Players

Gametime is trying to start up in Players place.
Food is very average. That’s fine though. It’s what I expect. I enjoyed the gluten free shrimp tacos. Good kid’s menu. Adequate margaritas. Decent beer selection. I freally like the environment. It’s very comfortable. It is clear they are not clicking on all cylinders yet. I give as examples:
1 of the bumper rails on our lane did not work until the 2^nd game.
We were not brought silverware with our meal (hard to eat beans without it).
I had to ask twice for ketchup for my fries.
The vanilla frozen yogurt was hosed up (they did bring us out some later).
There were lots of management types there. Front desk staff was efficient. We came in and were bowling in a hurry. They also did a good job bussing our area and brought us our check quickly when we asked for it.
They seem to be trying. I’ll check them out again in a month or so.
Also, I liked the old entrance better.

Players is now closed and open under new ownership as «Game Time».
Players sucked bad the past year it was open. ½ the games were «out of order» as well as the soul of the place.
Good luck to Game Time as its a great concept good location. Actually a great location on a map, but tucked a little out of the way for foot/​car traffic unless you know you are going there beforehand.

I hosted a business party there two years in a row and had good service until it was time to check out. There was errors both times and i paid them but verbally disrespected by this GM named maurice or marcel. He treats people poorly. I have spent over $ 1500.00 in the last two years and know will not be going back. Food was fine, drinks were average, and Ashley was great, but this GM was unprofessional, i would stay away from that guy. Next year i think we will be at Big Al’s or something.

What a bs place with bs service! Seriously! Never been here thought we would try it. I understand their arcade is going to get remodeled Monday but seriously, u didn’t have to stay open just to take peoples money especially when ur games don’t have tickets and u won’t bother reloading them! So in order to get ticket u win u have to get the attention of
Someone at the desk tell them which game u played and how much ticket u won… each and every damn time! I’m a mother of two and pretty pissed. Wont even try their damn food. And did I miss the bowling lanes?! Or was it really just the two that are on the right for 33 bucks an hour per lane?! At this point i really don’t give a damn. Service was a bs to deal with. Crappy game selection and most just ate money. If players is a wanna be big Al’s.seriously u have to do better than that! Or don’t bother cuz for me u are not worth my time or money! U have gave me no reason to come back and not even a reason to want to! Bye!

No comment on the bar, most bars are good bars. But for «Bowling, Arcade, Billiards, and Food» go to Big Als. I frequent Big Als and was hoping to find an alternative for my family and I so we can change it up and alternate between the two on game night. This place is not an «apples to apples» alternative. I was considering trying it again; they are getting new games for the arcade, but after considering the SQ footage of the arcade and the upgrade possible — I don’t think I will be entertaining the idea of coming back. My kids were very disappointed, at 3 years old my son played every game there in under 10 minutes. I was considering going to Chuck E Cheeses or Big Als afterwards but my kids needed to start getting ready for bed. Oh yeah this place is also more expensive then most. Also for adults that want to bowl and party/​drink, go to Grand Central.
2¢

Overall we had a great time. Went later on a Saturday afternoon and they weren’t busy at all, but had to wait to be seated. We had a very friendly wait person, who made good recommendations on the food. The clubhouse was amazing and we all liked the fries. Not cheap, but still very good value. We could have easily split an entrée.
We also enjoyed the arcade although a dollar a game is a bit pricey. In all we had fun and would go again. Maybe try the private bowling alley with the over stuffed leather sofas.

We had an annual meeting at Players and everyone was very satisfied with the way it went. The food was plentiful and tasty and the service was great. We reserved 4 lanes for our after meeting bowling tournament and we ended up getting the entire VIP room (with all 4 lanes) to ourselves which worked out really well for us. The server also made sure to come by and refill drinks and take beer orders which I really appreciated. The service was attentive and our server and party planner were available the whole time. I have planned events in the past and it is SOOOO frustrating when the server disappears for hours and you can’t find them.
The only reason I would not give them 5 stars was that the room was a little dark and the arcade games outside the room were a little loud. There was also some banging going on upstairs (to be fair, it was a Tuesday and our meeting started before they opened to the general public). I think this room would have been really good for a birthday party or other celebration, but not ideal for a business meeting.
I have never been here outside of this meeting but it definitely seems like they are trying to change things for the better. I read a lot of bad reviews about this place so I was really nervous but it ended up working out better than I expected. Our event planner, Mallory, was organized and had no problem answering my questions promptly. I will keep this place in mind the next time I am planing a party and may even return on the weekend to enjoy some of the stuff they have going on at night.

I had a lot of fun here doing karaōke and the place is clean and the staff is nice.

I would have given them 3 stars because we had a fairly good experience. However, it was difficult dealing with the staff who were booking the lanes. No one was playing on the lanes and they wouldn’t let us play either. They said the lanes had reservations but when we asked if we could also make reservations, they said that they don’t take reservations. Very confusing. I’m not sure what the process is around there and evidently, the staff doesn’t either.
UPDATE: Mallory (Events Coordinator) did contact me for follow up and offered a $ 20 gift certificate for our future return.

