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February 2024 by J D.
Not open the hours posted on web. Paper on front door lets you know when you can bowl.
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February 2024 by Sharon Hart
HORRID CUSTOMER SERVICE!This place has the potential to be a really nice local spot, but the management (JP) leaves a lot to be desired. Confirmed a party of 9 with credit card. Received a phone call the day before our event tersely asking why we aren’t at the bowling alley. Called back to discuss and reconfirmed proper date. Showed up, greeted with a scowl, and were rudely asked to “hurry up and bowl because a very large party of 60 has booked last minute”.The employee (named JP), clearly agitated and in over his head, was unable to get beyond the fact that there was clearly some miscommunication about dates. He was extremely invested in “being right”. There is an appropriate way to give instructions confirm parties, greet guests and solve problems on the fly. This employee is not at all equipped to do this. I was actually looking for the cameras because the way he was speaking to us just felt like some kind of prank…Sadly, another group of people were standing outside complaining about their service as we filed out. They were asked to hurry up and eat their pizzas because another party was coming in.Beware of booking an event here! Read the other one star reviews.
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February 2024 by Arleen Boudart
Would love to give this local spot no stars but that’s not possible. Horrible service. We made a reservation secured with a credit card in advance and they did not want to honor it in favor of a large party. The way the manager talked to us as if we had made the error was obnoxious. Management is horrible. They were in the process of basically kicking out a party right as we arrived for our reservation. Will not go back unless there is new management. Never had such poor customer service.
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February 2024 by Heidi Mayer
It pains me to give a local establishment a bad review. We had a reservation made a week earlier for a Saturday night. JP took a credit card for the reservation. JP called Friday night and said we missed our reservation. We returned the call Saturday and confirmed that no it was for Saturday and would there be room for us Saturday night. We were told yes but to try to come before 7:30. We said that was unlikely. When we arrived at our reserved time of 7:30 we were again accused of missing our reservation on Friday and being late (2min). We were told our plans could not be accommodated. JP indicated that he tried to change our reservations to Friday because he had a better offer for Saturday that came in after our reservation. He was gaslighting us as if it was our fault. Bad management! Bad and rude communication! Bad business practices! Waste of time!
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February 2024 by GUY CARPENTER
This place is a joke. The information on the website is almost always wrong. I called on Tuesday to inquire about getting two lanes for 8 guys. They said they couldn’t take a reservation for that small of a group, but to come in during open bowl and have a drink or two while waiting for lanes. So, I organized based on that instruction. When we arrived, they said, “oh sorry, the owner booked the whole place, so we can’t give you any lanes tonight. This is the second time this has happened to me with a group. And it will never happen again.
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January 2024 by Mimi R.
MANAGER/EMPLOYEE HAS MAJOR PERSONALITY PROBLEM. GO TO PINSTRIPES INSTEAD Scrolling through these reviews, it's affirming to me that others are experiencing similar levels of rudeness, miscommunication and overall horrid customer service from one male employee. Too bad because this has the potential to be a really nice local spot in Wilmette. Ran into similar issues with an employee named "JP". There is an appropriate way to give instructions, confirm parties, greet guests and solve problems on the fly. This guy is not equipped to do this. Our party of 9, confirmed many days in advance, received a phone call on the incorrect night of the party tersely asking why we weren't there. Our party coordinator/friend in charge called JP back and confirmed that he had the incorrect date and we'd see him that night. When we arrived, he was clearly agitated, asking us to "hurry up and bowl real quick" because he booked a large party of 60 last minute and they were coming in. Another group, with pizzas still on their tables, were asked to leave to make room for this party as well. They were milling about outside complaining, as we filed out the door and went elsewhere. I was kind of looking around for the camera crews because, seriously, I thought this was a staged prank of some kind. It was really that comical in a sad kind of way. Beware of booking ANY kind of event at Wilmette Bowl. And if you see a guy named JP (kind of longish, curly hair, really nervous type) run the other way. Or hand him a basic customer service manual. Or a referral to anger management classes.
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January 2024 by Arleen B.
Would love to give this local spot no stars but that's not possible. Horrible service. We made a reservation secured with a credit card in advance and they did not want to honor it in favor of a large party. The way the manager talked to us as if we had made the error was obnoxious. Management is horrible. They were in the process of basically kicking out a party right as we arrived for our reservation. Will not go back unless there is new management. Never had such poor customer service.
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January 2024 by Ponytailpinker k
Sally is so helpful and is the best
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January 2024 by Lucio DiPaolo
Fun place!
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December 2023 by William J.
Fun times and the nicest people. Thanks for a great party!
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November 2023 by The Chicago Spiderman
Walked in and they told us they were closing in 30 minutes... This is after watching a whole family walk in 15 minutes before us... Not to mention their signage and website stated they closed at 8... It was 5:15pm.
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August 2023 by John W.
I just love this place. So much history here. Not a big chain. You open the door and walk back into a time when life was simpler and kinder. It just feels like a home, a community. You can feel it with all the young people working there. They are just great. Smart and very attentive, trying their best to do whatever they can to help. OK, I'm old, but it's one of those things that makes you feel that the world is going to be ok with kids like this. And they've been working there for at least 3 years from what they tell me. How many teens work in the same place for 3 years, or come back from college to work in the same place? That says something about the management. I had a question about their pricing as the charge is $55/hr. In the old days, it cost $6/per person per game. Then, $2 for shoes. So, $8 per person per game. That would be $32/half hour for 4 people. But, they are charging $27.50 for a half hour. That's actually cheaper if you do the math. Way back in the late 1950's my older brother was a pinsetter here before they had the machines to set the pins. One of his jobs was cleaning the sticky grease off the tables, railings and bowling balls from all the food people brought in. So there's that as a reason to ask people to not bring food in. (That's my same brother who dated Ann Margaret who used to live above the bowling alley!!!) So, it's a funky place with lots of memories for me. If you want that special sparkling new mall feeling, then this is not your place. If you want some atmosphere with everything you need, it's great. I'd love to be there for the Big Labowski Tournament. Anyway, for my taste: 5 Stars.
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August 2023 by Ninous Hinaro
Such a great intimate and retro bowling alley that is great for kids, adults, and families. JP, the manager, is such a genuine guy that really does a good job taking care of the place and making everyone feel at home.
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July 2023 by Deidre R.
Don't even know where to start with this place. I called in advance to make sure they had lanes available. Instead of yes or no, I get the hours of operation and how those hours can change because of the time of year and everyone is outside golfing and swimming and not inside bowling and blah blah blah. I assume it was the manager I was talking to. When my friend and I arrive my friend is eating from a travel size bag of cookies. The manager is coming out as my friend is going in. Instead of politely saying you can't bring food in, he sarcastically says "I know what you're about to do with that. You're going to throw it away because you can't bring it in inside". Then proceeded to stand and watch my friend eat the cookies to make sure he didn't bring them inside. The place is dated. We were the only people there and still managed to get a lane that didn't work. And how can I forget the cherry on top: $55 for an hour of bowling! Ridiculous! I don't know how this place is still in business. The worst.
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July 2023 by Moises Figueroa
Great customer service. Bring your corporate/team building events here.
