We stopped in to check it out! Ended up playing the games! It was a great price and alot of fun!read more

The coin slot has a fun atmosphere, a great drink selection and rotating food trucks. Well, it did…read morehave a good atmosphere. It's more Dave N Busters now. Be aware that it is crowded often. The games aren't really vintage anymore. It seems they put all the vintage games away so be ready to pay $1 for modern pinball. Worst yet, it's lost its soul and its charm. The crane games with cheap prizes, halo, Mario kart, and more new additions make it feel like every other arcade. Feels more like a place for kids than a fun vintage bar. It hurts me to say this, but after nearly a decade of patronage, there's nothing here for me anymore. But if you have preteens or kids, stop by. It feels more like a Chuck E Cheese than a vintage arcade bar.

Came here on a Saturday afternoon with a large group (8 kids & 8 adults). We called ahead to…read morereserve 3 bowling lanes at 11AM, we were there when the doors opened. I wasn't sure what I was expecting but I was very impressed with how clean and new everything looked. They have a LOT in a small space - 2 axe throwing lanes, 4 duck pin bowling lanes, arcade games (mostly claw games, a basketball game, VR, & motorcycle game), an escape room, and a bar. We were the first guests so it was nice to have the place to ourselves. Bowling was fun but it's pretty tight around the lanes - 3 tables set up near them, our group took up the whole space. We were disappointed to see the bar not open, so we had to walk to the bar on the other side of the lobby to get drinks. Since it really isn't an arcade that you can play games and win prizes or tickets, it was a disappointing for our little kids. Especially since there are a lot of claw games and they are hard to win - only 1 out of 8 kids won a prize (and all the adults were trying, too). It's a small space, so when it starts getting busy - it's cramped. Also, I would say it's pretty pricey. Lane rental was expensive for 1 hour, I notice how $$ the axe throwing was, too. Arcade credits are $$, too. We spent $50 within 30 min btw two kids. Not a bad place to check out with kids in the winter to get a break from the cold.

Nice, clean, but the prices are a too high per game and the bar is NEVER open when I go. They also…read moreneed some more games and get some new games. They have had the exact same games since they opened. Change it up, rotate some new games in and out. Ive been a few times and it's a bit stale. The last time I went we the bar was closed as usual and I asked the one staff member if I could bring food in from the restaurant in the hotel. He didn't care if I did, but he had no clue on how I would make that or drinks happen. Basically said it was up to me to make it happen and walk down to the restaurant in the hotel if I wanted anything. It would have been nice if he could have called it in for me and had them bring it over to the Den. Kids get bored very quick. The bowling is just ok. You play 5 frame games, and it's like candle stick bowling. The pins are on strings. They do have ax throwing, that's fun. They didn't really suggest how to play or keep score, but it's still fun throwing an ax. All it all it's and ok place but they could improve it with some more care/attention/customer service.

We recently stayed here at the waterpark, and I have to share an incredible experience. While we…read morewere swimming, the diamond fell out of my wedding ring somewhere in one of the pools or possibly the hot tub. We immediately let the pool staff know, and my husband filled out a missing item report with the front desk before we left. To our complete surprise, we received a phone call the very next day saying they had found my diamond in the pool filter! I honestly couldn't believe it. This speaks volumes about the staff. They must hire honest, hardworking people with integrity who truly care about their guests. It would have been so easy for something that small to disappear forever, but instead someone took the time to recover it and make sure it was returned to us. It truly felt like a miracle, and I will be forever grateful. Thank you to everyone involved for your honesty, kindness, and professionalism. You didn't just find a diamond you returned something that means the world to me.

Many cash grabs that serve no purpose. $20 per night fee for parking in a dated concrete lot. Why…read morewhy why? $20 per person for a mediocre buffet including kids! My grandchild ate two pancakes and three strawberries. Children should have a reduced rate. Refills are not free and one must use a QR code to get refills so they ensure you pay for every refill.!!'n how insulting!!

We love putt putt golf! To us large, extravagant putt putt golf places are a must. This place does…read morenot disappoint. They also have go karts at this location in the back which looked fun, but we did not partake. The putt putt course is 18 holes each and one is a tad bit more difficult than the other. It was a beautiful day to enjoy the scenic holes and spend time together. Definitely a must when in the Traverse City area. Check them out for yourself.

An immaculate mini golf course. So many inventive holes. I don't know how they keep it so clean…read more Bumper boats with squirt guns, very fast go-carts. This place is a blast from the past and not expensive at all. Such a fun time.

We were from out of town and came here with a relative who lives in Charlevoix, MI. He wanted to…read morego bowling. I did not have a real opinion either way before or after coming here. I think that if you have been to one bowling alley, you have been to them all. Some of the only differences would be the size of the building and the atmosphere of the location. Space was limited here due to COVID BS, so we had to be put on a waiting list, briefly. All parties had to be spaced at every other lane. Staff, while courteous, was very to the point. They probably get tired of putting up with disrespectful youth and drunk amateur bowlers. I get it. The waitress we had should get a raise or at least a promotion of some kind. She was friendly, prompt with doing her job and always looked busy. She told me that if a customer ran out without paying, which happened to her once to the tune of $60, she has to pay out of her own pocket. Sad... All in all, you get what you would expect for a bowling alley at The Northern Lights.

