For all of its Midwestern values and plain spoken attitude, Chicago can be thought of as a bit of a city of contradictions. Chicago feels in many ways as if it’s a cosmopolitan city, and yet is landlocked with a small town attitude. Chicago has great gourmet restaurants, and yet it’s among its most famous food is the sausage; hardly a delicacy! Chicago’s love affair with its Cubs dwarfs the size of White Sox fandom; and yet the White Sox have had more success in recent years.
So it’s perhaps not surprising that one of Chicago’s favorite recreational activities, bowling, is one that is somewhat conflicted as well. As Chicago is often thought of as a blue collar city, bowling is often thought of as a blue collar activity. But this stereotype is not really accurate. Chicagoans also love to golf, for example, and bowling has become a trendy, even hip, pastime.
In many of the new bowling alleys in Chicago, you can that while the game itself may not have changed much at all through the years, the bowling alleys have. Now, often, some of the best bowling that Chicago has to offer is found in facilities that will resemble nightclubs as much as bowling alleys. These can be great for corporate outings, on a date, or for bachelor parties. But there are certainly ‘meat and potato’ bowling alleys which are priced and outfitted more for the hard core bowler.
The following is a list and review of the five best bowling alleys in the Chicago area.
Lincoln Square Lanes Bowling
4874 North Lincoln Avenue
Chicago, Illinois
Lincoln Square Lanes Bowling is arguably the most historic bowling alley in the entire country. It is the prototypical old time Chicago bowling alley. It has been in operation since 1918.
Located on the second floor of its building, giving a unique feeling right away. One of the best anecdotes about this venerable Chicago bowling alley is that the giant mural above the pins was ‘discovered’ by its current owner a few years back. At some point along the line, the mural, with its old time illustration, was covered up by tiles.
The best thing about Lincoln Square Bowling is that not only does it not hide from its old time ambiance, it actually embraces it. it is one of the few bowling alleys left in Chicago, or anywhere, with paper and pencil scoring. That’s right; there is no electronic, let alone automatic scoring. It’s a place for nostalgia, but also great bowling facilities. Lincoln Square Lanes offers only 12 lanes, so if going with a large group it’s a good idea to call ahead for reservations.
Fireside Bowl
2648 West Fullerton
Chicago, Illinois
As with Lincoln Square Lanes bowling, Fireside Bowl prides itself as an authentic, old time Chicago bowling experience. Fireside Bowl opened in the 1940’s and has obviously stood the test of time. It is a Chicago family owned bowling alley and careful attention is paid to good customer service and great alley conditions. In one of the few concessions to the ‘modern bowling alley’ era, Fireside Bowl does offer video games (really the modern equivalent of what surely was a pinball machine at some point), and is in touch with the fact that bowlers are just as likely to be part of an office part as they are a bowling league. Of course Fireside Bowl does offer and support bowling leagues, but they also make a point to cater to groups of office workers, bachelor parties and church groups.
Waveland Bowl
3700 Northwestern
Chicago, Illinois
Waveland Bowl is something of a hybrid between an old time Chicago bowling alley and the newer and trendier Chicago bowling alleys. But don’t assume that it doesn’t know what it is; in fact, Waveland Bowl has been voted the best bowling alley in Chicago more than once.
What is cool about Waveland Bowl is the fact that it has been opened since the 1950’s, and celebrates that fact, and yet also has all of the modern amenities such as electronic scoring, cozmic bowling (dark lights and glow in the dark bowling balls), and an attention to quality so great that they actually replace their pins at least once a year.
Waveland Bowl caters to kids’ parties and corporate events. In fact, Waveland Bowl advises that potential bowlers call ahead to confirm lane availability during the weekends, as often the alleys will be full.
Waveland Bowl offers special ‘bargain times’ for non-peak bowling (generally during weekdays) and special theme nights with 80’s music, kids cozmic nights and fundraisers.
This is an authentic Chicago bowling alley that has an accent on “fun”.
Forest Lanes
7700 West 47th Street
Chicago, Illinois
As with all AMF Centers, you know the bowling lanes themselves will be of high quality and up to regulation. But Chicago’s Forest Lanes goes beyond that and offers a definite modern twist.
Anybody who has ever participated in “Xtreme Bowling” will tell you that it is all about loud music, light shows and an intense atmosphere. And Forest Lanes does Xtreme Bowling as well as any place in Chicago. Forest Lanes also caters to adult birthday parties, corporate outings and bachelor parties. They offer several packages for bowlers, based on budget, size and desire for food and drinks. Forest Lanes offers specials on beer and pizza, along with standard bowling alley fare such as burgers, fries and nachos.
Forest Lanes also helps support a good number of Chicago bowling leagues.
Lucky Strike
322 East Illinois Street
Chicago, Illinois
Lucky Strike bowling alleys are becoming a bit of a nationwide institution.
The Chicago version of Lucky Strikes does not disappoint. What other bowling alley, be it in Chicago or elsewhere, can boast of an 11 page menu? Or exotic cocktails that could come right out of Sex and the City?
Lucky Strikes is about as hip a place as any nightclub could be, never mind as hip as any bowling alley could be. Many actually come to Lucky Strike to sit at the bar, have some great cocktails and take in the scenery. This is not old time Chicago bowling. Depending on your mood, that could be good or bad. But it is a very popular bowling alley chain and it continues to spread across the country.
As you can see, bowling alleys in Chicago run the gamut from very old time to extremely chic. Whether planning to join a bowling league, plan a bachelor party or just go out with a group of friends, there is no shortage in Chicago.
