Waveland Bowl
3700 N Western Ave, Chicago, IL, 60618
Waveland Bowl Menu
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Address :
3700 N Western Ave
Chicago, IL, 60618 - Phone (773) 472-5900
- Website https://www.wavelandbowl.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :12:00 am - 1:00pm
Specialities
- Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Good For Dancing : No
Alcohol : Full Bar
Happy Hour : No
Best Nights : Fri, Sat, Sun
Coat Check : No
Smoking : No
Outdoor Seating : No
Has TV : Yes
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tim l.
I have one word for my experience: ghetto The bowlers to the left have no idea about indoor voice. They cheered loudly as if they were at a ballgame. To the right were two ladies with 6 kids, as many as 4 of those kids on their lane at any given moment. The commotion between the two adacent lanes was too much. What happened to having good etiquette in a public space??? The balls were also quite oily, but I was told was due to lane conditioners.
(2)Mike O.
I'm sorry to say I haven't bowled for about a decade. Last time I did, I got a Barack Obama-like 87. I topped it slightly with a whopping 92 this time around. It was my nephew's 8th birthday party and the entire bowling alley was reserved for parties on this particular Saturday afternoon. Now I last was at Waveland when I was a 16 year old Lane Tech HS sophomore with serious deficiencies in math. My Geometry teacher did free tutoring at Waveland on Saturday mornings, so I came there a few times with the hope of salvaging my grades. Oh how this place has changed since! It's colorful outside and inside. Murals on the walls (see photos), video screens, and high tech scoreboards eliminate the need for scorecards and how to tally up your inept game. They also amuse you with animations between frames. And then there's Cosmic Bowling. The lights go out and blacklights go on. The balls and pins glow in the dark. Video screens above the lanes play music videos of current pop, retro classics from the 80s, and even hot Hispanic babes dancing. At least I can say I was watching Paulina Rubio wiggling her hips when I hit the gutter ball. The old shoe rental guy looks downright scary, but he's efficient and deals out the shoes quickly. The thin-crust pizza they serve at the parties is rather lackluster, but not that different from Chuck E Cheese or other cheap kids place. The bathrooms are exquisitely clean, with hands-free faucets, soap dispensers and hand dryers. The tile flooring and wall tiles make it almost like a nice hotel quality, except for the suggestive musical lyric quotes above the urinals like: "Let it flow", "Hold on tight to your dreams" and "He's got the whole world in his hands". And yes there are coin vending machines in the bathrooms. But no, none of the vending items include condoms, cheap cologne knockoffs or Spanish Fly. The kids loved bowling with the gutter-guards raised. It was quite a lot of fun for them. Makes me wish I had gutter guards up too.
(4)Lesley A.
You know the recession has hit if Waveland Bowl is no longer infamously known as the 24-hour, 365 days a week bowling alley of Chicago. Now they're open to 3 am at latest. This place has been my bowling turf for years so I doubt I'll stop going here. I like how they color code the bowling balls so that you can figure out the weight you need. It's also the Chicago bowling alley that's open the latest for the best price (buy one hour, get the second hour half off, although this may be a limited-time-offer special). And if bowling isn't your thing, they also have pool tables and an arcade with a DDR machine. Just be careful going here late at night, especially if you drive. Despite the two LARGE entrance signs, people still drive the wrong way and use it as an exit!
(3)Jenna C.
Had an event here for school. The PA system sucks - all announcements sound like the drive-in at a run-down burgerking. It would be generous to describe the staff as surly. The food is just plain bad even for a bowling alley. We called ahead to see if they had wireless internet so we could do ticket sales via laptop. They said it would be fine. When we arrived we found out that the wireless had not been working for some time and was not expected to work again for about a week. So why the 3 stars? Bowling is fun- you've got to admit that! The computers were easy to set up and when we had an issue a tech was there in under a minute. The rates were reasonable. They're open late. Free parking. So we're up to a 2 star review? Two Duran Duran music videos in a two hour time frame. Can't beat that anywhere in Chicago. Waveland Bowl - You're A-OK in my book.
(3)Alena H.
Fun, classic atmosphere. I ended up being there for when they turned the lights off and had disco bowling with music videos playing, black lights on and glow in the dark decor. I thought most importantly the pricing was cheap and service was good- our lane was well-attended to when we had issues with it. Only complaint was that the balls felt a bit greasy. I'll be back though, for those prices :)
(4)Mara A.
Even though the HS teenagers and kids suck and the parents don't know how to keep their kids in check, I heart Waveland. I'm here all the time and the ladies behind the counter are amazing! $1 dollar bowling before 12pm...love it! Even $2 bowling is great. Practically no one during the day unless there is a holiday and school is out, then dont even bother.
(5)Y V.
Damn you, Wii Sports! You've got me so hooked on virtual bowling that I've almost forgotten about real bowling. In the future, I can see myself saying, "Well... back in MY day, we had to go to an actual bowling alley to bowl". That being said, I love Waveland Bowl. First of all, this was where the Lane Tech bowling team played. Go Lane! And who doesn't love Cosmic bowling? They turn off the lights, turn on the party lights, and play music videos while you bowl. Ok, so some of the music choices are corny, but that's what makes it fun. You can also play pool here, and grab a bite to eat at Alley Dogs. They've been around for nearly 50 years and (despite Wii Sports) still going strong.
(5)Caroline L.
My organization held a 50 person party here and I only have nice things to say about the venue, staff, and service. We had a lot of needs and every one of them was met. I know for sure we will be using them again!
(5)Trinidad F.
I went to Lane Tech and so when it came to bowling Waveland was the place to meet up. Here is where I was introduced to COSMIC BOWLING!!!!! and DDR!!!!! They used to have a DDR machine and so I stayed here playing while everyone finished up their game. LOL!!!! Great place and I love the atmosphere!!!! Don't go between the hours of 3 and 7pm cuz its gonna be packed with Lane students...GO LANE!!!!! Its inexpensive and open all nite!!!! 24 hours of bowling goodness!!!! YES!!!! They also have great, greasy, crunchy, unhealthy food!!!! AHHH!!! AWESOME!!!! I recommend the nachos, cheese fries and pizza!!! That completes the bowling experience. The place also has a small movie theater and arcade that I absolutely love. Customer service is great as well. Very nice. If u have insomnia and have nothing to do at about 4am, go to Waveland. They have cheap specials early in the morning!!! LOVE IT!!!! Great place to have fun and do some good ol' fashion bowling.
(4)Ashley M.
Not to long ago, I went bowling at waveland with my friends and I can say we had a blast! This place has everything and all at good prices. This place is big, having many lanes which is also good. Plus, the place is really clean. Cleanliness goes far with me! All in all, Waveland has a really fun atmosphere, is clean, has good service, and includes more than just bowling. Its a blast whenever you go here, and I cant say I have any complaints. Yes, this place is definitely a good bowling place! Its my second favorite bowling alley, now.
(5)Keely B.
Waveland Bowl is kind of a crapbasket but that's part of it's charm. Lucky Strike it is not, nor does it make any claims to the contrary. There are lanes on which to bowl, and bowling balls, and pins at the end of the lane. The electronic scoring machines even work...mostly. They have a bar if you wish to drink. They have food I wouldn't recommend eating, unless you're really into corn chips with cheese out of a bag (and everyone is, at some time in their lives--no judgments). Be prepared to wait if you go at a popular time. But it's cheap and they have a parking lot for those of you who are transit-challenged. Do it up.
(3)Hilary H.
Went a couple weekends ago around 3pm - place was packed but we maybe had 1/2 wait for 3 of us. Perfect with kids - lights were down, music was loud and terrible, a time machine to the 80s - total BLAST. AND we were helped considerably by the lovely Jamie, who knew the newfangled technology of the scoreboard and got us up and going in seconds, even came back to help later so each kid had a chance to bowl first - which, you know, is important. THANKS JAMIE YOU'RE THE BEST!
(5)Karen A.
