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    Madison Bowl

    3.4 (76 reviews)
    InexpensiveBowling, New American
    Open 10:00 am - 12:00 AM (Next day)
    Updated 3 months ago

    Madison Bowl Photos

    MADISON BOWL ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Loud
    Divey
    Classy
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Madison Bowl

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    Stacey V.

    What better date night then to have cheap beer, bowling ally snacks, and trying to knock all the pins down in one throw?.... the answer is not much... Madison Bowl is just the place for all your date night needs. Madison bowl is an older bowling ally set back in the 80s and is perfect for taking you back. It just has that nostalgia feel. The staff are friendly.. shoes are relatively new... and the bowling reasonably priced. I will say that they could use an update on their bowling balls. Overall the balls are all scratched and many of them have chunks missing. I'm not sure what has been done with them just well used I suppose. The ally is home to a lot of leagues so I would suggest calling ahead to learn when open bowling is. We arrived at just the right time as there was a league playing and a lot of open bowlers came in. There was a waiting list for lanes when we left. However I don't think many people were upset as they do have a diner for food and a full bar. Speaking of bar they have beer specials that include buckets and pitchers. We did the pitcher for $9. It doesn't get much better then that. Cheap beer, good bowling= great night. Check out Madison Bowling if you need to take yourself back in time :)

    Seating and bar
    Erik C.

    Facilities are dated, but kept clean for the most part. Drinks are cheap! COVID- They strictly enforce mask requirment here even while eating and drinking they require you to put it right back on.

    Shawn J.

    I went to Madison Bowl and sat at the bar with my ex-wife, my son and his girlfriend. The bartender was very engaging and encouraged me to get a Captain and Sprite. My drink was refreshing and delicious! Overall, a top flight experience.

    Bar looking out to lanes
    Joe K.

    A traditional bowling alley experience. The bowling scoring equipment is actually pretty nice and updated compared to the decor. Flat screens and various TVs are nice. The service desk was really helpful and approachable. I like how the lanes are spit on each side of the venue and the bar in the middle of the building. The bar has a service window which is great to grab a bucket of beer in between frames without having to go into the bar area itself. This place can get pretty busy in the early evening. Make sure you call ahead for open bowling hours and availability of you expect to get a lane. The parking lot does fill up but there's parking behind the building with a rear door so you don't have to walk all the way around the building.

    Good brews and bowling. Game on!
    Josh W.

    Remember when you were a kid and your parents would take you bowling on weekends? You always looked forward to it with anticipation. From getting your odd colored rental shoes which always smelled of lysol, picking out which ball you could pick up easily and wouldn't rip your fingers off, to getting ready to hurl said ball and knock all the pins down... Or at least try to. Madison Bowl is classic bowling the way you remembered it, but even better. Walking in is like taking a roll down a nostalgic lane. Good music playing, plenty of lanes so there's no wait, countless choices for ball-based weaponry to decimate those elusive pins. And if you're like me and like enjoying a good brew or two while getting your game on, there's a full bar with a very nice craft beer selection right there. Watch out for their happy hour and other beer specials going on all the time. Like a little arcade action too? They have a few arcade games and classic pinball tables too. Try your hand at a prize claw or test your might at the boxing arcade game. If you get a little hungry from hurling those balls around, there's a diner in the back, serving up a plethora of good food. Burgers, hot dogs, sandwiches, wings, pizza, fries, onion rings, beans and cornbread, something for everyone and every taste. Prices won't strike your wallet too hard either, so you'll spare yourself the headache of paying too much for a fun outing. So relive the great times you recall as a kid and while introducing your own kids at the same time. Or just enjoy a few frames with some friends or with a date.

    Jonathan O.

    My Jules Haiku I can still taste you You and your hot crinkled friends We must meet again

    a bowling alley with bowling balls
    Glenn C.

    Nice bowling alley. It was packed. Groupon for 20 dollars was a great deal. 3 games, shoes and a burger combo for 2. 4.25 per game otherwise. They had old time pinball machines and claw games. Bowling balls were ancient! Friendly staff. Burgers and fries in old style 50s diner. Lots of other choices.

    bowling lanes and bowling balls
    Jessi C.

    Walking into Madison Bowl (and Madison Diner, in the back) is like entering a time warp back to the 1970's. It's an old-school, no frills bowling alley that I bet is mostly unchanged in the last 40 years. On any day of the week, expect to see a lot of serious bowlers here. There are leagues set up. I'm more of a casual bowler (i.e. I can't get above 80-ish), but I still had fun here even without bowling and just enjoying the people watching. My friends and I enjoyed the buckets of beers and the fried foods served out of Madison Diner. The chicken fingers (4 for $5) and mozzarella sticks ($4.75) were especially yummy. My only serious complaint is that the whole place is a little dirty (everything needs a good scrub). Kids are welcome here too, plus it's open super late! You can host birthday parties here and they do catering for those parties out of the diner. A good place for nostalgic fun and people watching.

