Bloomsbury Lanes image

Bloomsbury Lanes

Bar Live music venue Karaoke bar Bowling alley

8 bowling lanes and DJ plus pizzas and burgers in American diner, with private karaoke booths. People often mention bowling, time, great, staff, game, experience, karaoke, lanes, nice, room,


Address

Tavistock Hotel, Bedford Way, London WC1H 9EU, United Kingdom

Website

bloomsburybowling.com

Contact

+44 20 7183 1979

Price rating

$$$ $

Rating on Google Maps

4.00 (1.6K reviews)

Open on Google Maps

Working Hours

  • Thursday: 12 PM to 12 AM
  • Friday: 12 PM to 12 AM
  • Saturday: 11 AM to 3 AM
  • Sunday: 11 AM to 12 AM
  • Monday: 12 PM to 12 AM
  • Tuesday: 12 PM to 12 AM
  • Wednesday: 12 PM to 12 AM

Featured Reviews


Frequently mentioned in reviews: bowling (47) time (28) great (21) staff (21) game (20) experience (19) karaoke (18) lanes (16) nice (14) room (14)
Reviews are sorted by relevance, prioritizing the most helpful and insightful feedback at the top for easier reference.
  • 5/5 Charlotte M. 8 months ago on Google
    Amazing! Really nice vibes and with ‘the fork’ app you can have -50% on the food! On late afternoon become quite busy but it’s very good for some mega pizza 🍕 and drink’s. Also they have lots of games including bowling, karaoke’s and lots of more. We love this place, very nice!
    6 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 1/5 Sungwook O. 2 years ago on Google
    Karaoke Completely Out-Dated and Overrated Pizza. Karaoke I went to this place with high hopes to have a great social with a few of my mates. I had already booked a room for 15 but only 10 of us could make it. It turns out that was for the best since there was no way that all of us could’ve fit in the room. The system is so outdated to a point where jt does not even has the biggest hits: e.g. Hello by Adele or even Perfect by Ed Sheeran, among many many others. The system was so old and basic to a point where I could literally set up a better one at one: It consists of: 1. An IPAD with a VERY old Karaoke App, 2. Conected to a TV 3 Connected to a small switchboard 4. Conected to a horrible looking speaker that kept giving feedback. There is not one thing that is good about this place apart from being with my mates there. Pizza Size isn’t everything. It over-compensates for the lack of taste. Fresh for sure but very greasy and the quality of ingredients was clearly not that great. Save yourself the ridiculously amount of money and find a better place than this. Verdict: Please Don’t Go, My Girls/Boys
    5 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Philippe 1 year ago on Google
    Great bowling and entertainment space for groups or a few friends. Big dance area with great music. Thought though that not all the lanes were operating which didn’t help with waiting time. The staff is really nice though and it made up for it. Will recommend to go there as a group and renting the area downstairs with karaoke bowling, ping pong, arcade games and much more
    4 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Detwailer / Peña's s. 4 months ago on Google • 153 reviews
    Amazing experience, we were walking around trying to find somewhere to have dinner and finally it was the best decision. We had some pizzas and a few drinks, nice price and very good ambient. We were attended by David a Spanish guy that did our experiencia ever better, thanks man and congratulations to the company for the concept!
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 2/5 Andrea G. 2 months ago on Google • 8 reviews New
    I came here for a work party. I ordered a glass of red wine and it tasted funny. Something also fizzed in my mouth so I ran to the toilet, spat it out and pour the wine down the sink. My tongue was full of bits and the bottom on the glass was covered in a sand-like powder. We took it to the bar to inform them what happened thinking the wine might have been expired as the bottle was already open. They were not sorry, they insisted that nothing was wrong with the wine and told me to try it again. Their attitude was unnecessary and unacceptable. Just be careful of the drinks here.
    3 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Adedayo E. 4 months ago on Google • 165 reviews
    Bloomsbury lanes actually can be a very lively place to be mostly at night. It's usually a quiet place in the day time. The boxing session had a fill when I went there, I had fun and much Interaction with others. The place is lit accordingly. the mood is set with the lighting. there are few staff around probably because it's day time The ones around are seen diligently Assisting customers. a fin and relaxive place to be though

