AMF Plainview Lanes

The place seems like its often empty except when there are young kids birthday parties or leagues with drunken adults. The place is kept clean, maitenance seems adequte. The food is overpriced but does taste good and the man behind the counter provided courteous service. Although the pro shop is technically not part of AMF, the guy working there seemed to be very knowledgeable about bowling and had a nice selection of bowling gear/​balls. Overall it’s a pretty average bowling alley.

If this review was for the pro shop alone it would be a 5 star review as Justin in the pro shop is knowledgeable, friendly, and extremely helpful. He has earned my repeat business.
The center itself though gets a lesser rating due to the fact that every time I bowl there the lanes are bone dry and half the lanes are always blacked out for the cosmic bowling that I have never seen anyone using. I was there today and was told that one side of the alley was oiled last night so I would have liked to bowl those lanes but of course they were blacked out and the lit side was as dry as could be. I didn’t need to towel off my ball one time in 3 games as there was not a drop of oil on it.

I have a LONG history with Plainveiw Lanes. From back when their phone number was in my phone under my brother’s work number, I have been bowling here. I used to participate in weekly leagues, my high school varsity bowling team (represent St. Anthony’s, what what?) played their «home» matches there, and I live less than a mile away, and I have always enjoyed it.
There was a short time when the prices went up a lot, but now they seem to have leveled off.
Call ahead to make sure they have open bowling, and ask about any (of the many, many) special rate times they have. I came here this past weekend and bowled two hours unlimited games of «Extreme Bowling» for ~$ 15/​person. Pretty good deal, and wound up averaging $ 3/​game/​person.
The snack bar is good, when it’s open. They have your expected bowling alley, deliciously artery-​clogging foods, and make them well. They salt the fries a ton, and I always appreciate that. The bar has fair priced drinks, and there are several arcade games.
I haven’t used their house bowling balls in over a decade, so I cannot really comment on them.
I’ll always have a soft spot for Plainveiw Lanes, but it’s not just that that makes me give it 5 stars. I simply have no desire to bowl anywhere else.

This could have been a good experience if the employees who worked here were polite. Except for the girl who we paid at the first counter, it was very apparent that the place was sorely understaffed, thereby making me decisive in NOT returning here again, due to the rudeness of the blonde manager type woman we dealt with.

I am appending my review here as I feel some of the comments were unjust and unfair. I do not get the opportunity to open bowl at this center because I live quite a distance away. That being said, they have made some major improvements since they have been taken over.
The food menu particularly the wings are really good. Like I have said I really love the staff here all the way up to district and senior managers. My daughters love to bowl as well so there’s no reason I shouldn’t bring them here to meet everyone and see where I bowl my league. Thanks for making significant improvements and I’ll be sure to recommend these lanes to anyone and everyone.

Like many Bowlmor AMF centers, league bowling is being treated most disrespectfully. When league bowlers have to pre-​bowl in the dark because of the corporate policy of Tom Shannon, and when putting out a fair amount of lane oil is apparently also a no-​no, one must question the wisdom of remaining at this or any AMF center.
Managers need their jobs, true. League bowlers need to see what they’re doing d&d they need oil with which to do it!

They never have balls with large holes. Those are the ones people need. Always disappointed by ball choice. But, the alcohol is decently priced. $ 10 pitcher. Fair.

Don’t come with a headache. You will leave with a migrane

I’m so pissed that my girlfriend was the first to review this place after we both went there today as I really wanted that «first to review» star. But as she said this is a quality bowling alley. The best part might have been the button that you push to signal the waitress to come over and take your drink order, but everything else here was good too. Clean bathrooms clean lanes, and the employees were pretty nice. The only problem was the lame graphics on the screens after a spare or strike. I think these are the same ones they’ve had since the place went to digital scoring in 1989.

This place gets a good solid 3 stars. It was perfect for a rainy Sunday afternoon. It was around $ 40 for 3 games and 2 shoe rentals. There is also drinks service that comes right to the lane and a large beer and vodka drink was around $ 11 with tip. Aside from the volumes of screaming children to be expected at bowling alleys, the place (bathrooms included) were immaculate and it was an overall enjoyable experience. We’ll be back.