Reviews of Southport Lanes & Billiards (Bowling Alley)

Sam Smith

Save your time & money and stay away!! Called to check the rates, came to the place in 40 minutes just to find out that they closed the bowling for the day - for an unknown reason no one bothered to tell me about before.

Magdalena Sacco

A beautiful old space filled with Chicago history and gleaming wood. Old fashioned bowling, a room full of pool tables, a great beer selection and top notch fries are just some of the things you will find there.

Joshua Watson

Good food and easy place to gather with a larger group of friends.

Chris Means

Service was practically non-existent mid afternoon, but improved by early evening. Maybe eat inside until the road work is completed. It was very dusty.

Eleanor Alexander

The food here is always amazing, it's our go-to place for a solid meal out. I also love that they have a solid selection of ciders year round.

Pocha Carter

Great actual experience with lanes themselves. My companion when I went, a much better bowler than myself, explained why I was doing so well with my unfancy roll is that the lanes were 'sticky'. Not unclean, just unwaxed. Throwing in a straight line yielded a high pin count. (As opposed to the impressive hook throws usually needed) I had a reservation and though the staff was moderately pleasant, it's just so busy on the weekend and there doesn't appear to be a set place to shoe up etc. Long story short give yourself plenty of time to flag down the zippy staff and get settled since reservations seem to butt up to one another and you'll want to make full use of your time.

Michael Silver

Great bar with billiards and bowling. Prices fit the area of Southport Corridor but it has a decent selection of beers and fun friendly staff.

Michael kinkoph

This place is awesome! Great pool table room with bowling and a nice Chicago corner vibe feel

Dean Nelson

Great food and fun

John Wilkie

Awesome historic bar that used to be owned by the Schlitz Brewery. Good food, great beer selection, and okay bowling lanes. They are old and historic but they don't feel perfectly level. Still a fun experience though.

Mohammad Sakaria

My daily spot type place, Great Service and food. They have a good bar, pool tables, and bowling pins. Great place absolutely love it!

Chris Kane

Best quality pool tables in the city IMO and never too crowded

Madeline Field

Southport lanes has beautiful vintage billiards tables. Although the cost is higher than at other bars where you'll pay a few quarters to play I think their pool hall is unique enough to warrant the higher cost ($8-10 an hour). I've never bowled here but that looks fun as well. They have great monthly beer specials with a great selection of craft beers. The pool hall fills up on the weekends but is pretty sparse on weekdays. It's a cool historic neighborhood place.

Amanda Schonfeld

I live near here and I frequent it often. They have an amazing beer list, with lost of local breweries represented as well as some great imports. I'm an veggie, and have to say that they have great vegetarian options. Their black bean burger is super awesome. Love their hummus too! The vibe is low key and friendly and they always play good music. What I define as good music is stuff you don't hear on the radio......check it out!

Ashley Kunecke

Good beer selection. Decent bar food. Lots of pool tables which is nice, but the spacing in the pool hall could be better. Sometimes you might get booty bumped from the next table.

Dyfed Richards

A lot of fun. Great service. Beers flowed at a steady pace.

Martin Gutierrez

My experience has been so amazing that I didn't have any issues with waitress and the food was really good.

Lana R.

Had a pretty great time here. The bowling is fun, specially if youre down to play around with the peeps that hand set the pins. Had a few beers and bowled with some friends. The food looked great too though I stuck to my dranks. Would recommend. Would go back!

Steve Shephard

We played pool while waiting for an open Bowlin lane. Everything started off well. They called our group up for an open bowling lane, gave us or shoes, and went over the rules. Once we were all set to bowl one of the servers then told us we couldn't bowl and to return our shoes. The reason why was because someone had gone online to reserve a lane. We had been waiting onsite for an hour, but I it is policy that if you book a lane online it trumps the people waiting at the place no matter how long of a wait. We asked for an explanation and we were told, "Everyone knows this" by the server and bartender. This was my first and last time here. It would be great if they catered more to people who were actually at the bar waiting.

Steve Woods

Love this local spot! Great bar with awesome local craft beers, pool tables in back and a few bowling lanes in an adjacent room! Feat. craft beers from sister location, Burnt City Brewert in Lincoln Park!

