Ryan Family Amusements

I recently rediscovered candlepin bowling and after living in Malden for 2 years came inside to find that this is a really cool bowling alley. Usually quiet in the morning (which I like) and there are plenty of lanes and some cool candy machines and video games. It cost me about $ 10 for shoe rental and two strings to practice so I try to come in about once a week or so.

This place is awesome !! Great place to bring the kids on a
hot summer day (they have ice cold air conditioning). Sundays are half off day. That means, all bowling is
½ off up until 8:00pm. They serve beer and wine and have some great finger foods as well such as mozzarella sticks and chicken fingers etc etc… They also have Keno. Staff is super friendly and bathrooms are sparkling clean. Do yourself a favor and visit Ryan Family Amusments and you too will find this to be a hidden gem in downtown Malden

The place is a bit dated and average standard so…@ $ 4.25 (Sunday all day price) a string — it is somewhat pricey.
The reason why they deserve 4 stars… the staff — everyone was friendly and helpful — making it an awesome experience for us… especially for a 2 year old at the bumper lane with tons of bowling balls lying in the gutter.
We all had a great time.

I’m not sure if this place was under construction when we went here or if it was just the outside area but it was in major need of some TLC. When we got here we were helped right away because there was no one in the bowling alley but it was obvious it was our first time and we were not given much direction. The little girl I mentor and I had to figure out how to candle pin bowl on our own (in shoes that were falling apart and really needed to be replaced). It was about 2pm on a Sunday and I asked about the snack bar. They said that did not open till later in the night. The bowling alleys I went to growing up always had the snack bar open around the clock. The place did not seem super busy so maybe that is why but it would have been nice to grab a snack. The stale smoke smell in here was also especially bad. Now all bowling alleys usually smell ilike that if they have been around for a while, but some new carpeting probably would have helped a bit becuase this was so bad we left sneezing!
I probably won’t be back here anytime soon, but with a little extra TLC and some better management this place could be something amazing since there is a major shortage of bowling and gaming places in this area.

Grew up in Malden and I have never been into this bowling alley! Use to hang out at the Granada Lanes. lol! So it’s been a few years since I’ve been back in town. Living in FL you’d think that some New Englander would bring this small ball bowling concept down here.
I took my daughter in on a Tuesday afternoon. We had just missed the Senior league so the place was empty. For $ 8.00 a person we bowled two games, got some tokens for the arcade and 25 tickets to trade in for some silly prizes. Not too bad for about an hours worth of entertainment!
I know they have a snack bar, but we didn’t order any food.
I am thankful for the electronic score keeping, as the last time i bowled we did keep score by pencil and paper. (OK now I’m showing my age)
I would come back again when I’m town for a visit. It’s a refreshing change from bowling with a 10lb ball!

This place is just okay. I really like the cheap prices and the look of the place. The Saturday night cosmic bowling is always nice too. My issue is the vending machines rarely work when you go there. They have like 6 – 8 of them and usually only one or two work and those would be the ones that have things you do not want… lol. Also they have a little arcade inside and the one time I went into the arcade area 80% of the games were out of order.

How has this place not been reviewed? Malden/​Boston/​Massachusetts Unilocalers, you disappoint me!
The Malden Square Bowladrome is my version of sweet potato pie and applesauce. Candlepin Bowling rules! Little ball bowling Woohoo!
I spent many days here, and have seen this place transform and age with me. When I first went here, the seats and walls had the same color scheme as the Orange line seats on the T; 70’s style browns/​reds/​oranges. The scorekeeping was done by pencil, and the scoresheets were projected onto the wall above the lane. That is, if the projector was working.
At the same time, they had a pool hall with maybe 20 tables. Smoke-​filled and home to some questionable clientel, it was where I learned I really suck at billiards. Despite this, years of cheap entertainment was spent playing pool and pumping money into the jukebox.
These days, gone are the brown/​red/​orange seats and matching walls. Replaced with a planets and space theme. The walls and carpets now have a design that is closer to the opening credits of the TV show Saved By The Bell. The planets/​space theme that cover the far end wall by the lanes is oddly appropriate. Despite looking new and fresh; the repeating theme all along the wall reminds me that no matter what; the Bowladrome will remain awesome. There are 12 Jupiters in the mural that stretches the length of the place. Only here would that constitute as an upgrade.
The pool hall is gone, replaced with a huge arcade room. The clientel is now little kids and their parents. That’s probably an upgrade too.
The bowladrome has added a beer stand, which is hilarious and only 10 years late. I remember getting wasted while bowling and sipping on rum & snapples. Mm Mm Mmmmm. I try to get here a few times a year to see what else they might do to dress it up.
It’s fantastic for kids, and groups, and it’s one of the few activities that are really fun, and really cheap!