This review is for bowlers who are at all serious about bowling. These are not the lanes for you.... The ball receiver is up to the lanes making it impossible to kick out your leg while throwing. Also, they rarely oil the lanes apparently. I asked and they had not oiled the lane in FIVE DAYS. At regular alleys, I've been apologized to for lanes not being oiled that morning.... 5 days is absurd. For reference, I average usually around 200 and my score my last game was 37 because I could not keep the ball from guttering. If you spin at all, this is not the place... even if a lane is dry, you can just move to the left to compensate, but here the ball returns don't allow you to move over because they are placed SO far forward you run right into them.... read more

Strike & Barrel - Ball returns are WAY to close to lanes - Bowling Near Me - Wake Forest, North Carolina

Had a fun time having some drinks and playing some games. The bar service was just OK. I felt rushed.

Great establishment with wonderful workers. DO NOT ORDER THE BANG BANG SHRIMP. You get 6 shrimp DROWNING in sauce. Does not taste good and a rip off. Other than that the atmosphere and games are top notch! read more

Absolutely terrible service and experience. After being served cold, uncooked mozzarella sticks and requesting they be removed from the bill, the owner came out to tell us he would not because they served us a second round of mozzarella sticks (also cold). He said people come in all the time and want their meal comped because they had a similar problem to ours with cold food. We suggested he solve the problem in his kitchen and he agreed. The owner told us straight up we were being petty to say we would not return due to the poor experience rather than take ownership and make it right. DO NOT eat at this place and if you experience any problems, do not expect to have them resolved. Absolutely awful. read more

Great place to watch a game. Food and service was top notch. Found a weekly place to go.

Bad customer service they took 20 minutes just to give my drinks and the food was cold never coming back

We came here on Christmas Eve with our family and had a blast! There were only a few guests that night so we had the place mostly to ourselves. It was great to get out of the house and spend quality time with everyone. The lanes were great, the food was awesome and the drinks were even better! We will be back! read more

Because I went there for one reason only, I will review it for that reason only, it may rate 5 stars for everything else. I was excited to see its ads for Duckpin bowling. I'm 68 and throwing 16-pound balls while bowling Tenpin is beyond my comfort level now. The lighter, smaller balls would be much easier on my back. I was very disappointed after arriving to see that it was "mini" Duckpin with around half-size lanes and with no approach compared to standard Duckpin lanes. Ok for kids but a far cry from true Duck pin. I think its ads should be modified to reflect the true activity, so as not to disillusion future customers. read more

Great time out! Place was well staffed and organized. Burgers and buffalo cauliflower were yummy but do not recommend the pizza. The sauce and cheese were awful unfortunately. read more

Double check those lines for your beer tap...might need to be cleaned. Friendly staff, good space. Bunch of arcade games.

Environment was okay. Lots of little games to keep everyone entertained for the most part. Bowling area is pretty tight and food is what you would expect in a bar setting. I would go again during a time when not so busy. read more

A great place to gather with friends or family and enjoy drink, food, and bowling. Interior is comfortable and the staff are nice. Highly recommend. read more

The people here are really great, which is a real shame... We went here with family and a Groupon, however I'm not so sure the savings was worth the $40 in damage to my bowling ball due to incredibly poorly maintained equipment. The business naturally posted a 'not our fault' disclaimer. Future visits should be a hard pass, but if you must go definitely do not use your own equipment. Rent theirs. read more

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Hands-down the best bowling center I've ever been to The staff was amazing and polite their barbecue wings and pizza were fantastic bowling was so much fun they had fun music playing my family and I had a great time definitely recommend coming to this bowling center they have a thing on Tuesday were you only bowl for two dollars each game and my family prefer to go on Tuesday it is just an amazing environment not to forget they are adding duckpin bowling and a whole lot of other fun yard games their arcade is also very fun read more

