This experience was awful. It's really sad to write this review because we were so excited about this. But the script was awful, the acting was bad and the plot was horrible. We were not able to solve the crime because it was too complicated and the clues were not helpful. My whole table started off excited but by the end we were all bored and not paying attention. I would not recommend this dinner theater I would try another one instead. Not worth the money!!! Don't waste your time! read more

Food was ok. Play was very entertaining. The room was small and tight, felt like I was in hotel.

This was one wild night. I'm not so sure that this experience was *exactly* as advertised.... pretty sure wild costumes and cheesy jokes are definitely the norm, and I'm not sure about the claim about basing the storylines on true cold cases. However, that didn't make it any less fun. The actors were enthusiastic, the audience was into it (part of the challenge is figuring out who the cast members are and who is completely innocent!), and the clues kept us searching the entire night. We did successfully pick the killer, although motive was a little more difficult to pin down. The food itself wasn't the greatest - I had the chance to sample the salmon and the pasta, and I'd go with the salmon next time again. The pasta was slightly overcooked penne with what tasted like store-bought marinara on top. That said, you're there for the show, not the food, and the show was hilarious. read more

If nothing else, the evening was a fun time The food was okay and typical for this type of event. They should really consider using microphones for their act. Even though the room was relatively small, there were times you could not hear the conversations because their back was turned to the table as well as the loud, screaming that occurs through out the show was difficult to understand due to the loudness of the voices. IF you continue to use the "cloud" for your clues, that should be disclosed in all the pre-show material. Some at our table did not have a cellphone with them. We came for a birthday celebration which the asked on the ticket form. Their recognition of the birthdays was rather lame. Some at our table took objection to the "gratuity" envelope at each table - the cost didn't justify the meal and the interaction with the actors (which most were not known until the end) was minimal. Not sure I'd do again as it is pricey for what you get but it was an enjoyable night out. read more

The show and the cast were fantastic. They engaged the audience and one of detectives was really good at improv, which enhanced the show even more. The wait staff was courteous and prompt with refills and clearing the table. Those are the pros and they far out weigh the cons because I don't think the Dinner Detective has much (if any) control over them. The cons are the dinner. Our party had the chicken breast. It had the consistecy of a soft pretzel but less tasty. The green beans were from a can and so overdone it was hard to eat them as they disintegrated as soon as they touched the fork. The only other downside was the parking situation. Unless you are lucky enough to get one of the few spots near the front door, you have to park in back and walk all the way around the front as there are no doors in the back. Overall the experience was great (I didn't go there for a gourmet meal). I recommend it to everyone. read more

Not worth the cost. The food was awful. The chicken entree was inedible. And calling a salad, a piece of bruschetta, a shot glass of pudding, and inedible chicken a "four course meal" is... a stretch. The main actors tried very hard and were quite entertaining. The secondary actors were very easy to spot. I was expecting something where the clues would lead to the culprit. Something that could be figured out... that was not the case. The clues given did not point to who did it. The person who got it randomly guessed the culprit cuz they were acting weird. Honestly they could have thrown any plot/clues in and it wouldn't hav mattered... maybe they did. Overall-- I had fun, but it was very expensive for what it is. read more

I attended the dinner detective on March 9 and Tempe Arizona. When it came to dinner time, I was served a plate that had hair on it. After making this known to the master of ceremonies. She apologized profusely and said that my dinner plate would be replaced. Three or four more times within a 45 minute period she came back again apologizing profusely, my friend I came with called her over and complained that this wasn't right that it was taking so long again apologizing profusely and going to check in the kitchen. A waitress comes out and asked me what I had chicken or fish. I looked at my watch. It was 8:00 PM everyone Was finished eating. The show was set to be over at 8:30. I was furious. I told her just to forget it. I left within the next 10 minutes. This is very upsetting to me and I feel like I should be getting a refund because of this,to sit there, almost an hour, and never get my dinner was ridiculous. Nobody really seemed to care I mean how do you go to dinner detective show and not have dinner I would not recommend this to anyone. read more

I can't review the show itself yet. I can tell you I would never buy tickets for here again. We got two tickets as a gift and were excited to go, but my wife got sick the day before the show with a high fever. We called to tell them we needed to reschedule, and they said it was not possible, regardless of why. So we will be attending. I hope they are ok with a sick person in the audience.... read more

