This old school bowling alley is lots of fun for groups. We had a group coming together from out of town and had a team bonding event. My favorite part of bowling was being able to customize faces with the score boards. The staff was fun with their straightforward approach. read more

Garden Bowl - Bowling Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

It's a fun place to be but they HAVE to get the score boards working. Did a league bowl for 2 months and had to cancel 3 weeks because they can't get the score boards working. the thing gives everyone strikes no matter what you bowl. Do better. read more

One of my favorite places in midtown! Take the q line to the stadium from here and when you come back grab your slice of pizza for $3 here! The bowling is so fun, and you can even catch a free show sometimes. Def an awesome place. read more

Went bowling here with my family. We had fun and played two great games . We went early on a Saturday and reserved a lane for two hours to enjoy the afternoon it gets packed in here pretty fast we ordered a pizza it was okay not great and some Lemonade and enjoyed the time. They have a full bar and The staff was friendly the ambiance was okay. Kind of felt unsafe as the night progressed. But they do have security. read more

Garden Bowl - Bowling lanes - Bowling Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

The cost for bowling is a little Much, but I love the atmosphere, especially when there is live music in front by Sgt. Pepperoni's Pizza! read more

Garden Bowl - Scratch n' Snuffs from Pittsburgh - Bowling Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

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Very few people there during the day, on a weekday. Easy bowling. Day drinks were fine. Bartender was nice.

Such a fun place to do something wholesome with friends or family! When you walk in there's pizza and food to one side and a bar to the other. There's lots of seating near the bar so if you get some food you'll have a place to sit. The food was really good! We got a veggie pesto and Detroit bbq pizza. Both were amazing! The veggie pesto was very flavorful and all the toppings were great. The pizza was greasy but I think that's the best part. The bbq pizza was Smokey and had lots of bbq sauce. The wings were very small and not the most flavorful but still good. The ranch was great to use as a dipping side. The bowling lanes are so fun! They have fun lights on all the time and great music. The lanes have seating and a little table nearby for food and drinks. The service here is great! Everyone is really kind and helpful. We asked to remove one lane from our reservation and the staff gladly took off the lane and refunded the money. read more

Garden Bowl - a bowling alley with bowling lanes - Bowling Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

Love this place. Are the lanes good? No, and that's when they're available. Is the pizza greasy as hell? Yes. But twice there's been a bowling pin art show here and how many other bowling alleys can we say that about? read more

Garden Bowl - Bowling Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

Parking lot is located in the back; you'll find an entrance back there. I believe the game was about $25 per lane/hr. Comfortable bowling atmosphere. 6 people can bowl per lane & you have some pretty cool customization options. You can play different games and watch your characters interact on the screen. read more

I came here on a Monday afternoon. Place was empty. I can see it getting pretty busy at other times. Cool vibes. They had the lanes decorated with Halloween stuff which was cute. The Staff was friendly. I would go back if I was in downtown Detroit. read more

Garden Bowl - bowling lanes and disco ball - Bowling Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

Fun atmosphere, but bowling prices are a little on the high side. Also, don't like the ball returns are on every other lane, so you are either walking in someone's game or their walking into yours. The lanes come fashioned with about 2 balls of every size/weight, with huge finger holes, so anyone could use any ball. No lane server/service, so you had to get your own drinks. I thoroughly enjoyed myself because I paid for nothing :) read more

Garden Bowl - Bowling Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

Cute bowling alley. I came on a Monday night and they had bingo in the front. I think because of bingo, the bowling alley couldn't have music. Even when bowling was done, no music. I do think the space is super cute though. Our lane messed up a few times and slipped frames for some people but we were able to get someone to reset it, was just annoying to have it happen often. Mozzarella sticks were terrible. Bartender was nice. read more

Super fun bowling alley in a historic building in downtown Detroit! Staff was very friendly and accommodating. Doesn't seem like this is a place for professional bowlers, but it's the perfect atmosphere for a casual time with friends. There's also a pizza restaurant and bar attached to the entrance! Bowling is a little on the pricier side, but it's an experience worth checking out at least once! read more

Garden Bowl - bowling lanes and neon lights - Bowling Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

Penny had to. Best server ever. So cool cool best experience. Loved it so much!!! We had had the best greeting n service!