Luis Rosario

Good selection of beers, good prices, really good installations

Nick Rodriguez

I've always had a fun time here. I typically go with my family for some beers, burgers, and bowling. The old school lanes, staff loading the pins, and manual score keeping set a unique vibe. Staff, food, and beer selection are great.

Ashley

Good beer selection. Love the chicken tenders and fries!

Joseph Guichebarou

Bowling is a little pricey, but it's fun, especially when you tip the handsetters to cheat for you

Scott Seaholm

Good drinks list, good food, and fun atmosphere. Also, there's bowling lanes in the back!

Jane obrien

Very fun place!

Fizoires Nolan

Nice atmosphere

Wyn Evans

What a fun little place! Old-timely bowling is fun. The pin boys moved them at the last minute so my shot missed because I didn’t tip them. Fair enough! Good times.

Ben

Great spot for drinks and pool. Very fun and welcoming atmosphere

Nitesh M

Great place and staff. Thank you, Erin

Brian Dimond

Great happy hour

Xavier Cordova

If you aren't a serious bowler and like to laugh and have fun while bowling this is the place for you. You may have to tip in order to really have a good time but it is worth it in the end. I did not like though the one time that I tipped the guy well but he ended up screwing me over because he thought someone else had tipped him.

Nick Sladek

Good service, solid food, strong selection of beers, and nice pool tables and lanes.

Daniel cardona

This place has really good food, and has bowling lanes, and a room full of pool tables.

JP Bader

I won't come back here for bowling, but the drinks and pool are great. The bowling is too kitch for me, but others love it, so it's fun to come to if you've got time.

Caleb Koppelmeyer

Great place to grab a quick refreshing drink and possibly enjoy a game of bowling like they did back in the day. No machines, a guy is in the back putting the pins up.

Jack McL

Fun place with good food & drink

Stephanie Clark

Very small bowling area in the back. Parking is an absolute nightmare . Do not drive here, the parking around is permit only and the paid is very limited. Fingerfood was yummy, music was way too loud. You couldn't hear the person standing next to you! Our event was a meet and greet and screaming in a prospective employer's ear does not help the cause.

Mary Allen

A very unique place to bowl with old fashioned pin boys

Kathi Kreger

Great neighborhood bar with food, bowling and pool tables. Staff was very friendly and accommodating.

Erich Luedtke

They have an old style bowling alley where people arrange the pins and send back your ball. Also you keep your own score. Not great if you want a quick bowl competition but excellent for the experience and humor involved when the game isn't that serious (walking pins, gutter ball strikes, tip bribes). Neat old time feel to this bar.

Frank Bianco

Shades of my youth. I remember when pin boys where the norm. Great fun for a group

Tamara Hawil

I always thought this restaurant was a bowling alley and was unaware that it was a restaurant/bar. I went to this restaurant after a friend was off work and ordered a quesadilla which met my expectations. I did not go bowling that night, but I may next time I decide go there.

B. Southworth

Favorite neighborhood spot. Our go-to for burgers, beer, a chill vibe and no lines. Here at least twice a month.

Matt Swiontek

Good place to go with friends

Nick Krochta

Fun chance of pace from most bar scenes. Can either bowl or play pool.

Daniel Gruber

Fun bar on Southport. The bar was apparently a cat house during Capone's day. Great food, fun old fashioned bowling

Ovi Hentea

Return customer; tables are nice at $8/hr during the week, beer selection is extensive, bathroom is cool. However, some of the appetizers like cheese curds are very low quality, while burger are good

Nathan Israileff

I think they charge a bit much for pool ($25), but they have decent food (for a bar) and they don't (totally) overcharge you on drinks. Plus the vibe is nice when you go in the middle of the day and the place isn't overcrowded.

Agent Crystal Banks

Super fun place with good food and drinks priced well.

Cameron Kravet

This place has a large selection of beer and several cocktails, the pool tables are almost always available and they are accommodating towards any sports that you would have like on in the pool hall. The bowling alley is well kept but a little slow, due to the hand reracking of pins

Jamie Butler

Service so so. Good beer list and patio!

Mikey Griesbaum

Very cool bar with 4 old school bowling lanes and six first come first serve pool tables. Apps and drinks were good, a little pricey. Staff were friendly. Fun spot that is usually crowded.

Shahin Mahdi

Awesome lanes and great service throughout our time there. Cheers!

