Man, I felt so special when they called my name on the loud speaker. I know it was just to come pickup my curly fries, but it felt like a call from above. read more

This place has horrible customer service I called for a week straight to make a reservation for my mother's birthday I was constantly told to call back. I finally went in to make my reservation in person and spoke with Mary Ann who said she would put me in the book. When my party arrived we were told she had no knowledge even though we spoke the night before. I would not recommend this place to anyone. read more

I can't believe the disrespect that my class experienced while being there. NEVER AGAIN WORST EXPERIENCE EVER. Burnt food Spoken to rudely Disrespected DISGUSTING!!!! read more

The one star says enough. I would like to take this time and expand on what its a one star night. First lets with the check in process. The lady told us we can wear our own shoes. No warning of falls etc. So bowl at your own risk. Coming in with a group of 18 we should have been properly helped. The mechanical issues. Between 4 lines we had 15. Count them. Absolutely horrid. Even when we paid for unlimited bowling for 2 HOURS. Food counter was a laugh and a half. More when i tell you the story. One of my party wanted GRILLED cheese. She said she had to put it in a FRYER. Then she wanted to pay for it. She was told that she couldnt because she was counting money. This place is a joke. Never again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The management needs to change the name from melody lanes to purgetory lanes read more

Came here with a group of friends for Midnight Bowl, and we all had a great time. It's in the cut, cheap, and there's definitely a mixed crowd. The food is pretty good (for finger food) and the bartender is a hilarious and jolly man. The music is up to date, so if you're waiting for your turn, you'll probably be dancing ( I know I was). And there's also a little arcade in the back. I'll definitely be returning read more

Having grown up in Jersey, some may call me nostalgic or a purist when it comes to bowling alleys, but whatever I may be, I'm definitely a Melody Lanes fan. It's not about the waxy lanes that may or may not kill you after your third beer, or how there seems to only ever be two small size bowling balls and they are always at the farthest lane hidden behind the super gigantic bowling balls for some reason. It's not even about the nonchalant guy or gal behind the counter who could be your best friend's cousin's neighbor and who can tell your shoe size before you say anything just by glancing at you, because he/she has been doing this for THAT long. Melody Lanes has all of that, plus music videos that seem to always be playing exactly what my mood calls for (often 90's pop music mixed in with current pop music...woah...a place you can see current music videos!). And there are disco lights, and a computer scoring system that keeps you on your toes in a good way. Pay attention to the graphics on the screen, they are hilarious! Be sure to check the league times before you go, just in case you show up on a night that is league only. read more

Loved the whole experience... it's definitely a great place to chill and relax with a bunch of friends and family

Four stars for the bar, one star for the bowling. It's a unique place and you have to go at least once if you live in the neighborhood. The bar is the best place in the neighborhood for watching local sports and drinks are cheap. Pete the bartender is a legend, and if you go in when he's working you'll see what I mean. Definitely a place where you can hang out with a drink and meet people who live and work in the neighborhood. Not a place to openly cheer for a non-New York team if you don't want a ribbing. Bowling alley is old and I've never not had a mechanical problem. It's amazing how busy it is because its only selling point as a bowling alley is that the game of bowling can theoretically be played there. The people that work the bowling counter are older and do not give a f*ck, in a genuinely charming way, but also in the way that they do not give a f*ck. One time they gave us a free round of bowling for our troubles and that was nice but that's like giving you a free ride on a ferris wheel that keeps breaking down. read more

This place is definitely crappy. Unfortunately its the only bowling alley in this area of Brooklyn because the other two shut down (Leemark Lanes and Maple Lanes). I don't know how those two closed down and this one remains open. Its a super long wait for a lane approx 2 hours on a Saturday so if you can call in advance. There was even a serious wait for food because they "have to cater to the birthday parties first" what?! It took about 3 hours to finally get an order in. This was the funniest yet saddest thing I've ever seen. There were approximately 2 crew members working at this bowling alley this particular day. Both of them were running back and forth rotating from the food station to the bar to the front counter and answering phones. People were looking for the bartender, i just pointed to the front desk laughing saying shell be back shes handing out bowling shoes. We asked if they were short staffed today and they said no thats how it is every weekend! Unreal! Once we did get a lane it was fine as far as the bowling. Not much of a variety on the lb weight of the ball you may be looking for to bowl with. Its okay if you want to come here and buy pitchers of beer with friends and get drunk or something like that on a casual evening/night at best. read more

