Some are family-friendly and others are strictly 21 and older.
In November 2023 On Par Entertainment in Beavercreek joined the local list of barcades.
Calling itself “Ohio’s premier entertainment center,” On Par is located at at 4464 Indian Ripple Road in Beavercreek. It has four major attractions: Mini-golf, darts, karaoke and bowling.
There are no arcade games at On Par at all, which is unlike Round1 and others. As a big fan of the traditional barcade, I was interested in this unique take on the concept, so my brother and I went to check it out.
Credit: Alex Cutler
Credit: Alex Cutler
When first entering On Par, everything felt open. Even though it was a busy Saturday afternoon, it felt spacious and spread out. The venue has an industrial style with a lot of black and a solid concrete floor. Along with the exposed ceiling supports and minimalist design, it all comes together to make On Par look very modern and mature.
On Par is strictly 21 plus past 7:30 p.m. daily. The venue also does not take cash in any form, like many entertainment venues these days.
After getting a good first look at the place, I started off with mini-golf. There was a choice of three courses, all based around other venues in the area — Great Escape, Wild Axe and Level up Pinball. We decided to take on the Great Escape course, and it was a lot of fun.
Credit: Alex Cutler
Credit: Alex Cutler
Featuring many different fun holes such as a Pharoah’s tomb, a game of Operation and Tetris or even Pac-Man, it felt like there was a lot of creativity in the design of the courses. I wish the mini-golf was expanded, giving it the space I think it deserves.
Credit: Alex Cutler
Credit: Alex Cutler
After mini-golf, we decided to grab some food. Like many modern restaurants, customers scan a QR code on tables to order their food and pick it up later. There is no quick service option — you have to be at a table to order food. We ordered a Mega Pretzel Platter to share — it was a 24-ouncer with a variety of different dips, and it was very good.
Credit: Alex Cutler
Credit: Alex Cutler
Ordering drinks at On Par works differently: Patrons verify their age and purchase a special RFID-chipped card from On Par, where they can then enter the completely unmanned tap wall. Each time a guest would like a new drink, they scan the card and fill the cups as they see fit.
There is a wide variety of beer options and soft drinks available.
Next up was bowling, and it isn’t a traditional full-sized bowling lane. It is “duckpin bowling,” where it is sized down. From the lane itself, to the ball and even the pins, which are even held up by strings. The pins are easier to knock down for younger players, but don’t expect bumpers.
Credit: Alex Cutler
Credit: Alex Cutler
On Par has several game modes to add variety to the bowling. There was a regular duckpin 3-frame style, a game mode where you play a computer opponent, a funny faces mode and a game mode I saw advertised several times during my trip: Angry Birds Bowling. This mode tasked players with knocking down specific pins designated as enemy pigs to rack up as many points as possible.
While on the surface this mode seems like a unique twist, just trying to knock down all the pins usually netted me a higher score anyway. It felt far too easy to ignore the Angry Birds aspects and treat it like a regular game of bowling.
We ended our trip with a quick stop at the Karaoke, which was similar to karaoke bars that offer private rooms for groups.
Save Point Takeaways
- Good for larger groups and likely bet experienced with 4-6 people (to split costs)
- It’s a mature, more adult-orientated entertainment center
- Take a group to split the check
How to go
What: On Par Entertainment
Where: 4464 Indian Ripple Road, Beavercreek
Hours: 1 a.m. to midnight Sunday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday
More info: Call 937-705-6024 or visit onparbar.com
Credit: Alex Cutler
Credit: Alex Cutler
Credit: Alex Cutler
Credit: Alex Cutler
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