Xavier Torres-Valdovinos

Had fun bowling and the server was really cool. We had a drink after the game and the bartender seemed annoyed to be working. It just made us feel awkward to even ask for a drink.

Jordan Cealey

Awesome beer selection, great time bowling on some old school lanes where the pins are reset manually by an employee. Tons of pool tables and great bar bites.

Nik Sheasby

Awesome bowling alley and bar. Only alley in Chicago with pin setters.

Leon Voskov

Great place for pool and beer. Have never had a bad time there

Phillip M

Fun place, pool and bowling alleys. Old school feel. Good bbq sandwhich

William C

It’s a good place for bowling or billiards but can fill up quickly during busy times.

Jeff Kantarek

Great brunch option with a fun vibe. Hard to get a. Actual lane most of the time though.

David Kinsey

Never thought I'd go here, super glad I did, Not super cheap but certainly worth it. $35 bucks/hour per lane, then charged by the minute after midnight. Drinks aren't too expensive, crowd is relaxed. You keep your own score, so you can bowl as you please, in order out of order, whatever. Couches and tables add to a good community hangout. Certainly going back

James D'Angelo

Great spot for drinks and fun. They have human pinsetters, which makes for a fun bowling experience. Plus, they have a great bar with great food and better drinks. This is a must see in Chicago.

Andrew Page

Whether popping in for a pint or playing pool, spending a few hours at Lanes is always a good time. The food is above average given the facilities and entertainment and nobody walks out displeased unless it's your 21st birthday. This place is for adults that don't just want to sit at a bar and take shots or get bottle service. Also, if you bowl, (wear socks), and slip a 5er in the thumb whole and see how it improves your odds.

Katie Smith

Loved the old school bowling!

Mike F

One of the few remaining old school places on Southport. A classic place with great food, great service, and great beer. Enjoy the patio or bowl, or shoot some pool on full size tables. Check it out before it gets pushed out of the hood too.

Matthew Wofford

The atmosphere is fantastic. Old school bowling alley complete with cheeky pin-boys. Roll a tip to them and they will help you win! Otherwise, they might try and gang up on your if you’re doing too well and don’t appreciate their dedicated service. Our waitress was incredibly understanding of our loud party and attentive to boot. Definitely will be coming back here!

Wes Ludwig

A selection of great beers and well-maintained pool tables in an ornate wood-finished historical bar. Tables are pay as you go, priced at $12/hr. Go to Emporium if you want to play free pool, go here if you want to enjoy billiards in surrounds befitting the ostentatious gentle-person you are. Enjoy old-world airs of opulence, and chicken tenders, in glorious harmony.

sergio olmos

Best craft beers on tap

Joseph Clark

Everyone here is very friendly and helpful. When I called to ask about the lanes, I also asked if they were open before I went.

Zan.

Great pool tables. A bit pricey, but it's worth it. The food is pretty good. The bar staff are pretty friendly. Most of the floor staff I've encountered have been great, too.

Gwen Clancy

I've driven by here approximately a million times and finally went in for a volunteer event held by an organization I volunteer for. The environment was laid back and very nicely laid out. The back room with the bowling alley was fun. The lanes still had ball boys to reset the pins which really added to the atmosphere. While we had a limited selection of food due to it being an event but everything was very, very good and they would replenish it whenever it started to get low so there was no waiting. The staff was great-very friendly and helpful. I'd definitely would make a trip back.

Spencer

The best! Amazing pool room, killer service, and outrageous chicken tenders.

Ryan Yepsen

Southport Lanes played accidental host to what is almost certainly the most fun night I've had in my ten years living in Chicago. The bar itself is nice, but the real fun is at the old school bowling lanes, complete with pinboys in the back to clear the lane and reset the pins... Oh, and also help or hurt your score depending on the generosity of your tipping! (Tip by inserting a bill into a finger hole and rolling it slowly down the gutter for the pin boy). Last time I was there with family, I rolled a 300! It might help that I sent a $1 bill down before each roll, but I'm taking it regardless. I'm not so certain The Dude would abide, but he wasn't there to stop me, so the record stands. Go. Drink. Roll... You will have a great time!