They set our small company up with everything we would need to have a holiday party. The package included lane and shoe rental as well as breadsticks pizza and soda for all of us to enjoy. read more

Visited on Black Friday after we had struck out with a bad experience at a highly suggested local favorite in corktown, and Garden Bowl saved the day! A punk rock bowling alley in a historic building, complete with cheap drinks and a snack bar. We had so much fun!!! read more

Garden Bowl - Loved the old school signage inside Garden Bowl! - Bowling Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

What a BLAST!!!!! I happened to have the day off for President's Day and he surprised me by getting off work early so we could spend most of the day together. He has been wanting to go bowling for months now, so we decided to head downtown and check out the Garden Bowl. Garden Bowl is an old school bowling alley attached to the Majestic Theater. What the place lacks in upgrades, the vibe and atmosphere makeup the difference. We decided to rent a lane for an hour. The cost was super cheap....under $10 for the rental and shoes. We made our way to the lane and let the competition commence! haha To be honest, I am not the best bowler, but we had such a great time. We spent so much time laughing, and joking around that I'm surprised we were able to finish our games. I will not brag about my score (under 100) but he did fantastic. I was impressed :) We ordered a few drinks and a shot at the bar to celebrate his win! The bar is fully stocked and has Happy Hour specials. If you are in the mood for food, I did see patrons enjoying some pizza. We will most definitely be back and I plan to beat his high score. Next time, I promise, the drinks will be on him! lol read more

Garden Bowl - Bowling Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

I went here on Saturday as they were part of the Metro Detroit Brunch I attended. My friends and I had a great time and really enjoyed that we could take pictures of ourselves and it would pop up when we bowl. The pictures would also be used after you bowled to create little cartoons. I thought the lanes were nice as well. My only complaint is that there is normally a ball holder for two lanes and this one was for four. It was kind of annoying that people would have to cross your lane when you were about to bowl in order to get their ball. Other than that I really enjoyed myself and was glad I got to visit the oldest bowling alley in Michigan. I will definitely be back. read more

Old school. Very old, as in established in 1912. The facade and inside are a little disheveled, but hey it's bowling do you really need much to be happy? Hope not. They've got the critical elements covered: a handy bar that'll serve you pitchers, a pizza stand next door that brings you pies, a computerized scoring system, and friendly staff that happily gives you ratty shoes and a glass of water for your hangover with a smile. Sure it's not the champagne of bowling, but it's downtown Detroit and this old Mom and Pop has somehow managed to hang on... For that alone I salute you Mr. Bowling Alley Owner guy. read more

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The garden bowl is the place to be on the weekend. My group of friends and I really like getting together and going bowling, but our local place was closing, and honestly, way more lame than the garden bowl. This place is a great stop, a lot of young people like to go in, and they stay open until 2:00. The pizza at Sargent Pepperoni's is phenomenal and there's a bar inside. The bowling is paid for by the hour and there are lots of fun ways to customize the screens (which my friends and I enjoy far too much). Whoever the DJ was killed it, they had a great playlist. I've never had a bad time at the garden bowl and it's a great spot to hang! read more

Garden Bowl - Bowling Alley - Bowling Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

Garden Bowl is basically a landmark in the city of Detroit. Something around long before "New Detroit" took over. The staff is a little rough around the edges at times, straightforward and to the point, and even a bit snarky at times. I don't mean any of those things to be negative however, this is a truly old school dive style staple in the city. This is the place you go to grab a pitcher of beer and be left alone to bowl. read more

Garden Bowl - Bowling Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

SUCH A DISAPPOINTMENT!!!! I visited the Garden Bowl over the weekend during what seemed to be a slow time (before 4pm on a Saturday). However my little person and I were unable to bowl even though there were 8 EMPTY lanes that were not in use. The workers excuse was that they needed empty lanes between the birthday parties just in case the lanes died since they had no mechanic on duty. REALLY?? You have 3 lanes in use for parties and even if all 3 somehow by an act of God stopped working there are lanes left. I asked again. In worse case scenario, if a lane breaks down there are 4 lanes in between 2 birthday parties & your telling me my toddler can't bowl for an hour. They weren't even crowded. To top if off he blew me off to help a guy with getting concerts tickets even though I was there 1st. I had to keep my composure because I didn't want my child to see mommy flip out. So we left and my child was very, very disappointed. I couldn't even explain it because there were empty lanes. Now my idea was that he was a dick because I had a gift certificate (he wouldn't make any money). However, we bowl frequently & had it been worth the trip I would have brought my little one back. But I'm recommending this place to anybody. He was a smuck & I am still amazed at his justification for not allowing us to bowl. I will be writing the owner because this does not sit well with me at all. read more

