Strike Ten Lanes & Lounge

Strike Ten is as «hidden gem» as you get in the Chicago suburbs. The location is completely bizarre, but it all makes sense inside (it’s like it was made for it).
There’s a bar upstairs with a little dance floor where you can make a fool out of yourself, and the bowling lanes are all below. Wait times are hit or miss. We’ve gotten really lucky the few times that I’ve been here and never had a wait that would put us off, but I’ve heard from others that it can get pretty ugly (and they ultimately leave and go elsewhere).
I’ve always had fun here. If you set your expectations a notch lower than a regular bowling alley, you’ll be happy. The thing is, it ends up being way more fun than regular bowling because you can have a drink and see hilarious music videos while you stumble your way to a turkey. (Okay, so I’m an optimist, but maybe you’ll get a spare.)

Smallest bowling alley I’ve ever been to. Drinks can be a bit pricey. I was with a small group so we just ordered a few appetizers that came out pretty fast and the food was good. The service its self wasn’t the greatest. I spoke with 3 people that work there and I never saw any of them smile. Service could definitely use some improvement.

Could do without the foul gangster rap music on Sunday when little kids are present.

Brunswick in Buffalo Grove is far better but was booked and we ended up trying this place.
Lanes are good but thought they were shorter and thinner than the actual bowling lanes. Service was good but the manager was very rude. We were 10 people on two lanes and he asked us to play our game fast or pay extra amount as fine (which was really stupid) so that he can have more people come in. System in one of our lanes had problems where pins were not being collected and we had to constantly ask for help.

Drinks are a bit pricey, not that many lanes (14 total), but they do have video gaming there. Staff is very friendly. And food wasnt terrible either. And it wasn’t overpriced and looked appealing.

Wanted to try something a little more fun for a date so ended up going on a Sunday morning to this location.
Things we liked:
*Had people dressed up in Star Wars Costumes which was cool for photos
*Lanes are nice and have nice seats
*Your food orders will come to your lane
One thing which was different is you pay for everything at the end of your session at the counter. Going in the mornings there are not lights or fancy projectors but it was less crowded and service was response. We had chips and samosa as foods, which were both ok and the prices itself on them were a tad on the expensive side. But overall the place was clean and fun!

Great place for kids and adults. Awesome customer service. Food is great and drinks are made to perfection. Queso sticks are the best!

This place is awesome. Really nice inside, full bar, super friendly staff.
I will definitely be back.

My +1 and I ended up here last Tuesday evening because the local big-​name bowling place was buzzing for League Night and we were told a lane «might be available» in 2.5 hours. Poor planning on our part!
I found Strike Ten via my handy-​dandy Unilocal app. It ended up being $ 35 for 3 games, shoe rentals, and two soft drinks. I haven’t bowled in a few years, but that price seemed a little bit steep.
The place looks a bit upscale, so it was a nice environment. I’d have to disagree with a previous reviewer, though; the couches are vinyl and cloth, not leather. It was clean and tidy. The woman who rang us up was also working the bar, and she was nice and kind of humorous. The bowling shoes seem updated — they had some swanky velcro (no laces).
The bowling lane area was pretty dark and a variety of music played (more hardc0re hip-​hop to Taylor Swift to 80s pop). At first we were the only two patrons there bowling (save for 3 – 4 guys at the bar area) until our second game, when a father-​son-​daughter group also started bowling. For some reason they ended up cranking the music during our second game, which made it extremely difficult to have a conversation unless you were six inches away from the other person. Ugh. We dealt with it for 15 or so minutes, and it was finally turned down.
Strike Ten is a more adult environment that may border on «sophistication,» but the prices and music volume were a bit obnoxious. I wouldn’t go running back unless we encountered another League Night elsewhere.

Place looks good. It’s fun to play. You can die waiting for any kind of assistance. Me and my friend were standing at the front desk for 10 min while the guy who works there was looking at us and talking to his friends. I had to find somebody else to get bowling shoes.

Great space! Too pricey for what you get and they seem to be a little understaffed. But wonderful experience for friends or family, more cozy than a Brunswick by far. Don’t eat there, just bowl, that’s my advice.

Came on an early Sunday afternoon. Service was friendly, and responsive. We ordered an app only and it was well worth the price. Beverage selection was good. Lanes were good and the overall atmosphere was fun. Will be back.

Came to bowl last night with a large group. This is the smallest bowling alley I’ve been to but its also not a bad one. The only thing I can say was bad was the food. I ordered nachos which took forever to come out from the kitchen and they were cold right off the bat. I endured painfully eating them or trying to at least. Note to self — do not order food even if you’re hungry. Stick to beer. On a lighter note, they had the revolution hibiscus Rosa beer still which surprised me knowing that its out of season now. This is my second time bowling here and I could see myself coming back.

Hosted a company team bonding event here. It was about 17 of us. We got the whole food and bowling package. The owner and the staff took great care of us. I would highly recommend it and would not hesitate holding another event here. Thank you for taking care of us!

Great place to drink some beers and bowl with friends. Jessica served our group and was on top of everything!

Been here a few times for some work events. We keep coming back and will continue to do so. It’s modern, clean, and fun.

Good place to go and bowl at a modest price. I go there to watch a football game or two. There is a lot of locals always around the place. The kitchen is well run for a bowling ally. Drink specials are always on point.

This place was desserted — no crowd absolutely. Really good lanes and prices — it was $ 7 for first game and then $ 2.50 there-​after. We were a group of 7 people and played 3 games and killed 3 hours. So much fun. If you are looking for lanes, this is by far the most reasonably priced. If you are hungry or want to have Indian food — there is a restaurant Cool Mirchi which serves pretty authentic Indian food (spicy — Indian level, usually thai ⁴⁄₅) in the same complex.

This place is the most beautiful bowling alley I’ve ever seen. I know that the previous sentence is a strange one, but it’s actually true! It’s beautiful inside!
The décor marries an upscale lounge with the active approach of bowling beautifully.
Instead of typical plastic benches you are sitting on comfortable leather sofas at the lanes. The interface is very user friendly and the screens at the end of the lanes are huge.
On the other side of the lanes is a small sports bar with booths, high top tables, and a bar to sit at and watch the game! Or games — there are always 3 TV’s on!
After meeting the bartender, I learned that you need to be trained and certified to serve Guinness, which is why not every bar has it. They have their certificate on the wall :) and then the bartender poured me a Black and Blue which BLEW MY MIND! It was Blue Moon on the bottom with Guinness sitting on top and it was separate! What?
I hit this spot up every time I’m in the Chi-​city area. It’s a local family run place and I’m happy to support it.
Thank you, guys, and yes, I will take a Black and Blue…

I really like the original setup. I like the couches over the standard plastic chairs. I like the ease of use of the programs which make it easier for people who don’t bowl all the time.
Went on a tuesday and it was depressingly empty. By the end it was just us bowling. But for 3.50 for your shoes, 2.00/game you can not beat it on tuesday night. I might start coming here more often.
Things to find out
1) what is there a fancy dining room in this place for? I imagine people in there after hours in a room full of smoke ripping hookahs and playing poker but if you know better — let me know.
I have read other reviews about karaōke. Thank God there was none of that when we were there, but if it does occurs I’d bust out of there.