    Madison Bowl logo
    Kasey M.

    Madison Bowl is one of the best bowling alleys I have ever been to. It is great for groups or for couples. The staff is nice enough, the building is pretty clean and there are always lots of people. Prices for shoes and lanes are very fair . Fun fact: Madison Bowl is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

    New shoes, vintage floor.
    John B.

    Open til 3AM? No way! I am by no means a bowling fan, but every once in a while I get a hankering to attempt to cajole a heavy sphere down the lane and maybe, just maybe knock down a pin or two. Usually I am left with a sore arm, bruised ago and a laughably low score. However, the first game I bowled at Madison was the highest score I've ever had. I almost had a Turkey (that's 3 strikes in a row ;) ). Sweet. The place feels like it hasn't updated or remodeled since day one, and I'm fine with that. It is a bowling alley, I kind of expect it to be a little rough around the edges and old school. I'd go there again, and hopefully I'll bowl that elusive Turkey.

    He loved our matching bowling shoes lol

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    2 years ago

    great atmosphere. everyone who works there is very nice. highly recommend for going out with friends.

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    Page 1 of 2

    Ask the Community - Madison Bowl

    Review Highlights - Madison Bowl

    Despite being a native west sider, I have to admit that this is the best bowling alley in town.

    Mentioned in 28 reviews

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    Emery - Crispy Pork Belly Buns (spicy aioli, carrot-radish sesame slaw, pickled Fresno chiles, soy-ginger pearls) $16

    Emery

    4.4(139 reviews)
    2.4 mi

    Have eaten at Emery several times and it's always excellent. It has become our "special night out"…read moreplace for anniversaries, birthdays, etc! Great servers, delicious menu!

    Oh. My. Gosh. SO so good…read more We started with the lavender lemonade mocktail -- which I absolutely added tequila to -- and it was smooth, refreshing, and dangerously delicious. 10/10 would order again exactly the same way. For appetizers, we got the whipped feta. Delicious, creamy, and perfect for sharing -- but fair warning: avoid the peppers if you're not into a little kick. They sneak up on you! My friend and I split the house salad and WOW. A complete showstopper. So fresh, the vinaigrette was bright and delightful, and those fresh bacon bits? Chef's kiss. It's rare that a house salad stands out like that, but this one absolutely did. Now let's talk about the prime rib. I typically do not like steak or prime rib... but our waitress recommended it as the best thing on the menu, and honestly the Yelp photos had already convinced me. When I tell you it was BOMB -- I mean it. So tender. So flavorful. Perfectly cooked. Paired with broccolini and mashed potatoes, it was a whole experience. To end the night, we shared the apple tart with cinnamon ice cream -- warm, sweet, comforting, and the perfect finish to an already amazing meal. Overall, this was a fantastic dining experience from start to finish. Great service, incredible food, and such a vibe. I cannot wait to come back.

    Photos
    Emery - Another space upstairs

    Another space upstairs

    Emery - Pork Belly Bao Buns

    Pork Belly Bao Buns

    Emery - Main floor, by entrance and bar

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    Main floor, by entrance and bar

    Seasons 52 - Wood-Grilled Filet Mignon served with broccolini, Yukon mash, red wine and mushroom sauce.

    Seasons 52

    3.9(542 reviews)
    1.8 mi
    $$$

    Stopped in for a quick bite late Sunday night. The beet salad with chicken was awesome but a little…read moresmall and the filet was perfect with Brussel sprouts instead of broccolini since they were out. The Mac and cheese was extremely salty though. Have always had good food at this location and pretty consistent service.

    We came to Seasons 52 for Thanksgiving lunch. We had a 1:00 pm reservation…read more We arrived a little before 1; the place was packed! We were quickly seated and waited for our third. Once we were all in our places with bright shiny faces, we all ordered the thanksgiving special meal. It included just about everything you can imagine being served at Thanksgiving. Three pieces of white meat turkey, which was pretty tender. I small pile of dark meat pieces. Mashed potatoes and gravy, with the gravy covering the turkey and the potatoes. There was dressing, sweet potato casserole (?), green beans and cranberry sauce. It was a LOT of tasty food. Nothing was extraordinary, but it was all good. Oh, we ordered and I swear to goodness the food arrived moments later. I am sure they were moving a lot of these plates and had a process for quick turnaround, but I had to wonder if our plates had been sitting for a while. I suppose if they were it wasn't for long. Nothing was cold or congealed. It seems like their process was working. The meal came with a mini cake type thing in a jar. There were lots of options. Mark and I opted for the special pumpkin with ginger and Jen had s'mores chocolate. The pumpkin one was absolutely delicious. Jen let us try the chocolate one and let's just say I was very glad I opted for pumpkin. When the bill arrived the desserts were added on separately. I mentioned they should be included to our server, who said he would check. Now... it seems unlikely we were his first customers of the day and it seems odd that he would have the desserts added separately. He did check; I saw him. I also saw the person he was checking with shake her head 'yes'. He reran the checks without the desserts. I will say it was nice to have a traditional thanksgiving meal without the traditional thanksgiving fuss. Because the food was average at best and because we were initially charged for desserts that were supposed to be included in the price, this experience comes in with a solid three stars.

