Bowl on Bellaire

The are 44 lanes which makes it easy to find a lane free, even on a busy night. My family and I had trouble with the keyboard so the front desk had to enter our names and restart games at the end. The prices are a little steep for food and drinks and unless you have cash, you have to do a $ 10 minimum order. Over all, I’m taking one star away for the lack of operating keyboards, the smell of cigarettes (even though it’s a smoke free facility), and prices.

This bowling alley is alright. Came here on a Friday night with my lab friends. The place smelled kinda funny and was pretty old. We noticed the scoring wasn’t always accurate…
However, considering the lack of bowling places in Houston, I think this is pretty solid place to go!

Tried to go here on a random Tuesday evening but were turned away. Although they had plenty of lanes open that they could have let us use, apparently they only allow league play Monday through Thursdays until 9:30pm. Won’t ever be returning. Also looks like it hasn’t been updated in 30 years…

Definitely old school but very family friendly. Prices are right too. I went to a private party and had a great time. the staff was great. If you want to have a great outing you won’t do better than Bowl on Bellaire.

If you are looking for an old school bowling alley then Bowl on Bellaire is your go-​to place. It practically screams retro bowling which is exactly the nostalgia I was looking for. The 90s bowling pin graphics really add to the atmosphere. The staff is very friendly and the prices were fairly cheap. Definitely worth checking out as long as you don’t have crazy high expectations.
Pro-​tip: Avoid this place on Wednesdays before 2 pm They host multiple bowling leagues at once which takes up all the available lanes for several hours.

Walking into the old building you are greeted by the smell of what could be decay or perhaps cat urine. My friend noted that the carpeting was reminiscent of a 1980s Vegas Casino with it’s mix of ugly pattern and deterioration. That being said, the front desk people were friendly and the bowing shoes looked rather new. I was really digging the blue/​red combination and surprised that they had my size (15). The lanes, pins, balls, etc were in good working order, though the «computer» system for scoring was rather dated and gave us a 3 point handicap for each frame if your first ball ended up in the gutter. No complaints with that given my lack of skill and it made our scores only 20% lower than the lane next to us… so that was a perk. I’m not sure what the cost was, I was there with a group and someone else settled the bill.
The food available is mediocre (avoid the nachos, but the chicken tenders are decent) and despite that you can pay with plastic for the bowing you can only pay with cash for food. They had cans of beer and supposedly there is a bar at night (we were there in the afternoon).
While by far the lowest quality bowling place I’ve been to, it wasn’t «that» bad… I guess.

My friend and I invited ~15 friends to go bowling for a joint birthday party, and I thought this place was super close to a lot of other dining restaurants and they were able to split up the cost very simply. We paid $ 15 for for 2 hours bowling (including shoes) and had 4 lanes.
The employees were really helpful when we were paying and if anything was wrong with the lanes. We reserved four lanes for 6PM on Saturday and it wasn’t packed at all, BUT within 30 minutes, the entire place was packed. This bowling place is similar to Emerald’s. It isn’t super clean but similar to any bowling place. There are drinks at the bar and some food available.
We definitely plan on going back.

Old school bowling alley. Super nice and helpful employees. Nice family atmosphere which doesn’t bother me even with the wound up screaming children! Usually able to get a lane. I’ve been on weekend afternoons and nights and have never had any problems except one time in trying to get a lane. The staff went over and beyond to accommodate my group. I’m new to bowling and Palace Lanes has definitely played a part in my desire to continue.

Not as festive looking of a bowling alley as those I’ve been to in the past. Very much that old school alley with tile floors, fluorescent lighting, and 80s wallpaper. Wouldn’t host a party here or anything, but it’s open late at night if your friends are bored and want to kill time!

We’ve been here a few times and each time the experience hasn’t been too great. The boyfriend’s an avid bowler, so we’ve been to quite a few different places.
The parking is plentiful, but definitely looks shady. The building is a bit older and rundown, the shoe seems worn out (luckily we have our own shoes), and the food and bar area seems like it has some hygiene concerns. This could be ignored since you’re here for the bowling lanes, and there were plenty of them, but there has never been a time I’ve been on a lane that hasn’t broken down. Whenever you approach the workers to let them know, they don’t provide the best customer service. Also, we’ve notice that the scoring is not always accurate. What’s good about bowling lanes, when the lanes always breakdown and scoring isn’t always right?
Considering the location proximity to Belliare and West U, you would think this place is nicer and better up kept. With it’s proximity, it’s not the cheapest place around town. This place is definitely due for a complete renovation.