Liz Kelly

I'm convinced that Southport Lanes is the best kept secret in Lakeview. This place hits the holy trinity of what I deem to make up the perfect bar: great food, better prices, and the ability to hear yourself talk over the music. Finally, a place where I can relax with my friends without losing my voice and emptying my wallet. Bonus feature: you get a front-row seat for the highs and lows of amateur bowling. Definitely not a place to be missed.

Ryan Tanaka

Cool bar mixed with a pool hall and old school, mini bowling alley. The pins are reset by hand! Also, the food tasted great.

Tom Miller

Very cool bar with 4 bowling lanes, all manually set by pinboys. The pinboys make for a different, fun experience, but cause the pace to slow down quite a bit. The lanes are close together so if there are two large groups next to each other it feels very crowded. The food is pretty good and they have a great beer selection.

Danny Gromoske

That was one of the baseball sponsors that's supported our team from Good Old Hamlin Park

melissa esquibel

Great burgers and beer selection.

John G Hopkinson

Just an all around Great place to hang out with friends

Bryce Anderson

Great place for a night out. Pool and bowling with handset pins

Jacqueline Reyna

Bartenders were cool, the space itself is beautiful, and it was fun place to hangout.

Albert Mejias

Fairly priced considering the area. I like just hanging out on the tables with a few pitchers. I love the atmosphere, one of my go-to spots

Ashley LaPedus

Love this place! The drinks are always good and cheap-- and the atmosphere is great as well. I have never been bowling here yet though.

Dominic Spadavecchio

Do not bowl here. It is set up as hand pins, you can’t even get 2 games in with 4 people because it is so slow. $80 for 2 hours, not worth it. Go to another alley in the city if you want to bowl. It gets 2 stars for the bar, as the bar and billiards are nice.

Lauren Howard

Awesome service and atmosphere, OK food.

Shay Jennings

Nice people working there, fun and laid back crowd, Duvel, low ceilings, Photo Hunt. And after 2 Duvels, I'm glad it's near my house.

Ricardo Patino

Very chill spot staff the best

O. Hecmarie Meléndez-Fernández

Chill vibe bar with a pool and bowling. I went there to shoot some pool on a Saturday night around 10, and the wait was about 15 minutes, so not bad at all. Staff was attentive without being pushy. The pool is reasonably priced at $12 per hour. Overall my experience was good.

Justin Smith

Southport Lanes is a great time for anyone that likes billiards, bowling, sports and overall fun. The atmosphere is very warm and inviting. I always have a great time when I go with my friends. The beer selection is really good and the staff will always make sure you have a drink while you're having fun.

Raj Patel

It’s an affordable place although food is not great and i would not prefer to take my friends there

Nick Korbel

Gimmicky but fun and a lot of great beers on tap

Thomas Tredennick

Nice place to bowl and get drinks. Good service.

Julie Hamilton

Atmosphere, the hand setting bowling lanes and food all fun and excellent.

Rob FayMcKinstry

Great spot for cheap drafts and great pub food! The bowling lanes are wicked fun. Manually loaded lanes so don't forget to tip the gents in the back! And New Englanders, please not that you can indeed play candlepin bowling! Just ask when you reserve the lane!

Laura Mantzoros

Had a ton of fun here. There's only 4 lanes, so if you plan on bowling, reserve ahead of time or come later in the evening for open bowl. They have candlepin bowling, which was a ton of fun, and their lanes are manually reset by pinboys (if you send a tip with a ball down a gutter, they'll help you get a strike or a spare). Food is alright, service is fantastic and the atmosphere is great. Definitely a good place to have a party or unwind.

Marcus Hayes

Great food, good beer selection, and vintage bowling ally

Charlie Stahmer

Solid beer selection, but by far the most expensive bowling I've ever heard of. Cool place but, I wanted to bowl and for 1 or two people it's insanely expensive

Max B

Fun old school bowling alley. Average food and great craft beer selection.

Ted Skinner

Full sized tables, decent tap list, hilarious bowling alley attendees, and reasonable prices.

Maxx Menagerie

Fun place, decent food and drink.

ppamerican ppamerican

I've never been to a bowling alley that was so entertaining. I went there with friends last week and knowing what an "old-fashioned bowling alley" was. To my delight it meant that there were people behind the lanes who set up all of the pins or messed with them, whatever their hearts desire. If you tipped them they helped you knock over pins or if you were losing they bummed you up a couple points. The staff was really nice and the atmosphere was great to hang out in.