Ah the Garden Bowl. I think the people who love the place do so for one of two reasons (or possibly both) - nostalgia, or the fact that there's not a whole lot of bowling available in the area. In fairness, it's not a bad place. The lanes and score keeping machines are nice and new, plenty of bowling balls to choose from, the place is fairly well kept and not grimey, game prices aren't crazy. But in the end, it's just a typical bowling alley with a slightly overpriced bar. Like the place itself, the bar/counter service isn't bad per se, but it's really nothing to get excited about. Kudos to them for standing the test of time. Definitely admirable. It's not the first thing that comes to mind when thinking of things to do in Detroit, but a good afternoon can be had here from time to time, and that's good enough for me. read more

Once you talk smart to me the experience goes downhill from there. I would hope the sharp tongue I experienced by the smart mouth bartender would be yielded to all regardless of race, but from watching the mixologist with other people I don't think so. I was sick the day I visited and was in need of libations that could warm my aching throat. Upon sharing this knowledge with shall we call him smart mouth I was told Rite-Aid is up the street. Thank you oh wise one...but I am standing here in front of you. I have a three strike rule when visiting establishments. You get three chances to show what you got. The bartended was snappy and tart. I will chalk my experience up to the fact that I was cranky and ill. Maybe another visit will prove me wrong about this visit. I will go to the establishment again because I want to make sure I judge fairly. I will share how it goes. read more

Garden Bowl - The cafe side of things.. - Bowling Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

I have been to the Garden Bowl a number of times and I love it, so I decided to bring a group this past weekend. I was really disappointed, please continue reading IF you intend to bring a group..... I had set up a group function for 3 hours, to include bowling, shoes, pizza, salad and pop. I was told it would all be set up before we arrived and to talk to the person at the counter for all needs. He was clearly spread too thin and my requests for direction, food, assistance was met with a long wait, making it very difficult for me to host my group, as I was trying to take care of things I would hope the lanes would take care of. If I were to bring a group again, I would keep a couple things in mind: - choose lanes close to the counter (easier to get to the bar quicker and when you need to get assistance with the lanes breaking down). - bring sanitizer for hands and table coverings for the tables - they are not all that clean. - the specialty pizzas are great, i would def suggest them. - the food tables are set up just behind the lanes, so there is no indication it is for a specific group. I had 2 ppl ask if it was complimentary for all :( May want to bring something to designate your group. - plan on NO ASSISTANCE and whatever you get will be a bonus. The dj was very good, but the music was VERY loud and it made normal conversation/socializing difficult for a group. All in all, my group had a very good time, but truthfully, I didnt. I was very disappointed and almost embarrassed. read more

If you want a good bowling experience, I don't recommend coming here. I get that this is one of the oldest bowling allies in Michigan, but it's not excuse to give my personal ball about 4 chips in the return machine. Most of the time, only 9 pins would be set up at the start of a frame, even with resetting it a few times. Pizza's good, but the actual bowling part could use some polishing. read more

Man this is the perfect midtown spot. It could b a whole party going on upstairs & the amazing looking bowling alley, bar area & food area will b undisturbed. The pizza great, midtown staple. The look is so retro. It's cool for a chill date night, for your family, by yourself, whatever. Prolly the coolest spot n midtown. The prices of the beer jus pretty whack. I feel like that should b priced better & the bar area would go crazier. Like you look @ the beer chalkboard & it's like those could b a dollar or 2 less for a bowling alley bar dang. Anyway the aesthetic is amazing & it's the only place in Detroit like this. 5 outta 5 except that beer situation. I go here all the time but drink @ checker bar. read more

