Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Main Event Columbia

    2.4 (347 reviews)
    Open • 11:00 am - 12:00 AM (Next day)
    Updated 2 weeks ago

    Order Main Event Columbia Takeout or Delivery

    Main Event Columbia Photos

    MAIN EVENT COLUMBIA ATMOSPHERE

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

    Recommended Reviews - Main Event Columbia

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Austin G.

    After falling in love with the Main Event in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Main Event Columbia broke my love affair. My eight-year-old daughter and I went around 4pm on a Saturday in February and left with a headache. Here's why: 1) Cost: We can't knock them on the price because we willingly paid, but it is expensive. To maximize our stay, we got a lot of credit for the arcade. Many of the games are rip offs. Your money is thrown at them. 2) Arcade: More than ten games were out of order. A number of them took our credit away and then didn't activate. We had to wait in a long line to get a staff member to help us out. 3) Lines: Despite having many staff, efficiency is NOT their middle name. We literally waited one hour to check out at the prize store. There was one worker despite another cash register and many staff just standing around. Each customer took around 15-20 minutes. It was wild. I'll never go back to this location, but I will return to the on in Grand Rapids.

    Double bacon cheeseburger for the win.
    Chris S.

    (9/30/25) The experience starts from the phone call. I understand people speak negatively about customers in private. However, Terry failed to hang up properly and proceeded to make fun of my inquiry about an open lane. Upon telling the "manager" (who never shared his name) about telling Terry to be more aware of her actions. It was accepted as a minor issue, after he unnecessarily pointed out who Terry was as if I knew her personally. Bowling, this is an entertainment spot, don't take your score seriously. Yes you're rolling a ball on a floor at pins, but it's not a true bowling experience. Food was surprisingly food. I felt bad for the single serving taking care of the whole bowling lanes area alone. Her co-workers nor the manager could be bothered. This made food and drinks come SLOW. Granted it was a Tuesday evening, but it got busy. The team failed her, and I'm sure revenue suffered.

    I visited Main Event to celebrate a special occasion, and unfortunately the night got off to a very rough start. An employee named Joshua told us that a coupon we presented was "false advertising" and claimed the email it came from was not actually from Main Event. I showed him that the same coupon was listed on the company's website, but he insisted it was invalid and something that needed to be discussed with management. It felt like he was trying to upsell us to a different promotion so we would spend more. I immediately asked to speak with a manager, and Phil completely turned the situation around. He confirmed that the coupon was valid and handled everything professionally, exceeding our expectations. However, shortly after we started enjoying our time, Joshua approached me again and asked, "Why did you play me?" which I found inappropriate and uncomfortable, especially as a female customer. I reported this to another employee, Madison, who was very understanding and empathetic. She promptly involved a manager again, and both of them apologized sincerely. After that, the rest of the evening improved, and we were able to enjoy ourselves and make good memories. I truly appreciate the professionalism of Phil and Madison, but the behavior of that one employee negatively impacted the experience and does not reflect well on Main Event as a whole. I am only leaving one star due to the negative experience with Joshua.

    Tables
    Sam C.

    Not the best experience. So my family and I came here for my son's 16th birthday. He loves bowling and we hadn't been here before so we figured let's try something new. We were greeted by a friendly team member and given our lane. Once we got to our lane we noticed that there weren't any tables set up. We eventually got that corrected but it took about 20 minutes for our server to come take our orders. When she arrived she was super nice and attentive. The down side was 4 things we tried to order were unavailable due to the oven being down. And the 6 sprites that were ordered were just soda water. These things were not her fault, it just put a damper on our experience. The games are pretty pricey as well. So you can get a 300 credits for $60 but the fun games that you get kids want to play are between 10-19 credits. So two kids will play about 6-7 games a piece. Thats about $5 a game. Also my daughter order a burger and it looked nothing like what was pictured in the menu, she was super disappointed.

    James C.

    Seven of us arrived and ended up waiting in a long line just to purchase wristbands and cards--it took an hour and a half to get through. The place wasn't crowded, but it was clearly understaffed. We then waited another two hours for our turn to bowl. On the positive side, the facility is clean and the food is good.

    Shari D.

    Great experience here! Took our students here for an attendance incentive and it was awesome. There are TONS of things to do here, and the packages are very affordable. We opted for the pizza for lunch and it went down without any issues. I would definitely chaperone a trip here again, the staff were very friendly and helpful when students needed support with games and the gift shop.