Calm Intentions

Long wait on pool tables but great environment

Ben Hinds

Not a bad spot. Cool bowling lanes (4 I believe) and pool tables. Not staffed for big events / packed bar.

Fred Lopster

Knowledgeable bartender with good drink selections.

Seth Thomas

7 pool tables and bowling?! This place is delightful. The pool room is massive and open, good quality tables, good sound system with juke box, extremely cold AC which is phenomenal during hot days. Food is above bar food quality, wait staff is wonderful, solid beer selection, I adore this place.

Haider Albassam

Honestly pretty fantastic burger here

yael alpert

Great atmosphere, excellent customer service. Looking forward to my next visit :)

Ed C

Good burgers and bowling and pool tables

andrea broka

Great place to have a beer or two... You can play ping pong for free on Monday.

justin eigenbrod

Great service. Bowling was fun, pool tables were in good shape

Dana Martin

It's my local Cheers! The staff are amazing and very friendly. Great beer selection and classic bowling experience. My home away from home.

Liliana Logli

Fun place especially for bowling

Drew Coatney

Good spot to play pool or bowl with an unrefined class about it. Bowling lanes are limited so be prepared to wait (or try and call to get a reservation). Roll up a dollar, put in the ball, and roll it down to the pin boys. These guys set your pins so that 7/10 split will be much easier to pick up (they help knock down a pin or two). Serious bowlers stay away.

Sarah Krieger

Food fantastic... service even better

Marine G.

I use to go there since 1 year. Always a pleasure ! Bartenders very nice. And I love play pool over there

Frank Harmon

Great spot. Very consistent.

Corwin Brown

Again, it's unusual for me to rate 5 stars. Awesome experience. The bowling is really cool. Tip the pin boys.. hilarious... Goofy, they sometimes send a skiball back to you to finish the round. Why keep score when youre having that much fun. Super nice pool tables. Great service. Good beer selection. Standard bar food. Overall, a great place to hang out. There's something about a bar that's been there since 1896.... Right?

Eric Cruz

Love it it totally reminds me of the church that I currently work for an occasion and attend they had an original old vintage Brunswick Bowling Alley in the basement that Brunswick company apparently purchased back years later for a substantial amount in order to make room in the 10 biggest church in Chicago's bowling alley/ basement beautiful Church must see

Celia Browne

Quaint, old school, and down-right fun!

Kyle Dahl

Overall: Great atmosphere creates a fun and humble bar experience. The good: Fun place to hang out with family or friends, whether it's the pool hall or man-run pin setting bowling. The food is typical bar fare, but there's a good amount to choose from. The decor is inviting and hom-ey, it's like your in a giant basement. The bad: Service was so-so. She was friendly but at times the time lapses were greater than I would've liked. Prices were a little steep for even just the apps we got. Atmosphere:8.5/10 Service: 7.5/10 Food: 7.5/10

Patrick Connor

Love this spot. Very cool place to play some old school bowling and grab a few drinks.

Jessica Ramirez

Might have to wait for a spot to open if you didn't make a reservation. Prices are fair. Great staff, good food. Nice beer selection.

Frank A

Great bar and atmosphere. A fun place to take the family for bowling. Small but fun!

Meagan McKinnon

Real chill, late night place. 6 tables

David H

Great neighborhood burger and beer. Summer has nice outdoor seating.

Myles O'Hara

Great spot with about 7 billiard tables and has a seprate area for bowling. Supposedly, one of the last bowling alleys in Chicago that had a person return the ball to you! Also, a great bar!

Kyle Steed

This place is great, pool is fun and nice beer selection. But Southport Lanes - PLEASE teach your bartenders how to pour a pint without wasting a whole other pint doing it and taking 5 minutes to finish. It's ridiculous how every single bartender we've had has been unable to do this. Outside of that we love hanging here.

Kyohei OTA

Affordable prices, authentic atmosphere.

Denitsa Kosharova

One of my favorite places to hang out - there are a few pool tables so rarely there is a wait, the drinks are good and fairly cheap and the food is pretty good too. As an added bonus you have the old style bowling lanes with actual people arranging the pins. It's a great place to spend a Friday / Saturday night.

chad sundaram

Great dive bar. Perfect for a weekday date and a a round of bowling

Melissa Helm

Great Chicago bar. Obviously very popular since there was a long wait for a pool table.

