We went in on a rainy day at opening time, during a school break. We figured more people would come since it was bad weather outside so we planned to wait maybe 20 minutes or so since it was also a week night and not terribly busy. They were completely full with just 5 parties, but had less than half the lanes open. They insisted they were already full and the wait "might be at least 35 minutes or if the party decides to pay for another hour, it'll be way longer.." So I said can you ask them if they were planning on playing another round or leaving or can I ask them? (We wanted to plan for dinner, we don't live around the corner either, it was a drive for us to come out). The 2 employees said sure, they are on lane 2. Then this other employee comes walking up immediately after and stops me and says "I can't have you ask that"...?? Ok..what's the harm in simply asking what their plans are?? They had LESS than half the lanes open on a RAINY day. I asked is there a way to open any other lanes? There were 3 more parties that came in after us! They said with enthusiasm, "no, we can't do that!" You work here, what's the surprise, why not? They turned our water bottles away, you can't bring your refillable ones. And don't expect to get a water bottle or any soda from the vending machine to quench your thirst either, they were completely out, the whole machine even though it was lit up and working. There was a bar there I think? But no one was there... I turned to my family and we all just said forget it, this is nuts... Honestly, the whole place looks pretty terrible. Carpets are stained, walls are dingy, there's zero fun decor-wise, in fact nothing on the walls at all... It looks kinda creepy in an abandoned sort of way. This place was run down, out of stock, employees with irritable and bored attitudes. We won't be coming back and will gladly pay extra to drive farther. It's sad because they are in desperate need of money to help the place. We would have gladly supported had they been open to helping us play a game! read more

Love this bowling alley! Friendly and helpful staff, clean balls and lanes, decent prices. You're charged per hour- plus the shoes. If you don't have socks, they've got some available for purchase thankfully. They've got an amazing full bar in there for the adults--and an arcade for the kiddos + food and sodas. Unfortunately no free refills on the fountain drinks. We love coming here with friends! The music is hard not to dance/sing to as well.. good choice in songs! If you need a fun escape from all the touristy spots, highly recommend Monterey Lanes. read more

We were out celebrating a birthday & neither of us had ever been bowling in monterey, you pay by the hour & we were able to get 3 games done in the hour, the place is clean, we didn't try any of the food, we would definitely come back read more

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It is Friday night. The bartender/GM was not busy at all. She didn't even come up to me to say hello or offer me a drink. I'm a bartender. I would have tipped her fat. I would NEVER do that to a customer. It wasn't very nice to sit there for a whole 10 minutes without being acknowledged. I don't care what type of establishment you work in. Have some etiquette towards your customers. Thats all. read more

I love a good game of bowling, and my family really enjoyed going bowling at this location. The place is still in great shape after all these years. The rental shoes are all very clean. The snack bar is well stocked and the people working all seem to really enjoy their job. Everything seemed to work quite well. They have a good selection of balls to choose from. We rrally enjoyed ourselves here and plan to return soon. read more

I love Monterey lanes and every everything is usually great. But this time the guy with long hair at the front clearly didn't want me or him to be there. Was difficult when I asked to fix stuck frames twice. Didn't add time back when I asked. Never made eye contact. Subpar service read more

Came on a Friday afternoon and it was dead, exactly how I like it. A lot of parking space. A clean and simple bowling alley. Pricing goes by the hour and we were onto the lanes extremely quick. Lanes seem to be well-oiled and maintained and I had a lot of fun. In an hour, me and my GF were able to get 3 games in which is solid. Wish they had options for pricing on individual games, and maybe they do but I am just unaware of that. Overall, would definitely recommend this place if you are trying to have fun with friends and family, or come here to improve your skills and get better. read more

Had friends fly in from out of state and wanted to have a fun night before they flew back! Monterey Lanes included all of the great aspects of retro bowling with the perks of a nice bar and great food! Highly recommend for a fun night out. read more

Monterey Lanes - Bowling Near Me - Monterey, California

1- The prices are astronomical. $45/hour of bowling? Absolutely ridiculous! 2- The workers don't seem to know the hours that the kitchen and bar are open. We were told 3pm, then 3:30, now 4? 3- Similar to a grocery store or Wally-Mart, even though there are a total of 24 lanes available, the workers group individual parties together with no space in between. Children from 2 different families who knew each other kept crossing in front of our lane to play with each other. This was very unfortunate since I was there on a date. read more

I came here on a Friday night and had so much fun! It was $40 for an hour but can pay in 15 hour increments. It was relatively busy, but not too crazy. It felt like an old school bowling alley with friendly service. I would definitely recommend for a fun activity in Monterey! read more

I think this is the only bowling alley in Monterey. Seems like it's been around for a while. When I visited, there was a kids birthday party going on. I called a few times prior to my visit to ask a few questions and whomever I spoke with on both occasions was super friendly and very helpful. Unfortunately they no longer have a pro shop but their leagues have resumed. Great place for family friendly fun read more