This is where bowling is considered to be a sport, and bowlers are "athletes". I love the physique of a bowler, so....curvy, especially above the beltline. Sure, you've got your housewife bowlers, and your birthday party-bumper bowlers, and your senior-citizen-I-going-to-have-a-heart-attack-Âlifting-this-ball bowlers. This is the everyman's bowling alley. Trixies and chads are nowhere to be found. The lights go out and the balls glow in the dark...like totally psychodelic! The pizza is crap, the beer mainstream, and I wouldn't want it any other way.
(4)Franklin E.
I went to Waveland on a Saturday and the place was nearly empty at 3:30, with one small birthday party getting out. I thought to myself "great, we can get a lane quick and we are on time for $3 open bowling." Turns out I was very wrong. The operators shut down the bowling alley on the flimsy excuse that they had to clean up the lanes from the party and made me wait 30 minutes. Well, the lane they gave me was NOT clean and- since they forced me to wait 1/2 hour they told me I was no longer eligible for the $3 per game but rather had to pay $5. Well, I would usually have walked away but since I had waited 30 mins already and came with my wife and sister didn't want to make them move simply because I was pissed we stayed. To top it off they put us next to some very young children and I found that most balls were chipped or were generally of poor quality - ok when cheap and easily attained but never worth a half hour wait just so that the manager can get another $6 per game from your party.
(1)Ellen D.
Hmm...maybe I shouldn't really be writing a review for this place, seeing as how the last time I went, my bf and I were refused a lane by a very rude, very visibly angry woman who said they "weren't open", even though there were about 7 other groups of people who were bowling. Oh, and it was 2 PM on a Saturday afternoon, and we were just coming from lunch at Lincoln Square. Was it racism? Jealousy over the fact that me and my bf don't work in a dumpy bowling alley like her? Maybe she missed her meds that day? Who knows. All I know is my money is as green as anyone else's, and we were willing to fork some over that day. Oh well. I'd never come back anyway, but I prefer places like Pinstripes or 10pin where there aren't any weird smells and the balls aren't so sticky. (And yes, that's what she said).
(1)Jacob J.
The lanes and ball returns are awesome here. The lanes are perfect, well oiled, at times though it almost seems like your ball will pick up too much oil. Bring a towel. Ball returns are quick, on my higher end bowling balls, I've picked up a few scratches from the ball return. They have over 40 lanes, they serve food till midnight, they serve egg rolls!. They don't give you any BS about ordering pitchers of beer. A good plus is that they are 24/7 and smoke free! They can be found online, so check them out!
(5)Brook E.
Went here for some super COSMIC bowling on my birthday and had a blast. We were able to walk in at 10:00 on a Friday night, get a lane, and start bowling right away. I like that they have music videos up and going at the lanes, and fun neon bowling balls available. Colors are kind of limited, so it was hard to keep track of who's balls were who's. We ended up buying two pitchers of beer, and that seemed a bit expensive, but it's a bowling alley and I would expect some mark-up on beer to keep people from drinking too heavily. The people watching is pretty fun too. I would say that the main part of the crowd when we went were the under-21 crowd, and seemed to have a lot of drama going on that was fun to observe. We had a great time bowling here, and will definitely be back!
(4)Dominique W.
A little dirty but then again it is just a bowling alley. I'm not there to eat off the floors. I could be just going crazy but I could have sworn that in my college days I used to get fucked up with my boys and hit this place up at like 3 or 4am. Didn't this place used to be 24 hours? Minus 1 star for having a closing time.
(4)Michael S.
Great place for a kid's birthday party! Friendly, helpful staff, and it's clean. For as crowded as it was, it was comfortable and the acoustics are handled quite well in there; it never seemed all that noisy. They gave the adults a free lane, and other than the pizza being a bit expensive for what it was (captive audience, I know, what should I expect?), the place was great. If only they had a boys' bathroom to separate it from the adults. I was in there minding my business when suddenly I see little feet with bowling shoes appearing from beneath the stall door. Hmmm, I wonder, why is this kid standing so close to the stall? Then I hear from an overexuberant 7 year-old, "Hey in there!" "Yes?" I ask. This certainly is unusual. "Did you see all the presents your son got?" "Well, I'm not sure, there were a lot of presents out there on the table" I said, somewhat incredulous that I am having this conversation with a 7 year-old in this context. "Uh,...." The kid paused. Then he says, "Are you coming out pretty soon?" Now I'm really amused and annoyed, "Look, buddy, can we talk when I come out? Why are you talking to me in here?" "Oh, because he got a lot of cool stuff and he told me I should you tell you what he got cause he told you he wants Sorry and you said you might get it for him, right?" "Oh, I see. Well, don't worry, I can't buy any games in here. How about you go back to the party now, okay?" "Okay, see ya."
(5)Keyser S.
Great facility, poor customer service.
(3)Geovanny N.
Well I have been coming here for years, ever since I was a freshman in High School to be exact. I am now 27 so it has been more than 10 years now... And this is still the place to go and bowl. I love it on the weekend when they turn the place into a COSMIC Bowling atmosphere. Also you must check out the food. It is great, from the burgers to the hot dogs! They also have Cheese Fries that are to die for! I know there is not much to Cheese Fries but I guess they must add Crack to it since they have me yearning like a crackhead. The prices are good and they have a lot of parking in the back. It is open 24 Hours a day which is always a nice plus, for the days you want something to do at 5:00 in the morning... You know we all have them at least once a year! I do have one thing to complain about and that is that usually on Friday night you get a really young crowd, High School Kids. We all remember how we were as teenagers, so I think you could see were I am going with this but besides that this place is GREAT!
(4)Christine K.
Night No. 2 of Lebowski Fest 2008 was held here and I think there was in the neighborhood of 500 Acheivers in this place. This place never closes! Wow. All their lanes are really nice and spiffy, the latest and greatest scoring machines and lots of balls (that's what she said). One of the employees, Will, was super helpful when we ran into some issues on our lane and helped us add players when we welcomed more Achievers to roll with us. Snack bar food looked really good, and I enjoyed the root beer float they made me. A bummer that they didn't have warm chocolate chip cookies though, which is what I was craving at the time.
(5)Neil A.
There were a lot of people here when I went a couple Fridays ago at 11pm. Still, it wasn't out of hand. No fights that I could see and no one was disruptive. We had a big group and it wasn't hard to find a lane. I guess the biggest negative I'd give this place is the staff. Disgruntled and rude! They always seemed to be pissed off about something; even if we were just getting some shoes! The bartender; she was nice. Everyone else? Jerks. The cost is reasonable, but there has to be some better bowling alleys in the city. I'm going to Diversey River Bowl on Thursday, I'll let all you fellow indifferent mediocre bowlers know.
(3)Virginia T.
The last time I visited Waveland bowl was to celebrate a friend's birthday. We had a large group and ended up having a great time bowling and playing pool. I'd say it's my favorite bowling alley in the city....they have great deals for off-peak times and the place was clean. The scoring machine was cool, and the lanes plentiful.
(4)Gene W.
Can I give no stars? Let me explain. I am a regular bowler, but someone who frequented bowling alleys before I got good. I've been to just about every one in the city and never had to fear for my life, except when I was here. I can't explain it, since the alley isn't in a bad neighborhood, but there is always a fight. You want to know why they don't serve beer in bottles or glasses anymore? To many people getting slashed. I can't exaggerate the violence that has taken place at Waveland. Besides the common sight of fist-fights in the parking lot, last year a student was assaulted with a bowling ball. How does this stuff happen? In a more practical evaluation, the games are overpriced and the lanes aren't properly taken care of. The approaches are often filthy and sticky, which is both uncomfortable and a safety hazard. Oh, and even though they are open 24 hours, they stop giving out billiards tables at 2am (???). If you don't remember this when you go I can promise you the rude and disinterested staff will have no problem belittling and reminding you.
(1)Phillie P.
Warning: This will be THE FUNNIEST REVIEW YOU'VE EVER READ!!! Pluses: It's open un-godly hours of the night. Minuses: The lanes kinda suck (too oily) and cosmic bowling (I am not a fan). Go: If it 4am and you have nothing better to do.
(3)Nick H.
