilize the video jukebox. They have a fun drink list with lots of interesting martinis, as well as the standard beer, liquor, etc that you would expect of a bowling alley. The food is much better than typical bowling alleys, and this place lacks the greasy bowling alley smell most places have. For being a more upscale bowling alley, it is not too expensive. I always have a fun time place. I am deducting a star, because I got into a screaming match with the manager here once when he refused to give me back the $5 I spent in the jukebox when none of my songs were played. I'm sure the manager was probably just having a bad night (it was Valentine's Day), and I was drunk and also am fortunate enough to not have to work at a bowling alley. Also there can be a long wait on a Friday or Saturday night. read more

Seems like a lot of fellow Yelpers had an awful time here but I thought it was pretty enjoyable. The food and drinks are definitely on the more expensive side but I guess that is what you get for "high-end" bowling. It was $7 per game per person on a Wed and then $3 for shoes. The waitress had a tough time keeping track of our orders and the bill was impossible to split by the end, but I guess that happens. There were some technical problems with the lane (balls stuck, not registering scores, etc), but we were really there to chat not bowl so we weren't too concerned! I don't think I'll be a regular but it was a fun change of pace for a weekday night! read more

Just wanted to say, don't let the photos fool you! This place is a very dark windowless and cold venue which gave off a bad vibe. The skillet cookie I was dying to try was the worst one I've ever had, the cookie had to have been sitting out for DAYS, it was so stale (you know how baked goods taste after they sat out on the counter too long), I could barley get my spoon into it. The atmosphere and food were so depressing we didn't end up bowling. I suppose if your going just to bowl at night it wouldn't be so bad, which is why I gave it 2 stars :) read more

The bowling itself was mostly good--there were very few mechanical problems and no one got beamed by a bowling ball. I had a great time and even managed to get a strike or two. However, this is not the place to go if you are a diehard bowler--its hard to read the marks on the alley, bowling balls have weirdly sized holes (although if you were a diehard, you'd bring your own), and there is not a lot of "elbow room" between lanes and tables. I will say that the shoes here are much nicer than most places, and not red, blue and off-white. Good drink selection, although prices are average to the downtown area ($9.50 martinis), and food is decent enough. Service was decently paced, but not very friendly. read more

Fun and can be cheap. You just need to take advantage of it! Stumbled into here with some friends and were astonished to find that we could bowl, for cheap, in the city. If you live downtown, you realize that to bowl means to spend lots of money. This is probably true for 10pin, but not on Mondays. There are some great deals, cheap shoes and cheap lane rentals. The surprise though was with the food, which was really good for bar/bowling food. Mini Chicago dogs and pulled pork sandwiches were really tasty. And in classic grease sides, they serve tatter tots... The combination of cheap bowling (on Mondays) and good bar/bowling food will bring us back for another Monday showdown. read more

Service was excellent...food was excellent! Great setup, very nice staff. Would go again this trip if we weren't leaving tomorrow! read more

10pin Bowling Lounge - Interesting, fun nightlife in Chicago! - Bowling Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I was hoping to say great things about this place, but our experience was just awful. We came here for a family bowling day and warning be aware of the time you hand your ticket over to the valet/parking garage which is by House of Blues-- there are guys near the front of the 10 PIN, but they work for the Hotel. Trust me if you are a minute over you are NOT paying the discounted rate you actually pay much much more. You have to go up a few flights of stairs and there is a check in. We were surprised to find a Sunday deal which was $15 all you can bowl with Shoe rental until 6pm. we thought this would be a great bargain but little did we know. Our shoes were given to us and they actually were nice bowling shoes. You have to pay first, but be aware.. Dan was charged 36.00 dollars but it should have been 30.00. We called and found out it should be 30 but they pre authorize the 6.00 for tip but if not signed for it will not be taken from your account. just be aware. There are giant TVs in the background playing the football game. It was nice to watch some FB and bowl. There are different sized balls organized by color. We got to our lanes and one of the lanes was not working. It wouldn't take score or let the guys start, so we had to contact the hostess. This is not the only time we contact her. After 20 minutes, we had to move our lanes, thankfully our scores were transferred over. The score would not register a few more times (manual override) and the pins would not reset even in the new lanes. We were playing the unlimited bowling but with stalls in the time we felt we were overpaying for not being able to play at least 2 games. The hostess did extend our time for us to play 3 games. Remember when I said check your time, we were 3 minutes late and the sticker shock made us upset. The 3 hour validation is 14.00 for parking, but if you go even one second over the time on your ticket.. kiss that discount Goodbye. We took two cars and our parking was 36.00 for each car because we were 3 minutes over. If we weren't stalled in our lanes and weren't waiting around we wouldn't have had to pay the outrageous parking fees. I highly recommend taking the Red-line to 10 PIN. read more

I went here with a big group of friends on a Friday night to celebrate mine and another girls birthday. The staff was friendly and quickly accommodated us with two lanes next to each other with plenty of seating for us all. We got our drinks quickly and me and the other birthday girl each got a free shot! My friends ordered the potato skins and the spinach and artichoke dip. Both were given a thumbs up. I got the mac n cheese and it was GREAT!. Very creamy, baked, and had a unique smoky flavor to it. Overall, our group had a great time and stayed till close. NOTE: If you care about how much oil is on the lanes, or whether there are visible marks, etc, etc, then go somewhere else. If you are looking to bowl your first 300, go to your neighborhood alley! read more