  • 5/5 Tanya S. 2 years ago on Google
    Booked a karaoke booth for my birthday with 2 friends and had the best night! We came in a bit earlier than our slot to see if we could get some food at Ray's Pizza (the diner) and we got seated immediately and the service was really fast. Side note - we loved Ray... or at least we think it was Ray. The lovely lady who served us was so friendly and gave us recommendations as we were spoiled for choice so we ended up with a few cheeky cocktails and a pizza. Watching Ray making our pizza was mesmerising and it tasted out of this world. But it only got better from there! Another lady who helped set up the karaoke room was friendly and funny and made sure we had the best night. The karaoke system was simple to work and had our favourite songs including loads of new songs (I recommend Shape of You on 10x speed for a bit of laff). All in all, we had the best night (probably of our lives) and wouldn't hesitate to go back again. I'd recommend this place to everyone so take your mum, dad, boss, bestie or even your nan and go live it up at Bloomsbury Lanes! Thank you!
    3 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 2/5 Satyn B. 1 month ago on Google • 152 reviews New
    If you like a smooth bowling experience - go somewhere else - if you don't care about the quality of th lane or balls or snacks but wanna pass time bowling this is the place for you

  • 2/5 Floriane Y. 1 month ago on Google • 140 reviews New
    While the bowling experience was enjoyable, the facility could benefit from improved cleanliness and ventilation (very dirty, it smelled and it was soooo hot inside)… On top of that, I recommend staying vigilant with personal belongings...

  • 5/5 vishal s. 3 months ago on Google • 129 reviews New
    Really good place to have fun time with friends or colleagues. All the staff was very helpful and quiet accommodative, especially Benita and Stanley. Definitely going there again and try bowling next time. This time we played darts and overall, it was a great experience. Food was very good as well. Table service was amazing. Overall 5 stars.

  • 3/5 M H. 2 years ago on Google
    If bowling alleys are assets this one has been sweated like nothing else – first came here 10 years ago, and it still looks the same today, with no work done to it at all. That in itself can be charming, however our alley mechanism broke down twice and we lost about 20 mins of our 2 hour slot – which cost £90. No offer of recompense was made, which didn’t bowl us over. Food is served too, however without an order number system lots of confusion ensues between groups of people. Definitely a fun place to go with mates, but this alley needs some serious £ invested.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 1/5 Lukas 1 year ago on Google
    A potentially nice experience ruined by abysmal customer service. We arrived as a group of 8 excited for a game of bowling but throughout our session we had numerous and constant issues - no balls at the start of the game, gates getting stuck or not opening, wrong scores on the screen, balls not being returned and so on. Each time something went wrong the staff were less than eager to help, resulting in delays that ate into our allocated time slot. The staff seemingly had an attitude problem, and at one point basically gave up helping, stating 'it's not our problem'. Manager was called over and refused to help or offer any kind of compensation. All in all a shocking experience, go somewhere else if you want to go bowling in London.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Adnan A. 10 months ago on Google
    Lots to do here, we had done bowling and karaoke. Also has a bar and food (pizzas etc), pool and table tennis. This place gradually turns in to a club I believe but wasn't there for that long. Give it a try, really nice chilled spot for little or a while. Great time 👌
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Tony L. 2 weeks ago on Google • 85 reviews New
    During our visit to Bloomsbury Lanes, we attended a country night event and also played a game of bowling. The venue has a charming old-school vibe, with dated lanes and decor, which added to the overall ambiance. Despite the dated surroundings, the game of bowling went smoothly and we had a great time. Overall, it was a fun and enjoyable evening out.

  • 4/5 Celeste W. 3 weeks ago on Google • 80 reviews New
    Great place for a night out with friends. Food option is dinner food

  • 4/5 smart b. 3 weeks ago on Google • 78 reviews New
    Nice one

  • 3/5 Godfrey K. 4 months ago on Google • 72 reviews
    We went here on a Saturday night. It wasn’t too busy but the price of drinks are extortionate. Way overpriced. It was a hip pop and R&B night and the DJ delivered. We bowled from midnight and it was great. Overall great experience. Would recommend this place for a calm Saturday and not too overcrowded.

