Bowlmor Union Square

This was a cool hangout spot for me and a few friends a while back! We played some pool, and got unlimited bowling access for only $ 10! We did however order apps and amongst three teens, we devoured the $ 30 sampler. There is a vibrancy and life to this place however; we couldn’t fathom a bowling place of such size and grandeur in the heart of the Big Apple. They had a good customer size even for a mid Wednesday. It was accessible and cool. Would definitely go back with friends.

Went to Bowlmor for a work function and had a very nice time. Bowlmor is your typical loud music neon/​glow-​in-​the-​dark bowling alley. You can have some drinks at their full bar and/​or bowl the night away. The food was not that great but the service staff was very nice and attentive to our needs.

I often forget how fun bowling can be, and how much more fun these activities are when you can drink. (TAKE THAT, high school me!) The fun factor also increases when you get invited to an engagement party and it’s free drinks and food.
Free bowling-​well I had to rent shoes, but, wutevs, a waitress who saw how much/​fast we were consuming and started serving us doubles as well as keeping a tub of ice full of beers and honestly, decent bar food. Definitely a good time-​now if I can keep finding friends who like celebrating their engagements by renting out bowling alleys…

I have been here twice. It gets crowded weekend nights, so expect a wait if you don’t have a reservation. This is place is like bowling in a disco place. Bright neon colors and flashing lights dominate the décor. They are also overpriced for a bowling place, but it is in the city after all. To me, bowling is bowling, so a cheaper, basic bowling place is my preferred choice.

So don’t expect them to give you an estimate on how long you will be waiting. Seriously, don’t even ask. I called Bowlmor at 4pm on Saturday afternoon asking if they take reservations for lanes and they do not which is fine. I asked the lady about how long is their average Saturday night wait if I am coming at 8:30 for 2 people and she said she couldn’t give me an estimate nor was she going to even guess… fine. Ill just go anyways and see what happens when I get there. I arrived at 8:30 and the guy at the front tells me that there are 12 people waiting before me so he asked to me to give him my phone number so they can call me when they are ready. So I ask, how long do you think that will be? Of course, my answer was, «I can’t give you an estimate and I don’t like to.» From the sound of his voice, I think he almost took pleasure knowing that he would never give out the answer and knowing everyone asks. So at this point I am starting to get annoyed because I don’t bowl often and a 12 person wait to me could either be 30 minutes or 3 hours and i probably would have been fine if he would have just told me that, but he couldn’t even give me a 3 hour window!
So now after an hour and a half wait, my phone rings to tell me that I am ready to bowl. The two of us go up to the guy and he asks if 3 people could join us as that would speed up their process as well. I said they sure could as long as they were fun which they ended up being. They left after one game and then came back to us telling us that they couldn’t close out their bill unless we closed out ours. Now, I’m confused because if you are going to pair up strangers, how can you expect them to just share the tab. They should have been able to pay without having to come back to us and give me cash so that I could hope that they were telling the truth as to how much their games were so I didn’t lose money. Thankfully, not only was our threesome fun, they handled their portion of the bill correctly also.
At this point, I am paying for the pitcher that I got at the lanes from our waitress and realized that this place literally had 3 of my credit cards in their possession. They had one at the bar upstairs, the front desk to make sure i didn’t steal their bowling shoes and then with our waitress to close out my tab at the lane. Im not really sure how other bowling alleys do it, but this place failed miserably on their customer service experience.
Phew. Rant is done!
All in all, I still had fun because at the end of the day, its only bowling and we had a great time. I actually didn’t let those annoyences really bother me but sometimes, the stars are in the details and this place lacked them all.

This is my first bowling experience in NY. I must say is was a good one, I came here on a Sunday around 5pm, it was pretty quiet but fun. They had black lights setup, music and full menu available (yes, bar too!).
My overall experience was good, it’s your standard bowling alley, I would definitely come back.

Very stylish and fun bowling alley. Has a lounge-​y décor but filled with kids in the afternoon. Service is slow but friendly. Great music and accompanying videos. Elevator ride was interesting. Make sure to only press the button once because it’s serviced by a staff member. Every push results in a loud ring inside the elevator. The doors have to be manually opened and closed by the staff member.
$ 6 shoe rentals. $ 11.95 per game per person. A bit pricey but it’s Manhattan, I guess.

Company decided to have a staff party here for two hours unlimited bowling. We ordered food, which was surprisingly pretty decent. We had the margarita pizza and some spicy chicken pizza (not sure the name of it) and the sampler. The quesadillas were good and comes with salsa, sour cream, and guacamole. The fries were good as well. Doesn’t taste like frozen food, and it was good. Pizza was made fresh. Our waitress was nice enough to offer us a ceasar salad type pizza because she took away our plates when we weren’t finished.
I will definitely come back. Love the feel and the nice staff here!

