Bayside Bowl
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Bayside bowl has lots of fun different areas. They have two sides to the bowling lanes, one side typically has events, music and bowling. They also have a large bar over there. The main part has about 10 lanes, a bar and some different games like ping pong. Then in the summer they have a rooftop bar which is so fun, with live music, a taco truck and a bar. It has amazing views of Portland. Overall it's a super fun place with bar food, drinks and lots of activities!
Such a fun place with friends or by outsell, the people are friendly and willing to answer any questions you may have. It's clean, big and has lots of options of drinks. 15/10!!!
What a fun-looking place! With shoe rentals, I bowled 1 lane for 1 hour for $50. They have a great bar with a waitress who comes to periodically take your order and pass food to you. It's a great system and was always patient with me, silently clearing my food, and let me bowl. Ordered: Philly Cheese steak with many many tots came out hot and fresh. We bowled quickly just to spend more time eating this sammie before it got cold. Pro Tip: If I had to do it over again I would eat before or after a game of bowling to save time, as it's getting more expensive these days.
We went to this bowling alley as part of a get-together before a wedding that weekend. It was pretty crowded for a Thursday night. The kitchen could not keep up with the demand. There was a private party there that night and we were told that the kitchen could not accept any new orders for 30 minutes in order to serve the private party. The space that we were able to find was perfect for socializing and had a very relaxed vibe. We started of with beers. I had the Down East apple cider beer, which was refreshing. My husband had the Moosehead lager. They carried a wide selection of local brews. Some appetizers finally cam out. The poutine was good but very salty. The nachos were baked and hard to separate and not easy to share. We ordered a steak sandwich, which was greasy and very forgettable. Overall, it was a nice place and we had a nice time. My recommendation is to go for the bowling and drinks but go somewhere else for food.
A large facility with plenty of game options, rooftop patio, multiple places to grab a drink, and a good number of menu options make this a good place to host an event. The beer was cold and reasonably priced and although the food was a bit on the unhealthy side for all the different options, the portion size was good, textures were good, and flavors were as expected.
The most condescending staff I have ever met. I called Bayside Bowl to make reservations, and they gave me an email to contact. I contacted the email, which ended up being around a total of 12 back-and-forth emails. They finally agreed to a time and sent a contract. I signed the contract and realized it was for the wrong times. I wrote an email stating this. I then paid, and the whole time, the title on the email said, "Bayside Bowl". I then went to Bayside Bowl, and the cashier told me the reservations were for a different timeframe (so she did state I had a reservation at Bayside Bowl). I showed her the last email with the correct time, and she said, "I guess we can move some people around, but you'll probably be late. Come back at 1 and check in." I tried getting shoes at that time, and she stated that I could not even check in until the exact time I scheduled. This made us lose 15 minutes of bowl time. The cashier was extremely condescending, no manners. The bowling experience was decent, although we were jipped out of 15 minutes of our bowling game. The food and bar were lovely and staff friendly! I then received two charges for bowling on two different days. I waited 10 days and proceeded to call to have them take off the charge. I was not upset; I just assumed it was a typo and didn't want to dispute the charge prior to letting Bayside fix the issue themselves. The lady I spoke to kept saying, "Are you sure it was Bayside?" and I said yes, that's what the receipt states. This lady proceeded to berate me until I thought I may have been at a different place. She then started asking me if I knew the difference between Portland and South Portland. I said not really, since I don't live there and I'm not from Maine. She continually berated me and said, "How do you not know where you went?" I stated I did not drive there, since I have a seizure disorder due to my time in the service. I am a disabled Veteran and can't drive due to this. She continued to laugh and tell me I should have known where I was. I said I was at Bayside Bowl, like it says on the receipt. I then told her she was very rude and obviously isn't willing to have an intelligent conversation, so I excused myself from the conversation. I then wrote to the person I made the reservations to, and she was just as rude and stated I made reservations at another facility. I told her the cashier told me my reservation was at Bayside but for a different time due to an error, and the receipts say Bayside Bowl. I was at Bayside Bowl. The title of the email from the reservations said from Bayside Bowl. I will never do business with this establishment, and I hope other disabled Veterans make an educated decision not to accommodate establishments who mock disabled Veterans.
We got frozen margaritas (blueberry lemonade and lime) and they were pretty good. They are light, it wasn't as strong as I wanted them to be. We sat at the rooftop with a beautiful sunset view.