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For such an old place its not bad. I wouldn't pick to come here if there is a better place. I have been here twice. One time was at night and it was dark. In the dark it was pretty awesome. I didn't feel that it was old and run down. It is fun with a large group and alcohol. I came here yesterday and it was in the early afternoon with small group. It is pretty cheap and you don't have to rent shoes if your shoes have rubber soles! Yippie! Who wants to wear shoes everyone wears?! EW! Our lane broke down a couple times. Probably cut into our 1 hour play time. =[ I like that this is part of history. read more

Beautiful place great food safe and fun I will always visit here I love it wonderful people ... I will tell all my family about this place

Detroit's Garden Bowl , inside of the Majestic Theater Complex, is the oldest active bowling center in the United States. So, simply for that fact you should check this place out. More specifically, the Garden Bowl is one of those "it" places in Detroit where locals, college students, hip-hoppers, and local and national musicians more come to roll a few games and slug a few beers. ( Um, Conan O'Brien bowled here once!!!) Located on Woodward by the Detroit Medical Center, The Garden Bowl not only offers bowling, and a full stocked bar, on any given night they offer live d.j's spinning a variety of jams, shows every now and again, free WI-FI and rummage sales. Since 1913 the Garden bowl has been a vein to the heart of Detroit and I'm sure will be for many many years to come. read more

Garden Bowl is a local's bowling alley. I say that with appreciation as the place seems lived in and really enjoyed by Detroiters. I have visited the place first to see a show at the Majestic and then one at the Magic Stick upstairs, but this past Saturday was my first experience bowling. We were there for a friend's birthday and she was able to reserve 5 or 6 lanes side by side, which made everything much easier to coordinate. We were able to bring cupcakes in no problem, and the birthday party next to us, also adults, even brought birthday balloons. Lanes are good, really fun night lights going on, with fine quality balls and machines. The customer service was standard, and I ordered my shoes, a pitcher of beer, and a pepperoni pizza at three separate counters. I would definitely return if I am in Detroit and in the mood for some bowling. Parking on the street nearby is no problem and there is a parking garage nearby, too. Pizza was nothing to write home about, but they have a good selection of draft beer you can order in pitchers. read more

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Very cramped bowling alley. Reset button for our lane was not working. Calling the service desk through the machine did not work. Lanes are not split between each other as in the other lane you share with strangers are constantly touching your ball and crossing over into your lane. Annoying. If you're looking for bowling go elsewhere. read more

My company rented out the Garden Bowl for a work lunch outing, and it was awesome. Yea it's old and the bathrooms reak of "bar bathroom" but the music is good and loud, the lanes are well-kept and the bartenders pour a good drink. Oh, and glow bowling! Did you know bowling is actually a huge sport in Michigan? It's cheesy, but once you get into it, it's really fun - especially in groups. It's in a great location, and I just love the crowd that can be found there at any given time. It's a melting pot of the city. read more

Garden Bowl - Garden Bowl at night. - Bowling Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

Oh I love it here. I score high, I love the decor, the neon balls, the craft beer, the pizza place adjoined. It really doesn't get any better than this folks. Bring your sweetie for a romantic evening date, lace up your shoes, grab a brew and a slice, and let the pins drop. It's simple, adequately priced, nostalgic, and comfortable. You can't go wrong. It's low tech-the way we like it :) read more

In January we had a bowling party for my 4-year old at the Garden Bowl. For $10.50 a kid, we were to receive "2 hours of bowling plus Sgt. Pepperoni's pizza, salad, soda, balloons and a souvenir bowling pin that can be signed by all the kids at the party" (per the website). Don't get me wrong, everyone had a great time, but we certainly did not receive everything we paid for. We got our pizza, but we did not get any salad (pop was supposed to be included, but we asked not to get the pop, as these were 4-year olds, but we didn't get any kind of discount either). We were told we would get balloons for decorations, there were none. We were also supposed to get a souvenir bowling pin, which was never offered to us. I had asked for a second table so the kids could have a place to sit together, and that was not provided even though I was told it wouldn't be a problem. We were never offered the use of the special ramps to help the kids bowl easier, until I noticed them behind some junk in the corner and grabbed them. I had to put them together myself, but whatever, even that wasn't a big deal. I regret not taking note of all this until after we left the party, but as you can imagine, I was busy with the kids the whole time and didn't get time to notice it. Less than a week later I emailed the manager and the person I set up the party with about what happened, and was there any way we could get a gift certificate, or AT LEAST the souvenir bowling pin. I got no response. It's been over 3 months, and nothing. Did the kids have fun? Yes, Did they notice all the things we didn't get? No. But that doesn't matter. The fact that they couldn't even bother to reply to me shows a huge lack of customer service, they got my money, so why bother trying to make things right? I won't be having any more birthday parties at the Garden Bowl, and will let my friends with kids know about our experience so they don't make the same mistake I did. read more

