Coconut Bowl — Local services in Milwaukee

I recently visited Coconut Bowl on Mill Road in Milwaukee to celebrate my mother’s 72nd birthday. We chose this location because we wanted to support a Black-owned business and keep our dollars in the community. However, our experience was mixed, and I want to share this review in hopes of highlighting areas where improvements are needed.

First, the positive: the atmosphere was nice, the music was great, and the food exceeded expectations—I’d give the food an A for quality and taste. The presence of security also made the environment feel safe and welcoming, which I appreciated.

Now, the main issue: the bowling lanes. During our visit, the lanes kept breaking down repeatedly, which disrupted our experience. We were moved to two different lanes during our game, but even the second lane had issues, breaking down every other turn. The first lane we were on never recovered and was shut down for the night. At one point, we waited over 25 minutes for the lane to be fixed, and some of my family members were ready to leave. While the staff did try to make it right, the frequent breakdowns soured the celebration.

Customer service was another concern. While some staff members tried to help, others lacked compassion and professionalism, particularly when addressing the lane issues. Statements like “I don’t know, I’m not bowling” came across as dismissive and unhelpful. When customers are dealing with consistent interruptions, a little empathy and clear communication go a long way.

We truly wanted to have a good experience and to support a Black-owned business, but the constant lane issues and inconsistent customer service made it difficult to fully enjoy ourselves. I’d encourage the management at Coconut Bowl to invest in updating the lanes and to train staff to handle customer concerns with more professionalism and care.

I’m glad we were able to celebrate my mother’s birthday and keep things professional despite the challenges, but I’m not sure I’d return. Coconut Bowl has potential, but improvements in both equipment and customer service are necessary for it to provide a...

Horrible experience. Went for jerk chicken . Unfortunately they were out. Didn't have jerk chicken. Ok placed an order for wings and 2 egg rolls tipped the waitress at the bar. Asked for a water while I wait. Took 30 minutes to get a water. 4 people come in and order get there food and 2 finished eating. I still haven't gotten my food. Asked about the food and over an hour later my ticket to make my food hadn't even reached the kitchen. Don't waist your time. Even tried calling to avoid all of this. But the wrong number is posted in Google. When I asked about it and for the number no one working there knew it. Unbelievable. Epic on worst outing for food. Cook tried offering me an egg roll for free after wasting over an hour of my time. I could not believe how inconsiderate people were that worked there. Definitely not...

I ordered Brown stew because I didn't want anything spicy. Got home started eating and the Brown stew spicy like it Jerk. Also chicken was over cooked. Dosen't taste grilled at all!!! Only go here when the real Jamaican restaurant is not open. Food never taste like it's grilled. Couldn't eat it. Had to throw it in the garbage. I'm wondering if it's owned by Jamaicans because no one in this place...