Maple Lanes

Stopped in after a fish fry at the Slovenian Home. It's just three blocks down the street. Wanted to have a beer, to check out after reading about this in a cleveland.com article on Tough Old Bars. You need to get buzzed in (if door is locked) and the owner Annette couldn't of been more friendly, even gave us a tour of the ancient mechanism behind the bowling machines. Def a dive bar (this is not a hipster bar), but couldn't of been nicer and more welcoming to some suburban gents. It's a movie set of a period bar... and it just was for a filming location for Little Evil (Netflix film out 2017)!

You can't just show up here and bowl. Why? The pins are still set by humans. That alone rates a five.This place sets the bar regarding dives. That is, friendly dives where you don't get looked at funny. Not too funny anyway. The bowling is league-only, though you can call ahead and reserve lanes on certain non-league nights. Again, because they have to make sure they have somebody working that night to set the pins. And because there are only four lanes to bowl on.There are many other factors that make this place awesome, but you really have to see for yourselves. So head over there, don't order anything that makes you look like a total panz, and play a few rounds of pool. Miraculously, the bathrooms are well stocked and clean.A friend and I came here on a whim, and I can assure you that I'll be back.If the door is locked, hit the bell. They will buzz you in.P.S.- This place is also a music venue. The evening we went, we had just missed a washboard band. They also have the occasional open mic night.

Went for the first time after reading about Maple Lanes in a list of the 50 oldest bars in Cleveland. On May 12, Paul Cherry and a couple of other bands were there so I stopped in. Unbelievable. Something Twin Peaks-ish and wonderful about this gem. I'll go back and bring friends next time. Thank you!