My company had our Christmas party here where everything was paid for, so my opinion might be a little skewed. We had two lanes reserved, tons of food, an open bar, all paid for. I don’t know how much it cost so I can’t speak for the value, but the food and drinks were surprisingly solid.
Despite it being an open bar they didn’t skimp on the alcohol which was nice. The hummus, onion rings and fries were good, and spring rolls with sweet chili sauce were nice. I’d avoid the pizza (which shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone). There wasn’t really any cheese on it, but they did bring a serving plate with shredded parmesan, oregano, and red pepper flakes. The crust was very hard, literally a lot like cardboard. The sliders and chicken tenders are also skippable, lots of texture and lack of moisture issues.
The music was top 40, from the late 90’s onward. Rihanna, Lauren Hill, Lady Gaga. My co-​worker did make a request to the staff to play more Rihanna, and the woman turned to me and asked me what I wanted to hear as well. I was like… aw hun, I wouldn’t ask to play my music here, people are enjoying what’s on haha ;) Turns out she listens to similar stuff and told me to come during the day, her usual shift, when all the middle aged guys come around and play some classic rock. So if that’s what you’re looking for, know when to go!
The place itself is nice. Great lighting, clean shoes, massive TV’s at the end of every lane (the night I went they had basketball, It’s a Wonderful Life, and music videos playing on different screens). And the staff was super friendly and attentive. People came around to refill our drinks and take away our used plates very often. They seemed like they actually enjoyed working there which is always nice.

I had my Big Kidz Rock & Bowl Bday Party there!!!
I will say it was great!!! The deal I got for 15people to drink, eat and bowl was ok. Nothing is as cheap as you want it but this was good and worth each penny:) I had all of my paperwork ready for a problem but there was none, from start to finish.
The waitress and bartender for our sections were on point and helped us with everything. It was going so well I almost blow my budget by extending my time but I resisted… barely! I really did have a good time!!!
If you have a good of big azz kid friends like I have, this ws awesome for us!!!

I was here for a friends birthday rock n’ bowl party.
Our area waitress was so awesome and attentive. As was the bartender who supplied the best Sangria’s ever!
Super spacious, with a cool décor Bowlmor was a dope place to have a b’day extravaganza.
A bit on the pricey side but, what boutiquey bowling alley’s aren’t these days?

I’ve been here twice now, once for mini golf (which we used a Groupon for) and once for bowling. We had a lot of fun both times!
The mini golf was great — no line, and the girl at the register was really sweet. My groupon was expired, but she still gave us a pretty good deal. The course itself was fine, nothing special though. I was a little disappointed that it’s only 9 holes. For the same price, you get 18 at a lot of other places. They have an air hockey table, pool, and foosball, all of which are pay-​to-​play, and the foosball table was out of order. Overall we spent about 2 hours there for 4 of us to bowl and take turns beating each other at air hockey.
The bowling trip was for a friend’s birthday. I called to ask about party packages and the representative I worked with was very friendly and helpful. We ended up not having enough people to make a package worth it, but I’d definitely consider it for another occasion. No complaints about the bowling shoes, balls, service, etc. There was a guy there that night celebrating his brother’s engagement or something who bought a round for everyone standing at the bar — both times I went up for drinks. So that was nice.
My only complaint, about this place is that it’s a pretty expensive night out, especially if you’re eating or drinking. But you go to a place like this expecting it to be expensive, so I knew what I was getting myself into.
All in all, I can’t afford this place as a regular going out place, but I’ll definitely go, back every now and then.

It is my first time here at Bowlmor Union Square. Been to the one on Times Square, and thought that location was very cool. This time around, we bought a groupon of $ 25 for $ 50 (which translate to 2 games per person on a Saturday evening).
I am still getting used to the fact that bowling in NYC is all about partying/​lounge-​y. This place is dark, and the pin glows. We were here around 7:30pm on a Saturday, when it was not crowded yet. Shoe rental was $ 6/​pair, game was $ 12.50/game pp. We played 3 games each, and after my groupon deal, we paid about $ 27. There were a couple of floors of bowling, and we were located at the lower floor (3^rd floor), there was a full bar and server. Our server was bubbly and good. We got 2 Corona for $ 16. Overall, it was fun, but honestly, it was expensive fare… The games go by quick when it was just two of us.

I like things that make me feel young and alive. I don’t like things that make me feel broke. Hello Bowlmor!
My boyfriend and I came here on a weeknight and left nearly homeless, Bowling was $ 12 a game PER PERSON! No one in their right mind really wants to only play once, especially if said bowler is competitive and places bets on wins. Well this competitive spirit will cost you much.
Now with all this passion and fury to win, you’re certainly going to work up a thirst. Why not order the dunk tank? Yes a gallon of a mixed drink for 2 people. That was just senseless. Now all that intense focus on getting strikes and alcohol running through your system will surely make you work up an appetite. Why not get something to eat? Yes! An order of mozzarella sticks and sliders to share. Good mozzarella sticks, mediocre sliders.
Fun was had by all but that damn bill of nearly $ 200 kinda put a damper on it all.
Next date night: watching netflix and eating tuna out of a can.

Who knew how awesome of a bowler I was? Not me! Bowlmore is a block or two south of Union Square and it is the only bowling alley I have ever been to where you take an elevator!
Bowling shoes are old school, food is standard, and the drinks are cold! Love, love, love!