We ordered carry out and what do we find when we get home?! These sorry excuse for chicken wings!…read more All 18 we ordered were this size and I just can't understand how anyone thought this would be appropriate to serve I don't carry what your specials are for the night. Severely disappointed in this place and we'll never do take out from there again.

So I want to be cautious here as I know there is new ownership from what I heard. My wife and I…read morecame here spontaneously as we were in town for the weekend. When we ordered, the bartender didn't drink which made it hard to know what certain beers taste like, but honestly, no judgement because he did the right thing and offered tastes of beer which was awesome and helpful! So service wise I would say great! The beer tasted really good as well and was decently priced. They had a bourbon barrel stout which was pretty good and newly released. The biggest issue we had was with the food. I ordered the spam sandwich with chips and my wife ordered the chicken quesadilla. While the food was cheap, the quality of the food also seems that way too based off what we ordered. The spam sandwich was supposed to be teriyaki flavored, and didn't get any of that. There wasn't a lot of thousand island dressing on it too, which made the sandwich dry. The chips that were served were clearly out of a bag as they were cold, which made it seem like I could have just gotten a bag myself. I would have paid a few dollars extra to get something fresh like fries. While spam comes from a can and I know this, my wife's chicken quesadilla had chicken that was clearly from a can - it was sopping wet, and the meat was very chunky, and very salty. This made us worry the rest of the food may not be very fresh. While we did have that experience, I will say the pretzel bites were really good and did seem fresh, and they were sourdough! So that was nice. I think this place has very good beer, and a really cool bar setup with a nice stage, arcade machines, and much more. However, I wouldn't come back here for lunch. Instead, I would make food at home. I would highly recommend more fresher options, and I would pay a little more for better quality food.

Had tacos and chips during our independent bike and brew tour…read more The Stevedore cider was amazing. Nice place, quiet due to 9/1. Will return.

When we visited, we only rode the go-karts, played a round of miniature golf, and played on the…read moreplayground. We had a good time! The water park was closed, and the batting cages and the arcade weren't things we did this time, so I have no idea about those. But we had a good time racing and putt-putting and play-playing. The mini golf course is actually really cool. You go over bridges, into caves, under water falls, and up and down stairs. It took us a good half hour to complete. The go-karts go around a small race track, and they can be kind of loud, but my older kid said he had lots of fun. He went around at least four times! It seems more fun to race when there's more people there. The playground is nothing spectacular. In fact, it's a little run down and janky. But that mattered not to my youngest, who played on the playground the whole time his older brother was racing on the go-kart track. I liked Adventure Island for my own reasons: Because there are old, hand-lettered signs everywhere. You don't see hand-lettering much anymore! But it's here, and it's spectacular. Got to love old-fashioned, handmade signs.

This miniature golf course has to be one of the worst I've ever seen. It was very poorly…read moremaintained. We made the best of it anyway. There was no water slide or anything else water related. We didn't take part in the go-karts. Even the Arcade area was very unexciting. Just some old machines randomly sitting in a large room. Most seemed to be either not working or just not plugged in? I guess they are blaming COVID still? I wouldn't visit again.

Reviewed this back in '24 when they opened and it's gotten better and better. Let me just say this:…read more The Backyard burger is the best burger I've ever had. Period. And I grew up in the 80's eating at 'up north' bars, which previously had the best burgers of my life. This tops it. In addition to great pinball, a nice space, and great vibes, The Outsider is currently winning Manistee.

Here's a revised version that reflects there was no table service:…read more The restaurant was clean and the staff was courteous, but I left feeling the overall experience didn't justify the price. The food was more expensive than I expected, especially for a cafeteria-style restaurant with no table service. My biggest disappointment was the burger. It was cooked well, but it was overly salty to the point that it masked the flavor of the meat. I was also surprised to be prompted for a tip. Since customers order at the counter, pick up their own food, and there is no table service, the expectation of a tip didn't seem appropriate. Overall, I don't mind paying more for a quality meal, but in this case I didn't feel the food or the dining experience matched the cost.

best place you're going to find in northern Michigan. Knowledgeable and friendly people that made…read moregaming their passion. Lots of great memories thanks to the people and friends made there.

The way this store is set up is very offputting and unwelcoming. Being a gaming store it makes…read moresense to have tables set up for games, however nothing makes you feel more intrusive than walking in to a bunch of grown men playing in 3/4s of the storefront. Very difficult to get around to see anything, and it makes you want to leave almost immediately after entering. Learning that the owners are incredibly shady and have pulled multiple scandals with consignment art was the final nail in the coffin. I'll order my tabletop gaming supplies online.