Ive been coming to this bowling alley for 7 years. Glad to see the updates. I always have a good time here. Will continue to come. Its crowded on Saturdays so go early if you don't mind waiting an hour. read more

Not one of the better bowling alleys I have been too. Place looks very old and not updated. The bowling balls are in horrible shape and it's almost impossible to find the bowling ball you want to use after searching every crevice in the alley. The workers are not very friendly and don't care whether you can find a ball or not. Will never come back. read more

Melody Lanes is a bizarre dreamworld that would exist if Twin Peaks had a bowling alley attached to the lodge. Peter, the bartender, is right out of that universe. read more

This place is semi-seedy, but that's definitely part of its charm. We come for the awesome Sunday and Monday special: $8 for the first game and $4 for every additional game, as long as you come after 8:00pm. You don't find deals like that in the city, not even at the creepy Port Authority alley. There's no table service, no music videos, no blacklight... And for us, that's a relief. All bowling, no clubbing. But that doesn't mean everyone there takes their game super seriously, even though there are league nights. The crowd is mostly young, ethnically diverse, and laid back. A lot of them have no idea what they're doing. There was a guy there the other night who thought it was appropriate to repeatedly stand in our lane to take pictures of his girlfriend. We couldn't get mad at him though, because it's just not that kind of place. It's too chill. I love the lady who works the front desk. She's older and calls everyone pet names. She's both no-nonsense and sweet as pie... She kind of makes you feel at home. The bartender is a little glum, especially if he finds out you have a boyfriend, but he's ultimately friendly as well. Shoes are $4 and clean. You have to run the length of the place looking for a ball that fits, and while this sometimes doesn't happen, it never seems to matter... Like I said, the place is just that chill. First-timers may be annoyed to find themselves in close quarters with a potentially obnoxious party in the lane next to them, but after a few rounds (of both bowling and beers) this is soon forgotten. read more

Melody Lanes is great for birthdays for us grown-ups too! I've been there a few times for friends' birthdays, and it's always a great time. It's a cheap night out AND you get to bowl, what else could you want? I like bowling, but I don't want the frills and fancies that you get at Bowlmor or places like that. Melody Lanes is the sort of bowling alley you grew up hoping your parents would bring you to after you brought home a good report card. If you're meeting as a group, get there at least half an hour before you plan on bowling. Not because it's incredibly crowded and you need to get in line to reserve a lane, but because you'll want to hang out in the bar and chat with Pete the Bartender beforehand. He's a wealth of information, a neighborhood staple, and just a great person to shoot the breeze with over a few drinks. Seriously, go and say hi before you get your bowling shoes, you won't be sorry. read more

OMG! this place still exists? MELODY LANES??? No WAY! My BFF from elementary school and I lived here!!!!!... (think 1988 - 1993) her parents were in a bowling league..and she had her bday parties here every year..... we ran around eating burgers with cheese fries..and flirting with boys......it was a great place to hang out on the weekends.....and the staff were always sweet to us.....I hope it hasn't lost its essence... Will have to stop by again...and see how they've spruced things up over the years...... hope its still a fun....laid back place..... read more

Before I even got around to going to this place I already had in mind how I would write my review. I was going to say that just like Vanna White in Wheel of Fortune, sometimes a person will eclipse the very place they belong to and then go on to talk about meeting Pete. So much of what I heard about Melody Lanes involved Pete the bartender; a tough talking, say it like you mean it swashbuckling eccentric. Pete, where were you?! I braved high winds and heavy rain to make it to Melody Lanes today, got myself at Corona in your bar, and you were nowhere to be found. I'm disappointed. I'm coming back for you. Here's to hoping you're not just an urban legend. Melody Lanes is a neighborhood bowling alley-no frills, simple and real. It's not commercial and that makes it great. Men playing cards in the bar, a vintage cash register, the gal who gave us our bowling shoes had frizzy bleach blond hair that's retro and she isn't even trying to be retro. In my neighborhood of Sunnyside, as a teen we had a bowling alley like this. It's closed now. Give it 20 years and something tells me that Sunnyside will look like midtown Manhattan. I can appreciate simplicity. read more