If you’re looking for a cheap game of bowling this is it. It smelled like mold inside and the whole place look dated. The shoes were old and didn’t even want my son to have even a cup of water because the «café» was quite dirty looking.

Kids will have fun. I would not recommend eating at this place though. Take a look behind the kitchen counter. Nasty is an understatement. I don’t think it’s been cleaned in… ever. Today, a woman appeared to have her BF and toddler with her as she worked behind the counter. The toddler was coughing and sneezing. While bowling, a manager chewed out some employees for being late. He was yelling at them within feet of me and my kids. Shoes and laces are probably from the 80’s. Kids didn’t notice. Like I said, they had fun. If you want to kill a couple of hours, head on over. Just bring your anti-​bacterial lotion.

I’ve been here twice. The first time two years ago, the second just this past weekend. It was a lot more expensive than I remember. 2 people, 2 games just over $ 30 including shoe rental on a Friday night. I don’t go bowling very often but it seems awfully pricey, especially for an old bowling alley with no updates or anything fancy. Parking is abundant and not an issue. How many times can you say that for a place in Houston?!
As of now, you can’t smoke inside anymore which is awesome for those of us who don’t want to die from secondhand smoke! Will probably return despite the price.

This bowling alley has been around a long time and hasn’t changed much. It’s well maintained and has lots of lanes and a big parking lot. They host some tournaments sometimes and you’ll have better luck getting better lane position if you go early. The concessions are basic bowling food and fountain drinks, but there’s also a bar window to order alcoholic drinks from. The bar even has a separate room (lounge?) to itself. Definitely not like the new fancy bowling alleys, but pricing is decent and service is pretty good if you’re just looking to actually bowl vs socialize/​eat/​drink.

Cons:
Slow service
Rude service
Lanes are messed up and constantly had to reset
Way over priced
Food is cash only
Filthy
Pros:
I now know to not come back

This place is ghetto starting with there mgt all the way to the lane. As you walk you are hit with a god awful smell. There is no customer service. This place must me owned by a jerk who treats his employees like crap because that’s how the act. If you love your family do not come here. The only nice person is the bartender f this place.

The alley was surprisingly busy on a Tuesday night. Plenty of people of all ages. Prices seemed reasonable. Bar closes at 10:45 and they try to get people out around 11pm even though they will let you finish your game. I guess the posted midnight closing is the time they kick you out.
I don’t know why others have written otherwise recently, but there was plenty of smoking going on inside. I thought at first it was just only in the bar area but I realised afterward people were freely smoking in the lanes. My clothes smelled like an ashtray the next morning. It’s not something I am used to, and I guess Bellaire does not have a smoking ordinance. I felt like I was back in early 2000s.

Plentiful parking outside. Strike
Large mass of people smoking outside the entrance. Gutterball
But at least nobody is smoking inside, which they could up until like a year ago?
The bar is cash only. Gutterball
But they have plentiful Shiner Bock among other things. Bottles. And it is cold. Win.
There are tons of 12.9 year olds I recognized from my temple so it really is a neighborhood place. Unfortunately they are all way better at bowling than I am so it makes me question what I have really done with my life to be more than twice their age and not even be good at bowling yet.
It’s a nice bowling alley and it is a fun time. You couldn’t ask for better — unless their bar accepted credit cards for uncle’s cough syrup and the smokers were banished to the edge of the parking lot fronting Bellaire Blvd. Minor improvements one can hope for over the course of the near future.

I came here because they had no wait at 8PM on a Saturday night. That is a major plus in my book.
Upon walking in it reminded me of the old school bowling alleys I remember from when I was a kid. There are no frills, and no black lights, just bowling. There were couples on dates, and people with their little kids. All walks of life were represented. Everyone was just getting their bowl on.
The shoes were pretty bad. They were super clunky and falling apart. The balls were in surprisingly good repair. The lanes racked very quickly and the prices were reasonable. They have specials during the week, like $ 15 all you can bowl.
I had a good time here, and the beers were reasonably priced. Next time I go I will bring my own bowling shoes!

I came here for the Annual Bowling for Beef event that raises money for the HLSR Steer Auction Committee. We had a 9:30pm bowling time and had a fabulous evening!
The place was packed, but getting shoes, ordering drinks, and some technical difficulties at the lanes computer were all tended to promptly and without any hassle.
This place is a great time and such a refreshing change from the normal Saturday night activities.