Jim Kaiser

Fun bowling experience, good bar food, friendly service. Definitely a winner.

Laurie Markowski

This place is great!! You can bowl a few or play pool or just enjoy a beer in a booth. This is old school Chicago at it's finest. They are one of the old Schltz tied houses with a restored globe on the side. If your in the area you should visit!!!

Matthew Talaga

Good bar food. Great service.

Madeline Hearn

I went here for the first time on a Friday night- went for my brother in law’s birthday. I enjoyed it a lot! My sister, brother, and a handful of friends had Jake as our server. He was such a great server! Was totally sweet, attentive (but also not pushy), and even offered to turn up the music for my sister and me when he noticed us grooving to some tunes. The food was delicious, the beer selection was pretty good, the facility was cool, and the bowling was very fun. I would not recommend this place to bowlers who take the game seriously, though. There are men behind the bowling lanes who actually manually change the pins (apparently the only place in Chicago that still does it the old fashioned way), but for kicks they will sometimes knock down some extra pins to help you out. It was very funny, but some might not like this. Anyway, definitely going to recommend this place to friends and visitors.

Andrew Hilsberg

Top-notch beer list, above-average bar food. Bowling lanes, pool tables, ping-pong on Mondays. Excellent spot to host gatherings. A perfect local hangout.

Nube V

Very chill place where you can have a drink and conversations. Lots of mature people

Josh Bartlett

Southport Lanes is one of my absolute favorite places in the city. The crowd is definitely beginning to shiftore towards the typical Southport Corridor crowd, but many nights you can still get the true Chicago dive bar experience - great service, cheap beer, and great vibes.

Sondra Mendelsohn

Awesome local bar where you can play pool, bowl, or just have a drink with friends. Bartenders are super friendly and prices are good.

Karlton Watkins

Stop leaning on the pool table ppl!

Austin Packard

Bowling is pricy so bring a group of friends. Drinks are decently priced and they offer cheaper 4oz options.

Pratik S

Great place by North side to go bowling or play pool.

James Decker

Didnt try the food, but the beer was great, the bowling was amazing, and the service was some of the best i've ever seen. Definitely worth checking out!

Jordan Simon

Great place for a date and a beer and a little bowling!!

Randall Campbell

Great food and a proper selection of cocktails and beers. I recommend the falafel wraps, if you need a vegetarian option. They have many vegetarian options on the menu,but are willing substitute meat if requested. The Billlards tables are $8/hr and are quality.

G Shaffer

Historic spot rich with history. Service was excellent, food was above average bar food. Burgers, homemade fries, and sweet potato fries were the best items we tried. The four bowling lanes actually work. They are manually reset by a person in the back. Like the sign says... Don't bowl if you see legs in your alley. Rest rooms are up a long set of stairs that some folks will find difficult.

Chase N

Awesome bar and pool hall. Friendly crowd and bar tender. Decent pool tables. Killer music.

Bita Eisenhut

Great beer selection! $1.25 pool games, which isn't awful. Nice patio area. I love the retro feel of the place, from the duck pins to all of the varnished wood. It's a shame I waited to visit until AFTER I moved out of the neighborhood. But I would definitely recommend it!

Steve Castellion

Great place. Friendly staff, great staff; good food, good drinks. Highly recommend. Lots of fun!!

Chris Bittner

Well... they don't open for lunch until noon. This has deterred my coworkers and I from going multiple times because normal lunch time starts at 1130. But, regardless, their food is awesome! I haven't had anything I didn't like. Combined with the great atmosphere its great!

Behemoth D

Great place for drinks and food is ready good!

Sarah Kraus

This is MY FAVORITE PLACE! great food, great beers, and always a good time! old fashion bowling!

Maci Renee

Lots of space and games. Good food and great music.

L Boogie

Awesome place with historic foundation. Great service!

Stephen Molli

Good hangout spot with 6 billiards tables that are inexpensive ($8 per hour). Only wish was for a longer/more interesting food menu. Still, they’ve got a customer in me!

Hazel Connor

Always great food and beer along with friendly service

Anthony Zuluaga

The food is above average in terms of your typical bar and grill. The staff is attentive and very friendly. A great place to play pool. There are 4 lanes available for bowling.