  • 1/5 IMZ D. 2 years ago on Google
    Honestly not what I was expecting at all. Do not go on the weekend unless you are a teenager looking to get drunk. The whole place was basically a night club, kids everywhere drunk even on the sofas where I payed £110 for bowling. It would've been nice to sit down and have a nice time with the party i was with playing bowling however we had to stand the entire time holding our jackets as the place was completely over crowded and kids passed out on the sofas on the lane i booked. You literally could not walk from the front reception to bowling alley as it was just that full. The staff for the bowling where not interested and not really sure why they are there as they really look like they don't want to be. The venue was completely dirty and drinks all over the floor, even by the lanes. As for the bowling itself we lost around half an hour due to the balls being stuck and then we had an issue with the lane closing down completely. I was expecting atleast and hours worth of money back for the bowling. All in all, what a terrible night.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 3/5 Sian B. 2 years ago on Google
    The place is a bit dated, decor could do with an uplift. The pizza was subpar, it was missing that something 🤔 unique flavour, and that's me having the margarita. There's a few things apart from bowling you could do (pool, karaoke) which is nice but the decor for me needs work. Disappointing part was the ordering from the app, nearly everything was sold out, no cocktails available amongst other stuff like CHIPS!!! 😕
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Mvp B. 1 year ago on Google
    This is really an underground Karoke, Bowling, Video game and Giant Pizza joint for the family, super sized pizza in London is 15" our pizza was 36" shut the front door 36" wow; cooked in a stone fire, the dough was soft and thin and the flavours were perfect and not too salty, staff here are very friendly and polite, the vibes are nice, the venue is slightly worn out but it's my kids enjoying themselves that matters. Parking on the meter outside was easy. Definitely recommend
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 OfficialRhysus 1 year ago on Google
    The bowling alley was very accommodating for me and my friend despite of travelling issues we encountered prior to entering the building. They were very lovely in trying their best to ensure we could experience our bowling session to the full hour which was paid, offering to move times and lanes if needs be, which was very nice. Following my arrival, I briefly had to wait for my friend to arrive, so I purchased a coke at the bar, which came out to about £2 for a 1/4 pint, but £3.20 for a 3/4 pint. I'll just assume London prices, but maybe it was just me, however it tasted delicious. The bowling pins AREN'T ON STRINGS! It's become rare these days with a proper bowling alley where the pins are realigned with the bowling alley mechanisms, rather than the pins being on strings. As you can tell by the enthusiasm, I'm a bit of a traditionalist when it comes to the pins, as I have this suspicion that the addition of strings, affects the natural motion the pins would fall. Maybe its all in my head. Either way, this is much appreciated.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 1/5 One life One love one y. 2 years ago on Google
    Wow what an experience. We'd booked 2 lanes for nearly £200 for an hour for 8pm on Friday night. One lane did not work from the outset. We told the staff and requested we use a lane that was empty, this too did not work. They continued to try and fix the original lane, which they eventually did by 8.40pm. You would think that most companies/ venues/ businesses would recognize the poor experience and extend your time to finish the game (which was forcibly ended at 9pm on the dot). Before this, mutiple people from our party questioned why we were not able to finish our game. After persistent complaining, we were told we would be given a karaoke booth. (Which was not what we'd paid for). As I was unaware of this (as there were so many people at the time) I went up to the staff desk and queried what was happening, and voiced my frustration. I was met by the most rude and condescending member of staff I have ever experienced. He felt it appropriate to talk to me in such a way that was not fit for customer service or any front facing job whatsoever. I then requested to speak to a manger, by which point I was fuming, and this member of staff then tried to spin the conversation we had and played the victim. The manger had absolutely zero customer service skills and shut me down straight away. I then, unfortunately raised my voice out of utter disgust. At no point did this 'manager' apologize for the lanes not working, 40 mins of unused game time or the terrible customer service from the member of staff. They eventually provided a refund, but reluctantly and rudely. I strongly do not recommend this venue. I have nothing positive to say about this run down and tired bowling alley. To be clear it was just this particular member of staff and manager that were awful. The rest of the team seemed pleasant.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Karolina W. 2 years ago on Google
    Great bowling lanes - had so much fun! 🎳Definitely worth paying £45/hour (for the whole lane, not per person!)
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 3/5 francesca a. 2 years ago on Google
    Great atmosphere but I don't think there is enough time given to play a game. They say 6 people is fine per lane but they only give you an hour so you really have to rush. They very kindly gave us extra time but it did ruin the experience quite a bit because we had to really rush at the end to finish.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Matt G. 1 year ago on Google
    We had a really fun time here... I always thought I sucked at bowling, but I think the balls were magical because I kept scoring strikes and emerged victorious in the first game. 🎳 The venue is pretty decent, but the staff didn't keep on top of the cleaning (especially as it was quiet), and there were a lot of tables with empty plates / glasses left around. So I probably wouldn't recommend staying for food after the game. Private karaoke booths are also on offer... For those who enjoy hearing the sound of their own voice.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Sammi S. 2 years ago on Google
    A great vibe and reasonable prices! I came here for the 'Pull Up n Bowl' event last Thursday and had a great time, London The Plug played host to an amazing crowd, the DJ's on the night were playing some of the hottest tunes of 2020/2021 and some major throwbacks whilst guests bowled or played on some of the retro arcade games. The drinks menu was not exhaustive and the prices were reasonable (medium glass of merlot around £5.50) They are offering table service at the moment and staff were really attentive and friendly and adhered to current covid guidelines (Masks worn, dedicated sanitisation stations and hand sanitisers on tables) Overall a good sanitised vibe! We're all just trying to live our best life right? For more information about my experience here please dm me on Instagram @sammigirl__ Central London's Top 5% of Google Local Guide's #BloomsburyLanes #Bowling #CentralLondon
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 John W. 1 month ago on Google • 46 reviews New
    Came here for a game of bowling for my birthday. The place was not crowded. The lanes and the decor looks dated. But everything worked fine we were not given bowling shoes either. Drinks were on the expensive side.