Went in to bowl one game for two and it just cost too much money. I suppose had we wanted unlimited bowling or rented by the hour it would have been a better deal, but the single games were just outrageous. We did make out at the bar on a pitcher of Budweiser for like $10. So I'd say either go with a group or plan to go for a few hours, single games will cost you. Otherwise I'd say the place was a typical bowling ally... The decor hasn't been updated since the 70's, beat up rental shoes, and disgusting bowling balls that you forget who could of been using them before you just before you dig into the pile of nachos (seriously I should invest in a box wet naps). read more

My visit to Melody Lanes this weekend was certainly interesting. I have to admit that the bowling alley has an odd charm to it - generally outdated decor, a dark, saloon-type bar, and a snack counter selling all kinds of fried food right next to the arcade games. It reminded me of a bowling alley in the 'burbs. A few friends and I did the $26 all-you-can-bowl special (includes shoes), which was a pretty good deal. The bowling system/software was old school - we couldn't enter our own names - but otherwise, the bowling itself was good. We had a couple of pitchers of Sam Adams seasonal (there were 6 or so beers on tap) and even splurged on some chicken tenders and french fries. Not too shabby. In keeping with the odd charm of this place, there is no music playing unless someone buys songs from the jukebox. Weird, right? We ended up putting on some fun funk music, so everything turned out okay. read more

Atmosphere: LOVE THE BARTENDER! He always gets dressed up with a bow tie and suspenders. The lanes light up at night and they have specials on different nights. I believe Tuesday is ladies night. Food: typical bowling alley food. Fries, burgers, pretzels. Walk around towards the back to find the food stand. Drinks: my boyfriend and I got a glass of wine and they serve it in a huge cup. Needless to say you don't need more than one. Overall: great spot on the weekends or on a Friday night. Hidden gem in sunset park. read more

Definitely a grumpy large woman at the shoe counter. And it looks like a total throwback from the '80's. The decor hasn't been updated since like, 1984 but everything works and it's a good spot to go to on a Sunday afternoon when you wanna throw some balls. Saturday night without a reservation however is a total fail. We got there at 7pm on a Saturday night and the wait was more than an hour. Go figure, Saturday night at a bowling alley. I really didn't think it was going to be packed because it isn't the hippest spot around but I guess it's a functioning bowling alley after all. The weirdest thing about the setup is that it's split into two sides, one side is cosmic bowling with the weird blacklight and glowing pins and one side is normal bowling. One side is futuristic for lack of a better word and the other side is outdated. I guess they have something for everyone. What I really don't get is the fact that the cosmic bowling side is ALWAYS packed. Everyone likes a good neon green pin it seems. Lucky for me, I like to bowl "normally" if there is such a thing... read more

I have fun here but I feel like it's too expensive. You need to pay for them to hold your shoes... seriously?

Fun place! You totally don't feel like you're in NYC when you bowl at Melody Lanes. It has a nostalgic suburban feel which of course reminded me of my childhood. Before I went I read some reviews here and saw some comments about the bartender - and they were spot on, he is quite the character. The bowling balls here are kind of busted so I went through a few before I found one that worked for me. I'd like to blame the ball on my low scores, but in all honesty I just kind of suck. Didn't stop me from having a great time though, and I can't wait to go back! read more

