Pop quiz: You want to go bowling in South Philly. And South Bowl is feeling a little pricey for your Thursday night budget. Where do you go?

Saint Monica Lanes at 16th & Shunk, of course!

We've literally been meaning to write about this place for years. We first found our way here several years ago when we attended a fundraiser for youth programs at the Marian Anderson Rec Center, where $20 got us beer, bowling, and live music. And it helped the kids! And then for a few years we forgot where the place was located. And then we remembered, and we've meant to write about it ever since.

View at 16th & Shunk

Tiny sign for the bowling alley

The bowling alley, which has been around for decades, has twelve lanes and the type of automated system you'd expect. They also have party rooms and a game room. For as little as a hundred bucks, you can rent two lanes and have yourself a party. If you're more popular than us, you can rent out the whole place for up to four hours for $650. You might not imagine from from the sign, but the place is in pretty good shape.

Image of the lanes

If you've never been and bowling is your thing, we suggest you check this place out the next time you're in the area. Maybe there's not much real estate development in this general area, but other neighborhoods surely wish they had this kind of amenity. And if more developers knew about it, maybe we'd see more construction nearby.