    10.22.22
    Carroll N.

    8.10.24 Five of the machines (i.e. skee ball and photo booth) were out of order. When I went to inform the staff to get credit back, he informed me that the equipment was five years old. He said that he could look up which machines were out of order by looking at the details on my game card. My hubby said to me afterwards, that's not our concern. That's their issue and that they should repair them. At the very least they should put signs up to let patrons know. It was very frustrating and inconvenient. It makes us not want to return given the number of equipment that are inoperable.

    Rachel S.

    Came here for a group event. We took up 2 lanes with about 5 people in each lane. Shoe rentals are a little under $5 per person. Hubby and I ordered their pretzel sticks and fried pickles, which came out to approximately $24. What's hot - Layout. Pretty easy to find your way around from the entrance to the food court, to the arcade, to the bowling lanes. Each bowling lane is equipped with its own booth. Behind the booths are high tables and chairs with enough room to eat. This also allows you a place to eat after you've finished bowling. - Cost. Pretty reasonable shoe rental cost. Less than $5 per person. Cost of a bowling lane per hour was around $50 per hour and each lane can hold up to 6 people. - Location. Conveniently located at the mall in Columbia, which is helpful, because there are so many other amenities close by. - Food. Pretty good quality. The fried pickles we ordered were not too thin and not overly battered. The pretzels come with a cheesy dipping sauce. For $24, pretty good value for money. If you order food, you can also ask them to bring it to your bowling lane, which is helpful. What's not - Noise. It's very loud in here. They play very loud music. It's a large space, including food and arcade. However, it makes having conversations with those in your group very hard. Defeats the purpose of having a group event when the whole point is to talk to others, as well. This alone makes me not want to return. - Website. It's not very helpful, because it doesn't provide the price breakdown of cost of rental for shoes, the bowling lanes, etc.... Not very good customer service. - Customer service. I had called ahead to ask for a price breakdown for booking a group event, which included food catering from Main Event. Whoever I spoke to didn't ask me questions to help guide me and give me a better idea of what factors to take into consideration, such as cost of shoe rentals, price per bowling lane, making reservations, etc.... Furthermore, when we were there and ordered food, no one brought napkins and silverware when the food arrived. Not helpful, especially since the booths by the lanes don't have napkins and/or anything conducive to eating. Recommendations - Reservations. Definitely recommend to make reservations for bowling lanes, regardless of the size of your group, even if you plan on only bowling for an hour. This guarantees you a spot, including getting lanes next to each other for your group. Final answer Would be willing to come back, but not a first choice, especially because it's extremely loud inside.

    Fried Pickles

    See all

    10 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of ME Digital M.

    ME Digital M.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of ME Digital M.

    ME Digital M.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of ME Digital M.

    ME Digital M.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Justin T.

    Justin T.

    Helpful 6
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of ME Digital M.

    ME Digital M.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of ME Digital M.

    ME Digital M.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of ME Digital M.

    ME Digital M.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    6 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of ME Digital M.

    ME Digital M.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of ME Digital M.

    ME Digital M.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of James C.
    55
    237
    366

    7 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of ME Digital M.

    ME Digital M.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 month ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of ME Digital M.

    ME Digital M.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of ME Digital M.

    ME Digital M.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Justin T.

    Justin T.

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 2

    2 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Justin T.

    Justin T.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of ME Digital M.

    ME Digital M.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Justin T.

    Justin T.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of ME Digital M.

    ME Digital M.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of ME Digital M.

    ME Digital M.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of The W.
    0
    28
    1

    1 year ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of ME Digital M.

    ME Digital M.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of ME Digital M.

    ME Digital M.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of ME Digital M.

    ME Digital M.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Ben K.
    0
    12
    0

    8 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of ME Digital M.

    ME Digital M.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of ME Digital M.

    ME Digital M.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of ME Digital M.

    ME Digital M.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of J. S.
    0
    75
    0

    5 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of ME Digital M.

    ME Digital M.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Justin T.

    Justin T.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Libby F.
    1312
    1906
    2398

    2 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Justin T.

    Justin T.

    Helpful 8
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Justin T.

    Justin T.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Andy B.
    191
    28
    8

    7 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of ME Digital M.

    ME Digital M.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Justin T.

    Justin T.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Justin T.

    Justin T.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Justin T.

    Justin T.

    Helpful 7
    Thanks 2
    Love this 5
    Oh no 0

    8 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of ME Digital M.

    ME Digital M.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of ME Digital M.

    ME Digital M.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Justin T.

    Justin T.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Justin T.

    Justin T.

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    11 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of ME Digital M.

    ME Digital M.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Justin T.

    Justin T.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Justin T.

    Justin T.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    3 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Justin T.