Neither the drinks nor the lanes are overpriced here which is the only real plus. The food is not good and the staff is not nice at all. I understand that they put up with a lot of shit, but there is no need to be lame about it. If you dislike your job and the customers that much, get a new job. And how can you have a non-smoking bowling alley? I know, I know. I have not seen a smoking bowling alley in a long time, but that does not make it right. Bowling is a sport for the unathletic. Smoking and drinking go hand in hand with it. Come on people!
(3)Renato P.
I used to go here a ton when I was in high school "ahemfifteenyearsagoahem" and this place was a dive. Somehow it was packed on Friday and Saturday nights and was actually a fun place to be for teens. I came back here to take my kid to a birthday party , 2 years ago and wow , what a transformation. Everything is automated , scoring monitors , new games at the arcade. They also have pretty bitchin laser light and black light effects. The cost is very steep , but I've hit up a few other places that were just as expensive and half as cool. ... I realize my tolerance for techno music and twenty somethings "kicking it" , has diminished since entering my 30's. This place is alright for the kiddies during the day , but can be a bit overwhelming to somebody that just wants to hang out in peace. This place isn't so bad , you might even like it way more than I do .
(3)roberto a.
Waveland. A classic. Actually that spiffy neon sign facade is relatively new considering I remember the place before it introduced automatic scoring. Yes, I just dated myself there, but hey, what can I say? Besides, I'm all for automatic anything, so long as it doesn't interfere with what I want to do. So what does Waveland offer and why would you want to go there? For starters, it's open 24/7, fairly clean and well maintained for a city bowling alley, it has cosmic bowling, with the UV light show, and a musical hit-list consisting of all the teeny-bopper songs you ever want to hear in the span of time you're in there. A fairly diverse crowd that ranges from high school punks, old men bowling the time away, and families. Sometimes they're all in there at once, sometimes not....on a weekday morning, probably not. Yeah, you get socks upon request with rentals, but the group I bowl with, we all have our own shoes. Hint. If you find yourself bowling more than twice a month, buy a pair of cheap bowling shoes, even if you don't plan on buying a ball. They can make a world of difference over the rentals, and in my case, my score went up 20 points playing my shoes as opposed to the rentals. Still, it's nice that the place actually cares enough to keep socks in stock. Sometimes you do get what you pay for. Comparitively speaking, their rates are high, but for those who don't want to drive to the 'burbs, it'll have to do. Pros: Open anytime, easy to find, ample parking, well maintained for an urban bowling alley. Cosmix Bowling. No smoking allowed, beer is available, and so are Mountain Dew Code Red Slushies (Yes I love my Code Red). Cons: Can get crowded, call ahead for open bowl, Cosmix Bowling music, crowds can get 'interesting' at times. Prices can be high, depending on the time. To sum it up: A neighborhood favorite and Chicago landmark that has kept up with the times.
(4)Jessica M.
Well, it IS open continually. Literally. That's kind of reassuring in an existential way. However, in more concrete terms, it's bowling with hundreds of high school kids to horrible high-school-kid-approved music. If you loved "My Lumps" you'll probably love Waveland Bowl.
(2)Nicole K.
This is a good place to bowl! I've gone a couple times, but what inspired me to write a review was my visit recently with a dozen kids from our church's youth group. We went on a Thursday afternoon and the staff was really helpful and accommodating. My husband and I were the only adults in the group, and as you can imagine we were having a hard time wrangling them all and getting them set up on the lanes we had been assigned, but a helpful staff memeber came over without us even asking to help get everyone set up on the 4 lanes we were using. They could have easily just let us figure it out for ourselves or gotten annoyed that we needed help, but instead they provided good customer service! Thanks, Waveland, we had a good time!
(4)Caitlin O.
Bleah. Expensive, crappy food, decent lanes... I'd rather go to the Rock 'n Bowl, especially with the crowd of Lane Tech students that haunt this place. Hell, I enjoyed Lincoln Square more (but they're not open this late) or that one on W. Foster that I can't remember the name of anymore. Apparently it's not so bad in the AM, but I'm not about to make a special trip up here to find out. Maybe if someone else drags me, but yeaaah...
(2)Victoria F.
I don't live too far from here so my friends and I would frequent this place once a month or so. The prices are alright and we enjoy the old school games in the arcade. There's always someone around to help us figure out how to start the game even though we've been there over a dozen times. We've barely ever had to deal with high school kids being there and it seems like even when it's crowded, they try to be accommodating by not placing you too close to other bowlers. My biggest issue with this place is the customer service at the desk - It's hit or miss. Sometimes you get really nice people who actually care about the clientele and other times you get really crabby people who seem to hate everything about their job. There is a specific individual who always seems to be annoyed about something and we always dread having to deal with him when we go there. There was one occasion when he said he could not make change for us and his excuse was "it's too difficult." Since that time, we've only been back once or twice.
(3)Joni C.
We loved Waveland Bowl and the Cozmic Bowling Party. It is so easy to do, the staff -- in our case Jamie -- are great, very helpful! All the kids had so much fun, and my husband didn't have to do anything -- really. Matter of fact, one of the mother's (when picking up her kids) said I looked so calm! You really can't go wrong, easy venue, so much fun for the kids, and really reasonable party packages. SO WORTH IT!
(5)Bella D.
Down to earth friendly people. The chicago way. Had the most memorable sweetest bowling party here last friday nite. Good friends, cheer, beer, and plenty of good and BAD bowling....haa LOL I'm very thankful for this fun bowling alley! Great parking and great prices! (check out their hotdogs, nachos, beer and of course plenty of people laughing and having a great time)
(5)Wendy B.
Took our 3 year old bowling, they have bumpers and little shoes which is great. Bit old smelling in there, but was clean and not a bad crowd. Decent enough for a quick family night of bowling.
(3)Ron C.
We accidentally discovered Waveland while driving over to San Soo Gab San a while ago. At first we were a bit hesitant to go in, not knowing anything about the place. It also looked a bit sketchy from the outside, but we were surprised. The inside was extremely busy with almost no lanes open on a saturday night. But more than anything else, the prices are such a bargain. If you're used to bowling in the city at glow in the dark places and just wish you could just play some old school bowling, this is closest place I know that's close by. I don't remember the prices, but it was charged by the hour and lane and not by how many people. There's also cheap beer, so yipee!
(3)Martha Z.
Who the flock bowls at 7am in the morning?! I am really digging this place tho. The people who bowl here seem pretty tough. Like they might "cut you" if you get in their way. But hey, i'm not scared, I ain't never scared. Came here on a Saturday night and it wasn't busy, heck my social anxiety disorder didn't even kick in. The beer is pretty crappy, but not to expensive. They've got kickin bowling alley b96 jams pumpin and the delectable aroma of cheese fries in the air. Oh and p.s. they have a Polaroid photo booth located in the game room.
(4)Kara M.
went here for a night of bowling with the wife and some friends and we had a good time. it's a big bowling alley and if you forget your socks then they have a machine where you can get some for 2 bux. it's tons of fun and if you don't wanna do the usual thing then it's a good detour.
(4)ally b.
this place gets two stars because it's a bowling alley which is inherently good. aside from that, it was a crushing disappointment. they charge per hour, which is silly. but this was my first bowling experience in chicago, so i don't know how these things work in the big city. maybe that's standard. what is bad about charging per hour, is that when their technologies mess up and delay your game, you're still paying for the time spent waiting. i went with two friends and we all had issues with the pins not being set properly at the beginning of our turns. so we'd have to reset twice (so that it would go to the beginning of a frame). this happened twice to me and at least once to each of my friends. also, the ball return had some glitches. this happens at every bowling alley. it's more aggravating at a place where you're charged for the time spent bowling, rather than the number of games bowled. all in all, we left there unhappy, vowing to never return. a delicious thai dinner saved the night.
(2)Paul C.
Damn straight I like to bowl. Diversey Rock n' Bowl is better, but this place is an acceptable alternative.
(3)Chris B.
In the purest bowling alley sense -- providing a ball and lane to roll the ball down, ideally knocking over some pins -- Waveland Bowl is fine. On a recent Sunday visit, the staff ranged from sort-of helpful-when-pressed to outright hostile. My overall experience was a drag, purely because of the people. I'll find another alley.