My absolute love for this place is really difficult to put into words. I imagine that walking into here would be exactly like walking into a bowling alley circa 1974. Seriously, nothing has changed. OK, they have electronic scoring now so you don't have to manually determine that the gutter ball you just threw made your spare in the last frame worthless. But, beyond that it's truly a carry over from a bygone era. And while we're talking about love, I may as well fess up to my unrequited love for Pete. If you don't know who Pete is get to Melody Lanes now and I guarantee you'll know who he is within 5 minutes of your arrival. Yes, Pete may hit on your girlfriend and, if it's busy, he may forget you entirely. But, don't you dare judge Pete based on this info alone. Pete is an experience as much as he is a man. The sideburns, the cummerbund, the bow tie, the wild laugh. If you get really lucky, or perhaps just really drunk, Pete may share with you some schematics that will blow your mind. Frankly, I still have no idea what the drawing was, but I know I enjoyed talking to Pete about it. On a practical note, I did consider dropping a star from this review because Melody Lanes has league nights on Fridays. This means no lanes for you or I (unless, that is, you're in one of Friday leagues). Why a bowling alley would opt to do reduced price league games on a Friday when they could easily fill the lanes with full fare paying, pitcher drinking, fried food eating patrons, I have no idea. But, Pete is worth six stars alone so let's just call it 5 and be done with it. read more

ABSOLUTELY HORRIBLE!!! I took a class of students here to celebrate their great grades and they were treated almost as though they were criminals here to destroy the place. We were the only group there and the students were treated with impatience, and spoken to in a very rude tone by both the man at the front desk and the lady in the lunch bar. She told them to "Hurry up and get your order because I have a lot of work to do!" .... now mind you, we were the only people in the alley. Other than the horrendous customer service, the place was freezing cold, the equipment was very old, the lanes were over oiled, and the food was burned. The kids still made the best of it but for them to recognize at such a young age that the adults there were unnecessarily rude speaks volumes!!! ~Dr. Liquori read more

I actually really like the place--especially Pete the bartender--but the lady who runs the place will screw you out of money. She did it twice to me and I've heard the same from many others. Otherwise I'd be there all the time. read more

This kind of bowling alley might work for some people but it definitely isn't for me. The one overwhelming feeling I got was DIRTY and outdated. - The bathroom didn't have soap, tissue, one of the stalls were out of order and all the walls were stained. - Lane problems: We had to switch lanes because the pin system kept failing. The controls to change player settings SUCK. - The ceilings are coming apart and there was random 4 x 4 wooden panels laying around. - The decor in general is very old looking especially compared all the other bowling alleys in NYC. Some people might enjoy that. read more

Throughly enjoyed my time at Melody Lanes. Went on a Tuesday night and all the staff was extremely friendly. From the front desk, to the bartender. I would definitely go back again read more

Had an interesting time bowing here with my close friends to say the least. Love how convenient the location is being that we tried to avoid going to the city. The venue is a decent size but the customer service is quite "interesting". The woman at the front desk was having a side conversation and was eating carrot cake in between our request for assistance. The cook was a character; obnoxious and failed to inform us in a professional manner that our food will take a while due to the high demand/traffic. She didn't even greet us when we got to the counter. Other than that, bowling itself was fun and everything was super affordable. Highly doubt I'll come back here again.....more of a one and done type of location. read more

Went here with the family pretty cool spot. Small but clean. Would definitely come again. They have deals after 5pm. $16 per person includes shoe rental and one beverage/ popcorn. read more

Went here spontaneously with a few friends. We had a good time. The bowling alley is fairly outdated and about 15 (pretty terrible) music videos were on a loop while we bowled. We had a good time despite the fact that I couldn't find one ball under a size 8 as I have small dainty fingers. I ended up with a sore wrist and bad songs stuck in my head. The bowling alley is a nice size though with a pretty cool bar. If you're looking for an inexpensive bowling alley, this is your stop. read more

AHHHHH, Melody Lanes, a mainstay on 5th avenue since my younger days. I could not do better than 3 stars because of the following: The place needs a face lift, I feel like little to nothing has been done here for as long as I can remember. The bar looks somewhat antique, as the bartender on one of my recent visits. I was at the bar one day and there was NO dedicated bartender. One poor woman was running back and forth from another post in the bowling alley. It took super long to get my drinks and at that they were wrong but I can't blame her, she was overwhelmed. Same idea at the snack bar, the place needs an update and a revitalization of the menu items. Again, the spot was completely understaffed to accommodate the number of people looking for the sub-par food being pumped out, very slowly pumping out of the food to be exact. I was finishe with one order before the other came out and the same with that appetizers. It was more like a assembly line of food as opposed to it all coming out together. But nevertheless that ladies at the food stand were nice. They are simply not equipped with the necessary resources to get it done quickly and effectively. The bowling was good but too tight. Other than being almost a landmark in the area, I cant see myself other than the sole reason of convenience coming back here with more modern experiences being offered in the city for example. Still a nice place to come and get a few quick frames in. read more

I got over charged for no reason tried asking why but she just ignored me. Never going back plus they where rude and noxious stuff.