  • 4/5 Daniel Adeniyi S. 1 month ago on Google • 20 reviews New
    Cool venue with decently priced drinks. The karaoke rooms are great for a fun time and have a wide selection of songs to choose from.

  • 3/5 Yuri Avdijevski (. 2 months ago on Google • 19 reviews New
    Pros: environment is what it needs to be: fun, relaxed, spacious, not too crowded, variety of games like darts, bowling and billiard, karaoke. Cons: way too expensive for basic services, our order got messed up twice by reception and they forgot to bring us our pizzas entirely, forgot to let us know that we are ourselves responsible for drinks pick up at the bar too. It was sad to see as we definitely didn’t want to feel like we have to beg for stuff we already paid for.

  • 5/5 Cemre Z. 1 month ago on Google • 16 reviews New
    Bloomsbury Lanes were extremely helpful and accommodating, helping us resolve a miscommunication re. the booking of the wrong sized Karaoke room, by giving us the room we wanted without extra charge at the last minute. Thanks Bloomsbury Lanes!! (one little comment: it could be good to have another speaker at room 5 situated towards 'the stage', as the difference in volume between front and back is quite a lot)

  • 5/5 Malika Y. 6 months ago on Google • 7 reviews
    I have celebrated my birthday in Bloomsbury Bowling and I am super happy with the experience. It was so much fun, and service was great! Aldo and Harriet were super friendly, patient and helpful. Also helped with all our orders, made sure we get everything on time. And Harriet helped to coordinate both bowling and karaoke. Overall great place, amazing quality of activities, quality service and nice dinner food! I would definitely reconsider. Bowling + Karaoke is the best combo even:) thank you, Bloomsbury team for making my Birthday so special

  • 5/5 X L. 1 year ago on Google
    Decent bowling place for socialising and bar experience. Can get very busy hence would recommend book lane before visit. Only thing is weight 8 ball is not very many hence majority is weight 10-12 so could be a struggle for people prefer lighter weight balls.

  • 5/5 Stefano S. 2 years ago on Google
    great karaoke set lists, and the bowling is great too! The card machine wasn't working when we ordered our drinks, but the bar maid put us on a tab to not stall our night out, once it was working again she came to us with the machine and we settled up later in the evening, so very trusting and accommodating!

  • 5/5 Sarah G. 2 years ago on Google
    Great retro bowling atmosphere, fantastic pizzas and then turns into a dance floor later in the evening

  • 4/5 Jason Y. 2 years ago on Google
    At £9 for one game per person, that's very expensive. The music was also far too loud, although to be fair it was a good selection. Food here was great and service was fast as well as friendly. I'd recommend this place if you just want the occasional bowling and food experience.

  • 5/5 Patrick W. 2 years ago on Google
    As other reviews said, this place could do with some refurbishment. However you can definitely enjoy yourself and have a fun light out here. Just beware of any super excited fellow bowlers at the next lane, and don't get your fingers hurt by the ball return machine!

  • 5/5 Fiona O. 2 weeks ago on Google • 4 reviews New
    Amazing fun and great service . Staff were very friendly and helpful

  • 5/5 Tom G. 2 years ago on Google
    We visited with two children in wheelchairs and found Bloomsbury Lanes to fully accessible to us, mainly thanks to the supportive, friendly and dedicated staff. The bowling is located in the basement of a hotel, which is currently closed. The main entrance has a step, but staff showed us a separate entrance, brought a ramp, and escorted through the building above to the lanes. They made sure my son could access the lanes themselves, and that we had everything we needed. The lanes themselves are a little scruffy but have great atmosphere. There is a bar and a kitchen serving hot food. We visited during the day, and it was not busy, but overall it felt like a really welcoming and atmospheric place.