(2)Jen T.
Went on a Sunday night, which was a good choice- not too busy, yet lively enough to give a good vibe. Bowling was $4 a game and $3 for shoes. I was surprised to see the shoes were almost new! We did the bumper bowling with our 2 and half year old. It's great for kids and adults all at the same time. I thought it was pretty cool how the bumpers would go up for my son but down for us! Btw, how did my toddler win?? Maybe we should bumper bowl next time. Parking lot: free Arcade: old games, but I did get my Ms. Pac man on. Pool tables and food or beer Standard bowling alley, nothing fancy, but was fairly clean I'll be back!!
(4)Rhonda G.
it's a big bowling alley. $25 for a lane for an hour, $3 for shoes Old videos playing on the movie screens providing a soundtrack to your evening. Looking for some good old fashioned family (or your version of family) fun...get here. Clean, seemingly safe, free parking and pretty cheap. Don't expect paradise, it's a bowling alley.
(4)Sasha T.
This had a 70's style. We went there on a Saturday night and did not have to wait for a lane to open up which was a plus. The reason for 3 stars is because our game kept freezing up or getting stuck. The service was great and the people that work there are aware and available to help quickly. If you want to go to a less crowded place then this is the place for you!
(3)Blythe Z.
I like this place a lot. Wide variety of people - makes ppl. watching a treat. It's always very crowded - I don't think anytime I have gone her,e the wait for 2 lanes has been under and hour. Games are 5.00 each with 3.00 shoe rental. Every-time, I go .... I think to myself why don't I buy shoes.... they have never had my size a 7. I have to wear bigger shoes that are very awkward. I do think the place could use a tiny bit of TLC - it's a tad bit dingy - but if you are going for cosmic bowl chances are you wont see it anyways. The bar tables needed to be wiped down and the bathrooms cleaned up a bit. Usually at a bowling alley - drinks are pretty cheap.... here I suggest just sticking to pitchers. Friends ordered a mix drink and the bartender - was very clueless. Which hey - your at a bowling alley .... Beer is all you need. The only comment I have is that there have always been lots of kids .... kids at night, little kids up way past bedtime... bowling the night away. I just needed to be mindful of language, that's all.
(3)Ju L.
$5 per person, per game. $3 for shoe rental Socks are $2 from a vending machine if you forget, shoes aren't gross. Beer and food reasonably priced. Lanes and bathrooms empty and clean! Free parking, but make sure you're actually in their lot and not the lot of the building next door. Employees middle-aged and jokey-funny.* We only played 2 games total and by the end we were all bowled out. How did 2 games take 2 hours?! Who knows. Halfway through our game, projection screens suddenly descended from the lanes and began showing the Blackhawks game. Those were pretty distracting. Later, one of the lanes we were using had a glitch and refused to set the pins. We reset them via the computer but it hovered the pins in the air for a bit and then took them away! What a tease. Someone fixed it pretty promptly when we told them, though. Despite that malfunction, Waveland was fun and standard and not too pricey. Mostly they get points for not being crowded or dirty. *For example: One lady said to us very sternly that people who are drinking beer are literally not allowed to use the pink balls, because being of legal drinking age meant that we were grown up enough to handle a heavier ball.
(4)Risto D.
Expensive and so not worth the wait. if u say ur cosmic bowling starts at 8pm i would expect it to start at 8, and not at 10pm there was lanes available when we got there but u still made us wait for over 1hour????? so not worth it
(1)Andre W.
Big, cool bowling alley They play nice music while you are bowling The pitchers of Miller Light/Bud Light is a little overpriced @ $13
(3)Ajibade A.
Had a fum time bowling here..good security, got lanes within a few minutes
(4)Jo W.
When you have a friend who has an almost-4-year-old, you start to run out of activities to do together. Luckily, one day I had the GENIUS idea to go bowling. We ended up at Waveland Bowl on a Sunday afternoon, and the three of us easily got a lane despite walking into Kids Party Central (seriously, there must have been at least 5 parties going on). $27 seemed a bit steep for a mere 2 games and shoe rental, but whatever. My biggest pet peeve with this place is what happened next. When we paid for our lane, we told the guy we wanted bumper bowling but he didn't really acknowledge that. When we got to our lane, we waited. And waited. Finally, I saw an employee walking by and I asked him if he could help us with the bumper bowling thing and he snapped at me that we needed to input our names first and walked off. GREAT THANKS. So I put our names in, found him again, and without saying one word to me he punched a bunch of stuff into the computer, still getting snippy with me when he asked me which bowler needed the bumpers. OH HOW I LOVE CHEERFUL CUSTOMER SERVICE. Ass. To be fair, the last time I have ever seen bumper bowling in action was probably circa 1992 and I was picturing something inflatable going in the gutters. I had no idea that bowling technology has evolved since then and they can set the lanes up so the rails only come up when needed. I was a little bummed I couldn't add bumpers to my own name - anything to help my game. Once we were all set up, we actually had a lot of fun. Since there were birthday parties going on they had the cosmic bowling even though it was daytime. My friend's daughter loved that everything was glowing, but she was quickly OVER the whole bowling thing. Oh well, my friend and I had fun. If you get bored with bowling, they do have an arcade, pool, a small restaurant, and a bar. We popped into the arcade for a bit for some PacMan and bear claw action. I still suck at the bear claw machine after all these years, but it was fun trying. (And it's still only 25 cents, so I'm happy to see inflation leaves some things alone!) They even have TV's, and please believe all of the dads from the birthday parties were glued to the Bears playoff game. If you're looking for a fun activity to do on a lazy Sunday, pop over to Waveland Bowl. (Just be sure not to expect anyone working here to be remotely friendly.) ...And we won't speak of the fact that I suck at bowling so bad that the almost-4-year-old nearly beat me.
(3)Al D.
A few months ago, a group of friends and I met at Pete's across the street from here on Western one boring Sunday night. After having ol'fashioned pizza, we decided to play some old'fashioned (actually, they keep score electronically) bowling. It was a fun time, we didn't have to wait at all for any lanes. Prices are a bit high for their hourly fee, but other than that it's pretty down to earth and friendly inside, no themes (other than Cosmic), no lounge music (the PA system had B96 on), no hipsters, no one wearing Armani and drinking martinis. It's a real bowling alley.
(4)Kelly W.
Huge bowling alley. Pretty expensive compared to what I grew up on. Oddly, the main counter people are rude and the bar guy is nice. Go figure. I have never been when there are lots of kids, so can't speak on that. Nice selection of music. Overall, go if you don't mind paying a little more than normal.
(3)Melissa D.
Came in here on a Saturday afternoon because it had the cheapest prices for bowling. 3 dollars a game from 12-5. 2 dollars a game before noon. if you don't mind kids, lots of them, then you can bowl here. There were like 5 birthday parties going on. At 1oclock, it was cosmic bowling until 3. That's awesome. Cosmic bowling in the middle of the day. The beer was priced decent, but it was sooo good once it touched your lips. It was ice cold, which is hard to find most of the time out of the keg. It was perfect. It was kind of a haul from our place, but worth the trip.
(4)Zoby S.
I am a fan! Rainy days and winter days when my sons are off school, cheap afternoon alternative to the movies. Bumpers or no Bumpers is my biggest worry at this place. We always have a good time.
(4)Joshua M.
Waveland is a good Chicago bowling alley, and it's a staple in the Chicago gay community. I just wish they would run some specials every now and then. Even if the place is empty, you can expect to pay $5 / game at minimum. Given that this is Chicago and that everything just a little more expensive than, say, the suburbs, I can expect a little inflation, but every other bowling alley in the city at least has discount days or times. It's cool that they're always open, and I do have to say that people there take their bowling very seriously. It's a nice touch that they claim to sell their pins to other bowling alleys on a regular basis so that they can buy new ones every chance they get. In all, I'm kind of iffy on Waveland. Their food is sub-par, their bar is sub-par, and their bowling prices are sub-par.
(3)Person A.
We liked this place but had some technical difficulties with our lane. Thankfully there was a technician close by who introduced himself before we started the game.
(4)Geri P.