Great business with a great price. I have had several events here before and the pricing and food are pretty good. The smoked wings were a little dry. Nachos and the tenders were pretty good. On top of that if you just want to have beer with bowling their 10$ pints you can't beat the price. It gets busy at times and has a pro league so call ahead just in case they have an event. You can't book via phone but just good to have the information
Portland has grown and changed A LOT in the past several years. And there's a lot of cool restaurants and bars that have come and gone, many others which have changed/adapted with the times as well. Bayside Bowl is one of those spots, but I'm conflicted as to whether it's for the good or for the not-so-good. They've physically expanded their space so much, and while it offers many more bowling lanes, ample space to hang out, and totally feels more family-friendly - they've lost a little of the charm that made them such a hip place 'lo those many years when they first opened. Also - the menu has changed. And this is where I'm mostly frustrated. You see, for the longest time they were one of the only places I knew that offered vegetarian friendly poutine. GINORMOUS bowls of tater tots topped with loads of cheese and smothered in a thick, creamy mushroom gravy for $6. And, despite it being one of their best selling items, they got rid of it. This makes no sense. Neither does the removal of their veg-friendly reuben. Sure, you can still get a BLT with tempeh (which I super appreciate!), but... it just feels like a really big step backwards from what they were originally offering. However, their rooftop bar is AMAAAAAAAAAZING. Happy hour from 4 to 6pm, Monday through Friday, where I can get $5 pours of frozen drinks?!?!?!? YES, PLEASE. This is without a doubt one of my favorite things to do in the nicer weather now. There's a fire pit, there are movies sometimes, and the sunsets are otherworldly from up here. It can get stupid busy, though, so come early or come late (and we're talking early/late in the seasons not just early in the day).
Visited with a group and had so much fun! We booked 3 lanes for 2 hours and bowled! BB has a nice selection of all types of alcohol. I got a Substance, lots of people had hard seltzers, ciders and they have cocktails and wine too. They have a food menu as well but we had dinner plans.
Came in right before closing and got the whole room to ourselves. We had so much fun! Definir yooo long forward to coming back to stay a longer time and really experience the vibe. Very spacious and clean during these times. Can't wait to come back for the rooftop as well!
Always a good choice. Last minute adventure to go bowling. They do not do same day reservations so show up. They have many lanes so for the most part you can get it. Unless there is a league night. Check the website. Rent a lane for a hour for your party of four. Not bad deal. If a lane is not ready. No big deal. Hit the bar for drinks and food. A pretty big selection of both. If a lane is ready, there is lane service. Yes sir. All the way. Try the tots. Man so good. And with a beer and bowling. You vent go wrong. The roof deck is awesome but closed because it's too cold. Ha ha The staff is great. Friendly and helpful. Take your friends and family out to bowl. Check out Bayside.
Bayside Bowl is cool on a lot of different levels. Wanna have some frozen margaritas or beer and sit on a rooftop watching the sunset? Maybe eat some tacos while you're doing it? Bayside is your spot. Want to pay a little more money than you want to while bowling in a decent semi-crowded ally? (Get it, because it's expensive?) Bayside is the spot. How about listening to some jam band/hip hop local music from the area with a couple dozen other folk? Head to Bayside. Want to get creeped out walking from your parking spot to the building because of the chemically impaired homeless? Again, think Bayside! I will say a couple years ago the food menu was pretty decent with some fun and yummy appetizers like poutine, but now all you can get are burgers and basic flat pizzas. My boyfriend and I looked at it because we wanted dinner and literally nothing on it looked appetizing. Thank God for the taco truck on the roof ;)
Had a great time getting drinks and bowling at Bayside Bowl! Joe provided great service as bartender and the rooftop is a great hangout spot. I recently had a foot injury and the staff was extremely accommodating. The bowling alley is well lit and clean, creating a welcoming environment. We will go back! read more
I came here for a conference event and had a really good time. Although I didn't bowl, the attendees who did had fun. The food and service was good and the bartenders were very efficient serving a bunch of raucous conference-goers. The venue is clean and spacious and it's really a good space for an event. read more
2 years ago
Bayside bowl has lots of fun different areas. They have two sides to the bowling lanes, one side typically has events, music and bowling. They also have a large bar over there. The main part has about 10 lanes, a bar and some different games like ping pong. Then in the summer they have a rooftop bar which is so fun, with live music, a taco truck and a bar. It has amazing views of Portland. Overall it's a super fun place with bar food, drinks and lots of activities! read more