We didn’t go on a Monday deal night so it turned out to be pretty expensive ($ 50 pp) when I went with my group of friends. However we still had fun. The music however cheesy added to the fun atmosphere.
The food surprisingly was good. Awesome guacamole and the mountain of nachos is great for groups. Really enjoyed the sliders and BBQ wings. Drinks were not as watered down as I expected (Get the Blue whatever it’s called).
I hate the entrance of this place. Getting past the bouncer, feels like getting in a club. Expensive experience, but fun with a group of friends.

This place was such an unexpected find so close to Union Square!
One of my friends had a deal for the beer tasting event that was taking place here, and she only had two tickets, but said, let’s try to get me in as well! We went up probably five flights of stairs before we got to the ticket guy, who said, you can buy tickets in the hall, and the tickets were so cheap! Luckily though, I’m not a huge beer fan, so I didn’t even need to pay for anything. The first floor we happened upon was the bowling floor, however we were going up to the mini golfing floor.
I think that true mini golfers, and I maintain, people who like to mini golf even if they are not good at it, may be slightly disappointed by this place. I was slightly saddened by the fact that the course was not actually that big. What should I have expected though, being that it was in the 6^th floor of a building rather than on an vast expanse of land outside? In addition, because of the beerfest, it was super crowded and there were not enough clubs of the correct height for everyone. Nonetheless, it was really cute. I had a great time with my friends. The décor was so nice (jungle animals, zoos, etc…), and I think I would definitely come back again. It seems like a good place for a date or to come with a bunch of people. Just beware the fact that it is small, so you may have to wait!

I have mixed feelings about this place.
My very good friend had his birthday party here this past Saturday. I would say comfortably 30 – 40 people showed up. We had open car and 5 lanes for 2 hours and mac and cheese bites and chicken strips (unlimited).
1^st things 1^st: I never saw the waitress who was supposed to be getting our drinks for us so I went to get them myself. The waitress saw me walking back with my drink and yelled at me for getting my own drink. This was 1^st time I saw this lady for like 20 minutes.
2^nd: When I did go get my drinks, the bartender was sassy about being tipped.
This made my friends and I very uncomfortable. My friend paid a good amount for open bar and everything else we had and the waitress was tipped well. So it may have been a little too much for the staff to handle, perhaps for such a large group we should have had 2 waitresses, but it is very shocking to receive such attitude from the staff.
Had this not happened, the facility was very nice and after the bowling we went to the 5^th floor for beer pong, other games and a huge dance floor/​club area. We had a blast anyway. I just got a bad vibe from the staff assisting us with our drinks.
Also, drinks had a good amount of alcohol in them. Thank you for that :)

My first time here oddly enough. I bowl once every two years at best. Let’s see, $ 6+ for the shoes, something like $ 12 per person per game. So 4 games with my buds (in less than 2 hours as we were only 3) quickly added up to almost $ 50. You can get a bucket or pitcher of mediocre beers (at the bar there a couple of better options), and maybe some food, as long as paying $ 100 to go bowling for a couple of hours seems reasonable.
At this level of recreational thievery, you’d expect to get oyster shooters and foot-​massage while you wait your turn. Instead you get the same old 90’s era lanes with old equipment that get stuck every two frames and Atari graphics on the TVs (though there is some nice nostalgia in that). Feel free to press the fake «reset» button. Or, if you’re not fond of lying to yourself in the expectation that help will come, just mosey over to the desk every 15 minutes and they will help you. In 2013, how hard is it to come up with some SMS or IM technology that brings the help to you?
The bumper rail we had asked to be turned down remained, so we just played the first game and kicked it down ourselves thereafter. It’s a DIY kind of place.
The only nice touch was the giant TVs right over each lane that let me keep an eye on the epic Knicks-​Nets game. So, a good place to catch the game if you don’t have a TV at home.

Bowling is a lot of fun. Especially when it involves alcohol and fluorescent lights.
My boyfriend and I were supposed to meet a few friends at Union Square for dinner and some drinks. When our friends coudln’t make it, we ended up having a fun evening at Vapiano, Bowlmor, and Vive La Crêpe.
We got to the «shoe» counter and we were told that the cost was $ 13 per person PER GAME. Hum, ok, whatever, we’re not cheap, we’ll suck it up. Then It was $ 7 per shoe rental. REALLY? Ugh, let’s keep our mouths shut and smile the night away. I didn’t have socks with my heels… we really didn’t plan on going bowling that night. $ 6 FOR A PAIR OF SOCKS. UGH! And they were huge white socks, almost to my knees… needless to say I had to pay $ 6 for a pair of socks I wouldn’t ever wear again.
It’s all good, we rarely go bowling, so we did not let that ruin our fun. I ordered a cosmo, my boyfriend ordered a beer. $ 24 for the two drinks and two games later… We went home having spent $ 100 just to play two games of bowling.
Like I said, we are not cheap… but we wish activities like bowling wouldn’t be so outrageously expensive in Manhattan. We had fun together, laughed a lot, but in the end it just is not worth it to spend so much money.