Hubs and I are stoked that this little bowling alley is open- walking distance in downtown Wake Forest! Nestled in the same center where "Over The Falls Deli" is, as well as "Tuxedo Junction", is an 8-lane bowling alley called "Brooks Street Bowl". It is a neato place that has everything you need, a full bar, fried pickles, and other snacks if you desire, and of course, balls. Being the fact that we like a child-free environment, we have to pick and choose the best times to go. Although, a great deal ($5 before 5pm on a Saturday) will always bring us around. The staff are super friendly, accomodating, and they don't bother to oversell it! I was afraid with it being a new place, it would be a little over the top with the upselling, but it was actually a relaxing atmosphere to get your bowl on! When we went, the kid-adult ratio began climbing so we headed out after a couple of games, but are already planning another trip back. I read a negative review from who seems to be a pro-bowler. I would agree, if you are a pro, or diehard bowler, this is not the place for you. This is a relaxed, recreational place to have some beers and bowl. No biggie. read more

Strike & Barrel - Bowling Near Me - Wake Forest, North Carolina

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We love the new Strike & Barrel. It's a great place to hang out with a group. We recently went with our kids and another family... 8 kids ranging from 3 to 14 and 4 adults. Everyone had fun. We were able to make a reservation for bowling so our lanes were ready when we arrived. The snacks were yummy and way above typical bowling alley quality. When we finished bowling the adults were able to sit on the edge of the bar area to keep an eye on the kids in the arcade area while we had a drink. It's a great place where everyone, including adults, teens and kids can have fun together. We will be back! read more

We were at Strike and Barrel last year for a birthday party!! We had the best time! Adults enjoyed the bar area and the kids had a great time bowling and celebrating in the event room. The staff were attentive and helped make the birthday party memorable for the kids!! Can't wait to go back for a Girl's Night Out!! read more

In terms of bowling; sub par. The other bowling alleys in the Raleigh area have much better lanes and are cheaper. But in terms of a hangout spot, it is fantastic. Good to grab drinks with some friend's, play some arcade games or corn hole and maybe get into the bowling. But if you just trying to get some bowling games or practice in, go somewhere else. read more

The re-model done by the new owners is really awesome! Went to the bar area for drinks with a few girlfriends and was really impressed by the drink selection... definitely not your typical bowling alley options! I could see this place being perfect for birthday parties (kids and adults), date night, nights out, pretty much anything. I'll be back for sure. read more

New owners. Expanding to include pin bowling and other games. Same location and great fun.

Great service! Foods typical but good! Staff friendly! Bowling clean lanes and cost atmosphere

Best place to have a corporate, family or even a date night event. Casual, yet elegant, and dining and drink options are top notch. New ownership makes all the difference! Thanks for upgrading this place, and good luck! read more

Wake Forest. A bit rough on the edges, but with a can-do attitude. More relaxed pace in a small town. Generally nice folks who aren't ashamed of their roots but like some nicer things in life. And that's Brook Street Bowling (BSB) in a nutshell. BSB is your small town bowling alley, with only eight lanes. So have a reservation to avoid disappointment. https://bsbowl.com/reserve/ The lanes are crowded together and with a small area for resting bowlers to sit. And you're in a small town, so expect kids wandering into your lane, fellas having to scoot their way through your lane to go hit the head, some bad bowling etiquette, warm/moist shoes worn by someone else, and some less-than-perfect equipment. Relax. This is small town bowling. Have a drink or three at this place's over-sized bar. The bar is no nonsense, something between a 1950s diner and old west saloon. Give this place 10 years and it will turn into a finely seasoned dive bar - the kind that I really like. The beer selection is pretty good and they have frequent specials. They serve pizza, fountain drinks, wings, tenders, and other heart-clogging fare that you'd be disappointed if it wasn't offered. Can't speak about the food as I didn't eat it. And there was nice touches like some disco lights, a back room for parties, and clean bathrooms. Service was frantic but friendly. I commend them for trying to keep up. I can imagine that it is a tough job at times, but they were perfectly cordial to me. The small number of lanes also means that Friday and Saturday nights are prime time. Prices jump. And it is totally worth it. BSB - as of the time of this writing - has a great DJ. Think of the best wedding you've ever been to and how awesome the DJ was at reading the crowd. This guy knew his crowd, spun disks that they'd like. I have never seen a whole bowling alley - from kids to baby boomers - dancing while bowling. This was seriously the most fun I have ever had bowling. I won a free hour of bowling for getting a strike at the right time. So you know I'll be back. Look for me - I'll be bowling with bad form, beer in hand, dancing/singing, and grinning from ear to ear. read more

Bowling balls look like they've been run over by a lawnmower. I've seen bricks rounder than those balls.

