King-Pin Lanes

Omg! First I thought i was going to fall through the floor when I walked in. The smell and filth will scare anyone who can see. Sorry so harsh but you have to invest back into your business if you want others to like it.

Really great place to go out to with friends. I celebrated a friend’s birthday there and we had a blast. I wouldn’t give it a 5 star because the food was so so. Otherwise a very fun place on the weekend

This place is not a bring-​your-​kid bowling alley!
Is it «vintage»? Yes. Perhaps nostalgic to some. But it’s not kept up … Everything’s dirty and sticky and dusty. It’s like hanging out in a musty basement from the 50’s. Your feet stick to the floor. You’re sneezing from the dust floating around and the old cigarette smoke still embedded in the walls.
You WILL NEED a shower when you go home! Man … Woman … Child … You will feel disgusting.
We could’ve tolerated it if we weren’t constantly offered «candy» (aka drugs) by a creepy townie.
Also, the other regular patrons of the bar got way more attention than us newbies. We were ignored by the bartender. They weren’t busy and almost seemed to take pleasure in extending how long it took to give us warm beer.
If you come, i recommend getting drunk beforehand (designated driver, of course) so you can tolerate numerous aspects of the atmosphere … Perhaps even laugh about it.

Went on a Tuesday night around 7 and the place was empty. By 10, there was a sizable crowd. Bowling lanes are only a few steps from the bar and the bartender delivered our drinks to us which was nice. The lanes seem a little run down and the ball return «lost» our balls a few times but somehow that added to the charm. Gotta keep score with pencil and paper which seemed fitting in this bar/​bowling alley that’s stuck in an era of days long past.
We talked to a few of the regulars and they were a bit on the strange side but not threatening. One guy wouldn’t leave me alone. If I hadn’t been a little drunk myself I’m not sure I could have put up with it. I guess any small town bar probably has a few odd people.
No door on the stall in the men’s room — so take care of any pressing business at home.

First time there. The bar has a lot of character. New patrons are welcomed. A cold beer drinkers delight.
I just have one regret…

I was here with a large group of people that basically took over the whole place.
I have to say up front that I was surprised that they rent the lanes by the hour ($ 5 per person) and that’s not a real problem per se if it wasn’t for the pinsetters and ball returns breaking down frequently.
I felt bad for the mechanic that day having to work with temperamental (what appeared to be) 1960’s vintage equipment. That having been said– some concession COULD have been made to us for the time when people couldn’t bowl because of lanes being «broken». Instead the lanes were shut off promptly one hour after they were turned on with no apology. Like it or lump it apparently.
Second– if you are a regular, it would appear that they serve you at the bar as soon as you walk in even if there are others at the bar waiting to be served. This is a common problem in small dive bars and it’s unlikely to change any time soon– but not being able to readily drown my sorrows didn’t help the problems we were having with the lanes.
The above notwithstanding– we had a great time in a genuine throwback facility that provided a lot of entertainment.
Like a lot of other similar places in the area, King-​Pin now has slots and video gaming. Word to the wise, they seemed to be set on the «tight» side.
Sometimes everything doesn’t go smoothly or the way that *I* think it should go at the time. On reflection, those not-​so-​smooth things brought «character» to our experience– and in this day and age of rampant homogenization, I feel having a unique and fun experience is more valuable than gold.

This place is just cool. There is not alot to do in our little town of Fox River Grove but this place is a must see if your looking for a place to grab a beer or meet with friends. Nostalgic old fashioned bowling alley with authentic ball returns and only 8 lanes. Makes you feel like you went back in time. Bartenders and owner are always very friendly.

Athe first time I went there was in 1957 with my dad. He stopped in for a hoot and a wash. I returned 56 years later. I had a wash but not the hoot. The place was like I remembered. Real nice towny bar. FRG may have changed, but it is still a very friendly and memorable place in my heart.

Bartenders are friendly, the drinks are very reasonably priced. The big downfall that makes it only 2 stars is the people that are regulars at this bar are fricken weird, No I don’t want you to read your tarot cards for me lady.

Vintage bowling alley and a bar. Open the door, lace up those bowling shoes and step back in time. Good for families (in daytime) + good for cheap fun. This joint is CASH only. Bring some extra cash if you want to play pool, the juke box or pinball games. Good location near train station in FRG and plenty of parking.

This place is awesome! Only 8 lanes and you still need a pencil and your bean to keep score. The bar is within spitting distance from the lanes too. I bet the last time they updated this place was when they put in the automatic pin setters. This is where I feel like a real athlete.