Main Event Columbia

I did not like it mean ppl

Atmosphere: 1

Food: 1

Service: 1

Horrible experience. Tried taking my fiance and some friends here and most games didn’t work. Took the credits etc, place was filthy and no one looked happy to be there or do their job. Waitress kept rolling her eyes when asked to clean the table. She even tipped herself on my credit card $21 without my permission on a large pizza order. Don’t recommend

Atmosphere: 1

Food: 1

Service: 1

After celebrating an engagement, me and a group of about 15–20 friends decided to continue the night at Main Event in Columbia, Maryland. Most of us went bowling and everything started off cool. We also ordered food and drinks, not thinking anything of it.

Little did we know… after taking our order, our waitress disappeared for about 30–40 minutes. She came back maybe twice with 2–3 drinks for a couple people, but the rest of our drinks never showed. No updates, no explanation, nothing.

Finally, after almost 40 minutes, she tells us, “Oh yeah… there’s no bartender.” At this point we’re confused and frustrated because nobody mentioned this when we ordered. We walk over to the bar area and see other people with drinks in their hands, so now we’re even more confused. As we approach, we actually see our waitress run from us and hide in the back.

We talk to the young manager at the bar who tells us there’s been no bartender since 12 o’clock and he can’t really make drinks because he’s trying to run the floor and the bar by himself. He ends up making me what was supposed to be a margarita flight… but all three drinks had zero alcohol. Just colored juice at that point.

Long story short: if you plan on going to Main Event in Columbia at night, be careful. Whether it’s short staffing or poor scheduling, the experience was rough. Just something to keep in mind.

Atmosphere: 3

Food: 1

Service: 1

To Management at Main Event,

I wanted to take a moment to share the phenomenal experience my family and I had this past Sunday while celebrating my eight-year-old daughter’s birthday at your location. We were a walk-in party, which I know can sometimes make things more stressful for the staff, but from the moment we arrived, your team—especially our server, Miguel—made the entire day unforgettable.

Even though Miguel appeared to be handling an overwhelming workload and was the only server available at the time, he never once let the stress show. His professionalism, patience, and energy were truly impressive. He greeted us with genuine warmth, treated my daughter like the star of the day, and made sure every detail of our experience flowed smoothly.

What stood out the most was how above and beyond he went to make my daughter feel special. At one point, he even created a birthday “cake” out of ice cream just for her—something he didn’t have to do, but chose to do simply to make her smile. That small act of kindness turned into one of her favorite moments of the entire day. It’s rare to see someone care that much about their guests, especially while juggling multiple responsibilities.

Throughout our visit, Miguel constantly checked on us, made sure we had everything we needed, answered every question with patience, and kept an upbeat attitude despite the pressure around him. His efforts made our daughter’s birthday not just enjoyable, but truly memorable. Your establishment is lucky to have someone with his work ethic, kindness, and natural ability to create a positive atmosphere even during busy moments.

I deeply believe that employees like Miguel deserve recognition. He demonstrated outstanding customer service, genuine hospitality, and a level of dedication that reflects incredibly well on Main Event as an organization. I hope management will take a moment to acknowledge him, because his actions absolutely elevated our experience and ensured that we will continue to return in the future.

Thank you again for an amazing celebration and please make sure Miguel knows how much we appreciate everything he did for our family. However, I also need to address a disappointing issue we experienced with the bar staff on duty, specifically the bartenders. When my husband went to order drinks for the adults in our group, the bartenders were noticeably rude, dismissive, and unprofessional. He waited over 30–40 minutes without anyone attempting to truly assist him. Even after he placed his order, no one communicated with him or tried to update him on the delay.

The lack of customer service was so frustrating that he ultimately canceled his order—despite being ready to spend over $100 on drinks. The negative attitude and lack of urgency from the bar team left a bad impression that sharply contrasted with the amazing service we received from Miguel.

This is something that needs to be addressed immediately. Bartenders play a major role in the guest experience, and behavior like this can drive customers away. It was disappointing and unnecessary, and I hope steps are taken to improve the professionalism and hospitality at the bar.

Overall, our celebration was saved and made special because of Miguel’s exceptional commitment to giving guests the best experience possible. He truly stood out, and we hope he receives the recognition he deserves.