The bar area is extremely clean and well kept. Friendly staff. However, the rest of the experience wasn't spectacular to say the least. NO A/C!! It took way too long to bowl a few games as well due to how long it took the pins to be set up after each turn. Would give 5 stars if the air condition worked and bowling experience was better. read more

Unique (to this area) Bowling Alley. We went on a Friday Night and with just 5 of us did not have enough time to finish one game in the hour allotted. I would go back when they are not so busy, the staff were friendly and accommodating, the food is nothing special(think tysaon anytizers) next time we'll just stop by Shortys before we go and grab a legendary Dog. read more

Strike & Barrel - Bowling Near Me - Wake Forest, North Carolina

We absolutely love it here!! We come here every Friday night for date night! We can't wait for them to extend! We love showing people this bar and it really wouldn't be the same without the employees Ben, Mikey, Chris & Zach! Thank you guys so much for always making us feel so special and showing us a great time!! - Serena & Eli read more

Small alley with 8 lanes...balls kept getting stuck and not returning. The guy at the desk said it happens all the time and didn't seemed concerned enough to even go retrieve them. Not a great experience. Some kid spilled water on the floor and i ended up wiping it up cause the front guy said he couldn't see it. Dangerous situation if anyone had stepped in it. read more

We love the location and small town feel at Strike & Barrel! Great atmosphere and location!

We celebrated a friend's 40th birthday at Strike & Barrel in November 2020. The staff was amazing! Super helpful and attentive. The food and the drinks were tasty and the service was seamless. The birthday girl had the BEST time! Thanks S&B! We will definitely be back! read more

We had a wonderful experience with our kids this past week at Strike and Barrel! Great family atmosphere , excellent food, the bar area was awesome and we plan to come back for a kid free evening! Very clean and definitely felt they took covid precautions seriously. Looking forward to coming back and supporting a local business! read more

A bit small and cramped, but we had fun and they played GREAT music while we were there (went at 7pm on a Saturday night). The only negative is that our bowling lane consistently had issues with miscounting the number of pins knocked down or only putting down 9 pins instead of all 10. Multiple times. So that kind of ruined our bowling and game-playing experience. Bartenders were amazing and were super nice with great personalities. We'll definitely be back - hopefully they'll just get some of their bowling mechanics looked at (for Lane 3 anyway). Would still recommend! read more

Nice and friendly staff but the lanes kept messing up ... had to move lanes and even then they still kept screwing and the lane they put us on kept dripping condensation from the ac all over the floor .. read more

FURTHER UPDATE TO THE BELOW (20 Feb 2015) Since the below incident my family and I have returned to Brooks Street Bowl twice (because I was contacted quickly by the management/ownership after my complaint) and we have had EXCELLENT experiences both times. The staff has been consistently friendly and helpful, and they have done an excellent job of taking a negative review and turning it around. I had the pleasure of meeting and speaking with Angela on our second visit (last night; 19 Feb 2015), and she is delightful! Given these last two experiences, we WILL be coming back! read more

I can't imagine the need for bowling to be strong enough to go here for bowling. Constant mechanical issues makes the game excruciating. I guess if all you want to do is go dump $40 on a couple hours of fun (is it though?) it is as good as...not really sure. I appreciate the week for a small town and this is the only bowling alley in it but definitely worth the drive to go to a real bowling alley. read more

The first time we went here it was awesome! My kids loved it and so did I. They couldn't wait to go back today. This visit was pitiful. In fact, I was so annoyed we left before our second game, which I had paid for. The employee in our past visit was so sweet. Today both employees were rude and acted annoyed to be at work. We will not go back. read more

An amazing staff! I have been here twice with the individual with special needs I work with and they have went above and beyond to help out in any way possible! Thank you Brooks Street Bowl! read more

I've never enjoyed a bowling alley this much. The group I was with was somewhat fun, but the DJ was great! He made my night! Staff was friendly! Definitely going back! read more

Friendly staff, great drink specials, this is one of my favorite hang out bars... Did I say bar? Honestly, I rarely go bowling here. They've got a great selection of craft beers with Tuesday night and Thursday night specials. read more

Love this place!!! So much fun. Pricey but there are always coupons. Friendly staff. Problem is its very hard to get a lane - they need to expand! read more