# EASTSIDE BOWL - NE NASHVILLE **Source:** Pinball News Website **Type:** article **Published:** 2022-07-18 **Beat:** Pinball **URL:** https://www.pinballnews.com/site/2022/07/18/eastside-bowl-ne-nashville --- ## Analysis Eastside Bowl is a multi-entertainment venue in Madison, Tennessee (northeast Nashville) that opened in late 2021 in a converted K-Mart building. The facility features 16 bowling lanes, a retro 1970s-themed lounge, diner, live music venue, billiards, and an arcade with 25+ pinball machines (modern Stern titles and classic games) and video games. The venue maintains all machines in excellent condition and charges $1 per credit with accessible free game thresholds. ### Key Claims - [HIGH] Eastside Bowl opened in late 2021 as a mega-entertainment destination in a converted 94,000-square-foot former K-Mart building — _Direct statement in article about facility opening and history_ - [HIGH] The arcade features modern Stern Pinball games including Rush, plus classic titles, all in 100% functional condition except Godzilla (turned off) and Hot Wheels (experienced phantom lost ball malfunction) — _Author's direct observation during visit; specific game list provided_ - [HIGH] Eastside Bowl is the only bowling alley within 300 miles offering Hyper Bowling (hybrid bowling/billiards/pinball/video game system) — _Explicit statement in article about facility's unique offerings_ - [HIGH] The venue is themed around 1973 as the founders' favorite year in music and is designed with retro space-age/Jetsons aesthetic — _Direct quote from founder Jamie Rubin explaining design philosophy_ - [HIGH] All pinball machines charge $1 per credit with reasonably easy free game and match thresholds; no bill acceptors but change machine available — _Author's direct observation and notes on gameplay economics_ ### Notable Quotes > "We are steeped in 1973. It's my partner Chark's favorite year in music, and I'm right there with him, so we've used that as our theme." > — **Jamie Rubin, Eastside Bowl founder/partner** > _Explains core design philosophy and aesthetic direction of the entire venue_ > "All of the pin games were impeccable and 100 percent functional, with the exception of Godzilla, which was turned off, and American Pinball's Hot Wheels, which shut down due to a phantom 'lost ball' while I (of course) had a stellar score going." > — **Article author** > _Assessment of arcade machine condition and maintenance quality; notes minor technical issue with Hot Wheels_ > "If you are in the Nashville area, I'd encourage you to pay them a visit." > — **Article author** > _Concluding recommendation suggesting positive overall assessment of venue_ ### Entities | Name | Type | Context | |------|------|---------| | Eastside Bowl | organization | Multi-entertainment venue in Madison, TN (NE Nashville) combining bowling, dining, live music, billiards, arcade with 25+ pinball machines; opened late 2021 | | Chark Kinsolving | person | Co-founder of Eastside Bowl; contributed design aesthetic centered on 1973 as favorite music year | | Tommy Pierce | person | Co-founder of Eastside Bowl | | Jamie Rubin | person | Co-founder/partner of Eastside Bowl; formerly owned East Nashville restaurant Family Wash (2002-2013); explains 1973 theme concept | | Stern Pinball | company | Manufacturer of majority of modern pinball titles in Eastside Bowl arcade; machines include Rush Pro, AC/DC Pro Vault Edition, Avengers Infinity Quest Pro, Godzilla Pro, Metallica Pro, and 15 other titles | | American Pinball | company | Manufacturer of Hot Wheels pinball (2020); one machine at Eastside Bowl experienced phantom lost ball malfunction during author's visit | | Rush Pro | game | Stern Pinball 2022 title; featured in Eastside Bowl arcade's rock band-themed section | | Hot Wheels | game | American Pinball 2020 title; located in Eastside Bowl arcade; experienced phantom lost ball malfunction during review visit | | Godzilla Pro | game | Stern Pinball 2021 title; present in Eastside Bowl arcade but turned off at time of author's visit | | QubicaAMF Worldwide | company | Manufacturer of Hyper Bowling system; company acquired by AMF in 2005; Eastside Bowl is only facility within 300 miles offering Hyper Bowling | | Family Wash | organization | Predecessor East Nashville restaurant owned by Jamie Rubin (2002-2013); Shepherd's Pie recipe carried forward to Chark's Laneside Diner at Eastside Bowl | | The Wash | organization | Live music entertainment venue within Eastside Bowl featuring two stages, state-of-the-art production; hosts country-rock, alt-country, and special events | | The Arcade | organization | Arcade section within Eastside Bowl featuring stand-up video games and 25+ pinball machines (modern and classic); charges $1 per credit | | Chark's Laneside Diner | organization | Retro-styled diner within Eastside Bowl; serves breakfast weekends; features Shepherd's Pie from original Family Wash; hosts live jazz-fusion band HodgePodge | | The Lounge at Eastside Bowl | organization | 1970s-themed lounge/bar with craft beers, wines, exotic cocktails; 21+ at all times; includes two full-sized pool tables; features vintage Bally ABC Bowler game (non-playable decoration) | | Data East | company | Pinball manufacturer; Eastside Bowl features multiple Data East titles including Rocky and Bullwinkle (1993), Guns 'N Roses (1994), Hook (1992), Star Wars (1992) | | Williams | company | Pinball manufacturer; Eastside Bowl features Demolition Man (1994) and The Machine: Bride of Pin-Bot (1991) | | Bally | company | Pinball manufacturer; Eastside Bowl features The Champion Pub (1998) and vintage ABC Bowler game (early 1950s, non-playable) | | Gottlieb | company | Pinball manufacturer; Eastside Bowl features vintage 300 game (1975) in excellent condition, displayed in lobby near check-in | | Nashville, Tennessee | event | Location of Eastside Bowl in Madison area, northeast Nashville suburbs; known for country-rock and alt-country music venue programming | ### Topics - **Primary:** Arcade location feature and pinball selection, Entertainment venue design and 1970s retro aesthetic, Machine condition and maintenance quality - **Secondary:** Pricing and game economics ($1 per credit), Hybrid bowling/entertainment complex business model, Live music and special events programming - **Mentioned:** Vintage/classic game preservation and display ### Sentiment **Positive** (0.85) — Author is impressed with venue's pinball selection, machine condition, design aesthetic, and overall entertainment offerings. Minor criticism only: Hot Wheels malfunction and Godzilla being offline. Strong recommendation to visit. Positive tone throughout with appreciation for venue operators' efforts and attention to detail. ### Signals - **[community_signal]** Eastside Bowl maintains pinball machines in excellent playable condition with accessible pricing and reasonable free game thresholds (confidence: high) — Author observes: 'All of the pin games were impeccable and 100 percent functional' and 'All pin-games are a dollar per credit, and free game and match thresholds seemed to be reasonably easy to achieve' - **[event_signal]** Eastside Bowl hosts Punk Rock Flea Market benefiting Toys for Tots and R-rated Burlesque variety show 'Stroke of Luck' as special events (confidence: high) — Article states 'The Wash also periodically hosts special events such as the recent Punk Rock Flea Market benefiting Toys for Tots, and an R-rated Burlesque and variety show called Stroke of Luck' - **[product_concern]** Hot Wheels pinball at Eastside Bowl experienced phantom lost ball malfunction during review visit (confidence: medium) — Author notes: 'American Pinball's Hot Wheels, which shut down due to a phantom lost ball while I (of course) had a stellar score going' --- ## Transcript Date: July 2022 Location: 1508A Gallatin Pike S, Madison, TN 37115, USA Phone: (424) 888-7445 Website: eastsidebowl.com ![](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/eastside-bowl-nashville/31-eastside-bowl-nashville.jpg) Greetings – you’ve arrived! “300” (Gottlieb, 1975) AC/DC Pro Vault Edition (Stern, 2017) The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle and Friends (Data East, 1993) Avengers: Infinity Quest Pro (Stern, 2020) Batman: The Dark Knight (Stern, 2008) The Champion Pub (Bally, 1998) Demolition Man (Williams, 1994) Godzilla Pro (Stern, 2021) Guns ‘N Roses (Data East, 1994) Hook (Data East, 1992) Hot Wheels (American Pinball, 2020) Iron Maiden: Legacy of the Beast Pro (Stern, 2018) Iron Man Vault Edition (Stern, 2014) Led Zeppelin Pro (Stern, 2020) Lord of the Rings (Stern, 2003) The Machine: Bride of Pin-Bot (Williams, 1991) The Mandalorian (Pro) (Stern, 2021) Metallica Pro (Stern, 2013) Rush Pro (Stern, 2022) Shrek (Stern, 2008) The Simpsons Pinball Party (Stern, 2003) Star Wars (Data East, 1992) Star