  • 2/5 Nadir S. 2 years ago on Google
    Unfortunately, due to a mix of old equipment and space, the whole experience didn’t feel worth of the £145 paid for both Bowling (1 hour) and karaoke (2 hours). The whole group I was with felt extremely let down by the karaoke experience. Having booked a large room (12 people) and having seen the room pictures on the website, we were indeed expecting a nice, welcoming karaoke room with enough space to enjoy the afternoon together. Instead, we have been directed to a room barely fitting 6 of us, with live visible cables, an old air conditioning unit, a small TV and cabled mics (many other Karaoke rooms across London have wireless mics). After 5 minutes of singing, the TV automatically switched off due to an energy-saving setting. When we approached the staff and the desk, we were first told to find a remote (nowhere to be found) and then wait for a technician. In the meantime, we found a button on the TV and switched it on by ourselves. Once the “technician” arrived to check our room, he stated “it’s an old TV set, you did the right thing”. However, after another 10 minutes we ended up asking to be moved to a bigger room, as we felt all squashed. I pointed out to thestaff that there were 2 empty rooms (bigger than the one we were in) and asked to be moved. They’ve agreed and we’ve been switched to another room. It was bigger, yes. But the technology was the same. Old TV set, an old speaker and an extremely dusty fan. Plus, as a background noise we had the constant clickity-clack noise of the bowling machinery. At that point we were so tired and completely let down by the whole experience that we didn’t want to flag to the staff anything more. Honestly, paying £145 for this feels extortionate.

  • 4/5 Lynn M. 2 years ago on Google
    Good bowling Had! Had a good time and a much needed laugh

  • 1/5 Becca 1 year ago on Google
    Very miss leading! I asked for 1 game for 4 people. So you'd think 1 full game that you could finish for 4 people. Nope, not the case. 1 game for 4 people is only 10 minutes. It's not like other bowling alleys. Where it is 1 game for however many people and you get a total and pay it... and you get a full game. The member of staff on the tills was very rude, and expect your whole experience there to be on a time limit. For 1 game of bowling, it would have cost us about £80/£90, I don't know where the maths came from. Even 1 person playing isn't finishing 1 game in 10 minutes, it's takes a good 2 minutes for the balls to come back. And a good minute or 2 for the pins to be lifted and put back for the second bowl. Don't waste your money, It was my first time bowling in London, and honestly, It really put me off, think I'll be sticking to the bigger companies next time, like hollywood bowl or tenpin. But they need to find someone who doesn't have an attitude problem to be on tills next time!

  • 5/5 Joanne D. 2 years ago on Google
    This was a lovely bowling alley - they have about 6-8 lanes which do get busy so you'll need to book! Staff are lovely and very friendly - there's a bar too and a small menu for some food options - they do an amazing pizza! The large pizza is LARGE but delicious! :)

  • 5/5 Stefano 4 months ago on Google
    Great atmosphere, nice music and tasty pizza. Staff is amazing and they brought us drinks at the table even if they were not suppose to. There are 3 different sizes of pizza and the largest is very large 😅. There are about 8 bowling lanes and they are well kept. It was a very enjoyable evening and we will definitely come back.

  • 4/5 Phil D. 1 year ago on Google
    Staff were super friendly. It's a great place if you want a relaxed atmosphere. The bowls have seen better days but don't let that put you off. A great place to have a bit of fun, food and drink, all of which you cannot complain about.

  • 4/5 Harshul H. 1 year ago on Google
    Had a fantastic time, and a very convenient location if you’re trying to get people together from all around London. The bowling lanes sometimes have issues but staff are more than happy to help fix things quickly. Recommended for both bowling and karaoke

  • 4/5 Alex C. 1 year ago on Google
    Came here with my work, the lanes were good, and so was the food, extremely impressed with it. Staff were great and the drinks were good too! However the hand fans on the ball return are not functional. It certainly makes it harder to keep bowling.

  • 5/5 Lipa B. 1 year ago on Google
    Finding this place was the highlight of my first year at university. It has everything you need for the best karaoke nights outs. You definitely need to book. Bowling and table tennis is fun too!

  • 4/5 Rishi B. 1 year ago on Google
    Good venue - we rented out the downstairs for a work Christmas party for about 150 people. It was actually a great venue for this and cost about 60-70 per person. Bowling, beer pong, a kareoke room - pizzas and other food brought out, beer buckets. Easy place to use. Only shame there were no screens there to show World Cup games!


Call +44 20 7183 1979 Open on Google Maps

Amenities


  • Offerings
    • ✓️ Food

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