Published by Jeremy. Last Updated on November 5, 2019.
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Arsenal Bowl is an award-winning bowling alley in Pittsburgh, and is a staple attraction right in the heart of Lawrenceville.
While more or less your typical bowling alley, this one gets a few extra points for a higher-end ambiance, themed nights, and of course, its location!
Themed 21+ Nights Make Arsenal Bowl
While Arsenal Bowl is, at its core, a bowling alley, what makes this one special is its themed 21+ nights.
These typically take place from 9 pm to midnight on weeknights (1 am on weekends) and includes set pricing for all-you-can-bowl as well as themes ranging from craft beer night ($2 off beers), college night with DJ, rock ‘n bowl, 80's/90's night, and more. Prices are roughly the cost of two games on weeknights, but double to the cost of roughly four games on Friday and Saturdays.
We visited on a weeknight for the 80's/90's theme and enjoyed having three solid hours of bowling while listening to some classics (and other one-hit-wonders) as arranged by the on-site DJ. Despite the fact that we're pretty awful at the game itself, the ambiance of the night made things an enjoyable experience overall.
To break things up a bit during the evening the DJ also randomly selected players to compete in a bowling game for a chance to win prizes as well. A friend of ours was selected and ultimately missed out on winning- although it was close!
Beyond This, Simply a Nice Bowling Alley in Pittsburgh
When it comes down to it, apart from the location, Arsenal Bowl is a fairly conventional bowling alley.
It wins a number of points for being clean and decorated a bit more than your standard lanes, but apart from that there isn't much else exciting to note. The food menu is about what you'd expect for a bowling alley, and while the bar does carry craft beers it could likely improve its draft list on carrying Pittsburgh breweries.
While we will definitely taking having this one right in the heart of Lawrenceville, it is also worth noting it seems to be on the more expensive side of things on a per-game basis than other bowling alleys we've been to. So when visiting, its worth keeping in mind you're likely paying a premium because of the location and the better-than-average ambiance.
But all things being equal, it offers a great time with its themed 21+ nights for a different kind of night out in the neighborhood!
Arsenal Bowl is located at 212 44th Street in Lawrenceville on the second floor, and is cash only. For those who are looking to bowl here, especially during the flat rate bowling at night, we recommend arriving as close to the start time as lanes fill up fast.
Looking for more things to do in Lawrenceville? Click the previous link to check out our neighborhood guide!