This place hands down has the rudest staff of any establishment I have EVER experienced. I told the show rental guy that he was rude and his was response was "AND???". I asked for my money back and after I received it they tried to buffer the situation with a free bowl coupon. In looking at the other reviews here and the way they tried to shut me up with a coupon, I will assume that because they have been around so long they don't really care about the art of customer service. Well I do.. I will never support ANY business that allows their employees to treat patrons so disrespectfully.
(1)Natalie A.
Cosmic Bowling!! I mean that is why I originally had went on Sunday night... Normally with fun activities and get togethers I usually rate the locations well but I have one word.... OVERPRICED I went in with a group of 8 people it was 11$ per person to start with shoe rentals included and each game after that 4$ My group went to get some good ol pitchers to quench thee thirst but at 13$ a pitcher I'd say bring your water bottles and or flasks ladies and gents lol :) Another let down was cosmic bowling (my original reason for going) was to start @ 8pm.. Didn't kick of until 8:30-845pm Yeah if it wasn't for the people I went with this place would have been rated with a star... I need to find a better bowling alley ...womp
(2)Taufiq H.
clean nice lanes very friendly staff always fun to bowl here!
(5)Alana W.
I like the cheap $1 per game bowling Friday mornings, however, most of the people who work there seem to hate dealing with people.
(2)Anna G.
Agree with other commenter about the kids. They are EVERYWHERE, so if your not a kid person, this place robably isnt for you. Other then that, its decent. Prices not bad, and "Alley Dogs" food court makes some pretty good hot dogs. My advice, go late. Less kids late in the evening and the cosmic bowling is pretty fun :)
(4)Leyla A.
Great place for a fun date night! Smoke-free! Cold beer! Free Socks! Help Chosing the right Balls!
(5)Jonathan H.
Great for families that want to bowl! I took my 5 year old and wife and youngest son (he's too young to bowl) and we had a great time at this bowling alley. We went early. They had only been open an hour. The place was clean and food was cooked, so we were able to get some hot dogs and fries while we bowled. The automatic bumpers were great and it made my son very excited that he could play on the same lane as his parents. I recommend for a family adventure, or even a birthday party.
(4)Colleen C.
24/7. That's dedication and service to the sleepless, the drunks and the transients. People that want to rest their feet, order a pitcher and bowl. OK, and lots of other groups of people too...this place offers a true slice of life, and I like nothing better. You get free socks with a shoe rental! Free socks? I love free anything, but free, white, gym socks? Sigh, be still my heart. (You have to ask though, so remember.) It can get pretty busy during peak hours (6-midnight on weekends)...but other than that, I've never had a problem. They usually have weeknight leagues, so best to call and check if there is availability. Big 'ol parking lot. I love you Waveland Bowl, I'll have another hot dog and beer. And an 8 lb bowl and free socks.
(5)Nisa D.
Mehhhh where should i start!! Went there Sunday night to meet a couple of friends. First of all we got there and the wait for a lane was 45 min! which we had to wait because one of our friends was running late as usual. The place was packed and the crowd well lets say not my cup of tea, extremely loud and i felt like i was gonna get mugged any time UGHH..
(2)Rod D.
Being from a family of bowlers, I've been going to this bowling alley since I was a little kid. I used to play video games there and ask my parents for money. The alleys are really nice and maintained. I love how they've tried to stay with the times in decorating. I know a bunch of leagues play there so check first if they have open bowling prior to actually going there.
(4)S J.
Personally, I had a bad experience there today. We walked in at 3 pm and paid for 4 games. The price before 5pm per person per game is $3. We finished 3 games before 5pm, but the third one was still charged the price for after 5pm. We went to the cashier, who refused to refund the difference. Worse, the guy was rude and mean. I don't think we will come back.
(1)Fernando D.
It is the greatest bowling alley in the city. It is classic and now has started trying to be hip with the cosmic bowling. This makes it kinda expensive during times when you expect it to be busy. But with it open 24hrs and 365 days a year, you can find times when it is cheap and quiet. For real bowlers, these lanes are the truest you can find. Very competitive leagues as well!
(5)Justin M.
Yeah...I'm actually falling out of love with this bowling alley. I used to look forward to Sunday mornings of $6/hour bowling. Now, I wake up on Sunday mornings and think about other things...like pancakes. The people are still very nice, the rates are cheap (on Sunday mornings) and the atmosphere is cool...it's just that the lanes are always filthy with potato chips, soda stains and other sticky substances I can't seem to identify. I don't understand why they just don't clean the lanes better. It's so disgusting, you can't even slide on the boards when approaching the foul line. I wish this was an isolated incident, but on several occasions this has been the case. Maybe I will be back when the snow falls, but I'm cool for now.
(3)Tanya M.
I took my children here to experience bowling for the first time. It was just the three of us with my children being 2 yrs. and 4 years old. They set up the bumper bowling which was nice. My main complaint is it cost $20/hr. to bowl!! That's pretty pricey for two little ones and one adult. They had a ball and want to go bowling again, but we won't be checking this place out again.
(2)Wade M.
Man what's the deal with the negative reviews those guys are whiny jerks. This place is great and here's an equation that proves it: Open 24/7 + computerized scoring + free parking + attractive and clean without being fancy + the fact that I mysteriously bowled the best games of my life here by far while still sucking in any other bowling venue = ULTIMATE BOWLING ALLEY suck on that, haters.
(5)ali a.
I have been going to this bowling alley for the past couple of weeks because i'm in a league. It is just the kind of alley I have been looking for. Its clean, smoke free and has cosmic bowling at night. Although I enjoy going to the trendier bowling alleys, I especially like this one because it is cheap and alot of fun. If you like bowling, check this place out. You won't be disappointed.
(5)steve c.
Last time I was here it was super ghetto. Undercover cops / cars everywhere. I guess I came at the wrong time too as it was expensive and crowded. I will give it another shot someday and hopefully I won't get shot.
(5)B. L.
This bowling alley has been around for alot of years. It usually has a good crowd. It has 40 lanes with automatic scoreboards. It also has a few pool tables, a snack bar and a video game room. The prices are reasonable. Alot of Lane Tech students bowl here, the school is just down the street. There is a pretty decent size parking lot and also street parking.
(4)Simona M.
The best thing about this bowling alley is that it is non-smoking. It's nice to leave a bowling alley and not have to febreeze your clothes the next day. The worst thing about the bowling alley is the employees. They obviously hate their jobs and let you know it. The best time to go is during the middle of the day, when the prices are low ($1.50 per game) compared to the weekend evening ($6.00 per game). Plus in the middle of the day, you basically have the place to yourself, while at night, you have to share the place with a bunch of teenagers.
(2)Jeff L.
I've only been here on weekdays at like 4am. And generally when I've been in there it's dead. There will sometimes be a CTA bus driver and one other person bowling. Shoe rentals are a bit more than most places, but here's the hook, THEY GIVE YOU FREAKIN' FREE SOCKS. Well they're not really free since you pay more for your shoe rentals. But it's still a pair of socks. The only thing that was strange there was that it was the first non-smokey bowling alley that I've ever been to. I realize it's because of the smoking ban and all, but bowling for the first time without the smell of stale cigarettes was a bit strange at first.
(4)Benjamin B.
This place is the bottom-feeder of the bowling alley world. It is overrun by gang-bangers, grifters and people far too drunk to still be lingering in public. They do serve bourbon... which rocks... but not Maker's Mark... and in my book, a bowling alley that doesn't serve Maker's Mark can shampoo my crotch. Lemme put it this way, I have been to this place 5 times in my lifetime... and 3 out of those 5 times I got into a fight with some meat-head or egotistical hormone-ridden imbecile. Don't bother, there are FAR better places to go bowling in Chicago.
(1)Christopher M.
So, the good thing about waveland is they upkeep their lanes.... I don't care for the people who work there. They treat you with disrespect. I guess if you have to work with little kids all the time, it can make you a little crazy. Never-the-less.... The other bad thing is the price. Just watch for special deals. The last time I was there they had a deal for $38/hr deal. Bring a lot of people, and will be worth your money.
(2)Arthur F.