I attended the Dinner Detective on 10/12/2024 in Tempe, AZ. I am visiting from Texas and we had a birthday in our group of 7. I am not able to "write" and use a wheelchair 100%. I would NOT recommend this experience to anyone, especially a handicapped person, at all! I feel the almost $80 paid per person was more or less a donation. I was looking forward to this event and was very disappointed at best. When we arrived at the venue and assigned our table, a plate of salad, glasses of water, and two types of dressing were sitting out on the table. After several people searched for their table and walked past and was around your salad, you sat to eat it. This is just nasty! The limited number of wait staff made the service poor at best! Though, I do feel that they tried. We had salad, chicken, green beans, roasted potatoes, and cheesecake. Oh, and bread. The food probably would have been better if it was warmer. None of the food was the appropriate temp and the bread was hard and tasted days old. The venue wasn't handicap friendly either. I couldn't hear well (no PA system used) and felt the clues weren't good at all. I felt SO rushed. We had an opportunity to mingle. The room that we were in was very crowded! This made investigation nearly impossible. This entire occasion was not worth the money!! read more

Terrible Experience. You can get actual dinner theater in Phoenix for the same price as this frat party disguised as "theatre". Attended on 12/3/22. We were ignored by the bartender. The food had been sitting on the table so long when we got there that the salad was wilted and the cheesecake had crusted over on the top (also, didn't we just get through a pandemic? Major turn off that my food had been breathed on by everyone in that room). The salmon and veggies were served luke-warm. The audience was rowdy and loud - even the actors had to tell people to pipe down. That wasn't exactly a problem until I was harassed by an apparently intoxicated patron during the show; my husband and I both asked him to back off two times, and the management did nothing to intervene. We left less than half-way through. The company has not responded to our request for a call back to express our concerns. read more

We had so much interacting and spending time with family. Yo Adrain was a blast. My only bad thought if you would even say that is that the cook used way to much soy sauce in chicken and gosh and the older detective needs to retire you could tell she throw the other actor off. Then again , with no changes . I would go again ! So yes , purchase your tickets. read more

I had no idea what to expect but was pleasantly surprised. The event was very well planned and organized. Check in was quick and the Moxy is a nice venue. It was in one of their meeting spaces, and if I have one recommendation, it might be nice to have more setting props to build the ambiance. The host and actors are amazing. They were hilarious and were quick on their feet. They made jokes to accommodate for the setting and made a bunch of laugh-out-loud moments. It was great. I laughed a lot. The event is very interactive. The audience is given 10 minutes to interact with one another, and the actors will call on audience members to participate. I wasn't expecting this so it was a shock, but it was brief enough so that I wasn't uncomfortable. Just a FYI for all you introverts out there. When we signed up for the event, there is the option to pay for 1 member in your group to be a "suspect." They have a limited amount of suspects so it may sell out. My sister and I both signed our husband, significant other up. Our significant others were totally unaware until the end because the process is very discreet. It's a great way to surprise your party member. Ha. The actors totally integrated them into the show and both of them had such a great time being part of the show. I totally recommend it if you're looking to made a surprise someone. The food was mediocre. I wouldn't recommend coming here for the food, but the entertainment was great and the food is actually pretty healthy. I recommend this to anyone! read more

So much fun! Very recommended for a great dinner and murder mystery show! Highly recommended perfect for a date night or birthday party

We had a nice time out with friends and no kids. The food quality was as to be expected. So I don't want to ding it too much there. The hubs and I each had the chicken with veggies. It was a bit dry but the sauce that came with it made it bearable. Upon being seated we had a dinner salad and bruschetta to share with the table. Dessert was some sort of chocolate mousse cake. Each table had 10 people. You can request to sit with your friends when purchasing your ticket. I saw there was a groupon deal but in actuality, purchasing directly from the company website was cheaper than the groupon deal, so make sure you compare. The 2 detectives were funny and they worked well together. They were quick humored and did really well ad libbing. The actors who played suspects were obvious in the sense that they weren't part of the actual dinner crowd but it still was hard to figure out who the killer was unless you paid attention to detail. The overall experience seemed to be a little dragged out but I understand it needed to cover a lot of info and also include the extra suspects that people paid extra for. I wouldn't go again because I now know the experience, which I always wanted to go to one, but I definitely would recommend others to go if they haven't already. We did have a lovely time and laughed a lot and enjoyed it with our friends. I actually was the winner who solved the crime and won at the end. That was exciting. But i have to give some credit to the hubs for helping me out. read more

