River Rand Bowl is a local 24 lane old school bowling alley, and it's a perfectly fine venue for a couple of seniors (us) to enjoy some economical, leisurely, and uncrowded weekday bowling. The current senior weekday rate is $3.50 per game, and that's great for us. The regular weekday rate (before 5pm) is $5.50 and the weekend rate is $8 all day Fri and Sat. The lanes were clean and the automatic scorekeeping and all lane equipment worked fine. A friendly white-haired man and lady manned the counter, and I'll try to catch their names next time. They have a dated bar setup (DJ's Bar) and a nominal food cafe (Lucky Strike Cafe). The drink prices looked pretty cheap. We didn't need the bar nor the cafe, nor balls, nor shoes - just a nice lane to bowl on and this place worked mighty fine for that. They have a plenty big parking lot also. Great place, and thanks for being around for us! read more

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My husband and I have been passing by this bowling alley for the past two months. We finally stopped and went in to see for ourselves what it was like inside. It brought back memories because it reminded us of our hometown bowling alley that no longer exists. We sat at the bar, had a couple of cocktails, and enjoyed the company of some very nice people. What a great place! Can't wait to go back! read more

Clean bowling alley. They have upgraded the lanes to allow bowlers on the same lane to select bumpers or non-bumpers. This is a great option for those bowing with kids. read more

River Rand Bowl - Kids bowling - Bowling Near Me - Des Plaines, Illinois

This is a great, family owned bowling alley. The AMF equipment is well maintained, lanes are excellent and the owner is very personable. Pro shop onsite as well. I love to support local businesses and this one is a great choice. read more

Great folks and everything you could want in a bowling alley. Very well maintained and the lanes are in great shape. The staff does a good job of placing bowlers to avoid mixing "serious" bowlers with birthday parties. The balance of old school and modern is perfect! Rates are very reasonable, and they do have specials. read more

Love this place overall. It's local, great for small birthday parties. Workers are chill and nice. Nice place to bowl with family and friends read more

River Rand is awesome. We always love this old school bowling alley and appreciate their constant willingness to host kids parties and get togethers. We always have fun, the food is amazing and everyone leaves happy! Thank you, River Rand for your wonderful hospitality. Christine is awesome, and so good at coordinating and planning for kids parties. We thank the whole team for being so wonderful! read more

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Great bowling and some of the best fries I have had in a long time. We would definately go back if we are in the area again.

River Rand Bowl is a small bowling alley but packed with a lot of charm and great people. The lanes are extremely well taken care of, the ambiance is friendly - especially towards all people. The staff are accommodating and very nice. The technology in this alley is very high tech. You can play bowling mini games! Besides classic bowling, hit "Menu" - "Your lane, your way" and then access a full list of different bowling games. There's a classic bowling theme that gives you random facts and tips on how to do trick shots. There's "Mad Games" which includes an archery game, a monster factory game (you make your own personal monster by bowling to select the option), a person factory, and an "angry birds" style battle game where you and one other person face off against each other to take down your castles. It's a riot! There's also skill games you can play like No Tap. In No Tap, you only need 9/10 pins on your first throw to get a strike. There's "Head Hunter" where you HAVE to hit the head pin but you can't get a strike or you won't get points. There's "Evens and Odds" where if you get an even number of pins then you get a strike. If you get odds or a gutter ball, it's a spare. 3-6-9 gives you strikes in those frames automatically. It's basically a fast version of classic bowling. The rest of the skill games looked fun too! Overall, I had a fantastic time here. I had no idea that bowling alleys had mini games like this. Honestly, I hope River Rand Bowl starts advertising this because this really is a game changer. People next to us were like "what are you playing? Oh that's so cool!" Another suggestion I have is to get more balls that have bigger hand holes. My hands are pretty average I think, but we took a while finding balls with decently sized finger holes. I can't complain though, I need to buy my own ball. Other than that, the alley was beautiful and fun! Last night they offered a "bowl until midnight" special for roughly $25-30 for 2 people, included shoes. I think we played like 10+ games and bought drinks at the bar. Thank you for the wonderful experience, River Rand Bowl! I'm not from the area, but if I ever am, I will definitely recommend the place to friends and family. Thank you! read more

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Old school bowling. Nothing fancy but good bowling does not need it. Lanes run smoothly and the overhead screens work perfectly. Staff was extremely helpful and had a wicked sense of humor when we were joking about the parents needing another day out. Greg at the bar was the perfect elixir for parents trying to endure five pre/teens bowling for the firs time. Try something different, forget the chain bowling joints and try this DP staple. read more

I found this neighborhood bowling alley due to my son being on the high school bowling team. The gentleman working the pro shop is very courteous and detailed. I like this local bowling alley and it's very well maintained. read more

Better than Bolero because you can see the targets on the lane instead of bowling in the dark.

