Best Bowling for Kids in Chicago

Dinner and bowling! Despite opening in 2002, Seven Ten Hyde Park oozes vintage-looking Art Deco charm in its eight bowling lanes and nine pool tables. The bowling alley offers an impressive menu which will serve your family well for lunch, dinner and dessert (i.e., chopped salad, chicken pot pie, burgers, salmon, lava cake, milkshakes).

The Martin Luther King Jr. Park & Family Entertainment Center maintains one of Chicago's best roller rinks. The rink hosts various child and family-friendly open skate times and often features exciting special events and theme nights, too. This is a top family spot for bowling in Chicago, too!

Chrissy OGorman:  Pinstripes is a wonderful place to take your family (Northbrook, Chicago, South Barrington, Oak Brook). Their food is top-notch and you can eat while you bowl atop large tables and nice seating. In fact, the overall locale is designed chic and modern; so much that it's often sought out for large corporate events and wedding receptions. Be sure experience a game of bocce, or one of their decadent Sunday brunches.

Chrissy OGorman:  Kings is a very hip and fashionable bowling alley. They also have air hockey, foosball, billiards & shuffleboard. Their restaurant has has a kids menu. Watch out King's Bowl becomes 21+ every night after 7 pm.

Cost: call for regular pricing and check out their specials in Rosemont and Lincoln Park.

Diversey River Bowl is a great place to go if you are looking for an energetic night night out with your family! This is a hip and modern bowling alley that plays loud music and has impressive LED lighting fixtures, lasers and black lights. They have a huge food menu with reasonable prices and also host birthday parties.

Chrissy OGorman:  This small 8-lane alley is a blast from the past, and is conveniently located just steps from the Irving Park Brown Line. They offer private lessons for bowlers looking to improve their game. Given its size, be sure to call ahead for reservations. Fun fact: while working on his bowling game for the Big Lebowski John Goodman frequented Timber Lanes!

Cost: $2.50 - $3 per person, per game, cash only

Waveland bowl has 40 lanes and lots of fun extras for you and your family! They have an arcade with over 30 games along with air hockey, classic pinball and more. Always lively, Waveland Cosmic Bowling turns on 8 times a week, complete with fog machine, dance music and black lights. There is also family movie viewing room with a huge screen to watch kids videos. The family can watch, or just kids while parents bowl another game. They even have a youth bowling league (ages 5-17).

Featuring 32 bowling lanes, they also have a fun arcade, billiards, flat-screen tvs showing big games, and free WIFI. Birthday party packages available. Take advantage over school break and purchase a Summer Games Pass, including arcade discounts. Look for additional discounts throughout the week as well!

Bowlero is designed to feel both retro and modern. The style is bright and trendy. There are several Chicagoland locations, each slightly different, but commonly include about 30-40 bowling lanes, video walls, arcade, laser tag, billiards, bumper cars and an extensive menu with food service provided at your lane.

Enterrium is a contemporary American restaurant and video arcade that features a craft bar, a sports bar, 8 bowling lanes, and classic and modern arcade games.

Main Event Entertainment is a great family night destination! Not only will kids enjoy playing a variety of interactive arcade games and earning prizes, but Main Event offers state-of-the-art bowling, multi-level laser tag, a high-ropes challenge course, restaurant, and more!

In addition to an arcade, Funway offers bowling, laser tag, bumper cars, black light mini golf, and roller skating.