Went here for a family bonding session on a Sunday evening.
There's a discount for Passion Card holders.
The staff was efficient and patient.
The bowling shoes were clean and didn't smell, which was a plus.
The bowling alleys were well-lit, and we had lots of fun playing.
We bought some drinks from the vending machine. Most of the drinks were delicious and well-made; some were on the sweeter side.
Shanti Subramaniam
4
We went there on a public holiday a little early in the evening, around 7:30 pm, and it wasn't that crowded yet! It was fun, and we had no notable issues. The place is pretty big, with other different games too.
Overall, it was a fun evening there.
Roy Maasri
3
This is a detailed review for those who are actually looking for an amazing bowling alley. If you feel this is too long, at least try reading a few advantages and disadvantages; if not, don't miss the last part, as I've included better replacements.
I have seen better bowling places with better facilities in Chennai itself, where bowling is 97% played only for relaxation, fun, and to spend time. But this place looks as if it is for experts, and it also has a specific shop just for bowling equipment inside. This is good, but then if this is the case, everything should be proper. Let me first tell you the good side of the place:
Good side:
. Helpful staff
. Good ambiance with amazing lights
. Large area and good infrastructure, and apart from bowling, it also has darts and snooker
. Proper seating and resting areas
. Many lanes to manage the crowd
. They provide free shoes, and they have shoes for many different sizes. They have a lot, so there will be no problem if five or more people have the same shoe size and they come at the same time.
Bad side:
. Very bad bowling mechanism; after every single game, the mechanism gets stuck and pins don't get replaced, but the time is still running as if everything is scripted. We have to go and call the staff again and again, and by this time, the timer runs out.
. Super oily balls
. Balls aren't kid-friendly. Well, I agree that this might be an expert training zone, but when we are paying, there was literally a different price section for kids, so this means they do allow kids. And they also had a sliding thing on which you can keep the ball and push, but the least weighing ball is like 7 kgs, and that also slides away from the hand due to the super oily ball.
. The shoes have very high friction force, and it's kind of disturbing when I bowl.
. The place is not worth the amount you pay.
. Two lanes were supposed to share one ball return. They can just utilize the space and have one ball return for each lane.
. The system looks very outdated. Usually, when I go to a bowling alley, I can just enter the names on my own to get them displayed on the screen above for the scores, and there is a separate stall for that just near the lane. But here, we were supposed to write just two letters from our name, as the screen can't hold more than that, and later it will get updated onto the screen.
. Slow mechanism. Even though I have already mentioned that the mechanisms weren't working properly, sometimes when they do kickstart it again, it just takes a lot of time for it to replace the pins and stuff.
From my side, there are both good and bad sides to this place equally. At least if the balls weren't oily, it would have been better. But if you have good arms to lift heavy weights, or if you are an expert, you can come to this place and enjoy it a lot.
Replacements:
. StarBowl at BIG FUN Heiwajima complex for an updated system and mechanism
. Superbowl Tampines for better balls
. Kallang Bowl in Leisure Park Kallang
These replacements can fulfill other requirements which Sonic Bowl could not fulfill, but it doesn't mean these places are completely perfect, as they might also have some disadvantages.
Dailyminder
1
"We had a really disappointing experience at this bowling alley. When we arrived, we only had a few minutes to discuss whether to go with the hourly or per-game option, but the staff rushed us and seemed irritated by our questions. Instead of being helpful, they were rude and dismissive, making us feel unwelcome."
Charlene Tan
5
"Intern Fatin is very nice and efficient with her work, even with the crowd! She answered my questions quickly and politely."
"Jerald Ang"
1
The ball return definitely needs servicing or an overhaul. It takes a few minutes of spinning inside the machine before it pushes my ball out. If you multiply that by ten games, that's a lot of time spent waiting. I gave up and left mid-game after telling the attendant, but I suspect they are already aware, as there are previous reviews mentioning this issue. I wouldn't go back.
Desmond Tan
1
"I've been there a few times in the last two months. The lane mechanism is poor; it doesn't even rack properly, and we always need staff to rectify it, which wastes a lot of precious time. The staff are arrogant, especially the Singh and the dreadlock guy. Nope, I won't be visiting again. Sonic Bowl needs to review these conditions."
Ethan Lee
5
Amazing experience. The staff was very polite and patient, and payments were smooth. I would definitely come again.
Alvin Lim
1
Most terrible experience at Sonic Bowl Tampines. Many lanes need servicing. I believe their lighter house balls might not have a problem, but do bowlers who play with their own, heavier balls need to push the first ball out rather than practicing with their main ball? First, with my only 15-pound ball, every throw required me to push the ball out because it got stuck (first photo, which has a "danger, no hand" sign). When I approached the staff (a heavier, young boy), he even suggested I pull it out. I told him I had a 1.5-hour session and shouldn't have to do that every throw. Then he changed the lane for me when I requested it. On the second lane, the ball took a long time to come out (first video). The same staff blamed it on my ball being oily. I had used a cloth to wipe it nearly every throw, and I mentioned that the mechanism pushing the ball out might not be strong enough because mine is 15 pounds (which is normal for bowlers). Their lanes probably have no problem with the house balls, which are 6-12 pounds. These two issues wasted a lot of my time walking to the staff for assistance when it took too long. Finally, I was changed to another lane, this time worse! Most balls didn't come out, and I needed to ask the staff to bring them up. He still asked me, "You don't have a spare ball? (thin, curly-haired young guy)." It seemed like they blamed my ball's oil and lack of a spare ball, rather than properly maintaining their lanes! I usually play 7 games in 1.5 hours, but I only played 4 due to the delay of the ball getting stuck and being slow to come out. When the time ended, I had to explain and request from the staff (heavier guy) that in 1.5 hours, I usually play 6-7 games; this delay meant I only played 4! I asked for ONE game and was REJECTED! The heavier guy said he could give me "a few minutes," not one game! Please, those few minutes are barely enough waiting time for one throw. Totally unacceptable. Instead of automatically giving me a game or two, because one game takes an average of 10-15 minutes, I played only 4 games, taking an hour. I paid for 1.5 hours, wasted 2-3 games, but was rejected for one game. So, reader, I suggest you buy per game, rather than by the hour, which might not even allow you to play one game if you have a group of 4. FYI, I was alone; if striving per throw, 7-8 games can be played in 1.5 hours.
Muhammed Salih Ahamed Athaullah
5
One of the better bowling arenas in Tampines Hub.
It's a big area with multiple lanes.
There could be more bowling balls available in different sizes.