Just tried to get a lane with my family. They ignored us and we ended up leaving! clearly they don't need our money! horrible experience! never visiting again! read more

I love this picture lace all the people here are so nice also i never have problems here so I can have a great time

old. most of the balls aren't even marked by weight. they don't have lanes that are capable of having the bumpers go up AND down so i had to get my own lane to bowl next to my kids. wouldn't give me a cup of water, only had bottles for purchase, they said because of "covid rules." which is ridiculous because i can get a cup of water anywhere in DP right now. wouldn't let me pay upfront, had me pay at the end, and couldn't close me out when my kids had one bowl left each because of rules? not coming back. going to kings in rosemont next time for sure. read more

Didn't try food or beer so 3 stars to the bowling experience. Place was a little empty, very old school, attendant was a very nice lady. The only problem is that the ball return time once you bowl was incredibly slower than any other alley I've ever been to read more

Friendly staff. Selection of house balls is lacking as the balls are really old and in poor condition. Some of the shoes for rent are newer and others might be 20 years old. The condition of the lanes was not great and mask wearing was not prevalent among employees or customers. But it is a nice neighborhood bowling alley that I would hate to see go away. read more

River Rand bowl is old school bowling done well. The owner works very hard to keep things in good order. Recently they have done some painting inside and out along with installing new carpeting, nice! The Pro Shop with William Clark is the icing on the cake, he is the BEST in the area for lessons and drilling! read more

Everything you expect from an old school alley. I like that it's not a Brunswick chain and there seems to be a little character to it. It's pretty dated in there, but the service was great. The guy found a very light ball for my kids to use, didn't groan when I asked for bumpers, and voluntarily brought out the ramp for the kids to try without my asking. Super nice guy. This place isn't pretty, but it's a bowling alley with good service, beer, pizza, etc. read more

River Rand Bowl - Bowling Near Me - Des Plaines, Illinois

This is an older bowling alley that's been around since the 60s. Lanes are well maintained. The scoring equipment and screens has been updated. Games are reasonably priced at around $4/game. The bar has a good variety of beers and other bottled drinks. The snack bar has good wings, fries, pizza, burgers etc. read more

Held a fundraiser here for a charity. So easy to plan and arrange from start to finish! Planning a fundraiser, you always want to cut costs where you can. River Rand Bowl worked with us on everything from bowling prices to even arranging for us to bring in our own food and raffle prizes. When we got to the bowling alley, Chris was excellent. He helped us set up tables and move some items around. Very attentive to our needs. Overall our fundraiser was a huge success and well received by guests. This place played a huge part of it. Couldn't go with a full five stars. Being an organization that helps people with MS, the bathrooms were not "scooter friendly". Everyone seemed to have a great time anyways and we made due. read more

We celebrated my daughter's 21st birthday there and had a wonderful time! The staff was so friendly that they felt like old friends. They really made it extra special. The bowling was great, and everyone loved the pizza. Thanks for a memorable experience! read more

For those who want to reminiscence about the good ol' days and shake their canes at "them young-n's" and their "crazy fashion", this is the place to go. From the old outdoor sign, to their "vintage floral carpet and wood paneling, this place screams for a makeover. But surprisingly, this place had several lanes filled on a Saturday morning. Given the old look and feel of this place, what was even more surprising was that they had electronic score keeping. But quite frankly though, I was not looking for any of these criteria. I was looking for a place to bowl and this place fulfilled that criteria. The lane had a slight dip at the right so everyone who bowled on that lane had their balls curving to the right. But that's what makes the game that more exciting. To give this place some credit, when we went there, a small section was getting dry-walled and there was some debris and ladders so it looks like they are remodeling things. BATHROOM REVIEW: Going with the old school theme, the bathrooms were definitely old school. From the concrete walled stalls to the old fashion hot/cold knobs, this gave you the idea of how grandpa use to go through after long 20-mile walks through the snow to get to a bowling alley. Other than that, the bathrooms were clean, with the slightest hint of grandpa's mothball musk. Sit or squat? i'll say sit because I felt rather safe surrounded by concrete walls. I know, I know... first world problems ;-) read more

Awesome place to bowl owner is super friendly walked in and took care of us right away. We went on a Monday and the prices after 5 were awesome. Paid practically nothing for a good time and awesome service.food was awesome to definitely going to recommend to everyone I know. read more