So, nerd alert. I like games. So.. convincing the other half to spend an early evening bowling is a win win for me. Granted, he's competitive, and I am not the best bowler, but 10pin made for a great vacation date night activity. The atmosphere is very low key - cool old school music videos play, along with the latest sports news and scores. It's not too crowded, which is great, meaning we had our own bowling lane without big groups of people getting into our personal space. The waitress service is nice, and they even reset the games for you. That said, getting the check at the end that includes drinks, food, and the games, is a bit of a trick if you tip on the game price too. Or, it makes waitressing at 10pin worth it. All in all, clean, nice, bowling alley that does not live up to the cheesy fame you may assume most bowling alleys are known for. read more

I've been here a bunch of times and prefer it Lucky Strike which is a nightmare of lengthy waits and bad service. 10pin is the opposite. Monday nights are great for cheap bowling, and the former promotion of 'Girls Night Out' was a big hit with me and my friends -- there were 6 of us, and 4 of us won raffle prizes. The food is good but not spectacular, and the drinks are a bit pricy. Good service, attentive without being annoying, which is a plus. The biggest problem I've had is that the lanes constantly seem to malfunction. It's annoying to have to wait for your lane to be reset, but 5 times in 3 hours? Loved the crowd, the video screens and the music video juke box that had a surprisingly diverse selection for a bowling alley - Ben Kweller! That was pretty sweet. I always have a good time here, I just think they could do things a bit better. read more

Eh, nothing to write home about. It's small, dark, and the food is just so-so. The service was the same. read more

Decent place to go bowling. The lanes are nice with large tv/projectors above the pins. I was here for an event and the service wasn't great. I only noticed one person taking drink orders and serving them. It seemed there were very large gaps of time between seeing her. The night we were there we had pizza. I was excited at first because I really wanted pizza. I was pretty disappointed in it. It was greasy and messy and didn't taste very good. I was really hungry so I ate it anyway. Despite the food and service, I had a lot of fun bowling! read more

We came in on a rainy day to hang out before our flight back to TX. The place was completely empty but it was a great way to kill a little time. Cosmic bowling is fun and it's pretty cheap. If you check in you get a free cookie skillet with ice cream! It's clean, staff is friendly and attentive, and it does not smell like smoke. I would recommend this if you've got a little extra time or need to wait out some bad weather in Downtown Chicago. read more

10pin Bowling Lounge - Cosmic Bowling - Bowling Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I came here twice. Once with my girlfriend to try their all-you-can-bowl (for an hour or two) and had a good time. Later on, came with some other friends and we paid for two hours. The latter time cost around $140 for two hours for 4 people, shoes included. Nice ambience. Great for casual players such as myself. I had a nice time and the service was fast and friendly as well. Will recommend! read more

My family literally played 1 game for $53. If they charged by the game it would be worth it but they charge by the hour and literally put a family next to us to slow us down when multiple lanes were available. We also paid 12 bucks for a hamburger when I can take all 3 of us out to a nice Mexican meal for another 25 bucks. This place is a gross establishment thats is ridiculously over priced. read more

Came here with 2 friends for a private event, and we had a wonderful time! The shoes were comfortable and clean, and the lanes were well-stocked with a good selection of ball weights. Our lane never had any malfunctions, which was a pleasant surprise. The atmosphere was very welcoming, with a good mix of music being played and videos being shown on the screens. Our waitress was at our table immediately to ask if we wanted drinks, and she checked on us frequently to make sure we always had what we needed -- and the drinks were relatively cheap for River North! I can't comment on the price of bowling here, though, as our event tickets included unlimited games during the course of the night. All in all, I'd definitely love to come back here again if I ever get the chance! read more

I like the low key vibe of this place. The lanes look vintage, the black light is fun and the prices are very reasonable. It is also conveniently located near public transit and a busy cab area. The food is good too, but it's bar food not very healthy yet still very tasty. Great place to bring a date, or hang out with friends and family. read more

I LOVE BOWLING.... even though I ROYALLY SUCK at it! On that note... This is a good place for some fun at a great price. Service for drinks while you are in the bowling lanes is poignant and the atmosphere is new-age retro. I truly enjoy myself and I think you will too! Go check it out... and invite me... hardly anybody I hang out with likes to bowl. Lame. read more

2 hours of unlimited games for $25/person. A really good deal for a small party. We had a lot of fun!!

Cassie has been a great server; really on top of things and getting us what we need! It was easy to make a reservation and we are really enjoying our night out! read more

10pin Bowling Lounge - Enjoying a night out! - Bowling Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Bowling was fun. However, I had paid $200+ for a Groupon that I couldn't access, so I paid cash. Since I had my children with me and they were excited about bowling I didn't want to disappoint them. The next day I was able to access the Groupon so I returned to the location. The gentleman at the front desk was VERY HELPFUL. He took my info, scanned my Groupon ( which meant at this point they had been paid TWICE) and said the owners would call me regarding my refund. I explained I was visiting from another state, thanked him and left. After leaving several messages, I finally gave up. The owners never contacted me and I never received my refund. So I paid $500+ for 2 hours of bowling (no lunch) for 7 people. Management really got over on this one. read more

This is definitely a place where bowling isn't taken seriously-or about as seriously as you can take bowling anyway. I've only been here on Monday where the deal can't be beat. Others have already mentioned it but $1 shoes and $2 dollar games is a GREAT deal for bowling. I would give this place more stars but there's no such thing as a free lunch-there's always a catch. The alcohol in a place like this is going to at a premium no more than say any other trendy kind of spot. The atmosphere is really fun though it's hilarious to see people randomly start dancing before or after they bowl badly. I have no idea what the regular prices are but Monday nights are a great time for sure. read more