Great place lots of room and straight forward paying was easily and parking lot has room also bar closes earlier but other than that it's missing the arcades for lil ones read more

Monterey Lanes - Bowing I was third got 1 strike - Bowling Near Me - Monterey, California

So this alley is my Thursday night league spot, I'm a regular but I will give my unbiased review! There is ample parking at the alley. They have a bar & arcade. The food here is pretty good (I wouldn't recommend the pizza, their fries are great). Good spot for parties and gatherings. Expect to pay about $30 for an hour of bowling, which is about 2 games. Lanes are well maintained, but generally pretty dry outside of league bowling nights. The bathrooms aren't the greatest. They used to have a pro shop here pre-COVID, now the closest shop is over 50 miles away in Morgan Hill. read more

Monterey Lanes - Monterey Lanes - Bowling Near Me - Monterey, California

During a recent vacation spent driving around California, my wife and I bowled at three different lanes. Monterey Lanes was far and away the best of the three. I used to bowl semi-pro, so I know good lanes when I use them. These lanes were well-oiled and maintained. The entire facility was very clean as well. Their low prices were a nice surprise as well. My only issue was the lack of a call button to reach the desk. You had to walk over to it to report a problem. The walk was not an issue, but when you walk off a lane in bowling shoes, you never know how your slide will be affected when you start up again. Still, we will be back! read more

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Had a wonderful birthday party for My Sister and her friends that live at the Gateway Center of Monterey for disabled adults. The pizza was great. The service was great and everyone had read more

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Family came in for vacation, decided to come by and celebrate dad's birthday. Food was delicious. Bowling staff was great. Bowling was a typical bowling alley. Clean, fun for family. The only gripe we had, was the bartender. No small talk, little to no customer interaction. Seemed like he didn't want to be there and was annoyed. The bar was empty mind you. We would get drinks and go back into the bowling area. read more

Bar drinks were good and strong The bowling was fun lanes were solid And the service was phenomenal The girl that helped us was named maritza and she was super friendly and very efficient with her duties any questions we had she had an awnser for it. The vibe there was very laid back and definitely very welcoming read more

Haven't been to this location in years. A bit has changed with the pricing and some upgrades. Overall always a nice wholesome time to spend with family. Ordered some appetizers and we were actually surprised on how good they were, from the onion rings to the chicken tenders. They also have a nice bar area if you just want come in to have a drink and some bar food. Look forward to coming back again to brush up on some bowling skills. read more

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Fun place to gather with friends for informal fun! Whether you bowl or not... good times await. read more

Monterey Lanes - Bowling Near Me - Monterey, California

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Today I held a party at Monterey Lanes for my twin daughter's 15th birthday. When I arrived, I learned there was some miscommunication with the reservation I had made in advance, and I was admittedly upset at first. BUT!!!! That quickly changed, as SKY WENT ABOVE AND BEYOND for me today. I cannot say enough about him!! Management, please reward him, as he was incredible today and a great representation of your establishment. My daughters had the best birthday at Monterey Lanes, and I can't thank Sky enough. read more

we had our daughters birthday party there and it was awesome staff was very attentive and professional everything was setup prior to our arrival and was great i highly recommend having your party there price was affordable and staff was amazing read more

We had a great time and we're heading back this week , definitely try the burgers and fries there!!!!

Nice place to bowl. I took my nephews for a nice day of no cellphones allowed and we all had a great time. Staff was very friendly, family oriented atmosphere. read more

Ambiance is nice and relaxing. Usually a chill crowd. I like that I can play my favorite tunes on the TouchTunes jukebox. We came here a lot before they closed to remodel and the drinks were worthy. Now it seems they are watering down their drinks. I'd expect a small buzz after two mixed drinks (I rarely drink anymore) but nothing. I'm not sure I want to spend anymore money on soda with a splash of liquor. Next time I'll just get a beer. read more

This place was ok. The guy at the desk was cool. It was $30 for an hour of bowling, and it included shoes, so depending on how many in your party you'll get probably 1-2 games. it was only two of us, so we were able to play two games, with 10 mins left to somewhat start another game. i think around 9 or 10pm, they turn the lights off and all the lanes start to glow, which was pretty cool. The drinks were great! Wasn't watered down, and made just right. read more

Don't go there go to Santa Cruz, where they have adults working at the front desk who have learned customer service and etiquette. There's Good food, a fun atmosphere and they let you complete your game. If you go to the bowling alley in Monterey they'll cut you mid to game. The bartender was super friendly, and he was the only one that was professional. read more

Food terrible. Who smothers a stale tasting hot dog with ketchup and mustard? If you want to get cut off mid game, because you can only pay for time not per game then this is not the bowling alley to go to. Very unaccommodating , and don't go with a competitive mindset because you'll get cut off mid game! The lanes aren't well oiled. read more

First time here! Love the k-pop jams while bowling and it's pretty good price for one hour . We Bowled a total of 6 games . Love itttt read more