Just picked up bowling again after a 10 year sabbatical. I have visited 3 other houses during this time and have found Waveland to be the best on two levels. Their lanes are typically the cleanest and their rates are typically the best of those I've visited. The people that work there are about middle of the road in terms of hospitality, sometimes they are great and sometimes they aren't. Of course, with what they have to deal with, that probably isn't too bad. As a result of all of these factors, though, they are generally the hardest to get a lane on during reasonable open hours.
(4)Jenna B.
I had a great experience here on christams day. The place was clean (but still smelled sort of funny) and the bowling was fun. I even ate lunch (pizza and fries) at the "ally cat" food place. The idea of It was sort of gross, but what else would you expect from a bowling ally resturant.
(5)amy k.
was here from around 1am on a thursday to maybe 3. not too bad pricewise for lanes, shoes or beer. few people there at that time. the bar closes at 1 and all drinks have to be gone by 2. which can lead to a ridiculously high BAC at 2 when they just so happen to turn on the bright lights and everything becomes amazingly sterile and a bit embarrassing.
(4)Barb R.
Waveland Bowl is a great place for birthday parties, family time, friends, and nights out with the husband or significant other. I love the atmosphere and music there and especially enjoy the disco bowling with the lights! You can play pool for free while waiting for a lane. Service is very friendly and you can call ahead and find out when it is not too crowded if you don't want big crowds, or reserve lanes ahead of times for parties. We always have fun every time we go there. It's up to date, nice and clean. And there is a great pizza place right across the street if all of the bowling works up an appetite. The bowling alley also has their own delicious snack food and drinks which is convenient. The lanes are taken care of very well, and we always have fun there!!!
(5)C V.
Unfortunately another misleading rating. Now let me explain why this place has not been bought by a better bowling chain and why they are still in business? The only selling point of this place is the location. And they also add a cold beer to the mix - with some water addition in it. So, here is a good option for you; instead of sitting at the same bar over and over. If you are not serious about playing bowling, yes you can come here. If you actually enjoy bowling and playing little competetive then definitely avoid this place. Why? The crowd. Those families looove this place and bring their 5 kids with them so they can run around your lane while you try to hang out with your friends and bowl. Plus, you may be next to some annoying crowd too, but no need to give the details. In every normal to above average bowling alley you have bowling bowls with different sizes and also within in the same you size you have different sizes for the holes, small, medium, large. But here you do not have that option! So let's you are an average person with big hands or fingers but you can only lift an 8lbs ball; it is not going to happen here; because only the kids can barely fit their hands into 8-9s. You have to grab a super heavy 14 or 16lbs ball so that you can barely fit your hands into a ball. Big ball bigger holes, small balls tiny tiny holes. All the balls are super old here and with deep bumps in them. Regardless of your super ability or bowling skills, the ball wills be always out of your control because there is no symmetry. They are so proud about serving to the people for 50yrs, the balls are also 50 yrs old!
(1)Joy R.
We've been coming here all the time and had a birthday party here previously. This year my high school boy wanted to bring his friends here. They offer 1 to 3 on Weekends for birthday day parties but that didn't match our schedule. So i called during the week saying i wanted to reserve two lanes Saturday 3. First phone call they transferred me to 'reservation person' and she never called back. Second person i talked to a couple of days later told me I shouldn't have problems getting those lanes on Saturdays and told me no reservations necessary. Not that I didn't believe him but I didn't want to be bummed when i brought 8 teenagers. Well I stopped by on Friday to pay ahead like the guy on the phone said. The lady at the counter told me i could either reaerve it for three hours or just walk in. She assurd me again they are extremely slow these days and it is really not worth making a reservation if we are going to be here only for 90 mins. So i thanked her. I showed up Saturday the day after. Lanes were filled and the guy at the counter told me 30 min wait. I wasn't gojng to whine about it but just mentioned i called several times during the week. And the guy at the counter named POP who is a manager turned out to be about the rudest manager i ever talked to. He said they do not take a reservation and how would they know what it was going to be like. Most of the managers just apologize for the bad experience and they would talk to their employees. Not Pops. He said it is a common sense i should have called the same day instead of the day before! So i said waveland is trying very hard to bring in people. They put free coupons all over the city and what is the point if they treat the customers who walk in their door this way. Pops said they were here for 50 years and doing very well! Well apart from this manager guy and unless you come here during Saturday this is a nice establishment with lots of family things to entertain everyone.
(3)Max T.
Just not a fan of this alley. It feels real uptight here. First issue... the bar or lack there of. It's sort of a walk up window with mediocre taps. Beer only from what I can tell and that's not even the issue because I'm a beer drinker. Waveland seriously needs to jump into the craft beer game and not cause it's the thing but because Chicago has quality to offer. Second issue... the food. Yelp ain't having it. You can basically either order a boring slice, boring burger, or boring chicken. I think the BBQ sauce of choice is Open Pit, and that screams help. It's pretty much a kid's menu and I'm not trying to hear a rebut that bowling is for kids. Bowling around noon is for kids. Last I checked, bowling is an eat and drink sport. Waveland hasn't figured that out. Diversey Bowl is five min away with two fully stocked bars, a stand alone restaurant and window with gourmet options, great homemade BBQ sauce, and all the mediocre beers plus a rotating stock of craft grains you can get into. Another issue I have is how during league play when bowlers switch lanes during competition the names and scores don't switch on the overhead TVs. There's just arrows next to a one letter initial. Obviously it's not rocket science but step it up. Signed, The Serious Easygoing Bowler.
(2)Brittany M.
Very fun place to bowl! They have a lot of lanes, free parking and pretty low prices (Groupon also features them a lot) . Friday and Saturday night it gets pretty busy so call ahead to reserve a spot!
(5)Christelle S.
Came here with my boyfriend with a Groupon which gave us 3 games and shoe rental and found it was worth it!. We got a lane right away and a pitcher of beer to share. During our games we bought some food (wings and onion rings) which were greasy but what you would expect from bowling alley food. Cool vibe here, they played popular music and showed the music videos on screens at the end of the lanes. They also had backlight and bright neon bowling balls. They also have an arcade and billiard tables.
(3)Tiffany K.
This place is awesome. Cheap bowling, and never packed even on the weekends. A bit far removed from the city center, but I think the cosmic bowling here is great and the attendants are all super nice. Best spot!
(5)Roger T.
Attended a bowling outing here with my company on a Sunday afternoon and we had a great time. All the elements were in place: Bright clean lanes, good computerized scoring system, decent food, standard selection of balls, and above all, a friendly and attentive staff. Special kudos to Joel, who seemed to be everywhere at once; cleaning, assisting, advising, and just helping out. He is the epitome of excellent customer service!
(5)Leandro P.
Called there and was told they didnt reserve lanes - it is "first come first serve" style. Once I get there, an extremely rude guy at the reception says all lanes are reserved for a tournament until 9.30. Even though there are more than 7 lanes free, they won't let me play. Never coming back, terrible place, unpleasant service.
(1)Rana T.
I hadn't been to Waveland Bowling Alley on their Saturday cosmic night in about a year. When I used to go I always loved it and yes there was a wait, but it wasn't ridiculous. Well that wasn't the case this time. I went there last night for my birthday and it was the most terrible experience I've ever had at a bowling alley. We got there around 10:15pm and were told that the wait for a lane was an hour and a half. Me and my group of four decided to wait, but ended up waiting for even longer than that and to make matters worse it was so crowded that we couldn't find a seat so we ended up standing the entire time. When we finally did get a lane we experienced difficulties such as: the screen not reading our score, scoring us incorrectly or the monitor just completely not responding. We had to call over staff to help A TOTAL OF 9 TIMES!!! We were constantly stopping and couldn't play even one game all the way through. Other people next to us were experiencing the same problem. We had to wait to again until the problem was fixed and several times they had to shut off the entire system which resulted in the loss of our scores and entire game. I was so upset! The only reason I came was for the cosmic bowling night, but never again. A little fog, some strobe lights and a top 40 pop playlist ain't worth spending $28 for two games and shoes here. Waveland get your shit together for real!
(1)Kim B.