Seven. Yes, 7. That is how many things were broken or out of order: games, ticket machines, and the men’s urinal. Those things aside my review would still be low. Saying the wait staff was slow would be generous, and the food, while generous in portion size, was nothing special. The super nachos appetizer was good however. That said Big Al’s is better.
*UPDATE* Heard from Players directly and they are under new management and working to fix the issues.

If you have kids or don’t mind them then this place is probably amazing for you. If you don’t have kids or don’t like them then don’t stray too far from the bar or get there any earlier than 10pm.
We don’t have kids but the late hour and the location of where we sat (right next to the bar) made sure that we weren’t dealing with a lot of the kid issues that other reviewers had.
Drinks for us were fair in price, quick coming and the staff was very friendly. We went downstairs to play some games and had the place to ourselves for two good games of air hockey.
All in all it is a fun, entertaining game place that seems to be trying to do it all and is only mildly successful at being not the best and not the worst.

I really wanted to like this place and felt different aspects of the facility deserved different start levels. Here are my thoughts:
We started out at dinner and our rather large group of 11 was easily accommodated at a large table that resembled a shuffle board. Out wait staff was friendly and responsive, and everyone seemed pleased with their food. I had a burger that had loads of vegetables piled on top of a thick piece of pretty good meat. I’d give the food at least three starts.
The place has a full bar but most of us stuck to beer and soda. Unfortunately the tap selection doesn’t include very many local beers, if any. Mirror Pond was on there, but that’s about it. I suggest the owner leave LO and drive into Portland and see all that is Beervana. Again, wait staff was real friendly and helpful.
Can’t comment on the pool or fusball as the upstairs was reserved for a private party. The videos downstairs were fun… WHEN THEY WORKED. Half of the games had «out of order signs», of the other half not one but TWO had major errors when I tried to play them and had to walk away from the dollar I had put in them (yes, all games cost $ 1.00/credit). This just isn’t acceptable. Staff person less friendly and more interested in talking to a boy.
The bowling was a real mixed bag, but in the end we all had fun. The scoring is electronic and shows the mph of your ball. Pretty cool. The downside is that when our group went up to get shoes there were NO shoes between sizes 10 and 15, and they ran out of 15s about halfway through our group. One person had to bowl in socks, I was fortunate enough to have work extra thick socks that day. I also found it wierd that you paid by the hour and not the game.
All-​in-​all I think the place has potential, but really needs some attention to detail and maintenance of the video games. One reviewer mentioned a change in ownership, I hope he/​she/​they read this review and address the issues.

An old client of mine bought this place and plans to replace most of the horrific wait staff and get a chef /​cook who cares.
We shall see…

Bowling/​arcade meet brew pub/​pizza joint.
This is a FAMILY place. It will work if you are a couple with teens, a couple with tots, or a couple with a mix of teens and tots. It is also a great place for a couple, but keep in mind that there are a bunch of kids running around in certain parts. It is a safe place where your teen can go and have good clean fun without anything creepy or annoying happening.
It is a great place for a birthday party – they have several rooms dedicated for large parties to have privacy. They even have private bowling for parties.
The staff was very friendly and accommodating – when a game wasn’t working right, they were happy to credit our card.
The food is great! Not Emeril Lagassi great, but when you want a savory pizza, or brew pub food, this is a great place. A full menu, sit down service, and great beers.
Oh, and did I forget to mention? FREE WiFi!!!

Wow — what a surprise finding this place. Arcade, bowling, bar, restaurant, video lottery, billiards, all in one place.
As a group of adults, we went there to bowl. I do not recommend going to Players on an adult outing unless you want to have annoying kids swarming around you.
However, I can see how this place is a gem for family outings. The bowling lanes are computer-​controlled so you can have bumpers in the gutters for the kids, and mom and dad can bowl normal. It’s not creepy like old bowling alleys, and the arcade seems clean.
For bowling, they charge by the hour, which is kind of weird if you bowl 1 ½ games in an hour, your second game just gets cut off. They have family specials on weekdays (Sunday-​Thurs I think), $ 20 for a lane and shoes for everyone in your party — kind of a good deal!

