The Dinner Detective

05/15/2008 Posted by wendyfromcali

I was really excited about The Dinner Detective and was happy when I found free parking on the street, but the "show" wasn't really worth much. The food was decent, but nothing to really write home about. I tried all three appetizers that the waitstaff was walking around with, and the best of the three was the mushroom quesadilla. The salad didn't seem to have very fresh ingredients. My dinner selection was the beef tenderloin, which was the highlight of my meal; the mushroom sauce was excellent. For dessert I had the bread pudding, which was okay. I wished that the "show" was more interactive. Maybe if I had shelled out more money for a package, I would have had more fun. They also didn't give us enough time to review our clues, which my sister was very disappointed about. I was told that there is a Dinner Detective in Long Beach which is on a boat, which I would definitely want to try. I just feel the L.A. Dinner Detective wasn't "exciting" enough for me. Definitely not what I expected.

07/29/2007 Posted by jwhung

I really enjoyed attending this. If you paid attention to the clues, it can be easily solved. It's pretty easy to figure out whose part of the show too. But if you let loose and just enjoy the show, it's fun. The food was surprisingly good. Moist, flavorable and filling. The mystery was entertaining and pretty funny. Lots of parking on street, so you don't really need to valet.

Pros: tasty meals, friendly service, funny show

Cons: everything is includes except for the drinks

11/21/2006 Posted by citystreet

We weren't expecting it to be as funny and entertaining as it was. The food was good and the show was great. I definitely recommend it for people with large parties and even guys looking for something to do with their girl

Pros: good value and experience

Cons: Valet parking

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful

11/16/2006 Posted by pacbeach

Brought my 80 year old mother and a couple of friends. The hors d'oerves were presented outside and it was a little chilly in December, but they had heat lamps. Inside, the food service was good. The actors were funny and enthusiastic, but the clues to the murder mystery and the rather byzantine way the clues were woven together at the end left me scratching my head.

11/05/2006 Posted by winetastingdinner

Where to begin....my husband planned a surprise party for me at the venue. I had never done one of these before and once I realized what we were doing I was totally excited. It was something I had always wante to do (it was on my lifelist...thanks Ellen). The actors were great, the interaction with the audience was hilarious and the food was fantastic. This was such a memorable evening for me and I would highly recommend it to everyone I know and don't know.

Pros: Show, food, drinks ambience

Cons: they sell out far in advance

10/26/2006 Posted by lionsshare

I chose the steak. I was not given a choice of how I wanted it cooked but it looked to me as if, unless everyone liked burnt black, no one else had a choice either. The rest of the plate was fried potatoes with nothing to flavor them and spinach. The show was hardly a show really. All the clues were written down on sheets of paper. The only interaction was having people stand up one by one and say something. I expected a theme and characters. Silly me for expecting such a thing from a supposed theatrical performance. It was just two detectives who clearly thought they themselves were funnier than the audience did and every now and then someone would get up and die. Since the food was bad and there was no real acting or costumes or script, what exactly did my $60 go to? Especially considering there was an envelope on the table asking us for more money on top of the admission and tips for the wait staff. Doesn't the price I paid to be there go to paying the "performers"? Why are they now "passing the plate" to ask for further contributions? But I suppose if everyone in LA sees their ad and tries it once (whether they like it or not), they can keep in business. I would venture to say that is what they are counting on.

Pros: Parking

Cons: Not "Theatre", Bad Food

10/09/2006 Posted by daisydukes

What an unexpectedly fun evening. My friends and I were a little apprehensive at first but figured we would make the best of it. After the night was over we were all surprised how much fun everyone had. I would definitley recommend this event to everyone.

Pros: Fun; Good Food; Great for dates and birthdays

Cons: Only on Saturdays

04/06/2006 Posted by pjohnson123

Took my wife. A lot of fun. Very funny and interactive. Definitely recommend the dancing afterwords.

Pros: Funny, Good Food, Good Value

04/15/2005 Posted by goldenfieldsforever

Only in Los Angeles can you find new and creative nightlife entertainment. This is one of the reasons. I had such a good time with my friends and family that we are already planning when to go back. The food was good. The actors were hilarious and very professional. Everything was fun.

Pros: Good value, good food, good show

04/15/2005 Posted by lifeiswhatlifeis

My girlfriend and I had such a great time. This was a blast.