The most important thing to know about Pins Mechanical Company is that it's a bowling bar. Every location has numerous duckpin bowling lanes to enjoy. They also have multiple bars and outdoor patio areas to sit at and enjoy your drink. We went to their Over The Rhine location in Cincinnati a few weeks ago and discussed our bowling and drinking experience, which you can read about here.
However, on the day we went, the Over the Rhine bar didn't have their huge party games out because it was raining. Luckily for us, the Indianapolis location did, and they had even more choices than the OTR spot. Here's what you can enjoy in both locations, and which games are unique to Indianapolis.
Fun, Free Game Options
Our favorite game to play was Hookie. It is a ring-toss game where you try to throw your six rings on pegs and get a score of exactly 69 points to win. If you go over, you'll lose points and have to continue trying to hit exactly 69. This was our favorite game because it took a while to learn how to throw the rings and it's quite competitive. This game is at the Indianapolis location but is not available in Cincinnati.
Another free game we loved was giant Jenga. It took us a solid fifteen minutes to play the game, and then we set it back up after it came crashing to the floor. Make sure you don't lean in too much when you're grabbing a piece; the blocks are heavy and you don't want to get clobbered!
There were two Jenga stations set up next to each other, so if you have a larger party you'll all get to play, or others can go play Hookie or other party games. This game is also available in Cincinnati.
The giant Connect 4 games are laid out on the patio. There are multiple boards and they are all socially distanced for separate parties to enjoy. It's a great way to enjoy the outdoors and patio area while remaining close by to the bar. This game is also available in the Cincinnati location, but only when it's not raining.
Finally, we have the bar's version of beer pong in the back. We did not play this, but considering its proximity to the bar, it could get a bit messy and be fun. We did play some foosball and pinball, but both of those games cost quarters. Bowling is also paid ($6/person), but you can play Hookie, Connect 4, giant Jenga, and giant beer pong for free at the Indianapolis location. They also have ping pong for $10/hour or $6/half hour.
Final thoughts
Regardless of which location you end up at, you'll find plenty of fun, free giant party games at Pins Mechanical Company. They have locations in Columbus, Dublin, Cincinnati, Charlotte, Nashville, Indianapolis, and Easton. Their website states you will find foosball, duckpin bowling, bocce, pinball, and ping pong at every location, but certain locations have extras such as giant Jenga, Hookie, and giant beer pong. The Cincinnati location has a ton of videogames to play on a large flatscreen in the basement!
If you want to have even more fun, budget $50 to bowl, drink and play lots of foosball, pinball, and ping pong. Some locations have rotating food trucks that visit in the evenings, and all locations encourage you to bring your own snacks as they don't serve food. This is a fantastic, fun place to bring your friends for a night of exciting activities and drinking.