Wars Premium (Stern, 2017) Stranger Things Pro (Stern, 2019) TRON: Legacy (Stern, 2011) Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Pro (Stern, 2020) (Games are subject to change at the discretion of management, maintenance, etc.) ![](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/eastside-bowl-nashville/44-eastside-bowl-nashville.jpg) Eastside Bowl entrance You could be forgiven before arriving at Eastside Bowl if you imagined that you would be rolling up (see what I did there?) to a bowling alley just like one of the many hundreds, if not thousands, of similar bowling alleys scattered across the USA. Eastside Bowl started out as the shell of a 94,000-square-foot former K-Mart department store. For the founders of Eastside Bowl—Chark Kinsolving, Tommy Pierce, and Jamie Rubin—that gleaming white empty building was the perfect space to execute a modern vision inspired by their past. ![](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/eastside-bowl-nashville/45-eastside-bowl-nashville.jpg) Founders Chark Kinsolving and Tommy Pierce, with partner Jamie Rubin “We are steeped in 1973,” says Rubin, who formerly owned the beloved East Nashville restaurant Family Wash. “It’s my partner Chark’s favorite year in music, and I’m right there with him, so we’ve used that as our theme.” I had to squint to see the resemblance to the former K-Mart as they have done a nice job of decorating the Eastside Bowl entrance and interior with a retro space-age theme (think The Jetsons cartoon). Being in a former shopping center, Eastside Bowl has plenty of free parking, which is well-lit after dark and appeared to be safe. ![](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/eastside-bowl-nashville/35-eastside-bowl-nashville.jpg) Looking Into The Lounge from the bowling alleys What was a humble shopping center store opened in late 2021 as a mega-entertainment destination offering not only 16 lanes of ten-pin bowling (what they call “retro bowling”) but also live music, a retro-styled diner, a very well-stocked lounge/bar, two billiard tables in their own area adjacent to the lounge, an arcade and something new from AMF (QubicaAMF Worldwide since 2005) called Hyper Bowling. Eastside Bowl is the only alley within 300 miles that offers Hyper Bowling. Any of the 16 lanes can be switched to the Hyper Bowling system from the main desk. Hyper Bowling is an attempt to combine elements of billiards, pinball, and video gaming with ten-pin bowling. There is an informative video that explains how the game is played found at Hyper Bowling Overview. ![](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/eastside-bowl-nashville/06-eastside-bowl-nashville.jpeg) Billiards area near The Lounge The seating areas near the lanes are more like soft sofas than the usual plastic or fiberglass chairs found in bowling alleys of the past. I am not sure if this is a good or bad thing because once you have sunk into the couch and are comfy, it’s difficult to get ‘up’ when it is your turn! ![](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/eastside-bowl-nashville/33-eastside-bowl-nashville.jpg) Seating areas near the lanes Chark’s Laneside Diner is a retro-styled diner within Eastside Bowl. Their menu (available for viewing on their website) serves familiar diner items as well as the popular Shepherd’s Pie from the original Family Wash, which was an East Nashville entertainment and dining staple from 2002-2013. ![](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/eastside-bowl-nashville/39-eastside-bowl-nashville.jpg) Shepherd’s Pie and pint special on Tuesdays They also have breakfast served on weekends. Bloody Mary’s are available with your eggs and toast! When I visited Chark’s, there was a hot jazz-fusion band named HodgePodge (bandleader Alex Hodge) serving up vibrant tunes. ![](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/eastside-bowl-nashville/37-eastside-bowl-nashville.jpg) Diner booths ![](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/eastside-bowl-nashville/40-eastside-bowl-nashville-1024x684.jpg) Breakfast served on Saturday and Sunday The Lounge at Eastside Bowl pays homage to the 1970s with its decor. They have a great selection of craft beers, wines, and exotic cocktails. The lounge is 21+ at all times while Eastside Bowl is 21+ verified with ID after 10pm for entry to the facility. As mentioned, The Lounge has two full-sized pool tables