I don't come here too often but when I do, I get nothing but good service from the ladies in the front and the bartenders there. When I go, I usually have Matt as my bartender and hes one of the fastest bartenders I've come across. Couple times I've been there, the bar area was packed. But he made sure I got my drinks in a timely manner and even recommended me a couple of good drinks. Love that he's very attentive towards all the customers, he knows most of them by name from what I seen. He's definitely a character, he's such a friendly guy. Besides people not putting away bowling balls when they are done, the bowling alley has definitely changed for the better. The girl in the front was very quick at getting everyone what they needed, even if the line was long! If it wasn't so far away; this bar would be my number one pick. read more

We had a retirement party for my husband and could not have been more pleased with our experience at Monterey Lanes! The staff made every effort to accommodate our wishes and the service was excellent - from booking the event, to serving us food, to keeping the area picked up, etc. I was happily pleased with the clean restrooms on each side of the venue, conveniently placed trash cans, room for personal items, full bar, cleanliness, and quality of the food. I would highly recommend this venue for your parties or just an evening out with friends or your significant other. Great job! read more

For 30 bucks an hour you'd think your balls would get returned. They didn't. Everyone in our party had to have 2 balls. There was gum on the foul line (see photo) so we changed lanes. The balls got stuck on these lanes also. It appeared a 15 year old was running the place thereby rendering our complaints useless. It took an act of congress to get the bartender to wait on us, although she'd stare at our empty glasses until we begged her for a drink. And her pours sucked. Overall, the facilities, service, and prices sucked. read more

Monterey Lanes - Bowling Near Me - Monterey, California

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The hour for just my son and I seemed like it would be too long. Actually got about 4 games in each and had a great time. Will go back our next Monterey trip. read more

Three stars, the bar looks opens aesthetically, minus the drunk girl stumbling and falling off the bar stool. Seemed the bartender overserved her, but they looked like friends. Because eventually, after making out with the bartender, the same bartender throws this drunk ass girl over his shoulder, carrying her from the bar to the booth. She proceeds to make kissing noises behind me for about five solid minutes, tries to stand, takes the most incredible fall, takes a chair down with her. Another girl at the bar who looked like an off duty employee looked to be "supervising" her from a distance. A security guard strolled in, took a look, and waltzed out. This bar is wild. PS: Bartender took the time out of his day to MESSAGE me and let me know I made him lose his job. I'm sorry, I didn't put the black out drunk girl at your bar. This ones on you, kid. Security even came and you hid her. read more

This is probably one of the better bowling alleys I've been to. As a Monterey native, this place has been a hub for parties, gatherings, and late night hangouts. It is a well-maintained bowling alley (and is probably as good as it'll ever get). The staff is incredibly helpful and seem to enjoy their work. The food is alright (although you won't get anything better than fries, pizza, and some onion rings). There is a bar situated in its own little nook next to the entrance. They serve some pretty good stuff and is often frequented by locals. I highly recommend this place for friends, date nights, or good practice it you're a professional. They have competitions and socials which are always a blast. I'd also recommend this place if you're looking to host a party for the kids or adults alike. This is a local gem and a fun place to be! read more

Monterey Lanes - Monterey Lanes on a busy night. - Bowling Near Me - Monterey, California

It seems that many positive reviews come from those who hosted parties there, however, we were a group of about 8, and this was the most ridiculously expensive bowling experience I have ever had. I could expect to pay $30 in California per hour if we were doing Rock & Bowl, but this was a mid-afternoon on a Saturday when only we and a large birthday party were the occupants. Furthermore, my husband and I played air hockey and they puck at the table was not of the set, as evidenced by the fact that it was unaffected and did not slide with the accompaniment of the air turned on. When we asked for a refund, the staff instead gave another puck to us, and refused refund. This puck also did not work, and again, the staff gave no refund, but suggested that we used the other table, which was occupied by other children. Overall, very expensive and inflexible. We will not return. read more

Electronic score keeping makes bowling fun. Friendly staff, terrific bartenderesses, polished lanes, quiet ball returns, no judgments, pool tables, driving shells and various games of chance and skill. Go with friends, bring a date. Lots to do, lots to talk about. Romantic gardens circle the grounds. Have fun! Tell them Rev sent you! read more

We went here to celebrate my surprise engagement that my fiance wonderfully planned. It was empty when we'd arrived but later on, it became packed! read more

Monterey Lanes - Oooohhhh - Bowling Near Me - Monterey, California

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Been coming here every Thursday since January for league night to see friends. The bar area in the alley has been redone and is very welcoming. After coming for so long I acquired a ball, bag, and bowling shoes. I now also have joined the league on Thursday night and absolutely love it! read more

Great place for drinks, pool, arcade, and bowling, of course. Bartender and staff are attentive. If you want to bowl, purchase an hour, you'll get more games in read more

The bar renovation is lovely. It is very stylish and welcoming. There is a huge fire pit with black glass, curved red leather booths, and a pool table. read more

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