What a fun-looking place! With shoe rentals, I bowled 1 lane for 1 hour for $50. They have a great bar with a waitress who comes to periodically take your order and pass food to you. It's a great system and was always patient with me, silently clearing my food, and let me bowl. Ordered: Philly Cheese steak with many many tots came out hot and fresh. We bowled quickly just to spend more time eating this sammie before it got cold. Pro Tip: If I had to do it over again I would eat before or after a game of bowling to save time, as it's getting more expensive these days. read more
We went to this bowling alley as part of a get-together before a wedding that weekend. It was pretty crowded for a Thursday night. The kitchen could not keep up with the demand. There was a private party there that night and we were told that the kitchen could not accept any new orders for 30 minutes in order to serve the private party. The space that we were able to find was perfect for socializing and had a very relaxed vibe. We started of with beers. I had the Down East apple cider beer, which was refreshing. My husband had the Moosehead lager. They carried a wide selection of local brews. Some appetizers finally cam out. The poutine was good but very salty. The nachos were baked and hard to separate and not easy to share. We ordered a steak sandwich, which was greasy and very forgettable. Overall, it was a nice place and we had a nice time. My recommendation is to go for the bowling and drinks but go somewhere else for food. read more
4 years ago
A large facility with plenty of game options, rooftop patio, multiple places to grab a drink, and a good number of menu options make this a good place to host an event. The beer was cold and reasonably priced and although the food was a bit on the unhealthy side for all the different options, the portion size was good, textures were good, and flavors were as expected. read more
3 years ago
The most condescending staff I have ever met. I called Bayside Bowl to make reservations, and they gave me an email to contact. I contacted the email, which ended up being around a total of 12 back-and-forth emails. They finally agreed to a time and sent a contract. I signed the contract and realized it was for the wrong times. I wrote an email stating this. I then paid, and the whole time, the title on the email said, "Bayside Bowl". I then went to Bayside Bowl, and the cashier told me the reservations were for a different timeframe (so she did state I had a reservation at Bayside Bowl). I showed her the last email with the correct time, and she said, "I guess we can move some people around, but you'll probably be late. Come back at 1 and check in." I tried getting shoes at that time, and she stated that I could not even check in until the exact time I scheduled. This made us lose 15 minutes of bowl time. The cashier was extremely condescending, no manners. The bowling experience was decent, although we were jipped out of 15 minutes of our bowling game. The food and bar were lovely and staff friendly! I then received two charges for bowling on two different days. I waited 10 days and proceeded to call to have them take off the charge. I was not upset; I just assumed it was a typo and didn't want to dispute the charge prior to letting Bayside fix the issue themselves. The lady I spoke to kept saying, "Are you sure it was Bayside?" and I said yes, that's what the receipt states. This lady proceeded to berate me until I thought I may have been at a different place. She then started asking me if I knew the difference between Portland and South Portland. I said not really, since I don't live there and I'm not from Maine. She continually berated me and said, "How do you not know where you went?" I stated I did not drive there, since I have a seizure disorder due to my time in the service. I am a disabled Veteran and can't drive due to this. She continued to laugh and tell me I should have known where I was. I said I was at Bayside Bowl, like it says on the receipt. I then told her she was very rude and obviously isn't willing to have an intelligent conversation, so I excused myself from the conversation. I then wrote to the person I made the reservations to, and she was just as rude and stated I made reservations at another facility. I told her the cashier told me my reservation was at Bayside but for a different time due to an error, and the receipts say Bayside Bowl. I was at Bayside Bowl. The title of the email from the reservations said from Bayside Bowl. I will never do business with this establishment, and I hope other disabled Veterans make an educated decision not to accommodate establishments who mock disabled Veterans. read more
4 years ago
We got frozen margaritas (blueberry lemonade and lime) and they were pretty good. They are light, it wasn't as strong as I wanted them to be. We sat at the rooftop with a beautiful sunset view. read more
3 years ago
Great business with a great price. I have had several events here before and the pricing and food are pretty good. The smoked wings were a little dry. Nachos and the tenders were pretty good. On top of that if you just want to have beer with bowling their 10$ pints you can't beat the price. It gets busy at times and has a pro league so call ahead just in case they have an event. You can't book via phone but just good to have the information read more