The Dinner Detective - a group of people posing for a picture - Dinner Theater Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

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The food was horrible! I was actually angry about the entree that was served. Fish was overcooked, mashed potatoes were not creamy and did not have any flavor. Dessert and Bruscheta were edible! Acting was subpar and although the two female detectives (actresses) tried their best to keep everyone interested. I found it somewhat irritating. The best part of this night was when it was over. I would not go again nor would I recommend it! read more

I was expecting to serve up my best Bea Arthur deconstruction of the crime scene, as I was DEAD right in guessing the perpetrator, but they read the winner out loud after we submitted an answer sheet to the hosts. Some snatch named Miss Kitty took my prize. Pro Tip: keep your essay of the crime short and sweet. Food is ok. My fish was edible, but this is more about the experience. The actors are charming and very interactive. Don't bring your introverted friends, as playing along enhances the show. Some of the audience members participated with the enthusiasm of a DMV employee, but overall it was a fun crowd. I would definitely recommend for something different to do on a Saturday night. read more

Amazing!!! Wow the cast, the jokes, the laugher, the prizes, the fun and the food made this a night to remember. This is definitely a fun night out whether with friends, family, date night or just to do something different, this is the activity to be at. I was blown away at all the tricks they pulled and the surprises that left you either laughing your pants off and or just amazed at how much fun you were having. I love how anyone can be a suspect, it could even be you and you don't even know it! It's at a fun location right on University right by the campus at the Moxy Hotel, which is easy to access. Check The Dinner Detective out, from the minute you walk in the fun begins and murder is just the tip of the iceberg! read more

This place was absolutely amazing. It was one of the best experiences ever. Very fun and family friendly. Prices were great and very family friendly. Highly recommend read more

It was a fun night, and the food was good. It would have been more enjoyable if wasn't freezing cold in the room.

We had fun at this show, although it would have been more fun with a large group. We were placed at a large table with a nice family (except for the racist dad) but they had their inside jokes and kept talking over my husband and I, thus difficult to have conversation with this setup. Our backs were also to the action in the middle of the banquet hall. It was a bit disorganized at the check-in table as well. No one told us to do a nametag until we were called out and embarrassed for not doing so. Then, we didn't know that you were supposed to give yourself a fake funny name and just wrote our own names. Lame. The storyline was pretty cheesy but I appreciated the audience participation, with the exception of the ice breaker-esque activity going around to interview other guests. The food was "meh" and we did wish there was a drink other than water or coffee provided. Booze helped ease the slight cheesiness and we had an enjoyable night out. The staff was friendly and the lead female detective was very funny and great with impromptu comedy. Don't think this would have been worth full price but we had a great Groupon for the adventure. Everyone was casual/business casual and it would not be a child-friendly show. Cash bar. read more

Bought a groupon. Good way to experience something new without paying full price. Yes it was cheesy. The " clues" were confusing and did not lead me to any conclusions. I just used my common sense. It was fun interacting with not only the table you were sat with but others as well. Although we never really got to know anyone as we used " fake " names and could lie??? My concern, which I addressed to Brandon( corporate guru) was that at the end of the " performance" you are to guess : "whodonit?" Now you are preparing for this moment after being totally immersed into looking for clues, interviewing people etc etc. This is a big deal! We were told that one person would win a prize worth $ 100 ( I do not know what that person was given. ) I did guess the correct suspect/killer but my name was not called. Only one person was called. Everyone at my table looked at me like...WHAT HAPPENED.! I suggested to Brandon that there be more recognition of those of us who chose correctly. I suggested he provide certificates ( yes a little silly) or ribbons or more than 1 prize. Anyway, sounds like a small and silly thing but boy was the end of the evening anticlimactic after spending all night going through everything and then no recognition! I am not fussy about food, so I would say the food was alright. Tasty. Tea and water. Great dessert! By the way, our groupon said commemorative mug with each ticket but that was not recognized. This organization needs to get their act together. read more

This show was a disappointment. We went to the show on 6/11/2022 and I felt like we were watching an ADHD high school drama group performance. It was mostly improve and all over the place and hard to follow. The costumes were a joke and the acting was not very good. The plants in the audience were easy to spot. The food was okay but over all the price of this show was not worth it. I would not recommend this show. read more