Students attending (Charles R. Drew Transition Center) have been coming to the Garden Bowl for the past two years, and they always have a great time. However, today (8-2-2022) was a big disappointment. Although inside there is a sign that says "All are Welcome", the staff was not very welcoming to our students with exceptionalities. In saying this, as educators we are trying to take our students to non-judgmental places for learning. This process of humanization can be tremendously helpful in boosting their self-esteem, independence, and life-skills. We will not be returning to this facility. read more

What a total blast. Music jamming. Service was great. Bowling was so much fun, and I hate to bowl. Music, bar, full house, bowling. Seriously a great time. read more

The whole Majestic Complex was always a go-to spot for me, but since I met Craig at the Garden Bowl, it's become my home base. Yeah, the way we met was, I was at the GB with Tait and Lee, two people I always talk to at the Belmont and other bars, but people I had never hung out with. I can't even remember how we ended up together. So we were sitting at the corner table nearest to Sgt. Pepperoni's and I saw this hot guy in jeans, a blazer and a scarf. I got up and walked into the café, so I could look at him again, twice, once going in and again coming back. Craig says I gave him the "buffalo eyes," and whatever that means, I guess I did. But he did, too, so I went up to him and said, "Were you looking at me?" And he said, "You were looking at me." We agreed we were looking at each other, started talking and then when I was about to say my name, his friend said, "You're Liz Hill." WTF?? How did he know that? He said his ex-girlfriend went to my high-school and I was on her MySpace. Okay... But just cause I'm a peripheral "friend" of hers on MySpace, how does he know exactly who I am. Whatever. We exchanged numbers and parted ways, and stupidly, I started texting him that night, begging him to "hang out" -- stupid!! He was already at home, but he said he probably would have met me for "another drink" if he hadn't been. Long story short, we're coming up on 10 months, so YAY GARDEN BOWL!! We still come here all the time, flitting between the café, the new Alley Deck, and the Garden Bowl. And I do occasionally bowl, though it's a bit expensive, so we wait till someone we know will let us bowl for free. (I know it's a bit unethical, but on weekend nights, it's like $20/hour!) I just love the divey-ness of this place, juxtaposed with the classiness of the café next door, and how you can just go in between them all night. (And physically in between the two is a breezeway where I always pick up extra MyTimes, The Detroit News' Thursday insert, so I can save my clips. They have Metro Times and Real Detroit, too.) And though it's loud, it's so perfectly punk when there is some weird band playing at top volume right on the floor of the bar. Cheap beer, cheap pizza at Sgt. Pepperoni's, variety of atmosphere, free wi-fi, Virginia and Sparkles bartending --- ahhh, lovely Garden Bowl. read more

This place is literally the worst. Service is beyond terrible. No one greets you. Been coming here for 12 years. The last 3 times I've been here has made me decided to not give them my business anymore. The bartenders do not pay attention. You can stand at the bar for 10 mins without anyone greeting you. They cannot multitask. Seems like none have been trained. Josh is always nice and extremely helpful but sucks the other employees are dead weight. Hire new staff and train them about attentiveness, drinks and multitasking. read more

Water and drinks are generally cheaper than upstairs at the Magic Stick during shows. The seating area has been updated since I was last here with cute tables that have bowling pin legs. My group recently had issues with one lane not keeping score or resetting properly, which can be annoying when paying by the hour. I'm a gutterball bowler, so I can't say much about the quality of the bowling experience. If you're hungry you can get food at Sgt. Pepperoni's or Majestic Cafe. There's a paid parking lot behind the venue, and metered parking on Woodward and Alexandrine. read more