Par28

I regret to inform my readers that today Par28 in Salem, NH lost my business forever. We showed up on time for our 1:00 PM reservation, and we weren’t settled at the bay until 1:15 PM. The staff was clearly uncomfortable telling the group in our bay to leave, and we ended up paying for it. As many reviews have already noted, we paid for two hours and were hustled out the door at 3:00 PM sharp. Thankfully the three of us are competent golfers and were able to finish our round, but we were undeniably robbed of 15 minutes and the staff couldn’t have cared less. If this were the only issue I would not have felt the need to write a review. 2 hours of golf, 1 pizza, and 4 beers came out to $275. I understand that inflation is a factor, but many local simulators have better technology at a better price. The layout is poor, there is little to no privacy, and the staff was constantly walking through our seating area. I respect service industry workers and I thought the staff at Par28 was pleasant enough. With that said, in no world should I be prompted to tip on the golf + food and beverage. So instead of tipping 20% on 1 pizza and 4 beers, which I would’ve done happily, I was prompted to tip 20% on $140 in simulator fees + the pizza and beer. As mentioned, our waiter(s) were pleasant, but not pleasant enough to make out with a kings ransom. Lastly, I am no aquarist but the shark that’s occupying 90% of their tanks volume was an unsurprisingly disappointing end to my final visit. If you’d like to watch an adolescent tiger shark navigate a tupperware container, look no further. It’s nothing short of an aquatic tragedy, and it’s one that should be monitored closely by the New Hampshire Department of Fish and Wildlife. The pizza is good, the bar is usually busy, and many people seem to enjoy this place. We got screwed on the tip and we got screwed out of 15 minutes of golf - but as I mention in all of my reviews, I encourage all future patrons of Par28 to come to their own conclusions. As for me and my friends, we won’t be returning for as long as other local options remain available.

1st time here. I liked the atmosphere. Great bartenders. The pizza is really good. I will be back.

Pretty disappointing experience from the start. We arrived a couple minutes before our reservation, yet were not settled into our bay until 15 mins after our reservation was set to begin. TrackMan has a functionality where simulators will automatically turn off when your time is up, however Par28 prefers to rely on staff to move people along instead. The reservation before us was in no hurry to leave and we paid the price. When we were nearing the end of our reservation we were dealt with much more sternly and told to take our last swing and pack it up. Upon checking out we were prompted to tip on our simulator fee, rather than just food and beverage. This is nothing short of a predatory business tactic to inflate margins and bleed consumers. The space is also very cramped, with patrons and staff constantly squeezing by our space. Factor in the leaky pipe dripping into our bay and the reef shark chasing its own tail in the fish tank, and this atmosphere gets a 1/5 stars from me. I decided to tack on an extra star to my overall score because the pizza was delicious and I fired a 1-over 73.

Pizza crust was amazing - perfectly crunchy, and a decent amount of semolina for a little more crunch. Only a little charrred in spots along the crust, as it should be. Pesto Bianco has the right amount of each topping, with no one taking over. Excellent draft beer selection as well. Definitely worth a visit!

Stopped in for 10-cent Wing Wednesday and was seriously impressed. Each order comes with 10 wings, and even at that price they were delicious crispy, flavorful, and cooked perfectly. You just need to grab a drink, and it’s honestly the best deal around. Jules and Christine behind the bar were awesome super friendly, quick with refills, and kept the vibe fun all night. Owner stopped by to check on us as well and was a wicked nice guy. The place has a great atmosphere, tons of games, and an all-around good crowd. Definitely my new Wednesday hang out spot.