    Justin T.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Page 1 of 9

    Main Event Columbia Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Main Event Columbia

    Is there a coin game here such as the stark trek game at dave & busters or any game that pushed coins over the edge to win tickets? Also, is there a catch to the $20 unlimited play deal?

    Yes! They have a wizard of oz one and a superhero/marvel one!

    Does this place show pay per view boxing matches?

    No it does not

    My friends and I signed up our emails on mainevent.com and it said we would get $10 in free play per person, but none of us have received the coupon after we filled out the survey. Not in spam either. Is this promo still going on?

    My bartender told me about the survey at the bottom of the receipt that I should complete and take to the bowl desk with the code to get a $10 fun card if that's the same promotion you're talking about

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

    Review Highlights - Main Event Columbia

    “Brian was patient with our large group, even though we came in waves and were constantly ordering food and beverages.”

    Mentioned in 9 reviews

    Read more highlights

    Elliott’s Craft Kitchen - Crab dip

    Elliott’s Craft Kitchen

    3.9(37 reviews)
    3.8 mi
    •$$

    Great addition to the restaurant park in Columbia…read more We finally had a rare date night and decided to try this new spot. It was not crowded at 5pm so we were served very quickly. We enjoyed hot wings and bao buns as our appetizer and shared a black and blue burger for our meal. My dark and stormy was a great pick as well. Helpful attentive staff.

    Stopped into Elliott's Kitchen on a Sunday around 3 PM--prime football time with both the…read moreCommanders and Ravens playing--so I expected the bar to be buzzing. Oddly enough, it was pretty quiet, but they do have the games on for anyone looking for a low-key spot to watch. We were seated within 5 minutes, which I appreciated. Our server, Patrick, was... okay. Not terrible, but definitely felt new to serving. We didn't get the rundown of the daily specials (yet overheard them being given to the booth behind us), and a few small service details slipped through--but I'm giving him grace based on his newness. One thing I noticed from Yelp reviews is that bread is usually served automatically. We had to request it, especially after seeing tables seated after us get theirs first. Not a dealbreaker, but noticeable. We ordered several appetizers, and honestly, they were filling enough to be a full meal: * Ribs - Flavorful, tender, and genuinely falling off the bone. The portion sizes were a bit inconsistent--some pieces were cut shorter than others--but the texture was on point. I'd definitely return for these. * Brussels Sprouts - Patrick didn't mention they were shareable, which would've been helpful. I did like the flavor, but in hindsight I'm glad we pivoted to... * Crab Dip - This one missed for me. The flavor leaned more tuna-ish than crab-forward. Not my preference, but you may feel differently. * Shrimp in Spicy Butter - Definitely spicy, but somehow still flavorless. More like spicy water than a seasoned butter sauce. The one bonus? They were served piping hot--exactly how I like my food. * French Fries - Hand-cut and tasty. A solid win. Unfortunately, everything except the shrimp came out lukewarm, which took away from dishes that could've been great. Temperature matters! On the drink side, though? Hits all around. The fresh-pressed beet juice was fantastic, and the sweet tea was also on point. We skipped dessert only because we were full, but I'm already planning to come back specifically to try it--along with the ribs and fries again. Overall, I'm hoping this was just an off day. Elliott's Kitchen has potential, and I'd like to see it shine on the next visit

    Photos
    Elliott’s Craft Kitchen - Brussels sprouts

    Brussels sprouts

    Elliott’s Craft Kitchen - Thai chilli wings (a modification to the buffalo wings on the menu)

    Thai chilli wings (a modification to the buffalo wings on the menu)

    Elliott’s Craft Kitchen - Crispy crunch fries...

    See all

    Crispy crunch fries...

    Eggspectation - Columbia - Butterscotch Crème Brûlée

    Eggspectation - Columbia

    4.1(79 reviews)
    0.6 mi
    •$$

    What a great location! In the heart of the new apartments and down the street from Merriweather…read morePost Pavilion, this Eggspectations is in a professional building on the first floor. We had Claudia for our waitress and she was awesome! We were her only table at 2:45pm on a Tuesday and she treated us like friends. This was our first time at this location and we will definitely be back. The decor was very uptown professional meets industrial. High open ceilings with sleek black walls and marble looking tables. Very fun big bar as well. We got everything she recommended and it was so good! We got the Eggstravaganza (Brioche French Toast with two eggs, choice of meat and potatoes) and the Flatbread Sourdough Pizza with Pepperoni, grilled onions and peppers, and extra cheese. For drinks we got the seasonal Pistachio Latte and the Tropical Teaser smoothie that was a refreshing fresh fruit smoothie with mango, banana, pineapple and strawberries. When I say we enjoyed the food, I mean we couldn't stop talking about it. We are so happy we got Claudia for our waitress and will absolutely be coming back for more!

