At Secret Chicago, we aim to plumb the depths of our city and state in search of hidden gems. Much like a diver who’s pried open an oyster to find a pearl or stumbled upon a true hidden treasure.
Sometimes we go a little further away from our area of comfort when something particularly unique glimmers in our periphery, which is exactly what has happened here.
Located just a couple of hours away from Chicago in East Peoria, Uncle Buck’s Fishbowl & Grill is a one-of-a-kind entertainment venue and grill that allows patrons to drink, dine, and bowl 20.000 leagues under the sea.
Back in 2009, owner Johnny Morris created Uncle Buck’s Fish Bowl & Grill in honor of his Uncle Buck – an outdoorsman and fisherman. The result is a spectacular nautical entertainment venue that comprises a unique diner and quite possibly the coolest bowling alley in the world.
The 12-lane bowling alley at Uncle Buck’s is like stepping beneath the ocean waves thanks to Morris’s dedication to detail. Uncle Buck’s Fish Bowl & Grill offers a setup like something out of The Little Mermaid (or a Jacques Cousteau fever dream) with walls, ceilings, and lanes all shimmering like the ocean waves with their aquatic residents surrounding patrons in every corner.
The incredible facility spared no expense in its décor. Barnacle borders and coral lines are found throughout the venue as suspended schools of sea creatures loom overhead wherever you find yourself. Even the ball-retrieving machines represent the most spectacular ocean giants like great white sharks and enormous octopi.
That’s not all… inside the battered hull of a sunken ship, again in the company of sea creatures, seaweed, and shipwreck relics, guests can feast on fish and chips, fried shrimp, burgers, pizza, or whatever floats their boat at the unique bar and restaurant and bar.
A dazzling assortment of island-themed drinks is here including the Uncle Buck’s Fish Bowl & Grill staple: The Fishbowl – made with Smirnoff Vodka, Tanqueray Gin, Cruzan Light Rum, Dekuyper Curacao, and Sprite.
Uncle Buck’s Fishbowl and Grill is located at 1000 Bass Pro Shops Drive in East Peoria and is open from 11 am to 9 pm Monday through Saturday and from 11 am to 7 pm on Sundays.
More information can be found at unclebucksfishbowlandgrill.com.