Portland has grown and changed A LOT in the past several years. And there's a lot of cool restaurants and bars that have come and gone, many others which have changed/adapted with the times as well. Bayside Bowl is one of those spots, but I'm conflicted as to whether it's for the good or for the not-so-good. They've physically expanded their space so much, and while it offers many more bowling lanes, ample space to hang out, and totally feels more family-friendly - they've lost a little of the charm that made them such a hip place 'lo those many years when they first opened. Also - the menu has changed. And this is where I'm mostly frustrated. You see, for the longest time they were one of the only places I knew that offered vegetarian friendly poutine. GINORMOUS bowls of tater tots topped with loads of cheese and smothered in a thick, creamy mushroom gravy for $6. And, despite it being one of their best selling items, they got rid of it. This makes no sense. Neither does the removal of their veg-friendly reuben. Sure, you can still get a BLT with tempeh (which I super appreciate!), but... it just feels like a really big step backwards from what they were originally offering. However, their rooftop bar is AMAAAAAAAAAZING. Happy hour from 4 to 6pm, Monday through Friday, where I can get $5 pours of frozen drinks?!?!?!? YES, PLEASE. This is without a doubt one of my favorite things to do in the nicer weather now. There's a fire pit, there are movies sometimes, and the sunsets are otherworldly from up here. It can get stupid busy, though, so come early or come late (and we're talking early/late in the seasons not just early in the day). read more
5 years ago
Visited with a group and had so much fun! We booked 3 lanes for 2 hours and bowled! BB has a nice selection of all types of alcohol. I got a Substance, lots of people had hard seltzers, ciders and they have cocktails and wine too. They have a food menu as well but we had dinner plans. read more
Came in right before closing and got the whole room to ourselves. We had so much fun! Definir yooo long forward to coming back to stay a longer time and really experience the vibe. Very spacious and clean during these times. Can't wait to come back for the rooftop as well! read more
Always a good choice. Last minute adventure to go bowling. They do not do same day reservations so show up. They have many lanes so for the most part you can get it. Unless there is a league night. Check the website. Rent a lane for a hour for your party of four. Not bad deal. If a lane is not ready. No big deal. Hit the bar for drinks and food. A pretty big selection of both. If a lane is ready, there is lane service. Yes sir. All the way. Try the tots. Man so good. And with a beer and bowling. You vent go wrong. The roof deck is awesome but closed because it's too cold. Ha ha The staff is great. Friendly and helpful. Take your friends and family out to bowl. Check out Bayside. read more
7 years ago
Bayside Bowl is cool on a lot of different levels. Wanna have some frozen margaritas or beer and sit on a rooftop watching the sunset? Maybe eat some tacos while you're doing it? Bayside is your spot. Want to pay a little more money than you want to while bowling in a decent semi-crowded ally? (Get it, because it's expensive?) Bayside is the spot. How about listening to some jam band/hip hop local music from the area with a couple dozen other folk? Head to Bayside. Want to get creeped out walking from your parking spot to the building because of the chemically impaired homeless? Again, think Bayside! I will say a couple years ago the food menu was pretty decent with some fun and yummy appetizers like poutine, but now all you can get are burgers and basic flat pizzas. My boyfriend and I looked at it because we wanted dinner and literally nothing on it looked appetizing. Thank God for the taco truck on the roof ;) read more
Great spot to come with friends and grab some drinks and watch the sun go down (this review is only for the rooftop). When we got there, we went straight upstairs and found a spot to sit. Drink prices were fairly reasonable and people watching was good as well. The view of the skyline was excellent and it was nice since the building was one of the highest (coming from NY, we're not used to having unobstructed views of the sky in the city). We caught the sunset which was killer! They have a food truck serving up tacos and such. I got a bowl of corn ($4) which I didn't realize would only be corn.. in my imagination it would be like a vegan bowl w/ rice. Regardless, it was delicious AF. My friends got tacos which they loved and I was eyeing (for next time). I would like to come back and mb bowl / have drinks on the rooftop. It seems like more a local spot which is nice and good for the 25+ crowd (at least when I went). read more
2 years ago
Bayside Bowl - best bowling alley around and the food is SO good. Chef Michael Allen brings the heat in the kitchen. The fried chicken sandwich is better than most I've had around the Greater Portland area. Tacos here are a must have as well. Head up to the rooftop bar and you've got one of the best views in Portland. Bowling alley is massive and the leagues are filled with the best of the best for bowlers in the state. LOVE BAYSIDE BOWL! read more
2 years ago
3 years ago
4 years ago
8 years ago
