We visited again on this last trip to Kalamazoo. I do still wish there were more gin and vodka…read moreoptions. I feel like they all were kind of similar? I wish that the lime and orange came through more, they both leaned very heavy on the bitter end which I wasn't expecting for both (one, sure, but not the other) I hope I find some brighter, citrus flavors on the next visit. We will always come back. It doesn't stay open super late so we gor kicked out lol but we always have a good time.

Top spot in Kalamazoo! Creative drinks, knowledgeable and friendly bartenders, and a fantastic…read moreamaro selection. The meat and cheese board is perfect with cocktails. The team make the experience fun without any arrogance highly recommend!

The business regularly advertises a Free Bowling Wednesday event that takes place every Wednesday…read moreand encourages people to come starting at 4 PM. We arrived exactly at 4 PM after seeing this weekly promotion on social media. Upon arrival, the venue was empty, yet we were completely denied access to bowling due to a private event, and told that no bowling customers would be allowed until 6 PM. Before anything else, I want to clarify an important point: "Free" does not mean customers should be treated poorly. Free events are often meant to introduce people to a business, attract new customers, and create a welcoming first impression. Offering something for free does not justify rude behavior, dismissive communication, or shifting responsibility onto customers. Respect and basic courtesy should apply regardless of whether an event is paid or free. What bothered me most was not being turned away, but the blame-shifting that followed. When a business publicly advertises "Free Bowling Wednesdays" and encourages people to show up at 4 PM, it is reasonable for customers to rely on that information. Adding the word "limited" on social media posts does not communicate that no bowling customers are allowed at all until 6 PM due to a private event. Those are two very different messages. Instead of acknowledging the lack of clear communication, the responsibility was shifted onto us as customers with statements like "you should have called." This is unfair. Customers should not be expected to double-check an advertised public event by phone when no such instruction was mentioned. What made the experience more disappointing was the lack of empathy no apology, no ownership of the confusion, and no attempt to acknowledge how frustrating it is to arrive on time to an empty venue and still be denied entry. This review is not about complaining. It's about accountability. Clear communication and basic courtesy go a long way, and this situation could have been handled very differently with a simple acknowledgment and apology.

This place has tons of potential, but a lack of communication. Came in to pay to bowl, asked for 60…read moreminutes(never bowled before so I didn't know) for 2 people, they said a 60 minute wait, but maybe sooner. Had they informed me that a shorter bowl would result in me getting in sooner, I would've selected a shorter timespan. Either way, I decided to give them a chance, selected a seltzer (the cheapest at around .35 cents/ounce) and my drink came out to $10! It left me confused. Then proceed to go drink and watch the bowlers and there were 3 open lanes out of 4. For 20+ minutes, not a single group came in to bowl. As I was watching, it became increasingly clear that the host at the entrance wasn't trained to ensure everyone gets a chance, or for clear communication. Only positive? My drink was good, the few customers in there seemed to enjoy themselves. Just don't come to bowl, you wont get in. Look at the previous reviews, I am not the first to complain about this. Also, it looks like whomever is supposed to be checking these reviews doesn't care as there seem to be no responses to rectify these issues.

I love this bar! Everything a neighborhood bar should be. Great burgers - I mean great burgers!…read more Wide selection of old school beer in bottles and Hamms on tap - does it get any better than that! Live bands, karaoke and a dedicated staff. Say hello to Abby if she's there .

People in other reviews are classifying the Sugarbowl as a "Dive Bar". It may feel like a "Dive…read moreBar" upon entering based on a homey, friendly, safe atmosphere, but it's also the cleanest bar I've visited along with offering delicious food served by an incredible staff In a long time. Regular "Specials" will blow you away, like Hamms beer night (a pickle in your Hamms if you so do !) to everything from Bands to Bingo nights make this place a Hoot ! Don't miss the opportunity to decompress and get a big bang for your buck at this milestone of a "Dive Bar" ! Whether you're a local or visiting the area, go now to the historic Sugarbowl!

Best burger beautiful medium rare, everything about this was perfect!…read more Service: excellent Liked the "lots of people have been here before lived in vibe"

Perfect dive bar. Good music, affordable drinks and a pool table.... What more do you need?read more

It's a place to have some fun and if you feel like dancing, you can do it! Bar has many choices if…read moreyou feel like drinking. The ambiance is relaxing and soothing that you can dance on your own or with someone else and have fun! Nice play to relax and have some dance!

The Gatsby combines the atmospheres of a bar, nightclub, and restaurant. I love the idea of KZoo…read moretapping into its very own modern day speakeasy, but I don't feel like the Gatsby fulfills all of its potential for me to buy into the speak easy part of it. Here's what I felt missed the bar... First, a speakeasy's initial location of "secrecy"... I don't think the top floor of Monaco Bay is that difficult to find. In fact, there is a giant "Gatsby" sign lit up outside. Even if it is modern, perhaps an unmarked door at the entrance could enhance the overall feel. Second, the expectation of innovative cocktails that take you back to an era. The specials were the same as Monaco and the bartender didn't know what the night's special actually was... There's a lot of potential here to boast old custom cocktails from scratch- with a modern twist. Third, the atmosphere. The exposed brick, dark woods, and lavish style add to the tone. Would be really great if there were candles on tables instead of incredibly bright lights drilled into the floor. I did enjoy the unique lights hanging above the bar though. The decor played into vintage modern, but it's lacking some authenticity. Also, the DJ seemed to just play popular culture. Would have loved to hear some swing or jazz remixes instead.