I wish I was the one killed at this show... My partner and I were very much looking forward to this show as we take part in various interactive shows, escape rooms, etc. This show was hilarious, not in content, but in application. Actors will purposely lead you astray from the case and the humor was as dry as Phoenix in July. The food was the most flavorful part of he night, but still was overpriced all things considered. This is a mystery I wish was left unsolved. Grab Clue or go to The Murder Mystery Company if you want an enjoyable interactive case. read more

We got a groupon deal and decided to check it out. The entrees had 3 choices but they did accommodate my special request for just plain baked chicken and steamed veggies which was cool. Water and iced tea were free everything else you had to pay for. We were sitting over by the bar and the prices seemed to be more like a sporting event opposed to a dinner type setting. Oh and it was a cash bar. The show was a bit cheesy at times but was way more interactive than what we expected. I was singled out as one of the suspects which gave my wife and I pretty good laugh. All in all we had a good time. We were seated at a table with 6 random strangers so a larger group of us would have been fun. The show is mainly in the middle of the banquet room so if you want to see what is going on I suggest you pick a seat that can see that way. If you are expecting CSI or method acting this is not the venue for you. If you want to get out for a couple hours, laugh a little, and have a decent time then give this a try. If you can find a deal on the ticket price definitely try. We would do this again. read more

Bad food, bad acting, lame jokes, weak story line. Don't waste your time or money. There are better murder mystery shows in town that don't do the same show week after week for years. read more

The food was ok at best. Had the fish... it was over cooked and mashed potatoes were dry with no sauce or gravy. The zucchini I must say was good. Choc cheesecake for dessert. Huge piece but super rich. I had a very hard time following the whole plot and figuring out what was going on. The clues were horrible. The actors were amateur at best. I thought most of them were people they pulled off the street. read more

A group of nine of us went to the Tempe location, and we experienced a pretty decent show. The problem came in to play with the food and the accommodations. Having attended a mystery dinner prior in Atlanta, I was expecting something equivalent with food and drink, but was met with food that you could tell was microwaved or quickly heat it up in a serving pan over cooked rice and a lacking in flavor cheesecake. We were only given water as a drink. We were told that we had to pay for any other drinks at Agatha's murder mystery dinner in Atlanta we were served either alcoholic beverages at cost or the beverages that you would find at any restaurant that include coffee, tea and soda of some sort. It was also freezing in the room and I had long sleeves on and pants. My throat started getting scratchy and my nose started running because of how cold it was in the room. There were only two servers and when the actors noticed the slow delivery of refills and food to the tables, they started to help. It felt very awkward. I will not be recommending or returning. read more

Wow...that all I really have to say about Dinner Detective. I really did not want to come here. My wife had bought a Groupon over 1 year ago and we finally got a chance to go. I kinda had no choice.lol. Well, I'm actually glad I did! Not what I expected. They really got the crowd into it and I was even called to play a game and became a suspect. Super fun and I totally didn't see it coming. At the end you probably will be shocked to find out who the killer is but that's the fun of it. Very fun! The food was average, but I didn't come for a fine dinner..it served its purpose. Coffee was tasty though. I'm really glad that I came for DD. it was much more fun than I was expecting and I would recommend people going. read more

Fun and interactive. Great place for dates, families, parties, etc. The actors are very good at what they do. Food is good too!

My story is same as others.. came due to a Groupon, and was intrigued and yet hadn't my hopes up. I learned something this evening.. Food. Absolutely terrible. I knew that I wasn't going to get any decent meal, and this was totally understood. But whoever caters to this place needs to be replaced. If they were smart they would have let someone (anyone) like olive garden cater, because it kind of suits the masses. This was just sad on many levels, when the best part of the meal is the dessert and that is a once frozen big piece of pudding pie. Drinks. They have wine, beer and drinks. They are a bit pricey - but nothing that wasn't expected. No complaints here. Entertainment. I knew it would be cheesy, but it was quite bad. The acting is nonexistent but I can forgive this for peoples enjoyment - but the plot is bad. I mean to the point that they could (and should) have bought a plot somewhere that would been entertaining and also interesting. This is the most boring plot. Absolutely boring. Way more than the poor actors CPR attempts to keep the interest alive. Audience participation. I expected some audience participation, and yes there was some. There couldn't have been less.. and the little there was, was dumb. Having had some experience in the realm of entertaining - using the audience should be a given and absolutely free entertainment. Something this venue could have used for sure. Summary. For being an amateur entertainment mystery dinner, whoever created this should go back to their day job. I see so much room for improvement in all areas, due to the idea is a good one - but the planning and the execution is sad. Now I need to check out others like this, because I need to reassure myself that this is a low water mark. And again, the plot was ludicrous and not in a funny way. read more