Being a parent of 2 girls is hard enough. Being a parent of a 10 year old girl and a 17 year old girl is challenging. Being a parent trying to figure out a place to take the family that EVERYONE would enjoy (including my husband and myself) is next to impossible.
Then comes along Players. I’ve never been a fan of bowling lanes. They’ve always been dark, smelly, old and noisy. I have always hated video arcades. Dark, noisy, expensive and I’m just not a gamer. Then try to get a decent meal or drink at either of those places and you’ll be VERY disappointed.
This is where PLAYERS has pulled off the impossible in my opinion. Somehow turning bowling into a «cool» environment, add a well lit, good selection video arcade that uses neat slide cards rather than filthy tokens, add TWO different adult bars plus one under age bar (they feel so grown up there) and top it off with a huge, comfortable, nicely laid out family dining restaurant… What more could you ask for? Perhaps great food?.. Got it! Huge portions?.. Got it! Extensive kids menu?. Got it!
Sure it can cost you a chunk of change for the whole experience, but hey, if you want to go cheap, then hit McDonalds for dinner and take the kids bowling at an alley built 70 years ago. Players offers some midweek discounts to ave some money.
Sure, no place is absolutely perfect. Show me one that is. Staff could be more on hand to let you know just how you DO get one of those video cards and where do you get it?!. A restaurant hostess/​host station could be more formal and obvious rather than wondering where to stand or should you just go in.
It’s a very busy, multi directional place, but it’s really a wonderful idea, location, variety and option for a night out with family or just friends.
If you go in and expect perfection and start nit picking or griping that it wasn’t perfect, stop, take a minute, remember one of those Chuck E Cheeze parties you attended, then really let yourself enjoy your time at Players.
I can’t complain. The suggested improvements I listed above are just that. Suggestions, not complaints.
I recommend this place for good clean family fun… with some really good drinks thrown in. :)

What about the combination of children, video games, liquor, designer leather furniture and bowling makes sense to you?
Hello…EVERYTHING.
It’s genius. Makes me wish I was a man who might fully appreciate the manchild nuances. Like maybe a 39 year old divorced IT specialist who picks up my overweight kids every other Friday evening at 6:30 PM, counting every minute until Sunday at noon. My weekend is peppered, however, with a few golden moments, like when I was on my 3^rd $ 4.00 PBR and my 9 year old daughter bowls her first strike, then does a strangely precocious celebration dance that slut mother of hers must have taught her. I take it all in stride and order a shot of Cuervo and some hot wings.
WOW. Where did THAT come from? Donno… but that’s what the place said to me. It was just an odd mix of possibilities, but had all the trappings of meeting a need for a demographic out there who’s hurting.
I was mesmerized by the top forty videos playing overhead. Spontaneously broke into my best crump dance, then taught the bartender what a dirty, wet martini is. The wings and nachos were really quite tasty. Super comfortable, nice furniture.
If they can get their service act together, do some good advertising and build up some word of mouth/​repeat business, this could actually be a groovy place. People need to have fun and this place seems to know that can be defined entirely differently by every person in a family.
Hooray for families and for a business model of family fun. Now get your act together, Players. Execute, execute, execute

These adult-​oriented bar /​arcades seem to be the new trend; I hadn’t encountered any, then I find 2 in the same week. A fun concept for those of us who know we’re too old for video games but haven’t matured quite enough to give them up entirely.
Players provides a chance to rationalize your regression with alcohol – you can hit one of the 2 bars for a drink, then shoot pool, bowl, or hit the arcade area. If you need more respectability, Players is more than happy to host corporate groups in the 4 private rooms, one of which has its own bowling alley.
Our short trip was fair. Staff were friendly, though our bartender needed a remedial course on mixing drinks. The food menu looked like standard pub fare, but at very reasonable prices.

This is one of those places where the execution doesn’t quite match up to the promise, although my experience hasn’t been as awful as other reviewers.
Stopped by last year when it first opened to scout it out as a location for b-​day parties for the kids. Compared to your average bowling alley or family fun center, the décor and dining options are really attractive. Since then, my husband attended a team building activity and we’ve attended another child’s party here.
A few nits to pick:
The service, while not bad, isn’t personal or attentive. Not really a party host as much as an attendant. They set up, but didn’t distribute food and drinks, or record gifts, etc.
Kids were pre-​assigned to lanes (without parent input as far as I could tell), so all the little kids were clumped in one lane. The three lanes all finished their game at drastically different times since a 10 year old can bowl A LOT faster than a 5 year old. In fact, one lane timed out at frame 7, so they couldn’t finish the game.
In the party room, they had a large flat screen TV with MTV turned on. Imho, not appropriate for a young kids’ party. (I know I sound like a prude, but it was not good.)
Good points:
The main bowling alley was cool. 8 lanes with 4 large screen projections of classic 80s videos in the background. Leather sofas and beer served to the adults. Woo-​hoo!
The arcade had great games, which were mostly in service, and operated by game cards. Much better than having kids keep running to you begging for quarters or tokens.
To sum it up, all of our experiences have been fine, but not outstanding. I’ll be back, but probably just to attend someone else’s function.

This place is odd, but not really in a good way. To start off its wants to have the swanky look of a nice place, but they video games and bowling for kids, so there are a bunch of screaming kids running around. Then going up to the bar area upstairs is so tightly packed that you can’t enjoy the shuffle board without constantly bumping into pool player or other people walking by, its too packed in. I’m also trying to find out when a pool table is coming open and I’m talking to this guy and he is a security guard who doesn’t know anything about it, just tell me to talk to one of the bar tenders.
The food was okay, I had a double burger and house salad, burger was decent, the salad wasn’t great.
They do have like 4 party rooms, 8 regular bowling lanes and one VIP bowling room with 4 lanes to yourself for reservation, which looks like the best option.