I couldn't decide what drink to get, so I chose the roll the dice option, which i thought meant our…read moreserver would just pick a random cocktail for me, so imagine my surprise when she comes back to the table with actual dice to roll. We rolled rum, savory, and fruity. I was like, how are they gonna make it savory and fruity?? THEY DID. it was yummy as hell. For appetizer we got the duck wings. i've never had duck. its tastes like chicken and was so good i sucked the bones clean like a ravenous beast. I got the rainbow trout as an entree and my date got the oishii shrimp. I liked his more than mine, so we switched plates halfway through because he is in love with me. the trout was also good though. I meant to take pictures for my review but food was too good all I got photos of were the empty plates. I can't do anything right.

My entire family was delighted with Principle. We held a family dinner for 19 after our…read moreMother/Grandmother's memorial service. Louise was so helpful in making the booking, and was able to accommodate an increase in our party only about 24 hours before arrival. Our servers, Sydney and Elizabeth, knew the menu, gave excellent recommendations and provided top-notch service. The atmosphere was great, and we could hold conversations without yelling. Our family ordered a wide variety of dishes (steak, pork chop, salmon, rainbow trout, swedish meatballs) and everyone thought their dinner was wonderful. Principle also served butter noodles and grilled cheese for the children in the party. The fish of the day (rainbow trout) and the Seared Halloumi appetizer plate were especially delightful.

First time here and we were genuinely excited to check the place out. The woman helping us was…read moresuper nice and doing a great job explaining the drink menu! My dad asked if they had Miller Lite, and before she could even finish explaining their drink options, a random guy in a Pokémon shirt appeared from behind the counter like a side quest character and told us we had to leave because my dad was "drunk." We had been there maybe 5 minutes. No yelling, no chaos. We waited patiently at the counter until it was our turn to order. Just one innocent Miller Lite question. I was so confused and honestly disappointed. So unfortunately I can confirm... If you're looking for Miller Lite, this is apparently the most offensive thing you can ask for here. I do not recommend asking for a Miller Lite. Do not ask for a Miller Lite.

I'll start off by saying that I'm not a gamer. I never played video games as a kid, or adolescent…read moreand I think I can count on my hands how many times I've picked up a video game controller. I came here with my boyfriend while visiting one time and I still managed to have a good time. The drink menu isn't anything spectacular but there is something for everybody. We visited one time when it was pitcher drink specials and we got a gin and tonic with lime. It was. A bit heavy on the tonic bitterness and not too balanced, but was not bad. The bf usually plays the same games when we go to a game bar... Galaga being the top choice. I don't recall them having that. We did play some pac man and then hit the road because it was sooooop loud from karaoke. Fun vibe. Worth it if you like games or just want a different experience.

First things first. I have to address why I was so sad after this visit. I TOTALLY FORGOT they have…read moremini cocktail flights. I was so excited about this option when I saw it on Instagram but there is so little mention of it in the menu (basically an, "ask us about our mini cocktail flight" at the bottom of a page) and no leaflet showing the flight details or price. I'm very much a person that likes to try a little bit for everything so once I remembered it after we left, I had a moment. I got a Gin Fizz and the bf got a Blueberry Vanilla Mule. The gin Fizz tasted very much like lemonade, even with the addition of cran flavoring. The Blueverry Vanilla Mule was very strongly clove. If you like clove, you'd likely like that one. We decided against getting second cocktails since happy hour had ended, but got a flight to try their stuff. We like the liqueurs but they are hard to sip straight due to all the flavor they pack. Our favorite was the Pink Peppercorn Gin out of everything we tried. We would definitely come back, but please print out the cocktail flight list or at least suggest it if people are hemming and hawing over what to get like I was.

I loved Green Door Distilling! Nate and I stopped in for a drink and ended up doing the tour, which…read morethey do on Fridays. The tour is $20 and it comes with a flight, which we were going to try anyway. Or you can just do the tour for $10 if you don't want a flight. It's not much of a "tour" in a physical sense as their production facility is small, in just one room, but we learned a lot about distilling in general, as well as a lot of information about the company and their products. I'd highly recommend it especially if you don't know much about the company. The interior has a 20s speakeasy feel, which I really liked. It's a little fancy but comfortable and welcoming. The drink menu was pretty large and it was tough for me to choose which drink I wanted after the flight. I ended up with the blueberry margarita because it was on happy hour. It was really great! Not too sweet. Nate got the cherry black Manhattan which we both enjoyed too. I loved the flight because we got to try pretty much all of the spirit offerings, including their amaro, Oaxacan green corn bourbon, and pink peppercorn gin, which were all unique and very tasty. Our bartender was knowledgable and very kind - great service. I'll definitely be back!