Thank you for taking the time to read this, and I hope both the praise and concerns are taken seriously.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Waited on two bartenders ladies to notice me and my friend, waited 35mins, others started to sit at the bar and still nothing, not even water. The other guests were not taking care of as well. Eventually we left without playing the games, eating food or putting an order for a drink. The bartenders literally ignored everyone at the bar. First time and last time I will visit this place. Seemed fun but the bartenders made the experience a joke and a waste of my time. Sorry not sorry and thanks for nothing.

Atmosphere: 3

Service: 1

The place is ran by kids. Of course the games are fun but everything else is HORRIBLE! Paid online for laser tag but when we arrive nobody checked for tickets. When I asked th attendant he said that he checked a few. I was there, he didn’t check anyone’s. The laser tag is basic…save your money or just walk in without a ticket. We went to cash on the prizes that my grand daughter won and the attendant LITERALLY rollled her eyes and told us we were making her job hard because we were combining ticket cards (we all gave our tickets to th grand daughter). She continued to complain that now she wasn’t leaving on time and that she hated working there. The place is dirty and a complete waste of money.

Atmosphere: 1

Service: 1

Stephen provided excellent customer service!

Our server, Miguel, made our night a great night! We were a large group celebrating a 21st birthday and he was fun, energetic and made the birthday girl feel special. Thank you Miguel!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 3

Service: 5

Fun and cost friendly. Arcade centered, drinks and eats. Drinks were good.

Atmosphere: 5

Service: 4

We came for a fun evening of bowling with my daughter and her friend, but the experience was extremely disappointing. We were told the wait would be 40 minutes and that we’d get a text when our lane was ready. After an hour with no update, we asked again and were told another 20 minutes and that they would call us. We continued waiting, and after 2 full hours, we checked once more—only to be told there were still three groups ahead of us.

At that point we asked for a refund, but they refused and said they could only offer coupons. This is unacceptable. We paid, waited patiently, and were given inaccurate information every time we asked. It feels like we were completely misled. Two hours of waiting with kids and no refund? Absolutely unacceptable.

Service: 1

It was fun I had a good time. They need to put lights on their pool tables!

Atmosphere: 5

Service: 4

For the amount of money , ABSOLUTELY NOT. I spent $600 to reserve one of the top birthday packages and was only allowed the reserved tables for maybe 35 minutes. The host was decent, but the rest was a no go !

Atmosphere: 1

Food: 1

Service: 1

We’ve been visiting this location every year for my son’s birthday since he turned four — it’s been a fun tradition he looks forward to. Unfortunately, this year’s experience was very different. Most of the games were either broken, not registering properly, or missing essential pieces. I’ll stick to the facts for now, but it was definitely disappointing.

Game Issues Noted:
1. Whack-a-Clown: Very few balls available; one side had only two.
2. Kung Fu Panda: Three out of six targets didn’t register when hit.
3. Air Hockey: No puck was released after swiping. The table next to us had the same issue and was waiting for an attendant.
4. Simpsons Soccer: The lights didn’t work and Homer didn’t move, so the game didn’t function.
5. Football Toss: Only two footballs available, causing most of the playtime to be wasted waiting for them to return.
6. Basketball (blue light version): The station to the right took credits but didn’t release any balls.
7. Skee-Ball: My son’s favorite game. Most tables only had two balls, and one table had none at all but still deducted credits.
8. Other Games: Several others were powered off and unavailable for play.

It’s unclear whether the reduction in available balls is intentional, but if it’s meant to limit points or prize earnings, it severely impacts the fun of the experience. If costs are a concern, it would make more sense to adjust prize prices rather than diminish the gameplay itself.

Overall, this location feels like it needs a major update and better maintenance. We won’t be returning until there’s clear improvement. The loss of money wasn’t as disappointing as seeing my son lose enthusiasm for a place he used to love. He was ready to leave within the hour.

Atmosphere: 3

Service: 5

Don't get the brussel sprouts!! They are chewy. The pizza is decent, considering it's like a 7-11 pizza. The sliders and chicken Caesar flatbread sandwich were ok. The buffalo chicken sliders were cool, with some heat. I had the watermelon paloma and it was just ok( had they shaken it, maybe it would have been better) as it tasted like a bunch of syrup. The service by Miguel was awesome though.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 3

Service: 5

Visited on a Tuesday for my daughter's birthday, and I enjoyed a drink while my daughter and her friends played all the games without any waiting.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 3

Service: 4