in a retro-themed area. Much of the artwork in the lounge is either authentic retro or retro-styled. It’s easy to imagine that you are back in the mid-’70s due to some time warp. ![](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/eastside-bowl-nashville/17-eastside-bowl-nashville.jpeg) The Lounge The Wash at Eastside Bowl is their entertainment venue. It features two stages, state-of-the-art production facilities, and the ability to host everything from intimate showcases on The Wash stage, larger national acts on the Main Stage, and special events of all sizes. Most events are ticketed and handled through the Seetickets website. From what I can tell of upcoming shows, the majority are Country-Rock or Alt-Country, which would be no surprise since it is located in the NE Nashville suburbs. ![](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/eastside-bowl-nashville/41-eastside-bowl-nashville-1024x684.jpg) Live music at The Wash The Wash also periodically hosts special events such as the recent Punk Rock Flea Market benefiting Toys for Tots, and an R-rated Burlesque and variety show called Stroke of Luck. ![](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/eastside-bowl-nashville/42-eastside-bowl-nashville-668x1024.jpg) Punk Rock Flea Market The arcade, simply called ‘The Arcade’, has stand-up video games and pinball (modern and classic), These games will be the focus of the rest of this review. ![](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/eastside-bowl-nashville/12-eastside-bowl-nashville.jpeg) Some of the pinballs The Arcade has an impressive selection of recent Stern Pinball games, including Rush, that can be found in the section of The Arcade with all of the other Rock and Roll band-themed games. All of the pin games were impeccable and 100 percent functional, with the exception of Godzilla, which was turned off, and American Pinball’s Hot Wheels, which shut down due to a phantom ‘lost ball’ while I (of course) had a stellar score going. ![](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/eastside-bowl-nashville/28-eastside-bowl-nashville.jpeg) More of the pinballs All pin-games are a dollar per credit, and free game and match thresholds seemed to be reasonably easy to achieve. None of the pinballs had dollar bill acceptors, but there is a change machine nearby to convert greenbacks into quarters. There is one game placed outside The Arcade, a 1975 Gottlieb “300” game (that is in very nice condition) in the lobby across from the bowling alley check-in. The game is hard to miss being next to a 6-foot-tall bowling pin. ![](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/eastside-bowl-nashville/19-eastside-bowl-nashville-768x1024.jpeg) Gottlieb “300” and bowling pin for giants Also in the lobby is what looks to be a very early 1960s kiddie ride with a ‘Buck Rogers’ theme. Nice that it is not just decoration; several children enjoyed it during my visit. ![](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/eastside-bowl-nashville/16-eastside-bowl-nashville.jpeg) The official mascot of Eastside Bowl In The Lounge, there was an early 1950s vintage Bally ABC Bowler game that apparently was just for decoration (or perhaps a place for those playing pool to set their drinks) due to the coin box being removed and no pucks available. ![](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/eastside-bowl-nashville/08-eastside-bowl-nashville.jpeg) ABC Bowler- sadly no longer playable During my short visit, I was only able to explore the thin veneer of the Eastside Bowl entertainment center. I’d love to stop in during some future weekend to experience one of their live music shows, for example. ![](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/eastside-bowl-nashville/38-eastside-bowl-nashville.jpg) Live performance at the Main Stage I hope these words and photos explain that, in spite of its name, Eastside Bowl is much more than a place to “roll.” If you are in the Nashville area, I’d encourage you to pay them a visit. ![](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/eastside-bowl-nashville/34-eastside-bowl-nashville.jpg) Another view of The Lounge Thank you to the management at Eastside Bowl for the use of the photos that they supplied to me for use in this review. _(Acquisition: raw_text, Enrichment: v1)_ --- *Exported from Journalist Tool on 2026-04-13 | Item ID: 91c5a586-eeb4-4337-9af9-cf59b00266ab*