River Rand Bowl - Bowling Near Me - Des Plaines, Illinois

We had 9 people total with 5 kiddos in the group. This place looks like a hole from the outside but what it lacks in character and aesthetics in front it surely makes up with service and accommodations inside. We were humorously helped by the staff with shoes...believe me with 5 kids it can get crazy. The staff were helpful with "runs small" like recommendations. Food is mediocre bar food; we were able to get some snacks for the kids...mozz sticks, poppers and fries. Beer list is decent and typical price ($5 for a revolution). Overall, bowling was $17pp with shoes, snacks and drink. I'm so glad we went. We called a few "fancy" places and it was going to cost us $35 or more. Highly recommend! read more

Clean. Quaint. Good service. Guy working the desk wasn't the friendliest demeanor but charger us less and brought out a special light weight ball for my 4 year old. It was her first time bowling. Couldn't believe how empty it was at 6pm but it worked in our favor. read more

River Rand Bowl - Bowling Near Me - Des Plaines, Illinois

This is an older bowling alley and feels like it inside. But that's a good thing because it keeps the crowds away. While it's impossible to get into Brunswick on a Saturday or Sunday morning, you can usually get a lane here pretty easily. It's pretty mellow and low-key and the service is no frills. I mean, it is a bowling alley after all. I'm not a big fan of the smokiness but that's par for the course at a bowling alley. The shoes aren't nasty and it's very family friendly. One thing to note, if you need a light ball for your little ones, ask at the desk to get it. They don't keep them on the floor. read more

I bowled over 100 for once! I don't know how it happened, but it did. The systems are a little outdated, but the service is attentive and friendly..you can tell that they want to make it a good experience for you. Also, the price is good, so take a group of people and bowl your hearts out! read more

Dollar bowl and $2 MGD and Coors Mondays. Try the pizza because the pizza is awesome. read more

River Rand Bowl - Bowling Near Me - Des Plaines, Illinois

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This is an older bowling alley that doesn't have the over the top feel of your typical Brunswick Zones. I love the old school feel of River Rand. I have bowled here for many years in both mixed and mens leagues. This is one of the harder shots around the Chicagoland area. Will in the pro shop is awesome! Never had a ball fit so well. read more

This bowling alley doesn't have anything special, but does have everything you need to bowl. Trying to find a bowling ball is a bit of a crapshoot, as most of the bowling balls (I'm assuming) are leftovers from old members and are mostly personalized (including strange sizes and grips). This place won't let your skill set go unnoticed, their graphics are a bit amusing for those like myself who can't pick up a spare. If you're looking to bowl in the area, this place is pretty solid. read more

Very unprofessional staff. I called to ask about bowling today around 5:30pm and they said they were open. So I drive all the way over only to find out that there are birthday parties going on tonight starting in 30 minutes, so they said we couldn't bowl. We asked if we could just bowl until the parties arrived and they said no (not sure why). Will not return to River Rand Bowl. read more

So the exit door to River Rand Bowl has been opened since my review, and the sweepings from their floor dumped outside. I know this especially because since it snowed you can tell the door has been opened because the snow is pushed away, and it is littered with dirt and wrappers, etc... =( read more

Perfect bowling alley - well maintained lanes, nice atmosphere, nice bowlers

I went there on a Saturday night. It was 10 dollars for unlimited bowling. Good deal. My problem was the ball selection. They aren't well marked and not a good variety. Also the machines take awhile to release your ball after you throw it. read more

Free popcorn, an abundance of beer and cheap bowling. It has everything you could hope for. With the smoking ban you won't be bombarded by tobacco as you once were, but the place still feels divey. It's mostly men in their 30s-50s and the occasional group of teenagers. It cost about $15 per person for shoe rentals and three games. The score machines weren't always accurate, but the man at the desk fixed any problems we had. read more

Older, but clean and seems well-maintained. Very easy to get a lane on the weekend. I'd come back the next time I'm in the area.

After initial poor experience subsequent visits have been much better. Low key good price. Decent neighborhood place to bowl. read more

Just wanted to thank River Rand Bowl for accomodating people using walkers and wheelchairs so they could still 'enjoy' the thrill of the sport. My father asked my mother out on a bowling date for their 59th wedding anniversary (as they did while dating and as newlyweds). They were able to access the building and the bowling lane using their walkers. Then, to have the portable ramp for the ball on the alley was great! They ended up playing not 1 but 2 games - not bad for 91 and 80 - THANK YOU FOR GIVING JOY AND YOUTH BACK TO MY PARENTS! P.S. FATHER SAID HE WANTS TO COME AGAIN! read more

I'm not much of a bowler, but I frequent the bowling alley bar most Tuesday nights for the best karaoke around and occasional Sunday afternoons for their specials on food and booze. Speaking of the food... the BBQ ribs are OUTSTANDING!!! They really do fall off the bone and practically melt in your mouth. OMG!!! A rack of ribs was super inexpensive considering the quality. I gotta do the robs more often. read more