We met up with another family to go bowling and our kids (and us parents) had a blast here! It was brightly lit, the music was family friendly, the prices were reasonable. We ordered some pizzas a couple pitchers of soda and everyone had an awesome time. We'll be returning in the future! read more

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I have grown up in Iowa City and since I was born, I remember Colonial Bowling Lanes being around. I've been to Colonial Bowling Lanes a handful of times in my life and have never had a bad time. Whether bowling or miniature golfing or just meeting friends for a drink and playing on the arcade machines, Colonial Bowling Lanes offers a variety of activities for all ages. They also have a small kitchen inside for guests to order food. Staff is always friendly and helpful. I definitely recommend everyone to check out bowling or miniature golfing at Colonial Bowling Lanes! Good times!! read more

Colonial Bowling Lanes - Bowling Near Me - Iowa City, Iowa

Bowling was great lots fun Food was not so great wouldn't order anything off menu again Ordered mini corn dogs , hotdogs , fries fried pickles and more nothing tasted very good read more

They combine your food no matter how many order of something you get. For example you order 3 small fries they will make them one basket as an order... like wtf... it was the weird situation ever then the cook threw tantrum he combined our fries 3 orders, onion rings 2 orders and fried mushrooms 2 orders as 1 order each... read more

They are open, and have lots of things to do aside from bowling. Let's get into this, On vacation from Seattle we came in to bowl, they are open however the kitchen is closed. They still have pizza available. The full bar was nice we did have a few drinks with 2 games. After bowling we moved on to the mini golf. Wow such a cool idea to have the mini golf there. The place was not very organized however it was clean. We seen the staff sanitize after all the bowlers. They are following all the COVID guidelines I believe for this state. They do require masks at all times. They have some nice restrooms. All in all great place that was loads of fun! Do keep in mind it's cash only. read more

Colonial Bowling Lanes - Bowling Near Me - Iowa City, Iowa

I went to Colonial Lanes on a Friday, the week before Christmas and it was JAM PACKED WITH DRUNKS! And I was with a group trying to celebrate my friend's birthday. When we went to the guy at the counter he made us pay twice for some reason? We are trying to get a lane for our selves but there was six groups ahead of us. So we did put-put. That COURSE is so DEPRESSING! It is not fun. There are 18 holes, 4 of them have no obstacles, they are just straight. To be honest I don't know how they are still in business!!! read more

This is your All American bowling alley. The place is clean for a bowling alley. The rental shoes are very well kept and clean. Many different pick a ball options. League nights are fun and well organized. The staff is nice as hell. Scoring is electronic with some great motivational cartoons that appear no matter how good or bad you are. Here's a tip, this place is cash only. Pro shop work is available. Bar and snack shop available. Juke box available for Rec bowling, but turned way down for leagues. Go have fun and roll! read more

Colonial Bowling Lanes - Lane #3 - Bowling Near Me - Iowa City, Iowa

best bowling in town, drinks are well priced. the vibe is immaculate. old style bowling alley with nice people working. quick to help & always in a good mood. read more

Cash only, decent prices ($2 for shoe rental--some looked brand new, but mine were kinda gross--and $4 per person per game), fun atmosphere. The bowling balls were all super heavy and big for me (yes, I am a weakling with small hands), which wasn't a problem I'd expected. Maybe they had a kid's section that I totally overlooked? Weird, but the bathrooms were nicer than I expected. Food looked great--I didn't order any, but many people in my group inhaled a variety of fried food items and looked very pleased with their life choices. I will continue to live vicariously through them and say that the mozzarella sticks looked especially enticing. They also have a lot of drink options (jello shots, anyone?), so a trip here can definitely morph into a fun-packed alcohol-infused evening, for those old enough to imbibe. The place was absolutely packed on a Saturday night with a blend of college students, families, and some older groups. People coming in after 8pm or so had to wait for others to finish up their games, so plan accordingly. My husband and I both rented shoes and played two games a piece for a total of $20 on the dot, which isn't bad for a date night, but it could potentially start to add up if you're super into bowling and play quite a few games. All in all, worth a trip! read more

