Empire Bowl Inc — Attraction in Redlands

Argued with staff here. Paid $60 for 80 minutes and only got to play 2 games. That was bowling quickly with no pauses. We started off with only 72 minutes games play until I went to tell the girl at the counter we were not started at 80 minutes. The argument started when I asked how much it would be for another game and we were told they needed the lane for league night. Already putting league members as priority over a paying customers. Rude. There were plenty of empty lanes. They then said that they don't normally let people pay per game but would let us for $25. So that was now $85 for that lane. Instead of leaving it at that the man at the counter insulted me by saying there was '"no way 4 people could play one game in 30 minutes". I found that extremely unprofessional to say. He used a know-it-all tone and had and a smug look on his face. You should be uplifting and encouraging when you work customer service. I told him that that wasn't very encouraging, to which the 3 staff working the counter laughed at me. You do not laugh at a customer who already feels insulted. I told him then that saying we couldn't bowl a game in 30 minutes was a big FU to us. I walked away. My bf and his friend went to pay the $25. Instead of leaving me to cool off a staff member approached us and asked if everything was okay. I told him it was not. That you do not tell someone that there is no way they can bowl a game in 30 minutes and try and turn a paying customer away. You encourage your customers and make them happy. Especially if they are trying to stay and play more. This man in turn humiliated me in front of my bf and friends and made me look like a Karen when all I was trying to do was defend how the staff here made me feel. No one likes to be told they can't do something. On top of this humiliating experience the lanes here are too slick. Makes the ball have a mind of its own. And the timed bowling is a money making scheme pure and simple. Usually we bowl at Rim Bowling in Crestline. There they treat you like a customer and not a #. Sad to see that Empire Bowl is now commercialized. If you have 4 people you can only get in 2 games in the 80 minute time slot and even then there is a count down clock that makes you panic and rush. We take bowling seriously. Have our own balls and shoes and bowling is relaxing for us. Empire Bowl takes the relaxation and fun away. We were hoping this place would be an alternative to Rim Bowling when we are down here, but we will not return. We also bought our balls here and the guy talked with other customers the entire time he drilled our holes and drilled them wrong, not listening to what we had asked for. I wouldn't recommend this place to anyone and I would recommend the staff be trained in customer service and empathy and that the pricing system be rethought. People like to grab their balls and just go bowling and pay per game, not do reservations and be timed. And if you are going to prioritize leagues then just close your business...

I recently visited Empire Bowl in Redlands, CA, hoping for a fun late-night bowling outing with friends. What should have been a relaxing evening turned into a frustrating experience due to poor customer service, misleading information, and inconsistent policies. I'll break it down below.

First off, the front desk staff – specifically the Asian American man handling check-ins – was outright rude, dismissive, and arrogant from the moment we walked in. We approached the counter politely, asked about lane availability and pricing for our group, and he barely looked up from his phone, snapping short answers like we were interrupting his night. When we had legitimate questions about costs and hours (more on that later), he rolled his eyes, spoke in a condescending tone, and acted like explaining basic details was beneath him. It felt incredibly unwelcoming, especially for a family-friendly spot like a bowling alley. I've bowled at plenty of places, and this level of attitude is unacceptable – it completely soured the vibe before we even started.

Pricing was another major issue, and it seems designed to catch you off guard. The rates we were quoted initially didn't match what ended up on the bill, with hidden fees popping up that weren't mentioned upfront. Worse, he never disclosed the actual late-night pricing until the very last minute, right as we were about to pay and leave. We thought we were getting the standard evening rate based on what little info he grudgingly shared earlier, but suddenly it jumped because of some "late-night surcharge" that wasn't explained. It felt sneaky and unprofessional, leaving us feeling ripped off and like we were being nickel-and-dimed without warning.

To top it all off, the hours posted on the window and online were completely wrong. The signage and website clearly stated they were open until midnight on weekends, which is why we showed up around 10 PM expecting plenty of time. In reality, they closed much earlier – we were rushed out well before the listed time, and when we pointed this out, the front desk guy just shrugged it off dismissively, claiming "things change" without any apology or update to their info. This mismatch wasted our time and made the whole trip pointless.

The bowling itself was mediocre at best – lanes were worn, shoes smelled musty, and the overall atmosphere was dingy – but it's the combination of arrogance, pricing shenanigans, and inaccurate hours that makes Empire Bowl a hard pass. Save yourself the headache and head to a more reliable spot in the area. Management needs to address this front...

Had a terrible experience with front desk. First, I arrive at 8pm with a group of four inquiring about a renting a lane. We were told $80. This was on Sunday 8/24/25. Ridiculous, no where does it say 80 on your website. At most, the advertised weekend session is $60 Friday-Sunday. My group and I were not okay with that price, so we decided we would return in an hour 30 minutes, when late session bowling begins at $30. Advertisements and flyers on the Empire Bowl website say Sunday-Thursday renting a lane at 9:30 pm for the late session is $30. My group and I arrive exactly at 9:30 pm Sunday with a group of 4, expecting to pay $30 as advertised online. We were told that it would be $50, not $30 like advertised on your own website. Was not happy with the price, but still paid because my party and I were interested in bowling. Along with this, our attendant told us that they would be closing on Sunday 10:30pm, contrary to the 11pm closing time that they have at the front of establishment which says 11am-11pm 7 days a week. They also have these times on their instagram page @empirebowl, and on Google and it even says it was confirmed by the owner 3 weeks ago. I was not satisfied at all with my experience here at Empire Bowl, this is the type of experience you do not expect from a local spot. My frustrations stem from the information posted online not being accurate and up-to-date. Honor your deals, and take care of the customer. I’d like to see management take care of these informational issues, which mislead customers and handle their customer service...