Main Event Kansas City North — Restaurant in Kansas City

We live an hour away, but we needed a last minute party idea, because our outdoor party was rained out. We scheduled a bowling/arcade party for a Saturday afternoon. We arrived 30 minutes early, and they gave us 20 minute cards to use as we waited on our table. We were worried, because out of 23 invites, we only received two RSVPs. It was a small group of kiddos, but it was still a wonderful time, and we were so grateful that a couple pals made the same trip to celebrate with us. When everyone arrived, we bowled. The kiddos had a great time. Our bowling started a little late, so we didn't get our full hour. Main Event accommodated us by giving us 20 minutes of laser tag! So cool. Then they gave us some $10 add ons for our game cards. They really took care of us. After bowling and a taste of laser tag, we sat for pizza. As the pizza was being delivered to our table, a slice fell from the tray. They made it right by making us another whole pizza! They are really great. They loaned us candles for our cake. Our birthday boy had two delicious slushies. Ella was our party host and she was so kind and personable. She did an amazing job taking care of our crazy party. As we were opening gifts, we heard someone behind us shouting for the parents of a little boy in a plaid shirt. I thought, "Hmm...I have one of those." I turned to look at him, and realized he was gone in all the chaos. Apparently, my youngest enjoyed bowling so much that he made his way back to the lane we used, and tried to bowl on someone's game. I felt horrible. He is non-verbal/autistic, and did not understand why he couldn't bowl. The members at Main Event were so calm with him. I don't think the other party was all too happy with him. During one of his frustrated moments, he couldn't be calmed, my sister offered to get him a treat to help him as we waited for everyone to bowl. The concession attendant gave him a bowl of ice cream for free. Then it was game time. The games were fun. There were a few issues with a couple games, and the team members made it right. We played the heck out of the spongebob game, and some of the cards got stuck. An attendant came over, kind as can be, unclogged it. We ended up winning over 6000 points. The boys had a blast in the ticket gift room. There was quite a line due to a computer issue. We made our way to the front, arms full of goodies. We had over 900 tickets left, but with an autistic child, and another one hopped up on slushie and cake, we gave the remainder to the little guys behind us. It made their night.

I cannot recommend this place enough. We had such a good time. Kind employees. Everything was clean and modern. Pizza was yummy. Atmosphere was light and fun. It was worth the hour...

Im actually really irritated about my time here last night. We paid $40 for an HOUR of bowling. But the lane continuously broke down and ate up so much of our time having to wait for someone to reset it. They did give us some extra time for the inconvenience but it was frustrating none the less. We had to find the waitress to get her to come over to us to begin with. But it seemed the poor girl was on her first week. She was the only one in a pink shirt running around while a giant group of people in purple shirts stood around in a circle talking most of the night. We did get our food quickly and it was soooo good. But they gave us no plates for nachos and a pizza. And they gave us 3 napkins lol. Then we decided to play lazer tag, so we paid for it and sat around waiting for someone to help. Eventually the manager came over and made us the appointment that was starting in 10 minutes. So we hopped over to the bar to get a drink but were ignored for the entire 10 minutes. We sat there and watched the bartender take shots for herself instead and didnt look at us a single time. So because we no longer had time to wait for the drinks, we walked back over to the lazertag. We waited... and waited.... and eventually a giant group of kids showed up around us, id assume waiting too. After waiting about 10 minutes, my friend went to get her money back because of the clear fact no one was readily available for lazertag. The manager told her to meet him somewhere for the refund and we weren't able to find him after that. So we left without playing the $30 game we paid for. No one wants to sit around for 30 minutes waiting for the employees to do their job. Especially because my free time is minimal. Eventually we went back to the bar to try to close out the tab, after waiting another 10 minutes, we had to shout to get her attention because they both just kept walking passed us while one of them was taking shots.

They were busy, which is probably why when the screaming argument started up front next to thr bathrooms, the only police officer there turned around and walked away. "Not my problem" apparently.

We won't be back. It was so expensive for an awful experience. I do believe who I'd assume is the manager tried his hardest to help our experience but clearly they're supremely understaffed. But again, the entire night there was a giant group of people in purple shirts talking in a circle. So maybe they just need to move people around to cover more area. I also assume that's why they closed the rope course so early. We were going to do that too but she said it "closed early."

I really feel like i wasted my money coming here. I left more frustrated and disappointed than to have had...

Waited 30 minutes on lanes for service. Food took another 20 minutes, and we were missing a kids' meal. Had to track down our server and waited 10 more minutes for the kids' meal. Our lane broke down multiple times, and we had to find someone to help fix it. The birthday party next to us was out of control and playing recklessly while the party host stood there doing nothing to ensure anyone's safety.

Multiple games were down. Laser tag only had maybe 7 vests working out of 30. We were not told that until our game time was upcoming and our entire group couldn't join to play together. Signing up for a time for gravity ropes was a joke. I signed up for laser tag with the same game attendant who told me I couldn't sign up for gravity ropes because the girl wasn't there yet. I checked back 15 minutes later to sign up for gravity ropes, and the same guy I spoke to earlier said I could sign up with him, and the next time wasn't until an hour later. Why couldn't I have known this earlier? It's quite inconvenient to keep track of our own time for activity sessions without a printed ticket for our sessions. Do people just line up for activities now without a confirmed ticket? What's the point of signing up for a time?

One of our guests finally got up on gravity ropes with a different group, and I noticed two game attendants on the floor by the entry and no employee up on top of gravity ropes to watch guests. That is a very big safety concern, especially with the zip line. What if there is an emergency take down? No one was up there. Near the end of the session, one employee finally appeared on top of gravity but sat against a pole with her back towards the group of guests using the zip line. I was just waiting to see if she would pull her phone out because she wasn't doing anything else. Other guests had trouble with the zip line track and break - not knowing because there wasn't anyone to help instruct.

Trash and empty dishes were left all over the place, and the restrooms were dirty.

I was extremely disappointed with this visit and to find out firsthand how it has turned out so many years after being part of its original NCO management team...