    Lost power after last night's storms, so I met up with a friend to grab a quick breakfast. We…read moredecided to check this place out and arrived at 1:38 p.m. The restaurant was mostly empty, and we were seated immediately. Almost 10 minutes went by without anyone coming to take our order, so we decided to sit at the bar instead. The bartender gave us menus but never came back to take our order either. Meanwhile, the waitstaff and host seemed more interested in huddling together and having conversations than serving the few customers in the restaurant. At 1:56 p.m., we left without ever ordering or getting any food. I understand being short-staffed, but this was simply poor service.

    Photos
    Eggspectation - Columbia - Indoor dining with expansive outdoor views.

    Indoor dining with expansive outdoor views.

    Eggspectation - Columbia - Grateful waffle

    Grateful waffle

    Eggspectation - Columbia - Salmon Benedict

    See all

    Salmon Benedict

    Cured Table & Tap - Fried lobster

    Cured Table & Tap

    4.1(342 reviews)
    0.3 mi
    •$$

    Friday night happy hour at Cured delivered exactly what we were looking for: good food, a…read morelively-but-comfortable atmosphere, and attentive service. We grabbed high-top seats with a view of the bar and ordered a meaty red wine, arugula salad, crispy Brussels sprouts, + Oysters Rockefeller. The oysters were the standout. They had a wonderful natural sweetness, balanced vs. heavy. The Crispy Brussels sprouts were another favorite, and the arugula salad helped round everything out nicely. There was a moderate Friday-night crowd and some bar noise, but it never became distracting. Service was attentive and relaxed. A really enjoyable happy-hour stop in Columbia, and those Oysters Rockefeller are absolutely worth ordering again.

    Cured has become our favorite local watering hole, and for good reason. The cocktails, food, and…read moreservice are consistently outstanding, with quality ingredients and attention to detail in everything they do. The atmosphere is clean, comfortable, and welcoming, making it a great place to relax and enjoy an evening out. What really sets Cured apart is the incredible selection of spirits. With hundreds of whiskeys, bourbons, scotches, and other spirits to choose from--plus a great craft beer and wine selection--there is always something new to discover. As members of the Whiskey Explorer Club, we love coming in to try new pours and learn from the knowledgeable staff. The team is always friendly, approachable, and happy to share recommendations or have a conversation. Add in the convenient layout and easy bathroom access, and it's clear that a lot of thought has gone into creating a great guest experience. We always look forward to our next visit!

    Photos
    Cured Table & Tap - Seating area with bar

    Seating area with bar

    Cured Table & Tap - Cheesesteak eggrolls

    Cheesesteak eggrolls

    Cured Table & Tap - Pretzel Bites -- Cherry Pepper Cheese Sauce

    See all

    Pretzel Bites -- Cherry Pepper Cheese Sauce

    Victoria Gastro Pub - Forget the fries, that's the SANDWICH

    Victoria Gastro Pub

    3.9(1.8k reviews)
    3.4 mi
    •$$

    Victoria's Gastropub pioneered the gastropub concept in this area! They created this beautiful…read morefamily-owned business, and the owners are regulars here, maintaining high standards for the food and ambiance. My night is half-price bottle-of-wine night! There are occasional passed hors d'oeuvres during happy hour, beer-club nights, whiskey-discount nights, and one i want to add to my workout routines: a 3.4-mile run club that finishes with a free mimosa! Great owners, great staff, pretty-darn-good guests :-) Great elevated pub-food.

    I feel terrible for starting to eat my dinner before thinking to snap a pic as the presentation was…read morereally nice. Everything was bright fresh and inviting. But the taste is what really matters and Grilled Sesame Salmon didn't disappoint. Wow!! I thought British food was supposed to be flavorless. The Salmon was both sweet and spicy with the teriyaki bang-bang glaze. The jasmine rice cakes added the perfect amount of crunch and the vegetables were as fresh as they appeared. The pub side of the restaurant feels British with ornate wooden features and sounds of laughter from all around. The bartender are knowledgeable and engaging. Most importantly they made me a proper Makers Mark Manhattan filled to the absolute top of glass to top off an outstanding dinner.

    Photos
    Victoria Gastro Pub - Great people working here

    Great people working here

    Victoria Gastro Pub - 1/2 baked with hot-honey sauce with waffles, and cream spinach.

    1/2 baked with hot-honey sauce with waffles, and cream spinach.

    Victoria Gastro Pub - Lavendar Bees Knees

    See all

    Lavendar Bees Knees

    Main Event Columbia - bowling - Updated September 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...