Nostalgic fun for all ages! Come here with a good attitude--and cash--and you should have a great time at Colonial Lanes. We've lived in the area over three decades and came with both our kids and now the grandchildren. Remember the old bumpers so there were no gutter balls? Those have been replaced by modern bumpers that can go up or down, depending on the skill level of the bowler. It's all automated these days. Funny pix and sayings display on the monitor if you don't manage to hit any of the pins, which takes a bit of the sting out of it; encouraging messages pop up if you hit a strike. We've had birthday parties here, always a huge hit with the kids. The food is good--just simple stuff and mostly fried, but that works with the casual vibe here. Even got an adorable cake from Adam at Tip Top Cakes (in Coralville) with a pink bowling ball on top for a granddaughter's party! The employees we've encountered have been universally polite and helpful. Bring socks, but if you forget, they have some for sale. The prices are reasonable, the place is clean, and the lanes are well-maintained. If you haven't been in a while, bring the family and give it a try! I'll "spare" you any more details...so come experience Colonial Lanes for yourself. read more

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My family had a wonderful time with my Grandson bowling and miniature golf and playing games. He is almost five years old!

For how the outside looks, it's actually pretty sweet! Lots of lanes, decent bar food and many of the cheesy, classic bowling arcade games that remind you of childhood! A highlight was the merry go round that had definitely been purchased when a chuck-e-cheese or billy bob's went out of business. Cash only was a definite negative. read more

This is a place for family has games, golf, and other things. They have good shoes to rent, not too worn. House balls could be better. Scoring system is smooth. Staff was good. Lanes are good, not too dry or slippery just right. Place looks a little dates but it works. read more

(Mary Had A Little Lamb Remix ft. Colonial Bowling Lanes) Colonial has bowling lanes, Bowling lanes, bowling lanes. Colonial has bowling lanes, Its carpet is red as roses. And ev'ry ball that Colonial has, Colonial has, Colonial has. Ev'ry ball that Colonial has, Is way too heavy for me. I rented the shoes one day, Shoes one day, shoes one day. I rented the shoes one day, And now I want to burn my socks. But it's still my favorite bowling alley, Bowling alley, bowling alley. It's still my favorite bowling alley, In Iowa City. So I recommend Colonial Lanes, Colonial Lanes, Colonial Lanes. So I recommend Colonial Lanes, Just don't forget the cash. read more

My fiancé and I spent an evening here. Awesome prices & tons of fun! Definitely coming back with friends!

Such a fun place. I always have a great time at the mini golf. The holes are difficult but not too difficult. Great place for little kids

Caveat: This review is of the bar not the actual bowling lanes, though those are fine, too. OMG! We stumbled on this bar when we went bowling and loved it so much we dragged our buddies all there and they loved it, too. Granted, we all have a thing for really retro townie bars in the manner that only pretentious grad students can muster, but it was still great. The bar area is separated from the bowling alley and enclosed in its own private, darkened space...with music, of course. It looks like it hasn't be updated since the 1950's. So totally retro we felt like brat pack members sitting around the bar. There are tables and darts and whatevs but the bar mojo is where it's at. Prices are reasonable and, get this, a full stack of Jell-O shots in flavor varieties. I thought Jell-O shots only came out at the bars around Wrigley before games! But, we had to chose Caucasian so we could channel the Dude. Now you go and do the same. (Oh, there is food. You have to order at the counter inside but they will bring it to you.) read more

Very family friendly and nice staff. Plenty of space for all to enjoy. We will be back!

