In summary
With more than 70 bowling centres across the country to choose from, Hollywood Bowl is the UK's largest ten pin bowling operator. And it's not just bowling on offer, as, depending on location, you'll find other fun activities available to choose from, including mini golf, pool, duckpin bowling, interactive darts and arcades. We visited Hollywood Bowl at The O2 in London.
When did we visit?
I visited late lunch time on a Saturday in March with my husband and our two sons, Odhran, 9, and Reuben, 6. There was a really lively atmosphere, with families, groups of friends, and couples all having a fun time. It probably depends on which Hollywood Bowl venue you're visiting, but if you're thinking of popping along to The O2 during peak times, I'd highly advise booking in advance, as we heard a couple being turned away at the booking desk as there was no availability for the rest of the evening, and as we finished up our game, there was a group waiting to hop on our lane.
What does the experience involve?
Ten pin bowling
We got into the swing of things with a game of ten pin bowling. There are 13 bowling lanes at The O2 branch, and, while bowling alleys can sometimes feel a bit run down, with sticky carpets and a fusty smell, Hollywood Bowl was clean, slick and aesthetically pleasing, with neon lights and a pink/purple and dark blue colour scheme. Odhran enjoyed being able to enter our player names and I had the honour of playing as 'Poopy Mum'. There was also the fun option to enter your bowler photo, and a service call button meant it was easy to grab the attention of a waiter to come take your food and drinks order, so you could enjoy your game without having to go to the bar to order. My husband is a bowling show off and came away with an end of game score of 151. I came last, and while I have no intention of divulging my shameful score, I will admit that it was significantly lower than my six-year-old son's. But in my defence, the kids had the buffers raised, so...There were also ball ramps for kids, which in hindsight, I should have grabbed hold of to keep my ball from constantly veering left in the gutter! As there were only four of us, we had plenty of room, but it might be a bit of a squeeze for a large group, as you can only occupy one side of the seating, and there's a shared table between lanes. So, if everyone in both lanes is ordering food and drink while playing, it doesn't leave much space.
Duckpin bowling
Ten pin might not be my forte, but when it came to duckpin, I was king. Well, not quite, but I did come in second place to my husband. With shorter lanes, smaller pins, and lighter balls, it's perfect for young kids and adults who struggle with heavier bowling balls. The balls are without finger grips. It's just a smooth small ball that fits in the palm of your hand. The duckpin bowling lanes at Hollywood Bowl at The O2 are located upstairs in a small area with its own bar. There were a few stools and ledges to place a drink but no designated seating area per lane.
Arcades
I was surprised to see that Hollywood Bowl doesn't operate a games card, similar to other arcade venues, where you can purchase a card with a certain amount of credit and then top this up on your next visit. Instead, you pay in the traditional way of slotting coins into the machines. There's a change machine for the arcades. We used our bank card to get change and weren't charged extra for the transaction. Using cash suited us, as we were able to then just give the boys a couple of pound each to tag a bit of arcade enjoyment on to the bowling experience. There wasn't a huge amount of arcade games, but there was enough to get the kids excited. Odhran spent his cash on the nudge machines and Reuben was thrilled to win a strawberry plush keyring in a grab machine game.
Shuffleboard - Mini golf - Pool - Interactive Darts
While available at other select venues, mini-golf and digital darts weren't available at The O2, but you could play shuffleboard and pool.
What about food and drink?
There's an American style diner where you can eat before or after your game. But if you want to eat during your game, it's recommend pre-ordering food and drink when booking your bowling slot. The menu is everything you'd expect from this sort of venue - shakes, nachos, hot dogs, burgers, nuggets, with veggie options available. We enjoyed the pre-ordered Family Feast. This included two adult meals, two kids meals, a side of onion rings, and four soft drinks. The Family Feast costs from £31. We found the food and drink to be very reasonably priced, considering the London location. Adults can grab a cocktail for £7.45 (two for £13) or a pint of Madri for £5.45. My husband opted for a chicken burger, I went for the plant-based burger, Odhran chose the beef burger, and Reuben had the hot dog. All came with fries. Service was prompt and the food arrived hot and with condiments, so we weren't having to chase the waiter for ketchup.
How much does it cost?
Prices vary depending on the venue and the time, but at The O2 branch, one game of ten pin bowling costs from £8.65 for ages 16+, from £7.65 for under 16s, from £30.97 for a family of four (max two adults 16+), or from £38.24 for a family of five (max two adults 16+). Duckpin bowling is booked in time slots of 30 minutes, 60 minutes, or 90 minutes. Prices from £20 per lane for 30 minutes (up to eight people per lane). Sign up for Hollywood Bowl's mailing list to get exclusive discounts and a surprise treat when you've been signed up for a year. And keep an eye out for weekday offers and early bird discounts at weekends.
Easter at Hollywood Bowl
If you're looking for a fun Easter day out with the kids early chicks can get up to 50% off bowling when you book before 11am during the Easter school holidays. Each day during the Easter holidays, Hollywood Bowl will be hiding two golden eggs at its centres - one in the morning, and one in the afternoon. Be the first to find an egg and hand it to a team member to win a FREE chocolate Easter egg. Snap a photo with your egg and share it on social media and you could be in with the chance to win an annual family bowling or mini golf pass. Find out more here
Take a Break's verdict
We loved the buzzy atmosphere at Hollywood Bowl. It's a fun and affordable all weather attraction for an enjoyable family day out, and the food and drink was reasonably priced. The venue is stylish and elevates your bowling experience, but it can get busy and there's not a great deal of seating if you have the maximum of eight people playing in a lane. We'd rate it a 4.3 out of 5.