My family and I bowl here on a regular basis during cosmic bowl on the weekend and the atmosphere is always great and a lot of fun! We also hosted our son's birthday party there and all the kids loved it! The staff was super helpful when we booked and during the entire party. Would highly recommend them!
(5)Ben S.
AWESOME bowling alley, brings you back to the time of when you were a kid and bowling was the best thing around. Except they have a full bar and glow bowling is even more fun for adults! They host an S3 Bowling league on Sunday nights in the winter with 160 people which is not to be missed. Check em out!
(5)Pamela B.
Love this place I bowl here on league twice a week and my kids once a week. I also come practicing a lot. Workers here are very friendly I wouldn't go to another bowling alley.
(5)Nick And Erin G.
Waveland Bowl made our surprise birthday bowling party awesome! Special thanks to Lindsay who organized all the details...everyone had a great time! From the food and drinks to the music and lanes, everything was fantastic! Management made sure everyone was happy.
(5)David B.
Walked in with a group of 6 people. The guy at the counter said we could only use one lane. We asked the people how many games they were playing to see if we could wait for two lanes to open. they had no clue, we had to ask people which wasn't a problem. After we found a lane they refused to put six of us on two lanes. We only stayed because our buddy was in from Minnesota and wanted to hangout without going around place to place. The prices were way to high, you can go to so many better places for half the cost. Also, a pitcher of PBR was $13, easily could have went to a bar in Wrigleyville for $1 beers. The place smelled like $hit, everywhere I walked just was walking into clouds of farts. Will never go back, same goes for my friends.
(1)Adam K.
Bowling is aight, 3.50 for a game, 3.50 for shoes, so $7 a game per head? 4 games around $48, kinda pricey if you axe body spray me. Lotsa loud ass people with no sense of etiquette. Hey Yolanda, I am about to release, I know you missed all the pins but don't scream at the top of your lungs and pump your fists at the monitor. Why is the computer system so weird and confusing? They have dudes on standby to make sure you don't fuck around and hack into the mainframe and reset all the high scores while making the top player name ASS or POO. The ball return next to ours started smoking and belched acrid smoke out all over, no joke, I wish I took a picture. But I can't stand people taking pictures of monotonous shit, "ITS FOR MY YELP REVIEW!" I would shout in futility at their judgmental fat faces. Damn bra, pool tables look like if Fred Durst and Guy Fieri decided to collabo on a throw pillow. Looks like shit, its purple or red camouflage, oh wait there is a green one that looks like someone squirted green jello all over it. 5 pool tables total, 2 that are decorated so poorly you cant even play on them. I think the bowlers must have picked this pattern out to mess with those who want to play pool. Food smelled good. I could be back....
(3)Beth R.
Better than I expected! My bowling experiences elsewhere in Chicago range from the gritty (Lincoln Square Lanes, Timber Lanes) to the boutique-y (Southport Lanes) and Waveland Bowl is right in the middle. It's both huge (40 lanes) and personal (lane attendants) and thanks to a Groupon, super affordable. They have electronic scoring, along with "editorial" cartoons - little animations that show how you either dominated the pins or didn't. The shoes I had were almost new, and the bathroom was clean. My only complaint is that when the 8:00 cosmic bowling was starting up, they only played the first minute of Bell Biv DeVoe's "Poison" before switching to something else. Come onnnnnn!
(4)David R.
I'm no expert on bowling alleys, but this seems like a good one. Bowling is one of those games, along with others such as pool and pinball, that are fun but also inherently social; therefore I play them very infrequently because inevitably there is always a crowd of people nearby to bear witness to the ignominy of my wretched performance. So anyway, I hardly ever bowl. One thing that I loved about this joint was the oldies tunes, by which I mean the whitebread 80s and early 90s top-40 tunes of my youth. Probably the last time that I heard "Breakfast at Tiffany's" and "Life is a Highway" was also the last time that I was in a bowling alley, which is to say twenty years ago when those songs were actually on the radio. So I'm clearly no expert, and perhaps easily impressed. Besides the awesome soundtrack, there are many other aspects to appreciate: 1. Warm and helpful staff 2. Very clean facility, except for the balls which are all revoltingly greasy 3. FORTY lanes and no wait at 7pm on a Saturday night 4. $18 Groupon for 3 games for 2 people, which seems like a great deal 5. Plenty of free parking 6. Easy to use computer scoring system 7. Amusing and/or endearing animations, especially for strikes, spares, and gutter balls My only complaint (besides the greasy balls, which is significant) was that I could not find a 12-pound ball with large finger holes. I had to use a 13-pound ball the entire time. How about some help for those of us with large hands and no guns?
(4)Mandoos G.
This place is a rip off. It's not that I didn't have fun. I mean I had as much fun as one has bowling at any place. But we paid 54 dollars for 2 games which took a little under an hour to play. There aren't a lot of places around here that charge per game AND per head. Timber bowl is a mere 20 dollars for 1 hour. Southport lanes is 40 for 1 hour, Diversey is 30 an hour. This isn't some up-scale bowling place like 10pin or Lucky Strike. They also don't let you reserve lanes. Can't say I will be going back.
(2)Anthony J.
In my opinion very pricey. $29 for two games and two shoe rentals. However there are alot of lanes and the one time I went the staff was very helpful. Make sure you make some reservations on weekends because it can be packed.
(3)C R.
We had a birthday party event scheduled here; Saturday 1-3 Cozmic bowling. Staff was very nice, accommodating, smiled, made experience a good one for first time party reservation. I'd book another kids' party with them again!
(5)Christine F.
There's very few activities I enjoy doing that I'm also wildly bad at. I'm a very competitive person and I enjoy DOMINATING in my chosen hobbies. There's one exception to this, though. There's one activity I don't mind being ridiculously bad at, yet still manage to have fun. It's bowling. IDGAF. What if I have three entire turns that I don't hit any pins? I don't care. I get to drink booze and throw a heavy ball down a greased lane. My score is sub-50? Bring it on. There's only a few bowling alleys in this city, and Waveland is at the top (for me). It's a nice, big bowling alley that doesn't have tons of frills and insanity. Diversey can be fun, but it can also be loud, depending on when you go. Waveland is a nice medium between a family friendly atmosphere and a rave-like bowing environment. We went here with my office for our Christmas party and we got a pizza/salad tray, as well as several hours of bowling. We had a blast. I haven't seen our office have this much fun at a party in years. I'll be back with my husband, and I'm sure our office will be back as well.
(4)Patty B.
Went back here about a month ago and I didn't think it was possible, but it was more gross than the last time I was there. It was packed though, so I guess that doesn't matter. Half of the areas (the bar by the pool area, bathrooms, etc.) were closed, which with it being a Saturday night and packed, was very confusing. Beer choices were 'meh', served in a plastic cup, and kind of flat. Didn't even look at the food. Bowling was fine but the rest of the experience was not good.
(2)Caroline D.
Okay, I'm ready to bump this guy up to 5 stars. Tonight I tried the food -- chicken parm sandwich and fries, and the sandwich was actually GREAT and the fries were good too. These ladies are pros at the deep fryer. My friends had pizza and said it was surprisingly good too.
(5)Sharee M.
Came here with my students for cosmo bowling. We had a great time. We also had the pizza party and they did a great job keeping everything refilled and hot. Pizza was yummy. I also really appreciated that the managers respected the kind of values of our groups and made sure the music was respectful and with no cussing words. My group loved there time here and start coming on their own. Everyone was helpful, friendly, and accommodating to the group. Prices were great as well for the group. I enjoyed myself and I would come again, especially for groups.
(5)Courtney F.
I haven't actually been to Waveland Bowl because after trying to reserve lanes to bring in around 30 people I was told that there is no open bowling during the week. However, their website clearly states that they have open lanes Mondays and Tuesdays. If you want people to come to your place of business I suggest that you always have an updated website. I appreciate that the owner responded to my post, that he cares about his business and tries to resolve issues.
(3)Christina S.
If you love bowling you'lllove this cosmic bowling open late nights. Its usually not that crowded but not empty. Love it
(4)Jay C.