    Photos
    Seasons 52 - Caramelized Grilled Sea Scallops served with broccolini and mascarpone risotto.

    Caramelized Grilled Sea Scallops served with broccolini and mascarpone risotto.

    Seasons 52 - Cedar Plank-roasted Salmon with seasonal vegetables, marble potatoes and dill-mustard sauce

    Cedar Plank-roasted Salmon with seasonal vegetables, marble potatoes and dill-mustard sauce

    Seasons 52 - Seasons 52 has a wide selection of varietals on our wine menu

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    Seasons 52 has a wide selection of varietals on our wine menu

    Nine Giant Brewing

    Nine Giant Brewing

    4.4(408 reviews)
    1.7 miPleasant Ridge
    $$
    Locally sourced ingredients
    Hipster vibe

    Man, so sad about this place! Decided to stop in here for my birthday and was extremely…read moredisappointed. To start this place is a "sit down" but you have to order at the bar and they bring it to you. We were a tad thrown off with that since they literally had waiters and people roaming around, didn't make sense to me. But that was just the start! We decided to order nachos and a pretzel to start the meal. The pretzel was disgusting, hard and lacking flavor and the $14 nachos was a side plate with a small portion of nachos on it. I asked the server what was with the size of the nachos and he said he though they were normal. They aren't, you go to a normal bar and for $14 comes out a platter with nachos that are loaded. Then our mains came out, my wife's salad was gross, lacking flavor and with dry chicken and my burger was decent. For $90 this meal should have been WAYYY better. We left feeling very disappointed and will definitely not be coming back.

    Went here for a fun Sunday night meal. Don't let the door deter you, it says it closes at 8 but it…read morecloses at 9 and they will take kitchen orders until 8pm. The chicken sandwich was juice and unique with flavors. It surprisingly has kick to it. The Brussel spouts were chard to perfection. Love the staff and how friendly and accommodating they are. We didn't get a drink but their beer menu was extensive for a variety of taste

    Photos
    Nine Giant Brewing - Save Ferris Cranberry Orange Berliner is Back!

    Save Ferris Cranberry Orange Berliner is Back!

    Nine Giant Brewing - Carnitas nachos with habanero salsa and crema

    Carnitas nachos with habanero salsa and crema

    Nine Giant Brewing - Killer beers across a wide range of styles

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    Killer beers across a wide range of styles

    Wildweed - Dan Dan Noodles

    Wildweed

    4.2(83 reviews)
    6.4 miOver-the-Rhine

    I reserved the chef's counter experience for a Friday evening alone and Wildweed exceeded all of my…read moreexpectations. I was greeted at the door with a small menu to precede the course themes and a glass of delicious sparkling wine. The restaurant was very warm, welcoming, and artistic. The mushrooms on the wall were stunning, and the themed pictures throughout gave it a down to earth feel. Everyone was so kind and the service was impeccable. I started the meal with a hot towel to clean my hands - it was this moment I knew I came for a treat. Each course was brought out in a timely manner, and explained thoroughly. The food was beautiful, complex, flavorful, and hearty. Each dish was crafted so meticulously. I could taste the passion for their craft with each bite. The drinks were also made perfectly. Overall, this was right in line with many Michelin starred restaurants I have dined in. I can't wait to come back and try the dining room menu. I hope that our city can support this restaurant and they will stay for a while. I'd love to come back for the chef's experience again when they seasonally change their menu. Thanks for a memorable meal, Wildweed.

    I don't understand the hype around Wildweed…read more We walked in without a reservation and were able to sit at the bar. The bar scene itself was very boring, honestly one of the least interesting bar dining experiences I've had in a while. The food was mediocre and not memorable. The only dish I clearly remember, and probably the only one I would order again, was the watermelon salad. Everything else was fine at best, but nothing stood out or made me want to come back. I'm honestly surprised this restaurant is getting James Beard recognition. There are so many better places in the area, such as Colette, Baker's Table, and most notably Grist in Dayton, that feel far more deserving and seem to be overlooked. It makes me wonder if Wildweed has some kind of connection or ownership that helps it get more attention, because based on this visit, I don't see it.

    Photos
    Wildweed - After the chef's table you receive a booklet with all the courses

    After the chef's table you receive a booklet with all the courses

    Wildweed - Rabbit pasta

    Rabbit pasta

    Wildweed

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    Madison Bowl - bowling - Updated May 2026

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