We went with another couple for our anniversary. We paid full price, which was definitely NOT worth it. Pop/Soda/tea....if it was included in the price...no one was serving it. Just water and coffee at the table. I paid for 2 cocktails.....just to get through it. Too long...too much dialogue, not enough acting. Too much work required that really didn't lead you to solve the murder. If you are thinking "Clue" it is nothing like that. Which was disappointing. Also insulting: WAY overpriced photos, they should have been included in the price especially in our world of Selfies. Overall, we wouldn't recommend it. Too overpriced, Too long, too hard to follow. Too much work, not enough "fun" and tedious detective work that was not relevant. The funnest part was one of our party was a suspect. Inside jokes made that our personal highlight. Should have opted for a comedy club instead. First and last time for a Murder Mystery dinner. If we could get our money back, we would. read more

We thoroughly enjoyed. It was fun! The food was mediocre else I would have given 5 stars. I'll go back again for sure. Loved the actors! Update 21 feb 2013. Apparently they moved to Marriott to improve their food. That's great! read more

One of my favorite movies of all time is Clue so I've wanted to do a dinner mystery theatre for as long as I can remember. I want to give it 3.5, but couldn't. It was a fun experience and you actually do have to think in solving the crime. Hope for fun people at your table because they can make it better. We had a fun table and they made the experience more enjoyable than what it would be. The food isn't good. That's the worst part of it, hands down! The dessert was semi-enjoyable. The chicken was dry but my friend liked the meatloaf (to a degree) . We ended up going to dinner after. The run time is about 3 hours, but time went quickly with all the breaks. Overall, I'd say go and give it a try, but be prepared to eat after. You'll be entertained. read more

Awesome show and had a great time. Dinner isn't served until about 815, but was actually really tasty for hotel food. There was great energy in the room and we had a fun table. read more

My wife and I had a great time at the Dinner Detective. The characters were played by some very good improvisers who had us laughing most of the night. The mystery was intriguing and fun. The food was ok but we didn't really go there for the food. It was a fun night of entertainment, different than the usual date night. I reccomend this to groups and couples alike. read more

My whole family attended this event last night. We are originally from Hawaii where we do not have things like this, so we took the opportunity to go while we were vacationing in Arizona. It was AMAZING! The actors were in character the whole night and it was fun and interactive, giving you clues and food in timed increments throughout the night. All together it was a three hour dinner, but it went by so smoothly, I didn't even realize that much time has passed. At no point was I overly stuffed and by the end of the night I was full and teary eyed from laughing so hard. I highly recommend this show! read more

Don't waste your time or money!!! We had more fun at the dueling piano bar down the road. I have been to many murder mystery dinners , and I will say this dinner detective show was the absolute worst one I've ever seen. Total waste of time and money could not wait for it to be done. Daughter and son-in-law were in town they were excited to go because They have never seen one.they will now never go to another. Food was absolutely disgusting,and the show wasn't any better. We went to check them out to hire them for the work Christmas party needless to say that will not happen with these guys... read more

I was really excited about this, but the storyline was pretty terrible, and most of the clues were hidden in these long handouts (some of which we didn't even get). The audience participation component was pretty lame, too. The characters just weren't really developed, and the actors for the most part relied on silly slapstick humor, bad puns, and sexual innuendo. It was hard to take it seriously. Just not up the level expected, especially considering the cost (even with the discount) and the fact that there's a dress code. The food was okay, though--not great, but not terrible. read more

Fun night :) Lots of laughs. We are very shy people but, this broke us out of our shell. Maybe we just were lucky and got a good table but, everyone was very friendly that we sat with and had a good sense of humor. The actors were awesome and witty. I had no clue who the killer was. The food was...not memorable. Didn't go for the food anyway, went for the experience. I see some reviews saying it was cheesy. Well..we must like cheesy because They had us laughing all night. Bought through Groupon for my birthday. Had the surprise of having my photo on the victim and being a suspect. Recommend doing that for a friend. I'm sure my facial expression was worth it. xx Morticia xx ;) read more

My husband and I got a gift card for this for Christmas. Such a fun date night! The show was very interactive and funny! Food was better than we expected. It was cool talking to other people and trying to figure out who are actors. We went as a couple but I think it would be even more fun in a group setting. Would definitely recommend! read more