The atmosphere is okay for a Sunday morning go with the kids. The gentleman at the front desk is a little rude tolerable, the worker are friendly and helpful-so it makes up for him. read more

Melody Lanes - Bowling Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Cheap bowling in Sunset Park. Saturday night's are all you can bowl, even though they start at like 11pm. I believe with shoes you pay about $20-25 and can bowl until your hand falls off or the place closes, whichever comes sooner. The real reason you come here isn't for the 18 year olds congregating and making noise, but Pete the bartender, who makes a Pete's Special ($10?) which is basically every alcohol behind the bar and some gasoline mixed together. He tops it off with any color you want, and after 2 or 3 of those, the pins start to look a lot closer. I also enjoy the woman who calls the lanes at the front, with her screetching voice and deep NY accent and take no prisoners attitude. Catch the White Castle or McDonalds nearby for some post-game snacks. Only about two blocks from the R train at 36th. read more

Bowling it's almost a guaranteed good time. However, when you end up doing it in Manhattan it can cost an entire week's pay. With precious few places to knock down pins in this great big city, sometimes you have to go just a little out of the way to let the good times roll. Whether your gorging yourself on curly fries and pitchers of beer or just plain sober, Melody lanes is a guaranteed good time...unless you hate bowling...You don't hate bowling do you? Because then you hate children and puppy dogs and ice cream. read more

Oh, yes, there's really nothing I can add that another Yelper hasn't already covered about Melody Lanes. It's a favorite destination for me & my old work buddies to goof off, drink cheap pitchers of (fresh!) Bud, put songs on the jukebox and--oh yeah--bowl. The counter lady is totally surly. Last time we went I walked in and said something like "We're here to BOWL!" and she was not havin' any of it. Ha ha. The bartender is a primo nutjob! He must be encountered to be believed. He even had a NY Times blurb written about him!: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/03/nyregion/thecity/03bowl.html Just go. Between the crazy paint job + linoleum flooring, the bar, the extremely diverse crowd and the cheeseball bowling ephemera, it's what all those hipster bowling alleys in this city WISH they were. read more

Came here for a surprise party for my good friend Jimmy on his 25th birthday. It was a weeknight so the only other people there were some ultra-orthodox Lubavitchers who happened to be bowling prodigies. They hurled their marmoreal orbs with preternatural strength. The pitchers of beer were cheap. The cantankerous fellow behind the bar was like a character out of a Coen brothers film with sideburns of ursine splendor. read more

Love this place! You have to be prepared for an old school Brooklyn experience, which includes: grumpy woman at the shoe counter, long wait for a lane on a Saturday night, interesting bartender Pete (who makes the long wait bearable), cheap beer and cheap bowling. I don't really care so much about my score, so the fact that the balls are dented and the shoes don't slide make no difference to me. My husband, on the other hand, is serious about bowling, so he brings his OWN ball and bowling powder for his shoes. Always a good time at Melody Lane. P.S. I think it is funny that one Yelper whose moniker is "keeping it real" says he turned around and walked out after walking in and smelling a locker room stench. read more

Place is ok.... What turned me off was waiting 40 minutes for a lane when there were lanes available.... read more

Melody Lanes - Bowling Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

This place is not great. I never get a strike when I want it, I always get a spare when I wanted a strike, and I never get a spare when I get a strike. The lanes are oiled in ways I wouldn't feel comfortable explaining to my parents. The pin setters work as well as the G train. The customer service is similar to the post office. I still bowl here weekly, wouldn't trade it for anything... until something better comes along. read more