My boys went on a field trip here and had a very bad experience with the staff. They were having some problems with some of the video game machines and the staff was extremely rude to them. When I called to ask what happened, the woman I spoke with was very rude to me. We don't plan on ever spending another dime in that place.
(1)Michelle M.
I've been going to Waveland since I can remember. I've had some awesome times here. I use to love coming to cosmic bowling nights. The area has changed and well the crowds have changed. Prices are decent. Food is what you should expect from a bowling alley. This bowling alley is open 24/7 so what a cool thing to do...bowling at 3am!
(3)Lauran D.
Joel is amazing!!!! If u don't know the computer he's there before you even have to think.
(5)Cheryl V.
Wow! Assembly line birthday parties on a Saturday afternoon...groovin! For moms, dads and families, Waveland, take me away! An orchestrated event down to the synchronized happy birthday song and the 6' foot banquet table for your cake, goodie bags and gifts. These folks have got the kiddie birthday party all figured out to the work-a-day parents' delight. They turn down the lights, turn up the neon and let the toddlers through teens 'have at at!! Yes, there's a full bar for the adults in need of escapism (Pricey). There's parking for those who hate to venture into the city. And there are indeed tiny balls for tiny bowlers. Saturday afternoon and all was well.
(4)Erin E.
ASSHOLE BOWLING 101 OBJECTIVES after reading this review, yelpers will be able to: 1. make an ass of themselves. 2. obtain blackmail pictures of their friends. 3. enjoy bowling like never before. GETTING STARTED a) select a bowling alley. some people choose to go with an alley in the 'burbs, where they are sure not to see anyone they know. in fact, asshole bowling originated in schaumburg. in the city, i suggest choosing an alley that offers cosmic bowling. though it may be done in light or dark conditions, many people find asshole bowling easier when blacklights and cheesy music are involved. waveland's "cozmic" bowling is on sunday, monday, and thursday. just beware, they turn the lights back on an hour before closing. (so your party better be good & drunk by then if you want the shenanigans to continue unhindered.) b) wear comfortable clothing. socks are a must, of course. don't wear your favorite jeans-- chances are, they gonna get dirty. and absolutely no skirts. c) get a group of friends together (minimum 3 people). tip: your birthday is a great opportunity to force people to do what you tell them. d) play a regular game. you know, where you try to knock the pins down. e) order a pitcher... or two, or three. and keep 'em comin'. when you are not bowling, you should be drinking. f) eat some fried cheese from alley dogs. note: not required for asshole bowling, just really good. g) get your camera ready. you do not want this to go undocumented. LET THE GAMES BEGIN at the start of each frame, designate someone to make a rule. said person must demonstrate the rule, which all others must follow for that frame. examples: --bowling with your eyes closed --skipping up to the lane --something involving a dance it's important to remember that every group is different. there are no "wrong" rules, just some that end up being more fun than others. the best rules are embarrassing, physically challenging, and/or fun for both bowler and audience. for instance, in one game, participants were required to bowl normally, then turn around and scream, "what the f*ck!?!" while not physically challenging, this turned out to be pretty embarrassing, as well as highly entertaining for spectators. RESULTS asshole bowling may cause the following: a) funny looks from people in other lanes b) fear of getting kicked out c) bruising d) extreme excitement over anything that is not a gutter ball e) hysterical laughter
(4)Timothy M.
I've been here a few times and I always have fun. It can become crowded with teens at times, but what do you expect with two high schools in the area. I've never had any trouble though. It can just become pretty loud. The prices are reasonable and they have plenty of lanes available. Good times.
(4)Matthew M.
Pretty solid bowling experience- No frills or problems. Good service. Open late. Relatively cheap. My only problem is the music (and accompanying music videos). The evening I was there, the mix was about 90% country, 5% 80's pop, and 5% early 2000's hip-hop. Country? In Chicago? I mean everyone likes a tiny bit of country, but it was getting annoying after the 3rd Toby Keith song...
(3)Sarah Z.
This is a difficult review to write. I don't want to seem catty because what it comes down to is a few dollars and, let's face it... it's bowling. It's also difficult because I don't want to use crude language in my reviews... yet I really want to use a few choice words to describe an employee that 'works' at Waveland Bowl. It was a Thursday morning, 11:15a (within the bounds of one dollar per game before noon). My cashier, older woman, made the whole transaction uncomfortable, dissatisfying, and overall disagreeable which ended up in my friend and I being overcharged by a few dollars. It's not the fact that we were over charged- it's the principle that our cashier made a mistake and rather than apologizing and fixing the situation she became defensive and (although not sure how it was possible) more hostile than she was when we first encountered her. She is crotchety and needs to consider retiring or Xanax. Unfortunately, I will be back. I am a terrible bowler and I would like to become better and this location is the closest to my abode. Overall- lanes= wooden. Balls=heavy. Bowling=adequate Pricing=affordable. OH! Pool tables- rented per hour for $12... which is steep to me. **I do need to note the people who help you with the console and the lane issues, if you have any, are extremely helpful and nice.
(2)Emily H.
I've gone to Waveland since I was 6 and no other Chicagoland bowling alley has been as safe, as fun, or as functional as Waveland. The lanes are smooth and both the balls and the shoes are ridiculous colors we've come to associate with the bowling experience. Cosmic bowling is a super fun way to combine a junior-high style dance party with bowling and black light shenanigans. When's the last time you tested your strength, made a fool of yourself, rooted for your favorite player and competed against your friends for under $10 an hour?
(4)Julia C.
This is a cool place! A friend and I had a Groupon for 3 games and shoes. I think total it was $17, which was far less than the amount we spent on beer...haha. We were in a lane next to some older pros, who got a pretty good kick out of our terrible skills. They were trying to be helpful and show us where to aim the ball, but let's be honest... I was aiming for anything but the gutter. (why are the bumpers restricted to kids??? I need some help!) The software for setting up your game is a little odd, but plenty of employees milling about to jump in and help. Beer and pizza are on par for what you'd expect here. It's just enough of what you want to keep rumbling stomachs at bay... Did I mention we accidentally caught cosmic bowling? I thought it wasn't supposed to start until 10pm-ish, but around 8pm the lights went down and the fun came up! Actually, I really just love cosmic bowling because it hides my terrible skills so well :) We'll be back!
(4)Amber B.
Its a decent place to go bowling... my only complaint really has nothing to do with the bowling alley but there is way to many wild children at this bowling alley. I love their cosmic bowling so much fun! Prices are extremely reasonable (for bowling food prices however, that's a different story). They have guys that come and help you with any problems that you have which helps us customers have a better experience. Over all I had a wonderful time on a Mondaynright!
(4)Amy W.
I came here to celebrate a friend's birthday this past weekend. It only cost $13 per person for two games and shoe rental (or $5 for one game per person and $3 for shoe rental) -- even though, annoyingly enough, the charge could only be placed on one credit card, so bring cash! We had a group of about 15 people, but the wait was only about 30-45 minutes on a Saturday night. During that time, we sat in the lounge and ordered drinks, which were all reasonably priced. The music, the screens playing the music videos, and the lighting all contributed to the fun vibe. In between turns, my friends and I would be dancing on the side of the lanes - who knows what all the other people thought of us, but we didn't care. The staff was relatively friendly, even though one of the people was a little rude when there was some confusion about how many people could play in each lane. Overall, a pretty good time. The only thing is that this place is not really accessible by public transportation. We had to walk 15 minutes to the closest El stop, which is Addison on the Brown Line.
(4)Kimberly H.
This review isn't so much a review of the bowling alley, but more a shoutout to Tim, the "lane technician." I've gone here three times on groupons, which are a great deal ($17 for 2 people, 3 games and shoes with no restrictions that I've encountered). the cosmic bowling is ok, with decent music. There are always people that don't know the first thing about bowling, and families there at like 12 am with kids, which is weird if you ask me, but who am I to judge? Back to Tim. Tim HUSTLES. All the time. He runs around introducing himself and helping people that get balls stuck or don't know how to fix mistakes, and he never makes you feel dumb. Or drunk. Even if my question didn't make sense, Tim fixed my problem. For that, I give Waveland Bowl 4 stars. Plus food and drink are decently priced. You can't lose!
(4)