Cash only!!! And they do have an ATM. $2 for shoe rental. $4 for each game per person. They were fast and efficient, explained everything to us. It was really nice that there wasn't a time limit (like other places I've been to) and that the bumpers can go up and down depending on who wants it or not. The downside was that there weren't a lot of balls that were "light" and a couple of times balls did not get returned. I also tried their food court and I thought the service was great and food was pretty good and affordable. read more

The balls kept getting stuck in the gutters and the workers did not come to our assistance

The outside looks great as you drive up, but that ends the appeal of the place. Once you get inside you feel like you got put in a time machine back to 1970 and not in a good way. All the systems feel very old and clunky. The staff looked very unhappy to be there, They looked like they were counting down the minutes on the clock until they could leave. The prices were very steep for such a dump of an establishment. It's easy to say I will never be going back. read more

Nice job. We did the mini golf and had a great waste of fun. There was a lot of wood chips and stuff on the golf course so that added a nice little challenge. The bathrooms were nice and clean and there was some nice locker room talk going on. read more

Great staff, lots of arcade games and putt putt along with darts and billiards! The food is good and there's lots of fun to be had here! You may not think so when you pull in but you won't be disappointed! read more

A group of my friends came to have some fun bowling as a bonding experience for our organization-- the Indian Student Alliance. The minute we walked on, we were verbally attacked by a woman who works at the concession stand in the bowling alley and were treated as we were foreigners. This behavior is unacceptable by your workers, HOWEVER your manager is very friendly and understanding. read more

A good place for bowling with your friends and family members. However, you are not allowed to bring any food or drinks of any kind in it, which is odd to me. $2for a pair of bowling shoes, $4/game. read more

Best night of my life. Jell-o shots and raw chicken were absolutely stellar. Went to the Dairy Queen afterwards, also blew my mind, and I'm not easily impressed. read more

The building and the lanes are dated. If you're in a league the lanes are not that great. If you come to have a family night it is a good place. They offer darts, pool, putt-putt, arcades, and bowling all in one place. The food is pretty good too. Remember to bring cash as that is all they take. There is an available if you forget the cash. read more

Pretty empty during the daytime, which I love. Has pool tables, a small bar, arcade games and miniature golf. Awesome place for a city that doesn't have much to do. Beer is cheap and games are decently priced but the lanes aren't as slick as other bowling alleys. The service from people at counter could have been better. read more

Staff is attentive, but clearly hate their jobs. Lots of disgruntled employee talk. Further, the bar lists "Happy Hour" at 3 - 6. I stopped in on a Monday at 5:00 p.m., went into the bar, there was no bartender. I waited 15 minutes and then left without ever seeing a staff member. read more

The building is a little dated, but has a good selection of things to do from basic bowling to arcade games and miniature golf. A good family/group facility. The mini gold is not challenging or eye appealing with mostly just plain holes. The house bowling balls are a little worn. Many have finger hole inserts. Lanes are in good shape and lighting is good. The locker room is clean and the staff is very friendly. read more

Awesome bowling alley, with putt putt, pool, darts, arcade games, a pro shop (complete with the classic Lustre Kleen machine). My only complaint? I wish they'd bring back the Klement sausage (weasel peters and tally whackers in particular). If you're lucky, you may see notorious past bowlers such as Kamshaft E or Travis Big Hook S. Ryan 'always in the pocket' C also has been spotted lately. read more

First visit to Colonial Lanes tonight and was pleasantly surprised by the general atmosphere, but we repeatedly caught the slimey guys at the cash register filming us on their phones while we were bowling. As the only girls in the place already, it was very unsettling and at times we all felt violated. read more

The service was terrible everyone was mean and short and rude. We came in wanting to bowl and were watched the entire time, never come here!

The lanes are older but okay. The employees are super rude and really stuck up. They bowl in the leagues and try to tell everyone how it is going to be. They are not friendly at all. The only employees that were friendly were working in the kitchen. They are super slow at repairing the bowling lanes and my ball has come back several times with chunks taken out and large scratches. It takes months to get them to fix the damage since there is rarely anyone in the repair shop. Prices also went up a lot this year while nothing has changed to fix any of the current or older problems. read more

I use a 4 wheel walker, they were kind, helpful and had no problem with me using the walker on the lanes! My nieces and Newphew and I had a great time! read more

I used to like bowling here but then when I returned here after a while of not coming here they add a jukebox now how dumb was that I don't want to listen to music while I bowl because it is a distraction I don't need when I bowl. Basically it ruins my bowling game while it plays music and that annoys me and ruins my experience. read more