Bowling is good, but this review is for food only on the roof top. The view is good and it's Portland. This means that I expect higher price tag. But oh lord, where should I begin? The two tacos I got in the photo is $5 each. So about $11 including tax. I cook fairly often, so I have a pretty good idea how much things cost. These guys are thieves. 1x1 Fried piece of fish and teaspoon of guac for $5? Come on. That like $0.24 max. It was too salty. I don't even understand how you can make fish so dry with great raw fish you can get in Maine. The pork was dry too. The quantity was small, but I can sort of understand the logic - overcharge privileged portlandians. The meat was too dry. Give it a try, if you have a slow cooker. You can make better pork than these guys. The sauce is mediocre, but not good enough to hide the awful meat. I don't think they have a legit chef. The food is wayyyy over priced. Get food somewhere else. Come here for the view and atmosphere read more
Talk about a remodel giving a space completely new vibe! The Bayside Bowl of the olden days is no more. Welcome to the super cool "NYCesque" rooftop bar and burrito stand, second story music venue and bar area, and additional bowling lanes. The long waits for a bowing lane and inconsistent service of the precious years seems to have been remodeled along with the building. Don't get me wrong, I loved the OG Bayside Bowl, but the remodel has ramped up this venue and taken it to a whole new level of Awesomeness. I'll be spending a large chunk of my summer on that rooftop, sipping a cold one and relaxing with friends. This place is a definite winner! read more
5 years ago
5 years ago
10 years ago
This review is for the food only. I did not bowl. The service was good. Friendly, polite young lady who let us relax and enjoy our time there. The atmosphere is definitely hipster, with marquee light up letters, wood picnic tables, siracha on every table and lots of IPA on draft. The food was good but definitely pricey. $10 for 3 chicken fingers that were probably frozen then deep fried. While the chicken fingers were good and served with a small side of fries, it was expensive. And the sauce you chose is for dipping, it is not coated. The BBQ pork cigars were egg roll wrapped filled with tender shredded pork and a side of BBQ sauce to dip. The tater tot poutine is yummy but needs to be served in a different dish. They arrive in a tall deep dish and if you don't eat them quick they become soggy. The top ones were nice and crispy. All of them had lots of cheese which was great. While there was nothing bad about the food or experience, it's difficult to come spend 35$ on apps read more
I've been here twice, and it's a pretty solid place to bowl downtown. I've only been on the weekends, where it's $30/hr per lane to bowl (which when split with friends, isn't bad at all - also includes shoes). I'm pretty sure it's $25/hr per lane during the week, and I think you can reserve a lane if you call 24 hours in advance. They also have pay-per-game bowling as well. In addition, they play movies on their patio in the summer on certain days. There's only 12 lanes, so it can get crowded fast. But it also houses a very nice, large bar area with a great selection of local craft beers on-tap (Rising Ride, Oxbow, Bunker Brewing, etc). I also enjoyed their mixed drinks, especially the Bayside Derby. My friends and I also got their nachos, which were very good. Surprisingly, there's not many chips (which were nice and buttery) but TONS of meat, cheese, green peppers, etc. on top. If you're in the Old Port, want to bowl, and maybe have some drinks and/or food too, then look no further! read more
5 years ago
Wonderful facilities and bar! Good draft beer list and many lanes. Relatively inexpensive for a bowling place. read more
5 years ago
16 years ago
Downtown Portland has a swank new place to check out! Yeah, it's a bowling alley, but it ain't your dad's bowling alley (unless your pops is a svelt hipster who rolls 10-pin in the Portland area). The place has twelve lanes to bowl on, 14 beers on tap, and nice, big bar for when you are done throwing rocks. They often have live music playing, including a live karaoke band on Wednesdays. The food is pretty dang good here, too! Eat while you bowl or eat before/after, either way works at Bayside. Hell, you could even come in and bowl/eat on your lunch-break from work! Mondays are the day to hit up Bayside for bowling deals (before 6pm). League bowl begins at that time. Wednesdays is live karaoke. Weekend evenings are pretty busy so far. read more
8 years ago
Honestly, best bowling experience ever. Yes, there was an hour and a half wait for a lane (there are only 12 total) and then we could only bowl for one hour but I'd definitely do it again. The bar isn't like a regular creepy bowling lane bar. In fact, I would go to this bar even if I had no plans for bowling. In general, Bayside Bowl was about a thousand times cleaner, trendier and less creepy than regular bowling places. Also they played Michael Jackson all night which I was pretty down with. If you're looking for a great place to hang out with friends or go on a cool date, this is it. A little expensive but I'd rather pay to bowl here than anywhere else. read more
7 years ago
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More info about Bayside Bowl
58 Alder St
Portland, ME 04101
West Bayside
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(207) 791-2695
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http://www.baysidebowl.com/
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